'Doctored-up' Ragu

If it's the night before the Super Bowl you can be sure of one thing...
There are turkeys being deep-fried at my friend Roy's house.

The concept is pretty simple. You bring a turkey and some GOOD beer. There is a pot of boiling oil provided in which to deep-fry your turkey as you consume some of your or someone else's beer. Tonight's was the 8th annual event. I am happy to say I have been there since the beginning and it's now graduated to two burners designated as 'old pot' and 'new pot.'

The logic that created it is pretty simple, too. My friend Roy is a home-brewer of fine beers. As such he has the 'technology' to heat large amounts of liquid in a short amount of time. A propane 'jet' and a LARGE pot. He decided years ago he wanted to use them to deep fry a turkey; which he did.

He enjoyed the turkey very much but thought it was a lot of trouble for just one bird. He thought, 'When is a time when people might want to cook a turkey?' The Super Bowl. He decided that if he was going through all the set-up to deep-fry a turkey might as well do it when there might be some 'demand' and invite some friends. Deep-frying a turkey the night before the game would give people the chance to take a fine fried turkey to their Super Bowl parties the following day. It is really good turkey; was a really cool concept, too.

The event has now morphed into a neighborhood event for him. There is now a framed-canopy and two burners/two pots. It's not just his old friends anymore. People drop in all day, fry their birds, drink some beer and leave. The ever-changing crowd is very diverse. There are doctors and lawyers. There are electricians and Cable guys. Usually every one gets along just fine. It's always a great time.

This year a record total of 237 pounds of poultry were deep-fried in the two pots. WOO HOO!

Sorry to say, this year there was a bit of 'tension;' the result of a miscommunication. One of Roy's neighbors made Sauce and Meatballs for the event. Roy knew that he started with a 'base sauce' of Ragu to which he added freshly roasted garlic, bay leaves and other stuff to make one kickin' sauce for the meatballs. One of the other guests must have said something to him about how good the sauce was for being 'doctored-up Ragu.' The poor guy took offense. He was cold to Roy after that feeling he had 'slighted' his efforts; which he had NOT. He was misquoted/paraphrased. I thought it was funny; we did laugh about it. I am sure they will work it out.

Roy is meticulous with the details surrounding the cooking of the birds. He sets standards in his invite. 'You a guest and a turkey under fifteen pounds are invited to attend...' He sets standards for the beer you can bring, too. Nothing manufactured by Coor's, Anheuser-Busch, or other mass-producing piss-water makers. He records and calculates your bird's cooking time; assigns your pot and your place in line, too.

You do the work. Remove the gizzard/neck where it's stuffed in the cavity; place it on the patform/spit. You then don the 'heat gloves,' grab the hook and slowly lower the completely-thawed bird into the boiling peanut oil. You drink beer for the calculated amount of time, if not longer, and pull the cooked poultry from the oil. You wrap it up to take to enjoy with others. It's a party that keeps on giving.

A very cool concept, indeed.

Hope you all had fun today, too.

New Beginnings

I go 'way back' with online communications. I have been online since the Internet was first made available commercially. I had a primitive computer and was intrigued by the ability to communicate with others through this new medium.

In the earliest days the only means of online communication was through what were known as 'Bulletin Boards.' At that time e-mail was new. The bulletin board provided a place to request information and make contact with people of 'like-interest' through this new computer and the phone line. At that time I had just become the 'Cable Guy.' I ran the cable from the 'telephone' pole to the house and then from there to the TV sets. When I was done a job I screwed a connector onto the back of the set; saw a beautifully clear picture, had the customer sign the paperwork and I was done.

When I took the job I thought it would not only be 'fun;' but the company mentioned during the interview process that they had never laid anyone off. I had just been laid off from a job I liked very much. I did not want to repeat the loss again; hence, I was anxious to become the 'Cable Guy.'

At the time I would have NEVER guessed that technology would have advanced me, through nothing but work experience, to become your 'internet-service provider dude.' I have been on the job now many years and it is pretty amazing to look back. Now if I screw the connector onto the back of the 'unit' and you don't have an 'IP address' something's wrong; and I have to find it.

The place where I worked before went out of business. A lot of the people that worked there went to work for a 'spin-off' business in the area. I could have accepted a place there, too, but decided to go with being the 'Cable Guy.'

Some years later I had a service call to a BIG house in an 'exclusive' new neighborhood. It was in some wooded hills. The lots were 10 acres/minimum. One of those very nice exceptions I mentioned yesterday. The gentleman's name seemed familiar to me although I didn't recognize him. I asked him where he worked. He mentioned the 'spin-off' company. I asked if he had worked at their 'predecessor;' the company I had worked for. He said, 'Yes.'

We traded stories from ISC, our common corporate connection. I asked what he did now for the new Company. He replied, 'I'm the president.' Oh my. I didn't know that. What a small world and 'funny' how thing's work out.

He was comfortable enough with me, and knowing our common history, he told me anytime I wanted a tour of the 'new' company to call his secretary to arrange it and he would take me around the plant. I thought how 'cool' would that be, as all these former co-workers would be wondering how I came to be touring the plant with the president of the company.

It's funny to think I had the opportunity because I hooked up the guy's cable at his home.

Life takes many turns.
Often what seems a set-back can become an opportunity.

The Cable Guy as a VIP.
Who'd have ever guessed that?

Hope all's well with everyone.

Stay warm, have fun, and a good night, too.

