For those of you that follow along on the “great adventure” also known as cohabiting with Ol’ Dutch, you know we have had some experience with “the great tribulation”. Which is also related to living without heat and hot water.

This past week has definitely been a trial of my faith and all things holy.

KEVIN KIRKPATRICK

The New Year dawned on Miss Trixie and me in Texas with its usual fanfare for us to be healthy and safe.

You don’t have to watch much television before you come across the advertisements for emergency devices for the elderly in case they fall. We have all seen those ads and generally feature an old lady falling down her basement stairs trying to get to her washing machine.

Just this past weekend Ol’ Dutch decided to make the long journey up to Kansas and some of my past digs to see family.

According to Google, the phrase “cash is king” originated after the stock market crash of 1987. Just goes to show you that Google doesn’t know everything because Ol’ Dutch knew long ago that anyone with cash in any situation has a distinct advantage over others who do not.

The phrase “seeing the elephant” is a distinct piece of American verbiage that dates to the 1830’s and describes gaining knowledge from a particular experience. It was like going to town to see an elephant which had long been heard of but never seen to that point in a person’s life.