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Our volunteer fire department is giving an appreciation dinner for the community this Saturday. Our state representative and county comissioners will be there, and we plan to feed our guests and show them how much progress we've achieved in the last year in recruiting new firefighters, upgrading equipment, and providing training for the members. Every one is pitching in and contributing time and treasure to this event.

We had a meeting this evening to divide up certain tasks between us and make sure everything went off as planned. I thought it was odd that we met at one of the members' processing plant instead of the fire station office. We were sitting there drinking coffee and eating cake when a pickup truck drove up and backed into the building. In the back of the truck was the main course of Saturday's meal. A hog which had already been killed and bled. Two of the guys hung it by the heels and and proceeded to skin it while we discussed the upcoming event. I've lived in the country for 25 years and I've never witnessed anything like this. It was enough to make me a vegetarian.

Our assistant chief was going to give a talk about the changes the department has seen in the last year and introduce the community leaders but he was called away to help fight fires in western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. So he called me this afternoon and asked if I would prepare something to say. So I have until Saturday morning to prepare a presentation. Oh boy.

It's getting late. I'd better go to bed so I can get up early and start on this job. I'm looking forward to retiring again. I've said that before haven't I?