alright, the official word is in.  we work an 8 tomorrow, then another on Saturday, then it's an 11 day shut-down, due to our automotive customers having the same time off [awesome!].  then, after we're told all that, he says if we don't get our numbers by this Saturday, we may have to work Sunday...ok, well. 10 days off would be awesome as well, just, not quite as awesome as 11.  I started about 6 weeks ago, throwing "extra" money into my savings so I'd have something for the time off to absorb the shock of limited income (July 4th and 5th being the only paid days).  $790 in savings ought to help budget during this 'almost free vacation period'.  they give you the option to use your vacation money for the time off, or collect unemployment, but I'll simply go the easy route, and slack hard with little or no income.  I did this last year and survived OK

Brian (room mate/almost neighbor) is beyond fed up with our newest neighbor to the east.  they're the epitome of trailer trash. loud music in the middle of the night. bangin' around makin' tons of racket.  I don't hear it as much being my room is on the west side of the trailer, and I have an awesome 'white noise' fan, but last night, I couldn't believe how incredibly inconsiderate these guys are (I only used to hear the stories because I used to be on 3th shift...now that I'm on second, I hear it all, first hand).  I'm a bit more passive when it comes to rude neighbors, Brian won't think twice about calling the cops, or going over there threatening to beat the shit out of 'em.  he's pretty much a spazz to begin with, then you add the fact that he's on several sleep disorder prescriptions, that'd normally knock a rhino on it's horn, but don't seem to work for him...yeah, you get the point. 

Bambi Mittens (Rosie pooperdog's old owner) sends me a cute email about dogs...I write her back, saying thanks, and telling her how much I miss Rosie's hugs, then BAM!  she sends me about 8 other emails involving cute animal stuff.  damn.  alright, I guess she likes to share animal lover stuff...so I punched her in the face (what?  I didn't know how to end that story...so I used the "I punched her in the face" ending. it was going nowhere fast, so why not, right?) [no Bambi Mittens were harmed during the making of this poorly ended story]

a couple three "canoe paddler" Leinenkugel's to relax with whilst jotting down nothing, then off to sleep so I can get these next 2 work days behind me, and begin my time-off slack ritual

another mostly uneventful work day.  I dig second shift.  we're the skeleton crew of the three, so peeps are asked to stay over on 1rd, and come in early from 3nd, but we're never asked (with the exception of weekend work).  the not so good part is because we're a skeleton crew, the 2th shifters often have to stay on the assembly line the whole 8 hours (while the over-timers do sub station work), so it's a bit tougher, but it's only for 8 hours.  the other bummer is, there are almost zero parking spots available.  we have to park 6 miles away (prob'ly because you have all the 1nd shifters and office peeps), but again, it's all worth it because it's a straight 8 hour shift.  the benefits way out-way the bummers, so again, I say; "yay 8's!"

a couple of "two hearted ales" (Bell's beer), and I'm about to nuke a frozen pot pie, before I hit the sack

we have a meeting before work, from Sam (the first shift boss) stating that if anyone leaves without telling the supervisor, it'll be considered a walk-off which is then considered instant termination.  I know he was talking about me leaving Sunday, but in my defense, I did tell the line support.  but no matter.  I was a bit surprised he didn't look my way when he was talking about this.  anyway, we got the message. it'll never happen again (until I have to work another Sunday, and told to leave early, just to have the rug pulled out from under me). I remained stone faced and unapologetic (since there was no apologies my way for pulling said rug).  I had no comments or questions, I simply went back to work with the rest of the crew and called it a day. I could have stewed over the scenario, but it wasn't worth it.  I make random jokes about how I got away with it, but don't you go tryin' it (to those that asked if he was talking to me).  as it was, the crew went home about two hours later that day, so no biggey.  he did have some good news.  looks like (pending our numbers during this week) we get this coming weekend off, then the whole week following, plus the weekend after (again, pending our numbers *doesn't hold breath*) [news at 11]

come home to a couple of beers, and now I'm ready to crash out...g'night

franch toost, unt bacon, mit shcramblet eggs!

did he just say "fictational"?  Brian likes to create his own 'vocabulation'.   It wasn't long ago, he was trying to explain the "pajectory" of each iron (Rosie pooper clubs).  he even calls Squabber; "Choobah".  I have no idea where he comes up with a lot of his words?  he's a smart guy, just a little confused...now having said that, I'm aware that my vocabulary isn't all it should be, and I will destroy words on purpose here on this blahg, just to be a dork, but really?  'fictational'? 'pajectory'? that's fringe.

