We made our fire, and we all had coffee and fried salt pork.  Coffee made me feel better.”
           –Robert B. Parker  (Appaloosa)

Mornin’ pard!  Ol’ sol is fast risin’ in the eastern sky.  That don’t mean yuh need to be guzzlin’ that coffee.  There’s still time for a little talk ’round the table.  Sure hopin’ yuh had a good week.
    I had to get physicals on my steel mounts.  The little gray one just needed a physical, but that old blue mount needed a couple of procedures done as well.  For sure, those vehicular vets aren’t cheap.  But need to keep my mounts up an runnin’.
    House is comin’ along; maybe we’ll have hot water by the end of the day.  Been so hot that when I turned on the water it was hot, so I figured it was already hooked up.  I’m ready to have coffee at the new place.  Bought me a new-fangled pot, so wantin’ to try it out.  It’s sittin’ there, lookin’ all pretty, but what it now needs is some seasonin’.
    Come to think of it, that’s what folk need as well.  I went to the graduation of my former school.  Lookin’ at those “kids” cross the stage, holdin’ their diplomas, I thought that now they need some seasonin’.  They’ve had the right trainin’, but now let life come at them, and see if that trainin’ holds.  When I see some of the outright stupidity that is takin’ place, I can see that there are plenty out there that haven’t been trained right.  Why even those who have sometimes, it just don’t take.  Let me tell yuh, the Lord will allow life to come yur way to season you properly–but you have to take it and let it do its work.
    Ha, makes me wonder how many of those snowflakes would want to partake of my coffee.  Reckon they would make it into a latte or a cino.  Shame, they do the same thing with life and therefore don’t understand life will not cater to their wants.
    Have yurself a good day pard, remember this is the day the Lord has made.  Hmmm, He might want to do some seasonin’ on yur life today.  Be sure and be ready and have that cinch tight.

In the kitchen, he poured a cup of still-hot coffee, then strode back out to the rocking chair he often sat in on the porch.”
              –C. Wayne Winkle  (Frank Bannon–The Fixer)

Good to see yuh this mornin’ pard.  I was out on the trail last weekend and missed our little rendezvous.  Ate breakfast with some ol’ saddlepards in San Antonio.  But, this mornin’, the coffee’s ready, hot, black and strong.  Even if yur ol’ starter is gettin’ harder to start this will sure be helpin’ it along.
    I had to “hop upon my pony an’ ride away down the trail to San Antone” twice last week.  Went over last weekend as you know since we missed gettin’ together, but then the wife and I went and pulled the rest of our belongin’s from storage.  That sort of shut the last chapter of our experience in San Antonio.  The friendships and memories are still there, but everything else is moved out.  Now, if only the new abode was finished.  Doesn’t need much for us to be movin’ in. Can’t wait for the time I can move on out to the porch to enjoy my coffee.  Hopefully, anyday now, at least by Christmas.
    It’s time for me to be gettin’ back to writin’ and studyin’.  I’ve a few chapters written in a new book, but need to do some research and my books have all been packed.  There’s a nice place for us to sit back and enjoy the quietness of God’s great cathedral and ponder His wondrous works.  This world, despite all the terror, is charged with the grandeur of God.  I may not be in the mountains, but I’ll be in the woods.  I want to hear again, the sounds of silence.
    Goodness, we finished that pot and I didn’t even realize it.  Guess that means you’ll be wanderin’ out down the trail.  I came across some good words last week.  I think that we often take things for granted, and that’s not necessarily wrong for there are some things a person just counts on.  But the words were by Joseph Alleine, “Let us live this one day well.”  No matter what happens this is the day the Lord has made–rejoice in it.
    Hold on, pard.  It might not all be well, if’n yuh don’t check that cinch before mountin’ up.

