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Not Saving money, but my training was working!

I’m up early today. I have a lot to do. I promised the family (not Boy Twin, more in a minute) we would go to the National Western Stock Show, and today is the day. I’m up before the sun and before every other member of my family, except for Maggie, Lizzie and Walter and the two coyotes outside the house terrorizing the dogs and then me; in that order.

Personally, I don’t have a need to get outside and defend the property from coyotes before the sun is up. I don’t know why Maggie, Lizzie and Walter have a need to bark and tear around on the first floor when I am so enjoying sleeping on the second floor.

That’s not all. After the coyotes realize that nothing is going to happen here, they leave. Maggie, Lizzie and Walter; still fired up; push their dog dishes around until someone gets up to feed them. If you are wondering who that person is, well, I’m just going to say it. It’s me!

Boy Twin won’t be going to the National Western Stock Show. When Boy Twin gets around horses, he puffs on an inhaler for the next couple days. We discovered this little fact, while attending the National western Stock Show a few years ago. Boy Twin had a fascination with draft horses. We took him to a draft horse show. It was pretty cool, HUGE horses pulling elaborate wagons around the arena. Young Boy Twin started wheezing. We thought it was from the dust the horses were kicking up in the indoor arena. Turned out to be the horses.

(Just a minute. The dogs have finished eating and want outside. You guessed it, no one else is up, so, it is my job. It’s no big deal. I need coffee anyway.)

We realized it was the horses later when Boy Twin was riding horses at another horse event. He started looking like he was storing food in his cheeks. His eyes looked like he was a boxer, a bad one. We started for the hospital. Before we got to the hospital, the Benadryl we had given him took effect.

It’s weird, he loves horses, but he hates them. Anyway, he won’t be going to the National Western Stock Show.

I’m not sure Girl Twin actually wants to go to the stock show. We were discussing the family trip at dinner with the kids and Girl Twin’s friend. Girl Twin sat in silence, as we discussed the trip. Finally, her friend spoke up, “I’m going! I mean, can I go?” Girl Twin’s friend will be taking Boy Twin’s spot.

I can’t catch a break. The nineteen dollars I saved by not taking Boy Twin I will spend on Girl Twin’s friends admission. OK, I’m kidding……..I think.

A trip to the Stock Show is usually worth a story or two. Next week’s story should be pretty good.

This past week in construction was pretty rough. I did something I haven’t done in twenty years. I fired a guy. I hired a carpenter to hang a large steel door.

Me: Can you hang that door? Carpenter: I’ve done it a thousand times. Me: The door is right there, the hinges, door knob and the rest of the hardware are over there. Carpenter: I’ve got it.

An hour later, the guy walks up to me.

Carpenter: Hey, I have a problem with the door. I put the door closure on and the door won’t open. Me: Let’s go look. Where’s the box with instructions?

He handed me the box.

Me: This doesn’t look anything like how you put the closure on the door. Carpenter: Oh, I didn’t use those, I put the closure on like I ALWAYS do. Me: This (Construction Language) me off! Carpenter: I’m (construction language) myself. I will go home if you want. Me: Go! Get the (Construction Language) out of here. You’ve ruined a two hundred door.

I’m telling you folks, when my generation is gone, do not go in a newly constructed building. It may not be safe!

The same day!

I am building a restaurant on the first floor of a five story condominium building. The top four stories are complete and occupied by tenants.

I needed to relocate the fire sprinklers in the first floor to accommodate the restaurant. I showed the sprinkler tech what needed to happen and he went to work.

The day went really bad when I heard, “Monner, I have a very bad problem!”

To make changes to a fire sprinkler three things need to happen. First, the fire alarm needs to be turned off. Second, the water to the system needs to be turned off. Third, the entire system must be drained.

The tech did two of the three. He didn’t drain the system. Imagine his surprise, when he started cutting the pipes in the restaurant and all five floors of water started gushing out of his newly severed pipe. Yes, he had a very bad problem. While I rushed to stick trash barrels under his leak, he ran to drain the system. It was a good thing I was training for another 5K. I needed to move fast.

I’m telling you folks, when my generation has retired from construction, do not go into a recently constructed building. It WON’T be safe.

However, when I have retired you will be able to buy yarn at Your Daily Fiber. Ivy has a handle on this for the next couple generations to come. She might even be better than me. OK, she is better than me, but you know that.

Buy yarn!

Our crazy lives!

Monner

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