Oh yes I have a lot to say

However we are going to wait one more day and see just exactly how this is shaking out.

There is the possibility of a lawsuit. There is a chance I may write that book. Maybe I will just start blogging the truth and see where that goes.

I do need to find out how I am going to get reimbursed for the extortion money I was made to pay. Can't claim it on my hours if I don't have receipts. Can't get receipts at this point.

I am not sure, but I do not think you can raise hell with someone for telling the truth. And if they do not have to prove anything, than I think neither do I.

Asshats

The most awful thing happened

It is so awful I cannot discuss it, it is unbelievable.

When I see where the apple falls I will resume blogging.

For now I am waiting on pins and needles for a response.

However this turns out I will have a lot to say when it is over.

And yes it almost happened

I went to the line around 2 to check everything out and prepare to leave. There was a pilot coming down the line so I watched the one side and then waited to watch the other side. I heard someone calling my name and sure enough there was my plant Quality Dude telling me about a little problem. As I was checking into the little problem one of the operator showed me a pile of my parts on the floor that he had rejected. I barely got out of there in a timely fashion.

Of course when I turned the corner to enter the freeway I noticed the law had it blocked off. Now keeping in mind I am in the hood, this is rather disconcerting. Just which way to go and quite possibly avoid a shooting or car-jacking. I made it back to the plant and tried for a different plan of escape. The usual 15 minute ride turned into an hour to get home. I just told myself, there is a reason for everything-go with it.

My lobster dinner was delicious, my Pouilly Fuisse just lovely and I went to bed at 7PM.

After watching The Blacklist. I love James Spader's work so I was looking forward to this. It is a little violent but there were some surprises so I am hoping this works into a good show.

Just waiting for strike 3

Today is our anniversary, 37 years of mostly wedded bliss. Big Daddy took the day off and is cooking and cleaning to make me a wonderful dinner.

Yesterday I thought I just might be getting a cold and jumped right on the Zicam band wagon. Well thank goodness for that or I might be actually incapacitated instead of just feeling like shit.

I am waiting for some catastrophe so that I miss my lobster dinner, that is usually how it works in my job.

We will see.

Sunday Snippets

The Saeco coffee machine is making the most addictive coffee ever. Big Daddy is out of this world with his coffee and I must say I am also quite pleased. I had forgotten how good this coffee tasted.

Punkin Head is all settled in and is in love with Portland. The apartment is fine, the neighborhood is nice and walkable, and he is very happy in his new job and his office. He said he thinks this is the start of the winter rainy season. And he can take the bus to work so that makes him very happy.

It cooled down here, last week it was too muggy and hot and this weekend in the 60's. It will warm back up next week and I need to take advantage of the warm weather to do some outside chores.

I wanted pumpkin bread but somehow we have no loaf pan to bake bread. I was going to order one but I could not push the button. I must have put myself on the no spending diet. I have spent quite a bit lately, so next month I will get the pan. Actually it was quite a large order from William-Sonoma, so it was a bit pricey.

BD made Sammy the Spanky dog's reservation at the Heartbreak Hotel and he gets 2 baths. We picked him up early last time and they owe him a bath. So he will get one when he arrives and one when he leaves. The thing is, Sammy Dog loves a good bath, he will be in doggie heaven. We have our reservations at the Casa Monica, a very beautiful hotel in the heart of St. Augustine. It is a non-smoking hotel so we could not stay there until we were non-smokers.

My order from Amazon has not come in yet, so today I am sending BD to find a Barnes and Noble coupon and I think I will have him get the book Empty Mansions. Looks like a good story. Also The Butler by Wil Haygood.

Next week we will be building pilots vehicles again. The only difference is as for as I know all the parts are good this time. It is sure to be a lively week and I am hopeful the last week of overtime. Will try to post next week.

Exhaustion and Short Tempers

Well, this launch is going down the crapper, just like all launches do. People run around grabbing their hair and screaming and making dire pronouncements. People walk around like Zombies and look and sound like they need intense medical care and rehab. It happens every time.

I cannot give you the particulars, but suffice it to say, people create their own problems. I have an engineer continuously asking why this happened. It happened because no on was educated, smart enough, cared enough or took an interest in the final outcome and therefore we now have shit. So shut up about this and what happened last week and why everyone else is stupid and move on and help me fix this. And if it happens again you have my permission to go and flog them and put their pictures on You Tube. Just shut up when we are working.

