New Wheels

Inklings wrote about the only difference between men and boys is the size and the price of their toys---well today I got my new toy. I got a new work truck today that has all the whistles and bells on it. It is a Dodge 1/2 ton six pack with a short wheel base and a HEMI. It is like my old truck except it has the electric windows, smart key, electric doors, and a cd player. I picked it up this afternoon. It had 8 miles on when I picked it up.

This will definately be my last truck in my career---I thought the last one was---and it probably should have been---but this one is for sure. I have really enjoyed my old truck but have wished forever that I had electric windows and door locks---now I have them I won't have to reach across the truck to unlock the door anymore---I know that sounds like whining but with the console down like I have to have it, I am almost too short to reach the door handle to unlock the door.

My only wish is that this was my personal truck---I really like it.

TRIPPIN' TO RENO

Last week I went to Reno for a training assignment in fire Logistics---there were lots of people I knew at the training and lots more that knew me---I have been doing Logistics on a wildland fire management team for over 22 years so nearly everyone that does wildland fire has been on a fire with me somewhere in the US. It is always fun for me to go to these sessions because I am good at what I do---I also am tough on what I beleive so don't take much from the new instructors---I told one in class that what he was covering would not---I repeat NOT---happen in my watch---he went on about how great it was and that it would take a couple more years to perfect what they were talking about to which I said "AS I SAID---NOT IN MY WATCH" I plan to retire before that and everyone knows that.

BUT that isn't what I was going to write about---one of my really good friends was there and we spent some time gambling---and losing---so the last night I walked past the CRAP table with him and stopped---I went back and dropped a few bucks on the field (the poorest bet on the table) and hit it. I picked it up and continued to put it down when I felt like it---I hit 9 out of 11 plays and did really good---then I did something I have never been good at----I picked up my money and left---never to return to the tables again that trip---was fun to come home a winner---again. He kept saying I ought to play some money with you---I kept telling him to do whatever he wanted---he never put any money down and was HOT the rest of the trip that he let me play alone. We'll have something to talk about the rest of our lives because of this trip---it was fun.

FIVE THINGS

OK--this sucks but I decided I needed to do it just to get it off my mind---I have been tasked to do the five thing deal for ME, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND OTHERS. Just for the record OTHERS was by far the easiest---does that tell you something???? I tells me something!!!!!

ME
Read
Blog
Shoot my guns at Christmas ornaments---does this tell you something???
Travel---anywhere
Fight Fire---yeah after all this time I can truly say I do this for ME

FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Keep in touch via Blog/phone/and occasionally e-mail
See my grand kids whenever I can
Help with their finances when I can
Help with other needs when I can
PRAY for them----ALWAYS

OTHERS
Drive Friendly---I no longer get upset at others for cutting in and stuff---in fact I try really hard to let everyone in that I recognize as having trouble EVERYONE.
Give Blood
Give money through charities and through my church donations
Smile at strangers I pass on the street---especially if they are having trouble with their little kids.
Help stranded people on the road if I can---this is one of the things I really liked about riding shotgun with my friend in the Highway Patrol

As hard as this was for me to complete I am not tagging anyone else to do it---I am not sure what this tells about me but it sure does make me wonder what I have been up to in my life.

WHAT THE HE_ _

I have been watching this blog every day for the past few days waiting for an update---I just realized if it is ever going to be updated it is up to me---whatabummer.

OK Easter weekend is history and Inklings and I had a nice trip North---no we didn't see Santa Claus but we did have a good trip. I got home from Reno about 8:30 p.m. Friday night and we hit the road around 10:00 a.m. Saturday. We got to see a few of our kids and grandkids although not all at once. It was really good to see the ones we did and we enjoyed the visit.

We got home fairly early Sunday night and caught up on a couple of things that needed to be done. I finally crashed really hard--really hard--I didn't sleep well in Reno and needed some quality sleep---I slept until 8:45 Sunday morning at the motel---a very late time to get up for me---so was feeling pretty good about getting caught up on my sleep. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. this morning with a panic attack---what ever it was about was not clear---I forced myself to lie back down and try to go to sleep---by 4:00 a.m. my heart was racing and my throat was tight so I just got up and got dressed---so much for catching up on my sleep---that is exactly what happened to me every night in Reno so maybe this is the new sleep pattern and I don't need to catch up.

I had six weeks of training in a row and last week was the third week---so I am half way there and I at least get to train at home this week---I believe I will be finished with this weeks training by noon Friday---aha it is 5:27 a.m. Monday and I am already looking forward to Friday. Does that mean anything???????

MORE FAVORITE QUOTES

"YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THINGS OF YOURSELF BEFORE YOU CAN DO THEM" Michael Jordan

"YOU MISS 100 PERCENT OF THE SHOTS YOU NEVER TAKE"Wayne Gretzky

"THE HARDER YOU WORK, THE LUCKIER YOU GET." Gary Player

"DO NOT LET WHAT YOU CAN'T DO INTERFERE WITH WHAT YOU CAN DO." John Wooden

"THE MAN WHO HAS NO IMAGINATION HAS NO WINGS." Muhammad Ali
(he is the single greatest athlete that ever graced this earth---he had the athletic ability to do any sport---he just chose one that was an individual sport)

and my last and favorite

"BE NICE TO YOUR CHILDREN, FOR THEY WILL CHOOSE YOUR REST HOME." Phyllis Diller

FAVORITE QUOTES

"No plan survives contact with the enemy."
Andrew Krepinevich

"Without fear---there is no such thing as courge."
Unknown--to me

I WILL ADD MORE WHEN I GET MY BOOK BACK

T'DAY

T'Day is over and I made it through the first day of the training---only three and a half days and the test left to go. There have been a lot of changes since I took this training in 1975 but the essence is still the same.

