Friday, February 20, 2009
Donating for the Red Cross
Thursday night Seth, Denny and I attended a volunteer appreciation chili supper. It was sponsored by the Red Cross for donating blood platelets. I donate on a regular basis and I was very inspired by the supper. I saw lots of people I know. Several from Boy scouts, 4-H, and church. Amazing isn't it that a lot of the people who volunteer their time for these organizations also are volunteers for the red cross. For being a first time donor in 2008 I received a t-shirt, a certificate and a red cross box full of candy. Others that have donated at certain levels got plaques, the one that has donated 624 times received a gift. I really enjoy donating the platelets. The people are always so happy when you come in and you feel really appreciated. At this supper they had people who have been on the receiving end talk about their experience and need for platelets and it brought tears to your eyes to hear their stories and realize that you really are needed. Platelets only last 5 days so they need lots of donors and often. I also like it that I can do something to help someone but I can schedule it as my own schedule allows, not have to attend meetings, or work closely with other people. I don't mind working with people but sometimes it seems like you work hard and are not very productive. When I go to give platelets they ask me,"How many lives do you want to save today" and I have to decide if I will give a single, double or a triple bag.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Today I went to the North Platte Speech meet. It is a big one. There were 35 schools there and they are big schools like Kearney and Gothenburg and Sydney. Seth did his persuasive and entertainment speech. He did good on both but it is really tough competition. We left before awards. We do know that in one of his persuasive rounds he beat a couple of people. Anyway it was good practice. Next week is Ogallala and it will also be a big one but then the next one after that will be our conference which is only 6 schools. Sarah is at a speech meet at Concordia. She is only doing persuasive today.
After the speech meet Seth and I came home around 4 and got bundled up and took Ginger sledding. We had a lot of fun. Ginger loved it! We did not stay very long but after Seth went head over heels and his glasses flew off we decided to quit. His ears were packed with snow. It was a good thing we left because we just got in the car and saw a skunk heading toward us. We drove by it and it raised its tail at us but it didn't get the van directly. But we could certainly smell it.
For supper tonight we had a heart shaped pizza. Happy Valentines day! Denny did give me a valentine. He got me a certificate to a beauty shop for a facial, pedicure and a hair style. I don't think he meant anything by this :) He said he thought it was better than chocolates. I said no but better than flowers.
We got around 10 inches of snow on Thursday night. It started at 2 a.m. and came down fast and heavy right away. It was not too bad at work. On the pits we are somewhat protected but it was not fun coming home. My friend Mary that lives in Maywood did not get home. I think she could have but it was a good excuse for her to stay in town and actually get some sleep. She has two teen age sons and a four year old daughter. She also has a guy staying with her right now that she is not getting along with. Her parents live right beside her so the kids were taken care of. I took heart shaped cookies to work and we made breakfast burritos. I didn't have to get out much. I had an inspection on the first half which went good and then I had about three to do on the second half. One went good but the next one was not running and they could not get it running. I have to have them running for most of my test so I did not have to do that one. The next one was a GE unit and really they should do their own. I work on the UP side and since it took so much time to get that other one running I didn't have to do that one either. So I spent a lot of time on a cold unit and running around in blowing snow for nothing. On Friday night it was cold and again I only had two inspections. The last one again was not running. The machinest shuts them down so he can do his job but this one has to have air to start. By the time he went to start it the air was too low to get it started. There was a unit in front of us that was running so the machinest said who wants to move that unit closer so we can hook up the air. Not Me! It is against the rules to do that. So he moved it and the pipe fitters were on the ground to help. They quickly hooked up the air and as soon as it hit 90 pounds I pushed the button and it started then they unhooked it and Andy backed up that other unit and no one said a word. But when he hit the unit I was on it caused a problem with my CCS. So I had to fix it. Wow! What a night.
Tonight I get to stay home.
After the speech meet Seth and I came home around 4 and got bundled up and took Ginger sledding. We had a lot of fun. Ginger loved it! We did not stay very long but after Seth went head over heels and his glasses flew off we decided to quit. His ears were packed with snow. It was a good thing we left because we just got in the car and saw a skunk heading toward us. We drove by it and it raised its tail at us but it didn't get the van directly. But we could certainly smell it.
For supper tonight we had a heart shaped pizza. Happy Valentines day! Denny did give me a valentine. He got me a certificate to a beauty shop for a facial, pedicure and a hair style. I don't think he meant anything by this :) He said he thought it was better than chocolates. I said no but better than flowers.
We got around 10 inches of snow on Thursday night. It started at 2 a.m. and came down fast and heavy right away. It was not too bad at work. On the pits we are somewhat protected but it was not fun coming home. My friend Mary that lives in Maywood did not get home. I think she could have but it was a good excuse for her to stay in town and actually get some sleep. She has two teen age sons and a four year old daughter. She also has a guy staying with her right now that she is not getting along with. Her parents live right beside her so the kids were taken care of. I took heart shaped cookies to work and we made breakfast burritos. I didn't have to get out much. I had an inspection on the first half which went good and then I had about three to do on the second half. One went good but the next one was not running and they could not get it running. I have to have them running for most of my test so I did not have to do that one. The next one was a GE unit and really they should do their own. I work on the UP side and since it took so much time to get that other one running I didn't have to do that one either. So I spent a lot of time on a cold unit and running around in blowing snow for nothing. On Friday night it was cold and again I only had two inspections. The last one again was not running. The machinest shuts them down so he can do his job but this one has to have air to start. By the time he went to start it the air was too low to get it started. There was a unit in front of us that was running so the machinest said who wants to move that unit closer so we can hook up the air. Not Me! It is against the rules to do that. So he moved it and the pipe fitters were on the ground to help. They quickly hooked up the air and as soon as it hit 90 pounds I pushed the button and it started then they unhooked it and Andy backed up that other unit and no one said a word. But when he hit the unit I was on it caused a problem with my CCS. So I had to fix it. Wow! What a night.
