Last week, Big Boy, one of the few remaining operational steam locomotives in North America, came through Ellis County on its big multi-state tour. He steamed right down the tracks across the road from my clinic - I was not out early enough to see this, so I drove down to Ennis to catch the whistle stop. I will get some photos posted later; it was damned impressive.
https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/
On Sunday afternoon, we got the surgery trailer cleared out so that yesterday I was able to work completely in my building. This was nice as long-awaited rainstorms came through; we didn’t have to trek back-and-forth to the surgery trailer. I hope to get news from the bank today that Dr. W’s loan has been approved and then we just have to finalize details of when he will pick it up? Hopefully it won’t be this weekend as we are going to the state veterinary conference, but even so, Zach has already volunteered to be my handoff man. He’s as anxious as I am to get those funds so I can pay off some debts & start catching up on dadgum tax payments! One hurdle at a time…
Things seem to have stabilized with Kristy’s mom under hospice care at home. I certainly hope nothing dramatic changes so Kristy can enjoy (as best she can) our short little weekend in Fort Worth. She & Misti have been plotting out which lectures they will attend; I haven’t even had a chance to look at their schedule so that will probably be Thursday evening’s chore when I check into our hotel. (I splurged to get us hotel rooms since it will save us close to three hours of commuting time each day)
But speaking of chaos, my son does seem to thrive on it - he was filling me in on more drama in his personal life with Victoria. Obviously they’ll either work things out or they won’t - for now I can just be content that all is well in his professional career - he is picking up extra shifts, socking away some overtime so he and Victoria can go to Tulum. My boy is figuring out the true cost of things and I haven’t even finished transferring responsibility for his utilities and car payment…I’m giving him a few more months to adjust to adult life.
Speaking of which, I’ve got to get on with my own! Life doesn’t feel very carpe diem-ish now, but next week will be better when I’m prepping for my ride at Pole Canyon
What an historic visit that was. Keeping track of and appreciating where technology came from is as important as keeping up with the changes... at least that's my POV. My grandmother's old letters to a girlfriend "back home" when she was a young mother, extolling the virtues of her new stove (circa 1930?) opened my eyes to how lives have been changed by technological advances long before the information age!
ReplyDeleteYou could, she noted, leave a roast in the oven and leave the house to run errands, you didn't have to stay and feed it fuel! The old "now you're cooking with gas" took on new meaning (for me) in that light.
If I've (technically) clever enough, I want to post snippets from a Twitter (OK, OK, "X"!!!) thread I stumbled across - a naïve young man absolutely getting roasted over his speculations that it might be nice to go back to communal washing of laundry - ya know, the old-fashioned back-breaking handwashed kind??? to "save the environment". Sheesh!
DeleteThe washing machine, the oven, the vacuum - so many labor-saving devices that we will give up when hell freezes over!
Good news on the trailer. Yes, it will take time for Z to get his acts balanced. I'm dealing with my 41 YO and her spouse again. I thought I was done with all this.
ReplyDeleteDH and I were in North Platte, NE (see new blogs when I get 'em done) and there was much discussion about Big Boy. Glad you saw it.
I wish I could post my video - Big Boy's whistle resonates through your chest like the bass at an outdoor concert!!! Quite impressive...
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