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Post by texican on Feb 3, 2020 22:58:34 GMT -6
Cutter,
Chicago has been hurt and the criminals will be out in force until they meet the NG which will put a quick end to these problems....
America going to war and it will be quick and decisive....
Patrols and look outs are needed to keep what you have....
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by texican on Feb 3, 2020 23:00:11 GMT -6
You shoulda let him have at least 24 hours before dumping the the next bucket of SHTF ;-) pp2, Don't worry for Anastasia will take care of that.... Texican....
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Post by gipsy on Feb 4, 2020 6:33:54 GMT -6
Nice update
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Post by freebirde on Feb 4, 2020 9:48:51 GMT -6
I expect a tactical nuke on a low collateral target and precision munitions, whether a .50 bmg or JDANM, on a high collateral target.
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Post by darkwolf on Feb 4, 2020 16:22:32 GMT -6
If Chicago blew up, the rest of Illinois would be partying to hard to notice martial law.
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Post by 9idrr on Feb 4, 2020 22:18:25 GMT -6
Sure is good to see more of the family. Thank you.
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Post by gipsy on Feb 5, 2020 8:44:53 GMT -6
If Chicago blew up, the rest of Illinois would be partying to hard to notice martial law. Amen to that. They have just announced that Illinois is the most corrupt state in the nation.
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Post by cutter on Feb 5, 2020 18:06:25 GMT -6
Only because DC isn't a state
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Post by texican on Feb 5, 2020 19:39:41 GMT -6
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Post by cutter on Feb 10, 2020 23:30:00 GMT -6
Here we go! It's gettin' real. Enjoy.
Chapter 46
(Secure office, Undisclosed location, Somewhere in the United States)
“...Our Ambassador has confirmed that the detonation was not a test and was not an accident at a civilian installation. Mr. President, the CIS stands ready to offer whatever assistance we are able.”
“Thank you, President Putin. You will please understand that the political realities limit how much assistance we can accept from you, but we appreciate it.”
“Ah yes, I doubt my people would appreciate the sight of American soldiers in our streets any better. Nevertheless, if there is something we can do that will not infuriate either of our peoples, please ask. Mr. President, off the record, I know that you Americans would go to great lengths to help us, if our situations were reversed.”
“We would. I’m sorry, but my chief of staff is calling me into a meeting.”
“Good luck, Mr. President. We will talk again soon, I’m sure.”
(Click)
“What do you have?”
“The last of the Joint Chiefs and Cabinet have arrived, Sir. They’re in the Situation Room.”
“Let’s go.”
(...)
“Ladies and Gentlemen, be seated. Let’s dispense with all the formality and get down to business. This is no time for foolish ceremony; the American Citizenry is depending on us. Let’s start with you, General. How bad are we hurt?”
“Mr. President, the Willis Tower is gone…”
“The what?”
“The Willis Tower.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Mr. President, perhaps you know it as the Sears Tower.”
“Are you serious!?! My God!"
“Yes, Mr. President. A low yield nuclear device, estimated at 4 kilotons, was detonated on what appears from surveillance footage to be the 55th floor of the tower. The upper floors of the building collapsed the rest, with collateral damage for at least three city blocks in every direction. A cloud of radioactive dust has already begun depositing fallout over Lake Michigan and Gary, Indiana and is still moving east with the prevailing winds. There are an estimated 25,000 dead with more unaccounted for on the ground and in surrounding buildings. Sir, the death toll will keep climbing as rescue crews find more remains and radiation exposure takes its toll. We could see as many as 50,000 deaths in the next two to four weeks. Right now, the area is too hot to send rescue crews in.”
“What about the people!?! Are we just going to let them die!?!”
“Sir, I’m sorry, but anyone in the hot zone is dead already. Even if they manage to make it out on their own, they’ll be dead inside of two weeks. Sir, there’s nothing we can do to stop that.”
“My God… What are we doing to protect the population downwind?”
“A mandatory evacuation of all people in the path of the fallout cloud is in progress. You should know, we had to press regular military personnel into service for the evacuation. There aren’t enough civilian emergency personnel and National Guard troops to handle an evacuation of this scale. We pulled Shore Patrol and training units from the Navy’s Great Lakes training base and an MP’s from Rock Island Arsenal. Regular active duty personnel and National Guard troops are minimally armed, sidearms only, with orders to only defend themselves and to use the minimum necessary force to enforce the evacuation. On the ground, regulars and National Guard troops are paired with civilian law enforcement and rescue personnel.”
