Operation Red Wings

The blog will be observing a day of silence for those brave men who lost their lives June 28, 2005 during Operation Red Wings.

Never forget them.

LT Michael P. Murphy

ST2 Matthew Axelson

GM2 Danny Dietz

FTC Jacques J. Fontan

RMCS Daniel R. Healy

LCDR Erik S. Kristensen

ET1 Jeffery A. Lucas

LT Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.

QM2 James E. Suh

HM1 Jeffrey S. Taylor

MM2 Shane E. Patton

SSG Shamus O. Goare

CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature

SGT Kip A. Jacoby

SFC Marcus V. Muralles

MSG James W. Ponder III

MAJ Stephen C. Reich

SFC Michael L. Russell

CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to the next generation, and their children to the next generation.  --Joel 1 : 3

So that we may never forget. 

COVID Update

This is how it all went down.  

Last Saturday, as the day went on, my coworker seemed to droop more and more.  I didn't think too much of it.  We are all tired by then.  Shortly before the end of the shift, I heard her tell another coworker that she was going to go to the doctor after we got off.  She thought it was a sinus infection. 

She was out Monday and Tuesday, and I wondered if she had the flu or something.  I thought no, she's already had the flu this year.  I began to wonder if she had COVID, however, Wednesday, she was back,  so it couldn't have been that.  Shortly after the day started, she left again -- I don't think she was even there an hour.    

Yesterday evening, she called me at home, telling me she'd tested positive for the coronavirus.  Since I work right beside her, she wanted me to know.  I thanked her and told her I hoped she felt better soon.  Not quite that bluntly, but I never really know what to say in those situations.  

After we hung up, I messaged my supervisor, asking him if I needed to call HR to let them know I'd potentially been exposed.  He said not unless I was showing symptoms. Having cleared that up, I figured they'd take care of things the next morning, and went on about my business.  

Today, once HR had received a copy of the positive test, they did risk assessments on the two of us who work closest to her.   Apparently, they don't automatically quarantine the whole department like they used to.  Anyway, the safety guy put our names into the system,  asked a bunch of questions about how close our contact with the sick person was, etc., etc..  He kept asking me how I felt.  

I said, "I'm tired, and this Sahara dust is killing me, but other than that, I'm good."  

Then he asked if I felt like I needed to be quarantined.  Now, I'm thinking, if I had contracted the virus, it would have been on Saturday, as I'd had only the briefest contact with the sick person on Wednesday.  If I'd already contracted the virus, and was going to get sick, being at home under quarantine isn't going to stop that.  If I'd contracted the virus, and fight it off without getting sick, what's the point of losing two weeks pay, especially now that they've decided asymptomatic people can't spread it?  

I didn't tell safety guy that, though.  I just told him, "Nah, I'm good."  I'll just keep a close watch, and if I start showing symptoms, I'll let him know.  

I did speak to my supervisor later on, and told him what I didn't tell the safety guy.  He responded, "We were in the Navy.  Coronavirus is afraid of us."

I don't know about that, but I'm pretty sure I've got a strong immune system.  

 

I've actually done this, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fine. 

BTW, they decided to go ahead and put the other girl into quarantine, because she'd had much closer contact with the sick person, and has other health issues as well.  I'm already low risk, being relatively young and healthy, plus having O+ blood and have been taking Vitamin D supplements for years.  And I've always believed your immune system needs exercise, just like every other system, so I've never over-sterilized anything.   I've washed my hands in rivers, lakes, and water puddles, drank from garden hoses, eaten blackberries and figs straight off the vine/tree, and ran barefoot most of my life. I even follow the 10 second rule, and I don't think I've ever even used hand sanitizer until all this started.  So, yeah, I've got it covered. 

Also, it's already been seven days, and I haven't started showing symptoms yet.  I've got another week to go before I'm in the clear.  

I'll keep you updated.  

It's Finally Happened

Well, it's finally happened.   One of the brazers has tested positive for COVID -19.  Not me, by the way. 

I'm not sure what's going to happen now, as they seem to have stopped quarantining people until they begin to show symptoms.  Kind of like shutting the barn door after the horse has gotten out, if you ask me.  

