The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east as he stepped out on the porch of his large ranch house carrying a tin cup of coffee.”
               –Gary Church (Fate Rides a Tall Horse)

There yuh are.  Wonderin’ when yuh were stoppin’ by, thought mebbe the roads were washed out.  This ol’ fence post was smart enough to stay a few extra minutes under the covers with that storm we had.
     Say, are yuh used to the “new normal” yet?  Here, take this cup; it might not help yuh see more clearly, but yur gizzard will sit up an’ smile.  Have yuh heard some of the baloney that’s being spouted?  My mercy, some of it is beyond foolishness.  Why that group of four, women I guess they are, want to take property away from owners.  Hmmm, now don’t that sound a bit like full-fledged communism?
     Just hard to believe.  We spent years in a Cold War with some hot spots like Korea and Vietnam to fight such idiotology, now there are members of Congress spouting it.  There are some cryin’ for sharia law–God rest those souls who sacrificed in Iran and Afghanistan.
     But I don’t mean to be moanin’ the blues over the idiocy that is among the bureaucrats, I want to enjoy my Saturday coffee, maybe sigh a few times, and remember the day.  You do know what the day is?  Armed Forces Day, in fact, the whole month is Armed Forces Month.  This is the day we salute those presently servin’ in our military.  Today, especially, we should offer a prayer of thankfulness to the Lord for those currently servin’ this great country.  And contrary to some, this country is great.  Remove the influence of the United States from the world scene and it would be more of a mess than it currently is, of course, that is the agenda of some.
     So Pard, let’s finish this pot of coffee so yuh can get back to doin’ the new normal. Problem for me, I didn’t even know what the old normal was.  That’s one good thing ’bout bein’ an ol’ fence post. 
     Yuh be checkin’ yur cinch now, hear!  The new normal don’t change that a bit.
 

I think me and you need some hot coffee.  Come on, woman, let’s go to the house.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (The Time It Never Rained)

Now how many times have my wife and I enjoyed coffee together?  Whether is was beside a campfire, or ridin’ in the steel mount, her pourin’ from a thermos, or just sittin’ ’round the house, we sure have put the coffee down together.  Nothin’ better than sittin’ with yur honey, enjoyin’ each other’s company and sippin’ on that delectable brew.  Ahhhh…now don’t be gettin’ yurself all upset.  Yur fine company most of the time, but nothin’ compares to her.
    What’s that?  Yuh cayn’t be stayin’ long?  Ha, forgot to do yur shoppin’, that’s figures.  But don’t rush out jist yet, take a time for a few swallows.  Now, some folk, like you, only get yur sweetie flowers on special days, but this ol’ fence post ain’t as dumb as I look.  I’ve always tried to make sure the missus of the house has fresh flowers on the table.  Haven’t always made it, but come close, an’ if’n that doesn’t work I get her coffee in a special cup that has flowers on it.
    The Lord was sure good to me growin’ up.  I reckon maybe I needed it, but I had three “moms.”  Yep, my Mom–Marguerite, plus my Grandma and Aunt Bern.  What was it that ol’ sage said, “a cord of three stands is not quickly broken”?  Then He went an’ blest me with a gem of a wife.  Why in a few weeks, she’ll have been workin’ on me and walkin’ beside me, and drinkin’ coffee along with me for forty-nine years.
    Pard, I won’t hold yuh to more than one cup today, I’ll finish up the pot, or go wake the wife to help me start the day with a happy gizzard.  Jist like yuh to wait until the last minute, and don’t yuh be givin’ me that quarantine nonsense.  Yuh better make sure yur cinch is tight after yuh buy them flowers.  Yuh shore don’t want petals fallin’ to the ground.

