Christmas and New Year’s are behind us, and the next great event will occur on January 20th, 2017. This will be an historic day. Already, we can see change. Even before he has taken the oath of office, president-elect Trump has started doing "good works." I think the auto industry has already gotten the message that it might be in their best interests to build their cars in America. It is refreshing and motivating to have someone with the guts to say, "America First." This is such a simple term yet it carries such profound meaning. I noticed that 57 percent of Democrats when asked want the Trump presidency to be a success.
As excited as I am about January 20th, I have not totally put Christmas behind me. One of the Patterson traditions is to take down all the decorations before the new year. This year this simple task became problematic.
There is a live beaver working underneath the roof of this house. If you know anything about beavers, they work all of the time either cutting down trees with their sharp teeth or building dams. Some of this work is done during day light hours, but most of it is done under the cloak of darkness. The sad fact is that beavers are master builders, and believe me, they can dam up any stream in Mississippi. They are better equipped to do their jobs than civil engineers.
The Christmas tree was the first to appear, then the lights. Following the lights were the Christmas balls that had to be hung from the tree in a specific place. Then the presents appeared from out of no where. Most men don’t see what is going on around them. It happens so slowly that we are oblivious to the subtle changes. Every log and twig is hauled to the dam and strategically placed to hold the water back. But this work is merely the preparation. Believe me when I say there is more, much more to come.
Like any self-respecting beaver, the work is not done in one night. Materials are hauled in as needed, and this is why most men don’t see the dam that is slowly being built around them. When the Christmas tree is up and the lights are on, this is the beaver’s signal to decorate the windows. Garland is hung from nails that once rested in a utility drawer, and Santas appear on furniture throughout the house. The dam is coming together. The beaver has specific things in mind that must be accomplished. Things that smell good are placed on tables and stands, and the house takes on a unique smell that we associate with the Christmas season, but to the truly intelligent, it signals that a beaver dam is under construction.
This particular beaver is creative. Once the dam is partially finished inside, the beaver "broadens the base." She takes her activities outside. Cut out Santas appear on the walkway, a Christmas wreath appears on the front door, and a huge box of decorations mysteriously appear in the corner of the yard. Flower pots with exotic flowers materialize from Lord knows where, and believe it or not, most men never notice. Decorations appear on the mail box, so many, in fact, that the mail man is reluctant to deliver the mail. I did notice this. We wake up one morning to find the stream dammed up and a new dam transversing what was once a small, insignificant creek.
Healthy beavers never quit working. Just because the dam appears complete to the casual observer, there is still work to be done. Beavers pick out strange themes during the Christmas season, and this year it was Downton Abby. Costumes from the 1920's appear. The thought processes that this particular beaver employs could send a world class psychiatrist to a mental institution. Did she lift this material from another beaver’s pond? I can only guess.
New Year’s day is fast approaching, and all of the "things" that the beaver has floated in must come down. Tearing down a beaver dam is hard work. It was built by one beaver to exacting specifications, but now it’s going to take a small army to disassemble it and move it to storage where it will set dormant until next year. But I do have a clear understanding why the boys on Duck Dynasty use dynamite to rid themselves of pesky beaver dams. It is, after all, a simple solution to a complex problem. I hope the sight of that 18-wheeler parked in my front yard doesn’t disturb the neighbors.
