Everything is on hold for Shark Week. The only thing I will be doing is shouting, "Get back in the cage, dummy!" at the T.V. And going to work, of course. Thanks to judicious use of vacation days, I'll only be working three days this week. That'll give me plenty of time to catch up on DVRed Shark Week show.
Oh, and some knitting may be in order. Like yesterday, I finished my slouchy beanie.
Here we see Charlotte modeling it.
It'll lie more smoothly once I've washed it. I've already started casting on another one, but it probably won't be slouchy. Just a regular beanie.
BTW, I've seen Andy and Paul on new episodes, but have only seen Dickie on a re-run from last year. Those are my three favorite Shark Week peeps.
The good news is, Hulu has picked up Discovery Channel, so I didn't have to subscribe to DirecTV Now for a month just to watch. I won't have to turn that service back on until late October, when Countdown To Christmas starts.
At least I don't have to be there until 6:00, and it's only going to be a half shift -- 6 hours. Best of all, the lines won't be there, so it'll be a nice, relatively stress free day. As much as working at ADP can be at least.
In other news, I got a new item for my bug out bag.
I was ordering new work boots, and this book just jumped into my cart as well. I probably ought to read it before I need it, huh?
Short post today, because I really need to practice my guitar some. I only practiced for like literally a minute yesterday. I need to make up for it.
Just popping my head in to let you all know I'm still alive. For now...
The plant has been working us so hard these last few weeks. It's unreal. It's not just the hard work and long hours. It's the stress of how they're treating us. I've never seen this place so badly unorganized as it is right now. We can't get our parts from tubing, so we can't get ahead. Then, we've got the assembly lines waiting on us, only we don't have anything for them, because tubing doesn't have anything for us. And instead of solving the problem, they just want to stand over us and rush us.
It's nerve wracking, and very, very stressful. I come home and I don't feel like doing anything but going to bed.
I don't feel like blogging.
I don't feel like knitting.
I don't even feel like playing my piano. I'm having to make myself practice.
The only bright spot in my week has been receiving a letter from my German pen pal. Doesn't she have just the most gorgeous handwriting?
One of the reasons I got back into pen palling was to work on my handwriting, which was never great to begin with. Once I graduated high school, I went back to writing in print, which I preferred. My cursive writing had really deteriorated through disuse. It's gotten better, but was never this elegant.
OK, back to my story...
Then, of course, there is the stress of dealing with my stalker. He just makes me sick. He literally makes my skin crawl. Him staring...always staring at me. He'll even deliberately position himself so that he's in my line of sight. One day last week, I was getting a drink out of my cooler on the shelf under my table. When I stood up, there he was, right at the end of the line of brazing stands, just staring...Something is seriously wrong with him.
It was kind of funny today, though. I was thinking about the upcoming Fiber Fun In The 'Sip festival in September, daydreaming about how much fun it's going to be hanging out with Amy, Christi, and Leann again...
Somewhere in the middle of my daydream, my white headed shanty men showed up -- including the one who may or may not eventually become my imaginary boyfriend, if I can ever bring myself to make an imaginary commitment to him. They were going to be part of the entertainment. Once they'd finished singing, we ended up talking, and I took him out....to...ummm..
TheVicksburgNationalMilitaryPark
Yeah. Most people take their imaginary dates to a romantic candlelit dinner, or a long moonlit walk on the beach, or maybe they snuggle under a blanket in front of a fire at a ski lodge. Or something. Not me.
I take mine to a freaking Civil War Battlefield. A Civil War Battlefield!!
Sigh...I'm definitely not normal. Or whatever.
Normal is over-rated, anyway.
Anyway, I was really getting into it. My imaginary tour of the Vicksburg National Military Park, that is. We were reading the signs and things, and those things where you can scan the QR code with your phone and a video opens with a Ranger telling you why that spot is significant. I was telling him about some of the statues, and who those men were -- as much as I knew. I'm not really big on Civil War history. Now if it were Texas history, that'd be a completely different story. But still...
We went to the Illinois memorial -- the one where all the ghosts are. There I ran into a fellow veteran. I'd worn my DD-214 Alumni shirt, which he recognized instantly. He said, "Thank you for your service." and I replied, "And you for yours, Brother." We shook hands and said, "Never forget," then parted ways. My imaginary friend asked who that was, and I said, "No idea."