Some of Slim’s coffee was still left over from yesterday, a little bit warmed over and added to.  And tasting it on that second day, I’d guarantee no horseshoes or anything else would survive in it one way or the other.”
              –Clair Huffaker (The Cowboy and the Cossack)

Not too bad a start this mornin’ for graylight is just now appearing.  Yur cup’s ready Pard; threw in a couple of extra scoops of coffee this mornin’.  Yuh know, sometimes the starter just starts harder and yuh need that extra jolt to get goin’.  Now, it’s nothin’ like ol’ Slim’s coffee.  Yuh’ve had some of his, haven’t yuh?  I figured there’s really only two types of coffee I don’t care much for, no, make that three:  weak, highly scorched (and Slim’s leans thataway), and flavored.  Yuh know to keep the cinos out of my kitchen!
    Talked to an ol’ Pard yesterday, we’ve rode many a trail together faced the arrows of the devil together many a-time.  He’s been cooped up because of this corona.  He reckoned it was preparin’ him for life in the nursin’ home.  I guess it’s been different in the big cities.  Life out here in the woods has stayed fairly close to the same.
    Ahhh, that extra scoop helped; the ol’ gizzard’s takin’ pure delight this mornin’.  How ’bout some of them bureaucrats–that loud-mouthed bunch encouragin’ folk to stay at home and not go back to work.  Let the government continue to feed them and that means you and me, Pard.  Kids, the poor whiny babies, are still cryin’ for their student debts to be canceled.  And who’ll pay for that, you and me, Pard.  The wife and I were talkin’ just the other day about how I had to work each summer to make money to go to school the next fall; plus I had to take out a loan which I paid back.
    No use, gettin’ the gripe over it.  I know the Lord’s in charge of my life and those of my family, no matter what the bureaucrats say and do.  Them an’ their cronies may be a bother, but I look to the Lord for my help.  He’ll help us get by, He always has, and always will.
    Pard, now yuh be watchin’ who yuh shake hands with.  Don’t be dismayed if’n there are some who don’t want to be shakin’ that mitt of yurs.  They’re just bein’ cautious, yuh just tip yur hat and grin.  Yuh be havin’ a good start to the new month, and that means yur not goin’ to forget to check yur cinch.  Why I heard the other day of a fella that…well, that’s a story for another time.

Some things a man can skimp on and some they can’t.  I need real coffee not mush.”
              –Cliff Hudgins (Viejo and the Ranger)

Graylight is already upon us.  We best be doin’ some jawin’ or soon the sun will be shinin’ and the day on the way to bein’ done.  One thing, Pard, yuh can always come to my house knowin’ I’m goin’ to serve yuh some real honest-to-goodness coffee.  None of that weak stuff in this home, an’ if’n yuh can’t handle it I reckon yuh can just water it down yur ownself.
   That kinda reminds me of the way folk treat truth.  They say they’re searchin’ for the truth and when they hear it, they twist it, bend it, question it, compromise it, and then most of the time through it away and make up a lie.  Bureaucrats!  Media!  Journalists!  Just to hear or see them makes my belly ache.  To hear some talk, why they jist let themselves prattle on and don’t hear the foolishness they are spoutin’.
   Well, Pard, this ain’t no foolishness, take a deep swaller of that coffee.  That’s the real stuff.  It’ll shore ‘nough open yur eyelids.  Let me ask yuh somethin’, now I’m not jist beatin’ at the bushes, but I want to know.  Despite my wondrous coffee yuh still got the joy inside?  ‘Cause we should be livin’ this life, no matter what comes our way, with the joy of the Lord in our hearts.  This ol’ coffee ought to be a reminder of it.  Why shucks, jist to look at yur face when yuh take a sip, I can see that it brings pure delight to yuh; that’s the way we should have the joy.  If’n I didn’t want to be polite in company, I’d jist burst out singin’–“well, I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!”  Sorry, did it anyhow.  Joy does it to yuh.
   Pard, one way to let the joy dissipate is to empty the coffeepot.  What once brought up delight this mornin’ is now gone, but we shore enjoyed it while it was here.  Yuh take note of that, for yuh cayn’t use up joy.  The Spirit is always fillin’ a fresh bunch of it in our souls.
   Yuh be rememberin’ that this week.  Don’t let no virus be stealin’ yur joy; if’n yuh do that’ll prove it’s from the devil. Another way to be losin’ yur joy is to be forgettin’ to check yur cinch and fallin’ out of the saddle.