“Resistance?”
“Minimal, people are afraid. We’ve had a few militia types who want to go to war, but they haven’t given us much trouble. For the most part, they want to protect their fellow Citizens and property. They have been mostly cooperative, and even helpful. Once we stopped trying to disarm them, they became much easier to deal with.”
“You’re letting them keep their GUNS!?!
“Shut up, Glen. The Constitution says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Unless they are committing an actual crime, being armed isn’t against the law, no matter what those idiots in Cook County say.”
“Mr. Mayweather, with all due respect, those Citizens with those guns have caused us almost no problems. There have been a few reports of our troops at gunpoint until they explained themselves. There have been a great many reports of armed Citizens convincing lawbreaking individuals seeking to capitalize on the chaos, that the best place to be was anywhere else. My professional position is that I am supremely unwilling to deprive the Citizenry of their God given rights, absent a reason. I have had a number of reports from various commanders, telling of former, and never, service members joining forces with our troops to supplement our numbers. I’m not going to turn down real help at a time like this. They can damn well keep their guns, if that’s what it takes, Sir!”
“Mr. President, we can’t allow civilians running around with guns!”
“Glen, weren’t you listening? The General just said that armed Citizens are overwhelmingly supporting our efforts!”
“It won’t play well with our base!”
“Tell you what, to Hell with “our base.” I am the President of the United States, and my first duty is to serve our Citizenry. To that end, I am more than willing to obey the Constitution, in order to preserve lives and maintain order. An armed, law abiding Citizen is exactly zero threat to anybody, until given a reason. Might I remind you that armed Citizens are the reason there IS a United States? Shove your agenda up your ass and do your job! Madam Secretary. Carol, what do we know?
Jim, not much. We know it was definitely a nuclear device, not a dirty bomb. We know there are only so many places that anybody, other than a state actor, can obtain the components for that kind of weapon. We don’t know who; we don’t know where; we don’t know how. Hell, we don’t even know why yet; nobody has taken responsibility!”
“Put everybody on it. I want the CIA, FBI, military intelligence; call the Mossad!”
“Yes Sir. Are you serious about the Mossad?”
“YES! Nobody can spot a terrorist like the Isrealis. We’ve supported them since 1948; they owe us one!”
“Yes Sir!”
“Mr. President, this would be a perfect opportunity to end the Korean or Iranian situation. Kim has been bellowing threats at us ever since he came to power and Iran has been a thorn in our side for decades. We can make a plausible argument that either supplied the weapon.”
“Show me proof, Kyle. Show me proof that North Korea or Iran supplied the bomb that made Chicago unliveable for the next hundred years.”
“Mr. President! We can’t go to war over this! You’re a Democrat! Democrats elected you and they can throw you out of office!”
President McCallister slowly stands and places his fingertips on the table. Everyone in the room can see, hear, and feel his barely controlled fury.
“Secretary of State Porter, can you, or can you not, show me proof that any foreign state supplied and/or deployed the nuclear weapon in Chicago?”
“I cannot, but what does it matter? We can use this to…”
“Chief of Staff Mayweather, do you propose that we allow an attack on United States Citizens, on United States soil, to go unanswered?”
“Our base will not stand for another war! They elected you to stop the violence!”
“Innocent American lives were taken, along with the lives of innocent foreign nationals, without cause or any formal declaration of war. An act of war was committed against the United States, within the borders of the United States of America. We will answer that offense. If a nation attacked us, we will return the favor. If it was a terrorist group, we will do our best to eliminate them from the face of the Earth. Now, Mr. Porter, Mr. Mayweather, since neither of you seem interested in being part of the solution here, you may leave. I expect your resignation letters on my desk by nine o’clock tomorrow morning. If those letters are not there by that time, I can and will fire you publicly, at nine oh one. Do I make myself crystal clear?”
“Mr. President, you can’t do that!”
“I...just...did. Corporal, escort the former Chief of Staff and former Secretary of State out of this building.”
“Yes Sir!”
“Don’t forget, gentlemen, the laws about the handling and dissemination of classified information still applies to you. Don’t let your tempers or desire for revenge land you in prison. Good luck.”
“Anyone else?”
“Jim, calm down. You knew those two were going to be trouble. The rest of us want to do this and do it right. We talked about this. Everyone here knows you were pressured to put those two in their offices. It was only a matter of time before they gave you reason to get rid of them. Like you, none of us believes in the “watch my other hand” method of governing and we won’t stand for our home to be attacked without retribution.”
