The Treadmill

Vacations?
Yeah, well, sorta.
We went to L.A. a few weeks ago to visit our son. He worked 4 of the five days we were there and we actually went to work (and worked!) with him so we'd have more time together...
And we came home more tired than before we went.

Eufaula.
Wonderful. Great memories.
But it was one of those "different bed, different surroundings" situations.
I didn't get a full eight hours sleep in the four nights we were there...
And we came home more tired than before we went.

By the time you read this I'm hoping Lucy, Yogi, Sara Jean and I will be most of the way to Destin.
We'll be sleeping in a bed of OUR choosing there and it's mighty comfortable.
The bedroom is removed from the "activity area" and is quiet.
We're in our "second home" there and are perfectly comfortable.
We'll be there 10 days and I can promise you... we'll come home rested but sorry we have to leave.
Got time to head South? Come on down... all are welcome.

I know someone who has GREAT news and will no doubt share it when the time is right.
It's prom time, graduation time, planting time, mushroom gathering time.
I know you have stuff to share with us.
So do it.
Now.

I wrote this before news started trickling in that we'll have oil on our beaches within 72 hours or so. I'm heartbroken. I cannot imagine the overall impact of this spill...
If they don't get it under control quickly it will affect the Gulf of Mexico as a whole. Think of that... fishing, tourism, real estate values, the soiling of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
I'm praying for a miracle.

I'm A Prude

"Oooh... There's something I can share!"
Ya know, I'm always thinkin' about stuff I can bring to share with friends, either here at Vandy's Kids or at my own blog. I'll start off reading something, find it interesting, and start to consider linking to it so you too can enjoy it. Then, all too often, things will go sour.
I found a blog post today about folks with out-of-control kids in restaurants that started off making me laugh. Then somewhere along the line the writer began to emphasize her thoughts with the "F" word. By the end of the piece she apparently felt the need to REALLY emphasize her thoughts...
Every eighth word or so was vile.

I'm upset by what to me seems the coarsening of our society. I hear "blue" language used today in places and situations that absolutely shock me.
I guess I'm still a hick at heart...
I'm not gonna share that with you.

Got something "clean" to share with the rest of us?

EUFAULA, ALABAMA

EUFAULA, ALABAMA - THE CITY, THE LAKE, THE FRIENDS…….

We soooo enjoyed the time with friends at the two cabins on the lake surrounded by the beautiful azalea bushes and dogwood and pine trees. By the end of our time there, it did feel and work much like a family. There was always someone to fish, play cards, see beautiful antebellum homes, take a walk, gab on the porch or eat with. It was fun to work together to make meals and everyone eat together. Thank you to Cinders for the delicious ham, H & C for the tasty fish fry and GB and Sara Jean for the yummy Belgian Waffles. Everyone was pleasant, lots of laughing and I think by the pictures, you could tell how relaxed everyone was. Beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures made this the perfect time.

The antebellum homes and Civil War Eufaula Rifles living history encampment were so beautiful and amazing. The time period was 1861, Alabama had just seceded from the United States. At the encampment the Civil War soldiers (the Eufaula Boy Scouts) guided us on a tour of their camp. The white canvas tents, hardtack mush warming on the fire and the crack of musket fire took us all back to experience the Civil War in Eufaula for ourselves.

The seven antebellum homes we saw during the day and 4 by candlelight were completely restored. The murals, curtains, furnishings, lovely chandeliers and gardens were such a joy to see. The ladies in the hoop skirts and gentlemen in period clothes at the homes made us feel so welcome. The slow southern voices felt good to your ears. At many of the homes period musical instruments were played. I remember the beautiful hammered dulcimer, guitar, flute, piano and violin. Sometimes gentle songs from the past were sung as the instruments were played. A step back in time was such a pleasant experience.

Many thanks to H & C and everyone else who organized this.

Note to H: Hawk has good genes and probably a high metabolism. Thank you for the complement! I do love to cook.

