Grillin' & Chillin'

Ok it is summer time, and with the summer comes the grilling out.

I love food on the grill. I don't know why but it just tastes so much better.

So once a month at work we grill out for the boys. We usually start in April, and run thru September. Today I grilled out chicken for the boys. I marinated it in Herb & Garlic, and Lemon Pepper marinades. (Not mixed together, I gave the boys a choice.) I started the marinade on Monday and let it go till this morning. Let me tell you I am becoming quite the queen of the grill. I have perfected my talent. The chicken was so tender, you could cut it with a fork. The flavor was all the way thru the chicken. It was perfect.

About a month ago I made pork chops on the grill at home. I am not a big fan of pork chops, but these were superb. I made Toby some steaks the other night when he came over and caulked my leaky window. He said they were so good. He went to a local steakhouse that weekend, and had a steak, and he said it wasn't any near as good as the ones I had made. I am pretty proud of my grilling talent. I will have to show you all how good I am someday. But I figure if I can make 13 boys happy with my grilling/cooking, I should be pretty proud. They aren't usually that easy to please.

Back To Work

Well I am back at work. Didn't really miss it much while I was gone.

Buddy wasn't happy about it. He didn't want to wake up this morning. Last night we were talking, and he told me he wished I didn't have to work. I told him to get off his ass and figure out a way to make us both rich so I didn't have to work anymore. He didn't like that idea to much. He can't sit still long enough to do anything. Oh well. So he whined and begged to not have to go in the kennel today, but in he went. I am sure he will be super excited when I get home today.

Standards... Double!!

Why is we all have double standards? You know the... I can do it, but it's not ok for you to do, or I want you to take me into consideration, but damn if I will take you in to consideration, or please help me out, but I when you need help don't call me?

We all do this. Even if we won't admit it to anyone else it's in all of us. It's just easier to recognize in others, but if you will be honest with yourself you know it's there. There is something in there that says I can do this, but you can't.

Yesterday this happened to me. I have been told by someone for the longest time, I can't do THIS, but they have been doing THIS for some time, and recently has been told by someone other then me that they can't do THIS anymore, but yesterday they informed, me and the person who told them not to THIS anymore, that they were going to THIS again, but cause they needed to do THIS!! At least for a couple of weeks. Ok in the past when I needed to do THIS they always said "Oh it's not nessecary, just tell me what you need me to do and I will help you out. We're a team after all." But when the shoe is on the foot it doesn't work the same way. Why not. If I can't why should you be able to? Why are the rules different for you then they are for me? And how do you tell someone this? "Oh by the way, you are a hypocrite." Hmmm, don't think that will work.

So I ask again, why do you all do this if it pisses us off so much when we are on the other side of things. If we all just agreed that everything would be fair. If you can't do something then neither can I, then wouldn't life be a whole lot happier? Will you agree to this with me?

So...

We have this fuel tank to fuel our trucks with. It is something new we have been trying. In the past we had someone come every night and fill our trucks, and we decided we didn't need all our trucks filled every night. 

We have a log for the guys to fill out everytime they fuel up. This morning I was up front waiting on something so I thought I would just be nice and add up the usage for last week. Well it doesn't exactly balance. Ok that is an understatement. We started with 23663 didn't receive any fuel, used 166.5, and ended up with 23884. Um no...

So I walked made a couple of comments in fun, and this guy who can't be bothered to show, or follow any of the rules that everyone else has to follow, decides that he is gone take a look at it. So I said, It's not your job. It's Deb job, it's Todd jobs, It's my job, it's not yours. Your job is to work on the plant, and trucks, and what ever else may come up, but not this. 

He had the nerve to come back to my office after this, and say he just likes to do fun stuff like that, and there was no need for me to get upset. Ok first off. I didn't get upset with you, but if you want me to be keep treating me, like a girl. I'm independent, strong, and confident female, don't pataronize me, don't make me feel like all I'm good for is for the girlie things. Doesn't fly with me. That pisses me off even more. I can handle myself. Oh and by the way. I wasn't being a bitch. Trust me YOU will KNOW when I am being a bitch. I was taught well by the other women in my family, and there isn't one person here except Toby that has seen the true bitchness I can bring out when needed, so back off. 

