I fall asleep on my right side. Most nights, anyway. An hour or so later I’ll turn over onto my left and stay that way for three or four hours. That’s just my pattern.
Last night I was executing the roll when Deb, sensing that I was awake momentarily, spoke.
“Buckeyes won,” she said.
Her quiet message conveyed that The Ohio State football team had beaten Texas in the Cotton Bowl, which this season served as a playoff semifinal. The victory earns them a shot at the national championship nine days from now.
I’d been aware that the game was happening, but I neither watched it nor followed it.
Then Deb said something else, something that gave last night’s win a personal connection. That had me wide awake, on my phone and looking for highlight videos.
Here’s the story.
Over four years ago, in October of 2020, we were preparing Deb’s late father’s property for an estate auction and the sale of the house. She hired two students from the local high school to do some much-needed yard cleanup. I dont recall exactly how she found them, but over a couple of days they did a passable job.
I do remember that one of the guys was simply massive — not fat but freakishly big. Strong, too, with a ridiculous wingspan.
Late in the fourth quarter of last night’s Cotton Bowl, with Ohio State leading 21-14, Texas faced a fourth-and-goal at the OSU 8-yard line. The Longhorns’ quarterback dropped back to pass.
The Buckeyes’ left defensive end streaked in off the edge, stripped the QB of the ball, picked it up and rumbled 83 yards for a touchdown. It was unquestionably the play of the game, sealing the Ohio State win.
That senior defensive end and team captain, by the way, is listed as six-five and 265 pounds. He has a ridiculous wingspan. His name is Jack Sawyer.
He’s the same Jack Sawyer who raked leaves for us in the fall of 2020.
And that made this old man smile.
To recap yesterday’s winter weather, a few images. First, a snowfall-totals graphic from the National Weather Service office in Little Rock:
Here are two animated GIFs created from trailcam shots, showing the difference between Thursday and Friday at the same time:
The best thing about a day like yesterday is that often it’s followed by a day like today — cloudless blue sky, temperatures in the mid-40s, and soft, shimmering snow blanketing everything. Tourism bureaus might not use the scene to lure travelers to the state, but for those who call this Home, it’s an Ozarkansas postcard.
I thought about burning trash on Thursday, but I didn’t. I could’ve done it yesterday, but I was too busy playing. This morning was perfect, though, and perfectly calm, and it came with a dazzling backdrop.
When I put the torch to the burn barrel, I already had another fire going, in the cabin. Deb had some electrical prep work to do, and both of us wanted to spend time in there today, so I lit the woodstove early.
That consumed the last of the kindling staged on the hearth, and there was only one big chunk of cordwood left on the indoor rack. I brought in two loads of wood from the outdoor rack, plus a third of just kindling, heavy on eastern red cedar.
After that, the outdoor rack needed re-stocking. I had the Ranger out anyway (for taking combustibles to the barrel), so running to the wood yard and back wasn’t a big deal.
(Besides, it gave me another chance to play.)
My woodpiles, like everything else on The Mountain, were still under six or eight inches of snow, But tarps and pallets did their jobs — all of the oak and cherry I pulled was bone-dry.
What I hauled up-top didn’t quite fill the rack completely. Close enough, though, and I called it good — just like our American Life on The Mountain.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB