If We Make It Through December

Around 1976 we moved from a house in town to a house that sat on 5 acres in the middle of some piney woods.  It was quite a change for us.  We had room to roam, build forts in the woods, ride a mini bike on trails we made, dig sassafras roots and make homemade 'root beer,' hunt and fish.  It was a neat childhood.

In town we walked to school as we lived right across the street from it.  However, when we moved to the country, we rode the bus to school.  We'd wait at the bus stop in front of the house.  Mrs. Pitre was our school bus driver.  She had an 8-track tape player on her bus, and she introduced us to classic country music - Ronnie Milsap, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Charlie Pride and the list goes on and on.

I remember a Merle Haggard song we learned on Mrs. Pitre's bus, "If we make it through December."  Merle sang, "If we make it through December, everything's gonna be alright, I know."  Good memories.  Windows down in the bus, with a breeze blowing through your hair as you were heading home in the afternoon.  Merle Haggard blaring as we sang along.  Getting dropped off and hearing Merle's voice trailing off as the bus drove out of sight, "If we make it through December we'll be fine." 

Speaking of December, even though tomorrow it will be July...  Above is Aussie.  He is Rosie's bull calf.  His Daddy was a registered Jersey bull from Australia.  We also have Clarabull.  He is Clarabelle's bull.  Get it?  Well, beef prices are very high in grocery stores due to processing issues caused by Coronavirus.  I had a gentleman that stopped in our driveway this weekend wanting to buy one of our bulls.  I had to tell him they are not for sale.

Because... I asked Tricia to call and make an appointment for them at the slaughterhouse.  I was surprised to learn that the soonest we could get them in is December 23rd!  All the slaughterhouses are that backed up.  I assume with high beef prices, everyone is taking their own animals to the butcher shop.  Our freezer will be just about empty of beef by that time.  I know it is a long way away, but like Merle sang, "If we make it through December, we'll be fine...."