I hate it when a female speaks the truth, and tries to stand up to someone, she is automatically labeled a bitch. Really, hmm give me a break.. If guys would open their mouths and be honest we wouldn't have to do it, but most guys I know can't and won't open their mouths and be honest when they should. So don't put that on me because I care, and want to make a difference. And make things better. That does NOT make me a bitch. It makes me honest, and it makes me a human. Just because I might disagree with you doesn't make me a bitch either. Just because I have an opionion doesn't make me a bitch either. 

No after reading this post, yes I could probably be called a bitch, but that is because someone made me this way today. In this moment. Big difference.

So Tired of Boys....

I have had it up to HERE with boys. I work with them all day, and I am tired of them. They never say thank you. They only care about themselves. UGH....

So I work in an old feed mill that has been turned into our offices and shops and plant. It is old and drafty, and sucky. All winter we fight the cold and mice, and what ever comes our way. So this year I bought a draft dodger. It some thing that sits at the bottom of the door and keeps the draft out. Well today two of the biggest babies we have working here have told us we can't have it there someone might trip over it. GIVE ME A BREAK. Everyone walked over it all day yesterday and no one had a problem with it. How come you have a problem with it? One of these guys writes up his truck with a safety issue every day because it doesn't have a radio. NONE of the trucks have radios. If it bothers you that bad find a new job, or buy a portable radio to put in the truck.  The other guy is just an ass. For bosses day this year we bought a couple cheap sports things for the two bosses and had everyone sign them this guy refused. So no big surprise on him. So I have to deal with the cold all winter because these two guys are being jerks. 

Yesterday I was talking about some purchases with our mechanic and Brandon (Toby's brother) stopped in me doorway and demanded I give him a Kit Kat. (I have a candy stash). I flipped out on him. First off you should never demand I give you anything that wasn't bought with company funds. This is my own personnel purchase, not something I have to share, just something I have shared. Second Never Never come in when I am talking business with someone and interrupt for candy. That is just rude. Granted we work in a laid back atomsphere, but that is just common sense. At least I thought it was. Apparently now. 

We make birthday treats for the guys. MAKE THEM not buy them Money out of my pocket and time out of my personnel time to do something we don't have to do for these guys. We cook out for them in the summer. We make lunch for them the week before Christmas. I am so done. I am tired of this it's all about them. No one ever Thanks us for all the things we do. Deb and I don't ask for much, just a little respect, and a little lee way here and there. But apparently we can't get that.

That being said, Yesterday I was in a really bad mood because of this crap, and Toby saw this, so he called me on his way home and asked what I was going to do, so I told him I was going to sit home and pout. He said if I wanted to come over and pout at his house he would make me dinner to try and cheer me up. Which he did. Ok I helped a little. I can't help but be in the kitchen if someone else is out there. But it was still nice of him to do, even if I helped a little. He made meatloaf, and baked potatoes. He bought my favorite soda, even though it's not his. And then he let me have the big couch to lay on and watch the Packer game.  

I just got to

Batch my first Cement Truck!! It was kind of fun! Probably wouldn't be if I had to do it every day. Deb and I have been trying and trying to get Jon, Todd or Toby to train us on Dispatch for years now, and the last month or so we have been short drivers so they have had us cover the phones and stuff, but wouldn't teach us dispatching. Today as I was up there in "the chair" answer questions for customers I had a driver back under and arranged it all, and then batched the load. I learned something new. Man, the only thing I don't know how to do is the mechanic stuff. I could run this place... Yeah right I don't think!!

Shh.... Do You Hear That?

That is the oh so sweet sound of nothing!! No admixes churning away, no trucks running. No boys yelling, no phones ringing. Yes it is a sweet sound. It sucks because it means you are not hauling any mud today so that means we aren't making any money today. But on the other hand it's so nice to not have constant noise in the background. I have gotten to the point where I just don't even notice it anymore, except when it's not there.

This is the first job I have ever worked at where I love it when it rains on the weekends, instead of during the week. Yes it makes it harder for me to do things, but if it only rains on the weekends then we don't have days were we can't make money.

The only people here right now are Deb, Toby, and me. It's oh so quiet. I love it!!

Sh... don't tell anyone but I might sneak out of here early today! It will just be our little secret.

Sick! Sick! Sick!

All I have to say is if you are sick, STAY HOME! Don't infect the rest of us. And if you do come in to work, STAY IN YOUR OFFICE AND DON"T COME into MINE!! And when you do get me sick because you will. Everyone knows that NOW I catch everything. Don't be pissy when I can't come to work and you have to do my job. Oh yeah and thanks for costing my some of vacation time that I will have to take when I get sick, since you were so tight assed you couldn't use your own!! Thanks. Thanks so much. I really really appreciate it.

People

I am having a I really hate people day. I know I know you can't get away from them, but still I really hate people today. Almost all people. I will get over it I know, but here's the deal. Sometimes I just get so sick of the SHIT!!
Example 1) My manager not being able to own up to his dropping the ball, and having to blame it on me so he doesn't look like he can't do his job. Almost 2 months ago I gave him a marketing brochure I had been working on so he could fill in some of the things he wants our customers or prospective customers to know about us. I would make it sound pretty, but just the jist of what he wanted said. So today is a really rainy day, and he was "looking" for things to do so I asked him about it and it happened to be in front of the owner, and he said Well I know you were waiting for pictures, and I said "No rememeber I said I didn't know what you wanted our customer's to know so I need to come up with some ideas?" Why can't people just admit they screwed up. I would. I admit I make mistakes all the time. Why can't we just realize we aren't perfect, or there are somethings we really don't want to do?
Example 2) On my way to work this morning driving down the back road to get to work someone was driving 25 mph on a 45mph road, and wouldn't let me pass them, and kept slowing down at each turn like they were going to turn, but then ended up going straight at the end of the road into the apartment complex. And they wouldn't let me pass. I could understand this behavior if you don't know where you are going, or if I was tailgating. I have done this before, but then refusing to let someone pass you. Clearly you are just setting out to be a bitch, and ruin someone's day right away in the morning. Thank you so very much.
Example 3) My friends. Yes my friends. Here is the deal. I am always the one they call when something goes wrong. I am their shoulder to lean on. If they are having a hard time, I call to check up on them and encourage them. Not one person has called to check on me to see how I am coping with losing my Grandpa. NOT ONE!! Yes he was sick, but still... Last week I tried to talk to my best friend Carey, and when I finally got ahold of her all she wanted to talk about was her bad day at work. After ranting for about 15 minutes about this she finally said How was everything with the trip home, I started to tell her, and then she changed the subject. And then not even a week after I lost my Grandpa she has the nerve to call me and leave me a message about her dog dying, all crying and upset. IT"S a stupid dog, that lives outstide, and wasn't even really part of the family. It never got attention. It got food, and water, but that was about it. Don't call me crying about this when you can't be there to let me cry about my losing my Grandpa.
Example 4) The lady I work with. All she wants to do is talk about herself. And how awful her kids are. Again everytime I start trying to talk about my weekend, or my evening or what is going on in my life she has to change the subject back to herself. And I am sure some one is wonering isn't she over exaggerating? No I am really not. It may sound like it, but it really isn't the case. My friends and the lady I work have really been like this. It makes it really hard to love people when you are always there for them, but they can't seem to be there when you really need them. And I am not typically a needy person. I don't like to burden others with my problems. I like to deal with them on my own. I tend to work things out on my own, so I guess I just don't understand why one of the times I really need someone and NO ONE seems to be there.

So as you can see today I hate people!!