Goodbye Mop

You know those ads on TV for the Swiffer Mop and the poor old broom and mop get discarded?

Well, when my wonderful sister Emily was here for the Cherry Chub reunion she got me a Swiffer Mop. I used it for the first time the other day (don't judge me.. I've been at work.). Next thing you know....

Goodbye Mop. Too bad there aren't any pink flamingos in the neighborhood for you to hook up with.

PS. I need to add a caviot to a comment two posts ago about Arvid being only 0.28 of an engineer (I might have mentioned something about it at work and Angus kindly offered to give Arvid the address of this blog... I know I know how to keep my mouth shut, but for some reason I fail to use this skill when I need it (ALL THE TIME)). Arvid was/is busy doing other things than helping us 24/7 with our bridges. If you add up all the time he spends at work you will probably get a 1.28 engineer, or more.. probably more like 2.28. I actually feel sorry for him right now because he's the one adressing all the comments for Bridge Package 2, redlining up the drawings, and organizing the drafters. Again I ask... what are those Seattle dudes DOING all day?

Dads Car

I've been at work. Which I'm sure you all don't want to hear about again.

So here is some more info from Christmas.

Dad got a SUPER DUTY truck last year and he is as proud as a jay bird. Just ask him what type of truck it is. SUPER DUTY! It says so, right across the dashboard.

So when Dad saw this sign,
He just couldn't resist.

PS. Squishy went home last Sunday but then he was back in the Hospital Wednesday with another episode. Originally I had written that I hadn't heard from Melissa and was a little worried, but she JUST called me! She said they were back home Thursday because Mitchel was able to stop it on his own. He's had another episode this morning but was able to stop it himself. I'm just grateful she called me cuz I was starting to think the worst. Continue to keep those Bunns in ur prayers :-)

Music Selection

I've had a nice two weeks of getting home at 6pm and not working on Saturday but it looks like the craziness is gonna start up again. A bridge I've been trying hard to keep off my plate has been dumped right in the middle of dinner.

Yes I understand that the Seattle dudes only have 2 engineers while we have 3.28 (Arvid is the .28) and they don't know Nevada's requirements well but they've had an extra 2 months to work on their bridges compared to us as well as having the benefit of the drawings and drafters from our first bridge package (Seattle is in charge of two-span post-tensioned cast-in-place bridges in bridge package 2). The bridge I just got assigned (Bridge 11) is originally from bridge package 2 but was widened (essentially a total redesign of the bridge. Those roadway guys.. forgetting about NDOT shoulder requirements) just a month before the 80% submittal of bridge package 2. Unfortunately, Bob F (the Seattle lead engineer) told Las Vegas Paving he only needed an extra month for the redesign.

YA RIGHT... if they pawn it off on Melanie.

I did help them lay it out initially right after the redesign along with some initial design which I had to change since the bridge was now much closer to the existing bridge, but I was hoping against hope that once Seattle turned in the 80% submittal on their bridge package they could do Bridge 11. Unfortunately, it looks like they need to spend the time between the 80% and Final submittal designing the other 3 bridges they turned in. Apparently Seattle does things a little differently... submits 80% drawings and THEN designs their bridges. Not quite sure what they've been doing for the last 4 months since when Akiko, Tandra and I did the QA/QC on their bridges two weeks ago most of the drawings I looked at had never been redlined by an engineer. This means that essentially I did a redline set, gave it to the drafters to fix, then did another set.. this time the official QA/QC version.

OK, so I might be painting the picture a little blacker than it really is. I just wanted to be able to get started on Bridge package 5. I think I was going to get two bridges (I've already laid them both out for the initial submittal due Thursday. Most of initial layout for bridges is engineering judgement and since I think every decision I make is right, it's easy for me to just go with it. Tandra and Akiko take a little more time cuz they want more engineering in the decision. Question from Tandra:"Why did you use that bearing on the Pier?" My answer:"Cuz it looked like it would work. And it did.") and was excited to be getting the one with the hammerhead peir. Now I have to design and redline drawings for an entire bridge in two weeks time.

Breathe.

Um... Anyone still reading?

Now you know why I haven't blogged about work before. I didn't want to dump on those few people that read my blog cuz I already dump on anyone that will talk to me on the phone. Hopefully this has gotten it out of my system for a little bit.