Return to the Feces House

One of the things that can make my job interesting is not only meeting all the people I do but routinely getting inside other people's homes. From the richest to the poorest people I get to see where and how they live. My entire work area is solidly 'middle-class.' There are extremes but they are the exception rather than the rule. Sometimes these extremes are very nice; sometimes they are very bad.

A little over a year ago I made a service call to a home that was undergoing extensive renovation. I noticed a recent comment was on the work order. It read, 'House Unsanitary per Al.' I called Al before I got there and asked him what I should expect. He replied, 'Dog feces.' I knew what he meant and thanked him for the 'heads up.'

I went in and sure enough, he was right. There were a few dogs in the house that had not only pooped inside; some had obviously marked their territory, too. In these situations I am sure you can understand you just want to do what you have to and get out.

Today I made a return visit to the feces house. The new siding was on. It looked good. I rang the bell and heard the dogs barking. The woman opened the door, greeted me, and invited me to come in. The new floor looked good; the kitchen had been redone, too. I am sorry to say, one thing hadn't changed. The scent of feces.

I was there to hook up a second digital DVR for them. The woman directed me down into the basement from where the scent was permeating. There was another couple now living down there. They had a dog, too. I manuvered through the cramped quarters over to the TV. The poop room was an unfinished room adjacent to their bedroom. I tried to be as nice as I could be. I tried to focus on my job. I tried to get out of there as quickly as I could.

I have a twenty mile/half hour commute to work everyday. I live in a different Cable Company's service area. Friends often ask why I don't work for them. They are MUCH larger than my company. Their service area includes many more urban areas. I tell them that up where I work, 'I rarely have to worry about what's going to be on the other side of the door when it opens.'

Today was one day that I did.

Hope you all had a good day. 52 days until Spring?

Take care, have fun.

Light Snow Fallen

A light snow fell on us last night. The first clue; when in a sound sleep, comes from the sound of the snowplow grinding against the ice and asphalt. Your eyes open and against the din of the room you can see the blinking beacon; the tell-tale yellow light. Then you know, it's a sure thing.

I usually get up early. I am a morning person by my nature. I knew this morning's spare time would be consumed dusting off the car and shovelling the driveway. Sorry to say, by the time I got up, dressed and outside to deal with it the precipitation had changed to freezing rain. The stuff was heavy. It didn't take me that long but when I came in I was sweating and wide awake.

I got to work after a slog of a commute on time and, as usual, I was the first one 'out-of-the-gate.' I had a job scheduled '9-10;' which means, 'first thing,' and I was determined to get there on time. I got there at 9:05. The people were home but guess what? They weren't ready. Imagine that.....I had to wait ten minutes or so as the woman 'got up.' Ugh

The 'bright point' of my day came later after a rough start. I showed up at a beautiful home to connect a HDTV box. The nice woman greeted me at the door and showed me into the living room with the brand-new 70-inch wall-mounted 'mother-of-all-TV's' that had already been mounted to the wall. Ugh.

My paperwork indicated that they only had one active CATV line in the house. The house was not only beautiful; it was big. I suspected immediately there was a splitter in the house somewhere. There was no way in a house of this 'magnitude' that there was only one television set. When I am setting up digital TV service I must locate and if not replace I must bypass the splitter.

I asked the woman if this was the only TV set in the house that was connected to the cable. She told me that they had another one; but until they bought this one they only had the one set. As I suspected, there was a splitter in the house. I asked her if she knew where it was? She did not. She called her husband. I'll spare the details but I found the splitter but I felt very bad when she suggested that I thought they she had been less-then-honest with me. Technically, they had 'tampered' with the line but she was honest with me about it. I reassured her that she had done nothing 'wrong' and that I appreciated the fact that she was honest with me. I explained to her I often discover when people are not.

We ended up shaking hands as I repeatedly tried to reassure her I meant no offense by my questions. I only need to ask them to perform my job. We ended up having a nice chat. We talked about dogs. She had three very cute and spoiled minuature poodles. I made sure she knew how to use the equipment I installed and it all ended up in a 'good note.' Whew!

I really do want people to be comfortable with me; and with me being in their home's. I am there to provide them a service. I want to know when I am leaving that I have. I am not there as an 'adversary;' I want to be there as a 'friend,' ya know?

Hope you all had a good day; have a great night, too.

Unexpected Breaktime

I am at work for eight-and-a-half hours a day. I work eight hours and have a half-hour unpaid lunch. I also get a fifteen minute break in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Today I was working in the town where the office is located. I stopped off at the office to use the bathroom and dropped of some completed paperwork. I then went to take my break. I stopped at a popular convenience store located about a mile up the road from the office. All of the guys at one time or another stop in there. Many of the staff know many of us by name or nickname. I pulled in, parked and went in. I greeted one woman that works there as I prepared my tea; and greeted another and the store manager as I paid for the tea and a slim jim beef snack.

All of a sudden the manager looked at me, called my name and said, 'Come outside and help me!' I immediately turned to run for the door and asked, 'Someone drive off without paying?' She said, 'NO! That guy out there just collapsed.' I turned and looked and a young woman was struggling to hold the guy up. I ran over and got behind him and gently lowered him near the ground. He was on his feet but I was holding him up. He collapsed and had hit his head on the passenger-side rear view mirror of an SUV which was parked next to him. He wasn't bleeding but you could see where he struck his head. We had some light snow last night. The pavement was wet and thought it best just to keep him 'still.'

