Flotsam

The cold spell we have had for the past four or five days has passed. Now it is snowing. In fact, it has snowed all day long and there is now an estimated 15-18 inches on the ground. But it is, mercifully, warmer (up to 20 degrees today). This is a curious place where life goes on more or less like everywhere else. For example, one of our well known professionals went to visit his lady friend and found a rival there. He was so incensed he fired 14 shots into his rival’s pickup. One of our local wags was heard to observe, “heck, I coulda killed a little pickup like that with only three or four shots.” As far as I know there was no arrest and the episode somehow just disappeared from the local news. We look after our own.

We live very near the Canadian border. When you try to enter Canada you are, of course, asked about your business, citizenship, etc. One of the female Canadian border officers stopped a man in a truck who was delivering lettuce to a store in Canada. She asked him if he had any record that might be of relevance. He said that he did not. She looked him up on her computer and found out he had murdered his wife. When she confronted him with this fact he said, “so, I was very angry and I strangled my wife. I went to jail and served my time and now I am just trying to make a living. Upset, and somewhat frightened, the officer said, “okay, just go.” My wife, upon hearing this, said, “maybe he was just turning over a new leaf.” Ha ha. Something has to pass for humor up here in the long winters.

And something has to take your mind off the dismal situation in American politics. Iraq, it is very clear, is an almost total disaster. Various agencies are telling this to the “President” but he seems to pay no attention. He is too busy lying about Social Security and preparing for his coronation. I think he can’t decide between the purple robe with the ermine trim, or the gold lame with the mink. It is hard being President. Anyway, we only have to wait a short time for this glorious $40,000,000 extravaganza which will show the world once and for all what this Administration (and country) thinks is important. No doubt good will will just ooze across the world and the United States will maintain its current position at the bottom of the moral and responsible totem pole. It’s a great time to be an American!