I have been thinking about my watch or my career which ever you want to call it. I have been really proud of the things that I have been able to get done. We spent some time talking about that in Reno and one of my friends told me I didn't understand it but that I was the sponsored one.
I asked him what he was talking about and he said to look at the record---he said ever since he has known me---and that is a long, long time---that the budget just follows me wherever I go and we always have more jobs to do that we can ever get done.
I spent part of today reminiscing and he's at least partially right---I have never left anything on the list of things I wanted to do in any of the places we have lived undone. Why is that? I really don't know but there have always been people in my life that agreed with where I was trying to get and made sure I had the budget to get there. He calls that sponsored---I call it relationships---and I have had a lot of good relationships with the budget guru's and they HAVE taken good care of me.
Would have been nice if a lot of that money had come in my personal check---but I have loved all of my jobs and will miss the people---not the job---when I walk out the door.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
WHOA THERE---SETTLE DOWN
I have had all sorts of stuff running through my mind the last few days. I can't seem to get past it in the middle of the night. Last night I woke up again with a panic attack and it's about to get me down. I can't understand what is there that is making me get like this. I have never in my life ever been afraid of anything. I have never had the racing heart and short breathing that many call the fight or flight reflex. Guess I was just lucky or really didn't care which way it went---I was always prepared to go either way---with anyone---anytime.
In short it sucks to have this going on and not be able to figure out where it is coming from.....if it ties into DCFS there WILL be a major shakeup. I am pretty angry with all the red tape and bull sh#@ that we have had to go through in our journey to get custody of our grandkids. Through all of that we are still nowhere---we have been doing everything we can do for
3 1/2 months and we have no answers and no real progress showing.
As I write this I think cheer up things could be worse---I am afraid to do that because they probably will be worse
In short it sucks to have this going on and not be able to figure out where it is coming from.....if it ties into DCFS there WILL be a major shakeup. I am pretty angry with all the red tape and bull sh#@ that we have had to go through in our journey to get custody of our grandkids. Through all of that we are still nowhere---we have been doing everything we can do for
3 1/2 months and we have no answers and no real progress showing.
As I write this I think cheer up things could be worse---I am afraid to do that because they probably will be worse
WHO'D A THUNK
Inklings has been on the road to go see our daughters for a couple of hours now---I have been called twice by one of them and once by another wanting to know what time she left and when she would be there. I told them both I didn't know because I wasn't home when she left. I did tell them however that she was past Nephi because a debit card payment showed up from the Nephi gas station we always fill up at when I checked our account balance a few minutes ago. I never thought I would ever track anyone electronically through the checkbook-----
Friday, April 11, 2008
FIRE FRIENDS
This week I went to Reno to our annual fire team meeting. While I was there I ran into the Air Tactical Group Supervisor from my old team---we had been together about 15 years before I left that team for a new one. During the visit we talked about a lot of things and a lot of old times but we talked about something that I feel like anyone that reads this needs to know about me.
I trained his wife, who is now retired, as a Supply Unit leader many years ago---she became the head of the Great Basin Cache in Boise, Idaho that services all of the fire caches in the Nation before she retired. She was great at that job. The three of us were great friends and had lots of fun just being friends and visiting when we were together and stuff. We never did anything of consequence together but I for sure love both of them a lot.
A few years ago I was heading for a fire in Boise, ID when his wife called me and said---"I have a daughter that needs to go to work for you on this fire." I asked her what she was qualified to do and she told me ANYTHING I was willing to train her to do. I asked her what she meant by that and she told me her daughter was smart and a hard worker but had never been on a fire and in fact had just had her 18th birthday so she was old enough to go out just the day before. I kind of laughed and said OK get her to dispatch and get her signed up---I want her as a camp person and I'll figure out where to use her when I get there. Then I called the dispatch center and ordered her and told them what I was going to do with her. They said OK go for it.
I arrived at the fire camp and was introduced, by the wife, to her young daughter. She was a hard worker and very smart so I trained her up in the Supply Unit area and she did a remarkable job---must run in the family. During the fire we had a major windstorm that blew the roof off the cook trailer and scattered everything in the camp all over he_ _ . During the blow a propane tank became airborn and hit the daughter on the ankle breaking it. We worked on stabilizing her and getting her to the hospital and getting her put back together. She came back to camp in a cast and finished the assignment. She has since gone on in fire and is an engine foreman for one of the Idaho Forests and is doing an excellent job for them.
All of that is just past history so you kind of understand the rest of this blog.
While we were visiting he told me that at Thanksgiving they were talking about the past fire season and some of their fire friends. During that discussion they all talked about some of the things that occurred while they were working with or for me. The daughter told them that they couldn't count me as their fire friend 'cause I was hers and that she would never forget the break I gave her by bringing her on for that fire.
Just goes to show you that you never know what a single incident may buy you in your life. Although she is wrong about them not being able to count me as their fire friend I am thankful that I can count this entire family as my fire friends.
