First night......

Well we made it through our first night shift. Nice to start with but by about 230 it started getting cold. Man Oh Man do we have our work cut out for. I think well get it, but it is going to be a lot of go go go and just a pain in the ass. Lots of traffic at night up here on the freeway and really tight for everything we are doing. Got back to the motel at about 445 this morning and went to sleep around 830, got up about 1100 and just relaxing planning our next nap. We had a great time Saturday night with everyone going out and dancing. That is always fun to do everyone now and then. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and that you all enjoy the sunshine. I know I will, but only from the bed in the motel room that shines through the window.
Nights are so hard to get used to, they just totally screw up you routine and by the time you get used to it, it is time to go back to days.

Half way there....

Well we have made it through 20 hours now in the first two day. Not bad!!!! It has been slow down and busy work so far this week. We are extending a few colvert drains out, setting some well points in the
ground for the dirt crew, the purpose is to get the water table lower so they don't have so much water
when they dig there ponds. Still haven't figured out why we have to put them in for those guys. We had to put our own in. It's because they don't have a clue how to do it.
They weather has been nice to work out in, but it sounds like it is going to cool off and have a few showers,
hopefully just scattered showers and we don't really get that wet. If we do.....oh well that's just the way it goes.
Get to come home tomorrow after work.....yeehaaaaaaaaaa

Tuesday...

10 hours down and 30 to go....yeehaaaaaa.... thanks for all the comment from everyone. Yesterday was a beautiful and hot day. It was actually a day doing a bunch of little pick up things and finnish things, and then about half the day working on force account things....basically extra work that they pay us for because it was in the bid. We are suppose to being do a few little tie in to the storm run, but nobody has got us the pipe or the bands to put it together. I think we got ahead of them and they didn't really expect us to get as much done as we did because they told us not to worry about ordering pipe or parts, that "they would handle it and we would have the stuff when we need it!" Well, now....we don't have it. And then we did hear that last week one of the project managers made the comment that we got a lot done last week. So, I think we are ahead of them and there planning. Mark said that we might even have to go home early today or tomorrow if they don't get supplies to us.
I guess if you work to hard and get to much shit done to fast, you just might work yourself out of a job. But then again that's what they want so they can make their money. Go figure....maybe we should "milk it" just so we don't have to worry about not having anything to do. Just a corporate catch-22.

Monday....

Well, here we are up in Smokey Point again. I owe you all an apology for not getting over to visit anyone with the boys this weekend. It was busy and alot of running around. And they had a birthday party to go to on Sunday so they left earlier than usual. So I do apologize to everyone, it was just a busy weekend.
Got home on Friday at about 445, after a three hour drive...scrambled around and got my laundry going and the lawn mowed. Then it was off to Luke's tee ball game. That was alot of fun. It is so funny to watch them when they are just starting out, not to many of them really pay attention and they all run to the ball no matter where it is hit to. They all have fun though. Saturday was a bunch of running and going to get all my work stuff cleaned up. Washed my truck in the morning and got it all cleaned up. The boys rode their bikes, we played some soccer, we played some basketball, then it was off to the Mariners game. We went up with Gabby and three of her sisters. It was a lot fo fun and we all had a good time. Then Sunday it was up for breakfast, cleaned the house a little and got the boys up and going and then headed back up here for work. Just busy busy busy.
And here I am again getting up and ready for the day. I hope everyone has a good week and I will see you all this weekend.

Chilly Morning....

A chilly morning yesterday morning and a nice crisp one this morning. Yesterday was a good day. Hard work and water, water, water. The ground water table is shallow and we are fighting it all the way and every day with every pipe. Setting a manhole we have to dig about five feet deeper than we need to be, the water and the sanding ground just continue to keep coming in and we really never get anywhere. As soon as Lew takes a scoop out of the hole, the sides and the bottom just fill right back up. It is s race to try and get it deep enough and then get some rock into the bottom of it before to more sands comes in. Then, once the rock is in there, the water comes up throught the rock and actually get firm, but you still have lots of water to tromp around in. Oh well, that's just the way it goes.
Yesterday actually turned out to be a nice sunny day and it is suppose to be the same way today. Hopefully it stays nice.

Tuesday......

Well, here I am another day up here in paradise. It was a good day of laying pipe except that we were in water up to our knees a few time, but that just the way it goes. We did get good footage and everything actually went very well. So now it is time to lay down and relax for a few hours before I go to sleep. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week thus far.

Tuesday.....

Well, we had a wet day that was muddy, muddy, muddy. We actually shut down about noon, because of all the water that was built up and not going anywhere. We set up pumps and hoses to leave for the day and over night, hopefully, they did the job and this morning when we get over there, it will be dried up a little bit.
So now we are going to be working at least a partial day on Friday to make up for the hours that we lost for shutting down early yesterday. It was a wet, nasty cold day, so we just hung out and relaxed all day. Now it is up and at it for hopefully a full day of work that will get us some production.

Sunday night up North

Well, we made it back up here and it is raining. Hopefully it will hold off while we are at work and then start again when we get off. I don't think we will get that lucky. Gabby baked a bunch of goodies to bring up for us, orange cranberry scones, peanut butter cookies and coffee cake. WOW!
Happy Easter to everyone. I hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday even if we don't really celebrate it I hope it was good for everyone.
Jack had an awesome game yesterday. They won and he pitched one inning and did very good. It was so neat to watch them, they have all improved so much even from last weekend when they had their first game. This is the best age to watch them play. You see so many improvements that you can't believe how good they get.
Well time to hit the sack. Tomorrow will be a 10 hour day and it will be go go go. I am hoping for a productive and smooth going week. Can't wait to get home on Thursday night

The end of day two up North....

Well, the end of day two has finally arrived. Had a pretty good day. We got a lot of pipe in the ground,
I don't know, and don't want to know, how much we are suppose to put in the ground per day.
The only thing that it does is stress everyone out. We work as hard and as fast as we can to get things done
and to do it right and that is about all that we can do.
I had a few f@#% ups which sort of put me in a down mood for awhile, but I think I will get over it...hahahaha.
For me it is hard, because I feel like it is all on me. Or should I say it is all on me. As much of this that we have all done together as a crew, nobody else seems to be able to figure out how to do stuff or what the hell that we
need to do to get the next step going.
They just can't seem to think ahead. When I am the pipe layer, I quess I am suppose to just tell everyone
else what to day, because they just don't understand it. It gets pretty frustrating at time. I Just wish that were a certain couple of guys on the crew that would just figure shit out. May be they don't want to or don't care to.
Maybe I am suppose to start ordering people around and telling everyone what needs to be done in order
for thing to get done faster and just make things that much faster, easier and after awhile the time will add up and we will be getting that much more done.
Other than that all is going well up here, we are only working 8 this week and then we start working four 10 next week.

Day two up north....

Well, day one is gone and we are now on day two up here. Yesterday was okay, we all had our job orientation (which is common practice for every job) then got started.
We got started out a little rough, but settled in as the day went. It is a big job for the company, they are the general contractor and are in charge of everything from day one until the end. We are usually just a sub contractor.
We got a lot of pipe work to do so hopefully, we will stay on this job instead of going to another one.
Gabby made me a bunch of brownies, molasses cookies and some fiber muffins to bring up here for snacking and eating. It is nice not having to get up at 330 in the morning then driving for a couple of ours both ways. I get up at about 5 and just get to relax until 645 then drive to the job site which is only 2 or 3 minutes away.

A new job up North...

Well, we are here at the Smokey Point Motel and they have a wireless connections so I can keep everyone updated on all the exciting things that aren't going on. Of course the room is small for three of us, but what the hell it is much better than driving home every night. It is quite aways up here. The job is literally right across the freeway from us. Which means, ten minutes walking, but that won't happen with the freeway, so driving...maybe two or three minutes max. We can actually see where we will be working from our motel.
Safeway, target, dollar store, costco, all with in a two or three minute drive as well. We couldn't have asked for a better location for a hotel.
This past weekend was a lot of fun with the boys and Gabby and spending time over at Grandma and Grandpa's. We all had a lot of fun and I thank everyone for a good time and all the great visits.

Already the 5th of April....

Good Morning to all readers and followers. Yesterday was a good day. Jack had his first real baseball game, he did pretty good. The whole team did really good. You could tell as the game went on they good more and more relaxed and
seemed to get a little better as the played. Jack played a lot of shortstop and pitcher, got walked all three times up to bat. He has a pretty good eye for bad pitches. Either that or he was just to scared to swing the bat and was kind of
frozen there.
A good visit with everyone over at Grandma and Grandpa's with the boys and Gabby. The cookies were great and I am glad everyone enjoyed them. The macaroni and cheese was excellent. I got a little bit of sun on my face. I can feel it this morning. Today is suppose to be another wonderful day weather wise, sunny and clear skies. Seems like I have lots of stuff to get done. I need to get all my stuff packed up and ready for the trip up north.

What's the Skinny.....

Well, things are going well at work. We are supposedly done with the Highline Hospital job and are heading up to Smoky Point for our next job. I don't the exact time spent driving, but I am going to guess about two or two and a half to get up there which means probably three to get home.
Which means that Buffalo, Lew and I are going to all head up on Sundays get a hotel for the week. We found a room with a kitchenette and a stove, two queen beds and only two blocks from the job. 350.00 a week (7 days)
but we were told possible a little better of a deal if we talk to them and let them know that we will
be there for a month or more. So we will split that and save ourselves the insanity of traffic. Then we might go to a job near Maple Valley which is much closer, and possibly be working 6 tens. Which will make for a long week, but will help out with savings.
Of course you have all read that KUNG FU HUSTLE is a good movie. At least in my opinion.
Gabby and I are doing good. She is making it through her residency, only she has to deal with alot of the
same snotty bitch office type bullshit that we all know about. Working with those people who aren't
there to do their job good, fast, and work hard, they are there to look good, talk a lot, form little clicks,
and act like little spoiled rich bitches and really don't know shit about life or work ethic.
I know it sucks, because she is like us. She is there to do her job, work hard, do it right, and she is good at it.
She really is a fantastic person and funny funny funny and goofy.
The boys are here and we are watching LORD OF THE RINGS.....aaaaagaaaain!!!!
That's about it....of course there is always more to talk and type about, but I think that is enough for this specific blog.