happy anniversary

Today TFL is 8 years old.  When I first came out here I was pretty gung ho about the whole off grid thing.  I am so settled in to this lifestyle now, I no longer see it at anything special because it is what it is.  To be honest...it is little more than deluxe camping.  Looking forward to year number nine as I learn how to walk again and get back to some real projects.  I kinda missed last years' anniversary, spending it in the hospital on a morphine drip the day after my first surgery.  To celebrate this one, I bought a new charger and batteries for the cordless tools that built my hut that first feverish couple of months in the desert.  63,73,32,0,B

There but for the grace of God go I...

Today is the one year mark since my accident.  A year to heal and contemplate what might have been.  I spent the day living cautiously and mindful of the many blessings bestowed upon me by the Father only through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

greenhouse labor and chef

My buddy Rick came out today to clear the greenhouse and then cook dinner.  56,74,34,0,B

cyber deal delivery

56,66,37,0,B

JOHNNY WELLS SAIGON VIETNAM

Spent the day doing a little investigative reporting - finding the real truth is not easy.  The earliest reference to the lighter that I can find online is October 9, 2014 from this website.  There is a later message from the same source posted on May 14, 2015 from someone claiming to have the lighter in their possession.  I contacted this person today for more information.  We exchanged a number of emails where I asked very specific questions but only got cryptic answers.  The only thing I can relate from the source was that the lighter was claimed to have been found in what is once referenced as an antique store in New Orleans in April or May of 2015 by a buddy of the person who now had it - and given to a brother of Johnny Wells in July 2015.  In another email I got this message.
"It was found in a surplus second hand store of all places and the young man insisted it go to the family of the original owner. It was said to be on Johnny when he died in Saigon and his family don't know how it got back to the states or separated from his body."
There are a lot of holes in this story and I am not completely convinced, but it will have to do.  And now you know what might be "the rest of the story".   60,72,34,0,C

Dear Facebook,

Thank you for asking, but this is not my lighter.  The US pulled the last troops out of Vietnam in 1973...when I was 14 years old. In the past year, I have received over 200 messages about it.  By now I would assume that it has been returned to the rightful owner or his family...or perhaps it is just another hoax.  For awhile I was tempted to claim it but I have a feeling it will persist on the internet for years regardless of whether or not it has found a home.  At least now I have a blog link to post the next time someone asks.  54,61,32,0,C

off duty...

54,62,49,0,C