Wichi Dude

BITS AND PIECES PICKUP FOR THE WEEK

Earlier this week we had some awesome weather. It was amazing how fast the storms came together. One moment I was outside and the clouds were just little puffy things. Half and hour later, they were getting their act together. About 10 minutes later: thunder.

Went outside again to check, and the storm system was pulling together. Within 15 minutes, we had a full blown supercell going. Kinda neat how the weather in the Mid-West does this kind of stuff. Likewise, the amount of energy expended is enough to defy imagination.

We had a rerun of this weather again Saturday night. Fortunately, it was after Dudette's birthday at Cop Car and HH's place. You probably heard about the tornado's hitting South and West of Wichita. Pleasure Gardens "Is It A Midlife Crisis" has something to say about it also.

On other news:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dudette

Today is Dudette's birthday. It will be a quiet night for her for the most part, just CK and me, (maybe Chew will be over, don't know).

Tomorrow, we will be going to Cop Car's and HH's place for a birthday dinner.

Give her a birthday wish in the comments and brighten up her day. OKAY?

Birthdays happen.

CK AND HER WORK

CK is having a great time being a CNA at her work. She is working at an Assisted Living Facility. The stories she comes home with are, different, to say the least.

Having grown up with my Mom, then one of my older sisters, and finally, my youngest sister being a nurse, I heard all kinds of stories from their work. And from their nurse, and doctor friends as well. It takes a certain kind of sense of humor to deliver, and enjoy the tales. When CK comes home, it is just like being back home, sitting around the kitchen table listening to my Mom and sisters carrying on. It is a comforting feeling strangely enough.

I can't even share the stories CK tells. Not that I don't remember them, it's just she has a delivery that can't be duplicated in print. There is so much facial expression, and vocal accentuation that puts the punch behind the stories, you can't write them. Try writing one of Red Skelton's mimes, it just doesn't work.

But it is better than anything on TV.

Warm (and funny) fuzzies happen.

DUMB MACHINE, AND OTHER TID-BITS

Over the last week or two, I've had an issue with the computer, the monitor keeps pulsing. I've looked at the settings, and did a restore, and the screen still pulses. Today, I was trying to get on-line when the computer shut itself down.

Uh-Oh!!! Damn, I hate when this happens. The error message told me there was a problem with my graphics driver, and it was screwing up the whole works.

FAREWELL, FELIX UNGER

In case you missed it, Tony Randall passed away Monday night, May 17, 2004. Read more about it here.

So much to say about this man, so little time and words to do it justice. Others are trying. I'll let them.

BUSY AGAIN

In case no one noticed, I've been hit and miss on the blogs lately. Last week we started up the 10 hour days again. And, we worked Sat. and Sun.. Don't know how this weekend looks just yet but we will know by Thursday afternoon.

With the long hours, and it starting into summer time, the noise has already started at work. The younger, and NEWER members of our group are griping about how HOT it is inside the building. If they only knew (even after being told, they seem to remain stupid, or at least disbelieving).

AN AMUSING START AT WORK

You can't pay to get a better start at work then the one I had today, (yes, we worked today, on Sunday).

Before the start of the shift, I was getting my work area set up when one of the volunteers from another department came over to visit with me. James S. and I have known each other at work for a long time, so when we are in the same area, we visit. James stands about 6' 5" and weihgs about 350 - 400 lbs. And he wears a leg brace. When possible, he sits.

James is also one of the officers on our Safety Committee. He is also one of the most accident prone person I know. There is irony to this.

ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY

I know some of you are curious, so I'll tell you.

Dudette and I spent a peaceful evening at home relaxing. CK was gone for the night, 'nuff said.

After working from 5 am to 1:30 pm, relaxing was about the only priority. We shared cards, and hugs and kisses. Reminisced for a while, then fell exhausted in the chairs for some quiet time. We both had to work again in the morning so we didn't pop open a bottle of "bubbly" to celebrate. But we will eventually, we have the "bubbly" on ice.

Thanks for the well wishes from all.

ANNIVERSARY

Today, Dudette and I celebrate our 22nd Anniversary. Who'da thunk, huh.

Yup, 22 years and counting. In this day and age, celebrations like this are getting rarer and rarer. But we have an attitude, and a plan. If we annoy each other, we save at least two other people the trouble.

See? Common ground. Works for us. We're happy, and all is good.

Bliss happens.

NEW DIGITAL CAMERA

I've been wanting a digital camera for a while now. This weekend I went out and picked one up. A nice little Kodak Easy Share CX6330. A nice little entry camera.

Boy, is that an oxymoron.

Easy my foot. The thing comes with a users manual that is 100 pages long. At the beginning of the manual it tells you that you can get a LARGER PRINT version, for download, from the Kodak site if the print is too small to read. (and it is) Oh, and did I mention, it's about 100 pages long. Think of all the fun you'll have printing that thing out. Or, you could just get used to reading it on the computer.

That's like the billboard that said, "Illiterate? Write for help here...". If the font is too small to read, how do you read the information on getting a BIGGER print copy? Just asking.