Sunday, July 15, 2007

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Thanks to my friend, MICKEY, I'm reminded that I haven't posted for 14 days.
I'VE BEEN BUSY!!
Well not that busy, but you know how it goes.
I might not have mentioned it before, but I manage a fairly good sized fuel oil and propane company.
This is the time of year when customers get antsy about locking in their price for the coming winter. So I have to study the market and calculate usage, and bicker about why the company across town is four cents lower then us.
And usually the person worrying about the four cents uses seven to eight hundred gallons a year. So four cents a gallon on 800 gallons = $32.00.
Now if these were the customers who are unemployed, or working in McDonalds, I could handle it a lot better.
There not!!
They are the ones driving the SUV with the boat with the 225 horse Honda, the Harley, and snowmobiles, living in the 300,000 dollar and up houses, and making double and triple my salary.
They will spend an hour on the phone telling what a crook I am and how I don't appreciate their business, and how they're going to the competitor because they care more about their customers.
FOR $32.00!!
So what do I do???
I give them another two cents off,(if they haven't gotten personal and offended me),because I know most of them will either call or write the home office to tell them what a loser they have managing their Keene subsidiary and thus causing me a heap of explaining to my boss, when he and I and his boss all know I was justified, but there are board members, and owners and share holders and on and on that are aghast that we lost a customer.
All for
$32.00.

Phew!! I sure feel better!!
If it wasn't 8:44 AM on this side of the world, I'd probably pop the top on a PBR, or Ballantine xXx ale, and take the edge off.
But it is 8:44 AM, and there are lawns to mow and weeds to whack, and sideing to be put on and a deck to build, and a window or two to be replaced, and, maybe I'll go fishing..



I'd like to get MICKEY and NIGEL, and THE CHIEF On the SS Minnow for a three hour fishing tour.
What a treat that would be.


My circle of blogging friends continues to grow.
I try to spend a little time each time I'm on line to search through others blogs, and when I find one that I like, or that moves me in one direction or another, I comment.. I always welcome the comments of others who read my blog, regardless of whether they agree with, or are contradictory to my opinions.
Even those that simply say "hi, how ya doin.
And those who correct my grammar, and spelling, or scold me for my prodding or berating of others, SUZY, and LUIN.

Last week I was privileged to have, MIGHTY MOM, stop by.
She's got her hands full with three little ones, and a husband who is a Navy vet, having served on submarines. I imagine he operates well in confined and well defined spaces, but how does he do out in the wide open spaces? Mom?? (Thank Subvet for his service to our grand country for me!!!)
I will certainly keep your cousin, SPC Baker, (first name?)in my thoughts, and prayers.
If you know, could you pass along which unit he's in?




I'd also like names and addresses of relatives of all my friends here who are serving in Iraq, or Afghanistan..
I have an associate that organizes a mass mailing of care packages too the troops around Thanksgiving, and she would be happy to add names to the list.

On another note, the list doesn't look to be getting any shorter any time soon.
In spite of the fact that our congress has gone through the charade of passing legislature that would initiate a well defined strategy for our safe withdrawal from Iraq, our wonderful, President has no intention of doing any such thing..
The bill doesn't call for an immediate wholesale withdrawal. Just a well defined exit strategy. A viable plan. Not vague lines in the sand, ( I think they call them benchmarks), that are easily changed when not met..
Even in the face of mounting pressure from his own party, GW stands fast and says, "when I'm old and living down there in Crawford, I will be able to say I looked in the mirror and made the correct decisions based on the facts."
I think he meant to say that he'll be able to look in the mirror and say he made the correct decisions, or does he have a magic mirror telling him what decisions to make?
I only hope that everyone is paying attention to what our government is doing, and when it comes time to vote in November of 08, that we send a clear and concise message to our leaders that we want our country run as a democracy where we the people have rights, and that the special interest groups no longer control the decision making. Disregard the amount of money a candidate earns to run his/her campaign, yet pay close attention to where that money came from.
Do your homework on each candidate, and decide which you feel will do the job with our best interests in mind, and then VOTE..
There, (he said, stepping down off the soap box), I feel better!!!

Mark? I trust that Mark made it back in country safely.
There isn't a day goes by that I don't think about him, and you, and hope and pray that he finishes his tour, and gets back to a normal life..


I pray that God will give them the strength, courage, and wisdom to complete their mission, and when completed that they will understand that they did what their leaders asked to the best of their ability, and that they should never look back in shame, but live in honor and with pride of their answer to the call to duty and service to their country.

I hope that all who read this blathering will take a minute to visit the Freeport Flag Ladies.

HEROES .
Take a minute to drop them a note and have them add you to their mailing list.
Elaine writes a few words of wisdom every Tuesday. I look forward to reading them.

Well, now I've written a blog of "Mohawk Chieftain" proportions.

I hope you're all happy!!

It will probably be another fifteen days or so before I get the chance to write again.
Here's a picture of what I imagine I would look like at the Chiefs bonfire.



Heh Heh.
RABSINEPO.


22 comments:

  1. Always entertaining, even if you can't spell!!

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  2. Hey!!! You've got me new rottic about my spelling...

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  3. Welcome back. Mark was at Baghdad International Airport yesterday and should be at his JSS today. He was anxious to get back to work to make the time pass faster. When he left Jacksonville Thursday, a lady in first class gave him her boarding pass so he rode up front while she sat in row 35. At the USO in Atlanta, where he had to sign in, there were dozens waving flags and shaking hands...there were about 300 heading back.

