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 |  Being Retired now, I thought that it was time for a new name to this Blog |
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Talk about perks, my career had one of the best I can think of! I traveled in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications (for eight more weeks). I knew that when the time arrived that I would retire. That time is now. I've always said that if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, get out! I can't handle the heat anymore. I was qualified to deliver approximately 32 different classes, but about half of those were 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students were/are technicians, those who maintained, programmed, calibrated, and repaired large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I traveled, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where have I been? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries to update you about my life before and during my employment with Motorola Solutions. I also intend to update you all about what I'm doing in retirement. Well, here we go with this new adventure, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Submarine Reactor Startup I wrote an entry in my other blog, "Memories. Ahhh Yes, Memories of My Life"  , (which is currently on hiatus and will remain that way) about starting the Submarine's Reactor. With this blog no longer about trips I take, I thought that I'd expound on that a little tonight.First, a little about our duty sections. There weren't that many men (there were no women aboard submarines during my service) in a duty section. Maybe 10-11? I don't recall really. Most were under 30 years of age, new Nukes would be 19-21 or so. But, Electricians (EM's) and Electronics Technicians (ET's) stood watches as a Shutdown Reactor Operator (SRO), and Shutdown Electrical Operator (SEO). One EM had to be qualified as Battery Charging Electrician (BCE), one ET had to be qualified as a Reactor Operator (RO) during underway periods. After completing my qualifications, I ended up being the EM and BCE, as well as an SRO. One of the ET's was also SRO qualified, as well as RO underway. Why was this necessary? Let me explain. Each duty section needed an RO so a Precritical Checkoff could be done before the Reactor was started. He would also perform the Daily Shutdown Checkoff. Each duty section also needed a BCE so the weekly Battery Charge could be done. Yep, we charged the battery weekly, even when in port. Since there were generally six ET's/EM's in a watchstation (IF we were lucky), you would think that 'Heck, y,all were in 3 section watches, even if we were on Port & Starboard duty sections'. Port & Starboard. One day on duty, one day off. If it was a watchstation, then 6 hours on watch, 6 hours off (6-Noon, Noon-6, 6-Midnight, Midnight-6). So yeah, think again. The crew turnover is not really high, but it was enough that generally there would be at least one or two people qualifying for one watchstation or another. I spent more time on Port & Starboard Duty Sections and Port & Starboard watches than I care to think about. Are you getting the idea that we didn't have a lot of chances to rest? Yep, but somehow we kept things going. Eventually it came time to head to sea. The Duty Section had a lot to do in order to make the Engineroom, and Reactor ready to go. The Machinists Mates (maybe 5 in a Duty Section) had valve lineups to do on both the Reactor Plant, and the Secondary Plant, as well as drain the Steam Generators (if needed) to the Operational Level. These tasks took a lot longer than you might think. The ET's had a Pre-Critical Checkoff to do. Us EM's? Not a lot, other than support Watches. One thing that was done sometime during the refit period was Control Rod Checks. These took hours, I do mean hours, to do. You might find one man on watch (the Senior ET), while the SRO qualified EM was off. If there were 2 EM's qualified SRO, we were lucky. The SRO Qualified ET would be relieved by an SRO qualified EM so he could perform the Rod Checks. Yep, a junior ET would be present also, so he could learn how to perform this. The Rod checks are different from a Pre-Critical Checkoff in that each Control Rod was pulled to the top of the core, one at a time. Therefore, an Engineering Officer Of The Watch (EOOW) was in Maneuvering. Normally he was the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO), now he was the EOOW. The Pre-Critical Checkoff was done by 2 ET's, that was a requirement. So us EM's were on watch. I forgot what all was done during a Pre-Crit, but it took a good 4-5 hours to do. As Nuclear Trained Personnel, we took tasks like this very seriously, even if we goofed off a lot at other times. So, once the Pre-Crit was complete, valve lineups were done, the EDO would inform the Engineer of this, he would get permission to commence a Reactor Startup. The duty Section now manned underway watchstations. Another thing done though, was the Estimated Critical Position (ECP). We had to know when to expect the Reactor to become