Todd Benatar

I ran into some friends today at the Tractor Supply Store.  We hadn’t seen each other in a while, so we decided to have coffee together at the local diner before we all headed home again.   We started talking about how tonight was the full moon and swapping stories about how the full moon sometimes effects them or people that they know. 

Bob said his wife is a nurse in the local Emergency Room and that they get a lot busier during the full moon than any other time of the month.  She said that they get more incidences of violence, saying the people’s tempers flare up more easily.  She also claimed that more babies are born during the full moon.

Gary said that his youngest daughter gets a lot crankier than usual during the full moon, and tends to start arguments with her brothers and sisters on full moon days.

I’d heard that the police department has more people scheduled to work during the full moon too, because they have more domestic disturbance calls during the full moon.  I don’t know if that’s true or not….  just something I’d heard.  I think it’s an interesting idea, that the full moon effects our moods in that way.

Every generation of my family has had its menfolk serve in the military up until this generation.  We have a long history of military service, and our family has seen a lot of wars.  I want to extend my heartfelt love to all of the menfolk in my family that have served in the military, and extend my sincere gratitude to all military families everywhere for the sacrifices they all make in service of our country.  I pray that the service people overseas will return home safe and sound and soon.

Thank goodness the elections are over!  The phone has quieted down, the robocalls have stopped - THANK GOODNESS INDEED!  I was getting awfully tired of answering the phone about six times every night, just to be greeted by a pre-recorded political message.  I’d simply hang up on them, but it was a huge annoyance just the same.  I keep a phone by the bed in case there is an emergency and someone needs to reach me, but I do go to bed early (after all, I AM a farmer!) and I was being awakened every night for weeks with those stupid robocalls!  It has been nice the past couple of nights to be able to SLEEP!

As for the aftermath of the election, so far I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised that the celebrations have been so very peaceful.  I was thinking that the celebrations would be similar to the celebrations that happen after sporting events where the masses of people start to get a little carried away in their enthusiasm and end up damaging property.  I’m glad to say that around here it seems that has not been the case.

I voted today.  I had a hard time finding a parking spot, the parking lot was full so I had to park about a 1/4 mile away down the street and walk the rest of the way in.  It surprised me to see so many people considering the time of day I went in - around 11am.   I had to stand in line for about an hour, which is a lot less time than I expected to stand in line.

I think the line would have moved a lot quicker if the election officials running the check-in books hadn’t spent so much time socializing with the folks coming in to vote.  I found it very aggravating to be hearing the all going on and on about “how’s your Aunt Sue?” and “Whatever happened to ol’ what’s his name.”  I wanted to get nasty and scream “This ain’t no ice cream social, ladies, get a move on!”  Maybe when I’m old and gray I’ll get up the nerve to do just that!

It’s hard to believe that it’s November already!  I had to turn the calendar page today, and saw the note I had written on it to give the pets their flea and tick medicines, clean the air filters for the furnace, and to set the clock back one hour when I go to bed tonight.  I wish that the government would just stick to ONE time and not keep switching back and forth between “daylight” and “standard” time.  It is hard to adjust to the time changes, and switching back and forth has NOT been proven to save any energy at all.