Mrs. Hawkeye

Gettin' It Done

Well, I'm still comin' down from the high of being with beloved schoolmates in Eufaula.
These visits illuminate several things-

1. Chatting with Hawk and others at the gathering I'm convinced retirement won't be such a difficult adjustment.
And 2- I didn't allot nearly enough time to feel satisfied when we had to drive away. We need to do more of these sorts of things, and from the outset plan for more than a few days together. I know I say this every time but ask around and you'll find it's true-

If you miss these minis, you're really missing great memory-making times.

Now, some new business:

We're all lookin' forward to our next chance to meet, and right now that opportunity looks to be the Alumni Banquet on Saturday, June 12. Last year we effectively closed the banquet down and moved to a new venue, then closed that down too. Along the way we picked up some new Vandy's Kids, and everyone seemed to have enjoyed the chance to really visit with one another. I've said before that I love these banquets because it's entirely likely you'll run into a schoolmate you haven't seen since graduation, or earlier. (You may remember last year I ran into my cousin Jim H., and I hadn't seem him since '64.)

But none of these events... the Alumni Banquet, the formal class reunions, or the minis, happens without someone taking the reins and getting the horse pointed in the right direction.
Yesterday I received this note from Mr. L. :

"(Greybeard),

I recently had correspondence with (Hatchet), a former student at CG. He informed me that a Mr. (Jack R.) who is in charge of the banquet was having trouble getting people to help with the 2010 CG Alumni Banquet, and wasn't sure if there would be one. Hatchet's health of late has prevented him from helping as he has in the past with the banquet. It might be wise for you to e-mail Hatchet by the e-mail address at the bottom of this correspondence.

Glad you all had a great time down south recently. My Franklin High School Class of '51 meet once a month at the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, IN for a breakfast get-together. WE, too, have kept close to one another through the years. I represent the communicator of the class keeping news, etc abreast of what is going on by e-mails, phone calls, and regular mailing. We have between 20-25 including spouses too. Our class graduated 66, 21 are now deceased. I also appreciated reading from Vandy's Kids all who had passed away. Behave but know that is hard for you to do.

Mr. L"

First, I'm sorry Hatchet is having health concerns. I know he stops by here now and then, so Hatchet-

Get well soon!

Secondly, I complained last year about the way ticket sales were handled...
That tickets were not available for purchase the night of the banquet. I understand why the committee did what they did... running out of food the year before was an embarrassment. But how did anyone know beforehand they would not be able to buy a ticket at the door? The Alumni website is a farce. (Most information there is over a year old.) Where must we go (other than here) for accurate information about Alumni activities? If the committee wants to attract larger crowds to these events, there needs to be a place to get timely, accurate information.
I suspect those on the committee may already feel overwhelmed by the tasks they must do to get the job done. So I suggest you do what I'm gonna do-
I'll email Hatchet and BobWhiteDan tomorrow to see if there is anything I can do to help. If you have Jack R's phone number or email, you might want to contact him and see if you can help pull the wagon. We have no right to complain unless we have tried to be part of the solution.

Now...
Friday has once again rolled around with no help from any of us.
Spring is springing and the Mayapples are popping up everywhere. I bet TC is out searching for Morels!
What about you? What are you doing?

Old Friend...New Friends

The drive was longer than it should've been, but Spring got a little farther along with each mile south.  We rarely see wysteria in Indiana, but here it grew wild and abundantly, often reaching the top of the tallest trees.  And it was in full bloom.  Taking the "scenic route" to avoid the stopped traffic on the 65S entrances in Nashville, we passed through a couple of beautiful towns we never would've seen otherwise.  It was worth the extra hour or so on the road.

When we reached our destination, a guy was in the front yard.  I asked him if he was with the Center Grove group, and he verified that he was.  After he introduced himself, I asked if he had any brothers.  Sure enough...I had graduated with his brother Terry.  Although Terry and I never ran in the same circles, I knew he was a nice guy.  His brother was bound to be the same.