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  4. I would be honored to be on the SS Minnow for a 3 Hour Tour, so long as Dawn Wells would also be on there (Dawn Wells, circa say 1961).

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  5. It was just darnned nice of you to give me a little writeup!! Thanks! It's SPC Benjamin Baker and I'd be glad to give you his address if you can give me your email. I don't want it just "out there" floating in cyberspace for all lurkers and trolls to find. Feel free to email me at This.MightyMom@yahoo.com
    I'll send Subvet your way (if I haven't already) and he can read your thanks himself. Let me tell you, that man can pack like no body's business!! He can cram more stuff in a freezer than you would imagine possible!!!!!!! :-) He's a homebody, done all the traveling he ever wants to do thanks to "Uncle Sam's Canoe Club"

    Remembering your son and Mark's today.

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  6. You guys have inspired me to add a new section to my blog. It's titled "soldiers I'm praying for..." If you'd like your family member added to the list. Send it my way.

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  7. Mom, I've been called the blog pimp a time or two.
    My email address can be found by clicking on my profile. There is a link to it there..

    Nigel, Would Dawn Wells be Maryanne, or Ginger?
    Mark, I remember passing through Atlanta back in the Vietnam days when people were lined up to spit on us!! I never had to go to Vietnam. About the time I was finishing training, Nixon started the troop withdrawals. Lucky me.
    I was at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, so anytime I traveled anywhere I went through Atlanta. We learned not to wear our uniforms, unless we had to..
    It's great to see how the country is rallying around the troops now, even though the majority wants us out.
    Glad to hear Mark had a safe trip.
    Thanks for stopping by.

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  8. Subvet also was a Vietnam Era Vet (didn't use many subs in that war) he's told me stories like this that just make me SICK! Being a young 'un myself I will never understand what was going on then and frankly, I'm glad to have missed it. I have another cousin who's a Fire Fighter. He wore a T-shirt last time I saw him that said "risking ours to save yours" All soldiers, officers, & firefighters should have that shirt!

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  9. Dawn Wells was Mary Ann. But in truth I actually, secretly, kinda had a thing for Mrs. Howell. A shiver and a sigh.

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  10. Infantry Dad,

    I was at Ft. Jackson in 1972. I was caught in the last draft call. When were you there?

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  11. Mark, I was there from November 1971 to June 1972. After basic and advanced training infantry. I went to leadrship academy, and then Drill Sergeant school.
    I remember my basic assignment was A-6-2. Alpha Company sixth battalion 2nd Brigade.
    I was then assigned to the 76th Division SPTC, and spent seven year in the active reserve. We never got deployed.
    It is a small world isn't it?

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  12. Nigel- Mrs Howell was hot!!
    I'm glad you didn't have a thing for Gilligan.

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  13. It is a small world. I was there in Sept - Nov. 1972. I was across the courtyard from alpha. I was B-6-2. My associate was a drill sergeant at Jackson for decades but probably wasn't there when we were there. The Paris Peace accords had been signed by the time I got out of basic, so I was sent to Washington for six months of OJT (I could type) and then on to Camp A.P. Hill (now a fort)in Virginia as a company clerk. Except for Jackson, I was never more than 1.5 hours from home. Spent a year in the National Guard and three in inactive reserves.

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  14. Now that I think about it, Alpha may have been in the same barracks.

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  15. Mark, I was out of there by the time you arrived.
    In keeping with the military's inability to do much that makes sense, they activated me the week before Thanksgiving 1971. I got there on Thursday, the week before Thanksgiving, and of course the place was deserted as evryone was gone for the holiday. When we arrived we were temporarily housed across base from the basic training units. We had a staff sargent who wasn't happy to be there to deal with. We went through the entire week with nothing to do. Then 0 week started.
    What a waste of time..
    Bravo Company was the next building to ours. Alpha was four platoons that took up the entire barracks.
    Something I will never forget.
    At times I wish I had made a career of the service.

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  16. dad-
    Nice hearing from ya.

    I'd go for Ginger. I like it spicy.

    I worked as a saleman at a machinery co a long time ago that had a PA(purchasing agent). I was amazed that prices flucuate so much.

    Am I on ?
    *adj mic

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  17. Hey Dad, I gave you an award. Stop by to pick it up.

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  18. Hey Infantry Dad,

    Send this blog to any 10th Mountain
    Division guy, and ask him how he ever wound up in the Sand-box?

    One twenty degrees, IF you can find some shade, Whew!

    Tell him this old 10th Mtn trooper was sent to Italy in that one, but that was over sixty years ago, when I was nineteen! I don't shoosh mountains anymore, but
    can still blog 'em that do! reb

    www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

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  19. Just remember, it's quality... and not quantity that matters. Oh, and I kinda pictured you at the Campfire, with an apple... But, even without it, you is one goodlookin' porker!

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  20. Snake Hunters, Thanks for stopping by.
    The Tenth was doing such a good job in Afgahnistan, that they rewarded them with some beach time!!
    Lots of mountains around the Sunni triangle ya know..

    Chief,
    By the frequency of my postings I would think that you would know that I understand the quality over quantity thing!! :-(
    And ya won't catch me with no apple in my snout.. Unless it's a Boones Farm Apple!!
    Boones Farm ever make it to the mid west?

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  21. I dint even see you in the room!!!

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