On to the reason for the title of my post:

There is a new lady that got put in my office (I call it my office cuz I was there first) from Florida (at least I got rid of the loud breather and negative Bob H!).. and she's a talker. I'm sure none of you have noticed but I might be a pretty good talker as well. Its a good thing she came during this respite from work craziness! I'm trying not to egg her (and myself) on but at first it was really bad.

So I've been using my ipod even more because its hard to ignore someone when they are sitting right by you.

However, I've never arranged the music on my ipod so the songs just come in however the computer does it. Yesterday I was listening to "Be Good to Yourself" by Journey and the next thing to come on... "Living Waters" by Hilary Weeks.

Makes for an interesting day.

PS. Baby Squishy is still not out of the hospital. I'm hoping to get an update out of Melissa today... while at work. Sigh.

Creativity Time

This happened after the married families left New Mexico after New Years, ie two months ago. But the pictures are pretty cute so I wanted to share.


I suddenly remembered all my crafty stuff I brought and wanted to do something fun since we were so sad everyone left... so I pulled out my puff paints and we decorated Mom's reusable grocery bags for her. Everyone needs puff painted grocery bags, right?Grandma wasn't feeling very creative so we got out Mom's painting templates for her.

I thought I got some pictures of the finished bags but apparently I didn't. Perhaps Mom will share on her blog our amazing abilities :-)


Then I pulled out my tissue paper and we made flowers. Grandma really got into it cuz it was something she could do without having to be too creative. Can't go wrong with smooshing tissue paper in circles.Even Aaron made one with individually cut out petals.And when Mom got home I made her... I mean she got into the spirit of things and made a flower too. We had quite the bouquet... of which I didn't take a picture. Angela made one from the templates I had that worked out really pretty.

Really, all in all I failed as a blogger this Christmas. But never fear, I will strive to do better! That's what repentance is all about, right?

UPDATE ON BABY SQUISHY: He had an SVT episode yesterday so they are keeping him another couple days to monitor his heart.

A New Baby

Melissa had her baby last Sunday! (Pictures courtesy of emails from Melissa and Dan... it's good to know friends of both parents cuz then you get both the emails sent out!)Unfortunately he was technically a premie by 2 days even though he was 6lb 13oz and 19in long. And then he had fluid on his lungs and he was first on oxygen and then that forced air thing in the NICU. It's been pretty hard on the parents. But don't worry, he got off oxygen Friday and they will probably be able to take him home Monday!

So what does a Melanie do when her good friend has a baby and remembers she has some smothering tendencies so tries to tone it down? Brings TONS of books to the hospital from her library so they can pick a couple. Yes, this is a picture AFTER they had made selections (I even had a book I thought her Mom would enjoy).

Dan's family lives in Vegas so I knew there wasn't alot I needed to do to help but I wanted to do something without smothering. So I didn't take these books with me.

You feel somewhat helpless when u know ur friend is having a really hard time but there is nothing you can do about it to make it better. So I did what I would like someone to do, bring books and lots of treats left over from the Cherry Chub reunion and some dried fruit and nuts from Smiths. Then text every day and when she doesn't respond for a couple of days get really worried so text her husband on the pretext of seeing if she forgot her phone. (See previous note about trying not to smother)

But her Mom and sister got here last night and after spending the evening with them I feel much less worried. Of course, the fact that the baby is doing much better helps as well!

Good luck Melissa (and Dan)! I will miss our daily work emails :-)

P.S. Oh ya, u might want to know his name. Mitchel William Bunn (I decided to call him Willy hoping to kinda annoy them... but no dice since they are still calling him Baby Squishy at home. Last night his cousin Chase (3 yrs) kept looking around the house asking "Where is Baby Squishy?" They had to remind him that Baby Squishy is still sick in the hospital)

Cherry Chub Reunion

Yes I am a terrible blogger right now. After working long hours for some reason I just don't feel like blogging.

But a cherry chub reunion "Vegas style" did happen this last week. No, I never did live in the Cherry house (most of you know it as the woman's Gartz house in Provo) during my tenure at BYU but my sister Emily lived there, cousin Mandy, roommate Melissa, and of course Bethany and Courtney Gartz from my hometown. Emily's old roommates Jamie, Sarah, and Jen all know me as well. Of course, we'll overlook the fact that they couldn't all fit in Melissa's house and so they had to invite me so they could sleep at my house :-). But I didn't mind cuz then my sister came to visit me! And my cousin! And the Gartz's.

