You will be reading this late for the first time I can remember. Unintentionally late at least. As we embark on the first issue of our 51st volume, I don’t recall being a day late in all those years. While there certainly have been some challenges, we have always managed to get the paper to you relatively on time. That does not allow for the ever-declining service of the good ole US Post Office.
At any rate, my Monday began as most. I got out of bed, showered and headed to work. The problem, we had been forewarned by the weatherman, came when I got in my truck. It was covered with a thick layer of ice along with about 3 or 4 inches of snow. As the truck warmed up, I chiseled away the snow and ice until I was sure I could see well enough to drive.
My guess was that the snow was crunchy and I would be able to make it to work. I put my truck in 4-wheel drive and backed out of the driveway. When I went to drive, the only thing the truck did was make noise as if it was in neutral. I checked the gear selector as well as all the 4-wheel drive options that I had available and got the same results… no forward movement.
It didn’t take me long to realize I wasn’t going anywhere. I backed up a little and managed to get back in my parking place.
As I sat in my recliner going over the options it didn’t take long to realize that I didn’t have many. I’m too old to walk to work. If I can’t go, it wouldn’t do much good to call someone for a ride. I eventually called our printer and left a message that the paper would probably be late and, in all likelihood, not until at least tomorrow.
Jeanine fixed me a nice lunch which was a bonus for my terrible morning. As I ate it, it dawned on me that her Jeep had much more aggressive tires than my truck… would it go?
After gobbling down the last bite I grabbed my coat and off I went on another adventure. Of course, I had to go through the extensive ice remove ordeal again. I quickly learned that my truck has a better heater and defroster than her Jeep.
I was a bit nervus, I have only driven that Jeep a few times since Jeanine got it and these conditions really were not ideal for practice. However, the Jeep knew what its job was and never slipped a tire as we traveled the short distance to the office.
Once there, its now 2:00 p.m. and my Monday normally begins at 8:30 a.m., Janet and Jennifer miraculously had caught up and were close to their normal schedule. I checked with Elkins, full well knowing that if the weatherman was right, they couldn’t get the paper back to us on Tuesday until at least mid-day, if then. Our conversations eventually lead to a revised plan. We are finishing up this edition on Tuesday morning, when we would normally be distributing it.
We will then go directly to the Democrat… heaven only knows as I write this column, where the content will come from.
Both papers will be printed Tuesday night and returned to us Wednesday… if weather permits. So, the Citizens’ News will be a day late and the Democrat a day early… we hope!
It’s been a very long and mostly unproductive day. I will be glad when it’s over. I can only hope all goes as planned. It is obvious that this is not the way I would prefer to kick off 2025…