Whoa

The "I-can't-believe-they're-actually-doing-it" Look

The Smash

Yum. Cake in the nose.

It's Almost Thanksmas!

Happy Thanksgiving. I will be jealous of everyone who gets to see their families. Thanksgiving is all about extended family and a big reunion.

Today’s Exploit:

Thanksmas is my version of Thanksgiving and Christmas, since my job doesn’t allow me to take holidays off.

My parents and my sister and her significant other will be coming to my house.

Cupcake is the only one who has seen it in person, and she was just there late at night and early in the morning.

And that was before we had any furniture. 

Plus she was more interested in her wedding dress.

Duh.

But now they are going to be crashing my house for a week, and I haven’t even had a chance to put the curtains up.

They may have to do chores before we can do an official house tour.

Schedule

My house is going to be painted and furnished soon. 

Excitement is abundant.

Today’s Exploit:

I have a sort of schedule for a minute. I work 20 days and have 10 days off. Three of us cycle through this pattern. Or at least we did for a month. Then one of the other MWDs made the other mad. And now we might not have a schedule any more. 

I have my fingers crossed for the house painting week and for Thanksmas week. 

Please let the gods of the oilfield have mercy and let me have those weeks home.

I have big plans for those weeks, and even menues ready to go.

My Book Nook

After 3 months this is the only corner of the house that
looks like it is decorated and lived in.

Please Press 1

I am going crazy. I have been away from home for a month now, and I have about 2 weeks left before I can go home. 

But first I have to go to the office and do a dumb commentary drive to prove that I remember how to drive since the last dumb commentary drive from last year.

Today’s Exploit:

The other day I was sitting, reading and being cranky because my tool wasn’t working properly and everyone was making a big fuss. We had finally gotten a survey and were starting to drill with fewer problems than had been plaguing me for a while. I was being relieved and pouting (fuming) because my manager had blamed me for the problems we’d been having. 

The dd’s had been talking, and irritating me because I was being irritable, and one decided to make a phone call. I don’t remember what he was supposed to be calling for, but was rather startled to hear (he had his speakerphone on) a seductive woman’s voice saying something along these lines:

Hello, welcome to blablabla chat line. If you are a woman and would like to talk to a sexy, naked man please press 1, if you are a man and would like to talk to a sexy, naked woman please press 2...

That is where he ended his call.

I am amazed he let it go on for so long, but the dd trainee was completely confused. 

Trainee: What was that?

DD: I called a wrong number.

Trainee: Oh, why were they asking that.

DD: It was a sex hotline.

Trainee: What?

DD: A sex hotline.

Trainee: ...

I find the recording and the following conversation quite humorous right now, but at the time I was just wishing that they would leave my shack. I have gotten quite used to working alone with my computers, and having anyone else in my unit makes me a little edgy. And working with them for the entire job (about a month) makes me a bit crazy, and endlessly cranky.

An Abundance of Sprinkles

Tired

Today’s Exploit:

I was going to have a nice story about pretending to be a Paleo person, but then I had to do work at 2:00am after a late night, and the next night I had to do work at 1:00am. And I got tired and lethargic. 

I was also going to make cupcakes for the rig crews, but I was tired and the oven doesn’t work. So now I have an abundance of sprinkles and butter, and no way to use them.

Also, I wish I had a better story to go with this post title, because I really like it and this post is pretty sad.

Maybe tomorrow I can write an “Abundance of Sprinkles” story that better suits.

Muffin Preparation

Pitting cherries is messy work.

Changing a Toilet Seat

I painted my first bedroom last week. It went from pink and black to blue. I think Klay will prefer the blue. 

In related news. I have pale blue spots in my hair, and my toes are dark blue. And edging corners between dark and light colors is hard. 

Today’s Exploit:

When I go to work I leave a list of things I would like H. to do while I’m gone. 

Usually it’s not long and it’s things we’ve talked about changing or updating or something I can’t/won’t do that needs done.

The list includes:

-Mow (Because it’s hot out there and I don’t like the sun)

-Put together the table on the porch (I had to take it apart to fit in Starla for the move, also I ended up doing this one)

-Have Klay pick a color for the bedroom

-Change the upstairs toilet seat

That last one? That was because all 3 toilet seats were plastic and a half inch too small for the toilet bowl. And I think that’s not fun at all.

I got the seats, because I’m picky and H. didn’t want to get the wrong one. I changed out the two downstairs ones because I see them a lot. And I use the one in the bedroom.