Anyway, I'll keep you updated on how things go.  In the meantime, here is a little humor for you:

Random Thoughts Of Whatever Day This Is

1.  I knew right away what kind of day today was going to be when I stumbled out of bed at 3:30 AM and went through my morning routine, which includes turning on my coffee pot.  I finished getting dressed, and just before leaving, picked up the carafe to pour my coffee.  Only there was no coffee in it.  "What happened to my coffee?"  I thought.  I wondered briefly if my new coffee maker had broken down already, so I opened the top, and lo and behold, no water anywhere.  All I saw were the cold, soggy grounds from yesterday's pot.  Yep, I'd forgotten to fix the coffee pot last night.  I thought about going back to bed, but didn't.  I went on to work, coffee-less.  And that was the highlight of my day.  

2.  All I've been doing is working.  Just working, nothing but working, working, working, working... but I did want to pop in and let you know I'm still alive over here.  Choking on Sahara dust, but alive nonetheless.   

2.  True we get it every year, but it seems especially thick this year.  It was so bad a few days ago, I could actually taste it on my lips.  See what I had to deal with on Monday?  For once, I didn't even complain about having to wear a mask.  

3.  My coworker is crazy as a rocket.  She's got a good heart, though, and everybody likes her.  I couple of days ago, she was showing us how she wanted to be laid out at her funeral.  Right there on the conveyor.  

4.  One day last week, I heard her over on her brazing stand just a yelling, and my name came up a couple of times.  I asked another coworker what was going on down there.  She said the other one was getting into a tiff with Stalker, and said, "This is why Becky don't fool with you any more!  Keep it up and you're going to have another Becky over here!"  I'd sure like to know what brought that on.  

5.  Speaking of Stalker, he's messed up two more orders since I last spoke with you.  Word in the wind is that Group Leader Shark wants to get rid of him.  He can't keep up.  Well, he's going to have to figure it out soon, because my line is supposed to open back up next week, and I won't be able to cover his butt any more.  

6.  I've already ordered Cody's first Christmas present.  Or maybe I'll give it to him for his birthday.  I don't know yet.  Anyway, I found a veteran owned company called Frag Out Flavor that does spice blends and such.  They have really cool names like Purple Heart, Battle Buddy, and Freedom Spice.  

Since Cody likes to cook, I thought he'd appreciate a sampler pack.  I wonder if he has a grill....

7.  I bought this book just on a whim.  In case I go to England some day.  Which will probably never happen, but still...

One of my favorite YouTube channels is called Lost In The Pond.  It's by a guy named Laurence Brown.   He's British, and married to an American woman.  They'd been living in London, until about 12 years ago, when they moved to the U.S. Anyway, they had received this book as a gift and made a whole video where they try to guess each other's words.  It's pretty funny. 

8.  I finished another Yes.Fit race.  I really like this medal, too.  It's got a silhouette of the Beast with the rose.  

11.  I got the little card my friend Cyndye sent me framed and hung on the wall, right next to the picture Suzie drew when I moved into this house.   It makes me feel like I have friends around.  

12.  I totally skipped #9 and #10 up there.  Did I mention I'm tired?  Yep, these long hours are killing me.  I apologize if this post seems a bit disjointed, but I'm too tired to even think.  And I still have to practice my piano before I can go to bed, so I'd better get to it.

One Year

It was exactly one year ago today, I came home from work and found a very large box left in my carport.  And what was inside said box?  This:

It has changed my life.  From the first few hesitant notes, to what I can play today,  I've enjoyed every minute of the journey.  Sometimes, I get frustrated and think I should be farther along.  I've seen videos of other people's progress and they seem to be playing a whole lot better than I am.  Then I remind myself that those people don't have full time jobs, and are practicing two and three hours a day.  There are days when I feel lucky just to run through my finger strengthening exercises.  

But no matter.  It's a journey, not a race.  I'm taking things at my own pace, and since I'm only learning for myself, that's perfectly fine with me. 

Now, the plan was to have a pretty good recital for you on my one year anniversary of learning, but alas, it hasn't worked out that way.  Maybe I'll be able to get some more songs recorded for you soon, but for now, this will have to do.  

Again, kindly excuse the crappy sound quality.  One day, I'm going to have a better camera.  Oh, and I have no idea what that whistling noise is, either. Overlook it, and enjoy the music.    

Since we've gone back on these long, long shifts, blogging will be sparse for the next few weeks.  I'll try to drop in and post every so often, but for now, I just don't have time.  