"But you called him Brother."
"He's a fellow veteran. That makes him my brother."
I ran my fingers along the names on the plaques. The names of those long ago men who'd served in the Illinois regiment, and told my imaginary friend who may or may not become my imaginary boyfriend that these men had donned the uniform and swore the oath, same as I did, and that makes them my brothers forever. Whether I knew them or not doesn't matter in the slightest.
In the midst of my daydream, I put some adapter tubes into my brazing jig, flipped down my glasses, and lit my torch. That's when I discovered I hadn't put a header onto the parts. I said, "I don't know what I thought I was going to braze." And looked up to see Stalker, just staring. Laughing.
He. Makes. Me. Sick.
I thought, "If you only knew! Here I am, I'd rather be with an IMAGINARY boyfriend, than with you in real life, you pathetic loser!" Seriously, if he's the best I can do, I'd rather do without.
Imaginary husbands are better anyway. They never leave their dirty socks on the floor. They never complain about what's for supper, and they never hog the remote.
God bless Willis Haviland Carrier for inventing the thing,
and Mr. Tony Medders (for you local folks -- I highly recommend him) for fixing mine!
So, there I was yesterday evening, just a practicing my piano, when I noticed I was sweating a bit. I thought at first it was because I was getting frustrated with this new piece I'm trying to learn, so I took a minute of a break.
But I was still sweating.
"Something ain't right here," I said to myself. I got up and checked my thermometer, and sure enough, it was getting quite warm in the house.
"Well, the unit just came on; I'll give it a minute to see if it cools off any," I said to myself.
A minute later, it was even warmer than before. I went outside and checked the unit, and the whole thing had locked up. The fan wasn't blowing at all, and the motor was just groaning. I shut the unit off at the outside breaker, and we all retreated into the bedroom, which has a window unit.
And by we all, I mean the dogs and me. Eh, it was nearly bedtime anyway.
This morning, instead of turning the window unit off as per my usual custom, I left it running so my dogs wouldn't get too hot. Yes, I have spoiled dogs, I know. I waited until a reasonable hour -- certain that he wouldn't want to be awakened at 3:00 when I get up-- then texted the A/C man and told him what had happened. He came out after work -- my work, that is -- and replaced the malfunctioning motor, and I have a cool house once again!
Surprisingly enough, though, when I got home from work, the house wasn't as hot as I thought it'd be. That little window unit kept it relatively cool. I mean, it was warm, but not unbearably so. The bad news is, the bedroom is freezing. I ought to sleep good tonight!
Hey, at least it all happened on a cloudy day, during a rare July cool spell. And it didn't cost nearly as much as I thought it would. I mean, appliance repair is always going to be high, but at least I can still go to Fiber Fun In The 'Sip in September!
Yippee!
P.S. If Willis Carrier were not long since deceased, I'd make him my imaginary boyfriend. As it is, he's my hero.
I don't know what has been floating around in the air lately, but I woke up this morning feeling like my head was about to explode. To make matters worse, yesterday morning when I was eating my waffles, another tooth broke off. It had to have been mostly broken anyway, to fall out so easily. Good thing I have a dentist appointment already scheduled for next week. Also good, that tooth had had the same crown on it for 35 years. At least I got my money's worth out of it. A few years ago, it abscessed, so I'd already had a root canal done. It doesn't hurt at all, except the thought of paying another dental expense.
I'm thinking this time around, I might go for an implant. That has been the long term plan all along ---- to get all my missing teeth replaced with implants --but I I haven't been able to afford such an expense. What with the credit card being nearly paid off, and only two more years to pay on my car, I think I'm just about in a financial position I can start doing that. I'll discuss it with the dentist when I go.
In other news, my two zinnias that I was worried about appear to have given up the ghost. I was looking at Walmart to see if maybe they had any single moss rose I could replace those zinnias with, but they hardly had anything left. What they did have looked pretty sad.
I did find these dark purple Vincas that didn't look too terribly wilted, so I got them.
I didn't put them into the same place, though. My hireling cut down my wildflower bed, thinking they were weeds, so I put them there. I don't remember ever seeing any this color before. Oh, I'm sure they've been there all along, but my eyes are more drawn to oranges, yellows, and pinks -- at least for my flower beds.