I went to work on the cookstove, and soon had it hot and coffee going.”
             –Lou Bradshaw  (Blue Norther)

Seat yurself; coffee comin’ right up.  Sorry, I have to mosey on over to yuh, but the rheumatize is actin’ up.  Take a sip, ahhh…now ain’t that grand?  I still haven’t gotten around to checkin’ its quality as a topical linament.
   I was ponderin’ pard, yuh know how I am and realize that there are some things I just don’t understand.  Way back yonder, a few years, we were invited over to someone’s spread for coffee cake.  That brought a smile to my face.  I took my first bite an’ was sorta surprised, that cake didn’t taste like coffee at all, and there were blueberries in it.  Then I was politely told that it was cake for my coffee.  I had to raise my eyebrows, but well, why not, I like cake in milk, why not in coffee?  I cut a chunk off and dropped it in my cup.  That hot coffee was quickly soaked up and my piece of cake was floating around in my cup.  It sure looked a mess.  That’s when I received a jab in the ribs.  “Coffee cake,” my sweet sophisticated wife said, “was to be eaten with the coffee.”  Well, that made sense, but why didn’t they invite me over for coffee and a piece of cake?
   Gets me to thinkin’ how the devil offers us something, not clarifyin’ what he’s talkin’ about an’ the next thing yuh know, we’re lookin’ like a fool.  
   As you can see, pard.  No cake from me, just plain ol’ hot, strong coffee.  Maybe one day soon I can add a piece of pie.  Here, let me fill that cup again for yuh.
   One more thing I’ve been ponderin.  Why in the world is the American media and people all in a tizzy over this weddin’ over in England?  Sure don’t make much sense to me.  We’ve been independent for quite a spell and surely don’t bow to English royalty.  Guess it’s all the hurrah.
   Then I heard some of those media folk a-babblin’ about how the President shouldn’t call anyone an “animal.”  Well, let me tell you.  There are some folk out there that live and act like animals, and one more thing–some of them are rabid.  If you be readin’ in 2 Peter and Jude, they refer to evil people as “brute beasts”–animals.
   Be sure an’ don’t be listenin’ to the lies of the devil.  Why he might tell yuh that yur cinch is tight enough.  Pard, yuh best be checkin’ it for yurself.

To have companionship, supper cooked to perfection, and coffee on the stove.  Now that was something a man could look forward to.”
              –Lynette Sowell (A Wedding for Belle)

Get yurself in here, pard.  Grab a deep swig of coffee and sit yurself down.  I don’t want yuh standin’ when I tell you this.  This is actually beyond crazy; listen pard, there are some weird folks out there, beyond weird, in fact.
   Ready?  I read where this sex-expert, psychologist I reckon, from Australia, said that consent was needed to change a baby’s diaper.  My mercy!  How silly is that?  She said you must ask “it”; ’cause it hasn’t had the chance to decide it’s gender if it wanted you to change it.  Well, what can yuh expect with an “expert” who had purple hair.  
   Good thing I made the coffee strong this mornin’.  I just couldn’t believe what I was readin’.  But on to better thoughts.  Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.  I think it interestin’ that we have to have these special days for special people.  A mother should be remembered more than once a year.
   Now, take me, I had the privilege of three mothers.  Yep, reckon the good Lord felt I needed three to keep me in line; that means I had six eyes on me.  Of course there was my Mom, but she worked most of the time so I was raised primarily by my Aunt and Grandma, all who have gone on to be walkin’ with the Lord in heaven.  I’ve made it through life, a few scrapes and scars, but for the most part unscathed.  Guess you’ll have to decide if they did a decent job or not.
   Here, let me fill that cup again.  Then, they turned me over to Annie.  So, if there’s much good in me it came from those four ladies.  I must say this about the mother of my children and I guess it isn’t politically correct in today’s culture as is the quotation at the beginning, but you know how politically correct I am.  This is a fact, a truism for sure:

         “A man appreciates a woman who can make a good pie crust, doesn’t he…”  
                   –Lynette Sowell (A Mirage on Snow)

So be nice to yur mother, and if yur goin’ to visit her, be sure and check yur cinch before headin’ out.