Thanks for understanding. 

All Is Well

OK, I did not like that alarm going off at 3:30 this morning, but as I drove to work with it still pitch black outside, I gave a little sigh and thought, "All is right in my world again."  Not that I like getting up that early.  But I'm used to it.

Let me tell you, my next door neighbor gave me quite the scare yesterday.  I was out in the back yard cutting my grass.   Mrs. Newman was cutting hers as well.  This is not unusual.  She works in her yard every single day, either weedeating or mowing.  

After a while, I noticed she had stopped her lawn mower -- she has a riding mower -- and was just sitting there with her head bowed.  I thought she was taking a minute of a break, because it was pretty hot out.  I kept on mowing, keeping an eye on her all the while, but after a few minutes and she still hadn't moved, I became concerned enough stop and check on her.  Cutting off my mower -- who for some strange odd reason I have named T-Roy -- I walked over to the fence and called to her.

"Mrs. Newman!  Are you OK over there?"  

No response, so I called again, a bit louder, "Mrs. Newman!  You all right?  Mrs. Newman!"

Still no response.  By this time, I was pretty worried, so I went out the back gate and over into her yard.  Approaching her, I called again, "Mrs. Newman!  Mrs. Newman."  Again, no response.  Seriosly concerned by this time, I shook her shoulder gently.

Nothing.

I was actually reaching for my phone to call 911 when she started a bit, and roused.  She began talking, babbling really, and was very disoriented.  She talked for several minutes, then kind of did a double take and said, "Where'd you come from?"

"I thought you was passed out, and came to check on you," I said.  Kindly ignore the vernacular.  Thank you.

She looked around, confused, then said she'd thought she was still in the hospital.  She told me she'd been very sick lately and had lost a bunch of weight.  "The doctor said I'm not supposed to be doing this, but I can't just do nothing," she exclaimed in frustration.  

It took me several minutes, but I finally convinced her to let me help her back into her house.  I stood by as she got off the lawnmower and steadied her as we walked across the yard toward her back door.  As we came around the corner, her daughter came out of her house, and said, "Mom!  What happened?"

"She thought I was dead," Mrs. Newman said. 

"I really did," I concurred.  I told the daughter what had happened, and she took Mrs. Newman on into her house, and I went back to my mowing.  I do hope she's all OK now.  And that was enough excitement for one day.

Except that one of my young bucks came to nibble up the stuff the squirrels tossed onto the ground.  It looked like one of the two year olds.  He was so handsome with his little antlers in velvet, but I didn't get a picture of him, so you'll have to settle for this one. 

Wild blackberries behind my fence.

Not enough to do anything with, though.  Bummer. 

Random Thoughts Of A Saturday Evening

1.  Schadenfreude is defined as enjoyment or pleasure derived at the misfortunes of others.  I experienced a bit of schadenfreude yesterday when Stalker messed up an order.  And I mean, he messed it up bad.  So bad, I wondered how he even did it.  Of the six adapter tubes the assembly required, he'd put five of them in the wrong place.  I'd like to know how he even crammed it into the jig.  It would have been tough. 

2.  I finished another Yes.Fit race.  This one was the armed forces plus the Coast Guard, so naturally I had to get it. 

It even came with a mini dog-tag.  

3.  I also paid a little extra to get the challenge coin, because I wanted both the coin and the medal.  

When you sign up for a race, the entry fee gets you one reward per race -- usually your choice of a medal or t-shirt, but can get a second one if you pay a little extra.  I haven't ever gotten a t-shirt, because I don't have room in my drawer for all the ones I already have.  

4.  Another friend sent me some different style of face masks.  

I'm hoping these might be a little softer than the disposable ones they're handing out at work.  The ear loops are tied, not sewn in, so I can adjust the fit.  Either way, I'll be glad when it's all over and I can take the dumb things off and breathe again.

4.  I finally made it to Tractor Supply to get some deer corn for my squirrel feeders.  I've been meaning to go for a few weeks now, but you know me.  I end up just going home instead.  First thing this morning, I told my coworker, "I'm going to Tractor Supply after work today.  I'm telling you this, because now that I've said it out loud, I have to do it."  After work, I started to just go on home, but I told myself, "No!  I told Vanessa I was going to Tractor Supply, so I'm going to Tractor Supply!"  By golly.  

