James Averette Age 63

James Averette was killed in a one truck accident about 20 miles north of Big Spring Texas on Hwy 350 Thursday Morning. He was a tool pusher for Wes tex Drilling. James was one of those hands that all oilfield workers aspired to be. Back in the 70's , we called him EverReady, cause he always was ready to work, fight, or laugh at some stupid antic we made up.

A throwback to the days of old, where a quick trip to the cattle guard solved many a personnel issue. Make em bite!! If you can't get it , you can't stay!! Put your little hands on it!! I have heard this man growl these words both to me and scores of others on drilling rigs all over Texas.

I have worked harder than I ever thought I could with his crew, and still count many of the hands I worked with in the 2 years and 4 months on Rig 4 at Robinson Drilling as some of my very best friends. I think that James had a strong and true heart- I will miss him as I go about my life in the oil patch.
The industry will miss him even more!!!! He was still making hands out of worms to the day that he died. You always felt like a worm around James Averette and it was not because he glowered over you, but because his knowledge was endless. Passing it on to a new hand never ended because he had seen and done it all. He made us all better people and oilfield trash.
For my dollar , there was no better toolie or driller , than James. I count the time that I worked for him as some of the best work I ever did. With the likes of Jerry (peewee) Jones, Jerry Jamison, Derrell (Drail) Pope, Terry (Fuzzy) Carter, Curtis James and even Mike McGrath.
Those were the days

I will miss you James. Don't worry I will get a bigger hammer!!

Cya
ScottE

okay--cowboy up!!!!!

Whew--What a week. Work is done - work is done. Crap gotta do those reports. Its my weekend at the cigarette store. Lawn needs mowing again. Wife and Gdaughter are out of town visiting #1 son. Its Hot! Too hot to even post!!!

I am going to the house because there is a contractor there and I am worried that he may cut in the wrong place. I have a rental property that needs a tending. My vending machine route owner operator has not made a payment in 6 months. It is time for some belated spring cleaning. I need to shed some of these looming things before they shed me.

So I am off to work the weekend.

Cya,
ScottE

Doctor's Visit

All is well. Did the checkup thing , today. Don't have to go back for 3 months.
Today it became official. I am way past flatbelly stage of larvadom.

When I went back to work in the Oilfield 3 years ago , I was pushing the scales at a sleek 185. I thought that I was in great shape and could carry the world. After following in thatJaniegirls footsteps and setting breakfast and lunch appointments every blessed day of the week , by the time I looked up again, I was up to 200.

When I had my heart attack on March 4th, 2009 , I was still at 199. Today at my checkup , I weighed in at..................................217. I have only been this heavy once before as a younger firefighter. I got up to 235 before getting to work on losing it again.
I quit smoking on March 4 th also, this is where this new weight gain begins. I eat all the time, from the time I get up until bedtime.
Food just doesn't satisfy me, I crave a cigarette! I don't want sticky platelets or constricting arteries , but I really want a cigarette.

1. At least 6 times a day, ( an improvement over 20 TD), I want to beat the shit out of somebody. Usually for something like a sneeze, or some offhand comment. Instead I eat...........and eat.
2. I know that it takes 475 licks to get to the chewy chocolate center of a tootsie-pop. By the way if you have not noticed they added some new flavors. Pomegranate and Watermelon are very , very good.
3. The peppermint puffs that sells at Sam's in a 3 pound tub, will last 14 days if my coworkers (thieves) will stay out of my food.
4. The "EEEEEEEEEEEEEE" key sticks when bombarded with sunflower seed hulls.
5. The sheer volume of sugar and Dr. Pepper consumed is compounded by a factor of my age (50). Sugar Diabetes is the most probable malady in my future.

So my new lot in life is to curb this new found appetite, because it does not fill my belly or my needs. I will blog about my efforts, but will not cage myself by only blogging about that subject.

I can already not blog about work, because there is always the outside chance that a coworker will stumble across this blogger thingy.

Cya when I cya,

ScottE

Dang, missed a day already.

See, keeping up with Janie has never really worked for me. I always had to cut my own trail just to avoid being swept up in the wake of That Janie Girl. It has been a fun ride and when the destination was reached I an always welcomed by the crowd that has accepted her. It is almost biblical, huh.

