This blog is about a friend celebrating his 77th birthday and a poem that I wrote for the occasion. But the weather has me so annoyed that I just have to vent. If you don’t want to be the recipient of my venting, then just skip down to the poem.
I don’t think I mind cold weather. It makes you feel alive. But what has gotten to me is this day after day, week after week, MONTH AFTER MONTH! The understatement of the day is, “It is getting old.”
And we have so many more efficient ways to check the weather. It used to be the paper in the morning and the local TV news. Then came along the Weather Channel. Now, I have a smart phone strapped to my hip. This should be more efficient – but not when you check the weather 20 times a day. And, I have three weather apps on my IPhone. One came on the phone and then I downloaded the Weather Channel and the local Fox Accu Weather. Hot Dog! And then I spend time comparing them. How dumb.
It’s such a convenient way for me to waste time. Once I pull up the weather app, I can look at the current temperature; or the hourly temperature for the next 24 hours; or a 36 hour outlook; or the ten- day forecast. That’s what has me so upset. The ten-day forecast looks like ten days ago, which looks like…(You get the idea).
In 2010, I wrote a blog entitled, “My Crepe Myrtle Tree.” It explained how I trim my Crepe Myrtle every February. Well, February is almost gone and the ten-day forecast shows no sign of relief. Rest assured, it will be done.
One of the things that made February a little more tolerable was Larry Ledbetter’s 77th birthday party. Larry has three avocations, cabinet making, Mercedes vehicles and golf. My connection with Larry is through golf. He’s quite a player. The party, however, gave me a chance to see some of the outstanding furniture he had made and to meet some of his Mercedes club friends. Just before they cut the cake, I read the poem below. A number of people came up to me afterwards and told me they appreciated that it was short.
LARRY’S SEVENTY-SEVENTH
A time to celebrate, a time to cheer,
A time for laughter, a time for a beer.
Ledbetter has a birthday, there’s no time to tarry,
David? No not David, it’s our good friend Larry.
If Larry’s your golf partner, hope for a warm day,
That Bama blood’s thin, and he’s been know to say Nay.
Don’t press him if he’s running late, it just makes him churly,
He thinks ten minutes before tee-time is arriving early.
Larry’s a golfer of extraordinary skill,
He can crush the ball clean over the hill.
But, when you hit it that far, some things are clear,
When you’re directionally challenged, you can’t find the sphere.
So when you gather your swing thoughts, here’s one additional,
If you’re going to swing hard, think about a provisional.
So Happy Birthday Larry, we wish you all the best,
Having you as a friend make us all feel blessed.
You brighten up our lives, you’ve never been a boor,
So Happy Birthday Larry, we wish you many, many more.
Written by PJ Rice at www.ricequips.com
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