DD Date 1983.10.15

Saturday, Oct. 15, 1983

Things have really been hard around here, much harder than I could have imagined. We have survived, but it is starting to get cold and I am afraid that the much feared "nuclear winter" is setting in early. Though our heater is gravity fed, it has been giving us problems. It is hard to get in contact with service people in a world without telephones.

Since I last wrote we have changed our work schedules to keep from traveling two ways every day. I still have to work nights, but it has moved to Friday through Monday, while Debbie's schedule is now Tuesday through Friday day-shift on new 12-hour shifts. Our schedules were adjusted by co-operation from the administrators of both the hospital and the nursing home by the beginning of this past week. It became a problem as we knew we did not have enough gasoline to make double trips. In fact I may have to talk to my church about my projected ministry plans if I cannot travel for pulpit supply and no churches open anyway. Pastor Settle says that he has talked with mayor Workman about the transportation problems as well. Word is personal cars may be a thing of the past before long. So far we have made it to Sunday morning worship but the children and I have visited over at nearby John Calvin Presbyterian (not PCA) and Freedom Baptist Churches the past two Wednesday evenings.

The food we got on the 26th held out until this past Wednesday, Oct. 12, when I talked to the pastor at Freedom Baptist about his church's situation. He said that they have pooled their resources and are taking care of each other pretty well right now. Since tomorrow may be the last chance I get before we run out of gasoline, I am going to see what we're doing about the church's needs. Thursday morning I stood in line at Bi-Lo to get rations for the next two weeks. They also had seed that they were giving to families who could begin gardens. I plan to start in the digging up our back yard on Monday. Planting will have to wait till spring - if it comes - and I survive the winter.

Well, it will be dark in a couple of hours, so I am going to try to get the heater to fire up. It is good when it works, and if we have to we can crowd into our bedroom and heat only it and the bathroom. The water in the tub is gone now and I am not sure if the plastic jugs I got in rations will last till next time. We don't use the bathroom for anything except storage right now, but I have talked to neighbors about rain collection systems and we should have something set up soon.

I wonder when anyone from outside South Carolina is going to show up to help us. I mean, Reagan talked about government 'being the problem' but if it weren't for what Carter started with the Federal Emergency Management we might be ruled by gangs by now. It is not that we had actual employees of FEMA in town, but the federal and state employees operating offices in Greenville seem to have at least had contingency plans in place. If the gardens don't work, I don't know how long 'government help' is going to last.

Well, now Debbie is calling me to come help with the boys. Maybe I can write something on Tuesday after Debbie goes to work.

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