The last day of 2015 and the sun is shining. It’s a really nice day. No hoar frost to report, just a light breeze. That is what we will get six months from now, sunny with a light breeze.
I woke with a start on Dec. 31. I looked at my bedside clock. It said 8:13. I never like 13s in my life. I just knew this day was either special or maybe I should not get out of bed. As that cartoon character Elmer Fudd used to say we must be wery, wery carefoo. I started my morning routine same as usual. I got out my test equipment and put a strip in the tester. Stabbed myself, put the blood on the test strip — 6.4 — that’s fine for a diabetic like me. I needle up and eat my pills, nothing unusual there.
Because it was one of those mornings, and I still have my Aunt Signe’s blood pressure monitor, I put it on —149 over 74, 89 strokes per minute. That is about the same as it usually is.
About that time my wife Bev delivers breakfast. I have three eggs, two pieces of toast and a cup of coffee. Every morning. She used to say to me don’t you get tired of the same breakfast every morning. No, I don’t, I like it. Nothing unusual there.
I get in my truck and head out. I live just north of the Communiplex. I go south along the west side of the Communiplex to get to the east west road. Then I go straight east to the petting zoo then a short jog up to Highway 16. As I drive along I admire the outdoor skating oval. What a good thing for kids. Tip of my hat to the City of Lloydminster. That is a really good idea and didn’t cost too much.
As I am driving along the back road, I slow down for an intersection and out of the ditch pops a weasel. He stops and looks at me and I look at him. He is about half grown. He is totally white except for the tip of his tail, which is black. Then he turns and scampers off down the ditch. Now that is most unusual to even see a weasel. A red letter day, indeed!
It doesn’t take very long as soon as you are on Highway 16 before you can see the Battle River hills to the south. When the weather is going to be mild, the hills stand up. They were standing up. Okay mild in January is not normal, it is unusual. I like it!
I had a date with my two granddaughters to clean at the house on the farm. Must be at their house by 10 a.m. The last renter left a hell of a mess. I picked them up and we drove over and the girls went right to work. The double sink was piled high. There were also dishes in the bath tub. What a way to leave the place. It took the girls two hours to wash and put away all the dishes. The girls gathered up garbage, some in closets and all over. Six large bags. We delivered it to the dumpster. Then I got to take the girls for dinner. On a vote, Lou and Sue was the choice. I had a pleasant morning visiting with the girls as I watched them work. They are good workers. I am truly blessed.
The rest of the day I sold five more books and delivered three more bottles of Crown Royal to my renters. I explained to them Crown Royal is like a hammer or wrenches. If the hammer is the only tool you have, that is not good. You go around hammering on things, things get broke, things get wrecked. That is no good. If you are using too much Crown Royal, that is no good either. It is to be taken just a shot before you go to bed.
After four o’clock I was on the return trip to Lloydminster. Before that you fight the sun. I got back in time to get in the car with my wife and meet another couple for supper. We tried out the new Sawmill Restaurant. The food was good, but it really took a bite out of my old age pension cheque. I had a pleasant time.
We returned home. No midnight party for these two old fuddies. I watched a hockey game on TV and Bev went to bed. I watched the news and then fireworks on TV. Then I was off to bed, the end for an interesting and pleasurable day that started at 8:13.
As I lay there waiting for sleep to take me, I reflected on all the changes in my life in 2015. Last January my friends were dying like flies and I was going to have my 70th birthday. That is when I decided to throw my own birthday party. I wanted it to be a simple affair but soon the wife and kids got in there and it got out of hand. In the end it was all good, as I never could have put it on without their help. I think the 300 or so people who came enjoyed themselves.
It was early in the year that my wife got sick. At one point she was in the hospital in Edmonton and I was in the hospital in Lloydminster with pneumonia. Not very romantic when we are both in hospitals 250 miles apart. I got out in a week, but she had to stay another month. I went back to the farm as there were dogs and cats to look after. I can tell you that after 47 years of being together it is a mighty lonely existence with just some dogs and cats. When she came back to Lloydminster, we rented an apartment in the same building as her mom and dad. We have since bought a house.
When it became apparent to me that my legs were not going to allow me to farm as I could only with great difficulty get in the tractor, I realized I would have to quit. I sold the pasture that had been in the family since the teens and rented out the rest of the farmland.
I miss fixing things, getting things ready, but I just can’t do it anymore. After much doctoring around I am now waiting for an MRI on the bottom of my back for answers. That’s my 2015 story. We are in the beginning of a new year 2016, and I wish for everyone good health and happiness.
