A bad cold coupled with shrubs that drink

Have any of you lost a bicycle? A month or so ago I saw a bicycle hiding in the weeds on the riverbank just east of Wayne Street. It stayed there for several weeks. Then one day it  was gone. I thought whoever it belonged to had found it. It wasn’t long before the bike reappeared. It was lying forlorn under the green bridge and muddy waters swirled over it. I keep intending to call the police and report it but my mind is easily distracted and I don’t think about it until the next time I see it.

Speaking of lost items, I think my shrubs and trees have taken up drinking. 

The last warm afternoon we had  I went outside to pick up some of the trash that had accumulated. I have never picked up so many beer cans in my life. Apparently trees like Budweiser. There was also a Coca Cola can that I assume belonged to the designated driver. In addition to the cans I also found a pair of cowboy boots. 

The entire time I was picking up trash the trees were showing their displeasure by smacking me at every opportunity. I have no idea what the plants were intending to do with a pair of cowboy boots.

 I seem to have acquired a bad cold. I haven’t had one this miserable in a very long time. As hard as I have been coughing, I am surprised that my lungs are still inside my body. I have about a week to get rid of it. 

We are scheduled to attend a birthday party for our niece’s daughter. The theme is Frozen. Apparently, Isabella and her little sister love all things princess.

 We are hoping to use the event as a small family reunion. We haven’t seen some of them  in a very long time. It should be a nice way to wrap up the end of the year. It’s a bit of a drive for all but the princess and her immediate family but it will be worth it.

 It seems like another lifetime when we would all get together on holidays. We would catch up with brothers and sisters then compare notes on the way home. These days the family is smaller and we all live in different states. As we get older, the drive gets longer.  Our energy wanes much earlier than it used to.

 We used to poke fun of the family members who wanted to be home before dark. Now, we are the ones who need to get home early because driving at night isn’t as easy as it used to be.

 I am sorry that this column is so choppy. The head cold, coughing, and all the rest has my mind scrambled. Plus our internet is down. 

I  hope all of you have a reasonably happy Christmas.