The Rural Voice, 1998-12, Page 16All of us here wish Vou and yours
a wonderful holiday season.
;d.
AMcMaster Siemon
INSURANCE BROKERS INC
4 CTO - HOME - FARM -TRAVEL -
0011MERC(AL - LIFE IN CI 'RA Aft:
BROKERS
BILL SIEMON VICKI SIEMON
DAN PROCTOR KEN HUTCHISON
68 Ontario Rd.
Mitchell
348-9150
1-800-561-0183
SEASON'S GREETINGS!
Warmest best wishes
for a Merry Christmas
and a successful 1999
PARKERS FARM
MACHINERY
Elmwood
519-363-2731
Happy Holidays
'Tis the season to say
"Merry Christmas"
and "Many Thanks',
to all of those who
have been so good to
us this past year.
NOW 15
THE TIME
to plan
for 1999
We can help with:
• Barn Designs • Equipment Needs
Parts &
Service for most makes
of barn equipment
LYNN LOWRY
FARM SYSTEMS LTD.
R.R. 1, Kincardine. Ont.
519-395-2615
Winyham Area (John) 519-357-2018
We Handle Everything (Almost)
12 THE RURAL VOICE
The World from
Mabel's Grill
"It can't be that time of the year
already," said George McKenzie as
he saw Mabel's sign advertising a
special Christmas dinner package.
"I know, I know," Mabel said. "It
doesn't even
look like
Christmas yet."
"To heck
with looking
like Christmas,
I've only had
about two hints
from my wife
that she doesn't
want something
practical for
Christmas this
year," said
George.
"Usually she's
dropped a
dozen hints by
The world's
problems are
solved daily
'round the table
at Mabel's
now."
"Maybe she's given up on you
after you gave her a rototiller last
year," Molly Whiteside said.
"Hey it was a deluxe model, the
kind with the tines at the back,"
George said. "If I'd been practical I
could have got her one of the cheap
ones with the tines at the front."
"I'm sure she appreciated the
difference," Mabel said.
"Christmas docs seem to be
sneaking up," said Wayne Bruce.
"My kids haven't even started hitting
on me for money for Christmas
presents yet."
"And I haven't heard of a single
case of bodily harm over shoppers
fighting over some hard -to -get toy
yet," said Dave Winston.
"My sister's had her Christmas
tree up since Remembrance Day,"
said Cliff Murray. "Thank goodness
they still hold Remembrance Day or
she'd be putting it up by Halloween."
"And she probably takes it down
Christmas night if she's like my
mom," said Molly as she delivered
George's toast. "These people can't
wait to get the season started then
can't wait to get it over with."
"Hey," complained George, "this
toast is burned."
"It's just a little extra brown,"
Molly said. "Don't sweat the little
things."
"Extra brown! It looks like thc
inside of a stovepipe before you
clean it," George grouched.
"Sorry George, the toaster stuck,"
called Mabel from the kitchen. "I'll
make some more."
"That expression about not
sweating the little things is out of
date," said Cliff. "Nowadays you're
supposed to sweat the little things. I
mean some expert is always telling
you that if it takes two weeks more
for your lambs to reach market
weight you're risking bankruptcy."
"And all this quality control stuff
they're pushing at us," grumbled
George. "Now you're even supposed
to worry where you stick the needle
when you're inoculating. So thc
damned animal moves and you stick
it in the wrong place and you're
feeling like some kind of failure."
"Well," said Dave, "the littlest
thing I've seen in a while was my last
pig cheque and believe you me, it's
got me sweating."
"Maybe you guys won't laugh at
us sheep guys so much now," Cliff
said.
"Hey Mabel," Dave called out,
"ever thought of serving pork for
your Christmas dinner? I can get you
a deal."
"It's not very traditional," Mabel
said. "People like the old traditions at
Christmas."
"I don't know, I've seen pictures
of old English Christmases and they
had a suckling pig on the table," said
Dave. "I mean you don't have any
turkey farmer customers, do you?"
"Yeh," said Wayne, "if you serve
a pig you can put an apple in its
mouth and keep the orchard guys
happy too."
"Kind of hard to put an apple in
the mouth of a turkey isn't it,"
George chuckled.
"The thing the customers like
about turkey is by the time it gets to
the table it has no mouth," Molly
said. "I think we'd lose a few
customers if they came in here and
they had to look at a whole pig with
its beady little eyes looking back."
"Ah don't sweat the little things,"
Dave said. "If they lose their lunch
you just get to serve them two
meals."0