A small crowd had gathered as the ambulance was called. The one woman from inside the store was relaying questions from the ambulance dispatcher to me. Is he conscious? breathing? pulse? He was in-and-out-of consciousness, he was breathing, had strong pulse. I didn't take his pulse, the SUV woman did. His girlfriend held his hand as we waited for the ambulance. It seemed like forever. Once or twice he wanted to stand up but he was incapable and we encouraged him to stay still. He did.

The ambulance arrived and after another five or ten minutes of them checking his vital signs and stuff I handed him off to the EMTs as they loaded him onto a stretcher.

WOW!

No doubt, the last thing I thought would ever happen. Somehow, I was right in the middle of it. I watched as they lifted him into the ambulance. The store manager was standing back a short bit on the concrete walk. I began looking for my tea. I had forgotten all about the beef stick. The store manager called to me. I looked and she smiled and held up my tea. I don't even know where I put it down. We chatted briefly and I walked to the truck to call the office to let them know where I was and had been doing. As I spoke with the dispatcher on the phone the store manager approached me. She smiled as she walked up to the van and held out my beef stick....lol. I told her I forgot all about it; and thanked her.

When I got back to the office I asked someone in the office to look up the name of the guy. She told me where his last account was. There was no current account. I looked at her when she told me and said, 'You know what? I thinked I hooked his cable up.' She checked the system. Sure enough. I did.

In a day or two I will stop by to see how he is doing.

Sure enough, as I say in my subtitle....every day really is a new adventure.

The picture above is one of my local favorites. I captured that image several years ago at the convenience store I mentioned above.

Hope you all have a good night.

Dead of Winter

Here in these parts we are facing a forecast that includes some 'wintry' precipitation. That's what they call it when they just don't know where the rain/ice/snow line is going to land. We often just have to wait and see how the storm tracks. Here in the northeast we have been back down in the freeze; it just hasn't been as deep or as brutal as it had been.

Now that January is almost past we really are in the dead of winter. The temperatures are about the coldest and the sun is just on the cusp of recovering enough to provide warmth that you can actually feel. Spring is 53 days away. I am sure it will pass quickly.

I posted those pictures above to remind those of us that need it that it is sunny and 75 somewhere in the world right now. It will be that way here soon, too.

The pictures were taken of and in Cancun. Mexico. I was there a few years ago and, as you can see, it was very nice. I have never seen water more beautifully clear and blue as it is there. I hope somehow that no matter how cold it is where ever you may be that they provide some needed warmth.

Have fun. Take Care. Stay Warm.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Before I was the Cable guy I worked for a Defense Department contractor. The facility manufactured advanced electronic components for the US DOD. During the stagnant early 80's it was one of the few local companies that was growing.

As things 'played out' it turned out the Company was little more than intricate tool in the owner's scheme to defraud a corporate partner to the tune of $1 billion. Sound familiar? Back-to-the-future?

As the scheme unfolded all of us that were employed there knew our days were numbered. My day was May 16th. It had been raining for days. I was called into a windowed office of the building and as I was being told I was being 'laid-off' I smiled. My boss looked at me and said, 'Well Jesus, Chris, the least you can do is act a little bit upset.'

I smiled at him and asked, 'Why? I know now what I have to deal with. You people still here, don't.' I looked towards the window and the sun was coming out. I continued, 'I'll be out on the water tomorrow in the sun. Where will you be?'

Three weeks later I snapped the picture you see above.

My fifteen minutes of fame.

At that time I lived in apartment on the second floor of a country farmhouse. That day a friend of mine came to visit. I saw a storm approaching and walked to the front porch to watch. I noticed that something 'strange' was going on. I called my friend to notice the flag across the road was blowing in one direction, the low clouds in another.

I then walked to the other side of the apartment to the kitchen to get something to drink. The kitchen was surrounded on three sides by wndows. I glanced outside as I reached into the refrigerator. There it was!

I called to my friend. I told him there is tornado in back-yard!

He ran back, saw it and said, 'Don't just stand there watching, GO GET YOUR CAMERA!' I did.

I snapped some pictures on film. This was before digital cameras.

I had the film processed. I had captured a good image of the storm.

Long story made short, the local paper bought and processed the photo.

It was carried nationally by the Associated Press; hence, my 15 minutes. ; )

Iron Pants

Some years ago I was out-and-about performing my job on a bright and beautiful Spring day. I was doing what we call, 'DNP's.' A 'DNP' is a 'disconnect-for-nonpay.' I never thought when I filled out the application to become a 'Cable Guy' that I would also become a 'collection-agent.'

On this particular occasion I pulled in front of the house and the gentleman was outside in the driveway washing his pickup truck. He saw me park in front of his home and was surprised to see me walking up his driveway. We do not provide a warning other than a microscopic red line on your bill that reads, 'Your payment is delinquent. You are account may be subject to termination.'

As I approached he asked if he could help me. I said, 'Sir, I am sorry to say today that have me playing the evil Cable guy. I have an order to collect a balance-due or terminate the service.' That is my standard line. I always treat people with honesty, courtesy and respect.

He motioned for me to follow him into the house, stated he would right me a check. As I followed I told him there was a note on my order that said I was not to accept a check from him. He told me the bank had made a mistake as we walked past a Lion's Club 'Man-of-the-Year' plaque that was hanging on a wall. He was clearly not a 'bad check writer.' I advised him that he was going to have to call our office. I gave him the number and he called.

Our office manager, at that time was NOT a nice woman. Not only was she disliked within the office; I often heard complaints from our customers, too.

