One Day More!

One more day of work, then I'll be off for the long weekend!  I just wish the weekend would go by as slowly as the work week has, but I know it'll fly by.  I had the brilliant idea of going to Walmart today instead of tomorrow to avoid the pre-holiday crowds, but it would seem everyone else in town had the same idea.  It was as much of a madhouse as it is on Fridays.  Even so, I got my business tended to and got out of there.  

So, tomorrow I can come home and try to mow.  It'll be hot, but I'll take it in short bursts with lots of cooling breaks.  I want to get it done so I don't have that chore hanging over my head all weekend.  

On a similar note, I reached out to the landscaper and asked him if his truck was out of the shop yet.  He replied that he just got it back, and will be able to come finish my yard next week.  Well, he said he'd try to get one of his guys to come over the weekend, but I told him next week is fine.  No need to make someone work on the holiday.   He thanked me for my patience, and said he understood how frustrating it has been.  I'll just be glad when he's finally done and I can move forward with my projects. 

In other news, it was a relatively stress free day at work compared to the first two days of this week.  Most of my orders were ....fairly complete and mostly right, which for out there is a good day.  One of my coworkers had gone on vacation and brought back little souvenirs for all of us.  That was so sweet of her, because she didn't have to do that. 

Oh, and I overheard the following conversation between two brazers:

Brazer #1:  Where is {Stalker}?  I haven't seen him all day

Brazer #2:  He's on vacation for the rest of this week.

Brazer #1:  Thank God!

Brazer #2:  We all said that!

Hmmm, maybe that's why the day seemed so much better.

And finally, I decided if I'm going to get into extract making, I needed some extract bottles.  Alas, I think I bought pepper sauce bottles instead, though these are what came up when I searched for vanilla extract bottles. 

 Ah, well, no matter.  Once I get my beds all set up, maybe next year I can grow some peppers and make my own hot sauce.  Except that I don't like hot sauce, but maybe Cody'll want some.  In the mean time, I'll look for some recipes and we'll see what I can come up with. 

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, they say you should use brown or amber bottles for extract so the light doesn't degrade your product.  

Well, there was something else I wanted to tell you about, but right now I can't remember what it was, so I'll close this for today and go get myself something to eat. 

Laters. 

Hello July

This week hasn't started off in the best way, at work, I mean.  It seems like every order I've gotten these last two days has had something wrong with it.  I swan I've spent more time re-ordering parts and writing scrap tickets than I have doing my actual job -- which is brazing.  

But, only two more days this week, then we have a four day weekend!  Hopefully.  I don't think they'll make us come in Saturday, but it's not out of the question.  They've done it before.  Keep your fingers crossed.  

I had intended to run by Walmart after work and pick up some bags of top soil to start filling in the huge ruts that landscaper left in my front yard, but by the time I got off, I just wanted to come home.   I also wanted to run by Tractor Supply to see if they had a dethatching tool, but that didn't happen, either.  Maybe tomorrow.  

I briefly thought about getting the roto tiller out, but didn't.  It's too hot for that.  I did get out and cut some more of that tree up, and I got almost all of it on my side of the fence.  

I need to move those two last pieces of the trunk, and at least it'll all be on my property. I want to try to mow back there behind the fence this weekend, because the ground ivy is taking over.  I know it's not my land, but I still try to get back there and keep it fairly neat during the summer.  

I had a bit of a sad moment when I was watering my basil and discovered that one of the plants had died suddenly. 

I'm not sure what happened.  It was fine just a couple of days ago.  Bummer, but it's not like I don't have plenty more.  In fact, I was thinking about making some more pesto this weekend, and maybe, when I get another ripe tomato, I'll make something like an ensalada caprese.  

That's a Caprese salad.  I didn't even know what one was until I was stationed in Italy, so the Italian phrase is the one that automatically comes to mind when I think of it.   

Oh, and I found a wine and spirits store across from the post office, so when I go to mail my great - nephew's sweater, I'll try to stop in and pick up some vodka for my extracts.  I've got plenty of mint, and I'm thinking about trying it with my lemon balm.  I watched a YouTube video a while back where a lady was talking about making bunches of different stuff with lemon balm, and I think extract was one of them.  I'll have to go find it again to be sure, and I'll be sure to let you know.  

