Dec 30

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 AVAILABLE

We are traveling home from Galveston.
The Galveston Camp has closed down. FEMA says we might be back in the spring.

Today we are getting brakes repaired on the trailer. We made it to Dallas and had a very hard time slowing down. The repair shop is being pretty good by "working us in".

Everybody have a great day.

dj

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is here!!

22 degrees in Graeagle. Rain today, with scattered snow flurries.
60 in Galveston. Partly cloudy with scattered sprinkles.

It's an official record. Frontline has been on assignment through the holidays. Our season started back in May. Seven straight months of support camps. We've seen fire and we've seen rain. ??!!? Hey.... isn't that a James Taylor song? We've seen Poison Oak. We watched fireworks. We watched an incredible lightening storm. We met some great new friends. We saw some great old friends. We blew out tires. We hit a curb with a trailer. We ate some great food. We ate some not so great food. We skipped some meals. We rode out a hurricane. We watched America elect a new President. We saw patients with cardiac problems. We saw patients with respiratory problems. We saw patients who didn't fair so well.

This season there were several fatalities in our small wildland community. Our prayers go out to those families and loved ones this holiday season.

Everybody have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!

Stay safe in your travels.

dj.


ps. Toaka says....."OH gosh. The 12 days of Christmas filled me up. I don't want anymore snacks. NO WAY!! (burp) Have a merry Christmas. ????Oooh!! Oooh! What's that on your plate?!!??"

Dec 23

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...
1 more day

Partly cloudy this morning. I can actually see the sun. I am hoping the sun hits the drive-way, and melts some of the snow. There is supposed to be another storm coming. That means more snow.

For the first Christmas in many years, I am done with my shopping before Christmas Eve. I usually have to rush somewhere on Christmas Eve, and finish some last minute shopping spree. This year I finished early because I am leaving for Texas. Busy business means a busy me.

Everybody have a great day.

d

ps. Toaka says...(singing)

"On the twelfth day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
twelve seasoned drum sticks.....
eleven pot roast pies!...
ten pounds of turkey....oh gosh...
nine bowls of kibble...
eight sticks 'O Bullies...
seven milk bone biscuits...

six breasts of chicken...

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!! (woo hoo!)

four nilla wafers...

three bites of bacon..

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 22

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...
2 more days

22 degrees this morning. It rained most of the day yesterday. Not hard, but enough to melt a lot of snow. I would imagine the roads are very icey this morning.

Two more days to complete all your shopping. Hurry up! I would like to see just one Christmas that is not so commercialized. We should all make or gifts. A long time ago, people would handcraft their gifts. Ladies would knit and bake. Some would sew. The men made gifts out of wood... or leather. Much more thought would go into each gift. They had to plan out their gift. They couldn't go to the store and quickly pick something up off of a shelf. No "buy one...get one free". If they wanted two rocking horses.... they made two rocking horses. It would take twice as long to have two under the tree. Twice as much work. Twice as much thought. Meals were shared with neighbors. Some would have huge community potluck style meals. There was an eagerness to share.

Today we are not so eager to share. I have what I have.... and I don't really care if you have any. That's the mentality of our society today. I have neighbors around me that I don't even know their names. Half of my gifts were purchased from the internet. Oh, I thought a lot about my gifts. But, once I decided on what I wanted to give... I just bought it. I didn't have to go out to the barn and build anything. I didn't have to bake one single loaf of anything.

So, having spread all this commercial Christmas spirit. Go finish your Christmas shopping. You only have 2 more shopping days. At least think about what you buy. Don't buy a gift for someone because you're "supposed to". Buy a gift for someone because your heart feels the need to give that person a gift. If you get no gifts this season, remember the gift of giving is the best gift you will ever get.

dj

ps. Toaka says...(singing)

"On the eleventh day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
eleven pot roast pies!...
ten pounds of turkey....oh gosh...
nine bowls of kibble...
eight sticks 'O Bullies...
seven milk bone biscuits...

six breasts of chicken...