I stood patiently in his kitchen as he discussed the matter. I could hear the frustration in his voice. I knew who he was talking to as I heard him ask, 'and what's your name, anyway, Ms. Nasty? I quietly smiled to myself. He was conversing with our office manager. He continued with the conversation and then hung up.

I looked at him and said, 'Sir, if it makes you feel any better do you want to know what we call her?' He asked, 'What's that?'

I said, 'We call her 'Iron Pants.' He laughed and then told me his instructions. He was to call the bank, get them to fax a letter over to our office stating that there had, indeed, been a mistake in the accounts and then I could take a check. I told him I had the time and to do what he had to do. He called the bank, got through their phone system to whom he needed to speak. He provided all the instructions and then for some reason handed the phone to me. I took the phone and said, 'Ma'am, I have heard enough about this situation. If you could just please fax the letter over to our office I would be happy to accept a check from the gentleman.'

She asked, 'To whom should I direct the fax?'
I responded, 'To Rosalie,' I winked at the gentleman and joked, 'but we call her 'Iron Pants.''
She said, 'Okay, thanks.' and I hung up the phone and accepted the check from the gentleman.

End of story, right?

WRONG

That was on a Tuesday. That Friday I got called into the upstairs office of my boss with the local manager in attendance. That is never a good thing. They proceeded to ask me about that particular job and what I remembered about it. I recounted the whole thing, absent any mention of 'Iron Pants.' They listened and then asked, 'How do you explain this?'

They whipped out a fax cover sheet. It was from the bank to our office. It was directed to: 'Rosalie Iron Pants.' It was printed in the handwriting of the woman at the bank. I smiled, looked up at the manager and said, 'Am I allowed to laugh about this?'

He looked at me sternly and relpied, 'I might be laughing about this five minutes after I drive off the parking lot tonight but right now we have a serious situation on our hands.' I was like, 'Huh?' lol

He said Rosalie was so incensed at the fax that she called the bank and demanded they take disciplinary actions against the woman at the bank. They then showed me the letter of apology the woman was compelled to send. She mentioned in the letter that she thought it was as 'inside joke.' My first thought was, 'Yeah, it was an 'inside joke' that was supposed to stay 'INSIDE!' lol

The manager and the boss handed me a 'write-up' memo. I was guilty of 'using derogatory language to refer to another employee.' I laughed as I signed the memo. I asked them, 'You know why this is funny? Her reaction only proves that what I said was true.'

It is funny, too, as that was the 'lightest' of terms used to describe her.

Just another day as the Cable guy.

Hope everyone's warm.

Have a good night.

No Greater Burden

Some years ago I was confronted by a heartbreaking situation I wasn't quite sure how to deal with. I'll spare the details of the heartbreak and get to the bottom line. Someone asked me to go with them to spread someone's ashes.

I was honored but wasn't quite sure what to do. I had some weeks' notice. The plan was to drive to upstate NY. We were headed to an area along the Hudson River on the east side around the Kingston Bridge. I had never been to that area of the country before; I had the vacation time to use, so really had no reason to say, 'no.' I am always anxious to explore new places; the friend that asked me was somewhat distraught. It was a promised obligation he needed to fulfill. I agreed to go along.

The 'spiritual me' felt I had to do 'something.' I had no idea what to do.

It was 'stewing' somewhere inside me as the time of the trip approached.

As my job requires me to drive; I spend some time behind the wheel every day. One day as I drove through a residential neighborhood I don't know what hit me. Words started spilling from my mind. I scribbled them down on an envelope I had in the work van. I still have the envelope. Here is what they became with very few 'tweeks.'

No greater burden assails the Heart

than bidding a last farewell

to the One for whom you cared so much

through the tolling of the bell.

Shed not the tears of tragedy, sorrow and despair;

Instead the tears of Joy

for the Love, the Warmth, the Care;

for each of those soft moments

that Love was in the air

that both of you were fortunate

to have the time to share.

Though much too brief a time it was

The elements were there

for Communion of the Spirits;

the bonding forged of Care.

This transcends the Earthly bounds

and helps to let us bear

the burdens of this complex life;

to live on, and to share.

For as you know deep in her Heart

she surely knows right now

the courage and the strength you've shown,

her Heart is surely proud;

and in your Hearts you both still know

The Love that still resides

as you say that last farewell

your loving last good-byes.

And know somehow that as you leave

and move on from this place

that all those things you held so dear

were surely not misplaced;

but will remain within your Hearts,

your Spirits, and your Souls;

each and every moment

wherever you may go.

Some days still may be shrouded

the memories, the clouds, the rain,

a sense of Light made difficult

for your Spirit to attain;

You must believe the glow of Dawn

as darkness will succumb

for though it may seem distant now

the Sun will surely come.

CKL

I really don't know where they came from. Divinely Inspired?
I still have the envelope.

The plan was to take his pick-up truck with my canoe on the roof to a state park in the river hills along the Hudson. Just north of the mansions of the Vanderbilts and Franklin Roosevelt. No doubt a beautiful area of New York state; in many ways very much like Amishland.

The Hudson river is navigable all the way up to Albany. There is a shipping channel. This channel is marked with antique lighthouses. They are islands-to-themselves. The plane was to go paddle out to them; and we did.

We stayed in a cool log cabin at a state park that was very cool. It was the last weekend of October. Definitely a chill in the air. It was a special place for them and some of the ashes were to be spread there. We were to spend almost a week there and do some touring, too.

It was a very nice trip. The weather was sunny, cool and crisp. After a long hot humid summer in the northeast the chill is often welcome relief. We did paddle out to river lighthouses. We explored some of the crumbling mansions locally. Most definetly ruins of a by-gone era. Very historical area; again much like Amishland.

