Big Daddy in the New Old World

Things are going better. BD has a kinda phone, must recharge the minutes every so often, very often I think. The French are not real helpful in making calls from the hotels. But Big Daddy, true to his, past loves the food. He has had a real French lunch. Let us see if he can describe this as well as Julia.

He is in northern France, the weather just cleared up and he is working his butt off. Quite a change from sitting around Michigan and having nothing to do.

Gossip tells me Plant Loco is a cloud of dust from Tony's Transportation trying to clean years of dirt and debris. Hope this works or even more people will be out of work.

Which reminds me if I don't get off my butt the The Woman is going to see too much dirt here at the old homestead.

First Day on My Own

Ok, I know I am nuts. There is a website where you can track flights. So of course I did. And when the flight landed (early) and should have cleared customs and I had not heard from Big Daddy I called on the new overseas phone. It did not work. And Big Daddy did not call. And there was some strange message on the flight thing that indicated to me that something was strange.

Well, Big Daddy finally called from a pay phone. The new phone does not work. His cohort for some reason also contributed to his dilemma either with no company phone or another non-working phone. The bank called this morning with an automated message his debit card has a hold on it for strange activity and I forgot how to call overseas to call his boss to tell him he has no money.

So far this is working out great. And I miss my dog. Well, there is no where to go but uphill here.

Punkin Head here on Friday with The Woman. Hope she doesn't hate me and I am not found running naked down Lakeshore screaming "how do you call France"? And when I learn calling France is calling FC gonna be all different again? AArgh, my new crossword puzzle word of the day.

And who knew there were still pay phones?

Final Meltdown

Big Daddy is airborne for the next automotive outpost. Detroit is dying and Michigan is not even trying to get it together. Shit, New Orleans is making us look bad.

Well, Punkin Head is coming home this weekend and I have some pictures to post if I get the energy.

I hate having to stay here and watch everything waste away. The people are so tired and they know there is nothing coming in the future. You look in their eyes and it is so sad.

Trudging Forward

Starting into panic mode. Tears come and go. Maybe it is hormones. Weird dreams lately and I am talking in my sleep.

Big Daddy is in charge of finding GrrDog a new home. Well imagine his shock to find the head of the rescue league is the daughter of the dog in a stroller lady. Will wonders never cease. GrrDog had a spa yesterday and maybe another interested person from the groomer; this week he gets his shots and meets the rescue lady. Hard.

Punkin Head is coming home Oct. 9 for the wedding, so October should be somewhat ok and then back to work. Thanksgiving will be hard. Thinking about that. And getting my papers correct for FC and flying alone to change planes over there. Not like when I flew to Austria. For one thing it is a very long flight and for another they can lock you up and throw the key away. Wonderful. Oh, and visa is 200 bucks.

Ex Pat neighbor is giving us the name of the property managers they used. Also agreed to scrape me off the street if I melt down. I learned how to open the hood of both vehicles and Big Daddy got the garage door opener working. Now the toilet is acting funny, this happens every few years, and Big Daddy is doing his usual---it seems fine to me---I am gonna need a plumber.

Ok, going to check airlines and fares now.

UAW still fucking with people

short version today

Snippets:

Don't fuck with my dog's food, this by a sister who is not alone in having dues taken out of her check twice in one month.

We don't get a tee shirt for the fucking parade, from a brother also tired of the UAW not feeling the love.

Lovely Saturday here in the Pointes, maybe more tomorrow. Feeling down today and working extra hard to find GrrDog a new home.

Tomorrow is another day and the old life is simply that, wish I knew what the new life looked like.

UAW seems to be screwing with their members

Plant Loco got screwed on the lay-off, call back and summer vacation. Some locals got unemployment and sub, some did not. If I paid dues I would be damn pissed. Who screwed up, the locals or the International. I thought this shit stood for brotherhood and solidarity. Apparently not. It stands for mine is mine and yours is mine too. And they think health care is going to be any different. It not what you know it is who you know.

Snippets:

Can you give me a quote on the divets? Not until you ask me for a request for quote in writing, you darn ignorant asshole. I told you this 60 times in the last few weeks. And I am sorry you do not know how your system works. That is not my problem.

Scraps was supposed to be Snaps.Snaps:

No pictures yet. Coming soon.

Just too fucking funny:

When we asked how to identify the Italians we were told they are the only ones smiling!

Just one more day of early wakeup and then a 4 day weekend.

WTF:

Boss called and asked me to cover another plant Friday. Told him, I am on vacation. If you want to give me the day back then I will only have to work one day in December.

Detroit Automotive Meltdown Continues

Well the numbers are in and Ford is the only U.S. based company with any gains from the cash for clunkers program. Why you may ask. Is it because Ford is the only company not owned by the government and the UAW or is it because Ford really did have a better idea? Or do we really prefer Asian vehicles?

I have decided to continue with the blog with a bit of a twist. Big Daddy moving to FC for a job is the reality of the U.S. auto industry. All jobs are moving east and those left behind are doing grunt work that is not very well paid. Well then we will do Snippets and Scraps and Just Too Fucking Funny. Followed by To/Do and WTF. Enjoy.

Snippets:

Plant Loco-you are not allowed to talk to me at my work station because they think we are both stealing shit from the plant. (Stolen item is flashlight with a dead battery)

Plant Loco Manager-I am looking for dead bodies. When repeated to my engineer he thought I was nuts until the Manager repeated this in front of witnesses hours later. We think he is watching Night of the Living Dead at home.

Scraps: None

Just Too Fucking Funny:

I am leaving for work, pulling out of the driveway when I see a little old white haired lady pushing a stroller down the middle of the street. With a 30 pound white haired dog strapped in like a toddler with his back legs flapping like he was trying with all his might to gain purchase of any solid substance. Big Daddy tells me this is not unusual. Uh uh.

To Do:

My vehicle needs window washer fluid. Need lessons.

WTF:

Big Daddy found out today the reason he could not finish installing the garage door opener was due to the fact that the directions in English skipped the entire portion of installing the childproof sensors and the parts required that would prevent the garage door from slamming down on your head. However if you spoke Spanish you were cool. I think this may be a national recall. Big Box store let him take home a new unit and take the needed parts as long as he told them which parts he took when he took the rest of the shit back. That is truly WTF.