We met everyone else there, and they were in the final stages of supper preparation.  We gladly accepted the invitation to share in the meal.  It had been a 12-hour trip and we were hungry.  The ham, green beans, and taters tasted great--so did dessert.  After the cleanup, we waited for the last couple to arrive.  GB and his wife were the only ones we'd met before.  We were strangers to the rest of the group, but I had a common thread with them--we were graduates of Center Grove High School.

Over the next few days, fish were caught, fish tales were told, and the fish was cleaned and fried.  We played "Hand and Foot" and I loved the card game so much that I've already ordered all the stuff I need from Amazon.  (I can't wait to teach my family.)  We toured southern mansions, gardens, and a plantation.  We enjoyed a few bottles of wine, and gave away a few bottles.  And although my husband and I planned on fishing, we enjoyed just sitting and visiting so much that we just stayed on land.  Besides, the real fishermen of the group were doing a great job, as you can see by the photo above.

I've met a lot of nice people in my life, but these old classmates were among the nicest I've ever met.  Not once did I feel out of place.  I think my husband and I have another set of friends, and we're looking forward to seeing everyone again and again.  Before the trip was over, I was thinking about the next trip.  Wherever it is, it's bound to be a fun time.

Thanks to all of you for extending your hands in friendship to us.  It's a blessing to get to know all of you.  And I've got a feeling that Mr. V. had a hand in orchestrating this whole thing.

Love to our new friends,

~Cissy (AKA: Helen)

OTD Eufaula

"Out The Door"

We're all on our way home. What a GREAT TIME!
Sara Jean and I just finished lunch here in the Krystal restaurant in Montgomery, Alabama. We have another 10 hours or so to drive, but it's wonderful weather for the trip.

Several VK's got great pics, to include the 6 ib. 6 oz bass Harry caught. Beautiful!

Open forum time.
Tell us your news. We'll fill in more details about Eufaula when we unwind from the trip.

Eufaula- "Coming Attractions"

I haven't discussed it in a while. I thought we had the problem licked but it's a tough one, and she has regressed...
QVC addiction.
And one of the main problems is that I am sometimes "co-dependent".
"Look at this!", she'll exclaim. "Isn't that a GREAT deal?!!"
And when I look, of course IT IS a great deal.
Example:
I LOVE Belgian waffles. For a long time I had my eye on a waffle maker at Macy's. The price was too dear for me to pull the trigger, but I went in one day and they had reduced the price. I commented to Sara Jean that if they reduced it further I'd buy the thing.
Next time we were in, it was sold...
No plans to restock it.

Late January, she gave me a big box to open for my birthday.
When I opened it, there was my Belgian waffle maker!
QVC was selling them, and they had them at a considerable discount over the one I was watching at Macy's. I found a "Best" recipe online and we've made waffles with it almost every weekend since January. They're so good they make you want to smack your Grandma!

We're bringing the waffle maker with us to Eufaula. We'll take a consensus vote, and one morning we'll be making breakfast and Belgian waffles will be served overlooking the lake.
Do you want to miss that?
I didn't think so.
But... if she's still living, you'd better warn your Grandma.

When It's Windy It's Wendy or Windy:

And boy has it been windy here! Last night, a flight that normally takes 40 minutes took almost an hour... I was buckin' a 30 knot headwind. The only thing good about it? The 42-year old female stroke victim was the beneficiary of almost a 30 knot tailwind on the way to get the help she needed. In the midst of a terrible situation, she got a little blessing.

Are you counting your blessings on these windy days?
Tell us about it.

A Sad Update

TD has been in touch with Louise (A.) F., CGHS '64, and she updated him with the names of several folks she knew that have passed that were not on our Memorial. TD added the names there.
Reading many of them brought back a flood of memories.
See if you have the same experience.

