Congratulations Shortgrass! Just sorry we were not there! I knew the decision to stay home would have consequences! We believe it has been more than 70 years since there hasn't been some member of our multi-generation family attending NCBA convention. We know our predecessors on this ranch helped build it, and we know it continues to serve grass-roots cattle producers very well, so know our efforts have been well worthwhile. Just ran out of energy to drive the often icy roads to New Orleans, and the younger generations had conflicts competing for time. We would prefer the rotation of cities for NCBA meetings were Nashville, Phoenix, and San Antonio, not that we are set in our ways in our old age! And we could go by air, if we lived in an area 'friendlier' to air travel!
We did go to part of the Stock Show/Rodeo's at Rapid City, for the first time in YEARS! Grandsons' team didn't have enough luck to take them into the finals, but saw some friends' family members in it as well as visiting with several attending, so definitely worth the trip. The 'downside' is that at our age, every place we go and see old friends, we hear of too much illness. That is the hard part of getting old! And, I really appreciate your little messages here, especially since I let an 'almost' respiratory malady convince me to stay home and sip hot tea this morning rather than driving to town for church.
We attended basketball games at Kadoka Friday night, and 'our' Midland Tumblers performed, too, plus more friends to visit with, then, yesterday being a beautiful day, our little great-grand girls walked the half-mile, or so, to visit for most of the day. Can't get much better than that!
This morning, we are getting some snow, and a light breeze. Just saw three cowboys riding away to bring some calves home from our lot a mile down the creek, to weigh at the barn. Didn't look like they were really enjoying the weather, either. It's about 15% out there! The calves are used to the jaunt, and there are trailers set up to funnel them into the corral without the distraction of the creek nearby to lure said calves into an attempt to by-pass the corral, so should be a relatively quick event everyone will be glad to have finished before the storm really sets in.
mrj