And finally, it was announced last night that local meteorologist Matt Laubhan has left the TV station to start his own weather media company.  Page.  Whatever it is, he's doing it.  

I'm wondering if nearly getting laid off a few months ago had something to do with that. 

Yeah, the Allen Media Group owns the WTVA station, and they were going to lay off all local meteorologists and broadcast a feed from The Weather Channel in Atlanta instead.  Local outcry was so great that they backed off, but still.  Maybe it shook him up, or maybe he just wants to do his own thing without being restricted to the ...what is it, four minutes they get during a news broadcast.  

It's still in development, but he has a web page up (linked above) and a new app:  Mississippi Live Weather, which I've already downloaded.  Independent meteorologists are becoming much more of a thing lately.  Think Ryan Hall, Max Velocity, and the like.  

Well, just add Matt to this list now, too.  If I'm not mistaken, Gabe Mahner is going to join him, so yay.  We can look forward to more great moments like this.

Whoever said weather was dull has never been around weather people. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's past my bedtime and I don't even have the coffee pot fixed for in the morning, so I've got to run. 

Good night. 

Goodbye June

I'm sore.  From using my new tiller over the weekend.  Oh, I knew I'd be sore in my arms and shoulders, and maybe across my back, but I never expected my stomach and ribs to be sore, too.    It's good exercise, I tell ya. 

That being said, I did not come home this afternoon and run the tiller.  It's too hot.  Instead, I spent about 15 minutes working on cutting up that tree I'd had cut down. It's slow going, but I'm making progress.  Not as quickly as I'd like, again because of the heat.  I just can't stay out in it like I used to.  

After that, I picked my next ripe tomato and had a tomato and pesto sammich.  It was a smaller tomato, so I was only able to get one sandwich out of it, but it was so good.  Then I finished the charity hat I'd started...Saturday, I think.  I don't remember. 

 Knitting is something I've also had to slow down at, because my hands get sore if I do too much at a time.  I think that's one reason I like knitting hats so much.  They're quick and easy -- and very forgiving.  Even if your gauge is off, or you cast on the wrong number of stitches, it's still going to fit someone's head.  

In work news, rumor going around the plant now is that The Warden is leaving to go to another company here in town.  They're expanding their operations and adding some 400 jobs.  I guess he's going to be one of them.  

You know your plant has problems when the employee turnover rate is high, but when you've been through five different plant managers in the last seven years...well, something is definitely rotten in Denmark. We've gone through just as many Human Resources directors.  

What with all these new factories opening up here in the next few years, somebody needs to figure out something, or that place will go out of business.  I just hope they last until I can retire.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I found one of my favorite old TV shows on the Roku channel, and I'm going to go watch a few episodes.  

Simon & Simon, just in case you were wondering. 

Laters. 

About Yesterday

About yesterday, I actually got a lot done and had stuff to post, but as it was the anniversary of operation Red Wings, I felt it was important that we remember.  I know those types of post don't typically get a lot of views, but I'm going to keep on posting them as long as I'm able. 

So, anyway, the first thing I wanted to tell you about is that I finally got that second sleeve seamed up and my ends woven in on my great- nephew's sweater. 

All I have left to do is to sew the buttons on...as soon as I find them.  He's going to look so cute in this.  

Once I'd finished that, I cast on a hat for the Seaman's Church Institute.  

It's almost July, and I need to get a move on with these hats.  I already won't have as many as I normally send, but at least I'll have some.  

And I know I said I wouldn't, but I did anyway.  I cast on another Baby Surprise Jacket. 

Truthfully, I wanted to see how the Bitty Stripes yarn knitted up.  This is the rainbow colorway.  BTW, if you are one who knits a lot of these, that yarn seems to be great for these.  At least the first one I did turned out very nice.  

In garden news, I got out before it got too hot and ran the tiller over my garden spot a few more times. 

