Happy New Year!

Are you happy to see 2005 go?

If you watched the ABC evening news last night, you probably are. Over 2,000 talented young Americans are gone forever in Iraq and Afghanistan. A series of hurricanes dominated our TV's for months with suffering and blame for suffering. Great minds like the Pope, Johnny Carson, Richard Pryor, and Mrs. Robinson are now silent. What was her name anyway? Her husband was right about plastics, you know.

But maybe the biggest news is I am walking out of my 50's into... God, I can't even think it. My dear 'ole dad died at 62. Why is life in such a hurry anyway?

I could get pretty depressed over all of this but that would not be me. So, I decided to do something big about it. I bought a new cowboy hat. That's right, I am back to the cowboy thing and I must say I look pretty good in this one--kind of like a grumpy Ronald Reagan. Good Lord, he's dead, too.

Life is pretty good for me right now. I am living alone and am comfortable and plenty warm. My place is a little camper which I named the Palace. Yes, I am trailer trash but they pick it up every Tuesday and Friday so I can live with that.

The only problem I have is with a neighbor. He is kind of a a know-it-all who likes to rearrange my little yard with his old lawn furniture and put that tire stuff on my bike tires because they didn't look shiney enough. We had to have a little "visit" and now he's a little gun shy of coming near my place or me. (That's his truck to the right of the palace. It's a diesel and he likes to sleep all day and go to the gym about 3:00 am so when he starts that damn thing, it sounds like it is in the middle of my bed.)

Oh well, live and let live for a while.

If I could pull the Palace with my little storm chasing car, we would blow this popstand. (I hear they are paying a cool million for trailer trash lots in Florida!)

Maybe a truck is in order for the new year. I am a pickup guy anyway and for guys who wear cowboy hats and look like grumpy Ronald Reagan, a pickup is the only thing to have. Plus, you can toss the walker into the box.

60. Good Lord why is life going by so fast and I have so much still to do? My dear ole' dad died at 62.

So on to 2006. If the water gets too high, may God bring you a canoe with a paddle and instructions written by a trusty Indian on how to use it. If the wind takes you away, may God drop you into a nicer place. If a sour smile fills your face, may God put a very active small ant in the back of your tighty-whities.

Happy New Year. *Tips new hat*