Re: Halfmoon's journal
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 2:51 pm
Truly inspiring (and for reminding me what the real survival deal is about). Hat off to you, halfmoon.
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https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?t=8325
3.A 70-year-old relative of DH (Maria) who was visiting us from Munich. She had grown up in a Munich orphanage and spent her life in the city. She told us later that this was the best time of her life.
She was 70 in the 80's. So she experienced WWI from the German side. The Weimar hyperinflation, great depression starting early and capped by Nazis, occupied post WWII Germany. She may not have been exaggerating, that could very well have been the best time of her life.Maria made no complaint whatsoever. She spent her days picking up sticks for the wood stove, catering to the dogs’ whims and helping me. In between, she donned a garbage-bag apron and painted every single sheet of T1-11 siding before it was applied. Through it all, she laughed constantly and tried to communicate with me in a combination of Bavarian dialect, maybe 10 words of English and a lot of gestures. She had a remarkable capacity for joy that I wish I could replicate.
So true. I believe that it was the best time of Maria's life, because hers was difficult on many levels. She visited us three times (this was the last), and she became blind not long after. Most of us have things so easy in this time and place that it's easy to just float along watching YouTube. It's good to keep a little blood, sweat and pain in the mix.Riggerjack wrote:Those who have been thru truly tough times can laugh at today's petty troubles. And our lives are richer for knowing such people.
At least that's what I tell myself when I smash my thumb...
Still following along, you're still on the nomination list for best ERE journalhalfmoon wrote:I was SO PISSED that DH was annoyed with my well-meaning mishap. Stupid superior male! I "decided" (perhaps this word suggests too much actual thought process) to JUMP INTO THE POND AND GET THE DAMNED CAGE MYSELF AND SHOW HIM UP.
Wow. That water was cold. Also: I was fully clothed, and now my clothing was saturated with frigid water and weighed about 100 pounds, and it was sort of hard to breathe. I breached the surface, spluttering and howling. DH appeared from nowhere, grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dam. He was laughing so hard that he couldn't talk. Jerk.
Do whatever it takes to keep that woman. You may fall out of a boat someday.McTrex wrote:While rowing, one of the wooden oars slipped away and fell into the water. My wife immediately jumped overboard to fetch it, fearing it might sink
There was a ring road planned around Seattle in the 60's, that was scratched in the 70's. One of the side effects of "victory in the DOTs war on roads" was on ramps to nowhere. One of them went over Union Bay. My friends went to go jump off this on a sunny day in '96. They jumped, I drank beer. I hadn't ever jumped off a bridge, and this 35' drop didn't seem like the place to learn.I "decided" (perhaps this word suggests too much actual thought process) to JUMP INTO THE POND AND GET THE DAMNED CAGE MYSELF AND SHOW HIM UP.
Riggerjack, you can't imagine how much better I feel! In fact, my decision starts to look positively brilliant in comparison. I'm rolling on the floor kicking my feel and howling at this story.Riggerjack wrote:I hope this makes you feel better about your "decision" to jump in the pond. My "decision" was about as well thought out, and at least as unpleasant.