We built a campfire that night. There may have been a full moon. There was another friend along on the trip, too. We all walked down to a place where the hillside was almost a cliff. We said good-bye and spread the ashes where they were supposed to be.

I had printed two copies of those words. One I framed and gave to my friend. The other I placed in a zip-lock bag. I placed the bag deep inside an open hole in the trunk of a tree; just above that special place.

I have often wanted to venture back to see if it's still there.

Funny how now it's a special place for me, too.

Just a story from my past I wanted to share.


Hope you all have a good night, a great weekend, too.

Another Bright New Day in the Northeast

It was another bright new day here in the Northeast. For the first time in weeks the temperature got above freezing. The air was clear, the sun was bright; it felt good. You can definitely tell the sun is rising in the sky. My face may have gotten a bit sun-burned today. It supposed to be even warmer tomorrow; another bright day. Almost feels like Spring; which can't get here soon enough.

If you want to laugh; click on this link :

http://www.aksalser.com/game.htm

I think it's very funny....hope you do, too!


Despite the sunshine my day got off to a bad start. I arrived at my first job promptly at 9 AM. The home already had digital services; now they had ordered more. The gentleman invited me in and guided me to the master bedroom upstairs. The new widescreen TV was on a dresser. I looked behind the set, saw the wall jack and asked him to please pull out the dresser as I went out to my truck. I did what I had to do 'mechanically' to provide the high-definition service and then went to verify it 'technically.' My signal meter looked terrible. Ugh. I had already brought the box into the house; called the office for authorization. Now I was going to have to trouble-shoot and correct the problem.

When I pulled into the driveway I suspected I might be in 'trouble.' The guy was an electrician. His work van was parked adjacent to the house in the driveway. Electricians just can't seem to help messing with the cable in the house, ya know?

I'll spare most of the details but I ended up in his attic bypassing the splitter he had cut into the line in the attic. I had to run a new line. Ugh. All these things take time. I went about doing what I had to do outside the house and up in his attic. At one point he stood at the bottom of the attic access and said, 'If they would have told me it had to a home-run line I would have pulled it.' I appreciated the sentiment, paused for a second and just said, 'I think they assume most people haven't tampered with the lines.' Sorry to say, that was the last I heard from him until everything was as it should have been in the first place....wink.

It's not uncommon for me to discover tampering with the lines.
Just really sucks when you find it first thing in the morning.
I managed to catch up and stay on schedule despite the rough beginning.
It was a nice enough day I just tried to take it in stride.

Hope you all had a sunny springlike day. Hope all's well.

Bright New Day in America

Good evening everyone,

It's a bright new beautiful day in America!

I really do want to keep this blog, just like the last one, apolitical.
This post might come off as partisan; I am really just going to share some personal history and recount my day.

In late October of '06 my friend Jeff in Michigan sent me this link....

National Nightmare - Home of the George Bush Countdown Clock Keychain.

He knew I would LOVE it. He told me he ordered a dozen of them, they had arrived at his house and he was 'overnighting' one to me. Sure enough, it arrived the next day. It became one of my most-prized possessions; I had it proudly displayed, clipped onto my backpack which goes with me on most of my personal travels. It had over 900 days on it. Ugh.

Obviously, today held 'special' significance to me. My father was an Air Force pilot that died five days after he retired from twenty years of service to his country. He always taught us that his 'job' was protecting my right to speak freely, to vote, and to believe what we wanted. He encouraged us to never fear to say anything we honestly believed in. He wasn't shot down while at war but still gave his life for his country. Hence, 'these things' very important to me.

In my humble opinion the voice of history will cast these past eight years as a 'dark time' in American history. Today represented a proud moment of recovery on many different levels. A significant amount of damage has been done to the values and institutions that represent to the world the 'spirit' of America. Once again may I proudly wish President Obama Godspeed and God's blessing. The situation really is a mess.

I went into work this morning with a bright smile on my face despite the close-to-bitter cold. I followed my usual routine. I went into the office, grabbed my stuff, processed my paperwork and left the office. I drove to a convenience store on the way to my first job, went to the bathroom, bought my iced tea and paper and went out to my van.

As usual, I opened the paper to the editorial page. The letters to the editor her in Amishland can often be humorous. You have to wonder, ya know? When I glanced at the editorial two pages my eye was drawn to headline among the letters. 'Bush should walk home.' I thought, that sounds like something I submitted to the paper a couple weeks ago. I looked at the name and guess what? IT WAS ME! lol

I first tried to call my mom, the line was busy. I then called Jeff in Michigan. He didn't answer. I knew the woman that works in the convenience store and saw the store wasn't busy. I got out of the van; walked into the store; laughed and opened the paper. I said, 'Look, that's me!' lol

We talked about things briefly and I went back to the van. I called my friend Justin in Boston. He picked up. When he answered the phone I said, 'Good Morning, Justin...it's a bright and beautiful new day in America.' He laughed and said, 'Yes, indeed, it is.'

I told him I had been published in the local paper and he laughed. We had a nice chat and I proceeded to my first job. When I arrived I called Karla on the cell phone and when she picked up I said, 'GOOD MORNING, KARLA;' which is typical. Then, just like the day after the election, I said, 'it's a bright and beautiful new day in America.' She laughed and said the same.

'Yes, indeed, it is.'

As the day went on, no matter who answered they were greeted the same way. It is, indeed, a bright new day for our nation. I am sorry to day, the greeting here was not always met with any warmth. This is Amishland, ya know?