Open All Night

I've always been a nightowl. Back in the days we were walking the creaking floors of the old middle building my Friday and Saturday nights would find me awake until 3 A.M. or so, then sleeping in until 11-12 O'Clock.
(And that sleep schedule made Monday mornings mighty difficult.)
But thinkin' about those days dredged a couple stories up from 'way back in the grey matter-

The Greybeard garage was a place to congregate.
A great tool inventory, plenty of available light, Jacks/jackstands, a lift for pulling engines, and a radio for top 40, news, weather, and sports.
Near perfection.
It was perfectly normal to find several teen-aged boys changing a clutch/pressure plate/throwout bearing at 1 A.M. Saturday morning at Greybeard's folk's place. We'd listen to Rock-n-Roll on WIBC until midnight, then when "Dawnbeat" came on we'd try switching over to WLS out of Chicago so we didn't have to listen to the elevator music Dawnbeat offered. Sometimes Dick Biondi would be on WLS... (Remember "Greasy Kid Stuff"?)

Fond memories...
And part of the reason they are fond memories is because IF, in the middle of our mechanic-ing efforts we broke something or found something worn out that we didn't expect, we knew we could call "Hi-Way Parts" and check to see if they had what we needed. Hi-Way Parts was "Open All Night"!
I wish I had a nickel for every muffler and tailpipe I've changed in the wee hours using parts procured from Hi-Way parts...
I could now buy a fine cuppa Joe!

When the wrench-twisting was done and our stomachs were growling, we'd head to the newly opened "White Castle" on Madison Avenue...
Open All Night...
What an interesting place to be at 3 A.M.! It's understatement to say the clientele there at that hour was "diverse".
I can remember standing in line with TPO one morning when he informed me the reason White Castle's burgers were so cheap was because they were made from "lame cows". White Castle got 'em for bottom dollar 'cause no one else wanted 'em!
At the cash register, the name-tag on the gal said "Betty", and beneath that it said "Manager".
From that point on, any time we saw her we referred to her as "Betty Manager". Betty Manager tolerated us with a big smile.

It may have been that same morning that a VERY drunk, mid-twenties black man in front of me started singing...
"La di dah di di... La di dah di die." (Sonny's part from Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On".)
He turned to me and with a mostly-toothy grin and said, "I wrote that!"
"You wrote what?"
"That part of that song. They couldn't figure out what to put in there, so they called me. I told them what to put in there."

So now you can imagine what I think of every time I hear Sonny singing on the radio:
"La di dah di di... La di dah di die"... even these fifty or so years later.

Now...
Echo is knee deep in a Real Estate deal.
Cissy is thinking about going postal at her new/old job.
Rita is overworked and she and Bob need a trip to Alabama.
HF is thinkin' about catching fish.
GB and Sara Jean are headed to L.A. to visit Big Bubba this weekend.
Many of us are looking forward to fine fellowship and an adult beverage while overlooking lovely Lake Eufaula.
It's Friday Forum time.
Tell us...
What's upcoming on your agenda?

See The Eufaula Alligators!

H&C warn that expecting your GPS to get ya there may getcha in trouble. I've personally come to depend so heavily on "Carmen the Garmin" that I frequently cannot tell you which direction I'm going, (and for a pilot, that's a Cardinal sin!) But GPS leading us astray? I'll wager this is one of those situations where the GPS will do fine until we get onto some of the uncharted two-lane roads down close to the Lake.
SO.... in order for ya to arrive safely and non-frazzled, instructions are provided:

From the South:
Take Hwy 431 North towards Eufaula, AL out of Dothan
From the Headland Hardee’s on 431 go 33.3 miles
Turn Right on Hwy 95 – Go 4 miles
Turn Left on Old River Road (Same as Hwy 97) – Go 4 miles ( Turns in front of Church on Left as you start to go up hill)
Turn Left (stay on 97… hwy 93 goes straight) – Go 2 miles
Englewood entrance located on left side of road
Turn Left on Galaxie Drive
Take First Right on South Galaxie
Go to dead end stop and turn Right on Englewood
5th cabin on left just around the curve (459 Englewood Drive)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the North:
Take Hwy 431 South to Eufaula, AL
From the Eufaula Wal-Mart located on 431 travel 5.7 miles South
Turn Left on Hwy 95 – Go 4 Miles
Turn Left on Old River Road (Same as Hwy 97) – Go 4 miles ( Turns in front of Church on Left as you start to go up hill)
Turn Left (stay on 97… hwy 93 goes straight) – Go 2 miles
Englewood entrance located on left side of road
Turn Left on Galaxie Drive
Take First Right on South Galaxie
Go to dead end stop and turn Right on Englewood
5th cabin on left just around the curve (459 Englewood Drive)

Don't be confused... use of the term "Cabin" above does not mean we'll be staying in "Cabins".
We'll actually be in tall cotton. We have two full-size, gen-U-WINE homes reserved and we're still looking for schoolmates to fill vacancies. Why not do something out of the ordinary, you "stick in the mud, boring person"? Surprise yourself and everyone else by doing something a little crazy and spontaneous... head to the Deep South for fun, relaxation, and ALLIGATORS!
From previous experience I know the week will start with smiles and hugs and from that point will only improve. And you're gonna risk missing this?
Are you CRAZY?!!

Once again it's Friday open forum time...
Let 'er rip!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN-Tampa, Fl to Greenwood, IN

Hello everyone, Mrs. Hawk here, today is the morning after.....Hawk and I left Tampa yesterday at 9:11 AM and I was driving. We knew there was rain ahead before we got out of Florida, but did not realize how much. Sheets of gray pouring rain made driving 15 to 20 MPH the best we could do. Stopping for gas just before Gainesville, FL when the rain let up a little and being blocked in by a fire truck and an ambulance at the gas station was our first blessing (a lady in the bay next to us had some kind of medical problem and the emergency trucks were there for her). Back on the road, and rain not so bad, but traffic soon came to a stop. As we edged forward slowly, we came upon an accident with 9 cars smashed like coke cans. The cars were scattered for maybe 1/4 mile on either side of 75 North. Only one police car had arrived on the scene, the accident had just happened. Had we not stopped for gas and been blocked in by emergency trucks........

During the rain, I was driving. I kept commenting to Bob the way we were bumping along. I thought it was caused by the heavy rain I was driving through. After the rain slowed down, I could still feel the bump, but reasoned it must be the road.

I missed our exit for 10 West and we had to turn around. At this time the car gave a warning message of "low tire pressure". We stopped, Hawk checked our tires and found a bulge on the left front tire. A steel belt had separated. Using the GPS Hawk found a tire store 1.7 miles away. We got a new tire and were back on the road at 3 PM. It was 6 hours after we left Tampa and we had traveled 175 miles. Our second blessing was not having that tire cause us to crash........

About 5:30PM yesterday, March 11th, and in beautiful sunshine we passed through Chipply, Florida, home of Carol and Harry F. Such a nice town. We had to get to Montgomery, Alabama where our overnight reservations were, or we would have made contact with them. We will see them in 3 weeks in Eufalla and will visit then.

This morning we see again rain ahead for our trip home up 65 North. Looks like the bad storms are now over Atlanta. By God's Grace we will be home to Greenwood tonight.

Peace and love, Mrs. Hawk

vacations

Moribund?
Dormant, maybe, but not moribund (I hope).

Anyhow, I haven't been on in awhile and then I find I'm listed as dormant & moribund.
Ha ha. I don't mind, at least I'm not alone.

