Anticipation

Hey blog readers...today I started the final steps in getting ready for my trip to Florida. I am pretty pumped over the trip as a whole. But I am at that anticipation stage of the trip...you know the feeling, like a kid the night before a trip to Disney or a birthday or a fun trip with the family. Time seems to stand still...

So today I did the brunt of the packing for the trip this afternoon. Shorts laundered and packed, t-shirts packed. Laundry is going right now so I have clean underwear and socks. The whole packing thing is a bit stressful, but the end result I know will end up with me bringing way too many clothes and thinking after it is all said and done, why did I bring so many clothes. There are cigars to pack, golf shoes to pack and surprises for my hosts (I love anticipation...so I won't say anymore). Will my bag come up under weight? Did all my electronics I require to function daily get in the bags. The whole thing is enough to drive a person to therapy.

I have to keep in mind the end result...a trip to Florida to visit dear friends and just enjoy life. It is my New Years resolution after all...

Just some of the things that I want to accomplish while I am down in Florida. Hang out with Athena, get some golf in, smoke a few cigars (especially one of my Christmas presents), golf, and visit with Bean Counter, Ivory Seller and Little A(one of my closest friends, her husband and their 3 y/o son). I called and plan to visit the Rocky Patel plant as well...but we will see how that turns out, the more research I do, the more skeptical I am that it is a home run(and after all, why settle for a base hit, when you can knock one out of the park). I am not sure if there will be any manufacturing or if it is just a distribution facility and retail outlet. Finally just relax and enjoy some "not snowy" weather.

Sharkboy is not looking forward to the trip. He keeps telling me that he will miss me and that when I get home he is going to shower me in love. Until recently, I wasn't even sure if he knew what love was. We talk on the phone and he says I Love You at the end of every conversation. I wasn't sure if he thought it was the right thing to say, since that is what Mommy(Jenny) and I always say or if he really meant it. I think now that he means it. No singular example, but I feel it. I talked with him and he understands how long I will be gone and seems to be accepting of it.

Work has been pretty much the same. Monday night was a killer. Up until 4:15 am! Not exactly the night one would dream of. We are referring to it as "That night back in January that we got kicked hard". After a nap on Tuesday...things all seemed to improve. I truly feel that it is an honor to help people when they need it most, so I try to keep it in perspective. That night we helped and ultimately that is what counts. Other than that example it has been pretty good. Merger seems to be going along very nicely and it is exciting to be on a 5 station department.

Well it is time to finish the process(for now)...Sooooo

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y

Hey Blog readers...not really sure what to say today. So let's see what unfolds.

Well I am not sure how many people read this blog. So here is what I would love for you all to do today. Show some love...leave me a comment so I know your out there. I sometimes feel like I am just sketching out my thoughts and they are floating out there in Internet space and that is about it...

I have spent the last few days getting ready for my trip to Florida in a week. I went out and bought some new jeans yesterday. I have been making a list of things to make sure I pack. Collecting surprises for my hosts and dreaming of sunshine and golf courses.

I am thinking of starting a new blog to run along side this one. I have this vision of collecting pictures of 3 of my favorite things and journal my adventures with them. I think the name of the blog will be called "Butts, Brews and Balls". It will have pictures and chronicle my adventures that include cigars, beer (mostly craft and micro brew) and golf. What do you think...again leave your thoughts.

Last night we went out to Giannetto's for Chicago style deep dish pizza. The usual gang was there and we had good time as always. Ate some yummy pizza and got to catch up with all of our friends. I love get togethers like that. Here are some pictures from the outing...

Jen and Amy

Kelly, Jenny and Karen

The Cake

Jenny and I

The Pizza...Mmmmm

Jenny and Morgan with Morgan's Present for Jenny

Jenny is off scrap booking today...leaving Sharkboy and I to do boy stuff. We have played matchbox cars, remote control cars and he has effected several rescues of his stuffed animals. It is really cute. He has some make shift fire gear stuff...a coat from a costume, an old helmet of mine, a back pack(aka air pack) some snow pants, his snow boots and a couple flashlights. He is very creative. It is probably one of my favorite things to watch him do.

I hope you are all having a great weekend...remember to leave some love. Let me know your out there.

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps.

