By Betty Olson
This week started off pretty warm, but it sure cooled off on Friday with a low temperature of 1 degree that morning and a high temperature of 16 degrees that afternoon. Thankfully we got snow Monday night and Tuesday night and it snowed all day on Wednesday that gave us some much needed moisture.
Patsy Wilkinson hosted Ladies Aid Tuesday afternoon and after the meeting I had Linda Mohagen give me a much-needed haircut at her house in Reva before I picked up Copper off the school bus and brought her home.
Casey picked up a copy of Elaine Doll-Dunn’s new book for us at Buffalo Ranch Supply in Buffalo that she wrote about her dad, Guy Doll, titled “If You’re Lookin’ for a Place to Land . . . You’re Already Throwed.” Guy Doll had the Hackamore ranch just west of our ranch where Doug Doll and Clint Doll and their families now live. Guy Doll was one of my heroes and we named our son Guy after him. Our son Guy’s middle name is Douglas, named after Guy Doll’s son Doug Doll and Reub’s brother Doug Olson, two more wonderful cowboys.
Reub and I went to Hettinger Wednesday afternoon and had coffee with the Prairie Pioneers in Reeder on the way home. We left a little early so we could make it to church on time for the Ash Wednesday potluck supper and service that evening.
There were more deaths to report this week: Paul Marrs, 68, passed away on Saturday, February 10. Paul’s funeral was Thursday, February 15, at the Nisland Independent Community Church in Nisland. A memorial has been established to the Gideons International and Rainbow Bible Ranch. Paul Marrs taught welding at Western Dakota Technical Institute for 18 years and he taught our son Guy Olson how to weld when Guy went to school there. Paul was a great teacher and a wonderful man.
Carmelo Bonomo, age 88, of Hettinger, passed away on Thursday evening, February 15, at the Hettinger Hospital in Hettinger. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, February 27, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger with entombment to follow at the Dickinson Mausoleum in Dickinson.
Mert Clarkson had surgery on Thursday and when I called Sue Clarkson Friday afternoon, she said that his surgery went well. Mert was on the prayer list at church and thankfully our prayers have been answered.
We got our “Range” magazine this week and I just love it! When I was in the legislature I encouraged all the other legislators to subscribe to Range because it is all about the things that concern us here in the Midwest, especially ranchers and everyone involved in agriculture. This issue had a good article about my favorite artist, Charles M. Russell. We visited the Charles Russell museum in Great Falls, Montana, years ago and it is a fascinating place.
You’ve heard the media and the politicians talking about our “democracy”. We are NOT a democracy. A democracy is nothing but mob rule and we are protected from mob rule by the Constitution. When someone asked Benjamin Franklin what our nation was, he said that “We are a constitutional republic, if we can keep it”. In the last issue of Range magazine, a rancher from Idaho wrote this in a letter to the editor: “A democracy is a lamb and two wolves voting on what’s for dinner. A republic is a well-armed lamb disrupting the vote.” I totally agree! Casey and Missy went with the Harding County wrestlers Friday to Ft. Pierre for the Regional wrestling tournament that started early Saturday morning and three wrestlers from Harding County qualified for state. The Reva coyote contest was Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and we sure hope the people that are competing eliminate those nasty predators from Harding County!
Mona Hight’s birthday was Friday, February 16, and her family celebrated her birthday with a party for her on Saturday afternoon. Happy Birthday Mona, hope you had a wonderful day!
Six ladies from Slim Buttes Lutheran church went to the Women’s Retreat in Rapid City on Friday and Saturday and they told us about the retreat in church this Sunday.
With tax time coming and all this talk about ranchers, I’ll leave you with this:
An old rancher had a small ranch that he worked for many, many years. Then one year, the IRS claimed that he was not paying proper wages to his workers and sent an agent out to interview him.
“I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded the IRS agent.
“Well,” replied the rancher, “There’s my ranch hand who has been with me for about 3 years. I pay him $600 a week plus free room and board.”
“Any others?” asked the agent.
“Well, the cook has been here for 18 months ever since my wife passed away. I pay her $500 a week plus free room and board.” answered the old rancher.
“Is that everyone? You realize that making false statements to the IRS can mean a fine, jail time, or a confiscation of your land and equipment!” said the IRS agent trying to intimidate the old rancher.
“Well,” thought the old rancher, “there’s the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board and I buy him a glass or two of bourbon every Saturday night as a reward.”
“That’s the guy! I want to talk to the half-wit!” demanded the agent.
“That would be me,” replied old rancher.
