Third Month - November

Between 1900 and 1920, Tug of War was an Olympic event. Found Here 

Today’s Exploit:

Slight panicking at the fact that I have to tell everyone NOW. Crap. I wanted to wait at least 3 more months. 

I had planned on waiting until after the next appointment to tell anyone, so we would hopefully have some good pictures of the baby. However, the plan to have Klay be the one to tell everyone and the timing of Thanksmas put a rush on things. It all turned out okay, but I was a bit of a wreck leading up to our Skype date. 

This is what Klay read to everyone:

A Family Story

 

I, Klay, am going to be a big brother.

 Baby Kerry is due 3 May 2017.

Kevin (otherwise known as Dad or Honey) hopes the baby will wait until 12 May, so that they can share a birthday.

  

Chukie Bug thinks that this is a joke, and that Dad (Honey) should go play with him.

Stelly Belly is so excited she can’t contain herself; although she might not know just what she is excited about.

Baby is healthy and ornery and about the size of a turnip this week.

 Mikah (Mama) has a big surprise for when you visit.

  

You are invited to attend the official sonogram

appointment on 15 December at 3:00pm.

I Might Be Able To Sleep Now

I ran 4.97 miles in 45 minutes. I even had to walk 0.33 miles. I have renewed hope that I might be able to finish my race in something somewhat, maybe close to my goal. But I’m trying not to get my hopes up.

Today’s Exploit:

The mouse, the one that has been haunting my nights and making it even harder than usual to fall asleep, and making sure that I wake up even more than normal, has been caught.

Finally.

I’m told it was taken outside. 

I’m guessing it was on a sticky trap and will slowly die of thirst, but I’m going to pretend that it was a snappy trap and it had a quick clean death. Even with the amount of trauma that the monster caused me, I don’t really want it to suffer. 

Naturally the timing of this event is just so that, if I have to stay tonight, tonight will be my last night. And therefore it will not be any easier to sleep because I’ll be excited about going home. 

Gah.

Mice Are No Longer Friends

I have less than 3 weeks until I kill myself in a most torturous manner. 26.2 miles of hopefully not exceptionally hot Texas weather. My goal is 4 hours, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to make it, but I plan on finishing anyway. Then I’ll fall over and twitch a bit before I expire.

Today’s Exploit:

I was okay with the mouse that ran around the kitchen, and not overly concerned about the mousetrap wars that followed.

I was also okay with the two that played under the table while I washed dishes, only running away when I had to cross their path to get to the bedroom. And I was a bit disgusted with the fact that they chewed through one of my headphones, but it was the replaceable part. 

I laughed at George the other day when one ran from the fridge to the recliner and he wouldn’t put his feet on the floor until he had to go outside. 

That all changed last night.

I was in bed trying to relax my brain enough to go to sleep, a nightly trial. Then I heard scratching. When I looked nothing moved and I attributed it to my imagination, which tends to go wild at bedtime. I heard it again, and was met with the same results when I looked for the source. I re-situated myself so that I could see off the bed if I heard another noise, and proceeded to fight the random flight of my thoughts.

Suddenly I felt a tickling on my head. One of those creepy feelings that moves along a line, and you’re sure it’s a bug, but it turns out to be your imagination when you try to brush it away.

I took a deep breath and made myself stay still and try to relax. 

That was when I felt something moving down my side.

I sat up as fast as I could.

The mouse ran the length of the bed and disappeared.

I made a noise something along the lines of “Gaaah-rrrraaaaawwwweeerrr” (which translates to something along the lines of: BLOODY HELL, THERE’S A MOUSE IN MY BED AND THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT SOME PLACE THAT A MOUSE SHOULD BE! GET OFF! GET OFF! GET OFF!) and jumped up.

Naturally by then the mouse had vanished completely, and did not appear to be in any of my bags or under the bed or hiding in the A/C closet. I searched each of these places at least 3 times before I retired to the living room.

I proceeded to sit on the couch, curled as small as I could get, and watch for the mouse for the next hour.  

I also spent this time trying to convince myself that I really needed to get some sleep, and the mouse only touched the outside of the sleeping bag. And maybe my pillow.

Probably my pillow.

I searched the room another 3 times, and my sheets 7 times.

I finally did make myself get back in bed, using a tiny corner of my pillow that I knew no mouse feet had touched.

I got an astounding 2.1 hours of sleep between trying to get comfortable, trying to make myself relax and feeling phantom mice feed EVERYWHERE.

Mice are no longer something I can see without thinking they were in my bed, and probably eating my food while I washed my hands. 

I was ok with traps before, but now I think we need about 17 in each crevice. 