Those of you who know us , know of what I speak. She is a force all her own, and I love her for it. She has never been ruled by fear or intimidation, and I always felt like she knew that I had her back. It never really mattered to me how big they were ( a lot of that came from our big brother) if they messed with my sister, then they had to deal with me.

Still that way today, which could mean thats why its only the dogs who give her black eyes!!!!!
Love ya Janie!!! Hope we get to see alot of each other this FY2010.
Cya
ScottE

08-12-09

I am gonna take the THATJANIEGIRL challenge and try to post for 30 days straight. This will be my first in over 2 months.
I will attempt to be as open, truthful, and entertain you at the same time. If its not entertaining , at least stick with me for a couple of days. Maybe it will grow on you.

Today, Yard work calls. Too hot for midday work. Evening and early morning only.

I hope yall have a great weekend.

See ya,
Scott E

One Down--2 to Go!!!

Our eldest son graduated this weekend. From the University of Texas, no less! With Honors!!!!

We are so proud.........and he seems relieved. From the bad joke( " I don't remember filling out the paperwork to graduate") to the final hug goodbye, it was a memorable stay in Austin.

We ate at Juan in a Million for Brunch , Saturday, and met Tony's roommates there for a last meal together. Charlie will go on to be rich and famous in Film, and Chaz will rake up in Washington DC. While my son will write the copy of the Advertisements that both will need.

I really can't believe all of them made it in 4 years, I figured one or the other of them would fall by the wayside.

I am proud of my son and all of his accomplishments! Love you Tony!!!!!

Remembering 1981

This is a journey into time..... a time past......that still affects my world today. In 1981 , I was freshly divorced from my first---and working on a drilling rig in Sheffield , Tx. Air drilling was a first for me. This is a process where you drill an oil well with air instead of water. It was eerie for a West Texas roughneck to see a cloud of dust coming out of the return line. You could see it for miles and miles.
Oct 13, was a strange day for the daylight crew of Britton Rig #1. We had just moved to a new location and were rigging up. If you have never seen it , it is hard to believe. This is a dance, a ballet, if you will. The rig up trucks with gin poles raised, forklifts unloading pipe racks and pipe, the substructure is hammered together, the derrick is being raised, the motors and pumps lined up, the backyard is pieced together, and all of this is done at the same time. It really is something to watch, if you ever get the chance , just get and stay out of the way, WAY out of the way.
We had been in Sheffield for 23 days, and a new relief crew had been hired the week before. We were finally gonna get some days off. The 1" air line to the drillers console had been pinched during the rig move and had to be replaced. It was my job to replace it and when finished we would be done!!!! That was one job I never finished!!! During the process of replacing this line , the substructure of the rig was hit by a haul truck that got away from its driver. He was still in the truck, it just was stuck in gear and he could not stop. It hit the rig doing 32 miles an hour. Now this next part is the part that is still with me today.
I was standing on an I-beam to get a bite on the line that I was replacing. When the truck hit the rig , I lost my footing and began the longest 3 second trip of my life. We later measured from where I fell and it was 48 feet from where I landed. Now as I was on my way down, a co-worker tried to help me. He grabbed my feet as I started to fall, but as I flipped to be facing downward in a dive , he realized that he was gonna come with me . So....he let me go.
Don't blame him--I would have done the same!
Now I am falling face first-or I should say stiff arm first. I broke almost every bone on the left side of my body, some of them in many,many places. My hand, wrist, arm, elbow, shoulder, skull,and ribs were shattered. My hip , femur, knee and leg were split from the force of the landing,
My hip , and shoulder still give me little fits today, but I have yet to have the crippling effect the doctors warned me about in 81. But on days like today, where we reach 100 degrees less than 24 hours after a good little rain! It hurts like gravel is in my joints. Not enough to make me quit, but enough to remind me....You were not Superman in 81, and You are not in 2009 either.
So with an mixture of Advil, Motrin, and Bayer , I can get through a day like today in West Texas. Go Hawks!
Thanks for your time
ScottE