Look at this:
It looks like I might have some muscadines this year. I've got a huge vine out back that is growing up all over some privet.
The plan has been to cut down all the privet, then build some sort of arbor to spread the grapes out on. Alas, that is something else I've had neither the time nor the money to do. I did get out last winter and cut a bunch of the privet back, but that's about all I've been able to do.
Maybe this winter I can get something done about it.
Well, I finally broke down and turned my piano around.
Where it was sitting, it wasn't getting much light back in that corner. I was having to open the blinds on the front door, so I could see the music. (Not having gotten new glasses in 5 years might just be a factor in that, as well.) Now that the solstice has come and gone, it's going to start getting dark much earlier, and that will soon be no longer an option. Plus, I didn't like the idea that people driving down the road could look into my house. I was spending more time looking over my shoulder than playing. This'll solve that problem, too.
In knitting news, the slouchy hat is coming along just fine.
All I did was cast on my usual 80 stitches, then do a bunch of increases. I'm going to have to count when I get to the decrease rounds, because right now, I have no idea how many stitches are on my needles.
Lastly, the temperatures aren't supposed to get out of the 80s all this week! I can't wait!
You know it's hot when you open up your Gatorade, and think the top came off mighty easy and wonder if someone tampered with it, but you're so hot you don't even care, so you drink it anyway -- potential spit and all.
I would like to know, however, what's in them Popsicles the plant hands out. It was so hot, we were all about to fall out. We were like men crawling across the desert, calling water, water. Only we were saying popsicles, popsicles. One coworker joked that she was going to get on the P.A. and say, "Hey! We need some popsicles out here!"
She didn't actually do it, but they must have read her mind, because not 30 minutes later, here they came with popsicles. Before, I was so hot, I was actually feeling sick to my stomach, weak and shaky. I ate my popsicle, and felt so much better. It was like magic.
When I got home, my hireling had already come and cut my grass! Woo hoo! Not only do I not have to get out into the heat, but that's two hours I have to myself, instead of to mowing. I still need to cut behind the fence, though. I told him not to do that part. It's not my property, and by golly, I'm not paying to have someone cut grass I don't even own.
You know, introverts have a very vibrant imagination anyway. My imaginary conversations and adventures fill many a tedious hour up at the plant. Yet, here lately, I think the heat has been baking my brains. Yeah, the last couple of days, in my imagination, I've been teaching my white headed shanty men...um...Schoolhouse Rock songs.
I'm just a bill, Oh, I'm only a bill A noun is a person, place, or thing Verb! That's what's happening Elbow room, elbow room, got to got to get me some elbow room Lolly's Lolly's Lolly's get your adverbs here Interplanet Janet she's the galaxy girl, solar system miss from different world...
I've long since given up trying to find an explanation for such things.
I think my job is trying to kill me. Seriously, I'm beginning to think they're trying to work us absolutely to death. Between driving us into the ground like dogs, and the heat, yeah, I really am beginning to wonder.
By the end of the shift today, I was so exhausted, I was literally shaking and having dizzy spells. It's a good thing my friend didn't like those lemon donuts she got out of the machine, because if she hadn't given them to me, I'm not sure I would have made it home without that extra shot of sugar. When I did get home, I was trying to talk to the air conditioner man, and it's a wonder he could even understand me, because I know I was barely coherent. Supper was half a can of Vienna sausages, a Babybel, and a Klondike Bar. I was too tired to fix anything else.
But wait, why was the air conditioner man at my house? Well, I'll tell you. Yesterday evening, my A/C was making a horrible screeching noise. It was so loud, I had to cut the unit off. It had done that one day last week, too. After this second episode, I called someone to come look at it.
Wouldn't you know it, this evening, it was running perfectly. The A/C man said it's not shaking, the fan seems balanced, so he thought maybe a stick or something had gotten down into it and was rubbing. He also said that sometimes when the motor is fixing to go out, it'll make noises like that, but my motor looks new. I had to tell him I didn't even know how old the unit or anything was, because I've only lived here 4 years. He did say my compressor is so old they don't even make those kind any more.
