It’s early Sunday evening as I write this, and our weekend came to an end with a rainy afternoon. There’s not much to say about today, really — laundromat, Walmart, vape shop. The usual.
No traditional Casey’s breakfast, though.
We did run to Home Depot for plywood that we forgot to buy at Lowe’s yesterday. When we came out with our purchase, we found an older woman, dressed in her Sunday best, returning her cart to the corral next to our truck.
We watched, smiling, as she proceeded to collect the half-dozen other carts in the enclosure and nest them together neatly. She pushed the whole stack to the front of the corral.
(I swear she bobbed her head and said, “Hmph!” when she was done.)
Amazed at what I’d just witnessed, I couldn’t resist complimenting her.
Sweet lady. “People just don’t care like they used to, do they?”
A-men to that.
Coincidentally, several minutes later she was stopped behind us at the traffic light at US 62. And yes, she got out of her car, came up to my window and told me that my left brake light was out.
Seriously, it’s different here.
Yesterday, by contrast, was more eventful. We traveled to Mountain Home to run a handful of errands — on a Saturday, for a change, and I was bent on hitting a couple of eateries that are closed when we make our regular Sunday trips.
First was B’s Bakery in Gassville, where I picked up a fresh cinnamon roll and Deb had a sticky bun.
From there we went to Lowe’s for 2x4s and green board, which will become the base of our kitchen counter.
For lunch, we hit Mountain Home Burger Company. Since the unfortunate closing of the Doe Boy Express food wagon in Gassville, these are the best roadside burgers around.
We dropped the building materials back on The Mountain and then, after a brief pause, we headed into Yellville for the second annual “Christmas On The Square” festivities.
I can’t exaggerate how magical the gathering was — warm, wholesome and very American. Families came to town from hills and hollers simply to celebrate this season with their neighbors.
The evening was full of music and the laughter of children, colorful lights and a go-all-out Christmas parade. There were ten or so booths serving chili, cider, cookies, s’mores and pastries, offered by churches, businesses, even private citizens.
All of it was free for the asking.
(Read that again.)
No collection boxes. No “suggested donations.” No charge.
Hundreds upon hundreds of people, rich and poor, young and old, were immersed in the spirit of giving. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Merry Christmas.
We capped our put-on-the-feed-bag Saturday with good beer and good food — garlic cheese curds and Southwest egg rolls — at Crooked Creek Pub.
The best of times.
As I observed on social media yesterday, putting out too much deer corn tends to attract kangaroos.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB