Sunday, September 27, 2015

Sept 27, 2015...sunday I think

Sept 27, 2015.....

So I got up at 4 am, and couldn't go back to sleep. Breakfast didn't open until 7am, as opposed to 5:30am every other day of the week.  Its kind of depressing how much time one can waste on the internet.....Facebook mostly.

I had breakfast at 7, then went to work.  I had some cylinders to pick up and a few others to strip at the lab.  It only took me a few hours.  Then at 9:45am, "Fitz" one of the mechanics met me at the boat.  It still wasn't running quite right and we were going to take it out and get Fitz's orientation out of the way and hopefully get both engines running right.  Paul, a superintendent from San Juan Construction, had plans to take a few other new guys out fishing at 11 am, even though I had already told him the thing wasn't running right.  I think I did a good job of getting Fitz "orientated", but we didn't quite get the boat running right.  Paul took it anyhow.

Fitz says the left (port side)(he has a lot to learn before he does his "practical" for his boat license) engine has a blockage near the fuel filter.  I'll get to it and fix it.

I might have mentioned about going to work the other day.  I stepped out of my lagoon side place and looked to the west and saw the AMEC people down talking to whomever at the end of our "Mancamp" cubicles.  The "cubicle" second from the end had a 40lb construction barrier stuck in it.   About 5 ft up there was a metal framed easel with an orange and white top board driven into the side of one the shoeboxes we all live in.  I guessed it was one of the mechanics got drunk and showed his boss what was up. 

Ray told me later that no one really seemed to believe him when he said it was a weather deal.  They seemed to all want to believe some sort of drama/vandalism. He said it sounded like a Semi was rolling thru, and  his whole place shook.  His roommate verifies this.  Ray said he tried to open his door during the windy downpour (I did hear this at 3 am...it was a hard rain), but he said it felt like someone was holding the door shut while throwing buckets of water at the door. 

All the people in the units nearby are saying it was a freak weather deal, and everyone affected says it was the weather.  I talked to Gary this morning along with Fitz about the incident.  Gary is the super cool Marshallese guy who runs the small boat marina.  He told me about an incident a few weeks ago on Ebeye where 3 houses lost their roofs.  9pm, no rain, and all of the sudden someone's roof gets ripped off and goes straight up.  They watched them go.  They also watched and ducked as they fell.

I've heard, and read about some weird ugly weather potentially headed here.  The wind has been blowing from the west for 2 months now.  Not strong, but still, it never blows from the west for that long.  I read a few articles that say the west winds are an ominous sign of  some trouble coming.  I like trouble.  Unfortunately, on Ebeye, next island over, they aren't quite ready for big trouble so I hope it doesn't come.

Sunday night volleyball is back now.  Up to this sunday, we were starting at 5pm, Joanna moved it up to 4 because we have so many playing.  Joanna is a mid twenty something, attractive, fun, and athletic girl that showed up a few months ago and plays Frisbee with us on a regular basis.  We had a great turn out, and great games played until it was too dark to see.  Darkness, comes around 7:20 these days not that it changes much all year.

Sept 28, 2015 Monday...

As a reminder, Sundays and Mondays are the weekends out here.  I have another example to add to my collection of proofs that I am the "Luckiest guy I know".  This job and this place is one thing.  The great pay, the per diem and the taxlessness of it all even better.  Then comes use of Larry's boat.  A little more icing on the cake came a month ago when our project manager told Ray and James (both hourly employees involved in producing concrete out here along with Greg and I who are salaried), that unless they are scheduled, they will not be getting more than 50 hours a week.  This means I will mostly be kept under 50 hours a week.  Pretty much all other San Juan employees working on the Space Fence project are working 6 days a week, except us with the concrete.  Something to do with our contract and money.  Something perfect for me because I enjoy having a two day weekend,  even though I have to go in for a safety deal today from noon to 4pm, and we had a big overnight pour last Monday.

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