Anyway, he said to run that puppy until it quits completely, then he'll come out and change the motor out for me. He didn't even charge me anything for today's visit. So, that's a load off my mind. I was worried that I'd have to cancel my Fiber Fun In The 'Sip trip to pay for it, but yay! I'll still get to go.
That's my one big event for the year. I booked my room for three nights this time around, so I can stay longer. I hope I can spend more time in the Military Park, as well.
More good news. I found someone who will cut my grass. He's going to cut it every other week, then I can do at least the front on the off weeks. Yeah, it's a bit expensive, but between work and mowing, I'm wearing myself out.
I went on a bit of a spending spree, but not much of one. Prime Day was Monday and Tuesday, so I picked up an extra LifeStraw for my bug out bag. The big orange blob is a camping hammock.
I thought about getting it out for a photo, but didn't want to have to stuff it all back in. I'll just leave it neatly rolled up until I'm ready to use it...although, now that I think about it, I might ought to get it out just to make sure all the parts are there. Maybe Saturday.
Speaking of, we are working tomorrow, but have Saturday off. I'm going to try to remember to go to the Farmer's Market this time. I forgot last week until it was too late. I want to get me some fresh tomatoes for tomato sandwiches. The ones from the Farmer's Market are so much better than the ones from the store.
Oh, by the way, I think my Zinnias are done for. Bummer.
The last thing I ordered wasn't from Amazon. It was from 11Bravos. They're the ones I got my DD-214 Alumni shirt. I saw this one in a FB ad and had to have it.
I wish they had one that was more Navy themed, but this'll do.
Never forget. Mary Jo Kopechne July 26, 1940 - July 18, 1969
So, there I was at my piano, just a practicing away, when at the bottom of the page, I saw this:
It says, "You are now ready for Greatest Hits , Level 1." Whee!
I promptly got onto Amazon and looked up the aforementioned book. However, after reading some of the reviews, I decided not to get it at this time. Most of the one star reviews stated that it was introduced too early, it's too difficult, and can be frustrating for a beginner. I might pick it up later on.
However, while I was online, I went ahead and ordered the complete series of instructional books.
Just on a whim, I opened the level 3 book to the last few songs and this is what I will be able to play when I'm done.
Whee! Watch out Piano Guys! I'm coming for you! Well, for your book, that is.
Only now, I'm finding it harder and harder to get motivated to play my guitar. I mean, I enjoy it once I pick the thing up, but it's like, "Ugh, I've got to practice my guitar..." Maybe I need to find a beginner guitar group on FB or somewhere and join it. That way, I can get the encouragement I need to stick with it.
By the way, I've been very unimpressed with Amazon's Prime Day deals this time around. There isn't really anything that has jumped out at me. A couple of the things on my survival gear wish list were on sale, so I picked them up, but that's about it. I'll show you them when they get here.
That's about all I have for now. Today was rough at work, and I do mean rough. I got there and the shift we aren't allowed to hold accountable for anything had done two, yes two, count 'em two orders for my line in their entire 12 hour shift. Of course, their shift had run most of those parts up already, so I was behind from the get-go. The rest of the day was a scramble just to keep my head above water. I'm plumb worn out.
I think I'm just going to go practice my piano, then turn in early.
A month and a half into hurricane season, and we've finally gotten one. A hurricane, that is. Folks, meet Hurricane Barry.
By the time he got here, he'd weakened back into a tropical storm, so we didn't get much weather from him. It got pretty windy yesterday -- and it was coming from the East. You know the old saying, "An East wind blows ill." That's why. It got so strong, I had to bring in my flags. The rain got here sometime during the night, and it's been raining all day long.
So, what have I done while hurricane watching? I finished a charity hat,
and cast on another one.
I'm thinking about making this one a slouchy hat. I'm not using a pattern. I'm just going to make it up as I go along. That ought to be fun, huh? The yarn is some I picked up off the clearance aisle. It's Red Heart, and the colorway is Orchid. For Red Heart, it is really, really soft. The skein is big enough I ought to get at least two hats from it, maybe three if I stretch it.
I also took a few moments during the storm to write to my English pen pal. I thought it was a bit funny that she had mentioned she was jealous of the weather we get over here, because English weather is boring. Her words, not mine. And here I was writing her a letter with a hurricane raging outside.
Well, not a hurricane any more, and not so much raging, but still. It's weather!
While I was writing, I'd put on a YouTube playlist, just to have some music in the house.
By the way, did y'all know I have a YouTube Channel? And did you further know, I've got actual subscribers? I've got 21. Subscribers. I just recently noticed that, and I was blown away. Subscribers. I have subscribers! I can't figure out who to tell who they are, though. I suspect most of them subscribed back when Cody was in high school, and I was posting a bunch of band videos.
My YouTube Channel can be found here: CalKingOnyx, you know, if you want to subscribe or anything. Not that I post a lot of videos or anything, but it's there.
Back to my story.
The auto-play feature has really got me figured out, because once my early 90s country music playlist finished, it went right straight to playing songs by my white headed shanty men. I've got so many of their videos in my playlist that the ones at the bottom seldom get heard. Every once in a while, autoplay grabs one of those songs and plays it for me. This is one such song.
I was sitting there, writing, not really paying attention when one line of the song jumped right out at me. It goes, "We jolly sailor boys go skipping up aloft, while the land lubbers lie down below."
That one line reminded me of the time I was in the Navy, and almost fell off an antenna. I won't repeat the whole story here, because I've posted about it twice before. However, if you want to read it, you can find the post here: How I Almost Fell Off An Antenna When I Was In The Navy.
That reminded me of another time, when two of my shipmates put me into a climbing harness and hung me from a different antenna. Well, the hoist. One of them had brought a horror movie to watch on the MidWatch. I don't do horror, so I'd gone into another room and was working in there. I started fooling around with the climbing harness when Aubrey and Joe came in. They asked me what I was doing, so I lied. I said, "I'm trying to figure out how to put this on, in case I ever have to climb the microwave antenna."
Now, we had a couple of satellite antennas that we didn't wear climbing gear when we climbed it, but we did for the microwave antenna. Don't ask me any details, because I don't know. Whatever it is you're asking, I don't know. The only thing is, the microwave antenna looked a lot like your typical radio antenna: as in, very tall, and very slim. Truth is, I kind of wanted to climb it just to be climbing it, but I'm sure I'd have gotten into trouble for that.
Anyway...
Aubrey helped me put the climbing gear on correctly, then he tossed me over his shoulder and took off running to one of the satellite antennas. Those antennas had hoists on them, for when we needed to haul gear and stuff up to the upper levels, to work on them and all. Aubrey hooked the harness onto the hoist, while Joe ran up to the controls and hoisted me up about 6 or 7 feet into the air. And left me there. Swinging in the wind.
Now, me and my INTJ self wasn't really afraid or anything. I knew they'd have to get me down before the LTJG got there, and that was only about an hour away.
I was hanging there, wondering how long they were going to leave me, when the worst thing that could happen happened. I suddenly realized I needed to go to the bathroom. I couldn't get down. I couldn't even cross my legs because of the way the climbing harness was fitted. Fortunately, my shipmates only left me there for a few moments -- just long enough to go get the rest of the watch to come out and laugh at me.
Then they came and got me down, but the memories last a lifetime...Tell me, friends, does that story need to go into the book?
Miracle of miracles! We have two weekends in a row off!
While I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, I am wondering why. Are we done working weekends? Is it just this weekend, for maintenance maybe? Do I need to start pinching pennies or cut a streaming service or what? I wish they'd tell us something. Hopefully, we'll get a few more weekends -- or at least Fridays-- before it's all over.
So, what did I do on my Friday off? Well, first thing, I woke up at 3:00 AM. What good is a day off if you wake up in the middle of the night anyway? After laying there for about an hour, it became obvious I wasn't going to fall back to sleep, so I went ahead and got up. I got my chores done pretty quickly, including going to the store, so I could spend the entire afternoon watching TV and practicing my instruments.
The big news of the weekend is Tropical Storm Barry. They were saying he'd strengthen into a hurricane, but they're backing off that now, since he isn't strengthening as fast as they'd thought he would. Eh, that's nature. You never know what you're going to get. Still, he is expected to make landfall over the weekend, so I had go to the store and get more hurricane snacks, since I ate the ones I had early. Now, my snacks are replenished, and I'm ready for Barry.
I'm pretty stoked that temperatures are expected to drop a bit over the next few days. I'm so glad, because it's been miserably hot in the plant. So hot, they gave us popsicles two days in a row. So hot, someone dropped his sucker in the parking lot, and it melted.
