My Turn to Catch Up

A lot has been happening lately, and that along with my not feeling like blogging when I do have time has created for quite a backlog of news items. Well, news in my little world anyway. I don't know where to start...

Suzie and I have been sort of planning a 2-week road trip. Not much planning really, but we're hoping to do a similar loop around to what I did with Sarah a while back--Down to Utah and over to LA and back up. The difference will be that we want to spend some more time in lower Utah than I did when I was there. There are opportunities for photos galore down there so we should probably take our hiking boots too. We are going to be seeing relatives on both sides during our trip, but the majority of our "family visits" will most likely be at the home of her recently deceased uncle. Her parents are both there cleaning things up and settling his estate details, and because they live in Kauai, it's a good opportunity to see them along with everyone else while they're here.

Our trip really hinges on whether or not I actually get two weeks of vacation. Apparently, it's not exactly a widespread practice for the bosses to grant two consecutive weeks, nor do I actually have two weeks to take. It's kinda weird working for a place where vacation is negotiated, but I am a good worker and don't think I'll be denied. I need to find out today--Time is too short. The fact that I haven't received a NO is a good sign.

We went out last weekend taking pictures of Sarah for her senior pictures. Sue is good with photography, and between the two of us we took a couple hundred pictures of her in various settings, most of which were taking advantage of fall leaves and colors in our area. We'll be going out again too--Just not sure when yet.

It occurred to me the other day that I need to change my voting schedule if we're going to be out of town during the big upcoming election. I got online and found the closest place to pick up an absentee ballot and did so yesterday. I have to say, it's pretty handy to sit at the table poring over the voter's guide and filling in the little circles at your leisure while drinking a beer. It's like having the answers to a school test as you're doing it. I may have to make the absentee ballot thing el permanente. I like it when things are streamlined and easy whenever possible.

My new truck has been going fine. I've used it for a truck once already--Helping Teresa's dad move some furniture from his house to Teresa's. That netted me $60 for my trouble. He has been living with his girlfriend (same gated community) and has had his house for sale for a little while now, but needed to get these last few things out of there.

I got rid of both items that came on my truck that I didn't want. I got $60 for the aluminum diamond-plate toolbox in the back, and $20 for the CB radio and antenna that I didn't want. That's almost like getting my truck for a thousand instead of eleven hundred isn't it? I ordered a new driver's side window regulator (that's what cranks the window up and down) the other day and that will be here in a couple days. That's really the only thing that needed to be fixed right off the bat. I also did a little buying locally from a guy that had some used parts for sale, and bought a like-new windshield and a couple of door mirrors. My existing windshield is cracked and leaks in the corners (pretty commonplace for these trucks), and the door mirrors are some kind of cheesy, aftermarket things.

Things are slow at work, but still moving. This area relies hugely on Boeing, and when the Boeing machinists are on strike it affects the whole area. Our company is lucky though because we're more diverse than most local manufacturing companies. We do much more than just aerospace products. A lot of the drivers that stop by our place every day to pick up or drop off parts that they paint or heat treat for us have told us that we're one of the only places they're even stopping at recently. There are massive layoffs in our area--Partly due to economic downturns and ripple effects, but probably mostly due to the Boeing strikers.

At least gas prices are down... It looks like a good time for a road trip!