I made two passes over the whole area, and I think I'm getting the high spot in the middle cut down a bit.  As I said yesterday, it'll take quite a bit of work before it's the way I want it.  I'm telling you, though, if I had some advice for that landscaper, it would be not to quit his day job, but I haven't seen nor heard from him in weeks, so at this point, I'm pretty sure I've been cheated yet again.  

I'll give him a few more days, then I'll look around and see if I can hire someone else to fix the wreck he made of my yard.  This is what I'm working on right now -- getting some of the dirt away from my fence so I can get it painted. 

It's hard work breaking up that red clay.  The stuff is like cement once it dries out.  I don't know what he was thinking piling it up so high, but he had the dirt all the way up to the bottom rail -- about 6".  In fact, you can see in the upper photo up there how high he had piled it.  Aesthetically, it's not going to make that much of a difference, because it'll have raised beds in front of it anyway, but I need get the fence painted, for protection against moisture mostly, and to keep it looking nice.

I'd started working outside around 8:00 AM, and shut 'er down at 9:30, but by then I was absolutely drenched in sweat, so I sat outside in my chair for a little while before coming back inside.  It was kind of nice sitting in the shade, but it soon got too hot even for that.  

Before I came in, I made a little pond for the poor toad I kept disturbing with my dirt rake.

I put some rocks in there so he'd be able to get out easier, and maybe so the bees and butterflies could land on them to drink.  When I get the fairy garden in place, I want to have something that looks like a little creek with rocks in it, so insects and small animals like toads and salamanders can come and drink when it's hot.  

What I'll probably do is find one of those reptile water bowls, the ones that look all natural and stuff, and just put some rocks in it.  

So, that was my day yesterday.  This morning I got up and cut some spearmint and started a non-alcoholic mint extract.  I know you're supposed to use vodka for these types of things, but there isn't a liquor store between here and Walmart, and I haven't made it to the ones on the other side of town.  I'll try it with distilled water and see how it turns out.  It might not be as strong, but I'm sure it'll work.  

If it doesn't, I can always try again.  I mean, mint is something I have plenty of.   Maybe next time, I'll use peppermint.   

Red Wings

The blog will be observing a day of silence for those brave men who lost their lives twenty years ago 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. 

When It Rains...

Sometimes there is an advantage to working in an unairconditioned factory...

I got home from work shortly after 2:00 PM, looking forward to having an actual weekend off -- one that won't cost me a vacation day, I mean.  I'd even thought about getting my new roto-tiller out and trying to stir up some dirt. 

But when I walked into the house, instead of the blast of ice cold air that normally greets me, "Dang, it's warm in here!" I exclaimed.  

I walked into the hall and checked the temperature on the thermostat, and it read 83°.  That's not good.  I went outside and checked the main unit outside and it wasn't doing anything.  I shut the power off at the breaker, then turned it back on....still nothing. 

You know, as much as we sometimes hate to spend money, ain't nothing going to stop us from getting that air conditioning fixed -- not the cost, nor an introvert's distaste of making phone calls.  Right away, I jumped onto Facebook into one of the local groups and searched for air conditioner repair recommendations. 

The first guy I called said he wouldn't be able to get to it until tomorrow, so back to the drawing board -- or message board, rather -- and called the next number.  He answered professionally and politely, "Dukes Heating and Air Conditioning"  instead of the "hullo" I get so many times. 

I explained my problem, and before I could even finish one episode of JAG, he and his son showed up and got me fixed right up.  It cost a pretty penny, but like I said, we don't play around with that air conditioning, especially not when we're under a heat dome. I may have to put off some of the other stuff I want to get done, but it's a small price to pay.  

So, the advantage I spoke of earlier is that even though the house got up to 85° before it was all said and done, I never even broke a sweat.  I'll tell you one thing, though.  I didn't want to eat anything hot, so I made me another 'mater sammich - - and just for something different, I put a little of my homemade pesto on it.  

A 'mater sammich is good, but a 'mater sammich with a dollop of pesto is absolutely out of this world. 