So hot, I'm starting to hate those white headed shanty men.
Look at Port Isaac. Just look at it. And in July at that. Buttheads.
They say there's always something to be thankful for. The thing to be thankful for about all that heat heat is it keeps the front office people up in the front office -- where they have air conditioning. When they do need to come out on the shop floor, they don't linger. They dash out, do what they need to do as fast as they can, then dash back into the air. At least, they're leaving us alone, for the most part.
Let's change the subject, shall we? Last week, when I was mowing, I was trying to remember the words to one of my favorite hymns. No problem. I'd just come inside and look it up in one of my hymnals. I have two: the 1957 Baptist Hymnal, and the 1975 Baptist Hymnal. Alas, my hymn wasn't in either one of those. I knew I'd seen it in a hymnal, so I promptly got online and ordered the 1991 edition.
Now, my collection is complete, and all three hymnals are safely nestled in my bookshelf,
between my Bluejacket Manuals and my Piano Guys book. By the way, I ordered those Bluejacket Manuals from a used book store, as well. I'd given mine to Cody when he started ROTC in 9th grade, and I haven't seen it since. He swears up and down he didn't take it to school, but where else could it be? You know the quickest way to find a lost item is to buy a replacement, but it didn't work this time. Mine still hasn't turned up.
Anyway, while I was on Amazon, I threw another piece of survival gear into my cart.
This high visibility bandanna has lots of survival tips printed on it, so into the bug out bag it goes.
Also arriving on Friday was my replacement medal for my King Arthur virtual race.
Thankfully, it's unbroken. This is a cool medal, because it has all the shields, and the ring with the sword hilts spins. I haven't signed up for another race yet. It kind of feels like cheating, because I'm logging miles I normally walk during my day, and not really getting any extra exercise. It's like I'm just buying a medal. Maybe once it's cooled off some, I'll start walking on my days off, too.
All this summer, I've been thinking that there just haven't been any hummingbirds. Back in the spring, I'd bought this feeder, because the label says it attracts 10 times more birds.
But I hadn't seen any. Every so often, a hummingbird would fly by, look at it, and fly away. I finally took it down, and hung the old feeder back up.
Turns out it wasn't lack of birds that was the problem. They just didn't like that other feeder. You know, the one that is supposed to attract so many more birds? Yeah. In just two days, they've drained this one dry.
And finally, something has been snacking on my Zinnias.
Whatever it was had nearly killed this one. A few days ago, I started spraying them with soapy water, and they seem to be making a comeback.
I hope it's not too late, and they survive. My Vincas, on the other hand, have flourished.
They've never been my favorite flower, and I don't know why. They're absolutely beautiful.
P.S. Yes, I know I need to weed. Maybe in the morning, before it gets too hot. But I'll have to deal with humidity, so frizzy hair will abound.
It's Tuesday. I've often heard Tuesday described as Monday's ugly sister. Boy, they weren't kidding there! At least not today. I was kind of hoping it would be a better day at work. It wasn't. If anything, it was worse. I swear, that place is sooooo unorganized it's a wonder they've even stayed in business this long. Let's just say, by the end of the day, I was so exhausted, I was literally shaking. I really do think they're trying to kill us out there.
To make matters worse, someone somewhere is haying. How do I know? I'm over here gasping like a fish out of water. I haven't been able to take a deep breath in two days.
And don't even get me started on how hot it is. He he, my English pen pal was complaining about the heat where she lives. She said it's 29C. That translates to 84 F. And every Southern reader just spit ice tea all over his computer screen.
On the other hand, I saw this in my carport yesterday.
Someone posted an article saying Farmer's Almanac is predicting another cold, snowy winter. Alas, I can't find it again to verify, though. Still, the solid black woolly bear -- and very early in the year at that -- has got to count for something.
But for now, it's July, and it's hot. The last thing I want to see is my coworkers tossing their deodorant. Uh uh, lay that baby on thick!
I don't even want to know who is eating popcorn in the bathroom. That's how we know society is doomed. No, I take it back. THIS is how we know society is doomed.
Grown folks. I'm supposed to be working with grown folks.
Speaking if, is this not the nastiest thing you've ever seen?
