Solemn Day

The anniversary of the September Eleven terror attacks was a solemn day for me. As a former firefighter the loss of so many of my brother and sister firefighters was a hard blow. Just as hard, I knew that many of the firefighters who survived would suffer debilitating health issues. Many of those have died. The fact that some many of those “survivors” have been badly treated hits home.

Of course, many others loss their lives that day. It was a sad day for the nation. We’ve never been the same.

I’m going to have to cut it short right here.

May God keep their souls.

-Sixbears

Sad Anniversary

On this day I mourn the loss of my brother firefighters in the September 11 attacks. As a former firefighter, it hit me really hard when the towers came down. I know what it's like to go into a building that everyone else is trying to get out of.

I mourn all the others who lost their lives in the attack.

Finally, I mourn for the United States of America. We are not the same country we were before the attacks. We lost our innocence and much of our freedoms in the name of security.

Rest in peace.

-Sixbears

Hurricane Matthew and why we can't have nice things

I've spent enough time in Florida that I could vote there. That would be illegal as I'm still a New Hampshire resident. Apparently that's not such a big deal in Florida. People do it all the time.

My lovely wife and I have spent time all over the state. This storm is not just something happening 1500 miles away. We have favorite places and people we know down there.

Someone tried very hard to sell us a condo that is now very close to the predicted landfall area. We did not buy one, but their final offer was tempting -to my wife. I held firm and it didn't hurt to be tight on funds at the time.

We were seriously considering storing our sailboat at one of the boatyards in the path of disaster. Imagine if we'd have hauled the boat out, repainted the bottom, replaced and installed hardware. Then we'd have paid storage for 7 or 8 months. Matthew could have destroyed our boat. Good thing we lost it in a shipwreck back in February. That's right folks, get your disaster over early and avoid the rush.

A free house trailer was offered to us in an area that's at least in the tropical storm band. If the winds don't get it, flooding might.

Once the storm moves on, the damage remains. The bigger the area that's affected, the longer it will take to get things fixed. Take electric power for example. If damage is limited, workers come from outside the affected area and restring the lines. For example, Georgia power workers could come down to help Florida crews. However, if Georgia is also affected they will have nobody to spare.

The storm surge could flood salt water into fresh water supplies. Imagine if a major city lost its water supply. Sewage systems will be overwhelmed: knocked out then raw sewage will pollute the flood waters. Someone will have to clear downed trees, fix roads, check bridges for damage -the list goes on.

On top of that, now imagine if the storm loops around and hits everything all over again. Frankly, if I was in charge of restoring infrastructure, I would not budge until I knew for sure that danger had passed. Why fix something only to lose it a few days later?

There is a lot of potential for civil disturbance. Most people pull together in a disaster, at least in the short term. The longer the disaster lasts, the less good will there is to go around. When supplies get short with no end in sight, it could get ugly.

Here's a thought. I wonder what will happen to all those Zika mosquitoes? At the very least, eradication efforts are on hold.

Pray hard folks.

-Sixbears

In a hundred years no one will care

That's what I tell myself when I start to take myself too seriously.

About 100 years ago the world was embroiled in WWI. It was horrendous. The loss of life was on an industrial scale. Hundreds of thousands of men died to advance a few miles one way or the other. It was a titanic struggle. Now only historians know much of anything about it.

When I was kid there was still a lot of WWI vets around. Those old men, some with missing limbs, used to scare me. There was something in their eyes. Of course, 50 years later they are all gone. Now we are quickly running out of WWII vets. It won't be all that many years before they are gone too.

Sometimes there are evils in the world that must be eliminated. Nazi death camps were real. Other times, the rights and wrongs of it are muddier.

Recently I was reading about J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He served in WWI and was one of the few of his college class to survive. He said that at first he believed the Germans were evil beasts. Later on he came to the understanding that there were good and evil men on both sides.

100 year ago the world was chewing up its young men on the battle fields. I wonder what wonders the world missed out on because of it. All those human lives wasted. All those creative minds lost forever. We almost lost Tolkien and the world would have been poorer for it. No doubt we are poorer for the loss of the contributions of all his fellow soldiers who didn't make it.

A 100 years later all we have is the political mess that WWI set in motion. In 100 years my life most likely won't matter to anyone. That's how it is with most people, like it or not. At least I didn't throw it away for a cause that no one will care about in 100 years.

-Sixbears

Camp Dreams

When I was a little kid, my dad and a couple of friends built a hunting camp. It was about 9 miles of bad dirt road to the worse dirt road the camp sat on. I loved that place. It had no running water, an outhouse, a woodstove and a couple propane lamps. It was one 16 X 16 foot room. There as a table and chairs, a rocking chair, and a couple bunks.

Outside there was a pretty decent shooting range. Water was from a brook down the hill. The nearest neighbor was another camp about 4 miles down the road. It was packed during deer season, with extra folding bunks taking up all the floor space.

I probably used the camp more than anyone else. Not only was I there during deer season, I used it all year round. It was a base of operations for small game hunting, hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross country skiing. Sometimes I’d go up there just for some peace and quiet.

The original partners eventually sold out and I was in no position to buy it. In fact, the deal was done before I even knew it was up for sale. Losing the camp really broke my heart. I used to have dreams about that camp, only to wake up and realize it was gone.

Years later, I can finally say I no longer miss it. Well, maybe just a little. The camp is not as isolated as it used to be. Roads have gotten so good it’s easy to drive there with a regular car. In the past, it wasn’t unheard of to have to hike in the last few miles. A logging company clear cut some of the best hunting areas. The camp is on leased land. Fees used to be nominal, but have gotten pricey -even on a simple deer camp.

Two things have filled the hole left by the loss of the camp. The first is the sailboat. It’s like a tiny camp on the water. The other is my tiny camp on the land, my converted camper van. Mobility and the lack of property taxes are big pluses the camp never had.

-Sixbears

Terrible loss

My lovely wife and I went to a wake Thursday evening. The son of my former Fire Captain took his own life at the age of 41. All the Firefighters, both current duty and retired, went to the wake. We had to show our support.

It’s tough when anyone dies, but it’s even tougher when the death is self inflicted. I don’t even want to speculate on why he did what he did. No doubt plenty of people have their opinions. All I know is that those he left behind are suffering terribly.

I hadn’t kept in touch with the guy, but I remember when he was a kid hanging around the fire station. There’s no telling what twists and turns a life will take. Firefighters are a close bunch. It’s a brotherhood, (or sisterhood, as the case may be.) We are like one big family -a big dysfunctional family, but family none the less.

I pray for healing for those left behind.

-Sixbears