“Good, now let’s get the bastards. General Dunford, you made the right choice in deploying active duty troops to supplement rescue personnel. Bob, we’re going to have to get people out and supplies in, fast. What is the status of Midway and O’Hare?”
“Air Force personnel are en route from Wright-Patterson to set up temporary, emergency air traffic control. We have used emergency powers to commandeer commercial and private aircraft and flight crews at both airports to ferry people out and supplies in as needed. Of course, the Government will pay for the use of those assets.”
“Absolutely, we will. Put that in writing and put it in front of me to sign. They can have my salary as a down payment. That was a good move, by the way. Make sure the reporters get the word that the companies and private owners of those aircraft, graciously volunteered their planes and that the crews volunteered to fly them. It will be good for their public image and will soften the sting of the Government riding roughshod over their rights. Is O’Hare safe?”
“It’s at the edge of the debris cloud, but the readings show safe enough levels of radiation. It’s there, but so far it’s below the peacetime limit.”
“Good. If it exceeds the limits, evacuate immediately. No matter what, get it done and that airport empty as soon as possible. Amy, contact the Canadian Prime Minister. I want you to arrange evacuation sites with him for our Citizens. It will be safer and faster to relocate some of them to Canada, temporarily.”
“Mr. President, shouldn’t you do that?”
“I have my hands full here. You are the Vice-President of the United States; that puts you just one heartbeat away from the hot seat. Learn to be Presidential when you can, rather than when you have to. The Nation and I are depending on you; make it happen. Get Cindy Blair over at State to help you. She was number two; now she’s number one.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“FEMA?”
“Response has already begun. There are three teams already on the ground with more en route. Temporary refugee camps are already being set up and permanent relocation arrangements are already in the works.”
“Good work. Coordinate with Agriculture for the transport and relocation of livestock. We need to protect our food supply and economy just as much as our people.”
“Damn, hadn’t thought of that. Thank you, Sir.”
“That’s what Presidents are supposed to do. I’m trying to be Presidential too.”
“Anything else?”
“Not at the moment, Sir.”
“Then let’s get to work. Devon, I’m addressing the Nation in an hour.”
“I’ll take care of it. I’ll get the speechwriters busy too.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll write this speech myself. Your only job is to get me on the air.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Ok. Go. Carol, a moment of your time in private, please.”
Carol Stevens, Director of Homeland Security, stays behind as everyone else leaves.
“Corporal, gentlemen, step out please. I need a word in private.”
The Marine corporal and the President’s secret service detail leave the room and close the door.
“Carol, we have to get this one right. If a country did this, I’ll be asking Congress and the American people, to commit the United States to a war, and not a small one. If that happens, we will stop when we have made our enemy a new US territory. I need ironclad, damning proof if it comes to that.”
“You’ll have it, no matter who did this. You are going to be ordering the deaths of real human beings, based on information I provide you. You better believe I’m going to make sure it’s accurate. I don’t want innocent blood on either of our hands. Jim, are you ok?”
“No, are you? We just lost an estimated 25,000 or more of our fellow Citizens. How could anybody be ok with that?”
“Ok, it was a stupid question. Jim, I’m worried about you. You know, Bush went through the same thing, an attack on America, less than a year into his first term. I think he would help you, if you ask.”
“I plan on calling him as soon as you leave. Think he will come here?”
“I know the man. I don’t think you have enough people to keep him away. The two of you really aren’t that different. Even your politics are more alike than not. I think you’re making the right choices.”
“A good leader takes all the qualified help he can get. Thanks, Carol.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. President. If you’ll excuse me, we both have a lot of work to do and not much time to get it done.”
“Good luck.”
“You too.”
(Back in Franklin)
“Brian, I’ve got the patrols out and posted lookouts and guards. I have a problem though.”
“What problem?”
“I got recalled five minutes ago. I can’t leave now!”
“Yes, you can. Kiss your family and get on the road. We’ll take care of them and we got this.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure I don’t want you reassigned to Ft. Leavenworth. I’m sure. Watch your back, Little Brother.”
“Ok, I’m gone. I’ll call when I get on base.”
“Good enough.”
“Just so you know, Bobby’s up to speed on everything I take care of.”
“I figured, but thanks. Now, GO!”
Todd throws a cocky salute. “Yes, Sargeant smart ass!”
“And don’t you forget it! Seriously, be careful Todd.”
“I will. Bye.”
(...)