I must have had really good contracting officer's because with the training today there are some changes but I have been aware of all of them. I guess I am not really surprised because the supervisory contracting officer I have done my business with is the best I have ever known---she retired last winter and will be sorely missed---sorely---I like her replacement but he doesn't have her insight or experience---I expect a rough road for a while.

WHAT A TRIP

I am in Boise, Idaho this week to be trained as a contracting officers representative---a job I have done for over 35 years. I was trained early in my career but they say it is no longer valid training so here I am to try to learn some new tricks---you know old dogs and all that stuff---should be a hoot---I'm probably the one all the war stories came from.

I am looking forward to seeing who the teacher is---last time I did a training similar to this, from the same company, the teacher worked for me when we were in Montana. I am not convinced you get what you pay for.

Had a great drive up---490 miles and didn't see a single accident. That has got to be a new record.

TRIPPIN'

Our two youngest daughters came home last night for a short visit---one for a couple of days and one for 10 days. So this morning we all got up and decided we were going to see the grandparents---soooo---around 1:00 p.m. we were finally able to get out of the house heading south.

We had a great trip to see our parents and had a pretty good trip down and back---you never guessed it this time 'cause there wasn't a lot of bickering and fighting---the girls are growing up???? NOPE the dad just kept his mouth mostly shut. Saves a lot of crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I really didn't live up to my handle this time.

OLD BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

I have worked for the same Government Agency for 38 years now and have taken thousands of hours of in house training. This past month or so they have been working through my training and have determined that much of it is no longer valid because of changes in how we do business and changes in the laws that allow us to operate. This is really funny because I am currently the only one around here with the authority to do some things and this is because of my no longer valid training----sooooo----I'm off to see the WIZARD----

For the next two weeks I am off to training then home for a week where I will have training for two of the five days that week then off the next week for three days of training and then off the next week for four days of training. It has been many years since I had six weeks tied up in training.

This is really going to be funny to be at these training sessions because I have probably done more of this kind of work than the teachers of the classes will have done---well it sure will be fun to act STOOPID!

TORN

I was going to blog last night and got everything set up and ready to go when the Jazz game came on the tube---I sat down at the computer and read my e-mail then turned it off and watched the game---not even a good game but the JAZZ won!!!

I went to a training session yesterday where people were being trained to do fuel reduction and wildlife habitat improvement. I got to go because in the last six years we have done 38,000+++ acres of this. It was fun to talk about the machinery we have been using and see it going to other places for the same use.

I don't take any credit for anything that happened here but my Wildlife Biologist has got every honor and award that is out there for his work and breaking new ground---it was a good day. The food was even good.

BORING---BORING---BORING

I have a way boring life---I go to work---I come home---I eat---I watch 3 episodes of Desparate Housewives (oh wait I can't do that anymore---I finished all the episodes last night)---I go to sleep---I wake up at 1:30 am and look at the clock---I roll back over and go back to sleep---I wake up at 4:00 am and look at the clock---I roll back over and toss and turn until around 6:00 am at which time I am hurting so bad I get up and go to work. It is the same day after day. DAY. AFTER.DAY.

It is so amazing to me that as I get older it gets tougher for me to sleep---what's that all about????? We no longer have any kids in the house so you'd think with no noise sleeping would be a breeze.

By the time I get out of bed every morning I can tell you everywhere I was injured when I was younger---yup---every single bruise, twisted joint, or simply where I got shook up on a Bull or a horse.

It really is true---"IF I'D A KNOWN I WAS GOING TO LIVE THIS LONG I WOULD HAVE TAKEN BETTER CARE OF MYSELF!!!!"

WHOSE TAXES

Well I've spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday doing the Income Tax calculations for my two youngest daughters. I used Turbotax on line and it is a great system provided your internet provider doesn't kick you off line every fifteen minutes for two days. Irritating.YES!! VERY!!!

Now that I have them in the envelopes waiting for my daughters to sign them I feel pretty good about having them done. Then I think "Why should I be the one that has to spend all this time doing taxes?" And the answer is simple and it's the same every single time---"'cause you're the dad, that's why."

So all you dads out there who have been happy getting through tax time on your own---your kids are getting bigger and soon you can be the dad that does the taxes---"'cause you're the dad that's why!"

About 27 years ago I started to use H&R Block to do my taxes---they have always been good to get them done and they have always been able to get me returns that are bigger by far than what I pay them to do my calculations. In an audit situation with the IRS they are (and have been several times) there to defend my calculations and in case of any other problems they are there to help answer the questions. OK those services cost a little money---the services I provided for my daughters cost nothing---BUT---when it comes to an audit or answering questions about what is what they are on their OWN. It would behoove them to get the tax book and go through the figures that have been sent forward because I DO NOT PLAN TO ATTEND HEARINGS OR DEFEND ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR TAXES!!!

Good. luck. Girls.