Critical. If it became Critical too soon, something was wrong, most likely in the calculations. (Yes, the EDO and Engineer would review the calculations before the startup was commenced.) Conversely, if the Reactor became Critical too late, something was wrong. You get the picture. A Reactor startup was then commenced. It would take almost an hour just to reach Criticality, depending on how long we had been shutdown, as well as if we were in what was called Hot Standby, or Cold Wet Layup. Eventually, the Reactor would be Critical, and then the 'fun' part starts. Heating the Primary Plant (if needed) as well as the Secondary Plant. This would typically take another hour or two. Once the plants were warmed properly, the Main Engines would be warmed by the Throttleman, and the Ships Service Turbine Generators would be warmed and started. Now the Electricians had their moment, the removal of Shore Power. This sound simple enough, you just unplug the boat from the pier It's a bit harder than it sounds though. Imagine trying to lift a cable that weighs 60 lbs/foot! Yeah, they were heavy. There were 3 of them each one capable of carrying 400 amps. If we were lucky a crane was available and could lift the cables for us. If not, we manhandled those cables. Around the time we were warming the plant up, the Forward (Non-Nuclear) crew would come aboard and about that time, we'd be ready to go to sea. Oh such fun it was! Are you concerned at all that the greater majority of men & women operating a Submarine Reator were (are) less than 25 years of age? Not only operating, but performing maintenance, and generally keeping the plant going. Even the senior most Enlisted man was less than 40. The Officers (EOOW's & EDO) were not much older, maybe 23-25 years old. Yes, if I could do it all over again, I would. Most definitely I would. Until next time, Be good, treasure those you love, and Write!  Jim Dorrell |
| Town Names I have often wondered how some towns/cities were named. This same thought hit me this week, so I made a point to look it up once we were home. Some of y'all may know all this already, maybe not. Either way, I thought I'd look it up. Now I will say I'm thinking of cities or town with names like Jadksonville, Annapolis, Petersburg Virginia, and the like. I'm thinking of the suffix that those names end with, the 'ville', 'burg', and 'polis' in this case. Let's begin by saying I learned more than I ever thought I would. This is the reference for this entry. https://thecontentauthority.com/blog/ville-vs-burg I've paraphrased a little here, but for the most part, it's almost word for word. Another reference I used is https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/y8tav1/in_the_us_why_are_there_s... First, let’s clear up some confusion. Both -ville and -burg can be used to describe a town or city, and both are correct. However, there are some differences in usage and connotation. Ville comes from the French word for town, and it is often used in names of places that have a French influence or heritage. Burg, on the other hand, comes from the Germanic word for fortress or castle, and it is often used in names of places that have a Germanic influence or heritage. So, when should you use ville and when should you use burg? It depends on the context and the history of the place. If the place has a French influence or heritage, ville is the more appropriate term. If the place has a Germanic influence or heritage, burg is the more appropriate term. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, and some places may use both terms interchangeably. It’s always a good idea to do some research on the history of a place before using one term or the other. First, let's define Ville. A ville, also known as a town, is a type of municipality that is typically smaller in size than a city. It is often characterized by having a more rural or suburban feel, with a lower population density and a slower pace of life. Villes are usually centered around a main street or town square, and may have a few small shops, restaurants, and other businesses. One city comes to mind immediately, and does not fit this definition. Jacksonville Florida. However, rthere are many towns in America that fit this thought. In the United States, the term “ville” is often used as a suffix for the names of small towns, such as Clarksville or Greenville. These towns may have a few thousand residents, and are often located in rural areas or on the outskirts of larger cities. Now let's define Burg. A burg, also known as a borough, is a type of municipality that is similar to a town or ville, but may have a slightly different legal status depending on the country or region. In general, a burg is smaller than a city and may have a more rural or suburban feel, but larger than a village or hamlet. Pittsburgh is also an exception to this definition. Then we have numerous other connotations/suffixes. In some regions, such as the United Kingdom, a borough is a unit of local government that may have more powers and responsibilities than a town or ville. In other regions, such as