Finally!

I usually try to write this article on Friday because it sure cuts down on the stress for both me and my assistant on Monday when the deadline for the local paper is looming. Last Friday morning I was in a little bit better mood for our weekly visit because at the official rain gauge at the Armes’ place, which is universally recognized as the one I live and die by, I dumped out an inch of rain. We had received 2/10 of an inch on Thursday and 8/10 of and inch on Thursday night and Friday morning. It was the right kind, good and slow and the temps were cool enough that it wasn’t gonna’ just bake right out of the soil. The skies were gray and it was about 55 degrees with prospects of more to come through the weekend. So, by the time you read this on Wednesday or Thursday, I hope we got more than that. Now this is not a license to start playing with matches and I had to fight the urge to go ahead and burn my feed sacks and round bail twine because technically we’re still in a burn ban and my burn barrel is over flowing. But at least maybe the pump is primed and we have a chance to green up some grass. It’s by no means a drought buster but it sure looks good to see a few puddles around because this has been the worst drought of my lifetime and many of you who are years older than me have never seen it this bad either. No we’re not out of the woods but there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Cooler temperatures have already got folks moving a little better. It’s been nice to be able to work in the afternoons and not have to deal with the stifling heat. I think the whole world will just be more productive over the next few weeks. The crispness in the air makes it a lot easier to think about things like football and things we should be thinking about this time of year. And I believe there is cause for optimism on a lot of fronts. Rain brings the country back to life a little bit and increases the chances for wheat pasture and some things we have to have in this country. Even the state budget, which has been extremely tough over the last year or so, seems to be on the way up. Reports we are getting from the State Treasurer’s office is that things are improving which always tends to perk folks up a little, especially those that live and die by state dollars. Now I don’t have any of the figures in front of me but it seems the state income is clipping along at a pretty good rate and tax collections seem to be up a little. Fuel prices are still pretty stout which, as I’ve said many times before, is a two edged sword. I always seem to mumble a few mild expletives under my voice when I fill up my diesel pickup which is around $80 if I’ve let it get very low. If any of you have seen me out and around in my old silver Crown Victoria, that rig gets a lot better gas mileage and gas is still cheaper than diesel. So unless I’ve gotta’ have a pickup I swallow my pride and forget about how many cool points it’s costing and suck it up and drive the old Crown but with those higher fuel prices come accelerated state dollars which can be good and bad for schools and county commissioners and folks like that who rely on state dollars but yet consume pretty large quantities of diesel and gas. Whoops, I was slipping back into pessimism again, I apologize. Did I mention the fact that it rained? And by the way, when I started this article I pulled back into the house to get something from my shop and I checked the rain gauge and we got another 2/10, still have cloudy skies and still more chance of rain through the weekend so I guess all those prayers for rain may have been finally answered, but Lord, at the risk of getting struck by lightening do you think you could work in 4 inches? We could really use it.

If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an email to donarmes@okhouse.gov.

And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:

Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger. ~Saint Basil