I trained his wife, who is now retired, as a Supply Unit leader many years ago---she became the head of the Great Basin Cache in Boise, Idaho that services all of the fire caches in the Nation before she retired. She was great at that job. The three of us were great friends and had lots of fun just being friends and visiting when we were together and stuff. We never did anything of consequence together but I for sure love both of them a lot.
A few years ago I was heading for a fire in Boise, ID when his wife called me and said---"I have a daughter that needs to go to work for you on this fire." I asked her what she was qualified to do and she told me ANYTHING I was willing to train her to do. I asked her what she meant by that and she told me her daughter was smart and a hard worker but had never been on a fire and in fact had just had her 18th birthday so she was old enough to go out just the day before. I kind of laughed and said OK get her to dispatch and get her signed up---I want her as a camp person and I'll figure out where to use her when I get there. Then I called the dispatch center and ordered her and told them what I was going to do with her. They said OK go for it.
I arrived at the fire camp and was introduced, by the wife, to her young daughter. She was a hard worker and very smart so I trained her up in the Supply Unit area and she did a remarkable job---must run in the family. During the fire we had a major windstorm that blew the roof off the cook trailer and scattered everything in the camp all over he_ _ . During the blow a propane tank became airborn and hit the daughter on the ankle breaking it. We worked on stabilizing her and getting her to the hospital and getting her put back together. She came back to camp in a cast and finished the assignment. She has since gone on in fire and is an engine foreman for one of the Idaho Forests and is doing an excellent job for them.
All of that is just past history so you kind of understand the rest of this blog.
While we were visiting he told me that at Thanksgiving they were talking about the past fire season and some of their fire friends. During that discussion they all talked about some of the things that occurred while they were working with or for me. The daughter told them that they couldn't count me as their fire friend 'cause I was hers and that she would never forget the break I gave her by bringing her on for that fire.
Just goes to show you that you never know what a single incident may buy you in your life. Although she is wrong about them not being able to count me as their fire friend I am thankful that I can count this entire family as my fire friends.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
TRIPPIN' AG'IN
We just got back from Mesquite---yes we---Inklings went with me to a training session for the first time in our married life. We went to a Forest Service Family meeting in Mesquite, Nevada. It has been five years since we have had a family meeting so we did it even though our budget is bad.
Was it worth the money? I believe it was. The things that come from these relationship building meetings never show up immediately but later on when the relationship is really needed to get through something really, really tough. That is the time when good managers have the relationships to fall back on and the bad ones don't---hope I am in the earlier group.
We had two tremendous speakers tell us some things we should be working on to make our lives better. Lenny Meece, a retired Doctor gone public teacher, talked to us a lot about how to reduce the stress in our lives and give our hearts a break. Randy Frazier, one of the best speakers I have ever heard, talked to us about the relationships we need to build and gave us many examples of how to do it.
Five years ago Randy taught us at the last meeting, he had written a poem titled "My Daddy Was a Farmer" which he read to us. I loved the poem and could identify with it even though my Daddy wasn't a farmer. It made me reflect on my life and the love I had from all the folks in my life as a child. This time he had written a poem titled "My Mamma Was a Farmers Wife". It was a great poem and I sat there with tears running down my face thinking---"I have to get up there as soon as he is done and close this meeting out---How the Hell am I ever going to be able to do that with my throat tied up like it is and the tears streaming down my face." He made a couple of other comments then finished up---by then I had recovered enough to go to the front and have both speakers stand up and we gave them a standing ovation for their time and efforts with us.
After we were finished up I told Randy how impressed I was that he was able to read that poem so well---at which he broke down and cried just like I had been. I am way impressed that he could control his emotions through the presentation---I didn't learn how to do it but I learned that it can be done.
LIFE IS GOOD!!!
Was it worth the money? I believe it was. The things that come from these relationship building meetings never show up immediately but later on when the relationship is really needed to get through something really, really tough. That is the time when good managers have the relationships to fall back on and the bad ones don't---hope I am in the earlier group.
We had two tremendous speakers tell us some things we should be working on to make our lives better. Lenny Meece, a retired Doctor gone public teacher, talked to us a lot about how to reduce the stress in our lives and give our hearts a break. Randy Frazier, one of the best speakers I have ever heard, talked to us about the relationships we need to build and gave us many examples of how to do it.
Five years ago Randy taught us at the last meeting, he had written a poem titled "My Daddy Was a Farmer" which he read to us. I loved the poem and could identify with it even though my Daddy wasn't a farmer. It made me reflect on my life and the love I had from all the folks in my life as a child. This time he had written a poem titled "My Mamma Was a Farmers Wife". It was a great poem and I sat there with tears running down my face thinking---"I have to get up there as soon as he is done and close this meeting out---How the Hell am I ever going to be able to do that with my throat tied up like it is and the tears streaming down my face." He made a couple of other comments then finished up---by then I had recovered enough to go to the front and have both speakers stand up and we gave them a standing ovation for their time and efforts with us.
After we were finished up I told Randy how impressed I was that he was able to read that poem so well---at which he broke down and cried just like I had been. I am way impressed that he could control his emotions through the presentation---I didn't learn how to do it but I learned that it can be done.
LIFE IS GOOD!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, March 24, 2008
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.
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.
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