Tuesday, December 17, 2019

In the eye of the maelstrom





Of course a maelstrom is a cataract or whirlpool, and the "eye" is a very bad place to be, because that's where everything gets sucked down to destruction.

I was thinking more along the lines of being in the eye of a hurricane, because that's a point of calm surrounded by raging destruction.

Hurricane is such a prosaic and overused word though. Which made me want to use maelstrom instead. It sounds ever so much more posh! And to be fair to myself, it's not uncommon for English speakers to substitute maelstrom for hurricane.

A complicating factor is that I'm nowhere near the eye of a storm. I'm out on the edge. My close family member, who rather (but not completely) unexpectedly showed up for a visit 10 days out of alcohol treatment, is. Upon arrival this person commenced (most likely continued) drinking heavily. This person is the one in the center of the whirlpool. This person is flirting with real mortal disaster.

My place in all of this is to be a sounding board and adviser to my Mom and to the relatively sane ones among my siblings. I'm the guy who has to look at possible problems and line up options and be prepared to put together and execute a plan on the fly. Which is fine. Better than fine, really. It's hard and stressful and hard and stressful is good.

Given the above I've spent some significant time in discussions with various treatment/recovery professionals and with family members. I'm getting stuff done and have a pretty comprehensive set of options explored. For the moment it's a waiting game. It is what it is.

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It's been cold the last few days and nights, with high temps never reaching the freezing point and overnight lows tumbling to near zero. December. Here's some yesterday:



Rambling around the pasture babbling. Hope Red doesn't turn me in to the mental health people.



More babbling on about ice, snow, cows, chopping ice, and the scatterbrained state of my decision making processes.



Also yesterday I attempted a sausage cheese balls recipe that looked good for some reason. I was rather anchored in place while waiting for return phone calls, so I gave it a shot. Apparently sausage cheese balls are a real big thing in the south, so I'm surprised I never ran into them. But I guess you can't run into everything. Though I once had a girlfriend who gave it the ol' navy try!









Well, I wasn't impressed. Nona kind of liked them, but then she was throwing up this morning so maybe I'll leave this particular arrow out of my quiver. YMMV.

So far so good today. In a big surprise that no one saw coming, the weather continues to be typical for December. As does my whining!



You can't see cows on the other side of a hill until you look over the top of the hill, Who knew? I deleted the "other" video by the way. It was beyond help.



Still useful after all these years. For some values of useful.



When I checked out at the food store this morning the college freshman girl checking me out (home on winter break) said, "Would you like paper or plastic Mr. Evertson?"

Very sweet, polite, smart, hardworking girl, and one of the reasons I have a great deal of confidence in the future of our nation.

But still. Mister Evertson? Do I look like I'm, um, oh firetruck. I do, don't I?

Be well and enjoy the blessings of liberty.


23 comments:

  1. We've been here two years now, and I'm still not used to younger people calling me "Sir".

    Oh, well......

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    1. It's kind of a nice thing. And I think a lot of today's youth politeness is self learned, because it hasn't really been taught or emphasized for a generation or so.

      I'd have preferred it if she called me Dude and gave me a fist-bump and made me feel like I was much closer to her age than I really am though...

      As you say, oh, well......

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting drjim!

      Delete
    2. Calling you Dude and getting a fist-bump thing sounds suspiciously like Kali!

      The "Sir" thing kind of got me because of the implied respect. Hey. I know me and my past, and respect isn't something I'm used to!

      Delete
  2. Yep, a shock when a younger person calls you, "sir", and it feels appropriate.

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    1. That's exactly what it felt like, a shock!

      And it didn't feel appropriate at all. I swear I'm no more than, oh, 25-ish on the inside!

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Delete
  3. I enjoy the ride alongs, thanks for sharing them.

    My Sean and I were talking about the Sir, Yes Sir/Mam, No Sir/Mam just the other day. We both still do that and all my grandkids do as well. My Sean said he had been raised that way by a mom & dad that would not tolerate less than respectfulness.

