Hat Tips

Hello,

We usually take a little vacation in the winter. You know, four or five days. We kind of do it on the cheap. Look for cheap vacation packages. Like driving to relatives and staying for free in their house and eating their food. But, after decades of this, it is getting harder to find relatives that will make our beds and prepare a nice menu for us to choose from.

This year we found a relative of a friend that had a house in Cabo. For my non-traveling friends, that is on the southern tip of the Baja. Which, I am sure you all know, is that peninsula that sticks out into the ocean south of California. This seemed like a dream deal. I found a cheap flight. Rooms and bloody Mary’s for free. A short walk to the ocean. Golf course right out the door. Wonderful exchange rate. Safe enough we didn’t need to worry about someone stealing body parts. And our body parts are old enough they would not be in high demand anyway. So we decided to book it.

But alas, my passport was expired. I didn’t know. I don’t use it often. So the trip has been postponed and probably canceled.

I deserve a vacation. I explained that to Shirley. And besides, she has a job that pretty much requires that she be at work every day. I explained that to Shirley. So I came up with a solution. I would go on vacation. I’m sure you agree that I deserve some time off. I mean I have been doing an hour of chores every day forever!

Things worked out rather well. A friend called and wanted me to go to a bull sale in Nebraska. It was on Saturday. He wanted to leave on Thursday so we could attend a cow sale on Thursday and another sale on Friday. I left on Tuesday to be sure I was on time. If Shirley got up early, she could get chores done before she had to be at work. And after being cooped up at her job all winter, I was sure the fresh air would be exhilarating for her. When I left, I didn’t realize how fresh the air would be. Like wind chills of minus thirty-five.

I rode down to the Hills with a friend. The Black Hills Stock Show was on. Visited the oldest saloon (1888) and stayed with a friend. Are you sensing a theme here? Attended “Broncs for Breakfast”, a bucking horse futurity, and a saddle bronc match. All were wonderful.

Went to two bull sales, a weekly cattle auction, and visited with a bunch of wonderful ranchers from as far away as New Mexico. Told and heard wonderful stories. Some I will relay to you in the future. And some that will never be fit for print. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

But most importantly, I made it back just in time for the Super Bowl. Shirley pretended she was glad to see me! And her frostbitten cheeks weren’t as bad as I expected.

Later, Dean