5.  They have veteran parking at Tractor Supply.  I didn't park there.  It kind of feels like cheating, because I was only in for 5 years. 

6.  They also have chicks at Tractor Supply.  I was good and didn't get any.  I wanted them, though. 

7.  Stalker is going around telling everyone they've offered him his old job back, but he turned it down.  Of course, everyone is just laughing at him.  We all know how much he lies about everything.  I think he said that because he messed up that order and had to try to make him self look good.  

8.  I firmly believe we are in the Weak Men Make Hard Times arc of the cycle.  Buckle up.  It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. 

9.  They also had ducklings at Tractor Supply.  

I wanted a duck so badly, but what would I do with one?  Of course, I'm from the swamp, so my first thought was that even if I put in a pond, the alligators would get them. 

10.  I think the first thing I'm going to buy when I get caught up on my bills is a good DSLR.  I miss being able to take quality photos.  I'm kind of leaning towards a Pentax, because I already have a macro/zoom lens.  I've heard the lenses for the old film cameras also fit onto the DSLRs.  

11.  We've had three more cases of COVID at the plant.  Well, two at the plant, and one at an off-site warehouse.  One of them, her daughter works over there with us.  They quarantined the daughter, but nobody else.  I guess they're not so worried about it spreading any more.  

12.  I went swimming with an alligator once.  If I had known he was there before I got into the water, I wouldn't have.  He was about an 8 or 9 footer.  This was a long time ago, and he was in my Uncle's pond.  James knew a guy with some alligator tags, so he brought him out there, but they never caught the alligator.  I never saw him again, either, so I guess he moved on.  

13.  One of the nicknames I've given to my imaginary boyfriend is Gator-Bait.  It's a term of endearment.  For real.  At least when I use it it is, although several years ago, I told an old stalker of mine, "Don't test me!  All I've got to do is give the word, and they'll be picking your DNA out of alligator poop for the next ten years!"  

14.  Well, I've successfully wasted enough time that it's too dark to mow.  And I'm hungry.  I guess that'll be it for now.  

Quick Post

Well, they put the notice up today.  As of next week, we are back on long, long hours.  The assembly lines will be working 10 hour shifts, and the component areas are on 11 1/2 hour shifts.  Sigh, I've worked there long enough to know it was too good to last.  I mean, we've always worked long hours during peak season, and this year it's complicated by the pandemic. When everything shut down a couple of months ago, they were not expecting it to come bounding back quite so quickly.  The Boss Who Must Not Be Named told us we've got $31 million in orders waiting to be filled, and we've got to get them done.  

Thus, overtime.  Lots and lots of overtime.  

I'm not going to complain, though.  I figure the more hours I work, the faster I can bet my bills paid off and build up my savings.  And the quicker I get my savings built up, the sooner I can quit that awful job.  

And go home.  

But first, I have to get through another summer of 4:00 AM mornings.  And yes, I'm well aware that just last week, I was the one complaining about having to go to work with the sun already up.  At least things will feel normal again.  I'll be a creature of the night once again.  

All that to say, this is going to be a short post, but I wanted to show you something.  

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you'll know I've been at war with the chipmunks in my yard. I bought a live trap last summer and have caught and dispatched five of the little buggers all together.  

Well, the reason I bought a live trap instead of a kill trap was because if a bird or something got into it, I wouldn't want to accidentally kill it. It's a good thing I did, because in the last week, I've caught a squirrel and a wren, both of which were released unharmed.  I also caught a rat, which was not released unharmed.    

The first thing I do when I get home from work every day is to check the trap,  and today I noticed it had been sprung.  This time, it wasn't a chipmunk, a squirrel, or even a rat.  Look at what it was:

A baby bunny!  I was so tempted to keep him as a pet, but I didn't.  The main reason being, I don't believe in taking wild caught animals as pets, and also because I didn't think I'd have time to take care of yet another animal.  In the end, I took little Bugs out behind the fence where the dogs wouldn't bother him, and released him back into the woods from whence he came. 

Maybe someday, I can get a pet bunny, but when I do, it'll be a captive bred rabbit from a reputable breeder.  Not a wild thing.  

Dear Coworker

I certainly understand that you want to save money.  Really, I do.  

But let me ask you something.  Do you have cable TV?  Yes?  Then on behalf of all of us, please, please, please...