Engineers that come to work without a scale. Or any other tools. This is getting on my last nerve. I am not Tool Stores. They also do not have plastic feeler gages. Again, I am not the mother, the Tool Stores, or the person that cares that you do not have your shit together.

So tomorrow I go back and it is gonna be craaazy, and I am still laughing. You wanna know why? Because I chose to look at the reality of the situation and just do my job. And people are strange.

Sunday Snippets

Gotta love a GTO

Big Daddy for some odd reason runs into a guy he works with, much higher on the food chain, every now and again at Trader Joe's. Today he left them with the advice, "Watch out for Bugger." The guy looked  puzzled while the wife said, "Bugger is our neighbor and he is a terror." The hilarious part of this story is that everyone knows this kid by the name Bugger. Come on, that is just not right.

I am within ounces of my new weight, ounces I tell you. This is not making me happy.

Oh, and Big Daddy agrees, we had scant photos in the wedding album, 2 or 3 of each of us and they were all horrid. When Big Daddy says I don't look that bad, well, I don't look that bad. He said he looks like shit too. That photo guy did us no favor in his couple of pics he took.

We have our reservations started for Thanksgiving in St. Augustine. We will see how this goes. Big Daddy said Delta, and the rest of the airlines, are tightening up the requirements to be a Big Deal, and we will never reach that status again. So we must use up our miles very soon.

We went from 100 degrees to chilly ass 60's overnight. I have to get my winter clothes ready.

Funny of the week

I wear this small cross body handbag at work. It is from Coach and pearly pearl in color. I bought it for China and it did not hold up well. As I am still just a tad too chubby for the fanny pak I wear the cross body to work. Under the orange safety vest. Yes, Anna Wintour will never put me on the cover of Vogue. If I remember I will take one of those ever so popular selfies of the work outfit.

Anyhoo, In between the pockets on the vest and the handbag I carry enough tools to take apart a car. Or put one back together.

My handy dandy engineers were sitting in the cafeteria, aka my office, today acting the big shits-while I was sitting behind them at a different table-when the Program Manager turns to me and asks if I have a scale.

Here is my question: how can 4 handy dandy engineers not have a scale between them? And just what do those asshats think I carry around in that handbag?

Can't wait till they find out I have my own brand new bottle of Loctite 495, and that I am done loaning out my tools.

It's too damn hot

When I get into my car at the end of a work day and the temp reads 100, it's too damn hot.

Tonight will be terrific thunderstorms and then maybe it will cool down.

Nucky's Back

Not the right era but the oldest cars at the Village Fest today. More car pictures to come.

Yes, this Sunday, tomorrow or today depending on how you read this, Nucky is back and Boardwalk Empire is now saving my Sunday nights and the whole week of TV. One show to watch and I can forgive all the rest of the stale garbage that is offered.

Will that stupid woman return to Nucky? I have forgotten her name. Will the black guy get a venue on the boardwalk? I have forgotten his name. Will that crazy gangster from Chicago go berserk? I had almost forgotten his name until Capone jumped into my head.

Oh and the mask guy, he is acting wacky in the trailer (click on HBO to see the trailer).

I cannot wait.

You ain't heard nothin' til you heard the Slavs sing

Rememer the Art Deco style gas station they were turning into an eatery that I posted a photo of last October? No? Well, anyways this is the restaurant open for business. They saved the Standard Oil lettering on the front of the building.  It has been open for a few months, we are just slow. The Red Crown in Grosse Pointe Park. We have yet to eat there, schedules just don't work out. I hear it is open for lunch now, so maybe some Saturday.

Well, I still ain't heard nothin' because I went to bed too early. Big Daddy however reports the Slavs are all back safe and sound. He knows this because they had a concert on their deck last night. Well after the moment- he remembers he could have recorded this on his hi-tech fancy phone. It would have been great.

I was on call this Saturday as the plant ran, that is an automotive term, the plant ran-the plant is running-the plant is down, but thank all of the holiest I did not get called in. However I found an email this morning from a man I did not know, saying I had a problem with a part I do not supply, and he left no phone number. How odd. Monday we start building pilots again and it is sure to be fraught with emotion and tension, hooboy I can hardly wait.

My hair is just not right after this latest haircut. I am starting to wonder if she is just tired of me and my hair.

