2020 has constantly been called a “dumpster fire” of a year.  I disagree with that.  Coming from someone that routinely lights a dumpster on fire (in order to burn feed sacks and net wrap), a dumpster fire is a very safe and controlled burn.  There wasn’t much about 2020 that was safe or controlled.  Well, there are probably some people controlling this crap but that brings up negativity.

As we close this POS of a calendar year out, it is easy to look back with a lot of negative thoughts.  There was a bunch of stuff that happened this year, personally and as a country, that was not fun.  But with the bad came good.

–2020 stocks shows–Cancelled shows, replacement shows, shows with balls that still had shows and lots of well-attended jackpots.  Even a midnight hog show.  Sales still held strong throughout the year.  Hopefully, the demand for high quality animals will continue.  I hope that the new year brings honest judges.

–Work–Tammy and I were able to work throughout this entire ‘rona crap.  She had to miss some days due to contact tracing.  I didn’t have to miss a day of being at the ag building, ag farm, greenhouse or shop.  And kids were there working almost all of those days as well.

Duke had a rough year but came out better for it.  Quit college to go to the Marines, got hurt and sent home, bad car wreck, etc.  He made the best of a disappointing situation, no jobs available and graduated from wind energy technician school.  Now, he is weighing job offers.

Kela was working a dream job then rona hit, no work for  almost 5 months, then working 18-20 hour days at that job and now rona has Hollywood shut down again.   But, she used her time off to visit most of California’s national parks, get a house with a backyard and adopt a dog.

–Weather–We had a really wet spell in March/April.  This allowed us to put up some wheat hay.  Then it got dry– real dry.  I had a field of Higear (Hegari) that only received 2″ of rain from sprout to harvest.  It still made hay.  I didn’t have to buy any hay this year (except for small squares of alfalfa).  And I was able to sell some hay.

Then, at the end of October, an ice storm that left us with 4.5″ of moisture.  I now had soil moisture to plant wheat.  Then a month that dumped almost 30″ of snow–really, really wet snow.  It has been really muddy but we have wet ground going into the new year.  We have a chance.

–Politics–Now, there is the real shit show.  I do not have one good thing to say about any of American politics.  They all need replaced.  We need term limits with the same benefits of all other federal workers.  Dump ’em all!  Crooks, liars, cheats, sinners–and nobody can argue with me.  Swamp?  No!  It is a septic tank that is plugged up and backing up into the bathtub.  And I don’t see it getting better.  $600, $2,000–Does it matter?  With all of their other sewage waste that they have tied to it, I wish they wouldn’t give out any money to anybody or any country.  That’s as positive as I can write about politics.

–I do feel bad for the senior classes of ’20 and ’21.  I feel for college students.  I feel for people that weren’t able to attend church services on a regular basis.  I feel for those that truly were affected by the covid.  I do think that we will be researching this year, for many years to come.

Cheers and congratulations to surviving one of the worst years.  It could have been worse.  I’m not so optimistic that January 1, 2021 will automatically wipe the slate clean.  It will take time but at least we have a chance.

GOD bless and I hope that tomorrow is better than today.  My friends, here’s to horseshoes and shamrocks for all of you.