MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022
"THERE'S GOLD IN THEM THERE HILLS."
January 24th is "Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector
Day!" I'm not sure just how I should take that. The
web site for the day suggests you say things like
" Been a passel a' time since I've been to a good
hootenanny." But, fact is, I had a real live
prospector in the family and the only thing I found
a bit odd about his speech was the fact he still
refered to the bus as a "stage," as in stage coach!
My Uncle Charley (actually my Mom's uncle)
had a gold mine in Alaska in 1933 during one
of the Alaskan Gold Rushes. He used to tell
us there was a million dollars worth of gold
in the mine but it would have taken two million
to get it out! Charley spent months at a time,
alone, in log cabin on his claim and did manage
to get some gold out of his mine. He'd have to
fly in and out every few months to get supplies.
He came back to Pennsylvania where he spent
the final years of his adventure filled life in a
small cabin home just outside of Hazleton. I
first got to know him when I was just a kid and
always found him to speak with an intelligence
you couldn't argue with. Many time I head him
say "I'm smart enough to know how dumb I am."
So to honor him and the day I'm simply say
"Dagnabbit Charlie, I was darned luckey to
know you!" Hope you'll observe the day in
whatever way you choose and that all yours
NEWS is good!
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