Paul

05:08 pm: Neither snow, nor rain, nor sleet, nor rabid mammals named Maurice
shall slow these slackers from delivery of their excuses. Seriously, folks-it's been a week since I last received mail delivery. While I was willing to cut them a break for a day or two, this is a tad much.

Service headed downhill when my regular carrier went out on maternity leave. Perhaps I was spoiled as you could darn near set your watch by her, and over the past 10+ years, the mail always arrived, regardless of weather.

A call to the post office the other day brought the response that the carrier couldn't get close enough to the box. That's odd, as the lady who delivers the penny shopper stuck that in the plastic tube just fine, and she's not a former NBA star.

Today they told me that if she can't deliver the mail, she's supposed to leave a notice advising that more snow has to be removed. Durrr..wha?? If you can't leave the mail, where are you gonna put the notice?

Or were you planning on tying said notice to a brick and heaving it at the house??

02:18 pm: Turns out my SWAG estimate was pretty close
Going back to 10 November 06 when I last posted about this project, the final subcontractor invoice has arrived, and the total bill is calculated.  I'd said $7K and done by Christmas.  Obviously the Christmas deadline fell by the wayside, but much of that was due to PennDOT permitting hokey-pokey.  Once they issued the permits, we had delays regarding placing final flatwork, as they don't want me to use any accelerators in the concrete, and salt hay on a public sidewalk won't work, either.  Final number= $6400

12:36 am: Heads up to you parent-types: we're coming to your kid's school
In a joint venture between the IAEI (International Association of Electrical Inspectors) and UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.), an education program has been launched entitled, 'I am Safety Smart'.  A brochure about the program can be viewed here.  We were treated to a rollout presentation tonight, and I've made the commitment to address my daughter's elementary school, and perhaps others in her school district depending on how it goes, as well as taking the program to Hanover Borough schools, which was part of why I had lunch with the Fire Commissioner on Tuesday-I wanted to introduce the program to him and obtain his support.

The program has two delivery modules: one for K-3, and another for 4-8 grades.  Since the fire service hits schools in October for Fire Prevention month, I'm planning my activities for May, which is National Electrical Safety month.  Hopefully the kids are sent off on summer vacation with some safety messages planted in their heads.

Sad part is that only a few people in my chapter have volunteered to become active in the program.  While I can understand reluctance to addressing a group-these are kids.  They will drink up everything you say if you engage them-you're an adult, perceived to be smart (although we all know that's not necessarily valid). *sigh*  

In any event-IAEI chapters across the US and Canada have been asked/urged by the International home office to participate, so don't be surprised if your youngster comes home with a packet of information.  I hope that they do, because that means someone is doing their job to educate the children.

12:26 pm: Sometimes I'm an idjit

I've checked the FAQs, but don't see a direct answer: I see something on one of your journal entries, and I go to that link, do whatever, and want to copy/paste the results here.  I've tried it in rich text and HTML, but the pasted code comes up as just that on preview-no finished image.

Now that you've wiped the tears from your eyes that I'm such a meathead, kindly illuminate this foolish one. :D

11:30 am: Inventions, my Dentist, his daughter, and life
Firehouse buddy and dental practitioner friend is going through some very tough times.  He and his wife are getting divorced, and it's been ugly with a capital U thus far.  I give him a great deal of credit for shouldering responsibility as custodial parent, which is what the kids want, and is likely best for them, as his estranged wife has slowly slipped into the land of being mentally unstable.  Not that I'm a clinician, mind you, but she's a few toys shy of a Happy Meal right now, IMO.

His firstborn, his daughter, is an engaging young woman-I've enjoyed watching her grow up over the years, and now she has reached that point where hormones occasionally overtake her loveliness, causing her to do things which make her father and me ponder creative use of duct tape.  Her issues are getting better on one hand, now that the maternal crazy factor is temporarily in absentia, but the hormones are there, causing her to do things like sneaking out at night to be with a boy-person.  This, of course, led to getting picked up by the PD, and that sort of stuff is fuel for the upcoming custody battle.

So, my buddy wants a means by which she can move about in the house up until around 10PM, after which attempted exits for potentially dangerous liasons are interdicted by way of alerting him.  You see, she's been waiting until he falls asleep before heading out to howl at the moon.

After much pondering, I think I have it-a digital timer which arms the alert circuit during the desired time parameter, while monitoring a passive infrared/microwave motion sensor overlooking the exit pathway.  If this seems like overkill, the dwelling involved has 9 exterior doors and four stairways, two of which are hidden, and that's just first to second floor.  Installing a complete burglary/fire alarm system in this house took over a month of wire pulling.

That aside, I continue to enjoy life one day at a time, and am thankful for the moments which bring joy.  And it's Wednesday-I can hear the sweet singing of Saturday, already...

04:52 pm: Overheard at the mall today-Warning: Parental anger to follow
Picked up a few things this afternoon, and was passing one of those ear piercing kiosks when I noticed a little boy, perhaps 7 or 8, sitting in the chair, visibly upset to the point he was crying.  Mother person was seemingly oblivious to the lad's trepidation and was gazing about, no doubt overloading the few synaptic endings in her otherwise vacuous skull.  Piercing lady says to the child, "Oh, come on-it won't hurt."

FWEETT! FLAG ON THE PLAY.  BULLSHITTING THE YOUNGSTER.  Gimme a damn break, lady.  I got my ear pierced when I was 40 years old, and to say it won't hurt is a crock of shit.  The whole thing pissed me off because it's not like he was at the doctor's office for a Tetanus shot, or something medically necessary-this is cosmetic, and to boot, the kid doesn't seem to be the one requesting the procedure.  Don't top it off by lying to the child-crap like that simply illustrates to him that adults aren't to be trusted as deliverers of verity.

11:42 pm: Rising to the surface after immersion in domesticity
Admitted-I'm not Betty Bright, yet there are occasions when I have to give Casa d' Cats a bit of a going over. Such as when persons from the outside world actually enter this abode, they being of the female persuasion.  Vacuuming, dusting, mopping, washing, et cie was the order of the day, to perhaps offer the idea that Mom did a credible job of raising up her baby boy. :D  A nice dinner is planned, and we'll see if my culinary ministrations pass muster.  * Deep breath*   

11:26 am: The weekend draws near
If you read this, consider yourself hugged. :D

06:52 pm: Progress-a pile of stuff gone from the basement/shop
Thanks to Craigslist, I have gotten rid of several old TV sets and a pile of other electronics which I neither need nor want.  Looking at the pile of accumulated stuff in my parent's basement has made me realize that paring down my own pile of possessions is in order.  Don't want my little girl wondering "Why did Dad save all of this crap?" years from now.

01:39 am: Every now and again comes a day which is pure bliss
Met my friend this morning, and rediscovered the simple pleasure of  walking around a shopping mall and chatting while holding hands.  More pleasant conversation over lunch, followed by taking in a movie.  We saw Babel, a very intense and entertaining movie-I was intrigued trying to determine how these vastly diverse families were interconnected.  Also several previews of upcoming films generated agreement that we want to see them.  Not that I dislike taking my daughter to see March of the Penguins and such, but sharing a movie with a big girl is fun, too. :D  The day was finished off with yet more conversation over a few beers while watching the auto auction on cable at a local roadhouse type joint.  $600,000 for a 1966 Dodge Coronet 440?  Yeah, it was in pristine condition, but my Dad bought a new 1966 Coronet 500, loaded for $3600.  

I't been a long time since I felt this warm and fuzzy.