Morrison Post Editorial

Does anyone else have to catch themselves at the beginning of the year to make sure you are putting the correct year on checks and other things that you date? I remember when 2008 seemed like a long time away. Now the years seem to click by like miles on the odometer. The New Year brings new possibilities, lots of election campaigning, and a few more gray hairs for some of us. I am over the “Where did the year go” and am now looking at “Where is this year going?”

I spent the last days of the old year on a skid loader. It had been years since I had operated one, and that was mostly around farms that I worked on as a boy. We had some concrete to move, and I have become realistic about the availability of time in my life in the summer, so I decided to rent a Bobcat for the weekend and see what I could accomplish. The day started out rocky, with a lot of snow making transport of the beast a little tricky. Then, the frozen ground and the new snow on top made things even harder. I finally discovered some tricks for getting the job done, and made some progress. The dirt finally became so greasy that I couldn’t do much of anything, so I hung it up for the weekend. My three year old son got a kick out of the equipment, and really enjoyed the fresh air. I think we were all getting some cabin fever already this winter, and needed to get out.

I had one of those moments where you really appreciate good local businesses this weekend. I had to address a lighting issue in the print shop on Saturday, and couldn’t get to it until late in the morning. By the time I diagnosed the problem with the light, and knew what I needed, I figured I was out of luck locally to get the parts. I swung by Blackhawk Lumber, and what do you know, they were open. In fact, they were open long enough that I was able to make another trip to get more parts. I wasn’t sure they would have the light ballast that I needed, but they did. It sure beats going all the way to Sterling or Clinton to see if one of the big box stores has it! You hear “shop local” all the time, and we try to do it often because it is good for our local economy. But sometimes, it makes sense to shop locally because they have what you need, are close by, and are open when you need them. That’s a win-win if I ever saw one. This isn’t just a shameless plug for Blackhawk. I was just really impressed with the hours that they are open and how they went the extra mile to help me. Of course, that is what I have found with a lot of local businesses.

Old Man Winter is giving us a good early beating this year. Cold, snow and wind have been worse this December than I can remember in any December in recent years. Please make sure you are prepared when you venture out in winter weather. We tend to take it for granted that we will get where we are going without problems, but the weather can wreck your plans quickly. Please take a cell phone with you when you travel and know how to use it. If you wear dress shoes, then think about keeping a pair of boots in your vehicle, and maybe even a blanket and a snack in case you are stranded for a long period of time. Probably the best advice I can give is to make sure your vehicle’s tires are in good shape. People are often shocked at how much better they can get around and stop when they put new tires on. Several of our advertisers can look at your tires and assess the need for replacement for you. My van is getting close to needing some, and I thought I might try to make it until next fall. I think I may get new ones sooner than that since they are cheaper than the deductible on my auto insurance if I were to get into an accident. Oh, and I travel with my family in the van, so why take a risk?

News is starting to pick up now that the holidays are over, and our paper is getting back to normal size. Thanks for reading The Morrison Post each week. And thanks to our advertisers who make it possible to bring it to your door! One more thanks goes out to our young people who are serving in the military. We have a letter from one of them on this page this week. I don’t think I could do what they do at this point in my life, so I am grateful that they are willing and able. We will try to follow them where they travel to keep them up to date with happenings at home.

(by Ben Wolf, Guest Columnist)