so one hour into work, and the boss says "go home!" (due to a shipment being late). I ask more than once if she was messin' with me. nope.  I knew I should have ran like hell upon hearing this, because not one minute later, we get that truck pulling in. she comes back saying "I lied...we're staying".  god dammit!  how often have they pulled this?!  it's not cool! it's cruel and unusual punishment!  I let her know this. there was no apology, or nothin'.  we're there on a Sunday, wishing we weren't, in one of the hottest sweat shops and we get this kind of mind game crap?!  nope. I went home.  well actually, I stuck around for a good hour, but let her know I was leaving when first break came around.  she said "ok".  we were already short handed, so I'm sure it slowed things down, but hey, if you're gonna fuck with me (on what would normally be my day off), I'm gonna fuck back (pardon the franch).  once again, I ask myself "why do I still work here?!"  maybe I should try to get my yacht job back (as my sister had mentioned).

once home, I had a couple 3 beers, watched a couple episodes of 'Futurama' (speakin' of goofball werdz), and caught that Walenda dude cross the grand canyon on a wire (live on the Discovery Channel).  that was pretty intense! 

anyway...sleep.

I STILL think it's beyond cool that Stan Ridgeway  (of 'Wall of Voodoo' fame) is one of my face book friends.  how cool is that?!

gotta work the stalag this whole weekend, but maybe that looming shut down will (or not) come at the beginning of July [news at 11].

right hand index finger (still) bothers me.  once in awhile it feels completely broken...maybe it's gout? arthritis? who knows?

wow! it's bad hiku Saturday. that is all.

wake up early, throw $8 worth of empties in my car (Squabber drinks a lot of beer), tear the roof off, throw the clubs in the passenger seat and drive to my favorite beer store. cash in the empties, buy a sixer of 'the Oarsman' (for after work), and drive to the local driving range.  this is a little peanut range that's attached to a farm.  they normally have buckets of balls on a park bench and a coffee can with a slotted top on it, to put your money in.  there were no balls, no coffee can...I can see someone on a mower in the distance, but can't get his attention.  the friendly ol' dog was there, but he was of no help (other than to be a cute ol' dog).  ok.  I guess he doesn't want my money.  oddly enough, there were a couple peeps swingin' away.  were they using there own balls? maybe. anyway, the Rosie clubs and I decided to just go for a ride in the country.  now, a short nap before hittin'  the stalag, and maybe try again tomorrow.

from old Rosie pooperdog, to new Rosie (pooper?) golf clubs

I get to work a little early on Tuesday 'cause Mark's always kind enough to bring me in some Mexican food (I repay him on Thursday's either with bArfy's or Slubway). anyway, as I'm walkin' in, here comes Mittens with some sort of watering tank (??) turns out she has a job at a flower joint that goes around and waters different company's plants [here, I thought, all along, that the trees in our break room were fake].  she was just as surprised to see me as I was her.  she thought I still worked 3nd.  nopes. we talk about Rosie for a bit (being it was her dog before it was mine).  I sort of make the conversation short saying I gotta punch in before I'm late (even though I was almost an hour early).  it was good to chat.  I'll prob'ly be seeing her again here and there as she waters her way around.

we get new 55" TV's in our break room now, replacing the old 30" CRT's...so now we can be bored with CNN news via flat screen while we dine.  tonight, I find myself getting angry at the half ass job maintenance does on our line.  they don't fix a problem, they half fix it and tell you how to hold your tongue just right in order to make the station work (I'd love to make a maintenance wage in order to not fix stuff like it should be).  give me 10 minutes and a screw driver and I can take care of a lot of head aches our line suffers from.  it dawns on me that I used to get this angry at work stuff daily (when I worked a thousand hours a day).  I guess an anger outburst every couple weeks (on 8's) is somewhat more except-able.

I'm a little geeked, 'cause  the Kid's boyfriend had started  a xanga blahg, only to frazzle out after his first entry, then my sister adds an entry after being gone for a good year, but that's all the farther she gets.  no one wants to share...oh well. who knows, maybe one day I'll stop throwing words on a page and get a life too.