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!! (woo hoo!)

four nilla wafers...

three bites of bacon..

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 21

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

3 more days

Still waiting for the new plow. The dude at the plow store said he would call me when the parts arrived. I think I was bugging him.

Today it looks like it is going to snow some more. It's quite a bit warmer today. It's already 26 degrees. I can't stand it. I might whip out some shorts and a tank top.

I looked at the weather stuff online. It says we are supposed to get rain today. I don't know how it can rain when it is this cold. None the less, If we get a bunch of rain, the roads will be absolutely horrible. The pavement is so frozen, the rain will just freeze into sheet ice. There will be accidents everywhere. If it starts raining, instead of snowing, I might as well put snow suit away and get dressed up in my fire fighter clothes.

Maverick seems to be doing a little better, but he still feels crappy. He is not hacking up blood anymore. We started him on a prescription of Flagyl... it seems to be helping. We are still waiting on the cultures to grow, so we don't know if anything was found in his stool. The only thing we do know is there was blood in it.

Have a great day.

dj

Toaka says...(singing)

"On the tenth day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
ten pounds of turkey....oh gosh...
nine bowls of kibble
eight sticks 'O Bullies
seven milk bone biscuits

six breasts of chicken

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!! (woo hoo!)

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 20

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

4 more days

Whew! (fanning myself) It warmed up today. Four degrees when I got up. It is supposed to be 36 today. That would be nice.

Had to take Maverick to the dog doc yesterday. He had a weird rash on his belly, he was throwing up a little blood, and had blood in his stool. Xrays showed nothing. He is feeling better today. The dog doc thinks it might be giardia or salmonella. We're not sure how he would get those illnesses. Possible source would be horse poop....and mushrooms! Yep. here are a lot of mushrooms in the meadow....under the snow. He did dig into the snow and eat a bunch of poop the day before getting sick. I'll keep ya posted on the outcome.

Have a great day!

dj

ps.

Toaka says...(singing)

"On the ninth day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
nine bowls of kibble
eight sticks 'O Bullies
seven milk bone biscuits

six breasts of chicken

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!! (woo hoo!)

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 19

AVAILABILITY

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

5 more days

13 degrees below zero the other day. Winter is here. This morning the temp is balmy 24 degrees. The wind is blowing. I can't tell if it is actually snowing, or if the wind is just blowing the snow around. It seems to be piling up a bit though. When you live in an area with tall trees all around you, the wind and snow mixed together can be a little nerve racking. Trees get heavy in the tops. then tip over in the strong wind. You can't hear them when they are falling.....just when they hit the ground.

I have to go attempt to plow more snow today. I don't know where I will push it to. I know the county road dude has created a nice big berm for me to navigate through. Today, I think I will give him his "litter" back.....right into his roadway. He may just give it back to me.

The new plow for the truck is on order. That will make plowing so much easier. Toaka and I will be able to sit in the cab of the truck....heater on...music playing. I can put a baggie of coffee beans on the dash, so the cab will smell like fresh roasted coffee....instead of wet dog. I might even put a piece of jerky there, so Toaka will have a comforting smell as well.

Christmas is close. Make sure you get all your shopping or gift making chores done.

Have a great day.

dj

Toaka says...(singing)

"On the eighth day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
eight sticks 'O Bullies
seven milk bone biscuits

six breasts of chicken

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!! (woo hoo!)

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 18

AVAILABILITY

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

6 more days

Toaka says...(singing)

"On the seventh day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....
seven milk bone biscuits

six breasts of chicken

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!!

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 17

AVAILABILITY

FL04 UNAVAILABLE Injuries - We hope Sammy recovers soon.

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

7 more days

-3 below zero here this morning. I sat in the hot tub last night....about 8 pm.... my hair froze... while sitting in the water. Now that's just way too cold. 105 degree water, with steam rising into the air... and frozen hair. As I sat there, I wondered if anybody's hair has ever froze while in Tahiti. I doubt it. I closed my eyes and dreamed of white sands, coconut trees, warm ocean water, beautiful sunsets.....then I was hit in the face with a cool breeze...not a cool breeze, but a cold breeze. Snapped me right smack into reality. I was nt in Tahiti....I am in Freeziti.  Have I mentioned that hate the snow?

