This holiday time year is supposed to be filled with happy people baking
cookies, wrapping presents, and spending time with seldom seen relatives.
Yesterday morning, one of my neighbors blew his brains out. I don't know
all his problems, but about 3 weeks ago his cat was poisoned, and then
he stopped going to work.
What makes this more poignant for me is that three years ago another
neighbor, an old widow lady caught pneumonia for lack of fire wood. She
apparently was too proud to ask for help. She died of her pneumonia.
Like most people, I've thought about what I could have done different to
change both outcomes.
Neighbors would have been happy to provide fire wood, if they had known,
and maybe the neighbor across the street just needed to know that he had
someone he could talk to.
I'm relating these stories, hoping that you may notice someone that may
need help, and ask them if they might not care to share a cup of tea
with them (or something stronger). There may be nothing wrong, and they
look at you like a nosey person, but that is a small price to pay for
trying to make the world a better place.
Merry Yule-tide Season, or whatever you are doing.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
Posted by Dan L on December 25, 2010, 12:39 am
> This holiday time year is supposed to be filled with happy people baking > cookies, wrapping presents, and spending time with seldom seen relatives. > > Yesterday morning, one of my neighbors blew his brains out. I don't know > all his problems, but about 3 weeks ago his cat was poisoned, and then > he stopped going to work. > > What makes this more poignant for me is that three years ago another > neighbor, an old widow lady caught pneumonia for lack of fire wood. She > apparently was too proud to ask for help. She died of her pneumonia. > > Like most people, I've thought about what I could have done different to > change both outcomes. > > Neighbors would have been happy to provide fire wood, if they had known, > and maybe the neighbor across the street just needed to know that he had > someone he could talk to. > > I'm relating these stories, hoping that you may notice someone that may > need help, and ask them if they might not care to share a cup of tea > with them (or something stronger). There may be nothing wrong, and they > look at you like a nosey person, but that is a small price to pay for > trying to make the world a better place. > > Merry Yule-tide Season, or whatever you are doing.
I have a feeling there is nothing you could have done. I believe "Pride" is
the worst of all things to have. Even if you asked, I bet many will say
"I'm Fine". To admit they needed help for everyday items is like saying "I
am a failure". I personally would place myself in a convalescent home if I
could not take care of my self. Others with pride will not want that
dependence on others.
With one exception of the suicide. If I had a terminal illness and knew the
last few months of life would be in great pain or discomfort, I would end
my life. I am in support of physician assisted suicides for the terminally
ill. Guns is the preferred choice for suicides here in the states because
guns are easily available. Nations that ban guns have a much much lower
rate of successful suicides. I read that some where but for sure. Pride
will also interferes with asking your doctor for help with handling
depression. Their are other reason other than pride that leads to suicide,
but I think it is the main reason.
One odd point, most homes also have other heating systems combined with
fireplaces. Could she not just turn up the thermostat? She must have been
in need of money, food, medicine and possibly some firewood.
Me, I got stuck with the confectionaries, i made Christmas cookies, coconut
macaroons, brittles and chocolate fudge for the family. I just got back an
hour ago for the christmas eve bash. Today was lasagna and salad and the
big gift exchanges. Tomorrow will be the big feast with the family, I am
hoping for porter house steaks.
--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)
Posted by Billy on December 25, 2010, 2:14 am
> > This holiday time year is supposed to be filled with happy people baking > > cookies, wrapping presents, and spending time with seldom seen relatives. > > > > Yesterday morning, one of my neighbors blew his brains out. I don't know > > all his problems, but about 3 weeks ago his cat was poisoned, and then > > he stopped going to work. > > > > What makes this more poignant for me is that three years ago another > > neighbor, an old widow lady caught pneumonia for lack of fire wood. She > > apparently was too proud to ask for help. She died of her pneumonia. > > > > Like most people, I've thought about what I could have done different to > > change both outcomes. > > > > Neighbors would have been happy to provide fire wood, if they had known, > > and maybe the neighbor across the street just needed to know that he had > > someone he could talk to. > > > > I'm relating these stories, hoping that you may notice someone that may > > need help, and ask them if they might not care to share a cup of tea > > with them (or something stronger). There may be nothing wrong, and they > > look at you like a nosey person, but that is a small price to pay for > > trying to make the world a better place. > > > > Merry Yule-tide Season, or whatever you are doing. > > > One odd point, most homes also have other heating systems combined with > fireplaces. Could she not just turn up the thermostat? She must have been > in need of money, food, medicine and possibly some firewood. >
These used to be single wall, summer homes. Region 9 gets down to 26F,
occasionally. If her heater was in the same condition as mine, it would
have given up the ghost a long while ago. She must have been in her mid
eighties, having survived her husband by at least twenty years.
