Happy Hump Day, all. I've got my annual physical and prostate probe at the doctor today. It's always a relief to get that behind me. Oh, I just made a pun . . . .

Mooooon River...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBsIcRZBh3A

Hope everything comes out ok, Dee.

Relatively quiet here. I've finally got a couple pool trucks (combined orders, not the swimming kind ;)) on their way from Idaho. Traditionally these would show up just after Thanksgiving, which was perfect timing for us to begin packaging. About 10 years ago, it gradually became later and later. Here we are the first week of January and I'm hoping to have them at my dock early next week.

They're coming intermodal (truck>train across the country>truck). Last year these shipments cost me $3700 including fuel surcharge. These two are $5300 including fuel. +30%! :eek:

Trying to catch up at work after 11 days holiday plus one day (yesterday) for a follow up endoscopy. Doc says a couple "nodules" in my duodenum have "changed" since the original look ~ 3 months ago, so they got biopsied. News at 11 (or so days).

Making arrangements to get Gretel into the body shop. Late night run to grab some Aleve for Darling Wife (she's a bit sore following her 3+ hour trail ride Sunday plus yesterday's lesson) last night turned into a startle-fest when a ~ 4" diameter, 3' long branch dropped onto Gretel's hood half a mile from home. Busted passenger side mirror, busted windshield, creased the hood. $0 comprehensive deductible FTW!

Finally got a plumber coming out and get us a quote on running water in/sewer out of the upstairs at the cottage - that appointment is tomorrow morning. Ed (hopefully) goes to chat with the cardiac surgeon Friday. If the stars align, and Ed decides to get cut, we'll try to get the bathroom put in while he's recovering at our house.

Off to the left coast next week - at least in theory!

Dancing with cows today in Colfax...will (hopefully) finish modifying the tower-lighting controller panel to be able to replace any/all SS flashers without having to remove same panel from inside a NEMA3 box. AGAIN. :rolleyes: The original assembly leaves a bit to be desired...my language isn't the part that is desired. (20 separate wires have to be labeled, THEN disconnected AFTER ALL POWER has been removed.) :cool:

Just sitting here wondering what kind of practical joke that my SIL is going to play on me today. :D

That sure is a bummer about your car.

Which car is Gretel? They're not named in your signature.

Gretel is the 91 300TE 4matic.

Gustav is the 72 380SE 4.5

Ran out of letters in the signature :P

Cracked the 350K barrier in the S-10 Monday night coming back from Colfax...I got the pictures/video...now, if I can crunch it down and attach it as a thumbnail...I'll see if that's possible... :rolleyes:

Tried watching the BCS-Tostidos Game...couldn't stand the "day-glo" socks/numbers-backround/G-on-the-helmet eye-sores that the Oregon Ducks were wearing...my God, it was like watching a bunch of Union-Road Workers goofing off on the new hire during one of their multi-minuted breaks they need during a regular shift. I originally wanted the Ducks to win, but after just one Quarter, I wanted to turn off the TV and wake up the next day with both teams tied for the title so no one could be better than the other.

I can't even stand watching the replays...my eyes still hurt...

I promise!!! I'll never get close to the speed limit near/in/after a construction zone!!! Just wear orange and not that DayGlo Green anymore!!!! I'm sorry for the world!!!! Don't make me watch another second of DGG!!!

Really, I'm feeling much better today... :rolleyes:

Today will be a managers' meeting followed w/notes about same...then head out to shovel a bit of snowdust off the walks...January is about as exciting as WAITING to watch the snow melt...grass aint' growing for a few months...unless some tree-hugging MMGW/C nut-cake has their way with the weather.

Oops...sorry...this is suppose to be a "happy-thread"-I lost my mind...

Car-club X-mas party is this Saturday...during the Packer/Falcons game...Gee, I wonder how much into the party everyone is going to be?

Cars, Football, Liquor...High-fat contented meats and cheeses...WHAT could go wrong there? Oh, and a few Viqueen fans among the Cheeseheads.

Bets...anyone? :D

I was hoping schools would be open today. Closed for 3rd day in a row....

Heading out the door to go start pushing snow. And just got the call that we're closing today. We never close! Well, make that never used to. :)

I've got two words for you.

"Spectacular Bombogenesis"

Make that four.

"Lightning Snow"

Well, finally finished a 1000 piece puzzle. Haha. Also, did a bunch of shoveling today and managed to go from TOO cold to TOO hot TOO fast and made my legs get all pink and itchy. *sigh* Note to self...heh.

But aww! I'm so happy this puzzle is done! It's so cute...and now my parents can stop being annoyed at me taking over the dining room table...

Sitting in a hotel room in scenic downtown Bothell, Washington wishing I was at home. One more (half) day of meetings with co-workers trying to set in motion plans to make their core infrastructure robust enough to deal with the expected explosive growth on the horizon - whether through use of their existing Chinese partner, some other CM, or expansion of operations here in WA. Any of the three scenarios requires clear documentation, defined processes, functional tools. None of which are present today in this tiny but extremely profitable division - a division borne of strong individual contributors doing good stuff.

Works to a point - but it ain't scalable. My task is to set the stage for scalability. Most of the players involved assume that means shipping their (and everybody else's) job off to China or Malaysia or Mexico or Timbuktu. Results in some "challenges" in terms of getting to the core issues and getting those issues resolved. Sigh.

Direct flight homeward tomorrow mid-day will lead to scooping up one deranged goon of a labradoodle at Chickie's house around midnight since she and Darling Wife will be in Connecticut watching Chickie's brother and his band perform - leaving me to deal with the zoo +1 until they (the red heads) return sometime Friday. Sigh again. Another night without the most amazing red head in the world sleeping next to me. Gonna have to make do with a trio of deranged mutts. Guessing the experience will be somewhat less than spectacular.

Sitting here...thinking I'm fortunate to be doing this.
Just missed getting hit head-on on Hwy 35/53 north of Holmen this past evening.
I was heading south on the two-lane, about 1 mile north of where the two lanes split into a 4-lane/median in the middle by-pass around the town of Holmen, heading towards Onalaska and then I-90.

Anyways...I saw the car coming at me...and the thought starts slowly..."Is he on my side? OH 5HIT!!!! HE IS!!!! IS HE DRIFTING TO HIS LEFT???? OHHHHHHHHHHHFFFFFUUUUUUUKKKKKKKKKKKKKMMMMEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"

I lift off the gas and dive to the right shoulder as he wizzes past me...about 60mph his side, about 45 on mine....enough to screw up life (mine) for a long time...

I look in the rearview mirror...@55hole is still on my side of the road and then...about 2 blocks further...he "reacts" and hits his brakes, then it looks like he shifts over to the right side and back into his lane.

For about 10 seconds, I thought about doing a U-Turn and following his sorry @55 'til a patrol car would show up...but then, being out in the country and not knowing if the nimrod is packing or not, I just dialed 9-1-1, and just about threw-up while talking w/the dispatcher...which happened to be in the next county north of where I was...dam frickin' cellphones.

Now, typing this out...I'm just starting to settle down.

Maybe I'll get some sleep.

God knows my pants need a good beating on a rock... :rolleyes:

The wife and I are snowed in, Yippee. I really needed a day away from my ********* BOSS. :eek::D