Comments from 17 September

colspt said...

I really am enjoying this story but the thing that bothers me is that Liz can't ever speak her mind to Einar. I know Einar has past trauma and also has that mountain man loner thing going on, but he hasn't been alone for awhile now. I know he is socially inept, but is she afraid she will push him over a mental cliff? If that's the case she needs to get herself to town now before the baby comes.

Maybe she simply refrains from saying as much as she is thinking sometimes because that is what works for her, and for him, and for the two of them together. I don’t think it’s that she can’t speak her mind--she’s very good at doing so, when she decides it’s time.

EdD270 said...

Very good chapter, FOTH, thank you for it.

Some pondering on this chapter. On the survival and bushcrafting forums folks often post things about going into the bush to "live off the land". I suspect that none, or extremely few, of them have any idea how difficult it really is. Such as EA and Liz in these last few chapters. EA has badly broken ribs, is suffering from malnutrition and self-amputated toes, Liz is pregnant and also not as well nourished as she ought to be, they are forced to live at unusually high elevation to avoid their pursuers, and now winter is coming early. Snow is beginning to fall. Even though they have some supplies put away in their little cabin, they still have much work to do, twining cordage for snares and other uses, putting out trap lines and maintaining them, gathering additional food and furs when they can, gathering water, and many other tasks. All these MUST be done or they will die. There's no sitting around the warm cabin enjoying the beauty of the snowfall outside, they have to be out in it every day, no matter how much snow, how cold or how sick, weak or injured they may be. If they don't they won't make it through the winter.

Nope, I doubt most folks have any idea how difficult it really is. How much strength, mentally as well as physically, even spiritually. How much determination and drive, self-discipline and will and plain stubborn guts it takes to live like EA and Liz are. Anything less is sure to be fatal.

Thanks again for the great chapters and great story. And for the reminders.

All very good points. Nothing easy about the life they’re living up there, and anyone who thinks it would be easy--especially with no prior preparation and experience!!--to simply head out and “live off the land,” is fooling themselves. Takes a lot of investment of your time, effort and determination to gain the skills that are needed, and even then, life out there can be a pretty uncertain thing.

But it sure is better than the alternative, both for Einar and Liz, and anyone else who might find themselves faced with such choices.

Nancy1340 said...

"Liz did not answer immediately that time, could not help but thing that while he was of course"

Did you mean "Could not help but THINK that while...."?

Very good to see the have a choice when and if they want to run a trap line.

Thanks

Yes, thanks for catching the mistake…

philip said...

Fall. Autumn. my favorite time of year,

I could personally relate with the thoughts "we are"~"Are We" ready.

night before Last, I nearly froze (yeah right, says Einar) ALL I had to do was get up out of the warm bed, and shut the ceiling vents.... "What, me get out of bed, For that??? I'd rather freeze" early morning, I remembered a second blanket.... reached down and got it....

toasty warm!

tonight, I prepped first, its a bit stuffy with out them open... Can we achieve Balance????

I think so.

Almost froze--ha! Glad you found that second blanket in time… : )

I’m sure you’ll find a balance between open vents for fresh air, and the proper number of blankets. What happens later in the winter? Do you have a way to heat the place, if you want to?