I went about my morning. I pulled into a driveway at 11:40 AM. I was there to connect Internet service. I rang the bell of the bilevel, split-foyer home. A woman answered the door, I could hear Innaugural events on the TV upstairs as she greeted me. After she invited me in I smiled and looked at her and said, 'Ma'am, while I am here I am going to ask you for one 'indulgence.' I would like to be in a room with an operating TV at noon. I promise you the Cable will work, just let me be in a room with a TV.' She smiled and said, 'No problem.' I could hear a NY accent in her voice so I knew she was NOT 'one-of-them.' lol

I had work to do outside that was going to interrupt the service to the home. It was 11:47 when I went outside. She laughed when I came back in as she saw me literally running around in the snow. She looked at me and asked, 'Did you hit your head?' I said, 'Yes, I bumped some ice on the pedestal.' Blood was running down my forehead. I didn't care. I had to watch history.

She and I watched and listened. She was very nice. I shared the moment with her. I did have my camera with me and asked if I could take her picture to put here. She did say yes. Sorry to say, I had the camera absent the memory-card. Ugh.

Truly a fine moment in the nation's history.

I am once again very PROUD to be an American.

May God Bless Us ALL, and Godspeed to President Obama.

Thank you for some sense of hope.

Witness to History

I work on a four week rotation. I work Monday through Friday three weeks and the fourth I work Tuesday through Saturday. This was my week to work Tuesday through Saturday.

I listen closely to the news. Since most of it has been bad lately I have considered a news boycott. So far, that hasn't happened.

The past few weeks I heard reports that our new President was to be going from Philadelphia to Washington by rail. I live about 45 minutes from the I-95, Northeast Corridor, BosWash sprawl. The Susquehanna River empties into/becomes the Chesapeake Bay at a town named Havre de Grace, Maryland. It's a cool town. Art galleries, restaurants along a waterfront from which one can see all the major transit arteries for the northeast crossing the broad expanse of water. I-95, US route 40, Norfolk Southern, and Amtrak all cross the river in close proximity. The Amtrak line is the one closest to the Chesapeake Bay.

Having heard these reports I decided to take a half vacation day today. I went into work at 7:30 and left at 11:30. I came home for a bit and left for the Bay at 1:15.

I hadn't been into the town for many years. I just wanted to find someplace to see Mr. Obama and Mr. BIden's train cross the river. I drove there, crossed the river and then just headed for the water. I drove through their downtown and continued parallel to the water. I saw a 'Parking' sign with an arrow towards the water. I turned.

It was a small park. There was only one other car in the parking lot. It was brutally cold; a strong breeze blowing in off the bay. There was one man standing alone, facing west looking up the river. I wanted to see if it was a good vantage point. I parked, got out of my car and walked out towards the water past him. There was a paddle-wheel river boat docked towards the back of the park. I walked out there to survey the view.

The view was great. The bay to the east, the wide river to the north. I was able to see a good 3/4 mile of the bridge over which Mr. Obama's train would pass.

The first 'hint' of something was an unusual train that passed over the bridge moments after I got there. It was two engines and only two cars behind them. It was not a regular train. I had asked the gentleman if he was there for the same reason I was and he responded, 'yes.' We spoke briefly as I tried to find out where the train was by calling our dispatch office and asking Karla to turn on CNN...lol.

The gentleman went back to his car to warm up. I called Jeff in Michigan and told him I had a great view of the bridge. As we spoke on the phone a helicopter appeared and approached. Jeff could hear it on the phone. I snapped the phone closed, heard a train horn and there it was!

I had seen video on CNN before I left home. I knew it was two engines, ten cars long, the last car being 'distinctive.' I loved it! I snapped some pictures.
I am sorry to say clouds had rolled in and the lighting was not good. I was just glad to have witnessed some part of the 'arrival' of a new era.

Godspeed and God Bless Mr. Obama.

Rats with Wings

Today was one more in our string of blistering cold days here in the northeast. As usual, I made-the-most of the day and tried to have fun with the customers.

I got back to the office shortly before five and turned my completed paperwork into the dispatch office. One of the other 'outside' guys was also in the office. I heard him talking about Canadian Geese. He was complaining that they were 'rats with wings' and all should be shot. He saw me enter the office, knew I had overheard, and asked me if I didn't also agree with that comment. I made a po0litical comment, everyone laughed and I proceeded directly to the bathroom.

I came out of the bathroom and into the breakroom. I noticed the guys were intently watching TV. As I got closer to theTV I could see they were watching reports of a plane crash in NYC. I asked the guys were in the city the plane had gone down. They said, 'into the Hudson, off W. 48th Street, close to the Intrepid.'

I was like, 'OMG!' Friends Steve and Nancy live half-a-block from the Intrepid museum in the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. I immediately called Nancy to see if she saw anything and to find out what was going on. She picked up, told me she was on the other line with her daughter in DC, I was the fourth person that had called and she would call me back.

She called me back as I drove home. She told me it was funny as she had been home at the time and knew nothing about it until Steve called her from work and told her and she turned on the news. US Air flight 1549 had taken off from Laguardia and moments later encountered engine trouble. The pilot expertly landed the plane in the only 'safe' open place he could have in the metro area; on the Hudson River. All passengers and crew survived having been rescued by ferry boats that regularly traverse that section of the river. Many of the ferry companies' terminals are located on that stretch of the river. I am sorry to say, Nancy told me by the time she was aware of the incident the fuselage had floated down to 21st Street. She told me she wasn't going to try to walk down there to see it with as cold as it is outside. She said she never heard it, didn't see it and bemoaned the fact that she seems to miss a lot of the 'excitement' of life in the city.

