The kitten has nothing to do with today’s post. I just love the meme. I dare you not to smile when you see it. Double dare you. đ
Before I turn the blog stage over to Slim Randles and the gang down at the Mule Barn Truck Stop, I want to acknowledge the glimmer of good news that the rate of infections of the Corona virus in the U.S. is down. So are the number of daily deaths and hospitalizations.
But that doesn’t mean we should stop being vigilant, or we should stop practicing the safety measures of masks and social distancing. Until we get a handle on the three new COVID strains coming from the UK, South Africa, and Brazil, we can’t let our guard down.
Not being careful soon enough last January and February paid a large part in the U.S. having such high numbers of cases of COVID and deaths.
Let’s not set new records.
So, wear a mask, avoid large gatherings, and get the vaccine when you can. It may prove to be the best defense.Now here’s Slim and the others. Grab a cookie to go with the beverage of your choice and enjoy…
Windy, my man,â said Doc, âhow are you and the widow getting along?â
âSheâs been sorta creepitatinâ up on my blind side, Doc,â Windy said.
Dud set his coffee cup down. âWhich side is that, Windy?â
âVery humoristic, Dud. Ha. Ha.â
We had all been watching, as closely as we could, the relationship between Windy Wilson, bachelor, camp cook, cowboy, and teller of tales ⌠and Mamie Dilworth, aging hippie chick, starer at crystals, vegetarian, widow.
We all knew, those of us who lived vicariously alongside the perimeter of their friendship, that if it couldâve been filmed, itâd be on television longer than The Flying Nun.
âDoc,â said Windy, âolâ Mame the Dame is a awful nice lady, sure ânuf. I have considerationed maybe takinâ our friendship to the next level.â
âWhat level is that?â Steve asked with a grin.
âSteve, that would be puttinâ one of my patented power sneaks on âer and holdinâ hands.â
âBe careful you donât rush these things, Windy. Youâve only known each other a couple of years now.â
âIâll be careful, Doc, donât you worry none. Why, we almost got to that there hand-holdinâ when we capper-sized that stock tank boat of mine in the crick. Had to pull âer out. Werenât no grateful smooch, howsomever.â
âSo why ramp it up now?â
âValentineâs Day, Steve! Cominâ up, ainât it. Yessir, afore long thereâs gonna be young lovers squarinâ off and smoochinâ and darinâ the world to stop âem from cuddlin.â I really take to Valentineâs Day.â
âBuy her a card yet?â
âThinkinâ on it, Doc. But I gotta get jest the right kind. Canât be too moochie-smoochie or sheâll get the wrong idear. What Iâm lookinâ for is one that says, âMame, I kinda like you and think youâse smart and kind, And would you like to hold hands and talk about good stuff? And no more a-them tofu tacos, thank you.â
âThatâs a tall order, Windy.â
âValentineâs only comes oncet a year, boys.â
Brought to you by A Cowboyâs Guide to Growing Up Right. Avuncular tips from a guy who made lots of mistakes.
Check out all of Slimâs award-winning books at his Goodreads Page and in better bookstores and bunkhouses throughout the free world.
All of the posts here are from his syndicated column, Home Country that is read in hundreds of newspapers across the country. I am always happy to have him share his wit and wisdom here.
Slim Randles is a veteran newspaperman, hunting guide, cowboy and dog musher. He was a feature writer and columnist for The Anchorage Daily News for 10 years and guided hunters in the Alaska Range and the Talkeetna Mountains. A resident of New Mexico now for more than 30 years, Randles is the prize-winning author of a dozen books, and is host of two podcasts and a television program.
That’s all from me folks. I’ll be back on Feb. 4 with a review of Stork Bite, a terrific story by L.K. Simonds.
Happy Hump DayÂ
Love the kitty picture! Slim never fails to brighton my day.
Slim brightens the days of lots of readers, Jan. We’re just a small part of the millions of folks who get the columns on a weekly basis. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Most days I read your blog while enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Rarely miss that little ritual.
I often write it while sipping my coffee. đ I’m taking the rest of this week off from writing, as well as next week. My girlfriend Flo is coming for a visit. You might have to read older posts from Slim for your morning chuckle to go with your coffee.
Maybe so! Have a wonderful visit with Flo, it has been a very long time since you’ve visited. Enjoy!
Thanks, Jan.