My little game with the county road dude continued throughout the day. I moved "his snow" back into his roadway. He then came screamin' by with his giant plow and threw another berm across my drive-way. If I said how I really feel about this guy, I would be arrested. I am thinking of ways to block his flow of snow....just as he approaches my drive-way.  I can't think of anything that wouldn't cause him to crash. I can't do that. I'll just keep pushin his "litter" back into the road. I giggle everytime....cuz it just pisses him off something horrible.

I told him he could solve this little contest, just by simply stopping for about 15 seconds and pushing the berm off to the side. Technically he is supposed to do that, due to the fact I am a Battalion Chief and Paramedic on the fire department. It is supposed to be done so I could respond to a call if needed. When there is a house on fire, I do not have a lot of extra snow plowing time on my hands. The county road dude doesn't want to hear about what might happen in the middle of the night. Why should he care....he is at home, tucked into his nice warm bed. I wonder if his view point would change if it was his house on fire....or his mother's house...you get the pic. That would be asking him to multi task his thought processes. Plan for the future. He would have to quit living in the moment and let go of his ego and pride. He would have to move my...oops...strike that..."his" berm from my drive-way. This means he will have lost this little battle of wits. The little dude on the little quad runner....with the black dog...all bundled up...would...aahh!!...he would...!!! ... WIN. The road dude would be struck right smack on the forehead with the realization, all he had to do was move the berm from the very beginning. Who knows? He may have been put on my christmas card list. A hot cup of joe on a cold morning for his extra efforts. Instead we wave at each other, both giggling at the turmoil we cause each other. Berm...plow...berm...plow...berm...plow....the saga continues.

Have great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says...(singing)

"On the sixth day of christmas, my daddy gave to me....

six breasts of chicken

FIVE BAGS of JERKY!!!!!

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

and a pig ear for me....and just me."

Dec 16

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 UNAVAILABLE

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

Christmas is coming in...

8 more days

I spent most of the day plowing snow yesterday. Have mentioned that I hate the snow. I had to plow a place for the horses to walk.... they hate the snow too. The snow was too deep for the quad to do a good job. It can only scrape so much from the ground. The blade is only 16" tall, so it can only throw the snow so high. It doesn't take long and there is nowhere to put the new stuff. Finally the tractor dude showed up. He has a big yellow front end loader. Four wheel drive, with chains everywhere. Now, he can push some snow. Here I am on my little quad runner... freezing my a#% off. Here he is in his heated cab. He doesn't even have a jacket on. I had been working for over two hours on one location of the drive-way. He shows up and makes one pass with his monster machine... he is done. See why I hate the snow? It took about 45 minutes to get rid of the berm at he beginning of the drive-way. The county road dudes plow the road.... they leave me a nice big berm to navigate through. We argue every year. I move the berm they put in front of my drive-way into the road. They tell me I can't move "my" snow into their road. I tell them it is not "my" snow. It originally came from their road. It is now on my drive-way... because they put it there. The county road dude just scratches his head when use that line on him. He tells me "Technically you are littering the road-way" What? Littering? Now I am mad. I then tell him to keep his snow...oops..."litter" off my drive-way. I am simply giving him his crap back. I am the only Paramedic in the entire community. You would think he would want me to be able to get out of my drive-way. But NOOOOOOO.... he piles more. I plow an opening.... he plows a berm.... opening... berm... opening... berm... you get the picture. This little routine will go on all winter. Blah blah blah.... "you're littering the road-way" "you're blocking my drive-way" Nobody ever wins. See why I hate the snow?

Have a warm day.

dj

ps. Toaka says....

"One the fifth day of christmas, my daddy gave to me....

FIVE BAGS OF JERKY!!!!!!,

four Nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews...

and a pig ear for me...and just me!"

