Today is a sad day for me. I lost two wonderful friends in the last couple of days. One of those cherished and respected friends was Foster Compton. A couple of years ago, I wrote a short story about some friends that live up in the coalfields of SW Virginia, back up a hollow, where one must drive in a creekbed and wind along the side of a bank on a rocky two track road. Way back there is the Compton homestead, and it truly is "Heaven on a Hilltop" which is the title I gave the short story.
The Compton family is a large, Appalachian family, consisting of a retired coal miner, his wife and the extended family. They are simple country people that live life to it's fullest, loving God, family, and the land that God has made so beautiful.
Foster Compton passed away Sunday after a long battle of several years with Black Lung. He was a great story teller, and a WWII veteran. He and his wife were always ready to welcome company and to smother them with southern hospitality. Never did I go there that I was not offered some simple southern home cooking. Cornbread, brown beans, fresh produce from their huge garden, and all the sweet tea one could drink.
We attended his wake last night in Honaker Va. It was amazing how many people were there to pay their respects. The parking lot was full and there were cars parked for several hundred yards up and down the shoulders of the road. I would hazard a guess that there were over 300 people there and more coming when we were leaving.
We called him the Colonel. He was truly a fine southern gentleman. Rest in peace "Colonel" we will miss ya my friend.
Foster is being buried today, back up that hollow, on the side of a hill overlooking the house and farm. He picked the spot for the family plot years ago and today he is being laid to rest there on the mountain where he can watch over all those he loves and cares about. He has lived out his later years in that peaceful and serene place they call home, and now he is at peace there in eternal rest.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Mourning the loss of a good friend and a brave Marine
America lost a brave veteran yesterday. Bob Hinckley passed away at the VA hospital in Syracuse NY. Bobby was a Lance Corporal in the US Marine Corps and saw a lot of action in his time in Nam. He lived his life to his last breath, a proud marine. He fought the nightmares and sad memories all of his life, and at times would drown his sadness and nightmares in alcohol.
Bob and I have been acquainted since the 8th grade. We got reacquainted after Viet Nam when we both drank and spent our every waking hour in the bars of N Utica. We always kept track of each other as life went on, and we called each other "brother Bob and brother Dick". In the 90's we both drove for the same trucking company and would travel together every Sunday night to Chicago, where he would continue west, and I would head north into Wisconsin for our first drops of the week.
Bob attended the Marine Corps Ball every year, and lived his entire life a marine to the very depths of his soul. He was a brave man, and has gone home to be reunited with his sister Debbie, and all those friends that he lost in Viet Nam in the 60's. Rest in peace and Semper Fi "brother Bob". We will meet again someday.
Bob and I have been acquainted since the 8th grade. We got reacquainted after Viet Nam when we both drank and spent our every waking hour in the bars of N Utica. We always kept track of each other as life went on, and we called each other "brother Bob and brother Dick". In the 90's we both drove for the same trucking company and would travel together every Sunday night to Chicago, where he would continue west, and I would head north into Wisconsin for our first drops of the week.
Bob attended the Marine Corps Ball every year, and lived his entire life a marine to the very depths of his soul. He was a brave man, and has gone home to be reunited with his sister Debbie, and all those friends that he lost in Viet Nam in the 60's. Rest in peace and Semper Fi "brother Bob". We will meet again someday.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Terrorists never sleep.
Well, they have two suspects in custody in the Times Square bombing attempt. It is just a reminder that we can never let down our guard in the face of todays terror problems and unrest. Thank goodness it was detected by the T-shirt vendor and the area was evacuated. Could have been much worse had the bomber been more skilled and had he been able to assemble a device that was more dependable and effective. God bless the vendor. He is our hero for sure.
It is a consolation to know that our homeland security and FBI folks can seek out and apprehend terror suspects AFTER THE FACT. I do however worry about the fact that it is impossible to foresee 100% their actions and prevent them. It is only a matter of time before they are able to bring about another incident like 9-11, although hopefully not as devastating.
Any place that Americans gather is a potential target for terrorist acts. In recent years, the speedway here in Bristol Tennessee has had to step up security measures and remain vigilant to anything suspicious during the twice a year race week ends. The speedway holds 138,000 people. It is absolutely horrific to even think of the loss of life should they manage to detonate a bomb inside the speedway.
It is sad that we now have to be constantly vigilant and unable to enjoy complete peace and relaxation. We never used to have to worry, or even think about such things. Our biggest worry was with disaster preparedness for nuclear attack from the Soviet Union, but it was not an urgent and daily disruption to our serenity. I have walked the streets of NY City for years when I was a charter bus driver, and the worst case scenario was that I might be victimized by a pick pocket.
I have to think that there is some consolation in living in the Adirondacks, and living 250 miles from the nearest major city, although that is not necessarily a guarantee against attack. Other than race weekends, there would be no logical reason to pick our area of NE Tennessee to attack either.
On another subject, my friend's son Mark is stable after suffering a stroke at 47yrs old. They are still running tests to find out what caused the stroke. Continued prayer is appreciated.
