I cut my finger!

So there I was, just washing dishes and I looked down and blood was gushing everywhere! I was cleaning an Apple Wedger that we bought from Pampered Chef. We just bought it so I figure that I didn't realize it's effectiveness until I used it on my finger. We had an old one which is really the culprit in the whole deal. I didn't think that they were sharp. Well it's a razor blade! Oh I should mention that it was my middle finger on my left hand.

So we went down to the InstaCare and waited a good hour before someone took us back (after I was told that they rush bleeding people through. - ha!) By the time a Dr saw me it had been an hour and a half and the bleeding had slowed down! She looked at it and asked whether I wanted to glue it or have stiches. I opted for glue since it was faster and I wouldn't have to come back and have them taken out. She did say that it would have been 4 stiches otherwise.

Well she numbed it and it was still bleedingso she put Silver Nitrate on it which helped the blood to clot. Is still didn't stop bleeding so she put a tourni-cot on it to stop. it worked and she glued it. She told me to take it easy, but alas, the next day the glue blew and the blood flowed again. should make for an interesting scar.

CAUTION - I will inclued a couple pictues for the morbidly curious. They could be considered graphic.

Still Bleeding:


Juiceing it full of numbness:


Post glue with the Tourni-cot still on it:

10 hour days

It's been just over a year since I started working 4 10-hour days. I was thinking about what I've gained and what I've lost. Here's some of my numbers:
50 - Extra days off work (all but 2 weeks)
3,500 - miles that I haven't traveled commuting
60 - hours I've saved not sitting in my car
100 - gallons of gas I've saved not driving to work
200 - hours of sleep I've lost to get up an hour early
150 - hours of sleep I've gained back on Friday
50 - net loss of sleep
50 - 3-day weekends
50 - times I was glad that it was finally Thursday
450 - hours I've gained on Friday
$350 - money I've saved in gas and an oil change
50 - opportunities to take a nap in the middle of the day

So in conclusion, it was an adjustment working the longer days, but after getting used to it, it's definitely been tolerable. Monday mornings have always been hard, but Thursday's have always been very nice!

Air Show

This is a group picture that was taken at two different times, but I wanted to give you an idea of the crew that we had. Our backyard has a mostly unobstructed view of the valley to the West and South. We're about a mile from the Hill AFB runway by line of sight and if it means avoiding a half a million people this is a great alternative to going on base.

In the morning we went on base and enjoyed the static displays.

Even though this was an Air Force party, the Army showed up with their Apache Helicopter. Most of the aerial stunt planes were on display too. We saw this Dragon plane a few hours later doing loops and twirls!

We walked through the cargo hold of a C-5! That's a sight to see. That thing is HUGE! And here I am next to my favored A-10 Thunderbolt "Warthog". I lived on a military base in Japan exactly 10 years ago. While I was there I decided for and later against a career in the Air Force. I decided that I wanted to be a pilot, and my favored craft was the A-10. There were several F-16 pilots that were church members that I was able to spend some time with. I gained an admiration for them and sought after that career. Anyway. Then I decided that military life wasn't for me.

Then we went back to the house and watched the remainder of the show from there. The Thunderbirds were an obvious high point, since they were the main event. Other note worthy points was the cargo plane flyover - right over. It shook the rafters. I'm not sure what it was, but it was too close to take a picture with David's zoom lens.

We also had a F-22 Raptor buzz our house two days in a row. That was something else too. You can't understand how a plane like that can sneak up on you until it does.

Thank you everyone who was able to come and enjoy the show!

NOTE: I didn't try to take any pictures of any aerial borne planes because I knew I couldn't do it justice. My bro did though and I hope to get them soon!

Deck Project Update

I had a plan and I worked out the details so that it would work out just how I wanted. We decided that we would do vinyl rails on our deck when we built it last year. Out of a lack of necessity or money or whatever we haven't done it yet. So we decided that it was finally time. So I decided to go through R&L Vinyl which looks like a great place and we had some friends recommend them to us. Well since I have no where else to vent - here it comes.

Notice any problem with this picture? Oh yeah - no rails. Hhhhmmmm, that's because I couldn't buy them. So here's the short of the long. I called them on a Wednesday, and a salesman came out like the next day to give me a bid. I thought that it was a little pricey but that was fine, I took it as though I hadn't priced around enough - whatever. So I got him back on the phone and told him that I wanted to get the vinyl deck rails. He came back on Saturday afternoon to have me sign the contract and take half the money as a deposit. At that point I made it very clear that I needed the materials by Thursday at the very latest, because I had time off of work and had help on the labor. No problem, so I signed the paper and gave him my money.
He also promised a call on Wed to confirm pickup on Thurs - which never came so I called and left a message with both the company and the salesguy. Thursday (delivery day) arrives and at noon I finally call both the salesman and the company back and leave messages again. Finally I receive a call back from the company and they inform me that the materials won't be ready until Monday (days after promised). I was upset, but lets see what the salesman says. Finally he calls me back, realises the problem after I chew his ear off, then after a few calls gets back to me and says that he personally talked to the shop crew and they'll have them ready Friday by noon at the latest. Satisfied with that I let my help loose and wait until Friday afternoon.
Don't worry the story is almost over. Friday comes and after hours of calling back and forth I get a hold of the shop guy who informs me that the salesman never called him about changing my order. Yeah, let me repeat that for a dramatic effect - LIED TO MY FACE. Oh - and it will still be ready by Monday. Not good enough - not nearly good enough.
So here's the problem with Monday. The pressing issue about Thursday was that would give me all day Friday to install them to be ready for our air show party that we hosted on Saturday. Otherwise I don't need the rails installed until our next outdoor event that involves large amounts of children.... So in the end the Manager calls and appologizes and tells me that there's no way to deliver as promised. So what is one to do? Remember that this is after frustrating hour after nausiating hour of back and forth and back and forth then being lied to, then being strung out. So I told him that I didn't feel like his business deserved my money and I wanted my money back.
I would distinguish $1000+ a large purchase. And when I make a large purchase I demand a certain level of customer service, professionalism, and quality. I don't feel like a received a single one of those things of the course of those 10 days.
To the extent of your inconvenience, I recommend going anywhere else.

That's what I call a campfire!

Actually it wasn't a campfire, it was more like a good marshmallow fire. Since it was the last weekend in May we decided that it was high time to have a s'more fire (s'more of what?). So we went to Colette's parents house and camp-fired with Colette's sister and her other sister and families. It was a very nice evening, it was warm enough to sit by the fire with just your shorts and a t-shirt (Well arguably).

We like to make this cinnamon marshmallow biscuit thing. What you do is wrap a raw biscuit around the marshmallow then fire the biscuit until it's golden brown. Disclaimer: the biscuit filled with marshmallow goo will be hot (duh!). Then you roll it in butter then roll it in cinnamon. It's straight from heaven! That's what we were making.

Colette's parents cut down like 6 CottonWood trees this spring so we have tons (literally) of wood, so I hope to have many fires this summer.