This particular item was on the list for 5 times, that’s 5 work cycles or 10 weeks, before it was finally completed. 

Sometimes it was the only thing on the list.

But it is finished now, and I can heave a sigh of relief. And I might have to throw a party to celebrate that it is no longer on my list.

This is my House

This is my house. I am shellfish and call it mine, but I do share it.
And I'm trying really hard not to be too bossy about changes we make.

A Water-Fight

This week’s recommended reading:

All Terry Pratchett books are amazing,
but I particularly like the ones about the witches. Book art found here.

Today’s Exploit:

After my big race we left pretty fast, before everyone was back and before awards. So I didn’t get the only award I’ll probably ever get from a race. But I had a water-fight with Eli and Cavan and that was better.

They have some foam water shooter things and a tub to fill them at. So I guarded the tub and they ganged up on me. 

We all raced around the lawn, which is amazing and even I can run around barefoot, and laughed like crazy and screamed when we were shot.  

They also really helped me fight off the post-run stiffness. And forget that my legs were jelly from  running up and down a mountain. (Which I haven’t had the chance to do since the last half-marathon race running up and down the same mountain.) 

We all ended up soaked, which was fine, because they were going boating and I had to take a shower. I had some serious dirt-tan from the dusty trail mixed with sunscreen.

I Won, With Help

This week’s recommended reading:

Reading it right now, Cover image found here.

Today’s Exploit:

I had my race this weekend.

At the start everyone is happy and excited.
And magically lined up in order of our race bib numbers (unintended).
And I stole these pictures from Catherine.

I did a half marathon in the mountains in Washington’s wine country. (Not that it makes much difference to me. I like the orchards, but my Mom would love it here.)

It took me years to finish because I was babying my legs to make sure I didn’t get cramps. Last time I ran here I got really bad cramps in my legs about half way through the race and had to hobble the second half of the race and hop across the finish line.

This time I walked up most of the hills and ran the level areas and declines. It was much nicer.

I had amazing views and many nice people and great volunteers at the aid stations and road crossings. 

And when I came to the end, I was getting some cramps and trying to keep my calves loose so they wouldn’t seize up.

Then Eli and Cavan ran up to meet me and told me I was being slow and to pick up the pace.

Eli ran with me for a second, but Cavan ran with me the last few turns into the finish. 

At the very end, with about 30 feet left he told me he was going to race me to the finish. And I tried, I really did, but my legs didn’t want to work for a sprint. 

At the end is more relief than excitement,
but having a finishing buddy helped.

I ended up getting 68/78 overall, and 1/3 in my age division. So that was pretty exciting.

It Wasn’t Lifeproof

I have a house! I get in trouble for calling it mine, but I do it anyway. 

Really it’s ours, but MINE is more fun. I sound like a Finding Nemo seagull.

Today’s Exploit:

I dropped my phone yesterday. I had just been thinking how amazing it was that I still had my original screen protector on it. And I had been taking it out of my case more because my charger won’t fit with it on. 

But yesterday, it was in the case, and I just got back from my run. 

I had my phone in my hand, I was walking. And then it bumped against my leg and then was on the ground. 

The lifeproof case isn’t so lifeproof here.

My screen is shattered, and the screen protector is what’s holding it all together. 

And naturally, being at work, I have no place nearby to go to get it fixed, replaced or find a kit to do it myself.

I Found a Bramble

This week’s recommended reading:

I love this series. I read it all the time, especially since H.
found copies for me for Christmas. Image found here.

Today’s Exploit:

The other day on my run I noticed some red berries along the road. They made me think of raspberries, but I didn’t stop to check it out and imagined they were probably some terrible Texas killer berry. And then I forgot all about them.

A couple days later I was standing on the road, so that the trees would block some rig noise, and talking to H. on the phone. I noticed some berries again. 

This time I looked closer.

The berries are segmented like raspberries, and they have the fuzzy serrated leaves like raspberries, and they have the crazy-mean-spiny poky stalks like raspberries. 

But when I pulled on a berry it didn’t want to budge, normally indicating non-ripeness. 

And then I thought about it for a minute and realized that the berries were not hidden under leaves like raspberries usually are, and the terrain is not at all rocky. It’s more sandy and loose.

That was when I noticed a black one. And another.

Naturally I picked them.

And then I went to my computer to check out the plant identification guides.

They are blackberries.

And it’s a huge patch. Bramble.

And I will get to pick zillions of blackberries in the next week or so. 