The kids are loving Portland. All is well.

Free day

Every once in a while something goes wrong at the plant. Today something broke in the chain system and shut the whole plant down. I screwed around until 1 o'clock break and then I took off. Nothing to do and nothing to see.

Punkin Head sent me a text, they were in Idaho and pushing forward, this is supposed to be the last day of driving and I hope they make it without harm or injury.

Saturday is haircut day and I cannot wait to see what we are going to do with this mop of crap hair. I just picture myself growing this out for years and years and years.

The Way Westward seems to be not real fun

Big Daddy's smoker, electric, about 10 years old. Pulled pork was delightful on the holiday weekend.

Nebraska it seems is full of corn with the occasional soybean. The kids are having a trip to remember. Thank God it is only 2 more long and tedious days. Tomorrow Salt Lake City and then Portland.

I had my teeth cleaned today and was so proud to do it without Valium. Still had the gas though. I bought some stuff called Phillips Zoom. It is teeth whitener, more than Crest White Strips and less than a professional whitening session. It is a paint pen, you paint it on and brush it off 30 minutes later. It is also okay for sensitive teeth. We will see. Should have had this for the wedding.

I am starting wonder about the changes in the neighborhood. The Mormons are all moved back in and they have no curtains. How in the hell do you get homeowners insurance that covers everything in a fire except your curtains. And why would you want the neighbors staring in at you? And the Slavs have disappeared, they are gone. It is so weird. The ex-pats that came home from Sweden are now off to Shanghai. They sold their home to an older couple so it will be interesting to see the new neighbors. Remember the Flower Lady everyone hid from? She took a bad fall and is in a nursing home, she signed her home over the local hospital system, so how long will they keep it? Inquiring minds want to know.

Labor Day

Watering the ferns.

Punkin Head called and they are just getting in the U-Haul and leaving. That gets them into Des Moines around 9 PM if all goes to plan. This is gonna be a trip, if ya know what I mean.

I have been thinking all day-as our hot water electric pot died-we need appliances. I bought the hot water pot last September I believe and it just petered out. Since I paid around 40 bucks I think it should have lasted a bit longer. We looked all over the Internet and Big Daddy set out to get a new one at Costco. They are closed today. I say hurray for the workers and it sucks to be me. He got a replacement at Target and I decided that for our anniversary we need a "European" coffee maker again.

Years ago when I returned from Austria the one thing I craved was the coffee, and I deduced it was the coffee maker that made the huge difference. They have these pressure machines and a simple cup of coffee is simply divine. Yes, you have to make each cup by hand, but it is worth it. Delightful coffee. Our last was a Saeco and we worked it until it died.

So for our 37th anniversary this September 25 Big Daddy will be picking out a new coffee maker.

And that is good because I have a very jewelry idea for my birthday this year. And everyone knows I love jewelry. I think it is time my mother returned my jewelry as she really does not like jewelry anymore.

Sometimes life sucks

My best friend can't talk to me today, she is too sick from her Chemo treatment.

My mother, who has ignored me all summer suddenly calls and thinks I might want to talk to her. Wrong.

Punkin Head is loading the rest of the stuff he can take, and he does not want to talk to anyone but the truck loading peeps and the Kings of the highway, let there be peace on the U-Haul.

There is a sliver of light and maybe we will have some summer late today and tomorrow.

I am making soup and praying that all is well, that is all I can do.

And yes, we now have locusts. The difference in the locusts here and in China, we have birds here to eat them.

Dreary Day for Labor Day weekend

It looks like a bad day in November out there. It is muggy and not nice enough to plan on the smoker or grill. I am making soup in a bit and Big Daddy is going to boil a mess of shrimp and make a big salad for dinner. Nasty day.

The kids hired some packers to come and pack up the U-Haul and it will be fine. I just need to keep saying it, it will be fine. I sent some Ben Gay home with the DIL last week as they both have sore muscles from being the short-timers and being given the shittiest jobs on their last day at work. It happens.

Got to get some work done today and all I can do is keep wiping the big fat tears from my face. I never cried when he moved before. I don't know what is different, but this one hurts, maybe because the other ones went so smooth. When he went to college, well he was ready and rarin' to go and so were we. He was a child that needed to stretch out and feel the world. And as he moved and learned and changed it was all good.

But now I am used to him being close and will miss them both so much, this is so hard.