Sunday, October 8, 2017

NO MORE ***** TO GIVE




The problem with starting this blog early in the week, is that by Sunday morning publishing time, the news cycle has come and gone. Last week, it was paragraphs tossed into the trash bin, more from disliking the NFL subject matter and a final desire to toss it. I really do not care or as one friend puts it so eloquently; “I have no more F***s to give!” 
 
This week the media will be owned by the tragedy from Las Vegas and every talking head will chew all of this to dust. Agendas will surface rapidly, "caring elite" will dance on the dead and who knows by the time Sunday morning comes. Early in the week though and all still developing. One thing seems to be consistent for me and that it so much of what is going on these days tugs deeply inside of hearts.

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IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Mid-year, 1969. Second year of combat flying in Vietnam and doing time to complete my four-year obligation to the military. Good duty as compared to most. Instructor in the Huey cobra giving check rides for pilots to maintain their annual flying requirements. Headquarters flying duty, people moving and milk runs. A trip or two into Cambodia with specialty ops on board for briefings in dark corners. Steak and beer at the local officers' club at night and a safe, good night's sleep in real housing. All in all not a bad way to finish two tours of duty in Vietnam.

I had time to become close friends and comrades with many pilots. Some were flying low-level combat operations daily. Low and slow looking for bad guys. War stories every night at dinner. My daily flight board schedule was different every day allowing for some late morning sleep ins.

On one such morning I was awakened by several enlisted men coming into our room and starting to remove all of the personal items and bed coverings from a roommate's bed. From out of my sleep I awoke to outrage that his items were being collected and gone through by strangers. A young enlisted man told me that he had crashed and was killed just an hour earlier. “Sorry, sir.”

That silenced me into a confused stupor. In the blink of an eye I had lost a good friend and watching his personal items being stuffed into his duffle bag was out of context for my normal days then.

There were not words then and there are no words now that can cover the emotions of loss and the gone of a good friend.

Quite often in life, things just happen. Good people, close friends and the events that take them from us. None of us are exempt.

There are no safe places. Maybe some folks think there are today, but there are not. Each of us has to grieve in our own ways, take time and move on. Sounds cold, uncaring, but in the end that is what we have to do as life does go on. Tuck the memories in a corner of our hearts and visit the goodness of those times. 

I do not want this to sound like a cliche, but we the people care deeply about the loss of life and all the families grieving at senseless loss of life in Las Vegas this past week.  

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BATTERY POWERED CHAINSAW UPDATE FROM LAST POST

Chainsaw works great for projects like this. Cutting into sand and rocks results in the same chain damage requiring sharpening to cut properly again. But that was part of this work environment. One battery recharge required. All in all, I think I will be very happy with the addition of this tool to the shed. Will try a falling and limbing a few small trees later this month.

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FALL WEATHER

We have had some of the best Fall weather this season. Cool, clear nights, comfortably warm days and a little breeze for personality. Again I find sitting in my lawn chair surveying the kingdom brings time for relaxation and worldly pondering. No earthshaking epiphany but full appreciation of these days being a perfect transition between summer and winter. As usual, the dog is by my side and stirs when I do.

When the wife is off and doing her girl things, I find extra minutes to indulge myself in the luxury of doing nothing and an abundance of soaking in the simplicity of quiet outside noises, muffled traffic from the road below, birds coming and going and the barn cat rolling in the sun close to our protection. No concern for guilt because I am sitting doing nothing and I have yet to tire of the wonders of this solitude outside.

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STORMS HERE AND COMING

Long fingers of weather from tropical storm Nate, stretch from the gulf coast all the way past us here in New England. Rain and thunderstorms pass through us late this Sunday morning and early after noon.

The long, long fingers from the fallout from the Las Vegas shooting have taken root now and will continue through national and state new laws/ regulations on controlling guns (gun parts) in the name of saving lives. The clouds from all of this can be cut with a knife and keep the final goal of confiscations of guns from the Dirt people, in high gear.

There are more questions now surrounding this Las Vegas event and I doubt seriously we may ever know the exact intent of the criminal. Stay away from crowds and doubt the truth on all first, second and third media reports on anything and everything. 

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MORE COMFORTING OPEN-ENDED STUFF TO CHEW ON  

They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen!” … adding, “like the world has never seen before.” ...”Maybe it is the calm before the storm?”... “Five options to solve North Korea in 18 months.”... and “you will find out.” (referring to what the storm is)

Today it is up to you and me to figure it all out. We are guessing and what the hell, no worries, right? But it will not be a storm passing in the night.

When all is said and done, all I can gather this day that makes any sense, is to start revisiting parts and pieces here around the land. Band aids, drinking water, canned soup, rice, extra dog food, clean up, pick up, put away and list the is long from lots of little things. Best I get to it. “Winter is Coming.”

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Keep your sense of humor and always take it with you; always! 

Keep your sense of trust in your family and friends and always take that with you; always! 

Be ready when folks look to your for help and advice. Do not let them down!!

Do not back peddle, wane or ever become a victim. 

Make the week ahead a very good week.

Thanks again for the visit.

1 comment:

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