I'm gainin' weight, drinkin' more beers after work, and not takin' me anymore barefoot pooperdog walks.  I guess I should maybe take up joggin', or actually pick up those clubs I bought, and hit the range more often...but being the slacker that I am, it's kind of nice to sleep in *fart*

picked up 3 T-bones, some tator's, (unt some cole slaw) for Brian to grill up.  I had some brats and kielbasa in the fridge too. he threw it all on.  add the goodness of grilled grubbage in mit some beerses, unt some US open on der Golf channel (Phil Mickelson almost won again) , and you got yourself an excellent Sunday afternoon!

I replace the porch light, after a week of fumbling around in the dark, with a green incandescent light.  it's pretty cool!  I figure it's less of an annoyance to the neighbor's, being a dull green instead of high beam white).  otherwise, nothing new to report in my bland blahgage...

my first 48 hour check brings home more than I expected. $501!  this will be easier to budget than I thought.  that's exactly the right amount of money, and overtime I ever want.  that working a thousand hours a week until you're dead thing was getting very old.  yesterday's overtime eight seemed to drag a bit, but that's prob'ly because I (once again) yearn for a whole weekend.  no worries.  I'll do 7-8's before going back to that 12 hour horse shit (yeah, you get the point. next...)

we had the mother of all rainstorms the other night, and wouldn't ya know it, it's when I was parked clear across the parking lot (at the stalag).  that 30 second walk soaked  my clothes as if I had jumped in the river.  I'm glad I drove my truck to work (it needs to be driven once in awhile, so as it doesn't feel lonely), due to the huge puddles I had to drive thru on the way home.  I would have completely swamped that shrimpy bat-mobile.  I haven't seen it rain this hard in forever!  then last night too, we get a good soaking (I do love spring time).  a couple three beers after work, Star Trek (tos) on Netflix, and I'm out like a light, passed out on da couch.

let's see.  nothin' else, really.  I've taken Brian's peroxide blondie's dog for a barefoot walk a couple times (I DO miss those). my new clothes washer's the shit (I prob'ly already expounded on this). Brian wants to BBQ something on the grill today.  I best hit the store for a couple steaks, and whatever...

*fart*

I had no idea you can find complete movies on Youtube.  I discover this last night, putting my headphones on (beer and leftover ham unt chips by my side) to try and drown out peroxide blondie's love squeals wafting from Brian's bedroom.  I know you'd like to hear more about her lovely bellowing, but the Jackie Chan movie I saw was awesome.  good gawd, between her howls, and her walking around the trailer in her underwear, I can create my own porno in my head...but you wanna know what the Jackie Chan movie was called...

[...]

what?  I got a pop-up message saying my 'puter is gonna shut down for important updates.  ok. ummm.   I'll be back. save.

online banking has me put $300 of my last weeks check (the last of the huge overtime checks) into savings.  I'd normally stow all of that toward debt, but I'm playing it a little cautious, now that I'll be netting just over half of what I used to make (now being on that 8 hour shift...40 to 48 hours/week as opposed to 60 hrs plus).  I've been eyeballing my budget for weeks now, thinking up creative ways to pay bills and have a tiny spending/ savings allowance.  first, of all, I calculate a plan to lose that ever increasing Master Card debt (about 3 grand).   I should take the advice to freeze the card itself in a block of ice, so as it'd make it harder to use (giving one time to think, while it thaws, as to whether the next purchase is a necessity, or just a 'want').  also, I figure if I treat the debt like a loan, and set up a two year payment plan, using that freed up $135/month that I was paying toward my last loan, with said plan, in writing, in my face (on the wall), it'll help motivate me to lose that debt.  meanwhile, my bank sends me a notice saying they've increased my borrowing ceiling up to another 3 grand.

I'm still curious as to what 2rd shift premium (at the stalag) is?  no one (on our shift) seems to know.  I'll find out this Friday.  I guess I have HR at my disposal now (between 2pm and 5), but keep forgetting to ask...

there's still a deafening absence of tripping over a dog every time I turn around.  I got to give it more time, plus 'Squab helps fill in the blank (can I buy a vowel?)