I just have to remember to get some medicine for the hives that I get when I get myself scratched.

Yay, Blackberries!

PS I close on my house tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Baby Elephants

I did this all by my self, it is part of my favorite quilt girl so far.
I have approximately 15 left to go before I run out of pieces.

The Hero of the Rig

I’m definitely getting tired of this rig right now. We need to pick up the pace and get this well finished.

Today’s Exploit:

The other night we started a new run, but the tool that we were removing from the drill-string got stuck. So we had to lay down the whole collar. 

Price, the guy working nights right now, was unable to get it to budge. So he woke me and we measured and calculated and programmed a new tool for a new collar length.

It didn’t fit, so we repeated the process.

It took 2.137 hours.

The next day I tried to get the tool out of the collar, just for giggles.

It worked.

I pulled it so that it was easy to grab, and then went to one of the roughnecks for help carrying it. 

And all was well.

But Price has worked with this rig for many moons and knows everyone out here quite well. So he has a while to live down the fact that he couldn’t get the tool free, but a GIRL was able to with minimal effort.  

I have a feeling that his next few safety meetings will be spent defending himself rather than discussing safety or the plan for the night.

So Much Sugar!

This week’s recommended reading:

I read this book all the time! It is one of my 74 billion favorites.

Today’s Exploit:

The other day one of the roughnecks stopped me and asked for a grocery list so that he could buy ingredients for cupcakes. He didn’t care what kind, and he was going to get everything I needed for them. So I puttered around the internet for a while to find one that looked interesting. 

I finally settled on Turtle Cupcakes. The recipe was for chocolate cupcakes with homemade caramel sauce and caramel cream cheese frosting. Then they’re topped with some chopped pecans drenched in some more caramel. 

I decided that it would be better to use less frosting and cut out a bit of the cupcake to make room for more pecans. 

Turns out this was a good idea and everyone at the rig was excited about the secret stash of extra pecans. 

They were also really confused that I hadn’t asked for caramel sauce.

I tried the caramel, and I tried the caramel, frosting and cupcake combination. It was good, but 2 bites was more than enough! They were so rich and super sweet! I can’t imagine eating multiple cupcakes at one go.

Fall Leaves

Excited for a House

Working nights when I have a qualified person working days is SOOOO nice, and I don’t have to worry about paperwork!

Today’s Exploit:

So far, so good on the house. 

We had an inspection, and it went much, much better than the last one. The house had normal maintenance issues for a 15 year old house, instead of neglect problems from a 115 year old house after being ignored for 20 years.

We still have a couple of weeks before we close, but everything is looking promising and I am getting pretty excited. 

The house has 4 bedrooms and a media room, which looks like a bedroom. All of the bedrooms are big and bright, although one of them is hot pink. And, to my mother’s dismay, the second bathroom is blue. I am looking forward to so much space for storage, after packing everything for 3 people into a single bedroom apartment. Also, since we will have so many rooms, Cupcake says we have to have Christmas at our house now. 

The kitchen is nice and open, and has an island, and window that looks out on the back porch/yard/property.  It has so much counter space that even I won’t be able to fill it with all my kitchen stuff. Also, it has a gas stove, and I am ridiculously excited about that. I have big plans for taking the cupboards out to replace with shelves, and changing the countertops from it’s current green rock to butcher-block. 

The back porch is truly amazing, and gigantic, and will be perfect with some strings of party lights and an outdoor kitchen area. There’s even a fire pit already in place and an amazing view up into the little hills behind the house. I have plenty of space for gardens and maybe some fruit trees, and H. has space for a shop and is excited about getting to buy a tractor to mow the grass. We just need some marshmallow roasting sticks and some fresh marshmallows (This time I’ll make them thicker!). 

Trying Again

This week’s recommended reading:

Found here

Today’s Exploit:

So the first house didn’t workout, but that doesn’t mean we’re giving up.

Yesterday H. and I went and looked at some more houses. We found some good things and some bad. 

I touched a cat and it yelled at us when we locked it back in its room. We encountered an over-filled victorian with 5 doll houses. And some great views of the lake, as well as some fans that wouldn’t turn off. 

We found one that is just right and makes everyone happy. So we put in an offer. Please cross your fingers for us. Hopefully no one else will out bit us and we can finally move out of our cramped apartment. 

A New Batch

It's jam this time, and it is super sweet.

A Bad Run

My neighbor across the hall got a new puppy. 

I think he is a Lab/Poodle. He is so fluffy and cute and sweet, and I’m really jealous.

I want to steal him.

Today’s Exploit:

I am trying to get in shape for my race next month.

After today’s run I am getting pretty nervous. It was a rough one for sure. 

It took me 40 minutes to go 3.1 miles. 

That is a terrible time. My goal is 28 minutes for that distance.

Yikes. Luckily it only took me 34 minutes to get back, which is not the best, but at least it is an acceptable time for me. 

I really hope that it was a one time thing and that my runs will be getting better shortly, because 13.1 miles at that pace will take forever.

I am still looking forward to the trip and really excited to see my buddies who are no longer little.  And it’s not likely that the race will be worse than the last time I tried it, so it will be a fun trip full of tickles and ice creams. 

No More House

This week’s recommended reading:

Today’s Exploit:

We had the inspection for the house the other day.

I was so excited to go back and take pictures, to make plans for how to re-do and to decorate the rooms. 

Sadly, the first thing I heard when I got to the house was that the inspector had done a preliminary check, and every major system in the house was failing. So I went around and looked at the rooms and did some imagining.

But then I had the meeting where he told me everything that needed to be fixed. The list was endless and he didn’t even go into detail.

We started outside and talked about how the roof needed major repairs, possibly replaced. And the roof support structure needed to be replaced to support a new/repaired roof. The roof needed to be replaced to prevent any more water damage to the upper ceiling. Due to the water damage there is a possible mold problem in the bedrooms. 

The exterior of the house is covered with wood rot, and everything was hand made, so the only way to match it is to have it made. Also, it has extensive evidence of termite damage, so most likely all wood parts on the house will need to be replaced. Additionally, the house is not level, and the sub-structure has termite damage, and has been improperly repaired multiple times in the past.

All of the systems in the house are failing and were improperly installed as well: the electrical, the plumbing, the HVAC system. All of these have remnants of the previous version of the installation, excess wires, old pipes (possibly even lead pipes remain), and damaged air vents. 

After hearing all of this, and being completely overloaded with information, I went and waited for the official report. I also had a nice long talk with H. about what this house would require to just keep it from deteriorating even more.

We decided that this house, while amazing and lovely and historically awesome, is not one we want to tackle as our first house. 

So we are back on the hunt for something that I can stand to live in without tearing apart completely.

Wish me luck, I need some.

Nostalgia

Gramma's tea doilies

Lost in the Woods

I lost my fitbit. 

I thought it was gone forever and I gave up on ever winning a prize.

But then it came back today and I was happy.

The end.

Today’s Exploit:

I went for a run the other day. And H. decided to be nice and go with me. 

He is a little faster than I am, so I said he could go ahead if he wanted.

Then he said that he would run with me.

And he did for a little.

But then he decided to go on ahead, and didn’t tell me that he decided to do this.

I came to an intersection after he’d left me in the dust. I picked a way and trudged on, yelling for him every few minutes, with no response. And grumbling and worrying that I took the wrong path.

So I went back, and went down the other path for a ways, before deciding that we had missed each other when going back and looking, so I went home to see if he was there.  

Turns out he wasn’t, so I went back to the trails and did another loop and went miles and miles up the original trail I chose. I stopped to ask everyone I met if they’d seen him, but no one had.

Finally I gave up and went back down the trail to get some more water. I got back, after about a 9.9889 mile run to find him walking back from the house to find me. 

He’d gone all the way to the top of the trail, 9.5 miles round trip, and back. He must have come down while I was doing the other loop. And he waited and waited and waited for me to come back, because he didn’t have a key to go home. 

In the future, if he runs with me, I will make sure to specify that going ahead is fine just as long as you make triply sure that I know you are going ahead. 

It’s Mine, All Mine!

This week’s recommended reading: 

Today’s Exploit:

I get my house! They said yes!

I am so excited I can’t even put it into words. 

I have so many plans.

First I’ll take out the carpet and some tile.

Then we’ll work on the master bathroom, while I decide what in the world to do with the weirdo downstairs bathroom and laundry area.

Then I’ll deal with the extra tall counter/sink in the kitchen and get a beautiful gas cooktop, and take out the cabinets to put shelves on the wall. 

All the little cubbies need cleaned out and re-finished. As does the mini cellar-thing.

And I get to bring my piano down without forcing myself out of the house to provide space!

At some point we’ll deal with the not so fun tasks, like getting the bee nest out of a wall, and making sure the house is level and not rotting away. And waterproof in the rain. 

I can’t wait to finish the paperwork stuff so the fun part can start!