Dec 15

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 UNAVAILABLE 

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston Texas

Christmas is coming in...

9 more days.

Last night before going to bed, I had to plow the drive-way. I hate the snow. The snow was so deep, it was coming over the top of the plow. I hate the snow.  In some places it came over the front end of the quad. I hate the snow. I got just enough of the drive-way plowed to get out with a truck, if needed. I hate the snow. Today, it will take most of the morning to plow. I hate the snow. Soooo....enough typing....I gotta go plow some more. I hate the snow.

d

ps. Toaka says....

"On the fourth day of  christmas, my daddy gave to me....

four nilla wafers

three bites of bacon

two rawhide chews....

... and a pig ear for me, and just me."

Dec 14

AVAILABILITY

FL04 - AVAILABLE

FL05 - UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 - AVAILABLE

FL07 - ASSIGNED FEMA Base Camp, Galveston Texas

If you want to see some cool photos... go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas is coming in...

10 more days

The weather dude on the TV says we might get 12" snow in the next 24 hours. I'll believe it when I see it. It's certainly cold enough. 

For the first time in my life, I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" ....the entire movie. I have seen bits and pieces, but never watched the entire movie. It has a wonderful message. I think all kids should be made to watch this movie. I know a lot of adults who should watch this movie.

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says....  (singing)

"On the Third day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me...

Three Bites of Bacon....

Two Rawhide Chews

...and a Pig Ear for me...and just me."

Dec 13

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some cool photos.....go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas is coming in...

11 More Days

Everybody panicked!! "There's a big storm coming tonight!!" A very light dusting of snow is all we got.

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."On the second day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....Two Rawhide chews...and a Pig Ear for me, and just me!"

Dec 12

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 UNAVAILABLE Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp, Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some cool photos.....go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas is coming in...

12 More Days

It's cold here. The sky is clear. It is very dry....oh yeah... it's cold. That's all I have to say about that.

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."On the first day of Christmas, my daddy gave to me....a Pig Ear for me, and just me!"

Dec 10

Availability

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 Unavailable Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos... go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas is coming in...

14 more days

Good morning.

One last trailer to winterize before the storms hit. It takes about 2 hours for 2 people to shrink wrap the roof.  It helps keep the snow from piling up. I don't think this next predicted storm will do much, but once you get a little snow on the roof your done. It's hard to walk around on ice....on the roof. Anyways....that's what is on the agenda for the day.

Yesterday I bought some new christmas tree lights. I got the new LED style. They use a lot less electricity. I thought...ok...we can make our tree save energy....do our part. I put the lights on the tree, plugged them in......oh my god. These things are so ugly. They have an LED blue tint to them. They just don't have that sparkle that the older lights have.  So, if you are buying lights for your tree....stick to the older style. Buck up... spend the extra money on electricity. You will have a prettier tree.

That's all for today.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."Hey dad...those lights look blue...reminds me of?..??....???....of a blue berry pie....yeah....that's the ticket... a piece of blueberry pie."

Dec 9

Availability

FL04 AVAILABLE

FL05 Unavailable - Repairs

FL06 AVAILABLE

FL07 Assigned FEMA Base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos... go to...  www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just...

15 days

Good Morning.

They say a storm is finally coming. You wouldn't guess it. It is bone dry here. The temp yesterday morning was in the teens. We would welcome some rain, just to warm things up a bit. In Galveston, it is always about the same. Some days are cold and windy, some days are warm and humid. I don't think it ever gets into the teens there. 

Christmas is right around the corner. Only 15 days left. Hurry up and finish any shopping you need to do. Yesterday I went to Reno to do some shopping. I was saddened by the news that my favorite seafood store had closed down. They were the best. Every year I make a cioppino type soup. Fresh scallops, mussels, clams, fresh cod, crab legs..... it is to die for. Now I must find a new store to purchase my seafood. This store not only had seafood, but all sorts of different spices and other hard to get ingredients. The sign on the door just said...."after 30 years, we are closed."  Maybe the economy? Maybe the new store "Whole Foods"?  

