The odd moment

A long time ago in a company far away - well, not really though if in context a long time ago means about 27 plus years ago. I worked about 5 years for a fledgling engineering company as a draftsman and transitman (surveyor team person who looks through the scope). As the company started up I was the second person the owner hired. It was a good job, good people to work with and a good man the boss/owner was. I left after 5 years because I'd decided I didn't want to be a 50 year old drafter someday. By then there were about 25 employees, eventually there were up 60. Drafting on a computer wasn't yet common practice. I'd given proper notice and left to work for a general contractor as an estimator/designer. As predicted by my former boss I was laid off after a couple years, contracting being a rather volatile line of work during economic downturns especially in the housing market. Not that the engineering business was exempt from the same situations. Shortly after I was hired by my present employer be it four or five buyouts ago. Bringing this tale up to recent times and the latest buyout now almost 2 years ago part of which was combining two other businesses in the area into my office's location one of which was the old company I'd left. The company had bought them out about two years earlier than us. The deal had included giving my former boss a contract to provide business development, etc. So last week as I was walking down an aisle former boss comes along puts out his hand and says "I'll be saying goodbye, they've had enough of me". I was taken by surprise of course, though he was of a good age to retire I figured he'd call his shot in his own good time. It all gave me a weird feeling how things were long ago, then though circumstances I'd been reacquainted with someone I never expected to be associated with again, then have that person shown the door. I don't feel bad for him, he's made his money from the buyout and his former business. Some of the people that came over to our location I'd worked with, My manager is one of those - I interviewed him for a entry position as a draftsman back then now he's the manager of our CADD department where I administratively reside. This whole situation I still find a little surreal. Not that any of it matters, I have more work to do than ever, plenty to keep the mind occupied and one less person to say good morning to in passing.

Gray matter weather

A heavy fog rolled in this morning - not outside, too cold and dry for that. It was in my head. Yesterday Carol prepared and cooked a righteous corned beef and Guinness St. Patrick's Day eve dinner. Served up with carrots, onions, parsnips and cabbage. So I accompanied that with a glass of Guinness, seemed only right. All well and good at that point, later in the evening as we settled down on the couch to watch the James Bond movie "Skyfall" dvd I pored a glass of red wine and throughout the course of the movie and beyond I drained the bottle. A little after midnight I crawled into bed and slept like the dead until daybreak when nature called, first me then one of the dogs. It was about time I should get up but there it was, the fog had set thick right between the ears. Pretty much stayed there through breakfast until lunch when I administered a shot of espresso. Not like I haven't drank a full bottle in an evening before - just thinking maybe factoring in the Guinness pushed the envelope a bit, no that couldn't be it!

Up and down the weather is right for the season

With spring approaching March is providing us everything it's capable of, snow, rain, warmth and cold. The actual astronomical first day of spring sounds nice but doesn't really mean much in real life. Most of Carol and my weather concerns are keeping up with what Ian and Ali have been dealing with on the Appalachian Trail. A lot of damp cloudy days, some wicked snow storms in the mountains with whiteout conditions and times where to make any progress means following in post hole steps through deep snow from a previous hikers. They seem to be in good spirits though as in this technological age staying in contact somewhat regularly is easier then ever with texts and calling so we can track their progress and mindset. Despite some minor setbacks they are making great progress and tonight will be staying in the Cherry Gap Shelter just inside of Tennessee. They'll be coming into more level terrain soon which extends up to New England expecting to do 17 to 20 miles a day - still a lot of miles to cover.

This picture was taken at a hostel

near the AT early on in the hike.

10 down, 3 to go.

Still on the calorie counting program and so far, so good. I've reached a milestone of sorts, lost 10 lbs since I started on January 19th at 188 lbs I finally read 178 this morning on the scale. Three more to go, the target was 175 by the end of March I may make it early. The Lose It app that both Carol and I are using has been the biggest help. As you add foods that you eat and exercises and other intensive activities you do it stores that data for the next time you eat or do them then they're easy to find and enter into the daily log. The app determines how many calories you can eat per day to meet your goal and you always know how many you have left each day...in case you want that glass of wine and snack before bed. Right now I'm quite in the black for the week so with calories to spare I could have something extra but I do get a bit greedy and don't use up all my calories. Exercise is the key. My daily budget is 1,943 calories - with 60 minutes of brisk walking I get an additional 281 calories, 30 minutes on the elliptical 298, weightlifting for 45 minutes 128. Heck, I even get 130 for an hour behind the snowthrower. Close to making it easy to like snow... not quite.

Out and abouts

Three inches of fluffy snow greeted me this morning, above freezing temperatures today with a little sunshine most of it didn't last much into the afternoon but I cleaned off the drive anyway. Less sloppy that way. By late morning Carol and I took a ride into Windham to pick up a few items and we also stopped in at the local RV dealership who were having their yearly open house. We wanted to chat with someone in the service department since if we have problems with our new camper that I can't handle myself we'd be familiar with their operation. We had purchased our rig from a dealer almost two hours drive from home but this local dealer also sells and supports the same manufacturer's products so it was good to establish that face to face contact.We talked with the service manager and discussed a accessory installation which we hope to have done before Memorial Day weekend. Caught up with Carol's sister Lois and her husband Jim who were checking out the new campers. I think they may be buying one in the next year or two... maybe three. We'll be picking ours up from winter storage in 7 or 8 weeks from now.

Making a house call

Picked up my mother today for a trip to the nursing home where her sister Dot is staying after having fallen and broken her hip. Aunt Dot is weathering a difficult time as it wasn't long ago that her husband died and she had to move in with her son. That adjustment was hard enough as her health hasn't been good for the pass several years, then taking the fall that put her in the present situation. Previously to all this she and her husband Jack lived about a 10 - 15 minute drive from my mother and they would see each other frequently. Living with my cousin then put her about an hours drive away as is the nursing home, more than Mom is comfortable driving for both time, familiarity with the route and traffic. She last visited with Dot a month or so ago when one of my sister's had reason to be in the area. Under the circumstances I offered to take Mom to the nursing home. I've always liked Dot and this was a way to both visit with her and spend time with Mom on the drive down and back, Not surprisingly the time flew by as we talk about all kinds of things, before arriving in what seems no time at our destination. Given her situation Dot will not be leaving the nursing home - the repaired hip will not heal sufficiently enough to support her. Currently she is without her glasses (lost?) and a greater problem is her hearing is bad so communicating takes a lot of effort hindering both sides of any conversation. Of course she is under a lot of medication and though necessary the effects contribute to maintaining such an effort. I believe the trip was worth the time and provided some comfort for Aunt Dot during these troubled times. I'm glad we were able to do it.

Slipping into Friday

A wicked nice evening outside tonight, starless with a dusting of snow falling. The air is still and quiet enough to hear the traffic on the turnpike a little more than a couple of miles away. Wasn't even thinking of the snow piled up around me and what it took to put it there. Working my way through a bottle of Malbec to get to tonight's episode of Fashion Police with Joan Rivers. Can't wait to hear their take on what the "stars" were wearing at the Oscars.