by Greg Koelker
“We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I’m really with you now
Or just chasin’ after some finer day
Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin’ me late
Is keepin’ me waitin’”
I am pretty sure that Carly Simon was singing about love. I found myself humming this old classic this morning in a bit of double entendre as I puttered about, anticipating the coming of what some weather types guess will be the third big storm of the season. My weather app guesses that we could experience high winds and get as much as two feet of snow by Monday.
After breakfast, I started by moving Sherman our Ranger out of the garage and up to the barn – just in case. Then I brought the John Deere tractor down from the tobacco shed. I dropped the roll bar and backed the tractor into the garage – just in case. I popped the hood and put my battery charger to work – just in case. I also liberated two snow shovels from their perches – just in case. Thanks to the efficiency of the crew at Vernon Electric, we have rarely had a power outage in the half century we have lived the dream here, but still I rounded up our 5 gallon little league cooler and brought it into the house. After bleaching the lid and inside, I filled it with fresh water – just in case. After that, I took a turn around the now bare house yard, scooping up dog poop with a flat shovel. After coffee break, Ellen suggested we go get a bag of sunflower seeds and extra suet cakes for The Cardinal Cafe – just in case.After a stop at ACE, we dropped into the Mirage Sports Bar for a bite of lunch – just in case we don’t get into town for a while. Our neighbor Courtney Burish was working today. We had a long visit with our waitress and the cook brought out our delicious sandwiches: El had a big pulled pork and I had the crispy chicken with all the fixin’s. The wedge potatoes were really good.
Back at the ranch, El filled up her bird/squirrel feeder – just in case. I did drugs while she was outside; uh, that is, I filled our daily week med cases with drugs. Then I went off to my chair to read AKA known as sleep off my overly large lunch.
In other news, a week or so ago, Mark told us about finding a dead elk in the swimming pool of the Colorado estate he is the property manager of. I might have mentioned it. A number of people asked how he got it out. The pool is kept from freezing to protect the walls from the frost and such. The elk was floating. Mark told us he took an ATV with a winch down by the pool and used a pool skimmer pole to get the cable hook around the unfortunate cervidae. The ATV couldn’t get enough purchase to pull it out, so his boss and two of his boss’ friends assisted in the lift.
Until next time, get out – In town today, we saw that gasoline prices are up $.60 a gallon since I last filled up the truck. Just in case we topped off the tank – $36 for ten gallons.
After a session with our friend and therapist, hair stylist Cathy Stevenson, we met some of the family in Genoa today first at Tuna’s and moving on to Rudy’s. We had really good burgers at Rudy’s. This is usually an annual family ice fishing trip up north, but since there is little ice up north, the guys rented a house between Genoa and Viroqua with plans to fish below the Genoa Dam tomorrow. Several brought boats and others plan to try Clements’ Fishing Float. Good luck kids – we like our pike filets half-a-dozen or so to a package.
As a kid (and as a teacher) I loved snow days. I am guessing that Monday might be one of those. As a codger, I am not so enamored of snow. We shall see.
These are the good old days, right?
Pray for peace.
Greg Koelker is a lifelong resident of the Driftless region along the Mississippi River. He is the acclaimed author of the “Grouse Hollow Journal,” a column that celebrates rural life, nature, family heritage, and the traditions that bind communities together. While technically focused on the “outdoors,” his writing often explores broader themes of community values and education.
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