Thankfully, it seems right now that everyone is alive; despite some injuries.
Pretty amazing. Damn those 'rats with wings!'

It was great talking to Nancy; I will see her in a few weeks.

I hope everyone is safe tonight, if in the north that you are all warm, too.
It's DAMN cold outside here! BRRRRRR!

Murphy's Humpday

For most working people today was humpday. For me it was a day much too heavily laden under the burden of Murphy's Law. If something could go wrong, it did.

The weather here in the northeast is cold and getting colder. We are at the beginning of an Arctic blast; the second wave arrives here tomorrow. The high today was 22. The forecat high for Friday is 16. When it gets this cold you just pray the wind isn't blowing. Luckily today it wasn't that bad.

I knew I was in trouble before I even left the lot this morning. There was one mountain of digital equipment to install with somebody's work. As sure as I expected, it was mine. In a way I was happy. Any eqipment to be installed means time spent in a warmer environment than what was available outside.

I am sure many of you have experienced the 'time windows' offered by the office for Cable TV services. They are both notorious and legendary. The reason they offer such 'windows' is that they cannot predict what I will run into along the way and sometimes some 'response time' is required. Today was an excellent example of this.

I got to my first job just after 9 this morning. I'll spare the technical details of what all went wrong. It was almost four hours later when I left. I still had four more service calls scheduled, all time-restricted, my options were very limited. I called my boss to get his direction on how best to proceed; to advise him of my situation. I 'blew threw' the job I had that was scheduled from 10-2, then went to a 9-5, but still had a 1-3, and a 1-5. Those numbers indicative of the time-windows.

I got to the 9-5. On paper seemed like it should be simple enough as the house already had some active digital service; hence, no pole climbing. The wire was in place, too. I had already spoken with the women on the phone as she requested a call-ahead. She knew from early in the morning that I was coming.

I rang the bell and asked her to show me to the TV where I would be installing the HDTV service. She directs me into a beautiful family room and a TV that is not an HDTV. I said, 'Ma'am, we have a problem, that's not an HDTV.' She said, 'Not that one in the entertainment center; the one in the box.' She pointed to the left and sure enough, there was a box with a flat screen TV in it. It was clear by what she said that she expected me to assemble the new TV and dismantle the old TV. I nicely told her that that really wasn't 'my place.' The company wants me to handle people's things as little as possible. That's how things get broken/damaged.

She was understanding; but insistent. She and her husband were 'technically' illiterate; who else is going to do it?; why didn't the office say something?; and the icing on the cake, the last time they came your guys took all day to fix things and they moved everything and put it all together for us. It was obvious I was boxed in. I was going to have to do it.

I went out to the van and called the boss to advise him of the situation. I was annoyed by her presumptuousness. She was an intelligent woman and was very nice. She knew I was having a bad day; she apologized. I told her at one point that I am a 'consumately nice guy.' She responded she was glad to know that because she thought either that or some ax-murderer. I asked if she thought that was a 'fine-line?'

I did try to have fun with her. At one point AFTER I had begrudgingly assembled her TV; I looked at her and said, 'Ma'am, let me draw an analogy for you. If you had a leak in your kitchen sink would you clean out the cabinet underneath it before the plumber arrived?' OH MY....I was testing my limits with this woman.

She handled it most deftly. She responded, 'Let me draw a different analogy. When you buy a washing machine they come in, put the new one in and take the old one away.' I could argue the points of her argument; but she had made her point. She really was very nice and at one point tried to give me a $20 tip as she knew I went over-and-above what I really should have done. I steadfastly refused her tip and told her; were I to accept I would feel even more guilty about some of the things I said. She kept her $20 bill. She really was nice.

I said good-bye and went about the rest of my long cold day.

That was my humpday. Sorry to say, insult-to-injury, it's not MY 'humpday' as I have to work Saturday so today was really 'Tuesday' to me. Ugh.

Hope everyone is staying warm and is well.
Take care, have fun.

Mr. H.

On Friday my last job was at a home I had been to once before.

It was an old farmhouse at the end of a stately, tree-lined lane.

It had been a few years but I remembered the senior gentleman was intrigued that my father had been an Air Force pilot. He was also a pilot. He learned in an open-air cockpit biplane.

I rang the doorbell and a dog began barking. The door slowly opened and there was Mr. H. I smiled when I saw him, I told him I was there for the Cable up-grade, and reminded him I had been there before. He didn't remember. I reminded him my dad was a pilot and we talked about flying.

Bless his heart, he went into another room and brought out two framed VERY OLD photos. He was in the cockpit of the biplane, his wife standing nearby. The photos over 60 years old. I asked him how old he is and he is now 90. He asked again what planes my dad flew and when I first mentioned 'B-52' his eyes got wide and he said, 'That's the really big one.'

I smiled and said, 'Yes,' and listed the others. He knew them all.

It was great. I make house-calls routinely on my job. One of my priorities is to have the people comfortable with me being in their home. I like to 'connect' on some personal level and establish a 'comfort-zone.' It's rewarding to me to know when I do.

It was nice to see Mr. H. again and to know he is still doing well. He is still as sharp/spry as he was a few years ago. I think somehow he liked seeing and talking to me again, too.

Here we had little frozen precipitation despite the recent weather 'hype.'
I am still looking at my frozen lawn. I know in many places that's not true.