And looky, there's a matching one in the other bathroom!
Seriously, we're down to only two working sinks in the front bathroom, and three in the back bathroom. Once upon a time, they used to fix this stuff. Long, long winters ago.
I guess they're trying to make our bathrooms so disgusting that we won't want to leave our work area to go use them. Or something.
On the bright side, remember a few weeks ago when one of my coworkers called out Brazing Boss for putting leaks down when the lines weren't even running her work? And her supervisor backed her up? Well, ever since then, everyone's leak rate has dropped. Drastically.
If the best feeling in the world is knowing you don't have to set your alarm for the next morning, then the worst must surely be turning it back on after a long weekend.
Yep, that happened this morning. I had to go back to work, and was so not ready for it. As if to add insult to injury, I walked in to utter chaos. Not only was there nothing ready for the lines to run, but there weren't even any parts for us to braze up for them. We had to scramble for the first couple hours, until tubing got us some parts down the line. Needless to say, I'm a bit tuckered. So, this'll be brief.
After work, I had to run into town to pay a bill, so I took the long way home, and went out and checked the lake. The water is still high, but not as high as it has been, and the sluice gates appear to be wide open. The outlet channel is much higher than normal, but at least, the water level is finally headed in the right direction, and that's a good thing.
Another good thing, all the cotton fields around here have been planted. Some weren't planted until nearly the end of June -- almost two months late, but at least they're planted. Down in the Delta, some farmers didn't even bother to plant this year, and that's not good. Some of the first fields are starting to flower. I'll bet some of you didn't know cotton has flowers, did you? Hang on, let me see if I still have a picture of one...
Yes! I found an old picture I'd taken several years ago.
Purty, ain't it? They can range from white, to almost red,
or anywhere in between. These were some pictures I'd taken back when I used to walk my dogs down a dirt road between two cotton fields. Now, the city has bought that land, and built a factory on it. A factory which sits empty, because they can't find anyone to least it, and can't seem to figure out why. *Ahem* Infrastructure *Ahem* Eh, what do I know? I'm just a tax paying peon.
But hey, we're getting a new sports complex!
I finally arrived home to find this waiting for me.
My first letter from my English pen pal! I've found several who have said they'd write, but this is the first person who actually did. I haven't read it yet. I'm going to wait until I get off here, and ready for bed. Then I'll snuggle down under the covers and savor it. Maybe I'll make a mug of decaf Earl Gray tea to go with it.
I had the weirdest dream last night. No, you? Weird dreams? Surely not.
Hush up.
There was this lady that used to work out at the plant years go. She was determined to get me married off. She even said so. "Becky, I'm determined to get you married off," she said. Well, last night, in my dream, she had fixed me up with a blind date. When we got to where I was supposed to meet the guy (she'd come with me -- or maybe she'd picked me up and dragged me to meet him, which seems more likely), guess who it was? It was one of my white headed shanty men.
As soon as I saw him, I panicked and ran out of the room. Or wherever we were. She came out and was trying to convince me to come back in, and that's where I woke up.
Finally, my son sometimes posts the most hilarious things on Facebook.
By the way, I have actually shot a machine gun. An M-60 to be exact, back when I was in the Navy. It was totally cool. And fun. And I'd do it again. In a heartbeat.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dream of machine guns and sea chanties.
I needed gas, both for my car and for my lawn mower. Yesterday evening, I drove down to the gas station, and noticed a UPS truck parked there. While I was filling my tank, the UPS driver came out of the station. It was my regular delivery guy. We spoke.
How you doing? All right, and you? Then he turned and looked at me, thought a minute and said -- my address. I said yep, and we carried on our conversation. He asked about my snakes and the dogs. We chatted a bit more, and he went on his way. I thought, "That's life in a small town." Everywhere you go, you're going to run into someone you know.
All right then...
My weekend -- my beautiful, glorious, long weekend - is almost over. That thought just makes me want to cry. It was a good weekend. A good long weekend. It kind of felt like the week between Christmas and New Year's Day -- fat, full of junk food, and having no idea what day it was. I had time to get all my chores done, plus practice both my instruments, and watch my traditional Independence Day movies. That's a feeling I haven't had in a long, long time -- having time to do stuff.
While I was watching all those movies, I finished another hat for my friend Kristine's blessing bags.
