Green, huh?

I dang near forgot what this blog looked like. The whole posting every day thing...yeah. Not gonna happen. But I'll do my most bestest (y'all from KV know where that came from...Phearless) to keep this thing current enough that at least a few of you will check back in occasionally!

So I've been about three weeks on the New Job, and I would summarize the difference between what I'm doing now and what I used to do in this manner: "Aaaaaah. That's better." It's a lot like when you put on a pair of new shoes, then go walk 20 miles on a difficult trail. At best, your feet hurt like a mother. At worst, amputation would be a blessing. But then, eventually, at the end of the trail you sit down, unlace the boots, and peel them off your feet. The feeling as your toes uncrimp themselves and you can breath again is one of immediate relief. That's how it is for me, beloved readers. Eleven years at The Valley. Oi. To be fair, it's not all peaches and cream on the new job. My desk is small, and the location chosen for me is in the Crapper Corner. The most astute among you will know that I chose those petty things to indicate that there's pretty much nothing about the New Job I don't like. The biggest differences between what I was doing and what I'm doing now:

1. No more of the foolish, cowardly, blown-about-by-the-slightest-breeze leadership that is dragging KV to the bottom of the cesspool right now

2. Not a single tattooed, pierced, underwear-showing, profanity-spouting, cellphone-using, gangbanger-wannabe around the office

3. While I do my best to put in my office time and work my way through the extensive to-do list I generated for myself as well as the one that Gene put together for me, it is an indescribable blessing to be free from an outwardly-imposed schedule. I took Valerie's van to the shop today in Winamac (Jeff's Tire & Alignment--Jeff does great work; how's that for a shameless plug?) at 9:00 and was able to wait for him to get it done. We spent probably 30 minutes visiting while one of his guys worked on our brakes. I didn't have to take a sick day or a personal day or whatever to do it, either. I LOVE having a free schedule. This is a slow time of the year for us in the crop insurance business, although that will change very soon as more guys start shelling corn.

I had lunch with the guys at KV today, and it was weird to be back in the building. It was almost like the old darkeness settled over me as soon as I walked back in the building. I enjoyed visiting with the guys, the spicy chicken salad sandwiches Tater brought in were great, and I used the Tormek to sharpen all three of my hand planes. But as soon as those things were accomplished, I couldn't wait to get the heck out of Dodge. I pray God's blessings upon Kevin K, Kevin S, Kevin M, Paul, Jeff Me, Jeff Ma, Ron, Ryan, Bill, DJ, and all my other buddies, cause KV is not an easy place to work. It's an even harder place to work for teachers who actually have a desire to see their kids grow and learn--which many teachers do not, but all of those guys do. There are lots and lots of "teachers" who are doing nothing more than putting in their time. Worksheet, worksheet, worksheet. A shame for the kids.

I threw in a few gratituous pictures of the family at the Holidome in Indy. We went there straight from Maine and had a great time. Erika and her family, Jess and her family, and G&M joined Clan Mackay for a rollicking good time.

The first picture is Martha with Makayla (Jess & Morgan's oldest; Makayla and Brenna are absolute best of buds), and the second picture is Brenna going down a slide.

More later, muchachos.