Aftermath

I spent the day today doing something that I am not use to doing, nor do I enjoy doing... I worked in my yard. Not the, "Oh, I planted some flowers today" or "I manicured my garden". No, I cut down more than a dozen trees and weed-eated (I just realized I have never had to spell that word, it's a miserable word, I officially don't like it. It's officially as worthless as the task it represents). Allow me to elaborate, I am not the alpha male who's testosterone is inundated with the elements of the outdoors. I don't hunt, I don't fish, I don't skeet shoot with my buddies whilst drinking a 12 pack of Fatty Natty's. I read poetry and enjoy shoe shopping... Despite all of that I was/am very proud of myself and my days accomplishments. I have more to do tomorrow, and I think I am looking forward to it. While searching for an old Chinese Kung Fu (poorly dubbed) movie to watch, I have quite the collection, I stumbled on a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow book of poetry. The first poem was Aftermath. Enjoy.

When the summer fields are mown, 

When the birds are fledged and flown, 

And the dry leaves strew the path; 

With the falling of the snow, 

With the cawing of the crow, 

Once again the fields we mow 

And gather in the aftermath. 

Not the sweet, new grass with flowers  

Is this harvesting of ours; 

Not the upland clover bloom; 

But the rowen mixed with weeds, 

Tangled tufts from marsh and meads, 

Where the poppy drops its seeds 

In the silence and the gloom. 

Daddy's New Office

     Eden made herself right at home today when she came to visit me in my new office. Our move is officially official. I have spent 70 hours this week alone renovating and organizing the facilities of the newest Mechanical Engines Service Company in the greater Lafayette area, Pelstar. It's been an interesting adventure. I was working for a company last year and we hired a gentlemen to start an Engine Department for our offshore cranes. The department grew so quickly in a few short months, it was decided that he would branch off and start his own Engine Company. I was elected by him to accompany, it has been wonderful and things are looking great. Thusly, my commute to work was shortened from the original 30 mile trek every morning now to a very amicable 8 miles. It takes me 12 minutes (with red lights) to get to work in the morning. Although with a new position comes new responsibilities. I have spent all day Saturday and Sunday here at the office, in fact, I am posting from the office now.... no my boss doesn't read my blog. Good times, great weather. I have a very large window, so I was able to enjoy it, I also found reason to walk the yard a few times today, just to get outside.

Conversation

This a conversation I overheard outside my door today at work between the Vice President of our company, and our second in command manager of the facility of which I work:

VP: Man, we just got a huge opportunity to bid 28 platforms in Pennsylvania, need guys. (Chuckling)

Manager: Wait, offshore Pennsylvania?

VP: What? No, offshore? there's no offshore in Pennsylvania, these are on land platforms.

Manager: Oh, I thought Pennsylvania was on the coast.

Started My New Job This Week

As many of you know, I started a new job this week. I am working for Seatrax Cranes, one pictured above, I scaled to the top the other day, very exhilarating to look over an entire city without being in an airplane. Overall the job is quite menial, I am literally a shop hand and labor in the sun all day. But it's a job for now and perhaps one day it will be a career. I will start rebuilding wenches for the company on Monday, I don't know what that entails, but details to come. I am not accustomed to working outdoors, so it is most definitely a different experience.