I have a little story about Lake Eufaula, it goes like this:
My ex-husband has relatives in Southern Georgia and every year (sometimes twice a year) he and his fishing buddies would take his bass boat and head to Eufaula and stay with his cousins. They caught tons of bass. He would take the video camera and tape the dead fish they caught lying on the picnic tables. A simple picture would suffice, but he had to use the video of dead fish lying there! Then all summer, here in IN, he would go fishing on weekends at Lake Monroe, Patoka Lake, or wherever he heard the fishing was good. He even entered contests.
I was never asked to go to Eufaula, not that I would have anyhow, but it would have been a nice vacation for me and the kids.

Meanwhile, my sister-in-law (she being a single mom of 2) and I, with my 2 kids, would make a yearly trip to Disney World in Orlando. Now, don't you think a husband & wife should take vacations together? Especially when they have kids? In the whole 18 years I was married, I think we took, maybe, 4 or 5 vacations as a family.

I'm not trying to be a downer and I'm sure Eufaula is beautiful; all I saw of it was a video of dead fish lying on a picnic table, but I just had to put my 2 cents worth in. Ha!
I hope you all have a wonderful time, really. But for me Eufaula leaves a bad taste in my mouth and is definitely one of the reasons I am no longer married.
Joker

It's March!

Well, here we are. Time flies, doesn't it? Buds on trees here look ready to burst. We've had a couple 50+ degree days here when the breeze blowing out of the South made it impossible to deny Spring is just around the corner. Soon the Willows will be green and Dogwoods will be in bloom...
A wonderful time of year.

The countdown to Eufaula has also begun. I've been working 56-hour weeks for what seems to be forever, so I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to rising in late morning, pouring a cuppa Joe, sitting in a chair overlooking the lake and visiting with whomever happens to be within arm's reach. If that sounds like good duty to you, we still have plenty of room for you to join us. Get in touch with me, TD, or H&C and we'll add your name to the list. Details are available at links in posts below, so check it out and get the ball rollin'!

Ferdy left a comment at the post immediately below this one about Jim Robinson's Mother. Anyone with more information, please update us.

I'm convinced Sara Jean has a mild case of pneumonia. She's been hacking now for more than two weeks. She feels fine until she climbs stairs or otherwise taxes her body. TD said he has something similar, and the last time I chatted with him he said he believes he's finally on the road to recovery. There's still lots of stuff running around to catch, so take care of yourselves and don't let your immunity get weak. Obviously, we can thank God the predicted Swine Flu pandemic was another false alarm.

Now... it's Friday again. You've got news to share, haven't you?

Suzan/Tsunami

Suzan and Ken woke to warning sirens this morning. They have evacuated their home in Ewa Beach and are now at Pearl Harbor. Waves are forecast to hit Hawaii at 11:19 their time, and there is evidence the warnings are valid.
Pray for them.
Her words:

What do you gather up to take with you in 2 hours time? Important papers, photo albums, food, water, some clothes, and off we go. On MSNBC they mention our town, Ewa Beach. Updates all the time, sirens went off at 6am, waves due to hit at 11 am and for hours there after. No one is taking a chance, be the waves 35 ft or 3 inches. Keep us in your prayers please. I am now sitting at Pearl Harbor hoping for the best.

Update:
At 3:30 Eastern time, The Weather Channel is predicting 1-3 foot waves at Oahu within the hour.

Another Update:
Apparently Suzan and Ken are on their way home... a little after 7 P.M. Eastern, major danger is gone.

Good News/Sad News. (Let's Celebrate Life!)

First, the GOOD news...
Today is Ferdy's birthday... her 39th I believe. (Ferd, I'll let you decide if you want to tell us how many oak-leaf clusters to add!) Trying to lie to our group is not fair though, 'cause we've all watched as mucho water has passed beneath the bridge, right? Still, it's in our mutual interest to keep her secret isn't it?!!
Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY FERDY! Come to Alabama and I'll buy you birthday cake and ice cream!

