Wasn't what I thought...

I will admit that when I began contemplating participating in the blogosphere I thought I would be writing a whole lot more than I actually have.  Part of it is a revulsion to having to read about the mundane world that some people consider blogworthy.  Part of it is realizing that if I only blog when something big and interesting occurs that there will be no reader(s?).

So as I look back I see that once to four times a month is about my speed.  Perhaps that will pick up in the future... but I don't see anything changing to make me blog more.

I do enjoy the process of writing and putting thoughts in a written format.  I actually look forward to reading older blogs after a while to see if I was able to communicate or if it was a jumble of confused thoughts and ideas.  So all in all I am enjoying the process.  I notice that my daughter and DIL have lots to write about what with surrounding themselves with small children and the burgeoning of a new career.  I think I myself would die of boredom if I had to chronicle my day.... so I thought I would do that from my shift yesterday.

Stopped at the Safeway store, as usual, to purchase items for the day.  I had come across an interesting recipe in the paper for "Roasted Red Pepper-Pumpkin Chili".  So I bought the ingredients (one of which was ground bison at $8.99 a pound! Think I'll be using a substitute lean meat next time!) and then headed to the Station.  The day begins with catching up on e-mail and a note from the off-going crew that the medic unit was going to be taken for its regular preventive maintenance so we were going to have to swap into a back-up unit.  This means that any equipment that the back-up doesn't have gets taken off our regular unit, catalogued so it comes back, and then placed on the back-up.  This happened around 9 am.  I also had to deal with the report of an off-going crew member that bay 3 door wasn't going down.  The crew operated the disconnect so we could get the door down because it was really cold outside... and then I notified the proper people about this issue.  (Turned out that one of the components of the electric eye wasn't lined up and so the device thought the door was blocked.  Once aligned everything was put right.)

Then, at 10 a.m. or so I began my workout routine.  Our department alots 2 hours of time for working out.  They don't specify what you must do just that you need to spend two hours doing it.  My routine is to stretch on a big plastic ball for about 10 or so minutes.  I am trying to maintain flexibility so I stretch hamstrings, back, legs, hips and shoulders.  Then I do some dumbbell lifting (I am up to 35-40 lbs each arm, 15 reps) and then, because it is winter and cold outside, I have a route I walk in the station that equals a mile.  Then I will stretch and lift some more depending on the time and what is going on.

We decided to go to the local Subway shop for lunch.  When we walked in a woman with an 8 year old boy said hello and remarked that we had held her son's 4th birthday party in our station and that he still talked about it to this day.  We exchanged pleasantries and then gave our order.  When it came time to settle the bill we were informed by the staff that the woman we had been speaking to had paid for our food!  That was quite a surprise and it left me wishing I could thank her more directly than just a general 'thank you' spoken to the air.  While we were waiting for our third crew member to come out of the Safeway (she had gone to get items to compliment the chili) our Battalion Chief drove up and went into the Subway to get his lunch too.

So, back at the station we ate lunch with the Chief, chatted about various things going on in the department at the present time, informed him that we couldn't turn in our training records for 2011 because we had one more drill to complete and were, in fact, planning to complete it right after lunch.  After he left we hauled out all of our water rescue items; life preservers, throw bag, and the kit we use to inflate a 100' section of  2 and 1/2 inch hose with a life ring lashed to it that could be scooted across the water to someone in need.

Just as we were finishing up this drill by re-loading the 2 1/2 inch hose the boys from a neighboring fire district stopped by: E77 and Aid 77.  Their company officer is retiring at the end of the month and so is going round and saying his farewells. (We are having them for dinner next shift as our part of the farewell)  They stayed for a little over an hour as we chatted, okay, war-storied for most of the time.  If you know an old fireman he will have many war stories to tell.  Believe it or not, just as they were leaving our medic unit was returned from it's preventative maintenance and so we switched back into our primary rig just reversing the process used earlier.

Then it was time to fix dinner.   I had never made this dish before so it was kind of an adventure as I followed the recipe.  The beanery smelled oh so good as the dish neared completion.  Finally around 5:30 it was time to eat.  Curious taste combination but actually quite good as we three all had second helpings.  Just as we were finishing up the tones went off.  M13, E11 for a 86 YOA female, breathing problem, diabetic history.  The call was in Station 12's area so was a long run for us.  Due to traffic we beat E11 to the scene.  Turned out to be a transport to the hospital in North Everett,  Providence/Everett.

Once we got back to quarters the crew focused on cleaning up dinner and I completed the necessary reports.  Then it was time for whatever one wanted to do.  The crew watched T.V. (back episodes of NCIS) and I worked on a personal project that I have been doing for years... stats!

Finally the crew headed for bed.  I watched the 11 p.m. news and turned off the lights at 11:30 p.m. and went to sleep.

Tones went off at 0300 hrs:  E12 M13 for 16 YOA male with seizure history, request transport to Children's.  This too was in 12's area so we could hit the bathroom before responding ( a real need if we are going to be transporting!).  Sure enough, off to Children's Hospital we go.  It is in Seattle, down by the University of WA and so is quite a trip.  We didn't get back to the station until 5 a.m.  The crew headed for bed (although both reported quite a bout of tossing, turning and staring at the ceiling) but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.  So I stayed up and worked on my stat project until around 0700.  Then I made coffee, put dishes away and cleaned up in the kitchen a bit.

Finally on coming crew is in place and at 0800 I am free to go home.

Interesting... that wasn't what I thought either!