However, although I did take my camera over to Melissa's Sunday afternoon... I never pulled it out. So here are some Christmas pictures which I also never blogged about.

I was at work Friday until I picked up Bethany Gartz from the airport and went to work on Saturday. I got to leave early on Saturday so I could join the pack for dinner at a Japanese restaurant to celebrate Courtney's birthday. I was a bit cranky. So more Christmas pictures with us making farolitos!The food at the restaurant was wonderful even though it was in a kinda scary place. Once I got some food in me I felt much better. It was pretty late but we went back to Melissa's house (our houses are about 40 minutes apart) to do more Courtney celebration. We also did baby shower celebration stuff cuz Jamie was flying back Sunday morning. I didn't give my baby stuff away cuz I hadn't finished it yet. It made me kinda sad. So here's more Christmas pictures of making cinnamon rolls... and other stuff.
While the boys did what they do best.
Sunday I didn't have to work!! (Actually, us three lady engineers (Angus calls us "the girls" but I'm trying to wean him off that... we are LADIES!) kinda rebelled and decided we weren't working Sunday. When they say they are giving you 4 days to do a QA/QC check you CANNOT count Saturday and Sunday at two of those days! Sigh) So we went to church. I even got to go to RS cuz the YW president decided the laurels needed to go to RS once a month so they can make the transition easier. But Mandy had to go home with her babies since they were all ill.

Christmas picture of me in all my new pajama and apron glory.

Sunday I got to spend all afternoon and evening playing with Mandy's baby Julia (3 or 4 months old?) and furiously crocheting to try and get booties done for Laticia who didn't know what flavor her baby was going to be (if she had known it was a girl, I woulda been all set!). I ALMOST succeeded. I finished them that night and Emily took them to her Monday.

Monday I got home about 9pm from work and then everyone left Tuesday morning.

So now we need more Christmas pictures to remind me of more happy times than when people leave me after playing in Vegas without me. The End

PS I didn't take many pictures at Christmas either so I have no pictures of Dad or of Jenny and family. Anyone that would like to share would be my bestest family members for life. Doesn't everyone want that?

Hunter Show

So, I've been averaging between 50-60 hours at work... although this week will probably be more than that since I've already logged 16.

But really I don't want to talk about that. You don't want to hear the frustrated/mad/bitter Melanie (although most of you have already gotten an earful. Sorry!) . I just wanted to explain why I haven't been blogging even though I have some good posts in my head... not even counting Christmas. But when I get home from work I just sit on my couch. I don't even want to crochet (GASP! Melanie not wanting to crochet? The world doesn't make sense anymore). Then I go to bed early cuz I'm exhausted.

However, since my brother Nathan came to visit me this last week to smooze with advertisers at a big Hunting Show here in Vegas, I thought I would post about that.

It was so fun to see him and hang out. I miss my family so its nice when they come visit me! I'm sad we couldn't plan fun things to do since it was the middle of the week and stupid work got in the way (it also rained the whole time they were here and cleared up as soon as they left... Hello! It's Vegas!). But we did get to go out to dinner and I sampled "land maggot" (sheep) for the first time (that I remember). Needless to say Nathan and his coworker Sean did not try it. I just thought it tasted like meat :-). I also discovered meat gut and why we are supposed to eat meat during the winter... it makes u wake up in the middle of the night and throw off the covers cuz ur burning up.

Course, maybe that's just how I respond.

We watched the music video's I made of Jenny's kids and the one of Nathan's kids (poor Sean had to sit though them. Can you imagine watching other peoples home videos?) and showed each other funny u-tube videos, a favorite family past time.

The last night Nathan got out his gun and I suddenly remembered my camera.

There he is.
And here I am.

(This is how I really felt about it.. I wouldn't touch it until he showed me the empty chamber)
Wait, where'd he go?

Ah.. there he is. My camera skills just couldn't cut it.

Thanks for coming Nathan! It was so much fun to have you here and you are welcome anytime, with or without family :-). But next time I think you should take more food home with you. Although my YW are happy you didn't take the M&M's cuz otherwise they wouldn't of had any treat today during my lesson!