Long Hot Day

I knew it was going to be hot today when I wanted to turn the air conditioner down further at 5:30AM. We began with our traditional break. Then we broke to work. I and the other sub needed to bring three pallets of surplus books from the elementary. But first, we needed to empty the food service van, which my associate had thoughtfully filled with siurplus computers but had not emptied. I found that yesterday, and I was not happy. So, we emptied the van, ten got the books. It was hard, heavy, and hot. All that "fun" was compounded by the fact that my cohort is, while well intentioned, not the candle with the longest wick.

I've noticed, lately, that he removes the keys from every vehicle he drives. That is something that is a bit of a pain if you work for a school district. There are all sorts of occasions where you need to get through to something, but someone else's vehicle is in the way. If they leave the keys in you can move it and go on with your day. (also, he does not even have pockets, so you can't rely on him to open gates or doors without handing him your own set...and THAT is annoying, because he does not remember to give them back)

After lunch, he went to the elementary to finish the "small" mowing. There is a mower at that school. I took the big mower over to the other elementary and mowed. As I was finishing up, I lifted the front deck and the front guide wheel just fell off! The linch pin that holds it in place had disappeared, as had a few spacers. I rescued it and began my trek back to the shop to fix it, but the maintenance man for that school told me the other sub had run out of gas and then had to leave for home. I said fine. I would fix that and then fix the Big Mower. The heat caused the breeze to be tepid across my face while I drove back on the mower. I got to the shop and parked the mower. I went to the van, which the other sub had left out front, with the main garage door to the shop wide open (when there is no one specifically at the shop, we close the doors...keeps tools from walking off). Amazingly, he had left the keys in the van, so I did not have to go back in and get them from the breakroom. I filled up a can of gas and left. Here is a picture of me in the van on my way to the elementary to rescue the mower, note I am happy at this time. I did not take pictures of me after I discovered the predicament Tootsie Roll had left me in.

I got to the other school and there was the little mower...about 2/3 finished with the mowing. I looked at my watch and decided I could finish it in time to go home. I filled the mower with gas and then flipped the seat back. I was about to get on it, when I noticed that the keys were missing. I thought, "how appropriate." I walked back to the van, figuring Mighty Mouse had left the key in the van. No such luck. I called the other maintenance man (let me just come out, it's my Father-in-Law) and asked if he knew where Twinky had left the key. He did not answer. I stomped back to the mower and continued to marvel at Muscle Brain's logic. Tae the keys out of the mower that was out of gas and would not go anymore, but leave the keys in a decent school van, next to a shop with its door wide open and no one around to say, "Stop stealing those tools!" Just brilliant.

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I walked inside the school and found the custodian and asked if Meadow Muffin had left the key with him...NOPE. I finally had to push the damned mower around and into the building...that was no easy feat. I was sweating heavily...and irritated. I finally got back to the shop and walked in and put away the keys. I glanced at the table with the intention of leaving note for the maintenance guy who comes in first on Monday about the mower behind his Polaris. It was then that I saw the mower key. I was moved to cursing. I saw the words on the piece of paper under it. "Keys to mower at TH." Instead of yelling out loud, which would have startled Oprah the shop cat, I left these words below his: "How useful to have them here!"

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I shut down the lights and left. What a wonderful day. I went to the bank and cashed in $126 of coins.

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I took the camera to work today. I stopped a coulple times to take pictures. These are about the only things from the day that made me happy. I took some pictures of pears nearing ripeness and apples, sorry they are a bit blurry: I forgot to go to macro. I also took a few pictures of hops.

I also took a picture of the painting I put on the bathroom wall in the breakroom. What do you think?