Tonight I get to stay home.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Last night was a frustrating night at work. I was not very busy but the one I did work on was very difficult. I was on the same locomotive last Thursday night. I am very lucky that on the Midnight shift is a guy that I consider an expert at working on CCS. CCS is a safety system on the locomotives and it is my job to test, analyze and fix as they come to the service track. My good friend Tom is the one that does the same job I do only in the Shop. It is a little different because in the shop they have more time and at the Service Track we are expected to get them fixed and back on the road. Anyway Tom came out to the service track and took a look at this same locomotive on Thursday night. The locomotive is number 6165. Tom said it was not worth fixing and we should send it out without CCS. They could do this but it could not ever be a leading locomotive but it could still work for power. So I don't know where it was Thursday thru Tuesday but anyway it was back for me to fix. Well I tried and did not successeed. Now I am hoping that another shift will work on it and if they can fix it- Yea!
Last Saturday I was contacted about the death of Doris Black. Doris was Royce's aunt, Gordon's sister. She was married to Louise's brother Edwin.So she was like a double aunt to Royce. Edwin just turned 93 years old. I worry about him because he has been very busy the last few years taking care of Doris. I think he will be very lonely. Doris had a very big heart. She was always helping someone and she was very good to me when we lived in Oberlin. Last May she came to Sarah's graduation. It is hard to believe that she is not with us anymore.
Seth had a late start today. I guess the teachers had a meeting to attend. It was good to see him before he went to school.
I got a package ready to send to Sarah for Valentines Day so I should head to the post office.
More later...
Last Saturday I was contacted about the death of Doris Black. Doris was Royce's aunt, Gordon's sister. She was married to Louise's brother Edwin.So she was like a double aunt to Royce. Edwin just turned 93 years old. I worry about him because he has been very busy the last few years taking care of Doris. I think he will be very lonely. Doris had a very big heart. She was always helping someone and she was very good to me when we lived in Oberlin. Last May she came to Sarah's graduation. It is hard to believe that she is not with us anymore.
Seth had a late start today. I guess the teachers had a meeting to attend. It was good to see him before he went to school.
I got a package ready to send to Sarah for Valentines Day so I should head to the post office.
More later...
Monday, February 9, 2009
Today is a rainy Monday. This weekend I went to Sutherland to watch Seth in the speech meet. He did real well. He got 6th place in entertainment speaking and 6th place in persuasive speaking. We just finished his persuade speech on Friday night and he read through it a couple of times. So we are excited about what he can do with that.
Sarah came home on Thursday night and then she left on Sat morning to go to Kearney. She had a speech meet there. She did good also she placed 4th in her Prose on Sat and 2nd in Persuade on Sunday. By getting a 2nd she qualified for the National tournament in Ohio in April or May. To qualify you have to place 3 times and the placings have to add up to 8 or less. So she has placed 4th, 2nd and 2nd in Persuade. Now she will work on the Prose to try to qualify it. She really enjoys the speech competitions and has made some friends from several different colleges.
Sunday we had our annual Soup and Pie lunch at the United Methodist Church in North Platte to raise money for boyscout. It was another successful year. I got real frustrated with the boys and their attitudes. I don't know what it is. They don't seem to appreciate the work the parents put into this to raise money for our troop. And not only for the troop but the boys will receive money for their individual accounts as well to help pay for camp outs and such. It is a lot of work. Seth and I were there from 8 to 4 on Sunday. And I was not in charge of it this year.
Seth and I are both having Sinus problems or colds or something. So we had head aches and stuffy noses. We crashed when we came home. I forgot all about my Sunday night bible study.
Last week I bought a '94 Ford Ranger pick up for Seth. It is blue, five speed. He will have to learn how to drive it. I think it will be good for him to have some wheels. I am anxious to not have to drive him everywhere. He turns 16 in March.
Sarah came home on Thursday night and then she left on Sat morning to go to Kearney. She had a speech meet there. She did good also she placed 4th in her Prose on Sat and 2nd in Persuade on Sunday. By getting a 2nd she qualified for the National tournament in Ohio in April or May. To qualify you have to place 3 times and the placings have to add up to 8 or less. So she has placed 4th, 2nd and 2nd in Persuade. Now she will work on the Prose to try to qualify it. She really enjoys the speech competitions and has made some friends from several different colleges.
Sunday we had our annual Soup and Pie lunch at the United Methodist Church in North Platte to raise money for boyscout. It was another successful year. I got real frustrated with the boys and their attitudes. I don't know what it is. They don't seem to appreciate the work the parents put into this to raise money for our troop. And not only for the troop but the boys will receive money for their individual accounts as well to help pay for camp outs and such. It is a lot of work. Seth and I were there from 8 to 4 on Sunday. And I was not in charge of it this year.
Seth and I are both having Sinus problems or colds or something. So we had head aches and stuffy noses. We crashed when we came home. I forgot all about my Sunday night bible study.
Last week I bought a '94 Ford Ranger pick up for Seth. It is blue, five speed. He will have to learn how to drive it. I think it will be good for him to have some wheels. I am anxious to not have to drive him everywhere. He turns 16 in March.
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