I talked to our friend that lost his wife last Thursday this afternoon. He is in a quandry regarding what happened and what he is going to do with the rest of his life. He says he is numb and doesn't have a clue where he is going.
He is moving his brother to a new job in Wyoming today and is very happy for the chance to get away from everything and just drive and think. We talked about a lot of good times we had together at the Gorge and reminisced about the work we did there. It was nice to talk to him but I sure do feel bad for him. He is in for a pretty rough ride the next few weeks while he decides what he is going to do with this part of the rest of his life.
Nobody ever said it would be easy---as I look at this I have it pretty good even though I feel like things have gone to hell in a hand basket---I ain't smilin' but I am countin' my blessings. I love all ya all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Whatta Crock
Spent about half of yesterday driving to a town south of us on slick icy roads to meet with DCFS, meeting with six people representing four agencies telling us how great they are, and driving home.
No one---nope not one gave us any room to hope for getting the kids in the near future---six to eight weeks is the best guess---my guess at this point in time is if we are really, really lucky we will get them for summer vacation unless our kids get them back before that. Some decisions will be made near the end of April in court---I really struggle with this system of help---guess time will tell how resilient the kids really are.
It is super tough for me to hold my tongue and just watch all this crap go on---it really is a CROCK.
If I had to pick a single governmental entity that oversteps its bounds on every turn it would be DCFS---nothing I can do about that but I sure don't think they are doing the best for the kids---no matter what they think---but---my opinion does not matter one whit!!!! And to top it all off they don't have enough guts to talk one on one about it!!!!
No one---nope not one gave us any room to hope for getting the kids in the near future---six to eight weeks is the best guess---my guess at this point in time is if we are really, really lucky we will get them for summer vacation unless our kids get them back before that. Some decisions will be made near the end of April in court---I really struggle with this system of help---guess time will tell how resilient the kids really are.
It is super tough for me to hold my tongue and just watch all this crap go on---it really is a CROCK.
If I had to pick a single governmental entity that oversteps its bounds on every turn it would be DCFS---nothing I can do about that but I sure don't think they are doing the best for the kids---no matter what they think---but---my opinion does not matter one whit!!!! And to top it all off they don't have enough guts to talk one on one about it!!!!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Gone but not forgotten
I have been reading the blogs regarding the passing of one of my friends. She was an interpretive specialist at Flaming Gorge when I knew her. She was married to a guy I really liked and I was tickled when he settled into being a fire guy---I have talked to him about that several times and he always says "I can't believe I finally have the job I have always wanted." He earned it and deserves it.
They had two boys at home that ran around with our kids. They were great friends and drew each other into many adventures that most kids never have. They swam to the island out from the dam for bonfires (in ice cold water that was abouyt 500 feet deep), climbed the arch bridge across Cart Creek (just to show the cops they could), hung off the railing of the dam and took pictures (you can't even get there since 9/11), climbed out on the cliffs above the Green River and took pictures (the best is of the diving board), and dove off the cliffs around the reservoir. When I think about what they did I am amazed that we didn't have a funeral for one of them.
It has been almost 20 years since folks moved on from there but it seems like only yesterday. We have remained friends and have kept in touch through all that time. There is a hole in my heart from her passing. I hope her family copes. We will all miss her.
They had two boys at home that ran around with our kids. They were great friends and drew each other into many adventures that most kids never have. They swam to the island out from the dam for bonfires (in ice cold water that was abouyt 500 feet deep), climbed the arch bridge across Cart Creek (just to show the cops they could), hung off the railing of the dam and took pictures (you can't even get there since 9/11), climbed out on the cliffs above the Green River and took pictures (the best is of the diving board), and dove off the cliffs around the reservoir. When I think about what they did I am amazed that we didn't have a funeral for one of them.
It has been almost 20 years since folks moved on from there but it seems like only yesterday. We have remained friends and have kept in touch through all that time. There is a hole in my heart from her passing. I hope her family copes. We will all miss her.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Five Plus Five
I've been tagged---a few weeks ago---to list the five things I hate and the five things I love so here goes:
Hate:
Hate:
- Driving on the Interstate in rush hour traffic.
- Sitting at a stop light in a city through two complete light changes.
- Government Agencies whose employees don't answer their phone or respond to their voice mail.
- Theives and Cheats.
- Family fights
Love:
- I love my Family---I don't say it enough but I truly do.
- Shooting Christmas balls with the grandkids.
- Having our kids show up at the house for Holidays.
- Good Friends and seeing them.
- Finally being able to see the light on the end of loan payments.
OK those probably aren't the most or the least or even close to all of them but they are in the group----this was extremely hard for me to try to blog about---probably says something about stuffing stuff.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
WHAT'S UP DOC?
So I went to see my Doctor today at 3:45 p.m. I was promptly escorted to an examining room at the far back of the office. I sat there patiently until 5:15 p.m. when my Doctor walked through the door and apologized for being so long---I told him that it was OK---he said "NO IT ISN'T---NO ONE TOLD ME YOU WERE IN THIS ROOM."