The Time I Almost Killed George

I have just over 2 months left to be ready to run 26 miles, in a row, all on the same day, and it might be really HOT because it’s in TEXAS.

I have to run the purple line and the red line.

Today’s Exploit:

Yesterday I made birthday pasta. That’s the pasta that I’ve had almost every year, ever, for my birthday. Except that one time, and I don’t remember what we had, but it wasn’t as good.

I made birthday pasta because I said “Happy Birthday” to my cousin, and we talked a little bit and he mentioned that one time I made it at his apartment. Or maybe it was two times? Whatever.

Anyway. I made birthday pasta, because it’s amazing and it’s my birthday month, so it still counts. 

So, there I was, cooking butter and garlic. Every time I do that George and Matt act like I’m cooking up some ambrosia, or something equally appetizing. Not that it ever is, but they sure act like it.

I cooked the butter and cooked the extra chopped garlic and chopped some parsley and chopped some clams. And then I Matt attacked me asking if I’d put the cork back into the wine yet, and when I said it wasn’t open yet he attacked the bottle and opened it right up. Then he couldn’t figure out which way the cork went to fit back in the bottle. 

So I cooked the butter and the garlic and the parsley and the clams, with one clam juice. And then I added the wine and had some awesome purple sauce. And it cooked and cooked and cooked while I waited for Matt to come back with the parmesan cheese. 

He got back and I added the cheese, did a quick heat up and dove in head first. 

When I came up for a breath George was hovering. I thought it was pretty much a given that when I cook everyone eats, unless I hide it within 23 seconds. But since he was hovering I asked if he wanted some pasta.

He jumped in head first, too, quickly followed by Matt. 

We were sitting there stuffing our faces when Matt asked what was in the pasta.

Matt: This is really good, what’s in it? And how difficult is it?

Me: It’s REALLY easy, it’s just Butter and Garlic and Parsley and Clams and...

Matt: WAIT! It has CLAMS?!?!

The Results are IN!

I try to be polite and people think I’m laughing at them.  

Today’s Exploit:

So, my failed countdown ended 17 March.  It started out with a song and a bang.  And it kept on singing some maddening 80s songs that faded in and out as the dude with the speakers played leapfrog with us.  At one point it started to fizzle and that last mile seemed endless.  But then the last half mile was an all out sprint for the gates to popsicles and medals.  

I placed 184th with a time of 2:37:07.5.  Cupcake placed 183rd with a time of 2:37:07.4.  

Cupcake didn’t want to finish, but I told her if she didn’t I’d post all of her most hated and nerdy photos for everyone to see.  So she finished.  And we had popsicles and she wore her medal for 3 days straight.  She even slept in it, I think.  

I was going to post some pictures today, but my camera cable is hanging out at home with my newly-set-up sewing machine.  

Some day I will display all of my efforts of Thursday night.  I spent ages on making silly skirts.  Cupcake even wanted to wear hers to work, but I told her it probably wouldn’t wash well.  I also forced her to wear a nerdy hat because I thought it would be super sunny.  

PS.  The kids who cheered for everyone until they were hoarse, and then handed out medals were super-awesome.

A Poem on Drilling

Countdown:  11 Days.  The nerves.  They tingle.

They’re really trying to convert me to shrimp and crawfish out here.  By way of stuffing it down my throat.  

Today’s Exploit:

It never fails.  

The well is almost done.  You want to go home.  Things are going well. 

Go get excited about going home tomorrow or the next day.

BAM!

Something breaks.  You must stay another week.

Cry.

Addicted to Words

Countdown:  12 Days. Getting rather nervous.

No one out here seems to understand that I am not capable of eating 2 chicken fried steaks and 3 bowls of seafood ay-too-fay for dinner.  I’ll stick with just the peach cobbler and some corn, thanks.

Today’s Exploit:

I got Every Word, a free game for my Kindle.  

I have been playing it endlessly for the past week, or so.  

It took me ages to beat level six.  AGES.

Each time I surpassed my previous high score I jumped around the box in excitement.  Then I’d sit back down to lose 48 more games at level two or three.  

But today was a good day.  

I beat level six on the fourth game.  Then I got through level seven.  And immediately got one of the four winning words for level eight.  It was a miracle.  And amazing.  

And then I failed miserably at level nine.

Moving: Rig Version

Countdown:  15 Days.

Cookie Project:

Today’s Exploit:

I moved trailers the other day.

I’m not sure if the boys were glad to see me go so they had more space; or if they were just jealous that I got to be in a nicer trailer.  Now that we’re almost done drilling the living quarters are somewhat desirable.  

Granted it does smell in this trailer at times, but it’s due to someone working.  As opposed to boys letting their dishes moulder in the sink too long, or put off doing laundry as long as possible.  