Please.  I'm begging you.  We're all begging you.  

Cut off your cable before you stop taking baths, with your old nasty self!

Thank you.

That is all. 

Cristobol And Stuff

It turns Cristobol, like most of my past relationships, has turned out to be somewhat of a dud. 

We got a bit of wind, but nothing severe, and hardly any rain.  I had 1 3/4 inches in my rain guage when I got home from work.  So, after all the buildup, he was a bit of a let down.  Heck, I can't even get his name right.  I keep wanting to call him Gordon.  I'm bit bummed that I didn't get to use my new camp stove, which arrived today, because the electricity didn't go out. 

I guess the cookies I left out for Jim Cantore worked.  

I very briefly considered calling in sick this morning -- no point in trying for perfect attendance when we don't get a bonus for it any more -- just to watch the storm come through, but I told myself not to be stupid.  I can't really afford to blow a day's pay just for the weather, and they are predicting a busy season.  There will be other storms, so up I got and to work I went, where I spent the entire day wishing I'd stayed home.  Every time the shipping doors opened, I could see the wind blowing the trees outside, and I so wanted to be out there in it.  Alas, by the time I got off, it was all but over.  Even now, the wind has switched back to the West, and I'm in a funk.  

I am my father's daughter, after all, and he was the original weatherholic.  

OK, then, moving right along.  Back in the day, I'd made up these little headline things to put into my blog when I was ready to change the subject.  That way, you, Gentle Reader, didn't have to endure a jarring change of subject, or suffer through tiresome and repetitive segues.  Because I totally can't come up with an original segue.  I thought I'd bring them back for a while, just to see what you think.  The headlines, not the segues.   Let me know, OK?  And as promised, here is the first one:    

Get it?  It's a play on the spelling of knitting, and the word news...clever huh?  OK, never mind.  In knitting knews...heh, snuck that one in on you, didn't I?  OK, OK, I'll stop.  

I finished a hat.

I've got a bit of yarn left over, and am debating whether it's enough to make a decent sized pom pom.  I've already cast on another hat, but haven't even done enough to show you.  I can't even tell you what yarn it is, because I don't know.  It's a random ball I found in the back of the yarn closet.  I only hope it's enough for a hat.  I'm not completely sure.  We call it yarn chicken, and it's why knitting is such an adventure.  Among other things...

Abrubt change of subject...I bought this little trellis a few years ago, thinking it was a much bigger trellis.

The plan was to train some English Ivy to grow up and make a nice little shady spot for my gardenia, which, according to the plant tag, doesn't like afternoon sun.  However, the English Ivy didn't work out, and I taped a black garbage bag to it.  

I was out in the back yard yesterday doing some storm prep when I thought, "Hey, I could train that Virginia Creeper to grow up onto it."  I carefully detatched the vine from the brick and wrapped it through the trellis.  I wrapped some of the ones creeping along the ground onto it as well.  Hopefully, it'll survive.  

Whelp, that's about it for today, as it's almost bedtime, and I still need to practice my piano.  I thought when they put us back to 8 hour shifts, I'd have so much more time to do stuff.  I thought wrong.  I really need to reduce my presence on Facebook, and not just because it's a time suck.  

I need to stay off to maintain my sanity.  If y'all need me, I'll be here, on the blog. 

 

Nope, Not Today

There I was at work, waiting to clock out, when my phone began blowing up with severe thunderstorm warnings.  

It happens when you have 34 weather apps...Which can neither confirm nor deny that I actually do...I'm pleading the 5th...

But as I was saying, I was waiting to clock out when my phone began blowing up with severe thunderstorm warnings.  

"Hey!  We're under a severe thunderstorm warning!" I told my coworker.  I'd planned on going to the store today, but in the light of certain severe thunderstorm warnings, I decided to wait until tomorrow.  Good thing I did, because about an hour after I got home -- which was about the same time I would have been leaving Walmart  --it hit.

I had some serious flashbacks to Easter Sunday, but thank goodness, it didn't get that bad.   

My lights flickered a few times, but didn't go out.  I heard the town just South of us -- Winona, for you local folks -- had significant damage, trees and power lines down, a roof blown off...that kind of stuff.  One of the FB weather pages reported the winds were 60 MPH.  Seriously, they were blowing me back into the house while I was trying to film them.  But the worst of it has passed us, and we're all OK here.  Still a bit of thunder and some drizzle, but nothing too rough.  