We talked about why I was there--to get a refill for my AdVair prescription which I told him I didn't think was working all that well and to see if there was a good expectorant that I could try. He listened to my lungs and was very surprised---he told me he couldn't believe the difference since the last visit (when I was just getting over pneumonia). He said he would renew the AdVair for just in case and gave me a new prescription for pills that are supposed to quiet a cough---I would rather have a pill that caused your cough to be productive instead of dry.
Then I told him I was having some pain in my shoulders and wondered if I had torn the rotator cuffs---he had me raise my arms and then lower them a couple of times then he jammed his thumbs into the socket---it hurt like holy H _ _ L. I really flinched and he told me we could do a lot of x-rays and stuff but what we would find is that I had arthritis building up along the joint. He told me for sure there is no rotator cuff damage or I wouldn't be able to lift my arms as freely as I do.
He also told me I was a pretty healthy 60 (nearly) year old man and had to pay the price for all the stuff I did as a kid. He asked me if I wanted to get some prescription ibuprophen---I told him no---I took four of the 200 mg. generic Ibuprophen with one half of an extra strength tylenol when I had really bad pain and 2 if it just hurt a little. He told me that would work better than what he was going to prescribe.
Then he asked me where I came up with the 1/2 extra strength tylenol in the above mix---I told him from the doctor I had 20 years ago for a back injury I had while I was on a fire---it worked then and it still works---he said he was sure it would work because all the tylenol would do was rush the other stuff into the blood stream---and 800 mg. of Ibuprophen would rapidly take away any inflamation and hence the pain---so all y'all (I've been told by the fire team from the south that that's plural for y'all)---there is a free back pain/inflamed joint or muscle prescription from the Doctor I liked the very best of all the Doctors in my life---it really does work.
We talked about why I was there--to get a refill for my AdVair prescription which I told him I didn't think was working all that well and to see if there was a good expectorant that I could try. He listened to my lungs and was very surprised---he told me he couldn't believe the difference since the last visit (when I was just getting over pneumonia). He said he would renew the AdVair for just in case and gave me a new prescription for pills that are supposed to quiet a cough---I would rather have a pill that caused your cough to be productive instead of dry.
Then I told him I was having some pain in my shoulders and wondered if I had torn the rotator cuffs---he had me raise my arms and then lower them a couple of times then he jammed his thumbs into the socket---it hurt like holy H _ _ L. I really flinched and he told me we could do a lot of x-rays and stuff but what we would find is that I had arthritis building up along the joint. He told me for sure there is no rotator cuff damage or I wouldn't be able to lift my arms as freely as I do.
He also told me I was a pretty healthy 60 (nearly) year old man and had to pay the price for all the stuff I did as a kid. He asked me if I wanted to get some prescription ibuprophen---I told him no---I took four of the 200 mg. generic Ibuprophen with one half of an extra strength tylenol when I had really bad pain and 2 if it just hurt a little. He told me that would work better than what he was going to prescribe.
Then he asked me where I came up with the 1/2 extra strength tylenol in the above mix---I told him from the doctor I had 20 years ago for a back injury I had while I was on a fire---it worked then and it still works---he said he was sure it would work because all the tylenol would do was rush the other stuff into the blood stream---and 800 mg. of Ibuprophen would rapidly take away any inflamation and hence the pain---so all y'all (I've been told by the fire team from the south that that's plural for y'all)---there is a free back pain/inflamed joint or muscle prescription from the Doctor I liked the very best of all the Doctors in my life---it really does work.
Monday, February 18, 2008
HOME ALONE
This is one of those days when I wish I could just do whatever I want to do and not worry any longer about the job. My spouse headed North for a check-up with her oral surgeon and took Tennis Girl home. I should have gone with her. Native Minnow left at the same time to take his kids back and pick up the DNA for his experiments from the lab up North.
We have been in a super quiet house since fall when our youngest daughter left for college but it doesn't hold a candle to how it feels tonight. Now I know a little bit how Inklings feels to be here all day alone.
Could someone call me a wahmbulance?
We have been in a super quiet house since fall when our youngest daughter left for college but it doesn't hold a candle to how it feels tonight. Now I know a little bit how Inklings feels to be here all day alone.
Could someone call me a wahmbulance?
Brighter Days
We had a great weekend with Native Minnow and his kids (tortilini, logster, and Mr. M) and Tennis Girl here for the Holiday. It was a good visit with them and I had a great time teasing Mr. M.
Yesterday I was watching TV and no one else was in the room--all of a sudden the TV screen went BLUE then BLACK---I looked around and couldn't see anything wrong so I turned it back on with the remote. A few seconds later I saw a little hand reach over the arm of the couch and push the off button. 'Twas Mr. M getting even with his grandpa.
It was hilarious to see him scramble when I yelled.
Yesterday I was watching TV and no one else was in the room--all of a sudden the TV screen went BLUE then BLACK---I looked around and couldn't see anything wrong so I turned it back on with the remote. A few seconds later I saw a little hand reach over the arm of the couch and push the off button. 'Twas Mr. M getting even with his grandpa.
