Band Name of the Day

12/01/03’s illustrious band:

The Count

Brought to you by my recent trip to the Wild West for fun and feasting with Mother Media. Since it was a Thanksgiving trip, and it was 700 miles each way, I had plenty of time to count my blessings. Here are just a few.

A good car. The Suave Samurai, my faithful steed, kept me warm and dry and out of the wind, and got good gas mileage to boot. It's comfortable, reliable, and cuts a dashing figure streaking across the plains.
Books on tape. When you have to spend a couple 10-hour stretches in the car, driving through great gaps in FM radio coverage, you become very thankful for books on tape. The time passes much more quickly when you have a tireless companion along to read you a story.
A home where the buffalo roam. A lot of people find the Midwestern landscape boring, but I don't. I could (and did) spend all day gazing across golden corn stubble silhouetted against a crisp blue sky. The undulating terrain gives rise to interesting clumps of trees and shrubs. Snow dusted over buttes is like powdered sugar on a bundt cake. And when you see the grey-weathered remnants of old houses dotting lonely hills and hollows, you can't help but wonder, What the heck were those people thinking?

On this trip, I saw not only roaming buffalo (bison, actually), but also deer and antelope playing, cattle of several breeds, hardy quarter horses, rabbits, fox, wild turkeys (the kind that gobble in gullies, not the kind you drink), black-capped chickadees, hawks, and a llama. In touring my aunt and uncle's ranch, I also got to see a badger's or mountain lion's pantry and tracks in the snow that my uncle suspects belong to a coyote. Who needs the Discovery Channel?
Cell phones. Never thought you'd hear me say that, did you? But having a cell phone along for the ride made both me and Mother Media feel better. I was able to buzz her from the road with progress reports and proof that I could call for help if needed. A cell phone also enabled us to check movie listings from a distance and decide whether to go out of our way for one.
A comfortable office chair. Mother Media sent me home with a nice swivel chair that she wasn't using, and I gotta tell ya, it's a very welcome addition to my home office. For years I've had only straight-backed dining room chairs available, and those clearly aren't meant for long-term sitting. Now, however, I can twirl and tilt in cushioned comfort for hours on (my rear) end. Thanks, Mom!
Health. My old hometown is full of tales of woe: who's lying and stealing, who's cheating and divorcing, who's sick and dying. Hearing all those sad stories made me enormously grateful that none of them are mine. I do my share of griping, but my life is sweet and easy compared to many, and I appreciate it.
Family. This time out, I got to visit with relatives I hadn't seen since last Christmas or, worse, since the last family funeral. E-mail is very helpful for keeping in touch, but it's not the same as swapping stories in the kitchen, time traveling through my aunt's photos, bumping around in my uncle's pickup, high-fiving my cousin's preschooler, fingering the fine leatherwork my other cousin makes and sells in his store. It was a long way to go to look a few people in the eye, and worth every mile.
Good parka, good boots. I appreciate the beauty of the prairie, but I fear its winds. The ceaseless gales drove many an early settler to distraction or worse, and a winter gust can suck the heat out of your body in the space of a frosty breath. I'm blessed with clunky but well insulated boots and a parka that puffs me up to twice my natural diameter, and I gave thanks for them every time I stepped outside to fill the car with gas. What I don't understand, given the vastness of the wind, is why there are so few windmills on the plains. Does anyone know?
Crack Balls. Crack Balls are the best! Mother Media had made a batch and saved me a few, so I got to enjoy them all week long. Several friends and relatives have already tried the recipe with great success. After much serious discussion, it was decided that the next variation to try should use Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies instead of Oreos for the filling and milk chocolate or melted peanut butter chips (or both!) for the coating. Thanks again to Senor Editor and the Mighty Quinn for hooking us up!