I decide last night to wake up early and hit the driving range, 'cept this morning's rain makes me abort the mission. I got nothing on my "to-do" list, so maybe I'll take me a power-nap before work.   speaking of work, they're making peeps work over time on first (and under time on third) to cover the lack of help we have on second.  they pull that old shit; "if we don't get enough volunteers, everyone stays!".  meanwhile, they determine that there's not enough work for everyone, so they send home the temps (making unwilling full timers stay, and shoeing away some temps who want the work).  it's the beginning of sliding right back into 12 hour shifts...I can already see it comin'.  the place has such a backwards ass way of treating its employees, it's damn pathetic!  meanwhile, us 2th shifters aren't (yet) asked to do any overtime, but I'm afraid it won't be long.

anyway, onto making that "in my face" budget sheet (see first paragraph), then maybe a good power-nap

PS.  instead of freezing my card, I put it in a sealed envelope and lock it in my safe, but while doing so, I find Brian's rent cash in another envelope, of which I totally forgot I had.  I know, if I leave said cash in my wallet, I'll spend it on dumb stuff (mostly vending snacks at the stalag), but if I lock it away, and forget about it, it's yet another way to save...here's hopin' I can work on my debt, throw a little cabbage each week into my savings account and have many envelopes of rent cash while I figure out my new budget.  ["baby steps toward the elevator..."]

a couple 3 beerses after work, whilst, oddly enough, looking at teardrop campers online...I know, right?  they are the cutest little ugly campers ever.  the ultra cool ones cost $10,000 and up, but it's free to look (unt dream).  it would look awesome being towed behind my shrimpy bat-mobile, but my budget (as always) dictates otherwise (again; free to dream).

this morning, I wake up 'round 6am, have me a bowl of raisin bran crunch, and re-crash back out for a good  5 hours (I do love 2th shift!).  afterwards, I hit the lawn chair for some sun and review some more "they might be giants" downloads.  lastly, I hit the shower, pack me the remainder of my now wilted salad for work lunch (don't forget the salad dressing...again) and off to the stalag I go (maybe hitting Wendy's along the way for a spicey chicken sammich combo).  ready, set, GO!

wow. that's not good news...the AC guy was just here and suggests that both the AC unit and the furnace SHOULD be replaced.  both units are a good 30 plus years old.  he gives me a rough estimate for the replacement of somewhere in the $4,500 range, or continue, for now, with what I have and just replace the burned out motor in the AC for around $400, knowing that something else could go on it at any time.  yeah, that's the Dutch guy option. fix it short term and let me get some quotes  for total replacement maybe next spring (or when I feel ready to spend more than what I paid for the whole trailer itself).  he's on his way back to his shop now to pick up a motor...

between today's $400 AC motor, the new washer at $600, and putting the dog down at $166, I'm spending money like a fiend this month.  oh well.  I'll simply have to tighten the belt a bit tighter, 'til I win the lotto *fart*  oh, and by the way, you may think AC is a luxury?  these tin sweat boxes (or wood-panel submarines) almost require AC, so as one doesn't french fry when they sleep.  it gets that bad.

8 hours of work yesterday went relatively fast.  we ran out of springs about 6 hours in (ya gots to have springs to activate the bar that brings the seat forward unt back).  we spent the last couple hours doin' rework.  after work, I quickly pass out after 3 beers, whilst watching a bad movie on Netflix.  this morning, I do me some McDonald's for breakfast, warsh me dune buggy, vacuum it out, and take me a Sunday drive (mit der top down).  I happened to be coming home via the express way, when a van with a trailer ahead of me suddenly loses it's tail light.  it meanders aimlessly in front of me bouncing along.  I try and dodge it, while still staying in control (me going 70 MPH and all).  I pegged it with both my right front and right rear tire.  I slow down anticipating one or both tires would soon go flat, but I got lucky.  I pass the van and wave with that certain "whatevah" look [].  afterwards, I get my haircut, do some Chinese buffet for lunch, and watch Tiger Woods not win the St Jude's classic PGA tour (wait, he wasn't even in the line-up...never mind).  it was a good day!  sunny for the first half, rainy for the last.  currently, I'm listening to my latest MP3 download (Southern Culture on the Skids latest LP), and typing more nothings on my Xanga page, whilst drinking some beerses. *Be7ch!*

tomorrow, I gotta be up at 7:30am to meet the heating unt cooling guy.  hopefully he'll fix the AC without having to charge me $70,000.00

