November 1, 2026
Though written on Sunday night for timely submission, readers, me included, will be so grateful to be free of the constant barrage of political television commercials. I am ready for a Prevegen or seed corn ad.
I hope you completed your civic duty and were able to cast your vote. I hope and trust we will move forward as a united democracy and begin to govern for the best of our country.
I received a phone call earlier this week from a person near my vintage. He started the conversation, “You are busier than a one-armed paper hanger.” I knew that colloquium, and we chuckled to each other that he could not have that initial conversation with just anyone, as no one seems to have wallpaper in this modern-day era, and we infrequently see people who have only one limb.
We started talking as a family about short pithy statements as descriptions of situations. I had not heard “busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest” or this one, “busier than a one-eyed cat watching three mouse holes.”
CHAT GPT offered numerous little sayings:
More irons in the fire than a blacksmith
Useless as a screen door on a submarine
Not the sharpest knife in the drawer
Their elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top
Not very many GEN X’ers have seen a blacksmith, unless they visited Living History Farms as a class outing, and I am mentally amused at the thought of a screen door on a submarine.
A former legislative liaison I worked with at the Iowa Department of Public Health once told me, “Mary, never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it.” Mike, more than thirty years later, I still remember your advice and have applied it in many situations.
A subsequent portion of “lost in translation” also came about this past week.
The Schoolboy Soldiers of Rippey voiced their reactions to marching in the induction ceremonies of Harvest 250, a ceremony and extravaganza at the State of Iowa Capitol grounds on October 24. They were integral in the lead ceremonies, carrying their banner and replica flags, and marching in their Civil War uniforms. They were so very well received by those along the parade route. They proudly posed for a photo in front of the State Capitol building following a memorable celebration. The story of 32 students and their two instructors who left their country school near the pioneer town of Old Rippey was performed by the student re-enactors in vignettes several times during the afternoon. They described their reactions and feelings the following Monday to their teacher, Ms. Boyd. She then shared them with committee members.
The description adjectives included “ Fire,” “ Ice”, and “Lit” “ I was tuff” , “ We looked epic,” were positive and proud, but did seem foreign to someone who knew how busy a one-armed paper hanger could be. One touched my heart. “I don’t know how to explain it, it was just, it felt like, what I was doing was a very good thing.”
It is important as we age to interact with those around us, young and old, to ensure meanings of words do not become lost in translation!
VIEW FROM MY WINDOW is shared by Mary Weaver of rural Rippey.