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    1. I'm glad you enjoy them Brig.:-)

      One of the ways you earn respect is by giving respect. In a civil society based on the proposition that all humans are equally human, having a default position of showing polite respect to others is the best way to go. We all used to know this, but some of us forgot.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Delete
  4. I am pleased to be 58. I wouldn't want to be the doofus I was at 25.

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    1. In my perfect world I'd have the knowledge and wisdom (!?) I've accumulated over six decades and the physical prowess and matinee idol good looks I had at 25. And a race car. I'd have a race car. And a micro brewery. And a helicopter.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Scott!

      Delete
    2. That's funny right there. I giggled quite a bit

      Delete
  5. Prayers for a positive outcome for your family member, that is a tough situation.

    Another good ride-along, keep 'em coming.

    I don't mind being called sir, I certainly did when I was in the Air Force. (Dammit, I'm a sergeant, I work for a living, stop calling me sir.) These days it's okay, I know I'm getting up there, I own a mirror. But it still freaks me out that I'm 66. Going on 12.

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    1. Thanks very much Sarge. It'll be what it'll be. I worry about bad and worse outcomes, as you do, but I try to concentrate on on what I can do.

      That's a good way to put it, freaks you out. Same here. I'm bouncing around in much more better shape than nearly all the old farts in my age cohort, and I'm so happy for that and blessed beyond measure, but I still feel like a young fellow on the inside. Welcome to the grand self-illusion!

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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  6. "...but I still feel like a young fellow on the inside." I think that it might be a universal that people are unable/reluctant to accept ageing beyond 25 years or so. Most people ( or at least the ones I grew up with ) are in a hurry to get beyond childhood; and then, suddenly, one is becoming an old person. WHAT THE H. E. DOUBLE TOOTHPICKS HAPPENED?

    By the way, all of you youngsters need to quiet down about how old you are; last week I passed the 3/4s of a century mark. However, as I do nothing but loll around all day, some people are kind enough to tell me that I don't look that old. This, at the same time, both pleases and dismays me. Oh well ( insert French phrase for such is life here, perhaps Chris can help me out here ).

    Thanks for sharing parts of your life with me/us. Also, thanks for helping to provide the bounty we enjoy in our country.

    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. It's pretty much a standard human thing I think. Congrats on reaching an easily divisible milestone! And you're welcome on the sharing. As for feeding the nation, thanks for that too but remember that we're all farmers because farmers couldn't farm without consumers, and farmers are consumers of both food and all the other bounty. We're all in this together.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting Paul!

      Delete
  7. P.S.: If you are wondering, I deleted the first version of that comment because, even after proofreading, I found a key word misspelled after I had posted it. At that point, all I could do was copy, correct, repost the comment, and delete the original.

    Paul

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    1. I did wonder. Not that it matters. Thanks againd for stopping by and commenting.

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  8. Yep, we're NOT 21 anymore. And I for one, do appreciate the views you share, making me glad that I'm NOT in the cow business these days, much less as far north as you are! Re the family member, that's gonna be hard. Prayers for y'all.

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    1. Glad I can share bits of my life and thinking. I'm blessed to be doing what I am where I am. Don't think the lord wants me to have it easy, because I usually turn easy into a mess. Thanks for the prayers, they sure help!

      And thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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  9. I hope your family member takes heed. I know you will give sound and valid advice. The problem being getting them to listen. I can sympathize, I have had too many members of my extended family drink themselves to death. Remember, you have a Badger in your corner, with you.

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    1. Thanks Scott, that's greatly appreciated. I'd very much like to stuff a badger with a toothache down this particular person's trousers. I could never be that cruel to a poor suffering badger though. ;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Delete
  10. What do you think went wrong with the sausage? Mixing cheese a nd sausage can't be THAT difficult!

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    1. My Mom and a couple of friends I shared with said they were fantastic. Perhaps I was being hyper-critical as some cooks tend to be. I didn't like the way they came out -- a little too doughy for my taste. I gave a bunch to the chickens and they swarmed and gobbled and today left a couple of eggs more than average, so maybe I've stumbled upon a breakthrough in poultry husbandry and egg production. But probably not.

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