I placed a pound of ground turkey in the crisper, like I always do when putting away groceries , but this time, I  completely forgot about it.  by the time I rediscovered it.  it had been a week over its due date.  the turkey pinkness had turned to a light brown.  I open it, take a whiff, and decide to use it, being the Dutch guy and not wanting to waste it (I mean, if it still smells good, right?).   in my backwards thinking, not only did I waste the meat, but the hamburger helper I added to it...there's not enough Parmesan cheese in the world to cover bad hamburger helper.  I was almost late for work, so I ate some anyway.  no, it didn't result in any gastrointestinal problems later, but it sure did taste...like a wet dog smells.  I ended up throwing the majority of it out in the yard (for woodland critters with a hardier stomach to enjoy). 

just made me another BLT sammich (mmmmmmmms!  thems is good!) for breakfast.  I'll use the leftover cooked bacon, chop up the remaining lettuce, ham, and tomato's throw in some sharp cheddar cheese and BAM, I got a quick salad for work lunch.  here's hopin' I remember the blue cheese dressing (like I forgot the last time).

my vet sends me a nice sympathy card with all the employees signatures. it's a very nice gesture!  also, I get a call from them saying Rosie's plaster paw print is ready to pick up.  I'll grab it on the way to work, and maybe post a pic of it tomorrow.

it looks like the Kid's boyfriend wants to start a blog (HI MARK! HI CARL!).  it's fun!  I kind of dig going back and rereading an entry from, say, 4 years back (or whenever) and reliving it in me head.  my life is pretty drab, but recalling simple memories from an old entry is golden!  my sister (my other subscriber) started one, but it's been a good year, or so, since she updated it. xanga's cool too, in the way you can customize your settings, from either the whole world seeing your page, to no one but you (and everything in between).  rock on, dude!  now I only wish HooHah would start one...I wanna know what's goin' on with his Mini-soda self

looks like a nice day today.  I just might hit that lawn chair for an afternoon nap/tan....

first off, I should be able to save a ton of money on my electric bill, now that the ol' dog is gone.  I'd leave my bedroom fan on day and night because I knew she liked to sleep with her head against it.  I can now turn off my laptop 'puter, when not in use (I'd always leave that on as a Rosie night light), and the living room TV can be shut down when I'm not at home (I'd leave it on for some white noise for both Rosie and 'Squab).  and speaking of 'Squab, he's taking over where Rosie left off.  Rosie used to  wake me up, either by shaking her head or sneezing right by my face (as I was sleeping).  this morning, 'Squab put his feet on my bed and meowed in my face to wake me.  turns out he was out of food.  little mammals sure are fun to have around for just those silly annoyances

2rd shift is going good!  yesterday I was drag-ass tired (still adjusting to real hours).   Mark and I hit IHOP on the way home where we each got a big meal (chicken fried steak, hash browns, scrambled eggs, a stack of pancakes with blueberry syrup and a glass of OJ...mmmms!), followed by me coming home, showering, and getting a good 12 hours of sleep (I know, right?).  tonight seemed to fly by.  we get the announcement that we'll have to work Saturday [which is ok...48 hours a week beats the HELL out of 60 some!].

anywho...

a couple beers last night, and I was out 'til about 7:30 am.  I jump in my shrimpy batmobile, get me a tall coffee at McDonald's, go to the store for a bottle of windshield washer, killin' time before the oil change place opened at 8. gave the bat-mobile a good drink of fresh synthetic oil, had 'em top off all liquids, and fill the tires to be good to go for another 5000 miles.  once home, I call the local heating and cooling place and set up an appointment to have my central air looked at and fixed.  the best they can set up is next Monday at 7:30 am.  kool!  I'll prob'ly have me another Agave wheat ale and hang out on the lawn chair with my MP3 player until I gotta get ready for the stalag come 2pm.  I'm tellin' ya, these 8 hour days are awesome!!  I have all night to sleep and half a day to get stuff done (oil change, grocery shop, hair cut, etc.).  did I mention awesome...?  it's worth sayin' again.  another benefit of 8's is if I eat a good meal before, I don't even need to bring a big lunch.  yesterday, I brought me a bag of chips and that was enough to hold me over 'til I was paroled (10pm).  it's kind of weird working with a new group of peeps, but so far it rocks! *crosses fingers that it lasts forever*

