ROAD TRIP

We just got home yesterday from a three day road trip---mostly just for fun---but also so that I could go to a retirement party for one of my friends. While we were tripping we saw six of our kids and seven of our grandkids so we had a good trip.

The guy retiring's career and my career crossed many, many times. He worked for me on the fire team for quite a few years, and I worked for him at the winter olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002. We worked closely through our careers (starting in 1976) and I replaced him on the District when he went to help manage the Olympics where he was the assistant director. I'm telling you I hold this fine man in great esteem.

At his party a Senator and a Congressman had letters read to him about how they felt he was such a valuable asset to them. He had two retired Regional Foresters there. The current one was not. I don't know for sure how many people were there but it was a lot---A LOT. I got to see many people at this party that it is likely I will never see again in my life time.

He has terminal cancer and has had for several years. When he was diagnosed he told me he was going to live long enough to see his son graduate from Medical School. I have no doubt he will accompish that. We had other friends diagnosed with the same type of cancer at nearly the same time, and they are gone now.

I told a few stories about him when I talked but near the end of what I had to say I started to cry and was unable to finish. I was embarassed but couldn't get my voice to work. Since I got home I have had many messages saying I hit it right on the head with my comments and they thought I did good. I dunno about that but I do know that I love this guy---AND I HATE IT THAT HE IS GOING TO DIE FROM CANCER.

HERE IS HOPING THAT YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT MY FRIEND.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO---PENNY COLLECTIONS

When I was in Cub Scouts about a hundred years ago I started collecting pennies. When my Mother died last year I got them back. A few months ago I got them out and started trying to finish them up. Gettin' close now---only lack 5 to have all the pennies from all the mints from 1909 to 2009. It has been kind of fun and Epitome of Sweetness has helped a bunch finding them.

1959 to 2009 (compete set 1/19)
1941 to 1961 (Complete set)
1909 to 1940 (just 5 to go)
This is being updated on 1/20--I visited the bank several times this week for $10.00 worth of pennies. Sorted through them most of two days---ta da---complete set.

PLUMBING--MY FAVORITE JOB

For the last couple of years the toilet in the bathroom by our bedroom has been leaking from the tank into the bowl. When the tank gets low enough it refills. This has been going on two or three times a night for at least three years. Well last night it was refilling every ten to fifteen minutes. It was agravating--it was disgusting. I didn't sleep much last night and was pretty mad at myself for not fixing it earlier. Now in my defense I did replace the flapper a couple of times but that didn't stop the leak.

So this morning bright and early I went to the store and bought all of the parts to replace everything inside the toilet. I replaced everything and the leak from the tank to the bowl was fixed---now the leak was out of the two bolts that hold the tank on the bowl. I replaced them and hooked things up again---they still leaked---I bought a new set and doubled the rubber gaskets on the bolts---one on the inside and one on the outside and tightened them pretty tight. They still leaked. I had Inklings come in and hold the screw driver while I really cinched the gaskets down. They still leaked.

I had Inklings come and help me one more time---she commented we ought to go get a new toilet---I said nah this one has all new parts. She held the screwdriver above while I wrenched on the bolts from below---I tightened them to the point I thought the porcelain would break. I had decided that if the porcelain broke I would go buy a new toilet and install that instead. But---wah lah---the toilet has not leaked for an hour---I think I may have won. TIME WILL TELL AND THE STORE IS STILL OPEN. ;-)

WHEW

Today I went in to get a hair cut. The lady that cuts my hair said "it's been a while." I said "yeah a couple of months." She said "that is probably right. The last time you were in here was just before you started doing the fire rehab project." I said "yeah that's right---that would have been October 22."

She cut a lot of hair off---A LOT---it wasn't long enough for locks of love but if you could sell it by the pound there would have been a few bucks there. ;-) It sure feels a lot better than it did when I went in.

GETTIN' OLD

I went with my father in law yesterday to get his drivers license renewed. He has lost a lot of his sight in the last ten years and is gettihng really frail. When we were headed for the car I asked him if he wanted me to drive. He reached into his pocket an handed me the keys and said you know how to get places here better than I do so you go ahead and drive. That made me happy because he has a lot of trouble driving anyway---and he knows it.

We got to the drivers license division and got started in the process. The woman that was waiting on him really helped a lot. She worked with him so that he got through all the questions and she made sure he had the pen in the right place when he made his answers. I was really relieved by how easy she made it for him to get through the process. Just as I was about to walk out the door I went back and told her how much I appreciated her kindness and assistance.

He would never have let me help with that. It really sucks to get old but it beats the he#@ out of the alternative.

MEAN OLD MAN

Just before 8:00 this morning we had a knock on our door. Anyone knocking on our door at any time is a strange happening here. I went upstairs to answer it and it was one of our neighbor kids. It was cold outside and she asked me if I would drive her to school. I thought about it for a few seconds and told her NO she would need to go home and ask her mom for the ride. I felt really, really bad when I shut the door because it was quite cold out there (8 degrees). I felt like a mean old man but as I watched her out the window she didn't go back home to ask her mom she just trudged along toward the school.

My kids all walked to school every day in three feet of snow, up hill both ways, with tempertures below zero (our oldest two boys really did do this about 1/2 mile to the bus stop) and so did I. Guess she'll make it.

NOT SURE I'LL GET OVER FEELING LIKE A MEAN OLD MAN THOUGH.

RE-RETIRED

We finished the rahab of the Twitchell Canyon fire on December 28. It seemed awfully good to have it completed. It feels even better to not have to be out in the cold every day trying to get er done.

Since it was finished Inklings and I took a short road trip north. We saw our new grand daughter for a few hours, and had lunch with another daughter. It was a great trip and I am sooooo happy we took it.