-
-
Dear tradbow friends. We would have preferred to have kept this family tragedy close to the bone, but since loving friends have shared the news here, I am truly staggered by the outpouring of support from so many, few of whom have even met Caroline, unless they have read “On the Wild Edge.” As you can imagine, I’m not my usual chatty self. But I can’t let all of your well wishes go unanswered. I am doubly touched since I am a curmudgeon who never goes out of my way to make friends and am so often critical. We are a family here, some of us, and I love you all for the support. This is rock bottom and no break in the clouds. Until it’s over, a few months at most and likely much sooner, I will be scarce. Please no phone calls, flowers or any such. You have already done what you can by expressing concern. And please keep Larry F. in your thoughts as well. Many of you already know the pain of losing the one person in the world you love and need most, and the rest will someday have to face the same. We are not exempt. It just happens to be our turn, so much sooner than seems fair.
Abrazos, Dave
-
Post count: 124
-
Thank you Steve for sharing.
Dave doesn’t really know the impact he has had on so many of us. And its not only his writings, its his walking along side of us in life, acting as a voice for a proud generation of people who simply love everything wild and free. And since he has become one of my finest friends, there is no Dave without Caroline. With tears in my eyes I write this. I love the man, I love Caroline. My heart breaks right now…:cry:
Dave took this pic of C last year on her birthday. The epitome of mountain strong.
-
Thank you David Coulter
I woke up this morning with a very heavy heart filled with wonderful memories of Caroline. Needing an outlet for these feelings, I decided to head for the mountains to run until exhaustion, hoping to be too tired to think. I stopped to take in the beautiful landscape after last night’s snow. A few minutes passed and suddenly I caught movement to my left about 30 yards away. A strutting tail!
I was able to stalk this tom to under 20 before he hightailed out out of there, which gave me an instant smile!
-
Post count: 124
-
I am traumatized, gutted, in the deepest pain of my life. This evening, as Carolyn would herself put it with a giggle, she went “up in smoke.” I can’t and won’t attempt to burden you with my utterly hopeless pain beyond what I’ve already shamelessly inflicted, but just have to say with the deepest gratitude that I have checked in here many times through this horrific ordeal and your support–most of you I’ve never even met and some of you who have no reason whatsoever to give a damn about me much less my wife–you have quite literally saved my life. I add my endless gratitude to Webmom Robin for letting this totally “inappropriate” thread run its course. Gradually, I will be back to stir the pot here as always. I’ve not even tried to sort out what it says of my life that a bunch of “strangers” on a hunting website have come to mean so much to me, to be such a central part of my life, a happy addiction, but that is how it is. And Carolyn knew it too and supported it without reserve, even as she knows how you are helping us now. We, C and me, are not an inch different than everyone else. As I keep telling myself, “it’s just our turn.” But damn, it still hurts, brothers and sisters!
I haven’t heard a gobble yet, but on the long fast 2-hour hike I took this evening with the dogs while C was making her final physical transition, I found a jake turd and a couple of tracks on a high dry ridge, while there was zip for sign where you’d expect it; that’s among the wonders of nature: total unpredictability … and I found an arrowhead! Nature heals. Not instantly, but eventually, and as wholly as possible. And it asks nothing in return but love and respect. Now get out there and get ’em gobbling, amigos! Forgive me, but I love you all. Dave and Caroline
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.