After they left, I waited a bit until it cooled off.  OK, I waited until after 8:00, but it didn't cool off that much.  Still, I got out and made the first pass over the garden spot with my new roto-tiller.  

I was a little concerned that it wouldn't be powerful enough to cut through that red clay, being electric and all instead of gas, but it absolutely was.  When I first cranked it up, it almost ran away with me, but I have lots of experience being a buffer jockey from when I was in the Navy, so I quickly got the hang of it. 

It's going to take several more passes before it's the way I want it, but at this point, I have all winter to get it right.  I don't plan on taking all winter, but the point is, there really isn't any rush to get it done.  I'd rather take my time and do it the way I want it than to feel like I have to hurry up and then not be satisfied with what I've done. 

I hope that made sense. It did in my head. 

Oh, and I've got to paint the fence before I put my raised beds in place, too.  

And finally, that's a hard no from me. 

Let's just say, there's a reason I turned it off after only two days. 

It's Official

They finally posted the weekend work schedule, and it's official.  The lines are going to be off.  Of course, the notice always says "Component Areas:  See Your Supervisor", but I'm pretty sure we'll be off, too.  At least, sub-brazing will, because our numbers are pretty good.   I know the fin press and autobrazer will be working, and probably sheet metal, too.  I guess Uncle Supervisor will tell us tomorrow. 

What I've heard is that they need to cut the water off to the back of the plant so they can run the plumbing for the new bathrooms they're building back there, but that's just rumor so take it for what it's worth. 

With that in mind, I went ahead and did my shopping today, so tomorrow I can come home and put my tiller together without having to worry about errands and such-like.  While I was there, I bought myself a new food processor.  

To be honest, this one wasn't my first choice.  I'd looked through the Walmart app and picked one out that was a three cup, but I couldn't find it anywhere.  The app said it was in stock, but I didn't even see a spot on the shelf for it, so I went to my second choice.  Eh, it's a bit bigger than I'd wanted, but it'll do. 

Now, the next time I want to make pesto, I'll be all set.  I just need a week or two for my basil to catch up. 

I also bought another skein of that Red Heart Bitty Stripes in the Crayon Box colorway, since I used most of the last one knitting the baby surprise jacket.  I won't post a photo.  If you want to see what it looks like, just scroll back a post or two. Though I'm tempted to knit another baby sweater, this one is intended for charity hats. 

On the other hand, maybe I will knit another baby sweater -- to have on hand for future great nieces and nephews, you know.  

OK, I'm back after a quick break.  I hadn't intended to put my tiller together until tomorrow, but wanted to check the packing list to make sure I had all the parts.  Once I got it all out of the box, it took only five minutes to put it together.  

And there it is. 

 

I won't try it out until tomorrow, because a) I've already taken my shower for the day, and b) it rained while I was putting it together.  Not a lot, but enough to make the dirt just a bit muddy.  Hopefully it'll be dry by tomorrow afternoon.  

And finally, I keep forgetting to tell you Stalker fired a second brazer last week, and he is plumb thrilled about it.  He's been walking around in a ...um...state of excitement...ever since.  So to speak.  Alas, that was before HRH left and The Warden announced he was leaving.  

Now Stalker seems nervous.  Without the buddy system protecting him, his job might be the next one on the chopping block.  

We can hope, at least. 

It’s Time!

It's 'mater sammich time!  

And yes, I did make and eat me a 'mater sammich, but I ate it so fast, I didn't take a picture of it.  I'm telling ya, it hits different when the 'mater is fresh off the vine, still warm from the sun. 

On a similar note, my new roto tiller arrived yesterday evening after I'd posted.  

They'd shipped through UPS, which always comes late.  Indeed, I was tapping my foot impatiently because I was ready to go to bed when it finally arrived at long last.  I'd intended to come home this afternoon and give it a try, but it's just too hot right now.   Twenty years ago it wouldn't have been a problem, but the older I get, the harder it is to handle the heat. 

How hot is it?  I opened the door to let the cat out, she yelled at me, and came back inside.  Whatever else she is, she's not stupid.  The downside to this is, she's now using her litter pan a whole lot more, which mans I need to scoop it a whole lot more.  