Slummin'

Hey blog readers...well today the Captain of the ladder truck asked me to trade with him. He wanted a day on the engine. I don't exactly consider myself the biggest fan of ladder truck work, but I took him up on it. So far not a bad day...took in a medical at Sta. 2 when we were there. We will see what the night holds.

Not really a lot to report...Just your typical day at work.

Tonight they are having a Procession of lights from Mishawaka to New Carlisle in honor of Cpl. Szuba and Ricky. Last thing I heard on the radio was that the procession was 3 1/2 miles long. I wish I could see it. L.A. and F.i.L. went down the road to check it out and they took their camera with them. I hope to see pictures tomorrow.

Well tomorrow I have some errands to run...Hair cut with Cassie, pick up vacuum, buy wireless router for L.A. and F.i.L.'s new laptop and set up their network. Full day.

So with that I will wrap this up...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps

Point the bow in the direction you want to go...

Hey blog readers...the title doesn't really have anything to do with what I plan to blog about tonight. Actually, I am not really sure what I am going to blog about tonight. If this takes a nasty turn or really no turns at all consider this your warning...oh and the title was said to me when I was learning to captain a boat back in the day. I laughed when the instructor said it to me, but actually find some direction in it in my life now.

Yesterday was a shift day. In the morning we got to play in the ice. By play I mean we got to train. Living in this Northern Midwest climate that we live in our inland lakes have a tendancy to freeze over. Well humans as a whole tend to be curious creatures and at one point in our existance we decided to venture out onto that ice. Well ever since then there has been a tendency for we humans to fall through said ice and end up in peril. Well yesterdays training is the answer to that. We donned our ice rescue suits and took turns being the victim and the rescuer. Over the years this training has gone from being something well all dreaded to something some of us actually look forward to every year(me being one). The old suits(gumby suits) were made of neoprene and often leaked quite significantly. The new suits(Mustang Ice Command or Chiquita suit) fit better, keep you warm and actually keep you dry. So for an hour of my morning yesterday I took my turn as a bobber in a frozen lake...all and all one of my favorite trainings we do on a regular basis.

The rest of the day kind of spun out of control in the afternoon. We had a tour of Cub/Tiger Scouts come through the station. So I showed them around and we had a great time talking about fire trucks, fire stations and what firemen do when we are at work. I love when they are filled with questions and can't wait for you to show them the next thing. Just when that tour was ending one of my good friends from school stopped in. All the while I was trying to cook dinner to feed my firehouse full of fire fighters. My friend Monkey that stopped is a Police officer west of here and was in town paying his respects to the Mishawaka Police and Cpl. Szuba's family. It was great to see him. We had a chance to have a brief catch up and share some laughs. We are planning a get together with Jenny, Sharkboy and his family. Hopefully sooner than later.

Today I had class this morning at the new St. Joe Med Ctr. It is an amazing facility. All new and full of such potential. We recieved a tour of the facility. It is big and modern. If you drive in that area, you have seen it. It will serve the community well in it's new location.

After that, it was errands. The afternoon after school was spent hanging with Sharkboy. He has a new found love for Tom & Jerry. It is great, because that is one of the few cartoons that doesn't make me want to vomit or commit violent crimes against my television.

With all of the things surrounding the line of duty death of Cpl. Jim Szuba, and his K9 partner Ricky that have been going on the last few days I catch myself thinking and reflecting on a few things. (Now don't click closed yet, the soap box isn't coming out) I hope I never know how his family feels and more importantly I hope the rest of my family doesn't either. It is a reminder that what I have chosen as my career path is a dangerous job, and that fate isn't completely out of the question. So I need to be extra vigilant to make sure they(my family) don't ever know how they feel. It also is a testament to the family that the police officers, and other people in blue really are. There is a family right now in this county struggling to find answers to questions that may never be answered. The family doesn't pretend to know the answers, but they are there to provide ears to hear the questions, shoulders to catch tears and arms to hold through some of the pain. My prayers continue that the Szuba family finds some comfort in this hardest of times, and that their "Blue Family" continues to be there for them. God Speed Cpl. Szuba and K9 Ricky.