Have great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."I don't care where you get the seafood. Just make sure I get a piece of something".

Dec 8

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
16 days

Dec 7

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
17 days

Dec 6

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
18 days

It Worked!
First the water was drained. Then the scary part. All the plumbing had to be removed. At least the plumbing around the pump, heater, and filter. Part of the foam insulation had to be cut away, as the new motor was bigger than the old motor.....the new motor would not fit in the same space. A couple of minor adjustments and it fit.

The new blower motor had different fittings than the old blower motor. An old part had to be machined with a belt sander, so that it would work with a new part. Blah Blah....it worked.

When all was said and done....a few small cuts....glue all over my hands....the breaker was turned on and nothing burned up. It didn't pop....it didn't make that Mercedez diesel sound. It simply moved water through the system as designed. I should be a plumber. A short while later, the temp was going up. Wooo Hooo!!!

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."OK...the hot tub is werkin'...now I deserve snack for helping"

Dec 5

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
19 days

Today is the day.
The SpaGuts arrived yesterday. It all looks pretty good. I have read through the instructions, and I think I can handle this. At first I thought I could do this without draining the tub, but I now realize this was a pipe dream. (hahaha..get it?...a pipe dream?) OK OK....

The new SpaGuts has a temperature probe that has to be mounted in the shell of the tub. It also comes with this cool little nine color LED light. So, to drill into the shell, the tub must be drained.

I also realize I need to get a couple more plumbing parts from the hardware store. I should have this little project done by....say.....next week.

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."Hardware store? Oh Boy!! There's jerky at the hardware store. I'll just wait in the truck."

Dec 4

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
20 days

Drama on the home front....

The hot tub is dying. When the motor kicks on, it sounds like an old Mercedez with a diesel motor. You can bet that the day came to a screeching halt. This is not OK. It was 2o degrees this morning. For a brief moment, I pondered the situation. It seemed to me I had two choices. First choice was to drain the tub. This would be the easiest choice. But then a vision my hind end frozen to the bench seat woke me from that idea. There would be no way to soak away the day....with no water. I didn't even have to consult with an expert to figure that one out. It was easy....NO WATER = FROZEN HIND END.

My second choice was to repair the damaged system. So I promptly went online to search for the parts I would need to keep hot water in the equation of my evening soaks. I found several options. Now, If I were actually a plumber, my choices probably would have been simple. I am not a plumber. I especially am NOT an electrician. Remember....this is a hot tub. In all my life experiences, water (ie: hot tub) and electricty do not mix well. I want to soak and relax, not create an 800 gallon lobster pot. I can do this. The red wire will to the red post, the white to the white, the black to the....well you get it. OK OK...here we go.

Online, I found a company that builds a kit called "SpaGuts" . It was just what I needed. All I would have to do is rip out the entire existing system and drop thiers in place. I talked to the sales lady. She was very encouraging. She told if I had the aptitude to find thier website, I could do this. Oh crap...now I really am worried. She assured me the wires would be marked very well. "Are you color blind?" she asked. I replied NO. She then said "it's kind of like Sesame Street...just match the colors." So we chatted for a bit, found out what size motor I would need, what size pipes, heater, etc. I ordered a new blower motor as well (let's not take any chances). I ordered the cool little Ozonator and a new filter package. She told me my tub would now be 97% chemical free. What? No more chlorine smell? I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what "chemicals" the remaining 3% would be.

So now comes the waiting game. Will the hot tub survive until the new parts arrive? The hot tub sounds like that Mercedez I told you about. It sounds like someone drove up to the wrong side of the house. I wait for the sound of FedEx in the drive-way. Hopefully the FedEx sound arrives before the Mercedez sound quits. Tick Tock Tick Tock.

...to be continued...

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says..."Now dad...will we be able to cook something good in the new tub?"