Two weeks left until Kathy's back surgery at Winston Salem NC. Keep us in your thoughts. She has been almost completely disabled for the last year or so, and really needs some relief from the pain. Hopefully this corrective surgery will bring her relief and allow her to resume a somewhat normal life.
Sunny and warm here in Northeast Tennessee this morning. Hoping that the waters recede in Central Tennessee and people can get back into their homes and workplaces. It will be a long process to clean up and repair or rebuild all the damaged properties.
Here's wishing you all a good day, and good health.
It is a consolation to know that our homeland security and FBI folks can seek out and apprehend terror suspects AFTER THE FACT. I do however worry about the fact that it is impossible to foresee 100% their actions and prevent them. It is only a matter of time before they are able to bring about another incident like 9-11, although hopefully not as devastating.
Any place that Americans gather is a potential target for terrorist acts. In recent years, the speedway here in Bristol Tennessee has had to step up security measures and remain vigilant to anything suspicious during the twice a year race week ends. The speedway holds 138,000 people. It is absolutely horrific to even think of the loss of life should they manage to detonate a bomb inside the speedway.
It is sad that we now have to be constantly vigilant and unable to enjoy complete peace and relaxation. We never used to have to worry, or even think about such things. Our biggest worry was with disaster preparedness for nuclear attack from the Soviet Union, but it was not an urgent and daily disruption to our serenity. I have walked the streets of NY City for years when I was a charter bus driver, and the worst case scenario was that I might be victimized by a pick pocket.
I have to think that there is some consolation in living in the Adirondacks, and living 250 miles from the nearest major city, although that is not necessarily a guarantee against attack. Other than race weekends, there would be no logical reason to pick our area of NE Tennessee to attack either.
On another subject, my friend's son Mark is stable after suffering a stroke at 47yrs old. They are still running tests to find out what caused the stroke. Continued prayer is appreciated.
Two weeks left until Kathy's back surgery at Winston Salem NC. Keep us in your thoughts. She has been almost completely disabled for the last year or so, and really needs some relief from the pain. Hopefully this corrective surgery will bring her relief and allow her to resume a somewhat normal life.
Sunny and warm here in Northeast Tennessee this morning. Hoping that the waters recede in Central Tennessee and people can get back into their homes and workplaces. It will be a long process to clean up and repair or rebuild all the damaged properties.
Here's wishing you all a good day, and good health.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Hot and Sunny Day
The sun is out and the temperature is above 90 degrees here in Bristol Tn. I was just outside, feeding our garden pond fish, pulling some weeds, and battening down the hatches for the possibility of severe weather later this evening and tonight. There is a storm system moving our way from the West Tennessee area that has flooded Memphis and Nashville with over 10 inches of rain. Not expected to have much impact here though. Almost too hot to enjoy outdoor activity today.
I was just thinking that if I were in Upstate New York, I would be standing along the West Canada Creek, tossing lures at brown trout and swatting black flies as they attempted to suck me into anemia. I would sacrifice a pint of my blood though, just to be wading the West Canada, and enjoying the Adirondack Mountain air. I have fished that stream from it's headwaters to it's end where it dumps into the Mohawk River, and have walked nearly every foot of it's banks at one time or another in my lifetime.
Had message from a good friend in Utica NY earlier, notifying me that a mutual friend of ours was at the hospital with her son, who had suffered a stroke. The man is only in his mid forties at most, and certainly way too young to be afflicted with a serious stroke. I encourage everyone that reads this to say a quick prayer for "Mark".
Was enjoying a peaceful day until I read that NYC had suffered and attempted terrorist bombing at Time's Square. That took the shine off of an otherwise peaceful day. We are all God's children so why can't we simply get along and live in peace? It is only a matter of time until we WILL suffer another terror attack, somewhere here in the continental USA. We cannot let our guard down for even a minute. God bless our troops and God guide those that insure our homeland security at ALL levels.
Well, time for a little TV, and possibly a nap. Probably will dream about trout fishing in my favorite spots along the West Canada Creek.
I was just thinking that if I were in Upstate New York, I would be standing along the West Canada Creek, tossing lures at brown trout and swatting black flies as they attempted to suck me into anemia. I would sacrifice a pint of my blood though, just to be wading the West Canada, and enjoying the Adirondack Mountain air. I have fished that stream from it's headwaters to it's end where it dumps into the Mohawk River, and have walked nearly every foot of it's banks at one time or another in my lifetime.
Had message from a good friend in Utica NY earlier, notifying me that a mutual friend of ours was at the hospital with her son, who had suffered a stroke. The man is only in his mid forties at most, and certainly way too young to be afflicted with a serious stroke. I encourage everyone that reads this to say a quick prayer for "Mark".
Was enjoying a peaceful day until I read that NYC had suffered and attempted terrorist bombing at Time's Square. That took the shine off of an otherwise peaceful day. We are all God's children so why can't we simply get along and live in peace? It is only a matter of time until we WILL suffer another terror attack, somewhere here in the continental USA. We cannot let our guard down for even a minute. God bless our troops and God guide those that insure our homeland security at ALL levels.
Well, time for a little TV, and possibly a nap. Probably will dream about trout fishing in my favorite spots along the West Canada Creek.
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