Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Sheila Samples: "Culling The Herd"


KEEPING OUR HOMEFIRES BURNING, OUR POWDER DRY WITH ANGER AND DETERMINATION.

NOT CULLED, YET.

While pounding the ice off logs the fear of something bigger was overwhelming me. It was the fear of those only a couple dozen miles away scrambling for all the generators and propane tanks in the big box stores. Break off the ice, wheel barrow by wheel barrow push it to the house, haul it to the stoves. I was getting pretty angry with myself for not preparing for this type of disaster. Not enough wood, and water by the bucket. At one point after several days and nights without electricity, we began to discuss abandoning the place for "the insurance and mortgage company." At times it was arguing, mostly totally exhausted from the non-stop fire watches.
We started hauling water from a nearby lucky farmhouse four miles away to water the animals and each other. No health insurance, a damn penny frugal job "in the city" and damn barely enough gasoline to get there. It was getting a bit mean and lean out here.
My neighbors held a shed party one night. "Beer gloves not provided" read the hand written sign and by the light of some candles and a small lantern we told what we knew of the others in the nearby towns and farms. Nortonville got it worst in the north county, one generator hauled on shifts back and forth from water well heads to sewage treatment to keep the town going - a local landmark diner burned down. Firewood and water, firewood and water ...
I read the essay below today, the second day since the power came back on, and got pissed all over again. Pissed at how folks out there; sitting on their butts, take so much for granted while the country goes to hell. I'm not going to be "culled" like Sheila writes, but there's a bunch that ain't goin' to make it and pretty soon.
Read:
and 'psssst ....... do something.'

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