“Why are you so aggravated, Mark?”
“You want the short list or the long one?”
“Let’s hear it.”
“I got aquitted five hours ago and I’m already gearing up for a damn war. The gear I liked got turned to ash by some jackass, so I’m using this backup crap. I miss my Glock. I have to use both hands and a crowbar to pull the trigger on this damn thing. At least my Springfield and your AR were in the safe. I’m using a saddle that isn’t the right size for Swifty; he’s uncomfortable and cranky. And last but not least, all I wanted to do tonight was spend it alone and quiet with you!”
“I know, Darlin’. Here, swap me. If I need a handgun here, I’m already too screwed for words. This is Mom’s; it’s set up just like yours was. As far as the saddle, take it off, throw on your saddlebags, and ride Swifty bareback; it wouldn’t be the first time. We’ll have other nights, a lot of them, as long as you come back safe to me. Mark, don’t be a hero tonight. If trouble comes here, send it running, but don’t get yourself hurt. You have a lot of backup with you.”
“Yeah, but not the backup I really want. Anastasia, I like my squad, even love some of them, but not a single one of them is you. You can read my mind; they can’t.”
“Can’t they? Mark, think of the people with you. Lance is the only one who hasn’t been one of us since you came back home. In case you haven’t noticed, he idolizes you.”
“That’s what worries me. Anastasia, he isn’t that good yet. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know and he still thinks he’s ten feet tall and bulletproof.”
“So reassign him and take somebody else.”
“Everybody else is where we have to have them. He goes with me and he listens, or we’re going to have a real live come to Jesus moment.”
“Ok Love. Mark, it’s going to be ok. We’ve gotten through everything else; we’ll get through this.”
“Lord God, I hope so.”
“Amen. Now, go. Go run your patrol and come back home. I’ll keep a candle burning for you.”
“Thanks. Listen, my people are already tired from the work day. Any chance we might have hot food waiting for us when we come back in?”
“I’ll take care of it. Call me when you're ten minutes out.”
“Yes Ma’am. I love you.”
“I love you too. Safe, boring travels.”
“That’s my hope. See you when I see you.”
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Post by freebirde on Feb 11, 2020 11:19:02 GMT -6
I often tell first responders and medical workers "I hope you have a boring shift/weekend/holiday.". I usually get a puzzled expression then a smile. I like to tell bus drivers and other long distance drivers I hope they have a boring trip.
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Post by texican on Feb 11, 2020 12:56:25 GMT -6
Cutter,
Thanks for the chapter....
It is getting hot and there will be hell to be paid....
The criminal element will be permanently addressed when they come out of the wood work....
Texican....
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Post by cutter on Feb 11, 2020 14:11:57 GMT -6
I often tell EMS and firefighters that I love to see them at work, but hate to see them actually working, because if they're actually doing their job, someone is having a REALLY BAD DAY!
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Post by bluefox2 on Feb 11, 2020 21:07:24 GMT -6
I often tell first responders and medical workers "I hope you have a boring shift/weekend/holiday.". I usually get a puzzled expression then a smile. I like to tell bus drivers and other long distance drivers I hope they have a boring trip. As Leo I used to always pray that I had a boring shift and that both I and the citizens I came in contact with went home alive and safe.
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Post by 9idrr on Feb 11, 2020 21:57:47 GMT -6
I keep forgetting how good this story until you post another chapter, sir. Thanks.
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Post by cutter on Mar 30, 2020 21:20:03 GMT -6
It's really short, but I wanted to make a little progress, at least. Please enjoy.
Chapter 47
(Marshall’s Rest animal barn, 20 minutes later)
“All right, listen up. Our assignment is to ride the northwest pasture line and bring the herd back with us. Here’s how this is going to go. We ride the fence line, then we round up the stock, then we drive them back to pasture here. If we find damage to the fence, we note it and a crew goes out to fix it when we can. If we come across somebody who isn’t supposed to be here, we tell them to leave, if they won’t leave, we call it in and hold them. If we run into anyone who doesn’t belong here and they present an actual threat, we defend ourselves. We don’t take chances and we don’t get hurt. Rule number one, everybody goes home tonight with all their parts and no new leaks. Rule number two, nobody is ever alone. I repeat, nobody is ever alone tonight. Lance, you’re with me. You do not get out of my sight, is that understood?”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I said, you don’t get out of my sight. I’m the squad leader, everyone in this squad has been doing this for years, you haven’t. You will obey me...or you can go home right now!”
