What's everybody doing today?

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We got some rain last night. Not a lot, but enough to settle the dust and clear out the smoke. It got pretty chilly last night too.
Going to work on the deck and the brick walkway today. May gas some gophers too. That's always fun.
The wife wants me to make her a raised bed out of retaining wall blocks. I have enough blocks to get it started but not enough to finish it.
 
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I have some good news for me.
And my friend is happy for me too.
I thought I would share with you.
That forensic degree I thought I would never get to use.
I will be using it in a new way.
Reading old old unsolved case files for the military and law enforcement agencies.
The good news is no extreme weather conditions, no gore, no blood or guts.
Plant my behind in the recliner read files, case notes, plot it out on paper , the grounds,
I had to apply for the job.
Did a huge amount of interviews.
Had to come up with living people and get endorsed by people.
Good thing I still have my security clearence.
The extra money will be good.
They only use the best in their given field of retired military.
The top 3% of the fields.
I'm excited.
So yes Amish Heart, I have been busy.
Isn't life wonderful!
You'all have a wonderful weekend!
Cause I know I will.
 
Thick and stinky, visiblity maybe 3/4 of a mile, no big fires close 6:57 MDT014.jpg021.jpgalmost the same shot a 12:31 MDT
 
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Work, not going in with an attitude but this cat doesn’t forget. It is hard for me to hold a grudge because I am like the helpful aunt. Nose to the grindstone and mind my own business.
First thing ane employer should learn is dont give any Sht and there wont be any

ITNSE!!!! should be on your T shirt👍
 
Went to bed at midnight, woke up at 3:15 and couldn't go back to sleep, so I just got up. I was getting a bit sleepy in the late morning, but I had to drag myself over to a freebie giveaway about 3 miles up the road. They were giving away gun lock boxes. I was leery of what they'd actually be giving out, but I went over there anyway. Hit the distribution location right at 11:00am when the event started. The line was maybe 100 yards long. Took 30 minutes to get through it. But they were indeed giving out real lock boxes. They gave me two - one for each family members car. As I exited the distribution point, I could see that the line was about half of it's original length. For all practical purposes, the lock boxes they were giving away were identical (Hornady has bought SnapSafe). Different packaging, but the lock boxes inside were the same. I got one of each. Just because. They were also giving out cable locks. I didn't ask for one of those since I already have 739 of them.

I guess it was worth it. Lots of friendly people in line. Very courteous, happily following every order/suggestion from the security people directing the line. Refreshing to see that. But you'd expect that of armed people. I imagine about 95% of the folks in line for a free gun box giveaway have a gun on them. It looked kind of like a Trump rally out there.

LockBoxGiveaway.jpg
 
Got up at 0245, got some coffee at the truck stop and was at work at 0400. Worked until noon when the dispatcher booted us off the tracks. The foreman let all the laborers go home early but the equipment operators all had to stay and perform maintenance on their machines because we had some breakdowns that were easily preventable. I'm quite glad to not be an operator today!

Per our union contract, the boss can only hold me in this job for a few more days. Then he has to release me to go to my new position. I'm really ready to go. I worked on the big tie gangs from 2011 to 2022 and I had forgotten how burned out they made me feel. I'm ready to get back to the small project gangs where there is more freedom and less micromanagement. Just show what needs to be done and turn me loose to do it. If I know how to get it done, it'll get done. On the tie gangs, the managers are like mother hens squawking and clucking at us all day, trying to tell us how to do everything. No thanks! I'd rather build switches by hand all year long than hear a manager on the radio yelling about everything...
 
Got up, worked out, did some chores and yard work, cleaned up, went to the store and got some staple foods for the kitchen, gassed up the ride and hit the post office. Found myself at the gun store again but nothing really tripped my trigger, literally and figuratively. Also went to a sporting good store and added picked up a new bench for my "home" gym. The old one was getting wobbly even after being rebuilt. Now I am just wasting some time until I cook dinner.
 
I'm tired....today was one of those days again I did too much

and tomorrow I am going to be even more busy baking all day

Debating on another trip....lol, yes, but NO planes this time! Just going to visit daughter in Virginia Beach. It's 5-6 hour trip and we will probably just go for a weekend and rent a car so there are no vehicle problems.
 
did some clean up around the place and then did my least favorite thing of running around trying to find out info from people who are uninformed....currently sweating in 97 degree weather with the window AC (which we hardly ever use) on and waiting for it to cool down so I can get back outside and do some work......
 
Trying to keep up with family and folks being effected by all the fires 🔥. Bro and SIL only have one way out if they have to leave. I will have to chat with them again. Horses and dogs would be the easiest to move. Cattle are more difficult.
On tomorrow’s list: make cheese, make sourdough (to bake Sat), can corn, deal with garden and oh yeah might do some laundry so we don’t offend anyone 🤪
 
Went to work today..first day back after being sick.
Apparently..some cootie is making it's rounds amongst the mill employees.
Sounds like the oiler is patient zero..he oils and greases every machine and moving part. He is talking and around everyone at some point in his schedule weekly.
We compared notes on symptoms today and he told me who else is getting knocked down.
Last night was an amazing lightning and thunder show.
My area got some crazy short lived downpours with high winds too.
I was grateful for that after watching some incredible lightning strikes.
Unfortunately..a strike did start a fire in my county..we shall see how that goes.
 
Most exciting thing I did this week was put strings on my guitar, badly needed. So I’ve had a few very quiet days, also badly needed. It’s rained all week anyway. Doc apt this afternoon, still hadn’t met my deductible for the year so I was out a hundred bucks. Sending me for a few tests, no concerns, just looking. I’m due for a good poking and prodding.

Saw something neat on pbs tonight, a music event at the little river canyon. Some bluegrass and the Steel City Jug Band. Jug music isn’t my cup of tea but these guys were really good. There was a lady who did a few songs. I didn’t recognize her until she started singing, I’d know that voice anywhere. Several times I heard her sing and play when she was a kid… every year at a bluegrass festival near Gadsden.
 
This is my granddaughter's first birthday. She is celebrating it with her parents and visiting with her Lola and Lolo (other grandparents who are in the Philippines). They flew in on the tails of a typhoon that went through Manila right before they got there.

I hope they all stay safe.
 
This is my granddaughter's first birthday. She is celebrating it with her parents and visiting with her Lola and Lolo (other grandparents who are in the Philippines). They flew in on the tails of a typhoon that went through Manila right before they got there.

I hope they all stay safe.
Hope they are safe too! ONE.... she'll remember none of it, but how special!!
 
Hope they are safe too! ONE.... she'll remember none of it, but how special!!
I saw a picture of her with a cake and she is giving it a wary look. I remember my kids' first birthday....

She will have pictures even though she won't remember. Her family there adores her. Her family here also adores her.
 
baking bread
waiting for bread to rise to put next load in
So far I have bake zuccini bread and coffee cake
I almost screwed up majorly twice today, must not be focused. First I doubled my zuccini bread recipe but forgot to double the FLOUR. My dough was very runny when I put it in the pans and I figured it out. So I had to put the dough back in the bowl, clean out the pans again and cut out new parchment paper for the bottom, add flour , and put the dough back in the pans...they look ok ( done)
Then I mixed up my sourdough and my country bread ( not sourdough) . Until I figured it out and had to take THOSE back out of the wrong pans ( one is loaf shaped one is round)
Hope the rest goes better
 

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