I got up at 0600. If youβre former military, donβt start. I know, sleeping in like the Air Force. Iβll take it. Iβm old and a civilian now.
I could have slept later because I wasnβt leaving until sunrise. I didnβt want to risk black ice this morning, and who knew what shape the roads were in? Turns out it wasn’t all that bad.
I passed some spots where a few trees had fallen across the road, but it looked like either the county or a local had already gone through with a chainsaw. Whoever it was good on them. We are literally all in this together out here on the edge of the county.
Thanks to all the companies that were out dealing with yesterday. Linemen do a hell of a scary job in tough conditions. Now I ain't gonna hug ya! But thanks! pic.twitter.com/GQ1zLjelxz
— π¦πππππ₯π¦ΙͺΙ΄π¦π (@SeegarsInSC) January 17, 2022
Yeah, the electric companies rocked it yesterday. I know there were several in-state to help out. I appreciate them doing an already dangerous job in conditions that make it that much worse.
The shop rework is coming along. I did a little something today when I got home.
So I had an old tv in the house since we upgraded and I could not GIVE it away on FB Marketplace locally. People wanted to know all sorts of things about it and I got fed up. It was a FREE TV. Still perfectly serviceable. And now will be put to use here. pic.twitter.com/z1ZskypepI
— π¦πππππ₯π¦ΙͺΙ΄π¦π (@SeegarsInSC) January 17, 2022
I watch a lot of YouTube and other channels for instructional videos on a wide variety of things. Being able to cast to a large screen will be a plus.
Besides the fact that the TV was just sitting unused.
Adding to all of this that today went well at work. Everything fell into place just as it should. Here’s hoping tomorrow will go as smoothly.
When we got up this morning she had taken sick. Fever, aching, and chills. Our youngest hasnβt been feeling well and we decided both of them should stay home. The wife had no choice; a fever puts her out of work during regular times with her being in home health. She went for a Covid/Flu/RSV test today. One that has to be sent off and isnβt coming back for seventy-two hours.
Sheβs feeling much better right now. Still achy, but the fever is lower, possibly gone. She has an appetite. Sheβs not experiencing loss of taste or smell. She has been prescribed medicine.
We are nervous but hopeful.
I didnβt want to be at work today. I took solace in the fact that my son was home with my wife.
If there is one thing that kid loves more than video games, itβs his momma. He took care of her. I asked him to watch over her today. He had the house.
And it turns out that he checked on her so much he aggravated her. π
Love will do so many things to you. It will make you happy, sad, mad, and glad. It will take you to your highest and lowest points at times.
It can make you feel absolutely helpless. Our love for our children has taken us to our lowest points at times together. One moment in particular when he was still a baby.
Today I had to go through a low point alone.
But in your lowest of places, you realize things.
Thereβs loving someone, and then thereβs being in love with someone. Thereβs a difference.
And that difference is that youβd do anything, trade anything for them, up to and including your own life.
If someone were to take her or hurt her, you would never hear of them again. I would obliterate not only their body and spirit but their history. They would never exist.
I would tear the world open to get to her.
But today, I was helpless when she told me her doctor was leaning towards Covid.
She has been vaccinated. Itβs a requirement for her job. She made that decision with my input. She loves her career. Sheβs one of the few people I know who decided early in life (six years old) what they wanted to do because of an experience, and here she is, a physical therapy assistant.
She didnβt want to take the vaccine because of other medical concerns. But in the end, she did.
And now Iβm helpless. Feeling like that was a bad decision.
Another part of our decision was that I wasnβt taking the vaccine. Iβm basically just a healthy person. Nothing keeps me down long.
And if the worst happened due to being vaccinated or unvaccinated with all the questions surrounding both states, the kids would have one of us.
Yep, love will put you in strange places.
Sometimes it’s in the middle of a Walmart while you’re working, and you break down a bit.
And since you’re on your knees and your head is down anyway, you pray.
I didn’t have a usual Monday morning. No, I was ready to go today. Trying to keep my spirits up with an βthis what I do, this has to be doneβ attitude.
And then a little inspiration happened.
That is a customer receiving their online grocery pick up at Walmart in Cheraw, South Carolina.
That is not a regular associate helping her with her purchase. No, that is the store manager, Christina. She impresses me. Not only in her attitude but her willingness to do whatever needs to be done to make sure things run smoothly. Being short on help, she worked in OGP. She works the floor, and she works the parking lot as well. She could just sit in her office and tell other people to do things. You donβt see this much from a lot of managers anywhere.
She makes me proud. I do not mind being a part of her store.
I followed a customer out of the store today.
Not because they stole something or anything like that. Thatβs not my job. I followed a gentleman out because he looked like he was having trouble walking.
It couldβve been a back problem, but the way the wind was whipping at the bottom of his pant leg, it looked like he was a below-the-knee amputee. He was having trouble getting where he was going, though.
I watched from the sidewalk; I didnβt go out into the parking lot at first. But he did stumble a little bit, and it made me nervous. So I came off the sidewalk. And I followed him through the cars because apparently, he forgot where he parked.
I stayed just close enough to hope I could help if he did fall. But he made it to the car and got in okay, so I didn’t bother him. I walked back to the sidewalk.
I was finishing up my break, and he pulled by and looked at me and made eye contact. He nodded and smiled.
He knew I was with him, probably the whole time.
Why didn’t I go to him?
Pride. A man’s pride. It’s different for us than the ladies. It’s almost an indescribable thing. It’s not vanity. It’s not anything you can put a price on; it is priceless.
In a way, I would have hurt mine and his pride coming to his assistance. He had it. He made it happen. It was his force of will that got him where he was going.
I can’t interfere with that. But everybody needs somebody watching over them at times.
Some people think there are no new stories to tell. Maybe one of them will read this. There’s always a new story out there. Everyone is different, and their story adds a paragraph or a page every single day. Lifetimes can change in a few seconds.
We are short on help, and that means sometimes corners get cut. Iβm not too fond of that but sometimes itβs necessary.
This morning I was at my first store, and a manager asked me about the section we take care of and why it wasnβt priced. I started into the spiel about we donβt have enough time to do that; if they could get someone to price it, that would be great.
She looked disappointed and said, βThatβs not like you.β
I have a reputation in my stores for doing more than I have to. I do my job, and I do a little bit of somebody elseβs too.
Part of my New Yearβs resolution, I donβt make them, but this oneβs going to stick, is that the job will be done. I will do the job correctly, and I will do it to the best of my ability.
Iβve really got to get back to basics.
I guess what it comes down to is that I got told about myself this morning.
And maybe that last feeling I have left got hurt by that.
Sometimes we lose our way and stray from the path.
The wife hasnβt been feeling well this week. Suffering from a migraine.
And that is fine. I donβt mind helping out and doing supper. Iβm feeling pretty good. Itβs my place.
Iβm disgusted by a comment from Senator Ted Cruz and Iβm hoping that it was a clip of video taken out of context.
I donβt think that the folks who entered the Capitol were in the right in any way on January 6. I think it was foolish to do what they did. But I donβt think it was a βviolent terrorist attackβ. I think weβre looking at another RINO if things arenβt proven otherwise.
He says in the video that Jan. 6, 2020 was βa violent terrorist attackβ on the Capitol.
Tomorrow begins a new year at work. Iβve had to rush through so much being by myself with occasional help (no slight to the boss, he has been excellent.)
I think it’s time to slow down. It’s going to require me to work a few more hours but doing these jobs weβre being paid to do, it isn’t right to rush and possibly short any customer.
So, time to downshift. Pump the brakes. Do the job because that’s what I’m paid for.
Yeah.
Off to church this morning, and afterward, we did our shopping and errands and went and got haircuts. We came back home to chores that we’re left sitting on New Years Day.
The tree had to come down, and Mags and Sam took care of that. She’s going easy on me due to my back.
Fans of boxes but not big empty moving ones for Christmas trees.
While all that is happening and the clothes are drying with the kids done with their part of the chores, our Sunday afternoon is resting and watching a little something.
Today’s choice was The Replacements with Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. Excellent football movie! While I’m not a sports fan in the least, I love football moviesβespecially comedies. This is where I get those little bits if football knowledge that shock and impress the wife every once in a while.
This one has a little bit if everything. Laughs, drama, sports stuff. It checks a lot of boxes for both of us, and it’s an excellent way to spend a couple of hours.
The weather was so nice and the sky so clear that I wouldn’t have thought it was Christmas night. Ive spent much colder Christmases far away from home. So warmth, both physically and emotionally, are welcome.
Knives sharpened. Car gassed upβtime for a four-day workweek. I’m off Friday so that I can keep the kids at home and we can goof off. Its always nice to spend what little time they deem appropriate with me. π
I’ve always been a fan of Billy Joelβs music. Never been to one of his concerts, but we did a lot of his music in high school chorus, and it was the 80s after all.
There’s one line in it that sticks with me till this day:
You’re not the only one whoβs made mistakes but there the only thing that you can truly call your own.
B. Joel
There’s a lot of truth in that line.
A man can do most anything and fail or make a mistake. As long as he acknowledges those mistakes, he can come back from them. Itβs part of being a man.
Today at work at one of my stores, an employee scraped my car.
Another employee who has become a very good friend of mine over the past seven years saw it happen. He said something to the guy but the guy never came to me about it.
It somethings that I can fix myself. An hours with of work and most if that is paint drying.
As mentioned above, your risk for a tire blowout increases significantly with extra PSI. Maintaining control of your vehicle is near impossible during a tire blowout and endangers yourself and other drivers, in addition to the fact that many of your vehicle’s assisted safety functions such as ABS will struggle to function properly without the tires being filled to the factory recommendations.
They’re Easier To Get Damaged from Road Debris
Also, having overinflated tires makes them more susceptible to damage from road hazards such as potholes, cracks, curbs, and other junk in the road. The tire is more stiff and rigid than normal so they canβt flex around obstacles as they usually would.
Overinflated Tires Wear Out Your Tires Faster & Unevenly
Uneven tire wear can also be the result of overinflation. When your tires have too much air it causes the center of the tread to bow out and wear first. Because of this you will need new tires more often and have a less than comfortable ride.
Now I wouldn’t do something as harsh as slashing someone’s tires. That would be childish and petty. Also, tires are expensive.
When I was getting ready to leave for my next store, his back tires looked over inflated, and that can be dangerous. Just as bad as a slack tire.
So I took the valve stems out of the back tires to reduce the pressure. Because Iβm a nice guy like that.
Car maintenance is important.
Lessons are learned not only from how you drive your car but also in how you maintain it.
I had a three day weekend. No I have a three day week. The hours are scheduled weirdly, but the Boss said donβt worry about the schedule, so I won’t. Weβre just looking for done on a short week.
At least thereβs no question about Saturday. Weβre even recognizing Christmas Friday.
So another three-day weekend.
I just gotta stay sharp the rest of the week.
Three days, each day split out into just under eight hours. Possibly less. I’m good.
Today was the boys birthday. He turned twelve.
The years fly by, and one day you look over, and they aren’t babies anymore.
Still, a birthday is cause for celebration. And we did. Cake, presents, family time.
SeegarsInSC 