[AT] Merry Christmas!

[Francis Robinson]

    Merry Christmas...

    Its a beautiful morning here in Central Indiana at 8 AM. We have done 
the Santa bit between the two of us already. Most of the family will be here 
tonight except for one daughter, her husband and daughter who live down near 
Chatanooga TN. Our clan is now 4 grown kids, 12 grandchildren and 6 great 
grandchildren going up to 7 about Feb.
    An important holiday gives one a reason to reflect on things a bit. I'm 
greatful for many things this year including this list. Thanks Spencer! 
Thanks also to Steve Sewell, your efforts are also greatly appreciated.
    I have always gotten along well with my neighbors here around me but I 
only feel as close to a few of them as I do to some of my long time friends 
here on this list. Thanks for being there guys...
    As some of you know my mother passed this last August. She lived for too 
many years of her life with her mind in a state of lost confusion, anger and 
terror. Her tortured mind also tortured my and Diana's minds. That burden 
has been replaced with a sense of peace that we have not known for far too 
long.
    This morning I am sitting here looking at my shop from the house and 
making plans for this winters coming improvements there. I also am looking 
out the back patio doors at the location of next springs pumpkin patch and 
having a "warm and fuzzy" attack just thinking about getting out there with 
one of the old tractors and an old IHC pull type plow and stirring the soil 
a bit. Since I no longer grain farm and have rented that acerage the dirt 
stirring projects take on a new importance. While I always liked farming in 
general the exploding input cost, expensive pest problems and frequent bad 
weather had taken much of the pleasure out of it. Growing pumpkins and 
making hay are a lot more fun and more "old tractor" friendly.   :-)   I 
also kind of enjoy having hay customers dropping by for a few bales on a 
fairly regular basis. One of the things we missed the most when we retired 
from the store about 10 years ago was seeing the customers. Many of our 
customers had become our good friends and some still drop by now and then 
just to say hi. A hay customer yesterday reminded me that she has been 
buying hay from us for the last 3 or 4 years.

    Again, Merry Christmas and a happy new year...

--
"farmer"

Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go, instead, where there is no path
and leave a trail.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net