Sunday, November 4, 2007

A Little Progress

Last week was really interesting. I found out my Fit for Duty report had a typographical error in my favor. Sounds like the making of a lawsuit doesn't it. My Union's Airline Rep received an amended report and sent a copy to SWA. I heard Friday afternoon it will be Tuesday before we get a reply. I got an offer from the corporate jet company 10 minutes from my house. Just two days after I dropped off a resume, the Director of Maintenance called to set up an interview. He gave me until last Friday to decide if I wanted a position as a Lead Mechanic. I decided to decline the offer and told him all about SWA when I talked to him on Friday. He told me Lead Mechanics don't grown on trees and to call him if my situation with SWA changes. So I have an "out" if SWA continues to treat me wrong. He was inquiring about how much money I spent driving to and from work. I told him I around $400 a month and made a comment about diesel fuel prices. He then said if I came to work there, I could become a dog. I asked.....DOG? He told me it stands for Diesel Owners Group. The company has unlimited fuel that is sumped out of the jets and can not be reused. The employees with diesel vehicles use it. So he takes what he needs and adds additives. He hasn't bought diesel in four years. Just another fringe benefit!



Yesterday afternoon I decided to burn the large pile of stumps I had accumulated. While the fire was getting going, I gave the 6520 her needed grease job. While greasing the hydraulic pump pulley, I noticed the fan belt was a little loose. I drug out my metric tools and in a few minutes had it adjusted. Booger came up and wanted some attention, so I tried to get him to pose for a few photos. Luke came out to snap a few pictures and then he was gone. Luke gives me a hand when I need him, but usually he is inside doing his gaming thing. He is going to be a computer game programmer, so I don't hassle him about not helping me more. The fire had burned down enough to work it a little, so I deployed the backhoe's thumb to carefully position and drop the stumps and logs in the flame. This is dirty stinky work, as the backhoe bucket and thumb still picks up ash and dirt, which envelopes me and the Mahindra with a change of wind. But I still have to pick up the small roots and unburnt wood by hand to feed the fire in between pushing the pile smaller with the loader bucket. I worked the burn pile until dusk. I did manage to get a few photos of the of the burn pile, Booger, and the Big Red Beast. Check out the photos I uploaded. Anyway, the fire was glowing well by dusk and gave off an eerie Halloween glow.



Right after the photo session at dusk, I gave the Big Red Beast her needed rinse off. After the rinse off I swapped out the 6520's valve stem caps. My Mahindra salesman and friend at Top Flight Equipment, gave them to me. They were pink, so guess he could not sale them. I painted them Mahindra Red. Just another way to accessorize the Big Red Beast.

Tuesday evening Dad called and told me he was taking Mom to the Emergency Room because she was dizzy. Bless her heart, I knew it was nothing. I told Dad to call from the ER. He forgot to do that. Around 11:00 I called to see if they were still there. They were. I drove down to find Mom getting a EKG and Dad just sitting and waiting. Mom was ready to leave and go to Jack in the Box! The doctor didn't find anything wrong. My Grandma would do the same thing. She could worry herself sick. I waited around to make sure Dad drove home okay. Imagine my surprise when he drove better at 1:30 in the morning then during the day!

Rebecca sent me 4 different Graduation photo poses and asked which I thought best. We went through this two weeks ago, but none turned out to her liking. She called the other night asking how to clean the windshield on her truck above the windshield wipers. She stated the car wash doesn't do that area well. I laughed and told her to find a drive through car wash that has a courtesy brush and bucket of soapy water and explained what all to scrub. She then commented she is too short. I then said to take the truck to a full service wash. I hung up upon hearing her favorite saying...........I'm gonna charge it. Stop back later to hear more about Me, Booger, and the Big Red Beast.

hugs, Brandi




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