Colder Than Ice Doesn't Stop Stupidity

Minus 10 degrees here last night and probably the same tonight. The sun warmed things up nicely by afternoon so we opened our front door and let the solar gain from the new storm door give us free heat. Neither the furnace nor the propane wall heater came on for over three hours. Will try this again as every savings helps the bottom line.
Our peaceful Sunday morning was rudely interrupted by snowmobiles using the road as their race track. For a second weekend they've zig-zagged between the old fence posts across our front yard and gone airborne over three hills within 4/10ths of a mile before spinning donuts within feet of the highway. Crazy, daredevils who have no regard for oncoming traffic or pedestrians. No wonder the neighbor told me I wouldn't be walking on this road in the winter. Their antics are illegal but the sun baked glaze on the gravel road is irresistible.

Talking to a friend later, I wondered aloud why they weren't tearing up the corn fields around here. "Because they have furrows with rocks and the road is smoother," she said. In other words, better to chance hitting a pedestrian or another snowmobile or car than a rock.

Being from the Upper Peninsula it looks silly to see snowmobiles on 6 inches of snow but then there are worse things going on. Every day on the news the violence seems to increase and I find myself thankful that I spend most of my time at home away from the craziness.

Our dear dog Lady is still with us but slowly declining. I realized today that Sweetie's been walking into our spare bathroom so I wouldn't see him cry. Lady's been his constant companions for 11 years through thick and thin and the thought of being without her haunts him. Tonight, when he had to carry Lady inside, he said it reminds him of the death of his youngest son over 18 years ago.

An hour later his sole surviving son called here. When Sweetie told him he didn't think Lady would be here much longer he said, "Get over it. She's a dog."

The phone being slammed down scared Lady, me and Kitty Kitty from our comfortable positions on the sofa. Soon the phone was flung across the room and Sweetie stomped out to the deck - coatless and swearing. Within two minutes the temperature had cooled him off enough that he came in and apologized.

"None needed," I said. "Now call your son back and tell him how much his stupid remark hurts."

He refused, of course but three hours later his son called here. I answered and his first remark was: "Is that dog dead yet?"

At first I was speechless. Rare for me but once I recovered my vocal chords I cut loose.

I told him he was a mid 40's lazy, self centered, complaining jerk who had no clue about most of what he claims to "know and understand" - his famous retort to nearly anything his father says.

I know my outburst shocked him but it's been a long time coming. Calmly and clearly I said, "Call back when you've grown up and have some empathy."

We've had a quiet, peaceful day since.