Dumpster fires, Miss Bolivia, a murder, and NASCAR, how was your weekend?

I am no longer thinking, just reacting… It has been that kind of week…

We are holding a camp at Ardenwood, 24 children, from 8:30 to 5:30… Making things out of duct tape, exploring the farm (we saw foxes, skunks and snakes…) we made diet coke and Mentos fountains… I have great staff… but I worry… I am responsible for 24 kids… The last kids leave abo9ut 5:30 on Friday…

So I walk out to my car at 6:30 Friday night… as I get close I realize there are two people around the big trash dumpster which is smoking… I get closer and realize it is in flames… I am late for an event… I don’t need this…

One is a part interpreter from a different park, the other the employee of our caterer. The interpreter is on her cell phone and radio… They are watching the flames grow ever nearer to the eucalyptus trees above. (For those of you not familiar with the eucalyptus, it is a large Australian tree which burns with enthusiasm) The district’s fueling station is located nearby…

Gasoline and eucalyptus… not a good combination…

The interpreter is in contact with the park’s public safety dispatch… They are asking lots of questions… she is agitated…

There is a hose nearby… I turn it on a drag it over… I knock down the fire but can’t put it out…. I give the interpreter the hose… I grab a second hose, turn it on and drag it over… Its still a couple of minutes before the fire department arrives… The fire is still going, just not leaping flames… They take over… I leave a business card and leave…

My boss was retiring (that day.) We (boss and friends) meet at a local restaurant (http://www.federicoscafe.com) to celebrate… Of course I smell of smoke (not in a good way…)

Dinner is wonderful… It is a seven course winemakers dinner, each course mated with a wine from La Creama… The General Manager and the sales rep are present… The food is good (no great) carefully matched to the wine… It is great… A friend is there with his crew shooting a commercial for the restaurant… There is music, there is dancing… Enter Miss Bolivia… She will be teaching dancing lesions… She is beautiful…

I recommend Fredricos. The brothers, Kiko and Rico are wonderful, the food is wonderful, the atmosphere is welcoming…

Five hours later it is all over… Home to feed the cats and dog…

Up early, too early, then after dealing with the animals, off to work… It’s Murder Mystery night… a blatant attempt to make money to support the house… Its fun, its murder… we get cleaned up and leave by 9:30… used up… Oh, this time the maid did it.

Sunday, I get up late… (the cats complain) feed the massed animals, make coffee and take it easy… NASCAR in on… My mother follows NASCAR… she is a fan of Jeff Gordon… He is in the lead… He finishes second in a rain shortened race. Mom and I talk several times during the race… Having a shared interest with you parents is great.

In am sleepy, I think I will take a nap…

Don't fall down

I went to a funeral Tuesday…

Dick, Richard was my sister in law’s father… Old, Irish Catholic San Franciscan… World War 2 vet, a tail gunner in B-24’s… A nice guy.

He fell, breaking his shoulder, then his kidneys failed, and he died within a week.

Last Friday Tina’s mom, Annette fell… Twice… The first time she hit her head, cutting it… Everyone who saw the apartment and her was impressed by the amount of blood… then went outside to get help… She couldn’t remember how to dial the phone, and forgot she was wearing a Medalert device… When she went outside she fell again and broke her hip.

This morning we got a call at 4:00 am… 4:00 am calls are never good. It was our daughter… She lives in Maryland, where it is 7:00 am… Sig, Tina’s brother had called them (she lives with a cousin, it’s all about family)… Sig was being nice and had not yet called us… (Sleep being important, especially for Tina)

Annette had died…

Now Tina is arranging flights to Tuscon…

Tina had reservations to go in a couple of weeks… One sister was on the way, a brother was planning on going this weekend… Now everyone will go now…

A grumpy crappy day…

Its Monday… not in itself bad but today it is….

I have been sick… For the last month… vasculitis, an inflammation of the vascular system… It causes hemorrhaging under the skin, which in turn, turns to open sores… in my case there is no identifiable cause. Maybe it’s an immune system was stimulated by an infection or virus and now is attacking me… They poke me with needles, the test my blood again… The tests show I am healthy, and none of the “bad” causes are present. I.E. what ever caused it is not what ever they tested me for.

I don’t feel good, My ankles and feet hurt. But the Doctors seem to think I will get over it in a couple of months… I don’t do sick well… They want me to take weeks off work and keep my feet off… I go to work and try to keep my feet up…

So, feeling crappy, driving to work, I stop at a red light… the guy behind me stops… the guy behind him doesn’t… Guy three pushes guy two into my bumper… we exchange information… we go on our merry (or otherwise) ways… A few hours later I call guy three’s insurance company… a claim has been filed, claim agent on another call, will call right back…. Hours later no call, call back… he is in a meeting… calls back a few minutes later… He says “Maybe you should file a claim with your insurance and let them take care of it.” Why don’t I trust this guy?

The photos on the right are the “ships wall” in Skagway Alaska. At least 4 of the ships who’s name is included have since sunk…. Ghosts of ships past… as usual other photos may be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/RandyHees

Bye for now, Randy