It was a good, good Christmas. All of our children and grandchildren were home for a few days. We got to enjoy each other as well as our many friends who came by or called.

For our family, our greatest gift was that Betty Jo was back home after a month of hospitals.

The girl is far from being well, but I've always thought a few good doses of tender loving care will beat those continuous doses of medicines, IVs full of ground up food and bags of saltwater and Lord only knows what else.

As the doctor said after she was out of ICU a couple of days, "We've done about all we can do for you. You will be better off at home."

I couldn't have agreed more.

We've still got a seven year-old grandson among us, so the Christmas Spirit is with us. We also have Granny Uva, now 96, going on 97. You could see she had the Christmas Spirit on the front of last week's Liberal.

It has been a good year, but some rocky roads were travelled. Betty Jo has decided, for the moment, that she won't have that other foot fixed. The other operation was a success, but the blood clot that came from it was not too good. Taking rat poison to keep from dying is a bit much. Then taking too much medicine and getting something that will kill you was another item this year. It may take a month or a year to over the treatment.

Then we look around at friends, kin and children who are in so much worse condition. It makes us almost ashamed to feel sorry for our problems. Seems like everyone has them. Someone said problems and adversaries just make us stronger. I thought that a cussin', whooping or shooting might be a little much. That is nothing to compare to a loved one getting deathly ill. It's just a matter of priorities. They can change in the twinkling of an eye.

I must be getting old. I have to go to the nursing home to see some of my friends. Several of them don't know who I am anymore, but I know who they are.

As I was delivering the newspaper last Tuesday evening to our nursing home, I almost couldn't get out of there for the patients and the nurses asking me how my first wife was doing. That is right humbling.

I have been to the grocery stores several times during this season of the year since I am the official shopper for the moment. Don't believe I passed the first person, black or white, that didn't question me about Betty Jo.

Talking about having a wealth of friends, I am a billionaire. This just reminds me of why I love this place and the people so very much. I don't know of but one place I had rather be than right here, and I am in no particular hurry to get there.

We have been, and from the looks of it, we will be going through some hard times in the coming year. Maybe this past year has given us a taste of what is to come. Some of the older heads say that we don't know hard times. I’ll take their word for it.

My wish is for every living soul to have a much better new year than they deserve, and even better than that.