Simple Pleasures

We don't have cable TV at our house and, to be honest, I don't really miss it - until college football season, of course.  I still don't mind listening to the game on the radio though.  We don't watch much TV at all and when we do, it normally involves renting a movie at Red Box.  One thing that's got me re-thinking our lack of cable TV is that Benjamin recently rented "The Best of Duck Dynasty" at Red Box.  I think we're now hooked on this show.  

Even with all the hype, we had never seen it before this weekend.  After watching 6 episodes we can see why it is the most popular show on cable.  It is about a simple family who enjoy each other's company, like laughing and having a good time, and relish eating good food.  It is a clean show and they don't have to bleep out every other word.  At the end of the show, there is a prayer thanking the Almighty for his Goodness and the show always has some sort of a moral (or some wisdom from Uncle Si) conveyed in a funny way.  Even though the family is richer than chocolate cake, they seem to be grounded and content with the simple pleasures of country living.

A good friend of mine used an App on his iPad to help me envision what I'd look like with a Duck Dynasty beard.  What do you think?

I don't think Tricia would like this...

This got me thinking about the simple pleasures of life.  Now, I like nice things as much as the next guy, but it is really funny some of the things you remember and have the fondest recollections of don't involve the outlay of large sums of money.  I bet you if you thought about it, you'd come up with something similar.

For example, when I was a young boy, we worked out on my Dad's rice farm in Oberlin every weekend and all summer.  It was hot, hard work.  Our shirts would be completely drenched with sweat before 9 am most mornings.  When the job was complete Dad would reward us.  We'd hop in the back of my Dad's truck and take off.  Dad and Joe, a great guy who worked for my Dad, would drive us down Cotton Gin Road to a small country store.  I think it was officially called Buddy's, but we called it Bodo's.  As you'd walk into the store, there was a screen door that slammed shut behind you.  Since Bodo smoked meat and made boudin and cracklins in the store, it had a nice aroma that was free of charge.  Cats from all over the countryside seemed to be attracted to the smell as well.

As a reward for our hard labor, my Dad would buy us each a Dr. Pepper and a honey bun.  Bodo and his wife would joke around with us and would mark down the purchase in a little book as Dad had a charge account there.  At the end of the month, Dad would settle up with him.

I'm a Pepper

We would hop back into the back of the truck and put the tailgate down and ride on the tailgate, legs dangling, drinking a Dr. Pepper and eating the honey bun, laughing, singing and carrying on.  Life was good. Times were happy. Things were simple. It is amazing to think about how a simple thing like a soft drink and a honey bun could bring such joy and satisfaction that I could remember it 30 something odd years later. Weird.  It certainly wasn't the sugar and carbonated water that made something like this be etched in my memory.

Russ and Laura Lee came in from college for the Labor Day holiday.  We brought out the nice china and formal silverware and Tricia cooked a big pot of Red Beans and Rice.  We had our fancy formal meal in the formal dining room after church today, but to keep ourselves grounded, and as a declaration of our simplicity, we enjoyed our iced tea in Mason jars.

Duck Dynasty guys, we salute you!

Life's simple pleasures.  They don't require spending a bunch of money - just good times with family and friends.  Cheers!