Now the sad...
As you've read below, O.J. is gone. Shouldn't we hesitate to call that BAD news? He brought us all joy. We were blessed to have him as a teacher and friend. Godspeed O.J. and thank you...
My life is better for having known you.

April is just around the corner. You still have time to make your plans to join us in Eufaula, Alabama for the "Pilgrimage" there.
Those that want to fish, can fish.
Those that want to eat fish... will eat the FRESHEST fish, providing our fisherman have any luck at all.
Those that want to tour BIG antebellum homes can lay their money down and do just that. This is a BEAUTIFUL little Southern town that took my breath away just driving through it!
Those who are like me and just want a few days off the treadmill... will find like minds willing to help spark old memories of school, neighborhood, mutual friends, and shared experiences. Bring your cares and stresses and we'll iron them all out... I promise you'll relax, take a deep breath, feel your blood pressure drop, and be glad you came. This promises to be another of those events that bonds us all together stronger than we ever were "back when". And this time we'll be adding new members to our VK family. You know you want to come, so get off your backside and make it happen! We have great lodging scheduled there starting the week of 5 April I believe...
(Please correct me if I'm wrong, anyone).
This is one of the rental properties we've reserved, and it will sleep 8 in various beds. We had hoped to bring Lucy with us and this unit is pet friendly, so Sara Jean and I will be staying here.
This is the other unit. It has beds to sleep 12 so you can see, we still have lotsa room for more VK's. (Money is not a big deal here folks... if you can make it down and want to come, let me, TD, or H&C know and we'll make it work!)

If you have it, send H&C your deposit check for $200... it's not too late!
I promise... you'll be GLAD you did.

Another Friend Gone

O.J. Sloop, Friend and Mentor to many - will be missed

O.J. Sloop, 88, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, in Franklin. He was a resident of Bargersville.He is survived by his wife, Lorene (Baker) Sloop.Services are pending at Flinn & Maguire Funeral Home in Franklin. Information: 736-5528

Will have more information as it comes out.

Bonehead.

She called me at work...
"We have a problem."
"What's wrong?"
"We have no water."
"Uh-oh."

I pay the water bill in person. The water department is right along a route I drive almost daily, so why waste the postage? I pay the bill three or four months in advance so I don't have to do it often.
Most times, the bill comes with green printing indicating I still have a credit balance. This time the bill came in red with a "Disconnect!" warning...
If the bill wasn't paid within 10 days they'd shut our water off.

I extended my hands and fingers in front of me and counted...
When I was done, I figured I had until today to pay the bill.
I counted wrong.
I had until yesterday. Since I've worked straight days... a 12 hour shift for the past week, there was no time to drive past the office and pay the bill.

So I paid it first thing this morning, to include the $25 reconnect fee.
I ran a couple errands, came home, and flushed the toilet...
Having water pressure in the house is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

Anything exciting or irritating, (or both) goin' on in your life?
Surely I'm not the only bonehead in our group!

Not Just "Missy Cissy"-

Eyes wide open... it's still dark. What time is it?
I raise my head off the pillow to see the face of the alarm clock over the blonde head lying next to me... it's 2:30. Here we go again!

We push the doohickey on top of the thermostat all the way to the left before we go to bed, so the temperature in the house gradually drops to 50 degrees overnight. On top of this we have a floor fan stirring the air to make some white noise, so the wind chill in the bedroom could be even less than 50. At this temperature my 12 pound, furry, "living hot water bottle" finds it most comfortable to burrow beneath the covers and curl up in my crotch. So far she hasn't budged... another indicator that the room is mighty chilly.

Oh well. I'll lie here quietly. The waterbed is heated. My living hot water bottle is in place. I listen to Sara Jean snore... wait, that's a misnomer... HUM. It's actually a comforting sound, not irritating at all. Over the sound of the floor fan I hear the refrigerator motor kick on downstairs... my hearing surprises me sometimes... I'm not deaf to all frequencies quite yet.