“But I want to go!”
“Then you OBEY ME! Look, if any of us get hurt, or worse, it’s my fault; I’m the lead. Lance, I don’t want to have to explain to your parents how I let something happen to you. I don’t want to live with that guilt. For that matter, what do you think Summer would do to me if I let her boyfriend get hurt?”
“I’m a man!”
“No, you’re a 13 year old boy who doesn’t have the first damn clue how dead you can really get. Stand down and go home. You’re not coming with us.”
“MAKE ME!”
“Boy, you’re fixin’ to get your ass whipped all the way into next year. Mark said stand down and go home; go the hell home before you get yourself or one of us hurt!”
“Shut up, Skyler!”
“Boy, you go home now, or I make you wear your ass for a hat so Mark doesn’t have to go to the trouble. Don’t make me drag you all the way to your parents!”
“You can’t!”
“Yes, she can; I taught her and I’ll sure as all hell and the Devil himself, let her do it. For the last time, go home, NOW! When you grow up, you can come back.”
“Piss off, Mark!”
“Ok, you’re done. You’re out of the squad. Get your ass home and don’t come back. I’ve got no use for a reckless kid who can’t keep his temper under control. Go...home.”
“FINE!”
Lance stomps off. He’s too immature to realize that the squad just did him a favor. They may have kept him alive tonight.
"He's gonna pout for days."
"At least he'll be alive to pout and we'll be alive to listen to it. I mean it guys; this is for real. There are a lot of scared people in the world right now; some of them are here. The fence, the cows, nothing here but our people are worth dying for. We don't take chances and we avoid a fight if we can. That said, we protect what's ours the best we can and we protect ourselves at all costs. We run our patrol, round up the herd, and bring them in. We’re turning them out in the central pasture. When that’s done, Anastasia feeds us and we go home for some sleep.”
“I thought you were letting that grow to mow off for hay.”
“I was, but we have to keep the cows to feed the hay to.”
“Makes sense to me. We ready?”
“Yeah Sam; take point with Sky. Keep your minds on your job; save the romance for when we get back.”
“No worries there. Mark, we all come back in one piece tonight. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Let’s go; I’ll be tail end Charlie.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
“And I’m not going to. Move out; I want to get done and get home.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Don’t Sir me; I work for a living just like you.”
“Yeah, but I work for a living because you taught me how. Let’s get it done.”
“Mount up. Let’s ride. Guys, really, please make sure we all come home tonight.”
“Mark, relax. All of us know what we’re doing. We all have each other’s sixes. It’ll be ok.”
“You guys are family; it’s what I do. Let’s get it done.”
(Waters summer kitchen, 11 PM)
“Come on in guys; soup’s on!”
Mark embraces Stacy and kisses her on the forehead.
“Thanks, Love. Wait a minute, where’s Lance?”
“Don’t get him started, Stacy. The little twerp decided to run his mouth, so Mark sent him home. He’s out of the squad.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. He wouldn’t listen and he argued with me over my orders. I threw him out and sent him home. If he grows up and convinces me he can obey, then I might reconsider.”
“How mad was he?”
“Let’s just say Sky and I aren’t his favorite people right now. Hey Sky, I forgot to thank you for backing me up, so...thanks.”
“Anytime, Boss. You gonna’ eat or stand there all night, hugging on Stacy? It’s steak and baked potatoes.”
Mark and Stacy smirk at each other and sit down to eat. Stacy starts pouring shots of Buffalo Trace and handing them around. It’s become a tradition when the squad comes back from an assignment, so each member of the squad takes their glass but doesn’t drink.
:”Did everything go smooth tonight?”
“Yeah. we found two spots in the fence that need some attention, but no contacts and the herd is in the central pasture, all accounted for.”
“Good. Make the toast...Boss.”
They all pick up their shots. Mark hesitates a moment while he thinks on what to say.
“To absent friends.”
“”Mark, what are you talking about? We all came home safe.”
“Jordan, Lance isn’t with us and Todd’s on his way back to Lejeune.”
“I understand. Absent friends.”
The squad all down their shots.
“I don’t know how you guys drink that stuff. It smells like rocket fuel!”
“Give it a couple years and you can try it, Noah. My bet is that you develop an appreciation for it.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. You ok, Mark?”
“Better than when I left. Guys, was I too hard on Lance?”
“Did you mean it when you told him he was out of the squad?”
“Yeah, I did. I’ll reconsider if he gets his act together and the whole squad agrees to take him back.”
