Kind of a hectic day today. We had to drive north to Harrisburg for the annual meeting with the bank. Harrisburg is roughly 30 miles away and boasts a population of about 100. It's located in Banner County, the next county to the north. Banner County has a population of about 690. Because a whole Banner County family got threwn in the joint for fraud, bad checks, embezzlement, and cooking meth, the county also boasts the highest per capita imprisonment rate in the state. Cool, eh?
So why do we bank there? Well, been banking there forever. They are also probably the best Ag-centric bank in this half of the state. Kimball is 27 times larger than Harrisburg but the Kimball banks (there are three, all branches of big city banks) wouldn't make a pimple on the ass of the bank in Harrisburg.
Anyway, we went there this morning. But before we did that, there was this.
Here's a closeup (ish).
After I took the pics and video I stopped and talked to the three guys who were there. As it turns out, burning sludge pits is illegal. You can't get a permit to do it even if you're like a senator or something. If you look close you can see a truck and trailer and a loader/backhoe. The guys I visited with had been starting to do some work with the loader/backhoe when the fire started. At the time I spoke with them the fire department was enroute. By the time we left for Harrisburg 15 minutes after I took the video the fire was out.
Once we finished at the bank we stopped at the Hilltop Cafe in Banner county for lunch. Mom had a BLT wrap and chili, my brother and I had the special, which was Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy.
I hadn't been to the Hilltop Cafe since about 1973. And now I remember why. It was an interesting visit and the food wasn't poisoned or anything, but, I guess I'm just too picky. And I probably have a superiority complex being from Kimball County and all. Where I avoid the restaurants as well. Yep, too picky.
Back home I got busy. I finally attempted to properly adjust the stock tank float on what shall be henceforth known as Brig's Stock Tank. I think I got it right but it got dark before the tank refilled so I won't know for sure until morning.
Also got started on oil and filter change for the backup generator, having finally sourced the proper chinesium oil and air filter. Tomorrow, unless something comes up, which it will, I shall get the generator going and load test it. And/or whatever fate has in store for me.
All in all a pretty good day.
Be well and enjoy the blessings of liberty.
That is kind of strange looking coffee. It looks almost thick.
ReplyDeleteI myself had the ice tea, served in a clever half-pint mayonnaise jar. The tiny jar was fine, but the tea had been sitting around for too many days. Hard to tell if they're not really trying or if they're barely hanging on. I kinda hate to give them a bad revue but I doubt anyone local will ever see this.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting Scott!
Life is full of important stuff that needs to be done, but is not really urgent.
ReplyDeleteIn the big city, someone probably spent all day agonizing over what sort of frilly coffee thingy they were going to get, or what over-priced frou frou restaurant they would go to, and then whine about their dinner without having a clue as to where it came from, or how it got to the big city.
No critter pics or dog talk today...
JB
That's one of the keys to living a life filled with blessings -- having to do and doing important stuff. I think that many of the crushing pathologies plaguing large sectors of the nation and indeed the first world stem from folks having no purpose to embrace.
DeleteAnd I myself am not unaccustomed to doing too much egocentric whining!
Thanks for stopping by and offering a well constructed anti-whining counter, John!
Harrisburg. Seen the signs but never had occasion to go there. I've made many trips on 88 from LaGrange and many more on 71 out of Scottsbluff. Stopped one time at that cafe and it was closed. Guess I didn't miss much.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy that drive through LaGrange when I head over Torrington way or to Lingle. The cafe has been open and closed for years. I'm glad they're making a stab at it and I shouldn't complain, anyone can have a bad day in the kitchen. There were a couple of squads of USAF Missile Security Forces there wolfing down pie and ice cream, which is what the place is presently famous for. Several locals doing that too. Hmmm. I think I may have ordered from the wrong menu...
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
and to you . Clear goals and purpose. I kind of miss those.
ReplyDeleteImportant stuff. I don't think a lot of people understand the jedi mind trick you whip on yourself in order to embrace and execute important tasks. There's a bit of philosophy chiseled into the granite of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. The third line reads, "In the deed the glory." Lots of good stuff packed into five words.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
ReplyDeleteThank You for fixing my float!
and Yay, I'm totally stoked about having a stock tank named after me. It's another first!
Thanks YOU for fixing your float. Wouldn't have been done without a wholly appropriate kick in the pants! :-) Of course now I have to dig the tank out in the spring and level it. Because it ain't gonna level itself, and those pesky rabbits are just doing their God-assigned jobs.
DeleteI also gotta make up a sign...
Thanks for stopping by and managing Brig!!! You're the bomb!
Ah, nothing like a mediocre meal to make one appreciate home cooking. At least that particular nasty chore is in the rear view mirror.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
Or even my own cooking!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting Paul!
Love the new stock tank name, Brig deserves at least that! 😉
ReplyDeleteAs to having a purpose in life, that's one of the things I love about my job. I have purpose and I can make a difference. I am waffling on retirement as during the week off I had at Thanksgiving I realized that I enjoy being useful.
I'd make her the ranch manager but that would be a terrible thing to do...
DeleteYep, a purpose. Kinda has to be something bigger than what you wanna do.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Sarge!
Local banks, where they know you are MUCH better than the chain banks. AND you get treated better to boot... Sludge pits are a 'challenge' to put out... sigh... Hope they had some AFFF!
ReplyDeleteThe people in the chain banks that I'm familiar with all thing they are top tier special government banking superiors. Should probably crawl back into the sludge pit they crawled out of. Wonder if the local rvfd even has any AFFF or other foam. I'll have to ask.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!