Speaking of rough, guess where they finally put Stalker.  Go on, guess.  I'll betcha can't.  If you said sub-brazing, give yourself a cookie.  He was once so arrogant, so superior.  Now he's not only just another peon, but within the department, he's low man on the totem pole.  One of the brazers said, "Now THAT is karma!"  As if that weren't enough, his very first order, he had to get an experienced brazer help him set it up, because he couldn't figure out how.  In fact, he's had to ask for help quite a few times, prompting yet a different brazer to say, "And he was supposed to be teaching this?" To which I replied, "Yeah, that's why those people were coming out of that class not knowing anything."  

I actually knew before hand that they were going to put him there.  Chief had called me over and basically said, "I need him, and I need to know you aren't going to kill him."  "As long as he stays over there and leaves me alone, I'll mostly pretent he doesn't exist," I responded.  His first day in the department, Group Leader Shark asked if I was all right.   I told her I was trying very hard not to gloat, and not quite succeeding.  

I think we all can say that.

These last few days, I've had a bit of the epizoodies, so last night, I finally broke down and took some NyQuil.  I slept good, I'm telling ya.  I woke up this morning, still feeling a little drugged, but able to breath comfortably for the first time since I can't even remember when.  The bad news is, I could tell exactly when the antihistamine began wearing off -- around 9:00 AM -- because my chest tightened up and I began gasping again.  Sigh...I wish I could find one I could take every day that wouldn't dry me out like the Sahara Desert.  

The good news is, with the economy opening back up, our business is bouncing back faster than they expected.  The Big Man Up Front held his montly townhall meetings and said we're getting way more orders than they'd projected, so we'll be working overtime for a while.  They're even going to be opening up the assembly lines they'd shut down a few weeks back.  They say we'll be working Saturdays for the next two months, plus 9 - 10 hours during the week.  Group Leader Shark said, "Those of you who've worked here before knew this was coming!"  But you'd be surprised at how many of them acted surprised. Saturdays?  Why are they making us work Saturdays???  As if we hadn't worked 6 days a week for the last 25 years...

And finally, we're still keeping an eye on Cristobol.  He's wabbling around in the Gulf like he's drunk, so we don't know what he's going to do.  I've got my Vienna sausages ready, just in case.  

Well, How About That!

There I was at work, just a working away, when one of my coworkers called across to me and said, "Becky, you know they put Stalker on the line?"  

"Yeah, we were talking about that yesterday," I replied, indicating another coworker.  We chatted about hin for a few moments, and she thinks he'll quit, because as she said, "he don't want to work."  He just wants to stand over everyone trying so hard to be important.  

Is it wrong that I wanted to go find him and just laugh at him?  Yeah, probably.  I didn't do it, though, but not because I was good.  Rather, because he wasn't there today.  Word from the back of the plant is that he's has gone to get himself a lawyer.  I don't know what he thinks he's going to do with a lawyer, but by golly, he's going to get one.  

Maybe he thinks he can force them to give him his old job back.  I don't see how, because the position was eliminated when they ended the brazing training program.  He ought to be glad they didn't lay him off completely.  Or maybe he thinks they can give him old pay grade back.  That isn't going to hold water either, especially since the CEO of the company also took a huge pay cut.  It's not like they are singling Stalker out.  

My coworker said, "If they give him his job back, then we all ought to get lawyers ourselves, because he was harassing the @*$^ out of us!"  I can't wait to see how it all plays out.  We haven't had this much drama in ages.  

In weather news, we have our third named storm of the season, and it's only June 3.  I guess they were wright when they said it would be an active season.  

From the models, it looks like I am in the cone as of now, but some are suggesting it might track West.  Either way, I didn't want to get caught out again, like I did in the Easter storms, so I decided to go ahead and get myself a camp stove, just in case.  At least if the power goes out, I can cook something hot.  I got mighty tired of eating Vienna Sausages and peanut butter sandwiches for four days. 

I was going to go to Walmart and get one yesterday after work.  All day long, I said to myself, "Self, after work, go on to Walmart and get yourself that there camp stove."  Even leaving the parking lot, I was still saying to myself, "Go to Walmart and get that stove."  But when it came time to turn towards Walmart, I turned towards home instead.

