Hey, Pop. I haven’t talked to you in a while, and I just want to say hi and see how you’re doing. I know you’re doing well, though. 

I’ve been doing pretty well too. This year has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, but there have been lots more ups than downs. You can’t ask for much more than that, though. Right?

Mama and Daddy are good. They had a really good garden at the farm this year, and Mama put up enough vegetables to feed the whole county. She’s given a bunch of the vegetables away to friends they go to church with, and it seems like she’s taking food to sick folks every other day.

Daddy finally got the issues with his new tractor worked out. A repairman came to the farm one day from the dealership in Carthage, and he was able to figure out that some wires got put back in the wrong place after a limb ripped a connector off the engine. Daddy and Darry got those pallet forks sorted out that you wanted to get for him, and he really likes how handy they have been. Thanks for that.

It’s been a long hot summer for the last six months, and it’s finally cooling off a little bit. You’d have really appreciated the cab on that new John Deere you bought a couple years ago. Air conditioning sure is a bonus. I can’t help but remember when I was about 8-years-old and you let me rake hay with Pap’s old John Deere for the first time while you baled it. It must have been 110 degrees that day, and the transmission between my legs was about to catch my jeans on fire. Thank goodness Maw brought us a bunch of Gatorade from Bobby Frank’s store. I’m pretty sure I really would have burst into flames if she hadn’t.

Do you remember when you’d take me to the store on Saturday afternoons after you’d quit working for the day and buy me a Mickey Mouse ears ice cream? I always looked forward to that. I think 80% of the time Maw was sending you to get something she needed to finish cooking supper too. I can still hear her saying, “Cecil, run over to Bobby Frank’s and get me…”, and off you’d go.

I sure do miss you. Some afternoons, when I’m sitting outside after supper, I look at my phone and wish I could call you for a chat.

Whew… It’s getting dusty in here.

Anyway… I guess I’m going to go now. Give Maw a hug for me, and try not to snore so loud that she moves over a grave or two. I’ll talk to you later.

Love,

Rob