But I digress...

They're saying we might have this weekend off, and if we do I'll probably wait until late Friday evening or early Saturday morning to start tilling.  Of course, the landscaper still says he's coming back to finish up...but that shouldn't involve the garden spot, so it shouldn't interfere with what he needs to do. 

Speaking of work, in the morning meeting today, Group Leader Shark said it is confirmed that all those rumors from yesterday are true.  HRH is no longer with the company, and The Warden will be leaving next week.  I'm not sure what's going to happen, but the atmosphere sure seems lighter out there.  At least to me, it does.  

Let's just hope we get some decent leadership this time.  

Oh, and they gave us our raises today.  Well, they gave us the papers.  The actual raise goes into effect next Monday.  I was pleasantly surprised, because mine is usually around 2%-2.5%, but this time it was 4.2%.  That's a nice little chunk of change.  I guess they're finally figuring out that our wages will need to be more competitive if we're going to be able to keep employees from the other companies in the area -- especially after that new industrial park opens up in a couple of years. 

Apropos of nothing, one of the games I play on my phone keeps telling me to connect to the internet to enjoy a better game experience, 

 but they're not fooling me.  I know all that means is that they're going to bombard me with ads, ads, and more ads. 

I'll pass, thank you. 

Great Upheaval

There has been a great upheaval out at the plant.

But before I get into that, first I must needs catch you up.   If you'll recall, a few weeks ago I'd posted that the Human Resources Director From Hell had been fired.  Turns out, that was not the case after all.  About a week later, I saw her back at the plant.

"Is that HRH?" I asked Demi-god.  He said yeah, and that they hadn't fired her.  They'd just suspended her, and I was left wondering what on earth an HR director could do that warrants suspension.  I never did find out. 

Sometime later, on the day they announced that the security guards would be inspecting our lunches, one of the other brazers asked me, "Is HRH back?"  

"I don't know," I replied, because I hadn't seen her again since that one time.  Apparently she was.

That brings us to this morning. I'd walked over to ask a coworker about someone I hadn't seen in a while, and as we were chatting, she said, "They fired HRH this morning."

"Again?" I asked, and apparently they had, because I asked a few other people, and they said the same thing.  No one really knows why.  I asked Demi-god if he'd heard anything, because he usually knows being that his dad is a supervisor and his mother works in the front office.   This time, he didn't.  He told me his mom had sent HRH an e-mail yesterday and never got a response, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with her being dismissed.  

I guess we'll find out eventually.  Or not.  They don't tell us anything out there. 

But wait, there's more!  

There is also the rumor going around that The Warden is leaving next week.  Again, nobody knows why.  Demi-god said that the higher ups told him he'd have to move to Dallas, because he couldn't run a plant while he was in the plant, but that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.  Every director of operations we've ever had has lived here and been physically present in the plant.  

I wondered if maybe he wanted to go back into the Army, myself.  Now that SecDef Hegseth -- say that three times fast-- is purging the military of wokeness and social justice and making it great again, lots of people are wanting to go back in.  Not to mention that all the branches are meeting their recruiting goals for the first time in a long, long time. 

But that's a different post for a different day.  

What I want to know is, once all the dust settles and we know what's what, can I have my insulated mug back?  

In knitting news, I finally got one arm of my great-nephew's sweater seamed. 

But just the one.  When I got finished, I said, "I need a break before I tackle the other sleeve."  And still it sits...

That baby's going to be here before I get it done if I don't get a move on.  

LOOK!!!!

I did it. I got outside yesterday evening and finished up the mowing and the weed whacking. I had to wait until 7:30 for the heat index to get back down into the double digits, so it was about 8:15 when I finished up.  It was then that I heard one of my neighbors start her lawnmower.  Can't say's I blame her for waiting until the sun went down.  It was hot out there.

By the time I was done, I was absolutely drenched in sweat, so I got some water and went back outside to sit in my chair for a while. 

A short while, because it didn't take long until the mosquitoes found me. Still, as I was sitting out there, I noticed how empty the sky looked without the neighbor's huge old tree there.  

