A Matter of integrity----of having heart-----Blue~

Good evening USM's Angels

I do hope that every one are doing very well

I have been doing good, although enduring the terrible winter we've been having here in NE Kentucky along with every one else----- It's not very often that I share a rant post------but here you've got one....

So sorry this is such a long read, but this is something that has been bothering me for quite some time and today---it really hit me and has upset me to say the very least would be putting it mild..... Because we live in the Country, in the mountains that I love very much by the way----does not mean that we aren't aware of situations, circumstances and though that's another subject altogether---I want to stick with an incident that happened today......

When You know it’s a matter of integrity of having the heart to do what is right what is good, decent Just getting it done, stepping up to the plate & do it simply because you know it’s the right thing to do Why make excuses? I was finally able to get my aging laptop back online------one day I may decide to buy a new one but with the way they’re upgraded every few days it seems, I try to make do with what I’ve already got. I surprised myself because I had called my isp tech to help me figure it out and how to get back online But tech said I probably would need to take my laptop to a professional have them to do any necessary updating drivers etc----but hey I figured it out, it was simple enough---it was what I had suspected the last time I had it turned on.

But anyway, good enough and just in time to add some thoughts for the day before calling it a night. Earlier this morning one of the lineman/technician’s from my electric utility company phoned me----- They hadn’t called for a scheduled time to come out----so it took me by surprise. No matter, I agreed to meet him but explained since he had never been to my place that the snow and ice has not completely melted and he might not be able to get his utility truck here. He couldn’t find me and went to someone’s home down in the valley from me------

So, I copied down his number, grabbed my cell phone, drove the UTV to the top of the hill that over-looks my 1st gate. I tried to call him but he was unreachable so I left a message----I waited maybe another 20 minutes and decided that he more than likely just could not find me… It turned out to be the case. So we talked for a few minutes & he said he would contact the electric company letting them know that he had finally found my driveway but it is under ice and snow and there wasn’t any way possible that he could get his heavy truck up the lane I had suggested as much in my phone message that we meet in another week or so by then surely, hopefully the ice and snow would all be melted.



The electric company is spot on and when we were out of power last winter, no one works any harder than those lineman and technicians do, enduring bone chilling below zero temps with the wind chill often below that! Or in sleet and rain…..What about all those who go out on storm breaks to offer a helping hand to those who have suffered catastrophic damages from storms…. That is one tough job and they are often not appreciated enough. They certainly deserve our appreciation, gratitude. After we ended the conversation, I decided to give the Judge executive’s office a call, the young lady I spoke with was very helpful----- I shared with her the problems that 6 families, including myself have been enduring for a number of years on our road……simply because it is a gravel road should not be the reason it is not properly maintained.



The young lady gave me the phone number for the Judge executive and I will call if the county does not come to do something with the road. I did mention to her that even in the summer time not a great deal is done to maintain it…. So she informed me when the next fiscal meeting is going to take place. I don’t think I will be able to attend this time but the next time I do hope that I will. I mentioned to her that my husband had maintained the county road during winter and if there were problems during the summer months, he took care of that too.

With all these multi-colored memories, I recall specifically he had just been released from the hospital 2 weeks when a neighbor called us and asked me if my husband was here, I had informed him that he was taking a nap and had just gotten out of the hospital from having a quintuple bypass heart surgery-----I couldn’t believe that the neighbor was insistent that I wake my husband, telling me that he, his wife, children and grandchildren couldn’t get out of their drive------well, my husband overheard me talking to the neighbor and before I could say who it was, he was up, putting on his coveralls, toboggan and ready to walk to our barn to start up his Johnny D.



This scared me especially he so recently having surgery in addition to the fact, heart patients should not be in extreme temps for very long. I felt for the man and his family,but asked if it was possible that they could wait a few more days, thinking they surely must have prepared for the winter-storm in 2014. My darling kept reassuring me that he would be ok and he wouldn’t be gone for very long----he spoke briefly with the neighbor and hung up the phone. He was gone over 3 hours! He cleaned the entire road of the ice and snow including all the neighbors not only the one who had phoned. When he returned his face was so red---I had put my wool scarf around him and asked him to cover his face with it as much as he could… I fed him some hot soup and hot chocolate while he sat by the stove to warm up.. The lady from the Judge executive’s office couldn’t believe that our former neighbor could ask that of my husband after him having bypass heart surgery.



When my darling passed in 2017, that summer I needed our fields bush—hogged-----Do you think he bothered doing that for me? Even when I asked if they thought their brother in law could they made excuses as to why he couldn’t… So we have endured dealing with the aggravation of this county toad for a number of years and when the young lady connected me with the road department’s manager------I asked him what could be done with the county road-----having it blacktopped this upcoming summer would be wonderful----it would be easier maintained that way----because each time it rains……it ruins the newly graded areas----rain run off makes it extremely muddy and those who ride ATV’s, UTV’s do not seem to have any such respect for the residents that have homes on the road-------the manager, said that they have spoken to the police about the situation but nothing has happened to stop the problem----



I further said to him that I had an appointment that today made the 3rd attempt for my electric company to meet with me about setting a pole with light. The lineman couldn’t navigate the road because it is simply covered in ice and snow------he went on and on about the thousands of dollars of equipment the equipment cost and if one of the vehicles were wrecked, that he would lost his job------------ Ok so they have expensive equipment but its not used to maintain the roads? Only the one’s that are easier accessible, is that right?! He will lose his job if that equipment is damaged------yet it’s alright-----if one of the residents on one of the roads or this road, becomes ill and possibly needs medical assistance but first responders cannot get to any of the residents because the road isn’t and hasn’t been maintained by the county?!?!



Does that make any sense whatsoever!? He actually had the nerve to say to me, and naming the identity of the resident, that they had called the road department, speaking to him personally also about the hazardous conditions of the road and informed him that he has children who have seizures….once again making an emphasis on the fact if the children needed medical assistance how could EMT’s possibly get to them? Do you know what the manager said? If his children take seizures why did they move to such a remote location?



How So cold, so uncaring----when you know it’s a matter of doing the right thing------of stepping up to the plate for people------it comes down to a matter of the heart-------when you know it’s a matter of integrity-----yet you do as little as possible to get by------simply to receive a paycheck and you don’t care about the wellbeing and the welfare of others--------------Something is very WRONG!--------Back when I was growing up-----people helped one another-------they really Cared for one another------------- What has happened?

I told him if Linemen/technicians cannot get through on this road-------no one can, not EMT’s not any one-------------Please do something about the road--------I will be at the next meeting to discuss this with others. The road is damaging our vehicles….preventing us from leaving in an emergency and preventing utility companies from assisting residents with their utility needs as well as the very real possibility of an emergency arising----none of the residents could receive the medical help needed that could possibly prevent loss of limb, loss of life.. This has been ignored long enough-----if they can afford thousands of dollars worth of equipment, they can afford to maintain a decent road to our homes….

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