Dec 3

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
21 days

Dec 2

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Christmas 2008 is coming in just
22 days

22 days. Are you ready yet? I'm not. Not even close. I tried shopping online this week-end. I was doing great. I found all sorts of stuff. I had a shopping cart full of goodies. Then all of a sudden, my internet provider decided to shut down for a minute or two. AAHHHHHH!!!!!! When it came back on, my cart was empty. Someone had stolen all my goodies. The store I was in, welcomed me back inside. I was invited to "shop here"...."no traffic jams"..."no crowds"..."no sales tax"..."free shipping".....blah blah blah. I didn't care about free shipping, my cart was now empty....that's easy to ship. And at least in a crowd....I can see who empties my cart. Reluctantly, I tried again. This time I was able to purchase a few items. It took me a total of two and a half hours to find what I wanted, remember what I had to begin with, load my cart, sign up for the drawings, register, convince the computer that my address is actually a ligitimate address, enter my credit card information (it was denied twice), and complete the sale. Somehow the credit card worked on the third try. A few hours later I received a phone call. "Did you purchase products from our online store?" I asked them back..."Didn't I register with your store? Didn't my credit card get approved?" The answer to both of my questions was "YES". Well then...." I guess I did order stuff from your store". The girl on the other end of the phone was nice enough, she was just doing her job. The stores computer system "red flagged" my order because I registered as a "male"....I ordered female products. Apparently this is a security issue. Identity thieves steal your credit card information, then go buy womens clothing. Now I am beginning to see what the problem is. Ahhhhh. The problem is.....We have become so addicted to the internet, we have lost the personal touch of society. Had I walked into that same store and asked for help from a clerk. They would have known I was buying a gift for someone, because it would have been part of our conversation. I could have made a better choice of which product I wanted, as I could actually see the product...the colors would have been real. My credit card most likely would have gone through the first time. I would not have received three emails this morning confirming my order. I would have not received one email telling me that one of my items is back-ordered and will be shipped "approximately" December 13th. More importantly, I would not have received the email offering me 25% off of my next online purchase. I replied back....I asked for 25% off of yesterdays purchase instead. So far, the time it has taken me to purchase those items....I could driven my car to Reno, walked into the mall, walked to the other end of the mall and entered the store, purchased my items and returned home.....all in less time. No items would have back-ordered.

Oh yeah.....I just found out....I ordered the wrong sizes.

Have a great day.
dj

ps. Toaka says..."You don't have to go online to find me a snack"

Dec 1 - Countdown 'til Christmas

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

How long 'til Christmas?
23 Days
14 Hours
27 Minutes

Fire Weather Watches have been posted and will likely be upgraded to Red Flag Warnings later today in much of Texas and portions of New Mexico and Oklahoma.

World AIDS Day
MSN has introduced a new online music magazine. Check it out.
http://red.msn.com/

Have a great day.

dj

ps. Toaka says...."Music, schmuzic magazine.... I looked... not a single snack."

Nov 30

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

How long 'til Christmas?
24 Days
14 Hours
39 Minutes
...But who's counting?

24 days. It seemed like just yesterday, we were watching wildland fires in Northern California. That night of lightning was an awesome sight. What a show. The next morning fires scattered the north part of the state. It seemed as though fire season would be never ending. All we could think about was fire.

Now winter has set in. If a fire starts now, the cold alone will make it lay down at night. We still have not had a lot of rain or snow though. With the right wind, it could still burn in Northern California, though it's not very likely.

This is usually the time of year we winterize the equipment and take inventory of needed repairs. One of our trailers has some significant damage. One of our trailers is in need of more supplies. One of our medical trailers is still in Galveston Texas. I doubt we will see it back in California before spring. One of the trailers may cycle out of service this spring and a new one put in it's place. Deciding on the replacement is not an easy task. We want enough room to work comfortably, yet want the trailer small enough to get into smaller camps. FL07 has proven to be a very comfortable trailer to work out of, but is very large. It requires a classA driver's license to tow it. So, the new trailer might not be as big. Who knows? I might decide to go even bigger. We have been seriously looking at a Perterbuilt Truck with a 53' custom trailer.