The room and the bathroom are considerably smaller.  But man, is it quiet in that trailer.

Besides the room being smaller, there’s nothing like moving to make one realize just how much junk one has hoarded away.  

It took me four trips to get my junk from one trailer to the other.  And I get to move said junk to my car in another couple days.  

Currently I’m working on a strategy to cram all of it together so that it takes up less space.  Thus leaving me with fewer loads to tote out to Starla.  

The Mouse House

Countdown: 16 days.

I watched “Drive” a couple weeks ago.  I was more bothered by the blood and violence than a 3 year old.

Today’s Exploit:

Last night I walked into the trailer.  Rather, this morning I walked into the trailer.  

I was greeted by two mice having a lovely time playing chase in the kitchen and laundry hall.  

I stood and watched for a few minutes before taking off my boots and hat and heading their direction to get ready for bed.  

They waited until I was in the kitchen before hiding.  

Later, when I was doing dishes, they came back out to play some more.  Right next to me.  They acted like they owned the place.  

And they played around the sticky traps that the guys had set up.  I’m pretty sure they were taunting the person who decided to buy them.  

When I went to bed I discovered that the little monsters had left a gift on my face mask.  Also one chewed part of the earpiece of my headphones for my iPod.  

Mice.  

Ah, well.  Let the Chicken Boys deal with them.  I’m going to live next door.

Now, That was a Cruel Joke

Countdown: 17 days *whimper*

I am currently addicted to Every Word on my Kindle.  I made it to level 8 once.  I think I may have jumped up and down and done a happy dance when I finally beat level 7.

Today’s Exploit:

I am living in a trailer with 5 guys and a Jeana.  

I’m pretty sure these guys were raised by chickens.  Have you ever smelled a chicken house?  Also, as chickens have no fingers, they never taught these people to wash dishes.  

Another likeness:  when they get together in the living room/kitchen/office they squawk and squabble and screech as loud as they are able.

As for the joke, we were told that we’re getting a new trailer out here.  It, evidently, is for the girls.  Thus, cleaner living for us and more room for the chicken boys.  When the trailer arrived the punchline was revealed.  The trailer with 2 rooms and 1 bathroom is for the directional drillers*.  Not for the people packed like sardines into a smelly rat house.  (They really did see what they called a rat today) 

So, we’re all stuck together.  Me, 5 guys raised by chickens, and a Jeana.

Fridge space and couch space are premium items here.  Snooze you lose, and all that jazz.  Better not hope to get that space back if you get up to get some water.

*A breakdown.  

Right now we have 8 trailers here:

-2 for the rig crews, that’s 6 to each trailer

-1 for the toolpusher, 1 person in that one

-2 for the company men/clerk, that’s 2 to each trailer

-1 for the DDs, 2 persons in that one

-1 for the Mud Engineer, 2 because he’s got the H2S guy rooming with him

-1 for the rest of us salty little fish (8)

PS. Happy Leap Day

Hint Hint Wink Wink

Countdown: 18 days left - *sob*

I decorated cookies tonight.  Now the box smells like too much sugar.

Today’s Exploit:

The mud logger is one of those creepers.

Mostly he’s just irritating and an insufferable over-sharer.  

But lately he’s been hinting that I “need” to bake something.

He walked in one day and said, “So, I hear you’re a baker.”  

Me:  You’ve been misinformed.

Him:  What! Those roughnecks lied to me?

Me:  Yep.

On another day, after I’d gone food shopping I dropped my bananas and was cursing my clumsiness.

Him:  Oh! It’s time for banana bread! You bake, right?

Me:  Grumble grumble. No.

For one:  Who wants to bake in a pig sty that’s infested with mice?

For two:  Trying to force me to do something is probably a guarantee that I’ll do everything in my power to not have to do it.  Especially if you’re being creepy and stalker-ish.  

I have taken to being extra surly in the trailer so that no one will talk to me, since privacy and being alone is not a conceivable option.

My Sister Says

21 Days left.  I might be able to make it 5.012 miles at this point.

Today’s favorite comic: Surviving the World.

Favorite quote from said comic:   You really haven't lived until you've chased cats around your house like a raptor. The impression also works better when you're willing to bite people. - Dante Shepherd

Today’s Exploit:

My sister came to visit my rig.

Mostly it was because she wanted to steal the keys to my apartment, but still...

The first thing she said:  It smells like Texas.

The second thing she said had something to do with spilling a gallon of water in her lap.

The third thing she said:  Wow, you really weren’t lying!  

This was about the size of my wonderful/hateful box.  

*Note to Cupcake:  You must try chasing Oni Satan as a velociraptor.  Please tell me how it works out.