June 12, 2006 - Monday | 10:14 PM, CST Last week's fire academy went fairly well, but it also had its disappointments. You know how these last two months I've been eating extremely healthy and jogging upwards of a mile every day in preparation? Well, Keith and I got bumped out of our physically demanding, limited enrollment class into Pump Operations. Rather than donning air packs and slogging our way through concrete buildings heated a few hundred degrees above the boiling point, we sat at picnic tables and used pencil and paper to figure out friction loss in hoses of differing diameters. On the other hand, if you ask me what engine pressure to deliver to achieve a two hundred gallon a minute flow using five hundred feet of three inch line, split down with a gated wye into two hundred feet of inch and half hose with a smooth bore nozzle, I can tell you. Since I don't really remember the figures off hand, you'll have to take my word that I could tell you. But would you really be interested to know? At least, regarding the extreme amount of exercise I did in preparation for this event, I am probably more physically efficient than I have ever been in my life. I mean... never before have I been able to run (read: jog) a complete mile without stopping for a break. Do you know just how hard it is to propel two hundred and fifty pounds of flesh for a mile without stopping for a breather? I'm happy to say that my leg muscles feel like tight bands of steel, but do I have the willpower to continue with my exercise regimine? I hope so, because I feel incredible being able to do this. I mean, I could kick someone's head right off their shoulders! I even offered to demonstrate on Suzanne the other day when I visited her at the grocery store.
I've spent the past four or five days being sick. Thursday my body began its usual sickness remedy of puking and shitting out everything that I have ever thought of eating in the last fifteen years. Take my word, a breakfast of carrots and oatmeal looks really cool coming back up. And you know what? It was surprising smooth. And best of all, I was doted on hand and foot by Kelly and Mom! Many thanks go to both of these fine women, who went out of their way to go get me medicines and fix me easy-on-the-stomach snacks. Unfortunately, I also ran a fever. And as many of you know, I tend to hallucinate when I have a fever. Thus, I spent my Thursday talking to a dirt-covered rock named "Todd" who attempted to convince me that while my brain was in charge of my body, allowing my stomach to vomit was the only way I could ever hope to achieve oneness with Christ. Religion continues to mystify me.
Had some critter damage to my garden the other day. They chewed up my broccoli pretty good and mangled both my pod peas and my sugar snap peas. Damn critters. I spent a good three hours yesterday constructing wire cages out of some fence rolls I found next to my garage. They're pretty handy, if I do say so myself. The fencing is small enough to keep out a rabbit, but at nearly five feet tall, much larger than necessary (and not very practical!). So I cut it in half lengthwise, which created wire prongs on the underside of each cage that allows me to easily stick them in the ground about three or four inches. They are very secure, and I dare say, nearly immune to any digging. Kelly and I also picked up another batch of Light Brand Baby Toads ® I'm hoping they grow up to be hungry insect eaters that choose to stay in the area of my garden. Only time will tell, but I haven't noticed any widespread insect damage yet (knock on wood). Here are some pictures to enjoy.
Picture 1: Here is a baby toad sitting in Kelly's hand. Thats all for now. Kelly and I leave in the morning for Amish country in Ohio. We are staying at a bed and breakfast (our first time) our first night there, then going to a regular hotel. Hopefully we will have even more excitement than the first time we went to Amish country nearly three years ago. This time we won't be doing any Sunday shopping, so I think we're in the clear. Toodleloo. |
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