Frontline is preparing for winter classes. We will be teaching a First Responder class in January for FIRECOURSE.COM. We are preparing a Line Emt class as well. We will be submitting the class to NWCG very soon. If the class is approved, we will be able to issue NWCG qualification certificates. It would actually become a requirement to be qualified on your redcards. I'll keep you posted.

That's the latest and greatest update for now.

dj

ps. Toaka says....."24 days?...Does that mean I have to wait 24 days for Christmas snacks?!!"

Nov 29

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 Unavailable - Repairs
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Nov 28

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

If you want to see some great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Toaka says... " Oh gosh...I'm full. I just want to roll....(burp)...over and go to sleep. What? More snacks? You keep 'em... I'll eat 'em tomorrow... Oh gosh... I can't move."

Happy Thanksgiving!

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

Galveston Sunrise
If you want to see more great photos...go to... www.ogaibrithphoto.blogspot.com

Good Morning. Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Everybody have an absolutely wonderful day. No matter where you rest your heels today, remember to carry the love of your family, the love of your friends, and the love of all mankind .... cherish what you have.

dj

ps. Toaka says...."OK. Enough with the mushy talk....where's the TURKEY? ooh! ooh! ooh! Is that PUMPKIN PIE? Can dogs eat pumpkin pie? ooh! ooh! ooh! Is that Cranberry...whatever it is? ?? Can dogs eat...Cranberry... ?? ooh! ooh! ooh! Is that ... oh my gosh....I need to sit down...this is too much." (steady stream of drool)

Nov 26

AVAILABILITY

FL04 AVAILABLE
FL05 AVAILABLE
FL06 AVAILABLE
FL07 Assigned FEMA base Camp Galveston, Texas

The kitchen folks are busy planning an Old Fashion Thanksgiving Dinner. They are making Turkey, Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Cranberries, Stuffing, Gravy, and Pumpkin Pie.

A message to the kitchen folks... Thank you so much for your outstanding efforts. It does not go unnoticed. Adding your special touch to your meal preparations makes our meals away from home... more like home. Thank-you for all the creativity. The deserts are outstanding. The S'mores...casserole like...whatever it was. Oh MY GOD!! How decadent. Oh....and let's see... the Peach Cobbler.....to die for. My key criteria for any restaurant is consistency. You have mastered that. You should be proud of the service you have been providing. THANK YOU.

A big thank-you to TEEN Challenge, as well, for all your hard work in the kitchen.

Everybody has become "family". For the folks who have been there everyday, it would to imagine a holiday meal without their new "family". I am sure the Thanksgiving meal will be as close to home as possibly practical.

On another note... Galveston is still messed up. I overheard some citizens talking, while waiting in line at the UPS store. One got three feet of water, but his house was built on stilts ... so he was OK. The other got fourteen feet of water... no stilts. They said they knew of people who will not return to the island. They lost so much, it was not even worth attempting to salvage their property. I heard one lady say she refused to make Thanksgiving Dinner until her family was back in their home. That was hard for me to understand. I thought she would be thankful for having her family. I guess you can't imagine how it feels to lose all your valued possessions until you actually are in that boat yourself. It is easy to say.."be thankful for this...for that...your alive" . I bet doesn't feel much like living when your pictures, your clothes, your dishes, your furniture, your home...are gone. Not moved, not stashed somewhere, not hiding.... just gone.

On that note... Let's everybody have a happy Thankgiving. If you are with family, love them...cherish the day you get to spend with them. If you are with friends, love them too...cherish the day you get to spend with them. We have made Thanksgiving a "Family" holiday. Remember....the first Thankgiving was not "family"....it was new aquantinces. New friends. Strange friends. All sharing one common day. All sharing one common goal. All sharing.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

dj

ps. Toaka says...."Oh my god!!!! Look at all the snacks!!! (tail wagging so hard she can't stand up) WOOO HOOOO!!! I love this holiday stuff!!!"