The pattern is called Coriolis, and it's a PDF I downloaded a while back. I couldn't even tell you where to find it. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft, and honestly, it wasn't the best choice for this pattern. That yarn is very splitty, and this pattern has a lot of SSKs in it. I had to be careful not to poke the needles between the plies, as they separated quite easily. Next time, I'm just going to make a plain stocking hat from it.
While I was at the store, I picked up one more skein off the clearance aisle.
That's all the good hat yarn they had left -- until they clearance out some more, at least. Not that I need more. I have enough to last a lifetime.
The only bad thing that happened was this. I finished my King Arthur virtual race on Yes.fit, and my medal arrived yesterday. When I opened it up, a couple of the sword hilts were broken off.
Bummer, because it was such a cool medal. I've already contacted customer service, sending them a photo, and they are going to send me a new one. I asked, and they said I don't have to send the broken one back. I'm now wondering if I can glue the hilts back on, and have two. Or maybe I'll just toss it, I don't know.
When I'd ordered --um something from Amazon, I don't remember what it was now -- a while back, I also tossed a new wax stamp into my basket.
I think I'm going to have to expand my Christmas card list, just so I can use all my new stamps, because I've got several more I want to get. So, if you didn't get a card from me last year, and want one, send me your address and I'll add you to the list.
Last, but certainly not least, my Moss Rose are looking beautiful. I've got a couple that have different color flowers on the same plant.
I'm definitely going to keep these in my beds from now on.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
There were rumors going around the plant that they were going to let us go at lunch. Alas, that's all it turned out to be, a rumor. They made us work every last minute of that final, interminable shift before our holiday. But the final interminable shift finally terminated, and I'm free until Monday.
The last piece of my musical puzzle has arrived. I finally have a real piano bench, and just in time for my long weekend, too.
It's a bit smaller than I'd thought, but it'll do for now. It's better than that folding chair, for sure. The bench is just a wee bit higher than the chair was, so I'll have to get used to the new positioning. And as usual, because I'm short, my feet don't quite sit flat on the ground. Yay.
Short people problems, eh?
Still, I'm finally starting to feel like a real musician.
Just not when playing the guitar. Which is still the bane of my existence.
Let's change the subject, shall we?
I've mentioned before, my job is kind of a no-brainer. That, coupled with a 12 hour shift, gives me lots of time for my mind to wander. Sometimes it wanders to places I don't necessarily want it to go...like when we had to dance in P.E. class in school. Yeah.
Did y'all do that too, or was it just us?
Well, one of the dances I just could not get the hang of was the polka. The poor girl I was paired with and I neither one ever got that dance down. Other pairs were whirling around the gym, and we were just struggling -- stomping on each other's feet, losing our place, and not having any rhythm. That, of course, it put me in mind of this song.
I don't know about New York girls, but this Texas girl sure couldn't dance the polka.
Y'all probably have figured out by now, I'm a big fan of these white headed shanty men, and their token toy boy. I just love listening to everything they sing.
Now, when most people are a fan of someone, whether it's a singer/singing group, an actor, an athlete, or Dan Crenshaw, there's certain things fans tend to do. They follow someone on Twitter or Instagram. Like their Facebook page, and comment on their posts. They book mark the person's web page, and maybe send a message or a fan e-mail. Maybe even write an old fashioned fan letter by snail mail. You attend their concerts or games, watch their movies. Go to cons, or charity events. Take selfies, and ask for autographs...whatever. That's what normal people do.
Me, on the other hand, I'm a dork. I don't do any of those things. So, what do I do?
I add their village to my weather app.
Sigh...
Just shoot me now. Somebody. Just. Shoot. Me. Now.
And look at this, when I'm seriously fan girling, I can put it into Celcius.
So I can see the weather the way they would.
What can I say? I'm a dork, and dorks gotta dork.
Oh, and by the way, my older brother in El Paso may have the highest actual temperature, but they only have 11% humidity.
Me with my 54% humidity, I have the highest "Feels Like" temp of all the ones I ...um...follow.
On the Weather Channel App. Not Facebook. Not Twitter or Instagram. The WEATHER CHANNEL APP.
*Sniff* My father would be so proud. *Sniff*
And for your 'Murica moment of the day, I bring back this old classic.
