Evening, everyone.
Finally got everything unpacked and took care of the things left undone since we got back late Sunday. I had to go to the doc's yesterday since my neck still feels like there's a bag of marbles inside. He took some x-rays and said I have the same arthritis as the last set showed five years ago, just a little more inflamed now. Nothing can really be done except take things like ibuprofen and vicoden for the pain. Could be worse though. Both my parents had really bad arthritis by my age, and mine is just my neck.
Barry, there are some mean looking storms headed your way now and more developing over the lake and west into Michigan and Indiana. I think you won't get a lot of sleep tonight but I hope nothing too severe develops.
Steve, that was an interesting video. I see (or hear) you guys have the Federal electronic sirens/air horns now. I guess the traditional English alternating horn is out. I did hear what sounded like bells on a few of the trucks, but I would guess they were on some of the older apparatus. The trucks make enough noise but there are nowhere near enough flashie/blinkies on your trucks to satisfy most US firefighters. With all the new LED lights, most of them are literally blinding when coming straight at you, especially at night.
Jeffrey, how is the van coming? I hope you guys got some rain because we sure haven't gotten any of it. The high here was 101 with a high heat index of 113.

I felt like I was back in Mexico again.
Tom, what is a Family Life merit badge? From my days as a scout, I remember things like fishing and woodcarving. I assume this must be one of the modern additions to scouting I don't know about.
Corey, it's amazing how scale size trees cut your big, bare mountains back down to small hill size again. The good thing about hills is that only the trees around the edges of the hills have to look good. You can use any "practice" trees to fill in the middle and they will look just fine from above.
Matt, sounds like you're doing a good job at work. You've got the right attitude about working harder and saving more money. Keep doing it when you're an adult and you can retire young. That's when you get a permanent summer vacation.
Yeah, where is Chris? I hope he didn't stick any body parts under a mower when he wasn't supposed to. I suspect he's laying in a big bed of ice and beer with heat stroke.
Karl, there are a few of us out here. I remember working in a machine shop that was all steel with no insulation and no A/C when I was a teenager. I lived on nothing but water and salt tablets. That was one of the experiences that convinced me I should go to college and work in an air conditioned office.
Barry, I was just hearing that there was an earthquake near Ottawa. Did you feel it? It was apparently felt over a wide area. I didn't even realize you had earthquakes up there.
Dianna had a tooth capped and another one yanked today so I've been playing nursemaid again. I
had to run out and get her an ice cream sundae because the Demerol just wasn't relieving her pain. Somehow, I find that hard to believe, but it was a good excuse to get some ice cream. Hope things are going as well as can be expected for everyone else.