Today is the Fourth of July and a good day it has been. Got up early this morning and headed out for a couple of the local hospitals to visit some friends. They find themselves confined on such a beautiful and that is no fun.
Crosby son, David, tells us you are getting rained out down there. Wish we could get some of that here. It is now late in the evening and we are getting some showers but we have had far too few and too short to help much. I cut some of my grass yesterday and that is the first time I have moved my lawn mower in more than a month.
When I got back from the hospital my good pal, Maggie, and I took a little walk along the riverbank. This six-year Old English Sheep-dog is a good companion. We walk along enjoying each others company with nary a complaint from either of us.
As I mentioned in a previous column the spring rains left a huge sand bar next to our property and two of our up-river neighbors. It has attracted river people by the dozens. Usually the early mornings on weekends and holidays the beach begins with anywhere from two to five fishermen spread out along the bar. They all seem to be successful and frequently catch one two feet long or betterprobably catfish.
On the more beautiful, sunny days the boats begin to arrive around 10 a. m. and from then until dark it is continuous. Today, spread along the three properties there must have been more than two-dozen boats with several people each. That doesnt include a few Ski-Doos thrown in (if that is the right word).
Maggie and I watched a couple of little kids building a sand castle along the water-s edge. It was quite a construction project as at least one of the boys worked some time on it. It is now late evening and the boats are gone but the sand castle remains. If the rains dont remove it the castle will probably be there for the weekend if our wee ones return.
This has also been a construction day for some of my neighbors as well. One is rebuilding a set of wooden steps on his riverbank that were taken out by the spring flood. Another is putting a nice extra garage and workshop behind his house and a third is building a workshop with garage section large enough for his motorcycle and canoe. With all of these construction projects going on I have been busy working on each as a supervisor. They all just love to see me heading in their direction as you might imagine.
While they work and others boat or swim, Maggie and I are just spending a lazy day enjoying the warm sun and at times watching a ball game or two. This is the life of a retiree!
Such are the people, places and things that have touched my life in my West Virginia home!
