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

Here are some more of the BB Blast

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Sorry , I posted this one twice and cannot erase.

Stick with me, I will learn this blogger dealio yet.

These events are a lot of fun. If you have never been ....you really have to check one out. This is the Bad Boy Blast sponsored by Conoco-Phillips and Halliburton Services. It really is a Blast. I never saw a real frown all day. Great event and all the proceeds go the local Police and Law Enforcement Agencies.

This is a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Anderson as they arrived at Windwalker Farms on Saturday. They not only helped sponsor the event, but shot and donated a German Shorthaired Pointer to the Silent Auction. Great People always seem to do great things, huh?

heres a pic or 3

I cannot get any pictures to upload to my blog. here is another attempt.

World's Best Medicine

Today was a tough day for me. Only as far as cigarette smoking was concerned though. It has been a little over 2 weeks and today it hit me. I really like to smoke. It calms me. It gives me a prop, to hold, and emphasis the point with. For over 30 years it has been a part of my life. I really wanted a cigarette today.

Still do !!!! But my Macz is at our house tonite, and she told me I smell good. A first for that statement from her. She just smiled as she hugged me , and said" Pop op you smell so good!" I said "yes ma am, Pop op quit smoking" She said " uh-huh, I know....thank you"
You know a guy really doesn't need much more than the woman he loves the most telling him thank you for motivation. I don't care if I do want a cigarette, I will no longer be a slave to the damn things.

Thank you my 2 year old angel,
I will never forget what you have done for me.
Love ,
Pop op (pronounced POP-OP)

By the way I own a tobacco store in Big Spring , Texas that grossed over 3.5 million last year. It is for sale!!!! $175,000.00 for inventory and name. Rent 1750.00 a month. Or $275,000 for lock, stock, and real estate. Just for the principle of the thing, its gonna be hard to be a non smoker while owning this store.
Thanks for your time.
ScottE

I know some of you read this thing.

You know what , I finally figured out how this blog thingy works. You have to spend hours , not composing good blog fodder, but reading and commenting on other's blogs. So here is to you guys , who read the blogs, but do not comment. I will if you will. I pledge to start commenting on all of the blogs that I peruse during the day. Of course this would be easier if the content filter from hell had not been introduced to our network at work. So it will be late night commenting from now on. As I can read your blogs but am not allowed to comment on them.
I understand the need for security, as the company who bought us last may, makes some part in the guidance system of the Cruise Missile. I especially liked the fact that words like--- sucker rod, stroke, nipple, joint, dope, and even tool and bite --are also words that are not allowed.

I work in the Oilfield people. You know , where we....nipple up, add another joint of pipe, increase stroke length, use a fishing tool, and get another bite on something every day. Dope comes in 5 gallon buckets, joints are 30 ft long, and there is a pusher on every rig.
Look , if your gonna play in this game, you gotta learn the lingo!!!! When in Rome..........

So , please don't try to rewrite the patch, especially the Permian Basin. Just change the filter to allow these words, and let me comment on me com padres blogs. It truly is networking at its finest.

Thanks for your time
ScottE

50 Years of Big Spring--Going..Going....Gone!!!!

March 21 Saturday at 10 am. The Boy's Club in Big Spring is closing and having an auction. I will be donating my services and they are donating 100% of the proceeds to the Kid's Zone. The Kid's Zone was damaged by vandals earlier this year, along with a totem pole that has been in the park my whole life. I think that donating to that project is a show of class from the Board of the Boys Club.

This auction has a unique set of items for sale. There is a cool thing about the caretaker of the Boys Club. Bert has been with Boys Club since 1959 , when he retired from Cosden. As an engineer he must have had a knack for organization because if there were 250 parts when they got it , all 250 parts are still there today. I mean, Wood Working --every tool, bit , auger, file , is there and in its place. Lathes, Saws, jigs, wood, scraps, and every thing used in woodworking.
Photography--A complete Darkroom-along with every camera since 1959- thru digital. Trains-2 or 3 HO train sets on boards-down to the passengers. Pianos, Organs, Weight Training sets, Sedlinger Trampoline, 20 Passenger Bus, Every Board Game, Books, plus old records, projectors, Kiln, molds, telegraph equipment, and more.
There are 2 Brunswick Pool tables, a Brunswick bumper pool table (rare) , Fooseball tables, air hockey, Ping Pong , Shuffleboard, and much more.

Just come to Big Spring Texas and you will see a tall building, The Settles Hotel, we are next door. On 3rd Street ( a one way heading west) just east of the Settles. This building is slated for demolition, and we are still waiting on word about the metal tile ceilings, and the new AC units.

Yall Come, I Promise there will be something there to remind you of fonder days.
Thanks for your time
ScottE

ps. Thanks for all of your prayers for me and my family! I know they made a difference.