And ordered one from Amazon.  It should be here Monday.  

Oh, are we still quarantining, or have we moved on to something else now?  I can't tell...

How The Mighty Have Fallen

It would seem Stalker has been defrocked.  He has, at least according to plant gossip, had his pay cut and he's been put permanently on an assembly line.  

How the mighty have fallen!  2 Samuel 1:27

He used to be so arrogant, so cocky.  Now he's just another peon, like the rest of us.  I'm trying hard not to gloat.  Really, I am.  At first, we didn't believe it.  We didn't think his pal Brazing Boss would do that to him, but according to the guy he was working with today, it's true.  

Some people are saying it's because he stayed in quarantine for so long, but I don't think that's it.  I don't think it would be legal for them to demote him just because he used his FMLA.  What I think, and this is pure speculation on my part is, most of my coworkers have no idea how close our company came to going out of business during the pandemic lockdowns.  And I'm not talking the local plant.  I'm talking Lennox International.  It got really bad there for a while, and they were looking to cut expenses everywhere they could.  We lost all our bonuses, and all the salaried employees took a 12% pay cut.  Even the CEO of the company had his salary cut by 50%.  That's how serious it was.  

So, what I'm thinking -- and again, this is pure speculation on my part -- is when all this went down, The Big Man Up Front had to take a good hard look at our plant's budget.  I imagine one of the things he found he needed to do was to eliminate all the superfluous "buddy system" jobs.  Stalker's job was definitely one of those.  I mean, how many new brazers to they train in a year?  Ten maybe.  Twelve in a busy year.  Do they really need three brazing trainers for that?  Short answer, no.  They don't.  And word around the plant is that the way Stalker got the job in the first place was by cozying up to a person of significant influence who used to work up in the front office.  

Now, I don't know for sure if this is true, but what I hear is that Stalker used to go hang around Person Of Significant Influence's hunting club, and whenever POSI would kill a deer, Stalker would sidle up to him and say, "Hey, POSI.  Want me to skin that deer for you?"  Eventually, Stalker began asking him to get him on out at the plant, so POSI created a position out of thin air just for Stalker.  That part is just gossip, but I do know for a fact that POSI got Stalker his job in direct violation of company policy, because he didn't have a high school diploma or GED, which is required for full time employees.  He worked there for nearly two years before HR made him go back and get one.  Stalker told me that himself.  

So, now he's been moved to the assembly lines for good, from what I hear.  Today, he filled in on the test tank, where they check the units for leaks.  I told my coworker if they put him on the test tank permanently, boy will he write down a lot of leaks on us.  He is just that petty and spiteful.  I said I don't even care, just so long as I don't have to deal with him anymore.  

Let's move on to something more pleasant, shall we?  Heh, as if there were anything more pleasant than getting rid of my stalker...who told me once if they ever tried to put him on the line, he'd quit.  Well, we shall see.

It's been a while since I posted a sea chanty, hasn't it.  It's been so long, I bet you forgot all about them.  Or rather, you thought I forgot about them.  Nope.  

A few days ago, YouTube's autoplay feature brought me this little gem.  It's by a guy who does traditional and folk music with a sort of upbeat, techno-pop sound.  I know, I know....but it works.  It really does.  At least with this song.  Give it a listen. 

I'll bet you thought I'd given up my imaginary boyfriend, too, didn't you?  Nope, I just figured you'd gotten bored hearing about my imaginary adventures with him.  I only bring him up now to illustrate how much of a dork I am.  

And just how much of a dork am I?  Well, I'll tell you.  I'm so dorky that I imagined I took him fishing out on the bayou back home.  That's not the dorky part.  The dorky part is, in real life, I actually got onto the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department website to research non-resident fishing licenses.  You know, to make sure I was imagining that I imaginarily got him the right imaginary ...fishing license.  Because I didn't want to get him into imaginary trouble with the imaginary game wardens.  

Don't even ask.  I've long since given up trying to find an explanation for such things.  

And finally, there is an upside to going to work so late in the day.  You get to see sunrises like this one. 

It almost makes it worth it.  Not quite.

But almost. 

Good While It Lasted

Well, it was a good little break while it lasted, but it's over now. 

That's right, Stalker was back at work this morning.  He came bounding around the corner...he he he...bounding...the thought of him bounding is making me giggle so hard I can't even type.  Ok, back to my story...he came bounding around the corner shouting, "Hello, Gloria!" Gloria being the sub-brazer right on the corner stand.   

