His boots thumped on the porch as the coffeepot in her kitchen began to boil.  The aroma of the Arbuckle’s Ground Premium Coffee she’d scooped into the pot filled the room and extended throughout the house like a welcoming smile.” 
              –Paul Bagdon (Stallions of Burnt Rock)

Here we are again; another week and we made it through.  Pard, yuh need to ponder what I’m sayin’ now.  As you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.  There’s some powerful strong teachin’ there.  Say, how ’bout that porch?  Finally looks good.  And the flowers out front, my ain’t this place startin’ to gain some of that cosmetic appearance?  Don’t make a home though, that takes the hand of my wife.  She sure is the domestic one, plus the coffeepot is always on and ready anytime someone needs a break.  Ahhh. . . .sure is fine.  I surely do reckon that the Lord has been good to us over the years!
    Now don’t yuh be goin’ to San Antonio an’ expectin’ chicken at the airport.  Nosiree…those enlightened city fathers there are sayin’ that chicken company, Chick-fil-A, by name are downright evil.  Why they even close on Sundays to honor the Lord!  They say they don’t cotton to that gay crowd.  Yuh know, pard, never saw them refuse them a piece of chicken in my life.  Yep, there’re sure strange things happenin’ in the land.
    With all the that’s happenin’ sure is good to sit a spell an’ have a cup, well a pot, of coffee with yuh.  I remember hearin’ that at the surrender of Cornwallis to General Washington that the British played a song, “The World Turned Upside Down.”  “If mice chased cats…” and so on.  Well, for sure pard, there’s a host out there tryin’ to turn the world upside down, only this is what is surely evil.  Good is bad, and evil is good.  Folks are so confused they don’t know if’n they’re male or female.  Men, who think they’re a woman (Lord, help us) participate in women’s athletic events and win.  Now, ain’t that a surprise.  
    Pard, swaller the rest of yur coffee.  Listen, yuh better stick to what the Bible says.  Don’t yuh go a-listenin’ to those hoot-owls that can’t tell what gender a person is, yuh guard the truth!  I mean they are already tryin’ to get rid of the cows because they pass too much gas.  Next thing they’ll be a sayin’ is that there’s no need to be checkin’ yur cinch.  Why they’re plumb loco!  Vaya con Dios, my friend.

There was plenty of coffee, and my eyes lit up for she finished off supper by bringing in a custard pie.”
              –D.C. Adkisson  (The Evil Eye)

“I’ll take a bone and a cactus root, a hunk of taller, and an old brown boot…” say Pard, don’t be sneaking up on me.  Huh?  If I wasn’t singin’ so loud and off key I would have heard yuh poundin’ on the door.  Well, sit yurself down, coffee’s on its way.  I know it’s not even graylight yet, but didn’t yuh happen to notice that the porch is now finished?  Yep, that does it for the outside of the house, except one place that needs some paint after bein’ fixed up.  ‘Course there’s plenty of landscaping to do.  A load of dirt is supposed to be hauled in on Monday.  We’re not plannin’ on doin’ much; want to leave it as natural as possible.
    I’m workin’ on my fourth book in the Elias Butler series.  I sure hope you’ve read some of them.  It helps me buy coffee and beans and the fixin’s for Annie’s pies.  Speakin’ of the gal, and this is no disrespect, but she shore does look good and gets around good for an ol’ gal.  Yep, tomorrow is the big 7 0.  Yeehaw!  An’ this galoot has had the good Lord bless me with the opportunity to spend most of it with her.
    Tryin’ to stay away from readin’ ’bout politics.  It’s shore gonna get crazy.  I’ve been readin’ from that ol’ preacher of olden days–Isaiah.  Israel was a mess, and it seems like we’re about to surpass it in our stupidity.  I’ve been tryin’ to formulate some thoughts in my gray matter and when I get them put together I’ll share with yuh pard.  What?  Comin’ up, right now you’d like for me to share some more coffee.  Hmmm, makes me wonder how many cups we’ve shared together over the years.
    Sure glad I’ve got my .44 and shotgun handy.  I have an ol’ Mossberg.  To hold it or the revolver is a comfort, but sure not the same as holding my Bible.  In these days, it seems that most people aren’t comforted.  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.  You be safe…watch out for those “cino” lovers out there and for goodness sake tighten up that cinch.
———————-
This day in the Texas Revolution:  Amon King and his 14 men are executed.  General Tolosa arrive with his men near the Alamo in San Antonio.

After she poured it I reached for the handle on the cup and took a sip.  It was almost like syrup and very bitter.  Probably the worst coffee I’d ever tasted, but better than no coffee.”
              –D.C. Adkisson  (The Evil Eye)

Take a swig of that coffee, Pard.  Nothin’ wrong with it.  Sure hits the spot this mornin’, or any time of day for that matter.  Listen, I’ve heard they’re after our ol’ ridin’ companion–the Duke.  Yep, even though he ain’t amongst the livin’ any more and can’t defend himself, they’re doin’ what they did to ol’ John Wycliffe–they’re diggin’ up his bones to burn them.  Seems he made a statement in an interview against what he termed as “fags.”  He said movies aren’t worth takin’ the family to as they’re not God-fearin’.
    I guess he used an indelicate word; a word that today would hurt the ears of the snowflakes out there that have to find somethin’ to whine and whimper about.  That’s more bitter than the worst coffee I’ve tasted.  Listen pard, and listen tight, when that there next election comes up there’s goin’ be some major trouble in store.  Yuh best be ready; well, I’m just a-sayin’.
    Speaking of coffee, yur cup’s down to the empty line.  Here yuh go, I’ll fill it right up.  Wishin’ that we could share a piece of pie, but the missus will be up soon and will be doin’ some bakin’.  Not pie, mind yuh, but a cake for the baby daughter’s birthday.  Back to coffee.  Yuh know muh feelin’s ’bout “cinos.”  I heard some fella the other day, yesterday in fact, say that a cappuccino was some type of monkey in Madagascar.  Ha ha, yep, pard, he’s got that right!
    More than ever, pard, we need to be walkin’ with the Lord.  No departin’ from His Word, that’s for sure no matter what the snow-flakes think, and how much the creampuffs whine.  Stay true and steady!  Keep yourself ready and alert–remember that ol’ St. Pete said that the devil is out there waitin’, lurkin’, seekin’, to devour the unawares.
    One way to help yurself is tuh be sure an’ check yur cinch.  Pard, that means spiritual as well as physical.

He went back to the fire, poured another tin cup of coffee and sat sipping it, watching the embers darken and die.”
              –Hal Borland  (When the Legends Die)

    Glad yuh showed up this mornin’, pard.  Put some of that Black Gold on to brew.  There are some things in life I ponder about.  Take this for example:  how come Folgers 1850 tastes so much better than their regular brand?  If it’s that much better, why haven’t they been sellin’ it instead?  Just wonderin’ pard, just wonderin’.
    I can remember the many campfires and fires in the hearth.  Yuh know the hearth is a symbol of security and well-bein’ for the family.  In times gone by families would sit around the hearth telling stories, reading, the women-folk might be sewing, dad sharpenin’ his favorite jackknife.  They would also be readin’ of the Bible.  In more modern times, the kitchen table sorta took the place of the hearth.  Now, I wonder what is the security of the home?  Dad’s busy, mom’s busy, all the kids are busy and if they are ever together, they are holdin’ that indispensable phone.  I’ve always said that Satan cannot destroy the Church, however, he can wreck havoc on the family and that hinders the work of the Church.  Hurt the family–hurt the Church.
    Sorry there pard, didn’t mean to get so somber.  Let me pour some more of that Black Gold.  While I do, think of some of the fires where I’ve sat around.  The flames risin’ and flickerin’, the cracklin’ and poppin’ of the wood as the flames consume it.  But then, it all comes down to this the fuel is gone and all that is left are the embers which glow especially when a breeze comes but slowly they go out and are but ashes.
    Kinda like a life.  So while we’re hot and flamin’ we best be doin’ somethin’ with it.  We get so involved with “junk” and “stuff” that we seldom really thing about the important things–like the hearth–much less do anything about them.  Soon, all too soon, the flames gets lower and before yuh know it all a person can see are the embers of what once was.  Oh, they’re hot, and they glow with a breeze, but the flame is gone.
    ‘Nough of that, let’s finish this pot and get on with the chores of the day.  Sure don’t need to be all melancholy now as there’s work to be did and yuh never know what the crazies might be tryin’ to do.  Not only do we live and wander in an evil, wicked world, but it’s also sick.  So yuh take care and be watchful out there.  Don’t be foolish.
    For goodness sake, pard, don’t forget to be checkin’ yur cinch.