Bambi Mittens writes me about taking Rosie off my hands and having her buried at her place.  I told her it was too late being I had already set up the option of cremation. and although she asked about it a couple 3 months back, I completely brain farted and forgot (too many hours at the stalag).  she understands.  well, here.  I may as well cut and paste our conversation (read from the bottom up):

3)         she had been showing signs (over the past 5 months), her hind legs would off again/ on again not get her up the front porch steps, our walks were shortened significantly due to her getting tired fast, she stopped eating dry food all together (I had her on moist food only for the last month or two), and near the end I had to carry her outside each time she had to pee, sometimes actually having to lift and balance her butt so she could do her business.  right at the very end, she lost control of her front legs too.  all she did was lie on her Rosie-pedic bed  and pant.  she drank a lot of water, but then finally refused to eat anything.  she never showed any signs of suffering, yet I was wondering if I was just keeping her around for my own selfish purposes, so last weekend, I made the call and brought her in.  it was one of the toughest calls I've ever made, but it needed to be done.  she was the coolest dog ever!  thanks for letting me enjoy her geriatric days and thank you for the kind words.  you're a sweet heart. P.S. did I really have her around for 3 1/2 years...?  wow.  time flies when you got a cool mammal friend to hang with   jalane beckman 4:58 AM To: bribolthouse@hotmail.com   2)       I stopped by your house yesterday after work because I had questions, after all she did live with us for 10 years, we've been through alot in those years. Amy [Mitten's daughter] and I wanted to know if she died quietly at home or if she was having health problems and the vet suggested putting her down. The other question you already answered with the cremation. Rosie showed up at our house in June of 1998, she was full grown, so she had to be 17 years old! I know you're going through the same pain as I did with Jasmine. You loved her with all you had and she returned that love, I could see that when I visited her. I often thought in the past that I should have found an alternate way so I didn't have to give her up or put her down, but then I think about how the last 3 1/2 years were the best years of her life. You gave her those years. I had tears in my eyes all day Monday and I let myself cry on my way home after work after Carrie Underwoods Til I see you again came on the radio. The tears are here now just writing this. I know its too early now, but don't give up on loving another dog, this is the 6th dog I've had in my life and lost, even though the pain is horrible the joy and love they give is worth having them around. There are so many dogs at the animal shelter just waiting to be loved by you like Rosie was. You keep her paw print, you're the one who saved her and gave her the happiest ending to her life.   bri 12:10 AM To: jade mittens   1)     Hi Jalane.  I got your call (she left a crying voice mail), but it was too late. I had already set up for them to  have Rosie cremated.  forgive my short attention span (I've been working a billion hours a week and I'm more brain-dead than ever), you had mentioned it  before and it completely slipped my mind.  they are sending me a plaster impression of one of her feet, if you'd like that, I can send it your way.  throw me your address  if interested...here's hopin' you still have this email address (?!)

I really had no idea just how much of my time was spent with Rosie until the day after she was gone.  every time I sat down she demanded a foot rub (my feet against her neck).  every time I made something to eat, she'd always be either in the way (which I didn't mind unless I was cooking something that splatters like bacon) or she'd sit patiently off to the side staring up at me, front paws sliding back and forth on the linoleum in anticipation (I wish I had gotten video of this, it was way cute).  I'd always tell her "gotta let it cool off before I give you some"...always giving her something for being patient.  this morning, while making bacon, lettuce and tomato sammich  nobody stares patiently back.  while sitting in the living room, there's no one to give a foot rub to, and no one to let outside and drink a beer on the porch or take a barefoot pooperdog walk with, etc., and so on.  I miss her a ton!  I'll try to keep the sap factor down, but you get the idea. I seem to be ok with telling peeps at work about her, but every now and then (mostly when I'm home) I get a little drippy faced (time heals all wounds). like I said earlier, I made me some bacon, lettuce, and tomato sammiches on San Francisco sour dough bread (mmms!) for breakfast yesterday,  went top down (on the shrimpy bat-mobile) to the beach, walked the pier (nice day, but very windy!), came home (where it was a lot less windy) and hit the lawn chair to try and remove this winter 3th shift whiteness before heading off to the stalag.  it was a good day!  and again, I don't want to turn my "journal" into a month long entry of mournful sadness, but for now, I guess I'm in that mood, and that's ok...I got me some "Agave Wheat ale" (Breckinridge brewery, Colorado) to help me unsadden (word?) my mellow.  it seems to be workin'...I had some beers last night as well, and got some comforting comments on Facebook (as well as here on this site.  once again, see Hooeys comment below the last entry).  long story, short; I don't want to quash my current melancholic feelings, but I also don't want to turn this site into hundreds of entries of remorse and sadness (you get the idea).

