The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in Western Illinois. August is generally the month for family reunions. I'm a hope'n everyone takes some time away from their normal routine to enjoy their own family reunion. If'n you don't have one to attend, I'd recommend you start one up.
Our family held their reunion last weekend and it was a right fine affair in spite of all the owl hoots that showed up. The minute book and attendance record goes all the way back to nineteen hundred and twenty six (1926).
Many things has changed over the years from the way they dress, in look'n at the old pictures, to the important topics of conversation. Next year, 2010, our family will celebrate 300 years of farming and live'n in America for the Barnyard Bruke family.
We plan on visiting the family cemetery and reviewing individually the record of each name on the tombstones with important contributions.
We have always marked the oldest in attendance, married longest, traveled farthest distance, new births, and marriages over the year since the last reunion. Singing and games were more common in days of old.
One relative feller kept his hat (baseball style) on the whole time this year, from his first arrival at the reunion, thru prayer blessings on the meal, and right whilst eat'n at the table.
It included wear'n it in the presence of women folk also. He was not a young whipper snapper either as he was about 68 years old.
Either he is going bald in embarrassment since the last reunion or he has given up on the cultural war and switched sides.
We all was just glad to see him there and made no mention or even slightest hint of his social indiscretions on removing his hat at special times, especially whilst praying.
After all, this was a family reunion with time to renew family ties and love each other for what ever they are.
I came across an ole acquaintance of mine, Jake W., latter part of last week, who hails from the Northern end of Hancock County.
Now, ole Jake is an ornery ole cuss, mean as a sidewinder snake a slithering in the dust.
He likes to catch coon, possums, skunks and other varmints on the farm, in a live trap, and turn them loose in the city. Coyotes have a special purpose.
The skunks he releases near the house of the animal control officer.
Claims he got the idea from read'n in the paper that the animal control officer was a catch'n varmints in the city and release'n them in the countryside.
The ground hogs, ole Jake saves for the councilman's neighborhood and the bats match up in the belfry of the mayor (he claims). "Easy come-Easy goes", Jake sez, or in other words "Tit for Tat". What comes around goes around. The coyotes Jake saves for the back yard of the conversationalists that released em in the first place.
Well, this day that I ran across ole Jake, he was all gussied up with his hair all slickered down. His whiskers were all combed and he smelled as sweet as the day he was born. His boots even shined and there weren't even a trace of hog manure on em. Jake's misses was all dolled out with a head like a bee hive with the top all caved in.
I asks Jake what in the world was the occasion and where in the blue blazes was he and the misses go'in look'n all spruced up like that.
Ole Jake sez "I'm a head'n to Springfield, IL, to attend the first day of the State Fair." "I hears governor Quinn is plann'n on be'in there and I got a load of thoughts and ideas I'm will'n to share with him." Perhaps he'll listen to some helpful ideas about "Forgottonia" that will make our lot a bit better in this neck of the woods. "Well good for you" I sez and "have at it."
I listened on the radio all the next day and never did hear of the Governor meet'n up with an interest'n feller from Western Illinois. I'm a guess'n it might be well to base our hopes for some improvement from other folk than Ole Jake. I give him credit for try'n, however.
I heard on fox news where one of Obama's folk had a town meet'n and a middle aged lady stood up-took the microphone and extolled the virtues of Obama's health care program.
The crowd, which was well choreographed by the Obama team, applauded wildly. To add credibility to her statement she proclaimed she was a practitioner.
When asked for how long she had been practicing medicine she proudly proclaimed "four years".
The Obama aid then made a big deal of the fact that intelligent doctors even support Obamas health care plans.
More applause and whistles were orchestrated thru out the crowd "playing the American public for the fools".
Later fox news followed up on the lady and discovered she was lying and was not a doctor at all. In fact, she was a campaign aid to Obama.
When asked "why she said she was a doctor and didn't she feel badly about the lie", she boldly proclaimed "Not at all, I was sitting beside two doctors."
It shore enough is easy to become a doctor these days for Obama town hall play act'n folks, if'n sitt'n beside one qualifies you!
Now we hear of Obama "Truth Squads" who are encouraged to turn in their neighbor if'n they feel they are spread'n misinformation.
We learn also of "Death Panels" that decides whether Grandpa lives or dies and after denying their existence incessantly for long periods of time, now saying they are removing that part from legislation.
How can it be removed if'n it was never in there in the first place?
We see a president worrying about protestors disrupting town hall meetings and over look'n the fact that his worry should be Americans who have been sitting at home, listening to him and don't like what they have heard.
And, we learn of unions give'n $15 million to promote Obama's health care at the same time mobilizing members to attend Town Hall meetings to shout down and belittle common folk who are speak'n their minds.
Maybe even a punch in the mouth or two for those folks whose opinion they don't agree with. Shame on you!
Seems as tho some feel these were the tactics of despots and dictators in other countries to gain power in years past.
Some find similarity to Germany of another era with its storm troopers, S.S., and secret police.
Myself, I'm not gett'n involved in such things. I've got beautiful Western Illinois to hang my hat, plenty to eat fresh from the garden, and a good crop come'n on. God has been merciful and we have much to be thankful for.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke