Off to work again - Jacksonville, FL

Gotta go see if I can make 'my kids' behave better. I'm told my software isn't navigating well enough.

Happy Birthday Kasey!

We enjoyed Applebee's with Kasey, though Adam was out of town working. And I get to join him tomorrow in Jacksonville. Yippee!

"Adam's Kasey" & "Beckie's Kasey":


Don't forget Beckie!


Let's just say we had plenty of conversation to go around!

Happy Birthday Rachel!

I missed my little girl's 14th birthday. How many years have I missed her birthday now?

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to work I go

This time I get to spend 8 days in Chicago at the McCormick center setting up and demonstrating some of the products available collectively from the Jervis B. Webb and Daifuku International Companies.

WOW!

Tom came for a holiday visit and dinner today. We exchanged a couple gifts.

I could not believe I was the recipient of all 5 seasons of Babylon 5 on DVD! Incredible!

I think I might be able find another person or two who would like to watch them with me!

I must say that these HAVE to be much better than the media I compiled them on myself over the course of 5 years (and occupy about half the space!):

Merry Christmas!

Annual Hump-up day

Managed to make the traditional double batch of HumpUp cookies in time for sharing at Christmas

What a blustery day!

The snow was melting over the weekend, then froze Monday.
Made for a pretty 'cool' ice sculpture!

Most schools in northern Michigan were closed today, but us poor working slobs still had to find their way out of the house to bring home the bacon!

Welcome to the work force Adam!

Well, Adam has joined the Jervis B. Webb team as a field technician! He spent the last week in a SmartCart class, reading AGV manuals and now is ready to brave the real world and is traveling to Jacksonville Florida today for further OJT.

The long hours should keep him out of trouble!

Now it's occupied

The crafting supplies are moved into the crafting room.

So, now it is offically a scrap room!








And the closet:

The scrap room

Is pretty much done. Of course it is just in time, as this is Dawn's birthday, as well as her present!

A coat of paint and new carpet can make a world of difference.

Compare with the photos from last month, and you could be impressed:

Where the desk was:


Where the bed was:

Time out for music

Saw my little girl's Winter concert. Got to sit front and center.


She beats to the sound of her own drum!


The steel drum makes beautiful music!

First real snow plowing of the season

Winter is getting harder on us old men!

Teenage boy = dirt!

Been cleaning out our oldest boy's room (as he moved out some 6 months ago), preparing for a makeover, I took some pictures.

As it is, I think I should have had him sign a lease with a damages clause!
His new landlords did, and they don't even know him!
This is about 12 years of living.

Enter the room that seldom had the boots taken off in the winter ("just have to check something on the computer real quick!"):



This one's pretty bad--you can see where the bed was, and protected the lower 18" of the wall. Above that, filth!


Here we can make out where the desk was, as the dirty boots went directly there:


You can almost make out the original color of the carpet at the bottom of this picture, by the closet door:


Sorry Adam, I just had to share this!


While I had the day off, I managed to string the rope for my stairwell insulated door:

Turkey Day!

We were able to have our kids (plus one!) join us for Thanksgiving, along with Dawn's mom. Rachel was being a shutterbug.


We all celebrated the day off in our own way.

Kitten in the snow

Beckie took Julie out in the snow. The poor little thing didn't know what to think of all that cold white stuff!

I'm back (AGAIN!)

"Funny" how 5 days can change into 12, seems like in no time flat!
You don't know how good it is to be home until you're just gone too much!

Made it back in time to post my vote in the election of the century too!

Hope your man won!

Missed Halloween

I didn't get to drive my girls to town for their annual candy haul.
Dang it! Missing out on the candy "inspection" process too!

Dawn's mom took the girls out with their friends.
Beckie (left) with her friends Michelle, Liz & Kasey.


Rach (right) with her friend Liz:


Overall, it appears Halloween went just fine without my help!

Leaving on a prop plane

Isn't that supposed to be "Leaving on a jet plane"? Well, leaving home via Pellston means you'll ride a turbo-prop until Detroit, then maybe you'll see a jet plane.

On the way to Oklahoma City for a 5 day excursion to finalize that software!

I'm back!

Got back today from being in Oklahoma City for 18 days (and 3 weekends) for work.
Wow, that's just too long in one shot!

Oh, by the way, today is 17 years for the company too.
Of course no one knows or cares!