the United States, the term -burg is often used as a suffix for the names of small towns, similar to -ville. These towns may have a few thousand residents and are often located in rural areas or on the outskirts of larger cities. But what about other suffixes used in town names? Y'know... -Polis, -ham, -ton, -shire, -wich, -pool, or -ford. I'd say most of these are not as popular as -ville or -burg. -Polis is also popular, coming from Greek, or -ham is itself derived from French, not from English, though it saw a lot of use in placenames in England. -Ham, as in a truncation of hamlet, is a lot less present than -burg, gthat is true. But -ham is hardly the only English-derived suffix for place names, even if we don't count -ville. There's also -ton, the truncation of town, and if we combine -ton and -town it might be the most common place name suffix in the country. There's also -shire, -wich, -wick, -pool, -ford and a variety of other indicators of English or old English descriptors. But the suffixes alone also don't tell the whole story, there are a variety of ways that a place name can be stamped with an English-language origin other than with suffixes. Plenty of American cities are just new something or other, directly named after English cities and towns, and some take the "new" out entirely and just settle a new place and call it the same as its progenitor. Others still are named after individuals, for instance various cities named Washington or Jackson, with or without "city" (or -polis or -ton) added to the end. I think that's enough about place names for now. Maybe this has been a little informative to someone besides me. Eiher way, til next time, Be good, treasure those you love, and Write!{/left} Jim Dorrell |
Richmond, Va 3/20 - 3/30 I have to say, it's a lot more fun, with interesting things to do when you travel for fun vs Business Travel. I knew that already though. We left Richmond about 11 am Saturday after Faith (his breeder) finished showing him in the dog show. I wanted to leave by 10 am but that wasn't possible. Buddy was one confused dog, that I will say. He loves being with us, but he loves Faith and Nathan just as much, He was more active with them too, so I have to step it up a bit here and keep him going. That's fine, I need the exercise. Driving home we planned on visiting the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pa. In case some of you have forgotten, Flight 93 left Newark Liberty International Airport on 9/11 heading to San Francisco. Terrorists took over the plane, the passengers revolted against them, the flight crashed near Shanksville. Visiting the site is a very somber experience, The two times we've visited my eyes have leaked some just being there. I do recommend visiting the Memorial, it helps us remember that day in reverence and understand a little more about our world. On our first visit there in 2018, the Tower Of Voices was not complete. We visited the site in May 2018, the tower was dedicated in September. I've added a couple of links you, should you want to know more about the tower. https://www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit/tower-of-voices.htm https://www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit/tower-of-voices.htm A photo I snapped yesterday.  We spent the night in St. Clairsville Ohio again, this time though was quite different. Children in the adjoining room were up until 11 pm screaming and shouting and in general being children. I called the front desk twice, once at 10:10, the second time about 10:45. The front desk was no help at all. At a little after 11, I did what you shouldn't do, and knocked angrily (Hard) on their door. A woman answered it, and I explained that the children were keeping us awake, making it impossible to sleep. There was more said, but you get the idea. I saw at least 4 women in the room, and possibly the same number of children. That room sleeps a maximum of 4 if I'm not mistaken. Believe it or not, 5 minutes later (maybe less) there wasn't any noise from that room! Afterwards I realized that if a man had answered the door, there may have been a physical altercation. Yeah, I would probably be on the losing end of that. I'll be calling the GM tomorrow to discuss what went on. If he doesn't supply satisfactory answers, I'll be filing a formal complaint with Hilton Honors. We arrived home today about 4:30 CDT. I am tired, I took my weekly Dexamethasone dose yesterday, not surprisingly I managed to get about 4 hours of sleep, then drove a little over 7 hours to get here. There was a slight delay at exit 4 of I-70 due to a Tornado warning. Then there was a closure of a portion of I-70 in Illinois for some reason, likely storm related. But home we are, all 4 of us, Me, Kathy, Suzi {Schipperke), and Buddy (Akita) Til next time, Be good, treasure those you love, and Write! Jim Dorrell |
