MAKING PREPS AND FRIENDS

Okay, I am ready to blog, finally. So many things happening and irons in the fire that I have been just coming and going all morning.

First off, the Handmaiden cut up her monster Mullein plant yesterday and harvested the leaves and the roots. She will tell you the medicinal properties involved on her blog. I can't be on top of everything!

Grumpyunk came over yesterday and I had a perfectly horrible time learning to stitch a surgical stitch. Two left hands is the only way I can explain it. I was told I would be tested on my stitching and I had better practice. I can testify that I NEED the practice. But Oranges look funny with rows of stitches on them. The Handmaiden did her stitches just fine. I was the clumsy one. I will get better.

Not many people are taught to do stitches. They don't teach Paramedics or Nurses how to do it. Doctors do stitching Nurses give shots. Don't ask me why. But Grumpyunk had an officer in his medical unit in the Army who taught his guys how to stitch, ergo Grumpyunk does very well stitching people up. Another thing I learned yesterday was that a Paramedic can give an I.V. directly into the Jugular vein if it is called for. Touchy business.

I got a CD yesterday from Grumpyunk and it had a lot of stuff on it from Jackie Clay from Backwoods Home Magazine. Her medical kits, because she keeps several, will provide her with plenty of stuff to treat cuts. Living way back in the country means you had better be able to take care of yourself. You had better have the supplies to handle most anything. You can forget brain surgery and stuff like that but stitches and splints and slings for holding hurt arms are all within the realm of the possible. And when the time comes, they will be necessary.

Grumpyunk got into field expediency yesterday. He got into using just what was around for doing a medical job. He showed us how to us your good leg as a splint for a broken one. Ain't pretty but it can sure as hell make you more comfortable when you are being moved. I was told how a couple of poles and a blanket can become a very good field stretcher for getting injured people to a better place to work on them. All kinds of tricks to first aid that a lot of people don't know and don't study and don't find out. All kinds of medications are available for different ailments. I was very impressed with what Grumpyunk had to say and we are thinking of holding classes for interested people here locally. You just never know who you might be talking to, if you now what I mean. There are talented people like Grumpyunk around this country of ours and we need to start communicating with them. It can save people a lot of grief.

But there are people gifted in other areas besides the medical field. Maybe that guy you drink coffee with sitting next to you at the local greasy spoon in the morning might be a world class organic gardener that could teach you some really good tricks. Or maybe a gunsmith who could fix that old pistol or rifle or shotgun your grandfather left you. You just never know. About the only way you can find out is to say howdy and introduce yourself. Get to know your fellow man. You never know who is going to enrich your life with some good knowledge or maybe become a great friend. But you have to invest a little of yourself in the process. I remember many years ago when I found Mike Kemp on the Internet. I read some rant he had posted somewhere and he seemed like a pretty decent fellow and I emailed him and asked if it was okay to post to him. He said it was okay and I wrote him a more detailed email after that. We have become good friends and have been that way for many years. We have helped each other out on numerous occasions. One fine fella. But we would have never become friends if I hadn't stuck my nose into his business and said howdy. Life is like that, you know. Grumpyunk is the same way. I was just writing comments to his blog, back in the days when he posted to it, and lo and behold I met a very good person. I hope I have contributed as much to his life as he has contributed to mine.

But like I am say to you...you have to make the investment in the other person before you get any sort of dividend. You don't need to send them all your passwords and address and phone numbers and all of that, at least not right at first, but you surely need to at least say howdy. You have to show yourself hospitable. It might make you a friend for life and it might help you to stay alive.

Michael

mboone@rtccom.net