“You’re the squad leader. You booted him; it’s your decision to bring him back or not.”
“This ain’t the Army. If he comes back, it’s because all of us say so. Either way, not gonna’ happen tonight. Right now, I’m eating my supper. When I’m done with that, I’m taking my wife and going to bed. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.”
“Not yet you’re not. I didn’t want to do it this way, but I’m not waiting anymore.”
Sam turns to Skyler and takes her hand. He pulls a diamond ring from his pocket.
“Sky, I should have done this a long time ago. Will you marry me?”
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Post by texican on Mar 30, 2020 23:16:39 GMT -6
A thirteen year Lance is still to immature to trust everyone's and his life. Some learning is hard, but required to get the points across.
Thanks C for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Mar 31, 2020 21:43:48 GMT -6
Ah, another gift from on high. Many thanks Cutter.
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Post by 9idrr on May 24, 2020 20:46:00 GMT -6
Haven't heard anything in a good while, Cutter. Hope all's well.
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Post by texican on May 26, 2020 22:03:55 GMT -6
Haven't heard anything in a good while, Cutter. Hope all's well. Like wise Cutter. Just a few words that you are doing ok. Texican....
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Post by cutter on May 26, 2020 22:55:10 GMT -6
I'm sorry I haven't posted more. I'm hanging on for dear life, but I'm hanging on. All things will work out in due course, according to God's plan and in His own time. All I have to do is hold tight until He gets me there. The body may be tired, but the mind is willing and the faith is strong.
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Post by cutter on May 27, 2020 18:18:28 GMT -6
A bit about my current adventures. I mentioned that my ex-wife passed last October. I inherited the disposition of her estate, though not the estate itself. I also inherited her disabled mother. Nicki and I divorced 20 years ago. We managed to salvage our friendship out of the wreckage and her mother has never once treated me as anything but a son. She has no living family; I'm the closest thing she has left.
As too many of you know, caregiving is real work, but I'm blessedly wise enough to know that the work I do in caring for her is honorable and something I am and will always be proud of.
I figure that God has entrusted her to me because He believes in me. Everything I can do to do it well is the least I can do. Besides, I love the old bird, she's a mostly sweet force of nature. Just don't get between her and food; you might lose a hand, and most of the arm it's attached to.
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Post by papaof2 on May 27, 2020 19:47:59 GMT -6
Speaking of inheriting things: when my wife's mother (I also called her "Mom") died more than 10 years ago, my wife and her brother inherited the house and I inherited the job of fixing it up for sale - sometimes being the "go to" person for home and auto repair questions leads to real work :-(
Of course, that house was 400 miles away so I loaded the pickup with all the tools and supplies I thought I might need and made the trip. The house was empty except for the mattress I was sleeping on and the kitchen appliances and table - ideal circumstances for removing wallpaper and painting large areas. Spent two weeks there to refinish some chair rails and windows that were stained and varnished wood, paint all the walls and ceilings (including the closets), replace some lighting fixtures (one ceiling fixture had charred wiring from years of two 100 watt bulbs in a fixture rated for two 60 watt bulbs), tuck point some of the brick exterior, tear down an old metal shed (put her brother to work on that one as he'd never used a reciprocating saw before so kept him busy for a while ;-) The brother's wife is a great cook and I finally got her to stop sending me food daily when I showed her that the fridge was full of leftovers - nice problem to have ;-)
I spent about $1000 at Lowes and HD so you can guess how many "little things" needed repair or replacement and how much paint and other supplies (sheetrock, mud, lighting) were used. However, the place did look good when I finished and everything worked. My wife approved of the "after" pictures I'd taken so it must have been acceptable.
Did I mention that it was August, the temperature was 105 and the heat index was 109.9 even with the humidity at only 30%? Any outside or attic work was done early and runs for parts and supplies (including groceries) were done after dark when it was less hot - it was never cooler...
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Post by 9idrr on May 27, 2020 20:30:27 GMT -6
Cutter- you know that you're doin' what you must do and you're obviously the right man for the job. This doesn't go un-noticed where it counts. If you ever need some buckin' up, this is possibly the best place you can come for it on Earth. I'm pretty sure that I speak for many here when I say that we all want to know that you're doin' okay. Your stories are great but it's you that's most important. Take care, sir.
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Post by texican on May 27, 2020 22:42:56 GMT -6
Cutter,
You have many here that respect you for what you are doing. We will be here for you when you need us.
Stay well.
Texican....
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