Richmond, Va 3/20 - 3/31 I have to say, it's a lot more fun, with interesting things to do when you travel for fun vs Business Travel. We left home late Thursday and drove to St. Clairsville, Ohio. After a night of debauchery.... okay, after a night of rest we drove here, with two important stops along the way. The first was at the Forks of Cheat Winery/Distillery. I promised my youngest a bottle of Brandy from there. Yeah, we also purchased a couple of bottles or wine too. The second stop was at the Penn Alps restaurant in Grantsville, Md. You can order from the menu (menu? Who needs that), or you can enjoy the buffet of down-home Amish style cooking. We've never ordered from the menu. We are here to finally pick up Buddy, our young Akita. His Breeder is showing him in shows last weekend, and the upcoming weekend. Saturday we'll pack him up and head home. I was a little concerned about Buddy recognizing and remembering us. What a silly thought. We intended to be quiet so he wouldn't know we were there Saturday. Yeah, another stupid thought. He either heard us, or smelled us, or both. We had wandered off looking at various booths when the young girl helping Faith (his breeder) found us and said Buddy was super excited, knew we were near, and wanted to see us. We went back to his crate and Faith let him out., Needless to say he jumped up on his hind legs and slobbered both of us with hundreds of kisses. In the process, one of his claws caught my right arm and cut it. It was a shallow cut, but still. My right arm looks like it's been thru a wringer. Oh well.... Buddy showed well, but didn't score any points towards being a Champion. That was the whole reason he was he so long, to be shown, and earn enough points to be a Champion. That's stuff I don't understand, nor did I approve of him being gone like he was. But it's important to my other half, so I let it go. Not again though. In spending a week here, we've enjoyed some nice restaurants, as well as visiting Museums. Today we visited the American Civil War Museum, as well as the Science Museum. In a nutshell, let's just say we chose the wrong day to visit the Science Museum. Why? Well, how many school children can you fit into a Museum? Yeah, there was that many, far more than either of us are comfortable being around. Don't get me wrong, the children were fine, they acted their age, and generally ran amok making a lot of noise. It was the noise part that got to me. The American Civil War Museum was more my cup of tea. Much quieter, our visit was very somber really. Brothers fighting against brothers in some cases. Very Sad indeed. So where have we dined this week?  Noteworthy Restaurants: Hooked Seafood & Raw Bar https://hookedseafoodrawbar.com/hooked-seafood-raw-bar-menu/ It was an excellent choice in deciding to dine here, a great way to start our week. Our appetizer was their Peel n Eat Shrimp. If I were to complain (and I'm not), I thought they would be served Chilled. That wasn't the case though. A small Caeser Salad was a necessity, as was a cup of Shrimp and Corn Chowder. A slice of Key Lime Pie rounded out the night. The Boathouse At Rockett's Landing https://housepitality.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/Boathouse%20Dinner%202024-12-13.pdf I don't think we coud have chosen a restaurant that had better food, we definitely could have chosen one less expensive. But once in a while we (every one of us) deserve to be spoiled. That was the case this night. A Wedge Salad to start things off (I had a cup of Clam Chowder), then we shared an excellent dish that consisted of a Crabcake, Jumbo Shrimp, Blackened Scallops, Mashed Potatoes, and Grilled Asparagus. To top the night off, we shared Bread Pudding topped with Carmelized Bananas and a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Stella's Greek Restaurant https://stellasrichmond.com/wp-content/uploads/Stellas-Dinner.pdf Forgive me for my lack of Greek Language knowledge. It's all Greek to me.  Seriously, what a great dining experience! Yeah, we've been enjoying all the Seafood you can think of. But tonight we thought we'd enjoy Greek Food, and found this place on Google Maps. Imagine if you will a neighborhood much like the one in the movie 'Return To Me'. Now also imagine a restaurant that closely resembles the one in that movie too. It was a perfect match for that!We sat at a Communal table that could seat 12-14 people. Loved this! We talked to the couple seated nearby, as well as the family who replaced them once they left. The food was Superb! We loved the Appetizer, their version of Oysters Rockefeller, a Greek Salad that was beyond belief, and a Half Chicken Marinated in a Feta Brine, served over roasted potatoes. Yummmmmmm! Dessert was Ekmek, a 3-layer Greek dessert that is light & fluffy. Since we will be here all week, we might have to return! It was just that fantastic. I know I didn't do a passable job at describing our meal, but trust me, it was that good. Look at their menu in the link and see what you'd choose. Our dinner was mainly from their Special's Menu, but there are so many choices on their regular menu that it makes my head swim. Dolmades, Mushroom Saganaki, Kolokithokeftedes. Feta Fourno, and Yia Yia's Skillet are dishes I'd want to try. We'll see if we get back there. Saturday we head home.... With Buddy! Then it's back to our normal routine. I've only taught 8 days since January 1st, and have 8 more before the 'big day'. I still look forward to what the future holds for me. Jim Dorrell |