I will miss the shade, but I'll have a much better view of the sunsets and stars.  

After all of that, I managed to sleep in until nearly 6:00 this morning.  It's going to kill me to have to start getting back up at 3:30 tomorrow.  When I went outside to water my porch plants, look at what I found!

One of my tomatoes is getting ripe!  

It won't be long now and I'll be having me my first 'mater sammich of the year.  I was just wondering, though, if I should thin this cluster or let them grow.  

This is the first time I've ever been successful at growing tomatoes, so I'm kind of winging it here.  Any tomato people out there who can give me advice, I'll sure welcome it. 

I've also got two more banana peppers coming on.

My mum is starting to bloom as well.  

It's got some stringy bits that I think I'll prune back as soon as the blooms die off. 

I know mums are typically associated with autumn --  likely because of the colors-- but the ones you buy in the garden centers have been forced.  Again, likely because of the colors.  They're so autumny, you know.  But all the ones I've managed to keep alive for more than one season have bloomed in June. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find something to knit, since I've finished all of my baby sweaters.  Probably another hat.  I'm way behind on my charity knitting. 

Almost Done

I am almost done with the to do list I'd made for myself this weekend.  The only thing I have left is to try to mow the front yard, which I might do later today after it cools off some.  We have triple digit heat indices right now, so whether it cools off enough is iffy in itself.  If it doesn't cool off, I'll try to get it in the morning, even though the grass will still be wet with dew.  

Of course, all of this depends on if I can get the lawnmower started...

Other than the heat, it's been a beautiful, sunny day, and I started it off by going up into town to the Farmer's Market.  I didn't buy much, but I did get some of Mrs. Terry's cookies. 

If you are local, do go up to her booth when you get a chance.  She has all sorts of homemade stuff: jams, jellies, relishes, chow-chow, salsa, homemade vanilla extract, breads, cookies...And it's all so good. 

I also picked up this pepper onion relish from another vendor, just because it looks interesting. 

I might give it to the kids -- or I might put it into my chicken salad next time I make some.  I thought about stopping by the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve and walking some trails while I was up there, but didn't have the right shoes on for that, so I came on home.  

The major thing on my list for today was to get that last snake tank cleaned, and that's just what I did.  It wasn't too hard, since Sunny has always been my cleanest snake -- if such a thing is possible.  Onyx is the nastiest, as he's always dragging his bedding into his water, and sloshing water all over the tank, but Sunny's tank is so clean that I didn't have a problem using his old bedding to mulch my planters. 

Oh, don't freak out.  I picked the poop and pee out first.  

Besides, birds and bugs are pooping on outdoor plants all the time.  That's why we wash our stuff before we eat it. 

Oh, and did you know snake pee is solid?  It looks just like poop, but it's white.   There.  That is a thing you now know. 

Moving right along, I now have four relatively clean snake tanks, and four relatively happy snakes. 

The two on the right have white paper bedding, because it's cleaner than aspen shavings, being that paper is more absorbent.  That's what I'm going to use in Onyx's tank from now on, and probably Blaze's, since one pack has enough for both tanks. 

OK, enough about that.  

In other news, I managed to dig both of those big chunks of concrete out and add them to my stepping stone walkway.  

I'm still not sure where they came from.  When I had that whole sewer line replaced right after I moved into this house, the plumber had to break up my patio to do so.  He'd used some of the pieces to fill in the old septic tank that was there, and that's kind of what these look like, which begs the question:  why did the landscaper dig them out, if that is indeed what they are?  

And finally, the last thing on my agenda for the day was to finish knitting this blob, which I did while watching a Netflix documentary on the space shuttle Challenger disaster. 

You know, while I was knitting this, I kept wondering why this sweater is so popular.  I certainly wasn't enjoying knitting it.  I didn't figure I'd ever knit another one...but now that I'm done and have folded it up to see how it'll look once I've seamed the sleeves, I'm kinda proud of it. 

Maybe I'll knit another one after all.  Even though this thing isn't impressed.  

 Not at all...