We're half a mile from the railroad tracks. I hear the drumming of the big diesel locomotive idling. In the distance I hear the approach of another train. It reaches the crossing and blows the horn and I smile. In the wee hours of the morning the engineers cheat... they're supposed to blow "Loooonnnnnng, loooooonnnnnnng, short, loooooonnnnnng", sustaining the last long toot all the way into the crossing. At this hour, in deference to those living right next to the tracks, most of them pull the rope for their horns about halfway and get a half-volume toot. Sometimes their horns sound more like goats crying out for a mate. After this train passes, the engine I heard idling speeds up, then I hear another half-hearted horn bleating. He was waiting for the other train to pass so the track would be clear. Maybe one was going Northbound and the other South? I can't tell from my listening point, but I bet that was the case.

I gently raise my head and glance at the clock... 3:05.
The alarm to wake me will sound at 5:40... I have a dreaded day shift today. I lie and listen to the wind blowing outside and I'm glad I don't have to work in it. Twenty-five degrees with a 10 knot wind does not make me happy. Lying in bed next to this beauty with a loyal dog helping keep me warm is what makes me happy. The thought of having to get up while it's still dark outside is stressful to me, and is what is causing this insomnia.
Head raised... 3:47.

The last time I raised my head before dropping back into slumber the clock read 4:11. I woke five minutes before the alarm went off and took care of my bathroom needs before waking Sara Jean. She has a big day today and needed to be up early too.

Coffee.
Egg sandwich... yum!
Lunch bucket and thermos in the car, along with other work needs, I'm on the road a little after 6 A.M.. Flying weather this morning will be nice, but the forecast for this afternoon includes rain and snow... normal for this time of year.

At work my mechanic announces he has "phase inspections" to perform on the aircraft, and it will be "out of service" until Noon. We start the tug, attach it to the BK117, and carefully pull it into the hangar. When I finish this post and push "publish" I'll lie down and catch a nap...
Remember, "E.M.S." means "Earn Money Sleeping".
I hope you slept better than I did last night, but if not I hope you can make a little money today while taking a nap!

So let's hear about selling homes, giving away kitties, working out at the Y, doing the same old work for a "new" employer, recovering from the tragic loss last weekend, and anything else that might be happening to our beloved VK's.

Friday, 5 February 2009

I woke to a cool, gray, rainy day today...
The last two nights have pretty much been non-flyable due to weather. Wednesday night the risk was fog formation. Last night I got to work to find the helicopter already in the hangar...
Ceiling and viz too low to go, and the forecast was bad for the whole evening. Still, hospitals call to see if we can come transport some patient in desperate need and we have to tell 'em NO!
When I hired on for this job, one of the pilots that brought me on board here had a saying-
"Some days it just sucks to need a helicopter transport. Pick your days to get hurt or sick carefully."
The forecast for today and much of tonight is still schmutz. I'm taking my tax information to work with me to start getting it in order, and the neat part about this job is that I'll be paid pretty well while doing that.

I chatted at length via Facebook with Tools yesterday afternoon.
He's still doing well... sounded to be in great spirits. But his Dad is not so good. Tools indicated he could die at any time. The route Tools takes to come home brings him within a few miles of Casa Greybeard, and he has stopped to spend the night here before on his way home. I reminded him we have a perfectly good empty bed downstairs, and cold beer in the 'fridge. It's another of those situations...
I liked and respected his Dad, so naturally you hate to hear he's perilously near the end of his life. But when Tool's shadow darkens our doorway there will be good times and once again great memories will be shared. Again, even the dark clouds have a silver lining.

Echo has her home for sale. DJ has a cat that needs a good home. Hawk and his bride are safely in Florida enjoying weather that I hope is much better than what we're experiencing here at home. And let's see... seems to me something out of the ordinary is happening Sunday, isn't it?
(I get paid well for watching TV too!)

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.
Bring all of us to speed with your news!