He did not quite receive the welcome he expected.  Most of us groaned, rolled our eyes, and went back to work, ignoring him.  Truth is, nobody missed him.  One of my other coworkers said she does better when he's not standing over her, just waiting for her to mess up.  I mean, we're all adults, and most of us are experienced brazers.  We do not need a babysitter.  Or as I often refer to him, a cell block warden.  

Anyway, he didn't get quite the welcome he expected, as most of us didn't even acknowledge he was there.  He just put his head down and walked off, and we hardly saw him for the rest of the day.  

Rumor has it, The Boss Who Must Not Be Named has done away with the brazing training program, but that's not been confirmed as of yet.  Truth is, we were turning out better brazers before they even started that program, back when they were pairing the new brazers with experienced people for training.  A few years ago, I was staying over and helping new brazers on second shift get up to speed.  One lady told me, "I learned more from you in 20 minutes than I did in a week in that class."  Well, yeah, because I actually know how to braze.  

What I want to know is, if TBWMNBN has done away with the brazing training program, what are Brazing Boss and his minions going to do?  If you ask me -- and the rest of the brazers -- they need to go away.  

I know blogging has been kind of light, and part of it is because I've been in a bit of a funk here lately.  I stand there at work and think of all sorts of things to talk about, but by the time I get home, I don't feel like posting them.  I start to type, and tell myself, "Ah, they don't really want to hear that."  So none of it gets posted.  

Well, I did away with my Hulu Live, and just have the cheap Hulu.  It almost only lasted one day.  I got home from work and wanted to watch another episode of Swamp People, and it wasn't there.  All my saved shows.  All my DVRed stuff.   Lone Star Law, North Woods Law, Swamp People.  My cooking shows...Gone.  I mean, I have a few episodes of some of them, but not the entire series like I did before. I was good, though.  I held out and didn't reactivate it.  I probably will in the Fall when the new shows came on.  Now, I'm wondering if my saved stuff will still be saved, or will I have to add it all back in again.  I guess we'll see.  For now, I'm catching up on stuff on Prime and PBS Masterpiece.  

I just finished watching the Les Miserables mini-series.  I really enjoyed that one.  I also rented the new Emma.  It was pretty good, but I was a bit disappointed that Miranda Hart's part was so small.  I thought she was brilliant as Miss Bates, and wanted to see more of her.  Still and all, I think I prefer the version with Gwynneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam.  

And then, of course, the last two days have been totally taken up with watching Crew Dragon launch.  It's the first time in 9 years that American astronauts have launched from American soil on American built rockets.  No more paying Russia $85 million a head to launch Americans into space!  

I got home from work Saturday just in time to see the rocket lift off from the launch pad, and stayed on the NASA channel until the astronauts went to bed.  Sunday morning, I got up at 4:45 to make sure I was in time to see them dock at the International Space Station.  Which I did, then sat there the entire however long it was until they were able to board.  It was about two hours, because it takes a long time to go through all the safety checks and stuff they do to make sure the astronauts don't go flying off into space.  It was all so fascinating to watch.  It makes me feel sorry for non-geeks.  Their vapid little lives must be so boring.  

There has of course, been knitting while all this has been going on.  

Yes, another hat, this time in pink.  Though the majority of the homeless are men, there are women who need assistance as well.  The organization my friend gives the blessing bags to also ministers to prostitutes.  They don't need judgement, they need love.  Compassion.  Help escaping that lifestyle.  So I try to throw several women's hats into the mix every year.  

I know it's kind of hard to see, but look!   My little blue bonnets have formed seed pods!

Here, maybe this will help.  

Or maybe not...Oh, and though astronomical summer doesn't begin for a few more weeks -- after solstice-- meteorological summer starts today.  As for me, summer starts when the cotton is up, and it's been up for a few days now.  By the way, I'll be glad when solstice comes and the days start getting shorter.  I don't like going to work with the sun already up.  It just feels weird.  Like Mommy Fortuna*.

Creatures of night, brought to light!

And finally, as if everything else that has been going on in the world isn't enough, we've got tropical depression #3 formed in the Gulf.  Sigh...looks like Bob and Doug had the right idea.

*Mommy Fortuna is a character in The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle.