Spring is Back, I Guess I Am Also
Wow, this has been a crazy week. I have so many things to write about. I might need to write two stories. I think I’m just going to start writing and see where this goes.
Wednesday was the first day of spring. Who doesn’t like the first day of spring? As I am writing this crap looking outside I do not see spring. It is 12 degrees and we have 12 inches of snow on the ground. You will not hear me complain, we are in dire need of moisture. This is the first significant snow of the winter/spring. I think we could live without the cold.
We had another first this week that wasn’t quite as popular. The first wildfire of the season. And the second wildfire of the season. The first fire actually started while it was winter. It burned into the spring. The second wildfire was as big as the first. Luckily, as wildfires go this one was easily contained and quite small.
Yes, it is quite early for wildfires. It also makes the fires easy to determine the cause of the fire. We don’t have lightning storms at this time of year. That leaves the cause of these two fires to be HUMAN caused. So just a little advice to someone walking in the open spaces around here, “Maybe you should watch where you are throwing your cigarette and put your campfire out before you leave.” Sorry, I might be a little grumpy.
I can now share why I am grumpy. Elaine and Ivy won, AGAIN! The two of them have never fully appreciated my help around the store. They have always wanted me to unretired from my construction life and go build something. They have always thought that making coffee, checking Facebook, reading news on the internet, was not really work or helping the store. I did get credit for dying yarn, but they thought I could do it on weekends.
I received a phone call this past week asking me to re-live my construction life. The keyword there is “re-live”. I received a phone call from the grandson/son of my employers that I worked for after high school. Three days after my high school graduation I went to work for a house building. (Children don’t go to work after high school anymore, do they? Hmmm, just wondering.) Calling these guys a house building family is not really fair. They built over 100 houses a year from 1950′s to the 1980′s. My experiences with this family turned me into the guy I am today.
Not the under appreciated yarn store owner guy. No, the other guy, the construction player. Remember, I didn’t work in construction, I played.
One of my tasks almost 35 years ago was teach the grandson (now the owner) how to build the house, use his hammer; run the saws. He was a 15 year old kid working summers. We have always remained friends.
I’ve had bizarre offers before, but this on tops all others.
Dan: Monner, I need to talk to you. Me: What’s up? Dan: I had to fire my project manager. Me: He’s been with you a long time. What do you want from me? Dan: I need you to unretired. Me: Have you been talking to Elaine? Dan: No, but I will. Let’s have breakfast and talk.
At breakfast we talked about our kids, his ex-wife, and old times. After about an hour he said “Well, I need to go. I will see you Monday at 8:45.”
I had to ask, “Hey, am I getting paid?” He replied, “Yeah, I think so, we will talk Monday at 8:45.” I know Elaine and Ivy have something to do with this.
After more than 35 years and construction sites in 25 states, I am back where I started. Who says you can’t go back home?
Our crazy lives!
Monner