So this ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I have to make a confession. I have been penning this blog during American Idol. I am actually on a boycott of AI. I was and am a fan of Glee. Now that Idol is on, I have to wait until they crown a winner to be able to see a new episode. Idol is getting old to me...I don't really care for several of the Idol Winners from the past, and I just don't see it having that magic it used to have. So boycott I will...I have much better things to do with my time, like tell you want I have been up to.

Tomorrow back to work...

Be Kind, Be Safe...

Shalom my Peeps!

Not a good night!

Hey blog readers...last night tragedy struck the Mishawaka PD, Mishawaka Fire & EMS and the community as a whole. So this entry will be my thoughts about this happening...

Cpl. James Szuba and his K9 partner, Ricky, were responding to an assistance call from another officer. While attempting to stop the suspect Cpl. Szuba and his partner were involved a 10-50(police talk for accident). Tragically Cpl. Szuba and his partner did not survive this crash, however the suspect did and was badly injured. Mishawaka Fire & EMS faced the task of then extricating the suspect from his vehicle where he was entrapped. They then transported him to a local hospital for care. Doesn't seem right does it, having to extricate a person who just commited such a hanus act? But it is...not easy, but the right thing to do.

So first off I would like to say, my families thoughts and prayers are with the family of Cpl. Szuba and his partner Ricky. My prayers also go out to each and every responder that did what had to be done last night on that call...Police Officers, Firemen, EMT's, Dispatchers all of you make me proud to be in the business.

This morning while watching the news, Sharkboy saw the story. He looked at me and with the most serious face I have ever seen him make, he asked if the policeman and his dog were alright. I made the split second decision to just tell him the truth. He just looked at me, then his eyes welled up with tears and he began to cry. I don't mean whimper, I don't mean whine, he cried...he got it. He said, after he pulled himself together, I am going to miss that policeman and his puppy. Every day I am amazed at what he can comprehend. He has never met this officer or his dog. He just knows that the world will be without those 2 and he doesn't like it. He has a heart bigger than I could describe. He cares and I hope he never lets go of that.

Some closing thoughts...keep your public servants in your thoughts today, especially Mishawaka Police, Fire and EMS. Sometimes look at the world through the Non-Jaded eyes of child. Never forget to tell the people that mean the most to you that you love them.

God Speed Cpl. James Szuba & K9 Ricky!

Be Kind, Be Safe,

Shalom my Peeps.

Productivity

Hey blog readers...productivity can be measured on many scales. Frankly the way I measure productivity is with this simple equation: Productivity=What I want to get done - What I get done/the time it takes me to get it done(not really mathamatical...because I don't think I could actually put a number to it, but it is my blog).

Well today I actually started a written list of the tasks I wanted to accomplish. They are all done and it took me less than a day. So all and all I call that productive. You may measure your productivity differently, but for me, that is productivity.

I also want to take a few minutes to say Happy Birthday to Little Amigo (Mimi, M.i.L. etc...). I hope you are enjoying your day. Some people come in and out of our lives. You are someone who has been in my life for some time now. Thank you for being you. Thank you for raising a beautiful and smart daughter. Thank you for marrying my primary golf partner. You are an amazing person. I love you! (I don't think I guy could ask for a better mother-in-law)

Other than that today has been a pretty good day here at the station. Projects around the firehouse have filled most of the day...but again it was a productive day. Sun was out, and that always makes me happy. I just wish it would have been about 10 degrees warmer so I could have gotten out and enjoyed a cigar.

Not really much else to report. Jenny and Sharkboy are enjoying their day together (at least that is what they tell me). I am sure I will have more tomorrow.

Be Kind, Be Safe...Stay Warm.

Shalom my Peeps.

Quick Vent...

Hey blog readers...just jumped on here to vent for a second. Sometimes if you put your thoughts down the issue doesn't seem to mean some much afterwards. So here it goes...

How many other people are sick of all the secret little Facebook status updates. The bra color thing was cute, but after that, it is just beating a dead horse. Just putting down something strange is just becoming irritating. I don't know about you, but after awhile of guessing doesn't the mystery go away and annoyance begin. Enough is enough...so here is my thought...just put something random up. Don't answer people when they ask and everyone will become annoyed and it will end. Who is with me...leave a comment.

(Pushing my soap box back under the counter)

Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Random,

Shalom my Peeps!