Bloomington, Illinois Well, let's see. About my van. It's a 2014 Ford Transit Connect, Titanium Edition and fully loaded with GPS, Satellite Radio, the works. That was a big reason for buying it, it has all the 'Whoops & Whistles' available in 2014. It has European Styling to it, it does not look like a 'normal' American Van. It rides very nicely, just ask Robert Waltz   , he's ridden in it. The tires are 6 months old, I've tried to keep it looking as new as possible. It will be paid off in April, maybe March, we'll see. I'm the first real owner of it, the first person had it on a lease.But, it has its share of problems. A couple were there the day I bought it. There is a small dent in the back liftgate, and the wheel well on the Drivers side has been scraped pretty good. Still, it's a nice looking Van, Brown in color. Most vans you see like this are work Vans. This is a rare passenger van. But I finally had enough with those problems I mentioned earlier in the Newsfeed. The one issue I couldn't think of while writing that post is that about 40-50% of the time, when you start the van, the radio has no Audio. It's on, you just can't hear anything. Turning it off and back on corrects it though. That's been a very minor issue since the day I drove it off the lot. I guess I should have taken back and had the dealer fix it. That, or give me a discount for selling it that way. Still, I love that van, it's everything I want in a vehicle. The good news is that it should be ready by Friday, all they need is that Computer. Purple Catching Up  asked if I was talking about the BCM or PCM. That was Greek to me, so I looked those acronyms' up. Here is what I discovered.In a vehicle, the BCM (Body Control Module) manages non-engine electronics like windows, lights, and locks, while the PCM (Powertrain Control Module) controls engine and sometimes transmission functions. Body Control Module (BCM) Function: The BCM is an electronic control unit (ECU) that monitors and controls various electronic accessories in a vehicle's body. It manages functions such as power windows, power mirrors, air conditioning, immobilizer system, central locking, and more. The BCM communicates with other on-board computers via the car's CAN bus system. Example: When you press the power window switch, the BCM receives the signal, and in turn, sends a signal to the load that will rotate the motor and control the window. Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Function: The PCM is the computerized central processing unit of your vehicle's powertrain system, overseeing the engine and sometimes the transmission. It manages functions like fuel injection, ignition timing, and air-to-fuel ratios, along with controlling automated traction and onboard climate controls. The PCM receives data from various sensors around the vehicle, primarily focused on engine management and performance. Example: The PCM adjusts the air-to-gas ratio being pumped into the cylinders, which saves fuel, and controls the speed of the spark plug firing to deliver an optimum amount of power per RPM. Based on the issues I've seen, I would have to say that the BCM is faulty. I've had no issues with the Powertrain and other mechanical equipment. We'll see what happens from here on out. I may keep you posted on this. Jim Dorrell |
Bloomington, Illinois Week of 3/3/25 I was not delivering a class this week, my schedule just says 'Instructor Prep'. But heck, I retire in EIGHT weeks, what would I be prepping for? My schedule is almost blank. In days past I would have been worried about this. Not now, I'm almost grateful! Since I will retire in eight weeks, I decided to change the name of this blog. My future entries may center around what I do, Estate Sale I attend, and my past life in the US Navy Submarine Service. There's no telling where my mind will go! We'll see what I write about. As far as our kitchen goes, we're taking it slow and easy. Or should I say, she is. If it was all up to me, we'd have unloaded all the boxes last week, or once Scott had finished his work. However, the kitchen is her domain, I don't dare unload things without her involvement. You know what I mean. It's okay though, I can live with that. There are three classes left on my schedule, I don't see it changing at all. All three classes are one's I've delivered for at least 15 years,the last one was the second class I delivered when I started with Motorola 24 years ago. I have a little 'prepping' to do, but not a lot. I will review the Hands-On Exercises as well as the Powerpoint slides, but I won't spend a lot of time on them. I need to be careful though and not develop a 'Short Timers' attitude. I refuse to become that, I want to ensure that I approach these classes the same way I have throughout my career. That's it for now. Until my next entry, write all you can, and love everyone, especially those special people who fill your life! Jim Dorrell |
Houston, Tx Week of 2/24/25 Finally traveling and teaching again after 6 weeks of no delivery. I wasn't being punished, there were classes scheduled, but the customers chose to cancel all classes (not just mine) for undisclosed reasons. I didn't mind, in many ways it was a welcome break to my hectic schedule. With retirement looming on the horizon, I didn't really want to end my career in quite this way, then again, I didn't want it to end with me traveling most weeks. Y'know, an 'in-between' those two extremes really. Oh well, it is what it is. The customer this week past week was Harris County, I learned during the class that their system extended into other counties because smaller communities wanted to use their system. Of course they paid for it too, but I've no idea what the fee was. The class was another Networking class (my last delivery of this subject!), and was challenging in some ways. At least three students had a pretty extensive knowledge of Unix, and two of them had worked with Unix quite a bit. Our new Juniper Routers are built on a Unix platform, I ended up leaving the two experienced Network techs to themselves. Lord knows they didn't need my help. Everyone else was 'okay', but they needed a lot of guidance during the hands on sessions. I wanted to keep the Juniper Router activities under some amount of control. Only because it's easier on me, knowing that each group was essentially doing the same steps. That idea went out the window when one of the groups asked for help, saying they were on the fourth session. Ughhh... I know I said to perform only the first activity. Oh well, all was well in the long run. I flew in and out of Houston George Bush Airport because it was close to the training site, as well as close to my hotel. So Friday after class was completed, I drove down south to The Houston Farmer's Market. Of course there are a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, some I didn't recognize. I knew it would be hard to carry fruit back in my luggage, not to mention being unsure about their storage, so I didn't even look at those. There were a few stalls that had decorative pieces for your yard as well as the house. Let's just say it's a good thing I was alone, otherwise I'd have spent upwards of $300 on small decorative items. Overall it was a very pleasant afternoon of walking, people watching, and seeing things I hadn't seen before. Noteworthy Restaurants: BB's TexOrleans https://bbstexorleans.com/our-menu/ Excellent choice in deciding to dine there. The Blackened Texas Redfish was very good, even if it did look a lot like Catfish. That night I checked the web for images of Blackened Texas Redfish, it looked exactly like my entree, making me feel a lot better. You can't go a good Cajun Restaurant and not have Boudin (it's pronounced in a variety of ways, one of those is Bou-dan, which is what I use) of some kind. Both were excellent, of course I took leftovers to the hotel with me. Los Cucos https://loscucos.com/menu/texas/ After having leftover the night before, I thought I'd dine lightly. I ordered their Cal-De-Res Soup, and the Shrimp Stuffed Jalapenos. However, neither was small in size! Wow. I ate what I could, but didn't take leftovers with me because I had to get up about 3 am to get to the airport for a 6:30 flight.... I hate wasting food, even if it's marginal in taste. This wasn't, it was very good. I just couldn't see taking it with me. My Current Schedule - Below is my schedule through the end of my career at Motorola. I have thought about this a lot, at times thinking I wouldn't retire, at times knowing I would. I can't continue to hem & haw over it, I've told my manager about the date, I will stick to it. As you can tell, I don't really want to retire, I'm not ready (mentally) in some ways, but this old body of mine says I should. If anyone is in any city I'll be visiting between now and the end of April, I'd love to meet up. I'll even buy you dinner if we chose to meet at night! (e:smile} Mar 10 - Vacation Mar 17 - Work From Home, 1 Day in Schaumburg x-training a co-worker. Mar 24 - Vacation Mar 31 - Schaumburg (Cross Training a Co-Worker) Apr 7 - Schaumburg (Cross Training a Co-Worker) Apr 14 - Schaumburg for the last time! (As of now) Apr 21 - Work from home Apr 28 - Work from home RETIRED! That's it for now. Until my next entry, write all you can, and love everyone, especially those special people who fill your life! Jim Dorrell |
