My
Neighbor Al walked over to the house in search of a cup or two of
Italian Dark Roast late this afternoon and, as usual, was brimming with
questions and advice.
"I see you finally got your leaves raked up today," he said. "What were you trying to do, work off all the calories you added to your body with food and liquids on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, The Day After Christmas and The Day After That?"
"Hey, Al, I didn't rake the leaves," I said. "I called my lawn mowing company, and the boss and two other guys came over to get the leaves up with big blowers and other equipment.
"The yard looks pretty darn good now, don't you think?"
"Yeah," Al said, "I think you set an all-time world record by getting your leaves swept up on Dec. 28.
"Next year, when there's 6 feet of snow on the ground at this time, I'll come over for some Italian Dark Roast and we can talk about what a historic day Dec. 28, 2016 was!"
The leaves weren't all of what Al had on his mind, of course.
"I haven't thanked you yet for putting my name on that long list of people you sent Christmas greetings to," he said. "I'm glad I'm one of your many friends.
"You're one of the first people I thought of," I said. "Right after Kris from the Mercy West Hospital emergency room, where we had to make a visit at 2:30 in the morning a while back."
"Speaking of Christmas, was Santa Claus good to you?" Al asked.
"He sure was," I answered. "We had our usual Christmas that lasted 3 or 4 days, and the old boy had plenty of nice stuff in his bag for me.
"Call it The Apple Electronic Christmas. I got an iPhone 6S Plus, and now I can text with the best of 'em, send email, take pictures, read the Internet, get where I'm going with the GPS on the phone, and the thing may even check my blood sugar and make bacon and eggs. Plus that, I can make phone calls."
Then I told Al that the kids gave me a new and larger iPad 2 Air. They thought the iPad Mini I'd been using in recent years was showing its age. I agreed with 'em.
The kids also made sure I got protective cases for both the iPhone and the iPad, and they outfitted me [as usual] with a new Valley High School basketball T-shirt, and a nice-looking [and I assume nice-tasting] bottle of grape wine with natural peach from the Dubuque Heritage Winery.
"Remember when you were at our house on Thanksgiving?" daughter-in-law Donna said. "You liked the grape and peach wine, and now you have your own bottle."
"Did your ladyfriend from Japan send you something this year?" Al asked.
"Yes, Fusayo Hattori sent us a huge box of gifts again," I said, "A T-shirt with Japanese writing on the front, slippers, socks, Japanese green tea, candy, you name it. We have a lot more things now that say Made In Japan."
"What does the Japanese writing on the front front of your T-shirt say?" Al asked. "Something dirty?"
"Come on, Al," I said. "Fusayo wouldn't do something like that--only if it was 2 a.m. and she was drinking. I'll email her and ask what the writing says, and get back to you on it."
Al was on his third cup of Italian Dark Roast when he began talking about New Year's Eve and Day, which will be here very soon--even before the Hawkeyes tee it up against Florida in their bowl game.
"You making any New Year's resolutions?" Al asked.
"I'm not a big New Year's resolution guy, Al," I said. "But there are some things I'd like to change."
"Like what?" Al asked.
"I'd like to behave myself better in 2017, which is something I always say in late-December of every year," I answered.
"Specifically, I'd like to quit giving into temptation so much," I said.
Pause.
"Hey, listen, Ronnie ol' boy, I've lived in the house next to yours for more than 40 years, and I know you pretty well," Al said.
"The day you quit giving into temptation is the day the sun sets in the east.
"Don't worry. You're doing all right. You're just like a lot of other people. Don't be tough on yourself. But don't forget to go to one of the church services on Saturday or Sunday every week, listen to the sermons and pray a lot."
"Thanks, Al," I said. "I'm glad you're my neighbor. I'm thinking 2017 will be a great year.
"Let me pour you another cup, and thanks for coming over."
"I see you finally got your leaves raked up today," he said. "What were you trying to do, work off all the calories you added to your body with food and liquids on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, The Day After Christmas and The Day After That?"
"Hey, Al, I didn't rake the leaves," I said. "I called my lawn mowing company, and the boss and two other guys came over to get the leaves up with big blowers and other equipment.
"The yard looks pretty darn good now, don't you think?"
"Yeah," Al said, "I think you set an all-time world record by getting your leaves swept up on Dec. 28.
"Next year, when there's 6 feet of snow on the ground at this time, I'll come over for some Italian Dark Roast and we can talk about what a historic day Dec. 28, 2016 was!"
The leaves weren't all of what Al had on his mind, of course.
"I haven't thanked you yet for putting my name on that long list of people you sent Christmas greetings to," he said. "I'm glad I'm one of your many friends.
"You're one of the first people I thought of," I said. "Right after Kris from the Mercy West Hospital emergency room, where we had to make a visit at 2:30 in the morning a while back."
"Speaking of Christmas, was Santa Claus good to you?" Al asked.
"He sure was," I answered. "We had our usual Christmas that lasted 3 or 4 days, and the old boy had plenty of nice stuff in his bag for me.
"Call it The Apple Electronic Christmas. I got an iPhone 6S Plus, and now I can text with the best of 'em, send email, take pictures, read the Internet, get where I'm going with the GPS on the phone, and the thing may even check my blood sugar and make bacon and eggs. Plus that, I can make phone calls."
Then I told Al that the kids gave me a new and larger iPad 2 Air. They thought the iPad Mini I'd been using in recent years was showing its age. I agreed with 'em.
The kids also made sure I got protective cases for both the iPhone and the iPad, and they outfitted me [as usual] with a new Valley High School basketball T-shirt, and a nice-looking [and I assume nice-tasting] bottle of grape wine with natural peach from the Dubuque Heritage Winery.
"Remember when you were at our house on Thanksgiving?" daughter-in-law Donna said. "You liked the grape and peach wine, and now you have your own bottle."
"Did your ladyfriend from Japan send you something this year?" Al asked.
"Yes, Fusayo Hattori sent us a huge box of gifts again," I said, "A T-shirt with Japanese writing on the front, slippers, socks, Japanese green tea, candy, you name it. We have a lot more things now that say Made In Japan."
"What does the Japanese writing on the front front of your T-shirt say?" Al asked. "Something dirty?"
"Come on, Al," I said. "Fusayo wouldn't do something like that--only if it was 2 a.m. and she was drinking. I'll email her and ask what the writing says, and get back to you on it."
Al was on his third cup of Italian Dark Roast when he began talking about New Year's Eve and Day, which will be here very soon--even before the Hawkeyes tee it up against Florida in their bowl game.
"You making any New Year's resolutions?" Al asked.
"I'm not a big New Year's resolution guy, Al," I said. "But there are some things I'd like to change."
"Like what?" Al asked.
"I'd like to behave myself better in 2017, which is something I always say in late-December of every year," I answered.
"Specifically, I'd like to quit giving into temptation so much," I said.
Pause.
"Hey, listen, Ronnie ol' boy, I've lived in the house next to yours for more than 40 years, and I know you pretty well," Al said.
"The day you quit giving into temptation is the day the sun sets in the east.
"Don't worry. You're doing all right. You're just like a lot of other people. Don't be tough on yourself. But don't forget to go to one of the church services on Saturday or Sunday every week, listen to the sermons and pray a lot."
"Thanks, Al," I said. "I'm glad you're my neighbor. I'm thinking 2017 will be a great year.
"Let me pour you another cup, and thanks for coming over."
