Hard at work

I have achieved 20 years at my current job. I guess that is pretty good except when I look at Dad who retired from three different occupations.

For my 20th I get an extra week of pay which as we say around here is better than a kick in the ass. Would have been nice to get an extra week vacation which I always seem to run out of right about now.

So, 2 years as a programmer at an insurance company that doesn't exit anymore after college. Also spent the summer after college working at my normal summer job since Dad was laid up with a bad back and I wanted to be home to help out. Then onto the Bell system which was a job to retire at but then the original breakup occurred. Stayed for a year after that at AT&T communications then got "recruited" to the consulting firm that now employs me. Nine years total at Bell which got me some kind of pension if I remember and they can find me. Probably enough to buy a loaf of bread a month when I retire.

I am actually kind of a "youngster" in the current firm. Most of the folks have been there since the company formed in 1985. Some where there in the prior iterations as the whole thing started in 1959. They have not been there since the beginning but for some time before 1985. Original founding father Oskar Morgenstern founded the whole thing from Princeton.

Anyway, looking forward to retirement someday. Got to keep buying those powerball tickets to speed up the process.

Later,
JH

Vacation over

No posts from another country. The intarwebz were really slow in Canada. Maybe the chill in the air was slowing down the electrons. But it was a lot of fun.

Fishing was average. No problem catching walleyes and had a nice shore lunch. Did catch a really nice smallmouth and lost a largemouth right at the boat. Did well the day we went out for northerns. No pictures as didn't want to mess up the new camera. Should have taken the point and shoot with us on the trip. Next year.

The weather was good, a little rain here and there. Definately cool, only one day in the 70's really. Lots of wind a couple of days.

So back to the grind. Yankees game tonight then off to the Plainfield picnic tomorrow. Off to NJ for a meeting on Monday. Good to have a couple of days to jump start the brain before work starts.

The border was interesting this year. On the way in it was an hour line up to get through. Friday afternoon traffic and such. Wanted to know the name of the person we were going to visit. Also asked if we had our luggage which doesn't always make it. On the way back really no lineup at all, maybe five minutes. No strange questions.

Oh yeah, and the Phillies decided to bury the Mets while I was away. So all in all a nice time.

Later,
JH

Travel day

Leaving for the airport soon. Newark to Minneapolis to International Falls then a drive to LOTW.

Weather will be a bit chilly in the Great White North. But the sweatshirts and stuff are packed. Kind of like the old mantra of "it nevers rain on a golf course" it is never cold on the lake when fishing. Even bought some new lures yesterday and packed those to try out.

Next post from another country.

Later,
JH

The wilds

So, if you click HERE you will see a satellite view of the "wilds". The backwards C thing in the middle is the destination. We are off to Canada, Northern Ontario if you will, on Friday. Scale is 1 inch = 1000 feet.

Fly to International Falls, then about an hour and a half drive. Coming home we have to leave a bit more time as there is a bass tournament happening in Fort Frances (border crossing).

First cast expected to be Friday around 8pm. Sunset is 9:15pm and star gazing will commence shortly after. Hope we get to see some Aurora Borealis this year. Have to go check that out on the interwebz to see if it is good right now.

Saturday will be get fishing license, fish, eat, relax, fish, eat, relax and watch stars. The rest of the time will be "rinse and repeat" except for the license part. Although I think there is a party or something on Saturday night. There will some visiting of friends in there as well. Probably a couple of beers and some pamplemousse as well. You do remember, oh so loyal readers, that was the horse I wanted this year in the Derby? Of course you do.

Hopefully will catch some of Le Tour while away as well. There are computers and the intarwebz in the wilds so will be able to keep up that way at least.

MF will be happy as all the pictures will NOT be of cats. Probably fish, eagles, scenery, maybe bears and if we get lucky a wolf. If I get really lucky maybe a nice musky picture.

Tommorow is packing and organizing.

Later,
JH

Don't look now

Last game before the All Star break. Have you noticed who is in first place in the NL East? Of course you have. The Mutts are under .500 and in 2nd 3rd 4TH. They have fallen behind Florida and Atlanta. Mid season prediction, if they don't make the playoffs, the manager is gone.

Not sure how the Phightins' are winning as the starting pitching still kinda sucks. But take em as they come. Oh yeah and I think there was a recent sweep of the Mutts when I was out of town.

Good times.

Later,
JH

Goodbye Don, you will be missed

Today we say goodbye and celebrate the life of a friend. Don Greb, known as Grebbie to a lot of people passed away too soon. Some of us will gather to celebrate what he meant to us. Others will do so in private.

Always willing to help out. Always with a smile on his face. Just the essence of a nice guy.

It won't be the same without you at Plainfield.

Weekday sports

One wonderful advantage to working at home is the ability to watch sports that are on during the workday. I must admit I watched a lot of the Scotties, Brier and Worlds when I probably should have been staying at this here laptop.

This week and the next two are even better. It is Le Tour. Tomorrow sees the first mountain stage. Should be a new yellow jersey wearer by the end of the stage. Will it be Lance or Alberto? Maybe Levi will sneak in there, who knows. But watching these guys ride up really steep hills at amazing speeds is so cool.

Of course it helps to have Versus so can watch the whole thing and not the one hour recap on the network.

Later,
JH

Crackberry and FB and Tweets, oh my!

See this is why Blackberrys and Facebook and Twitter are a bad thing (DC said you should mention brand names). Pictured are the Veep (in hat) and the Prez texting or FBing or something. Not quite in the picture is the background of the Ohio river and a bunch of people on the other side of the table. It is a nice day with a interesting view and interesting people.

I have been thinking about getting an iPhone which is what the Prez uses, the Veep is old school and is texting on his cell. I don't even do that. Do I need one, no, but sometimes I kind of feel left out. Especially with the Mrs. as the crackberry is always at the ready. It does come in handy if you need to google something while driving somewhere.

I don't know, maybe I have been involved with technology for too long. I do know that I am looking forward to the techno-break next week at Lake of the Woods. Just me and the boat and the fish. Sure, there will be pictures taken which will be uploaded with the laptop. But out on the water, just me and nature.

Later,
JH

Tropicurl aftermath

Well that was fun. We actually won a game which I guess is a bonus. There were two types of teams there, ones having fun and ones who were very serious. We happened to play three of the latter in four games. As the kids say, whatever. My team had fun.

Pittsburgh CC did a nice job with the ice and the hospitality. The hotel was okay but a bit of a drive although the advertised DUI checkpoints were not a factor. We either took the shuttle or had a DD. We also made our way back and did most of the late night partying at the hotel. The club does not make anything from the bar as it is run by the ice facility. So no reason to drink late at the club and then drive.

Made a couple of side trips to Pittsburgh proper as well. Hit the Oyster House and Church Brew. Both were good and worth the trips. Never did make it to Primanti Brothers even though there was one across the street from the hotel. Maybe next year.

Would like to go again. Not sure the weekend of the 4th is a great time for the event but they have to live with the schedule of the ice rink.

Now we are home for about 10 days and then off to the wilds of Canada.

Later,
JH