Woke Up This Morning And Found Snow, And Failure

I let my dog out at first light this morning and found snow on the mountain tops all around me. What a wake up call as I realize I’m not ready for this transition to our long winters. This has been a year of change for us that has significantly diverted our attention away from the old Alaskan “homestead” we purchased some 5 years ago.

The good news, we hired a contractor who repaired our foundation resulting in a 10 foot deep new cellar (doubled in original size), ran new wire, and other work that sets us up for future expansion and other long term projects. Also got a back up snow plow which is needed. We had a long hot summer, and the garden has never been better.

Due to deaths on both my wife’s and my side of the family, and some other significant diversions of our time this summer, some very basic matters were left unaccomplished. We did not do any subsistence activities (hunting or fishing), we have not harvested the firewood which we require (need about 7-8 more cords than what we have), fences haven’t been repaired, firebreaks unmaintained, and I could go on forever and projects I’m behind on.

Fortunately we can go to the store and buy food, and we have a few weeks to collect firewood. I am however painfully reminded of how tough life was for the true homesteaders who settled the west. I am sure “life” happened to them constantly making it a challenge for them to survive, but they couldn’t head to the stores to compensate for failure like I need to this year. This is certainly a kick in the nuts to my ego while I’m pretending to be a “homesteader.”

While I admit to my failures, fairly easily rectified in today’s America, I am painfully reminded of what my current predicament would mean to the original family who established this homestead (and the countless others who settled the west), or in some future less fortunate times. I’ve learned a great lesson of failure to prioritize, failure to plan, and allowing life to dictated my actions. In less fortunate times, this could have been a fatal error in judgement. Now that I confess my many failures, it’s time to get after it!

 

Yup, what @TMT Tactical said. Better to make mistakes now and learn than later when the cost of learning could potentially be much higher

 

Good morning Alaska John,

Recommend delete "many" in last sentence.

Even with the firewood inventory errand, you're still at the right spot on the wave and the rest is a surfer's dream ride to shore.

Don't feel lonely re fence maintenance; you gave me a reminder.

Condolences on loss of relatives.

"Heaven: The place to do all the things you didn't have time to do." Anon.

 

Maybe I am being picky here, but IMHO "failure" is an ugly word. Alaskajohn: I would rather use the word setbacks. You really haven't failed. You have just encountered some setbacks due to life changing your priorities. You fully recognize what has to be done. You have every intention of getting those things done as quickly as time and the weather will allow.

This is just a reality of life. Things don't always go according to plan, and Murphy has a way of changing our priorities. Granted, you have some serious catch-up to play, but you haven't failed.

 

Look at it this way.....you are halfway there having made a list of all that needs to be done and even closer still by sharing here and getting valuable info to make the tasks easier. Keep planning, keep working at it and soon you will be 'done' and working on a new list. Our hearts are with you.

 

Actually, I think you summed up part of what I was hoping to convey. Certainly just a setback in today’s society. But in less forgiving times, times would have been tough!

 

No doubt. There would have been some very hungry and cold nights.