I hope everyone is staying warm.
As each day passes we are one more closely to Spring.
Peace and warmth be with you all.

Pug Week

Two days ago I went to house to correct a digital TV problem. The house had a long gravel driveway that led to a parking area. I noticed after I backed into a spot that the back door had opened. I grabbed my signal-meter from the back of the van and headed for the door. The guy opened the storm door for me as I got to the porch. I said, 'Good morning,' and asked him to show me where the problem was. He directed me into the living room.

He was young. I am guessing nineteen or so. As we walked into the living room he said, 'our internet doesn't work, either.' I took care of his digital TV problem very quickly. I told him I would look at his internet. We went upstairs to the PC. As I looked at that problem a dog barked downstairs. I didn't even really notice. He looked at me and said, 'That's my pug.' I immediately stopped what I was doing turned my head to look at him and asked, 'You have a pug?' He said, 'Yes.'

I smiled broadly and said, 'I'm a pug-person, too!' He smiled. I asked, 'Fawn or Black?' He said, 'Black.' I told him I MUST see the dog before I leave. I showed him some pictures of my black pug. Of course, he obliged. Mine's been gone now for almost two years; I miss her very much. It was very nice to see her and get some pug kisses.

Today, just before noon I arrived at a job. The home had a thin floor-to-ceiling window adjacent to the door. I rang the bell. I heard a muffled bark and then I saw the face. It was a black pug, anxious to greet me at the door. I could hear the people inside trying to control the dogs. I couldn't wait to get inside. As they got ready I pulled out the pictures of Oprah from my clipboard. As soon as the man opened the door I smiled broadly and said, 'Sir, I'm the Cable guy, and I'm a pug-person, too!' I showed him the pictures of Op. He smiled and said, 'Well, c'mon in! This is Snuggy.' It turned out they had an older fawn pug, too.

It was great! They were very nice people; we traded pug stories. We talked about snorting, sneezing, wheezing, the wrinkles and those big brown eyes. You just gotta love them. They are the friendliest, smartest, most mellow small dogs; seems often they mirror the characteristics of their owners. Pug-people are most often very cool. WINK

The people today asked me to stop by when I get another one.
Once you go Pug, there's no coming back.
I know someday, I'll go back.
Gotta love those little dogs.

Hope you all are warm and had a good day, too.
Have a nice weekend, too.

ending up here

I was not born in Pennsylvania; both of my parents were. Had life not 'twisted' the way it did; I would not be here.

My father was a West Point grad and took his commission in the US Air Force. He was an electrical engineer by degree and had an MBA. We spent years moving around the country from one of his assignments to another. Looking back on it, it was a great ride. That chapter ended when dad died five days after he retired from his twenty years service in the Air Force.

We were traveling 'back East' from California. After moving from place-to-place periodically we were finally going to have a 'home.' I was 15 years old and was somewhat disappointed to be heading into the rising sun. I was born in Idaho. We had lived all over the US. I somehow felt connected to some 'western spirit.' I liked California.

Dad hoped to get a job somewhere around DC or for IBM near Poughkeepsie, NY. We had lived in the DC burbs on the Virginia side of the Potomac and we liked it there. Poughkeepsie was close to West Point and he really liked that area of New York state. The plan was to go to my maternal grandparents' house until we settled in either of those two places.

The plan was interupted in Columbia, Missouri. We were half-way across the country. A cross-country trip we had taken by different routes more than once. Part of our family heritage was 'road-trips.' This one was different.

We left the Sierra foothills of northern California on the first of May. It was just mom, dad, and me. My sister was in college back in PA where my parents were legal residents. Our immediate destination was Carson City, Nevada. Their state capitol. My mom really liked it there. It was just over the Sierras; a couple hour drive. It's a very small town but there was one big casino/hotel she liked, the state capital, the court, the dry side of the mountains and a broad desert expanse. It was nice there. We spent one full day there. After that last western interlude the real road-trip began.

We drove east after checking out in Carson City and that first night found us in Green River, Wyoming. It was here that dad first felt discomfort. He was so uncomfortable that he tried sleeping on the floor as he said his back was bothering him. We awoke the next morning and pressed onward on out east-bound trip.

We drove another ten or twelve hours that day and ended up in Grand Island, Nebraska. We had a quiet night there despite dad's continued 'discomfort.'

The following morning we got up and drove to Omaha. We stopped briefly there as we had lived there before; and I had a friend from California that was there at the time. We stopped for a brief visit with him and pressed on. We had a planned stop near St. Louis, MO, as dad's mom and brother were there. We headed south from Omaha, into Kansas and then Missouri.

As we crossed Missouri the sun began to set. Dad and mom discussed whether-or-not to stop for the night as we were 'close,' but not really. They finally decided to stop for the night and take the brief drive into St. Louis in the morning. We pulled off the freeway and into a Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge.

We checked into the hotel.

Mom and I went to dinner while dad took a bath; hoping to feel better.

Mom and I went back to the room after eating. She asked me to go get the laundry bag from the car. When I returned to the hallway, mom was standing there; her hands in 'awe' over her mouth. She saw me approaching and said, 'Your father's dead; I need to call for help.'

She ran down the hallway. I said, 'Wait, call from here!'
She was gone.

I walked into the room.
I walked into the bathroom.

He was there and he was dead.

Soon thereafter the EMT's arrived; but it was too late.

Dad was dead. Our family life had changed forever. In a blink.
Five days after he retired from the Air Force. UGH

That's how I ended up in Pennsylvania.