We old timers burn wood, no thermostat. We're in the middle of a forest.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
Posted by Dan L on December 25, 2010, 7:51 am
> >>> This holiday time year is supposed to be filled with happy people baking >>> cookies, wrapping presents, and spending time with seldom seen relatives. >>> >>> Yesterday morning, one of my neighbors blew his brains out. I don't know >>> all his problems, but about 3 weeks ago his cat was poisoned, and then >>> he stopped going to work. >>> >>> What makes this more poignant for me is that three years ago another >>> neighbor, an old widow lady caught pneumonia for lack of fire wood. She >>> apparently was too proud to ask for help. She died of her pneumonia. >>> >>> Like most people, I've thought about what I could have done different to >>> change both outcomes. >>> >>> Neighbors would have been happy to provide fire wood, if they had known, >>> and maybe the neighbor across the street just needed to know that he had >>> someone he could talk to. >>> >>> I'm relating these stories, hoping that you may notice someone that may >>> need help, and ask them if they might not care to share a cup of tea >>> with them (or something stronger). There may be nothing wrong, and they >>> look at you like a nosey person, but that is a small price to pay for >>> trying to make the world a better place. >>> >>> Merry Yule-tide Season, or whatever you are doing. >> >> >> One odd point, most homes also have other heating systems combined with >> fireplaces. Could she not just turn up the thermostat? She must have been >> in need of money, food, medicine and possibly some firewood. >> > These used to be single wall, summer homes. Region 9 gets down to 26F, > occasionally. If her heater was in the same condition as mine, it would > have given up the ghost a long while ago. She must have been in her mid > eighties, having survived her husband by at least twenty years. > > We old timers burn wood, no thermostat. We're in the middle of a forest.
I see said the blind man... I hope I live that long. My father died of
pneumonia six years ago at 90. His home was warm. He came down with
pneumonia three weeks after he received he first pneumonia vaccination
shot. One wonders.
Right now, 24 degrees with a foot of snow on the ground. Propane is costing
me $300 per month for the next four months. Summer cost almost nothing and
no need for air conditioning. Someday I will get a geothermal
heating/cooling system installed. Most people around me heat with wood. My
neighbor has a wood burning cook stove, it is a neat item. My area is farm
land and i have about five acres of trees. Wood is plentiful since the
Emerald Ash Bore killed and is still killing a lots trees here in Michigan.
In four hours the family get-together begins.
Merry Christmas
--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)
Posted by FarmI on December 27, 2010, 12:36 am
> Right now, 24 degrees with a foot of snow on the ground. Propane is > costing > me $300 per month for the next four months. Summer cost almost nothing and > no need for air conditioning. Someday I will get a geothermal > heating/cooling system installed. Most people around me heat with wood. My > neighbor has a wood burning cook stove, it is a neat item.
We own 2 farms and have wood burning cooking stoves in the houses on both
farms. In this place (our main home) our wood burning cook stove also heats
our water and runs hydronic heating in winter. In winter our bills go down
here but I dont' use the cookign stove in summer.
In our other farm, we have no electricity so use solar powered lights and
the water to the house and the toilet/shower/kitchen sink etc is gravity fed
from a tank (cistern in USian) on the hill. The water is heated by a wood
burning cooking stove so we can have showers and wash dishes. That cook
stove is an ancient Rayburn number 3 made in South Africa and which we
obtained by giving the previous owner for a dozen bottles of wine. He was
going to take it to the tip - such a waste. It is an absolute beauty.
Anyone who lives in an area with lots of wood should use wood burning
cooking stoves IMHO.
XML site map
> cookies, wrapping presents, and spending time with seldom seen relatives.
>
> Yesterday morning, one of my neighbors blew his brains out. I don't know
> all his problems, but about 3 weeks ago his cat was poisoned, and then
> he stopped going to work.
>
> What makes this more poignant for me is that three years ago another
> neighbor, an old widow lady caught pneumonia for lack of fire wood. She
> apparently was too proud to ask for help. She died of her pneumonia.
>
> Like most people, I've thought about what I could have done different to
> change both outcomes.
>
> Neighbors would have been happy to provide fire wood, if they had known,
> and maybe the neighbor across the street just needed to know that he had
> someone he could talk to.
>
> I'm relating these stories, hoping that you may notice someone that may
> need help, and ask them if they might not care to share a cup of tea
> with them (or something stronger). There may be nothing wrong, and they
> look at you like a nosey person, but that is a small price to pay for
> trying to make the world a better place.
>
> Merry Yule-tide Season, or whatever you are doing.