Relaxing At Home 2/16 Well, I haven't delivered a class since mid-January, and sort of feel left out at work. Then again, I've done more than my fair share for the past 10-12 years when it comes to class deliveries. I deserve this break, at least in my opinion. We have worked on unpacking the kitchen boxes, though vrery slowly. I will not take the reins here, and unpack everything. You know what will happen or be said if I do. I have no desire to cause issues here at home. That's not something I do. As you might guess, we didn't head to Virginia this week. We could have made it, I know that. But he is scheduled to be shown in a show the weekend of 3/21, so it was decided we';d leave him there another month. It's not what either of us wanted, but being shown is something she wants. She longs for the ego thing of having a 'champion' again. And yes, he does have champion blood in him, but does not have that piece of paper that is so important to her. Dog shows? They are not something I have done in the past, nor do I approve of them. To me, a dog show is like people posing themselves to show off their muscles. The dogs are 'Stacked' to show off their lines and such, they are not in a natural pose at that point. It's a wasie of time and money, but that's only my opinion. And despite all that, we'll be attending the Akita National Show this fall in Springfield Missouril. I'm getting used to not traveling now, but my next trip is a week away, when I will go to Houston, Texas for a week. That will be my last time flying for work, any flying done after that will be at my expense. My schedule is winding down, I only have two and a half months left before the big day. I would love to have a nice BBQ and invite everyone to it, but I realize few would show. Heck, I'd have a hard time getting co-workers to show up because they'll either be traveling, or not want to come to Bloomington (a 2-3 hour drive from the Chicago area. It's okay, we'll still have a BBQ, it just might be the two of us attending is all. My schedule thru retirement. Week of: Feb 24: Houston, Tx March 3: Work From Home March 10: Vacation March 17: Cross Train A Co-Worker or Co-Workers March 24: Tioga County - Tentative - It might be a Virtual Class, taught from home March 31: Schaumburg April 7: Schaumburg Aporil 14: Schaumburg April 21: Work From Home April 28: Work From Home, Close out all Motorola stuff, return laptop, etc. Friday May 2nd will be my last day of employment. I have no idea if I'll work in some job, that remains to be seen. Right now I'm leaning towards not working at all..... Jim Dorrell |
Working From Home 2/12 BTW, it's hard to call it working from home when I'm really on vacation this week and next. I'm beginning to feel a little unloved at work though. I have not taught a class since the week of January 13th. This is mainly due to customers cancelling classes, not just mine, but others as well. The difference for everyone else though is, they're not retiring, I am. You'd think that would be a welcome break, and it is. I'm just so used to coming and going that it's odd, that's all. I might as well get used to it though, this is how retirement will be, for the most part. I am still unsure if I want to be an adjunct instructor though. I'm retiring because the travel is wearing me out. Why? Multiple Myeloma can cause fatigue, and the meds I take to combat that can also cause fatigue. A Double Whammy there. Like I've always said, 'If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, get out!' It's been a quiet week for us. Everything that could be done before the countertop is installed has been done. So no contractors around at all, though we do both love Scott and Mike. They are a pleasure to have around. Where are we now though. Appliances are in place, but the dishwasher is not installed. It's water-line is not connected, nor is the electrical connected. Yes, I could do both of those tasks, I've done them before. But we're paying Scott to do those types of things (Mike works for Scott, in case you're wondering), so I'll leave that to the professionals. While I can do it, I'm not a professional at it, and I want this whole remodel work to be done professionally. Our task? Unpack the boxes that we packed to clear out the kitchen, get things set up for normal usage. Get everything ready to go once the countertops are in place. A different company will be doing that, so we wait. We were told it would be at least 2 weeks from the time the measurements were done. Week one will be completed as of Friday. We'll see, huh! We were planning on travelng to Virginia Beach this week and next to 'retrieve' our male Akita. Have you seen the weather though? Yeah, we've decided to put that off for a month, and hope for better weather in March. Again, we'll see what the future holds. I for one can't wait to get him back in our lives.  |
Kitchen Updfate 2/5 Monday was a busy day at the house. The flooring was put down, and I have to say it's beautiful. Yesterday work was started on putting the cabinets in place. Everything is going so good it's almost scary. Here's where we sit tonight. The cabinets have been placed, temporary plywood is installed in place of the counter tops. Friday (2/7) the appliances will be delivered, and the company installing the countertop will measure to install it. That is built at their facility and brought here in one piece. Or so I'm told. But that will be at least a week delay in getting it done. It couldn't be done earlier because the cabinets have to be in place in order to properly measure the countertop area. The still a lot of molding and trim work to be done, that will occur after the countertop is in place. What do you think? |
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