It was hilarious to see him scramble when I yelled.
Monday, February 11, 2008
ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER DOLLAR (in the hole)
I am happy to be going back to work today at the job I enjoy. I really did have a good time last week going to the fire meeting but that is really just the change part of my life. You know a change is as good as a rest. I have always thought of the fire team as a way to get away from the daily grind and do something that I am really good at. It is also something (the fire) that usually goes away near the end of the assignment.
This is going to be a great week---I stole this statement from one of my friends but it surely applies:
"GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT---BUT ONLY THE THINGS LEFT BY THOSE WHO HUSTLE."
Have a nice day and get hustling!
This is going to be a great week---I stole this statement from one of my friends but it surely applies:
"GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT---BUT ONLY THE THINGS LEFT BY THOSE WHO HUSTLE."
Have a nice day and get hustling!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
TRAVEL MANIA
I just got back from a trip to Boise, Idaho where we selected the members for the 2008 Fire Teams. This blog is about the trip up and back---nobody cares what went on in the meeting.
We drove the 500 miles each way with five full size adults and all their baggage in a Dodge Durango---needless to say it was a little tight. The roads were ice covered and slick and at one point we had to back track and take another road around a closure that was caused by blowing snow. The trip up took 12 hours.
The folks in the car included four Incident Commanders (team leaders) and me a lowly Logistics Chief. We have all been somewhere on a team together and it is a rather tight group (and I don't mean crowded). There was over 150 years of fire experience in the car so the war stories were never ending---I wish I had recorded it for future publication. Needless to say the trip up and back made the meeting worth going to.
We drove the 500 miles each way with five full size adults and all their baggage in a Dodge Durango---needless to say it was a little tight. The roads were ice covered and slick and at one point we had to back track and take another road around a closure that was caused by blowing snow. The trip up took 12 hours.
The folks in the car included four Incident Commanders (team leaders) and me a lowly Logistics Chief. We have all been somewhere on a team together and it is a rather tight group (and I don't mean crowded). There was over 150 years of fire experience in the car so the war stories were never ending---I wish I had recorded it for future publication. Needless to say the trip up and back made the meeting worth going to.
Friday, February 1, 2008
WHAT A RIDE
We went to a town 100 miles south yesterday to make application for our grand children (12 days after they were taken from their home). The case worker insisted we had to do all the stuff down there because she's very hands on. We have the same exact services here but they are unacceptable to her. So after driving two hours we arrived fifteen minutes early at their office. We sat there patiently for that amount of time.
An office assistant then brought us three sets of paper to fill out and took our drivers licenses to make photo copies of. We filled out the first two sets of papers and gave them back to her and paid for the finger printing that we had to have done. The third set of papers requires a Doctor's evaluation so we took that one home to finish.
When we turned in our paper work and picked up our drivers licences the assistant took us back and did the finger printing---which took some time because the computer wouldn't accept two of my wifes finger prints for many, many tries. When that was completed she told us we could go home. This whole thing took approximately 1/2 hour.
My wife told her the case worker had wanted us to come down there so she could discuss what we needed to do so the assistant called her. She was tied up with other clients and wouldn't be able to see us until another time. HMMMM it is interesting to me who is busy and how you determine that.
Its kind of like stuff and junk---if it's yours it's junk---if it's mine it's stuff;
If it's me I'm too busy---if it's you then you'll have to meet my schedule whatever it is---YEAH I feel like not only was it a waste of my taxpayer money---it was a waste of half a day that I had to take off work to do.
NEVER FORGET---EVERYONE WORKS FOR SOMEONE!!!!!!
and
BE NICE TO EVERYONE---YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHO KNOWS WHO YOU WORK FOR!!!!!!!!!
and finally
NEVER GET IN A PISSING MATCH WITH A SKUNK!!!!!
An office assistant then brought us three sets of paper to fill out and took our drivers licenses to make photo copies of. We filled out the first two sets of papers and gave them back to her and paid for the finger printing that we had to have done. The third set of papers requires a Doctor's evaluation so we took that one home to finish.
When we turned in our paper work and picked up our drivers licences the assistant took us back and did the finger printing---which took some time because the computer wouldn't accept two of my wifes finger prints for many, many tries. When that was completed she told us we could go home. This whole thing took approximately 1/2 hour.
My wife told her the case worker had wanted us to come down there so she could discuss what we needed to do so the assistant called her. She was tied up with other clients and wouldn't be able to see us until another time. HMMMM it is interesting to me who is busy and how you determine that.
Its kind of like stuff and junk---if it's yours it's junk---if it's mine it's stuff;
If it's me I'm too busy---if it's you then you'll have to meet my schedule whatever it is---YEAH I feel like not only was it a waste of my taxpayer money---it was a waste of half a day that I had to take off work to do.
NEVER FORGET---EVERYONE WORKS FOR SOMEONE!!!!!!
and
BE NICE TO EVERYONE---YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHO KNOWS WHO YOU WORK FOR!!!!!!!!!
and finally
NEVER GET IN A PISSING MATCH WITH A SKUNK!!!!!
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