and on a lighter note; man, am I diggin' on these 8 hour shifts!  also, I best call soon about my central air being broken before the thermometer busts up near 100 degrees (currently only highs in the 70's and cool nights in the 5o's, so I got a little time)

let see, otherwise...nothin' on me mind, 'cept for maybe another 'Agave Wheat...' *belch!*

*deep breath*  k.  I woke up this morning 'round 7:30.  took me a shower and waited for 8 to roll around, so as I can call the vet.  the receptionist has the world's hardest job, I'm thinking, after hanging up from that tearful call.  she isn't able to take her until tomorrow at noon, unless I simply want to drop her off and not be there while the procedure took place.  I don't know if I could bare to watch anyway, so she said bring her in any time, and we'll go from there.  Rosie feels completely paralyzed at this point.  she can't even hold her head up, so I wrap her up in a blanket and make that world's longest 4 mile trip to the vet. they treated her and I with huge amounts of sympathy (the receptionist even gave me a hug), I handed her over, took her collar off (for memoir sake), said goodbye and left.  McDonald's is right across the street.  they prob'ly don't get a lot of peeps cryin' as they order a egg McMuffin..... anyway, the put-down procedure includes cremation and a small plaster impression of her foot which I thought was the neatest thing to offer. once home, I wash and collect all her beds, food dishes, toys, etc., and put them in the shed (for now).   she will be sadly missed *deep breath* *sob*

it's been awhile since I've driven the shrimpy truck, so when I stopped to get gas, I whip open the gas cover to reveal a good sized bees nest inside.  luckily only a few bees were still in the nest, so I didn't get stung.

alright, where do I begin?  Rosie, once again, goes into shut-down mode.  I mean all day yesterday, and thru-out the night.  this time including an annoying cough.  she's resting good now on her living room bed, but I got a decision to make.  she's definitely  telling me she's had enough.  now, it being Sunday, the vet would automatically tack on $200 (it being considered an emergency, due to it not being open today) plus whatever the procedure costs to have her put down.  I figure, I'll gladly eat that extra $200 if she shows signs of suffering (the coughing has since subsided), but if we can get thru today in a relaxed fashion, I'll bring her in tomorrow.  she went thru this before and bounced back, but I think the coughing is a tell tale sign.  the heart worms and age are doin' her in.  her immortality is wearing thin...and on a coincidental note my central air conditioner went on the blink (another sign? yeah, prob'ly not).  Brian has to give me his 2 cents on the situation (of which I didn't appreciate. it's my dog, my decision).   I reply; "don't make it tougher on me dude, I'm about to play Gawd on my best friend"...he doesn't seem apologetic about nosing in, but instead adds that he's had to bury animals in the past, and he's gone thru burying his own son (who died at a young age 20 some years back).  I just leave it at that. I could have argued it's one thing to bury something that's already dead, and completely another to make the decision to end life, but I wasn't gonna argue against anyone who uses the "...bury my own son" approach.

last week [at the stalag] ended with a couple 3-12 hour days, with the boss finally committing to having us start 8 hour shifts next week (awesome!).  we on 2th shift got this weekend off, 1nd and 3th had to work another 12'er last night.  long story, short; I start Monday at 2 and work 'til 10pm every day, which is way cooler than our old schedule!  rumor had it that it was only gonna last until mid-summer shutdown (we get a week or two off in July because our automotive customers shut-down as well), but the boss also confirmed that the 8 hour shifts will prob'ly be permanent (pending on how well the transition goes).  working 2rd shift will be weird to adjust to, but being able to sleep nights (like a real human) ought to be awesome!

let see, what else?  ordered pizza last night, and caught up on some new episodes of Futurama (between nursing an old dog, and what-not and drinking some craft beers).  both Mark and Brian separately suggest hitting the driving range today, but the weather looks most uncooperative.  maybe I'll just watch Tiger Woods lose this weekends PGA tour...

brand new clothes washer works great!  I'm able to do a huge load all at once (instead of several small loads).  so far, I dig it!

anything else? nope.