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Play Ball Billie, the poodle, loves to play fetch with a ball. He has a ball that is very special to him. Much of the time, even when nobody is around to play ball with him, he will carry it around. Jag, the terrier, does not care about playing ball at all. He is very jealous of the attention Billie gets with his ball playing. When people stop to visit, Billie will run and get his ball and bring it to the visitor. People instinctively know to take the ball and throw it. He happily retrieves it and gets told what a good dog he is when he brings it back. Jag stands back and watches the attention Billie gets while he gets ignored. Jag’s solution is to hide Billie’s ball whenever he has a chance. I have never seen Jag pick up a ball, but he is sneaky about it. If Billie forgets to bring his ball back inside with him, it will mysteriously disappear. Jag has unrestricted access to the whole farm. He can hide a ball anywhere. Billie is usually limited to about a fifty-yard radius around the house so he cannot look in all the possible hiding places. This annoying game has (Outdoors cont’d on pg 2)
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been going on for several years. Most of the balls hidden by Jag are never seen again. One year while tilling the garden we did find one buried next to the asparagus, but that was an exception. Last year for Christmas, Damon bought Billie a new ball, exactly like the one he currently had that he really liked. It was not the same to Billie. He would not retrieve it or even pick it up. His old ball was the only ball. The squeaker in it no longer worked and it was not as round as it used to be, but it was the best ball in the world. About a month ago, Billie made the mistake of forgetting to bring his ball back inside when he got done playing. Sure enough, it disappeared. For several days, he moped around, looking everywhere for his lost toy. As a last resort, he got his new ball Damon had gotten him and started playing with it. After a week or two, things seemed to be back to normal. This was a good ball. Next to our driveway is a patch of woods that has grown wild and become somewhat unsightly. Over the weekend, we decided to do some clearing and tidying up. Damon got
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a backhoe to remove some stumps and take out a few thorn trees. He was happily digging at a stump when he stopped and waved me over. There in the freshly turned dirt was one of Billie’s balls. It was one that had disappeared more than a year ago. A few minutes later, another ball turned up. This was the one that had gone missing about a month ago. I decided to take it down to the house to see if Billie would remember it. When I showed him what we had found, the dog came unglued. I could not believe how happy he was to see his old ball. He proudly took it to the house and had to show it to my wife immediately. It was dirty and a little more out of round than it used to be, but he loves it dearly. He has been very careful to bring it back inside when he is done playing ball now. The ball Damon got him and the one that spent a year in the timber can both go back in the toy box for emergency use. When it is time to play ball, Billie proudly gets his old faithful, out of round, squeakerless friend.
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Good Humor I drove to Duluth late on Sunday afternoon to do some Thanksgiv- line, and Denver reing shopping. It was covered. That was that time of day when I exciting! Minnesota’s needed my headlights, defense kept the but it was still light Broncos out of the enough that they didn’t end zone. I sat in my seem very effective. friend’s driveway and I ran my first errand, listened as Denver then went to church. kicked a field goal, After mass, I went to putting the first three meet some friends. points on the board.
While I was doing my grocery shopping, my wife sent a text asking if I could pick up a few items from Target. “I sure can,” I replied. Super One was out of fresh cranberries, so I would get them at Target.
Target is just across After our get-together, the road from Super I listened to more of One, so I couldn’t the game while drivcatch much of the ing to Menard’s to pick game, but it sounded up a few items. The like Minnesota had reannouncers seemed peatedly kept Denver disgusted, “What was out of the end zone. he thinking? He threw The Broncos had the ball right into the fifteen points, but they hands of a Denver were all field goals. I turned the dial to AM player as if he was Target was also out 710 to catch the begin- the intended receiver.” of fresh cranberries; ning of the game. The That was another I would have to get Minnesota Vikings turnover for Minnethem another day. were on Sunday Night sota. After leaving Football, playing the Menard’s, on my way I left Target and startBroncos in Denver. ed for home, turning to the supermarket, I The Vikings won the noticed the headlights up the radio. “Are you coin toss and opted to were just not what kidding me? Minnereceive. Denver has sota turned the ball they should be. not been playing very over again?” Denwell this year, so the In the parking lot at ver finally scored a Vikings should have Super One, I got out touchdown to take the no problem winning to check the headlead, but the Vikings this game, even on the lamps. They were both stopped the Broncos road. working fine on high on a two-point converbeams, but the left sion attempt. With the On the opening poslamp was out when I clock winding down session, the Vikings switched to low. “Darn the game was getting were marching down it, those are brand exciting; Denver was the field. It seemed new headlamps.” I had they would score, but just changed them a (Just the Other Day cont’d on they fumbled the ball few weeks ago. pg 4) around the thirty-yard It was dark as I drove to my friend’s house, and the headlamps on my old Ford still didn’t seem to light the road very well. “Maybe the roads are wet,” I said as I turned on the radio.
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NOVEMBER 22, 2023
(Just the Other Day cont’d from pg 3)
finally playing well, but all the Vikings needed was a field goal for the win. The game ended with the Broncos winning 21-20, a tough loss for any Vikings fan. I listened to the postgame show as I drove along the four-lane expressway between Duluth and Two Harbors. I kept my bright lights on most of the way, watching for deer. As I pulled into Two Harbors, I dimmed the lights for an oncoming car, then left the lights on low as I drove through town. A few blocks later, I saw a police car sitting on the side of the road. Sure enough, the squad car made a U-turn in the street when I passed. I went ahead and pulled over since I knew he was after me. “Good evening, sir,” he said at my window. “I pulled you over because your headlight is out.” “I know,” I said. “I just changed both headlamps a few weeks ago. It still works on high beam.” I explained. “I’ll have to return to O’Reilly’s tomorrow and get a replacement.” “Can I see your driver’s license, please,” he asked. “Sure.” I handed him my license, then reached across the front seat and gave him my license plate. “You’ll probably want to see this, too.”
no warrants for my ar- speed, then hop back rest. Then he returned on again, holding on to my truck’s winfor dear life. dow. “Get your plates mounted, and get your I began dragging one foot behind to stop my headlight fixed as soon as you can.” The crazy self before hitofficer handed me my ting my vehicle. I rode license. “You be care- that speed demon all the way from the front ful driving home with doors to the Subaru. only one headlight. The deer are really I finished loading my thick out there tonight.” bags of groceries from
the cart to the car. MeI thanked him and lissa and our daughter said, “You are cor“I was going to ask Annie finally caught you about that,” the of- rect. The Vikings really should have won that up. ficer said. game. They practically Melissa shook her “I have it in the front handed the win to head, “Annie and I deSpecializing in Barn & Pole Barn seat because when I Denver.” Repair and Restoration cided if a car backed went to O’Reilly’s to The officer shook his out while you were buy new headlamps, head in disbelief, “Boy, riding the cart and I forgot to buy those I’m telling you what… killed you, we would little plugs for the it’s just nerve-racking still have Thanksgiving holes in the bumper dinner at our house, when they play like See more to attach the plates.” and you would be restorations! that.” The officer laughed there, too.” and wrote down the With Thanksgiving plate number. “Are you coming this week, I “That doesn’t make WAGLER BUILDERS a Vikings fan,” I asked was thankful the ofsense,” I said. “How (641) 777-5000 • john@waglerbuilders.com @waglerbuilders him. could I be there if I ficer didn’t give me a was dead?” ticket – actually, two “I sure am,” he said. ings, and more. This your joy and blessings tickets. Then I started “That was a tough Thanksgiving, I will this year, and make “We would put your laughing as I thought loss tonight. We give extra thanks to someone laugh if you coffin in the dining should have won that about an event while law enforcement ofcan. room and serve the Thanksgiving shopgame….” As any Vificers and emergency food on it like a buffet. Happy Thanksgiving. kings fan would be, he ping around ten years Then the guest could personnel who work ago. was frustrated. get their food and pay to keep us safe – even their respects all at the on the holidays. After leaving the Hy “Say,” I inquired. same time.” Vee grocery store, I “You’re not going to I’ll also give thanks started running behind We all laughed about for humor - to the cop write me a ticket just the shopping cart, because I’m a Bronwho had a good sense that. Meanwhile, I pushing it faster and cos fan, are you?” We of humor, my wife, our wondered if I should faster. Upon reaching shared a pretty good daughters and grandhave worn a helmet the appropriate speed, while high-speed surf- daughters, family and laugh about that. I jumped onto the back ing on a grocery cart. friends, and all the “No,” he chuckled. “I’m of the cart, shifting my people with whom I not planning on writing weight back and forth, This year, I have much have, or will, share a you a ticket.” He reattempting to steer this to be thankful for. good laugh. The world turned to his car to en- bad boy. OccasionLife, my wife, my faith, needs more laughter. sure everything was in ally, I would jump off, family, friends, good order and there were running to add more Remember to share health, many bless-
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