Celebrations

We've had a lot of turnover at work lately which is sad for a 22 year veteran such as myself; to see some of the old guard retire out or move on. Last Friday was the last day for a gentleman I've worked with for 10 years in the sanitation dept. Since it sounded doubtful that any of his employees were going to do anything special for his last days I put together a care basket for him full of his favorite things - Little Debbie zebra cakes, jalapeno cheddar Cheetos, his favorite office pens and sticky tabs, a zombie apocalypse survival kit (he was always trying to [unsuccessfully] get me to watch The Walking Dead), a road kill cookbook (he literally would collect road kill pelts....I can't talk about it), and a 72 oz soda thermos.

I also ordered a cake for him that said "Oeste" which literally means west in Spanish, but I taught it to him to use it as 'westside', gangsta style, like my mom taught me. Which was completely appropriate for a Mormon elder. ;)

In his absence we've done some reorganization within the office and temporary redistribution of job duties until we get some new people on board. I.e. I'm doing more work for other depts.

Yesterday was an inaugural wine walk event in Ptown in the downtown. For a $20 ticket we got a free wine glass and a map of participating businesses in the downtown that either were serving wine, appetizers, art, or just having special sales. I went with a group of about 10 ladies so I had plenty of rowdy, drunken company!

Not a lot of wine was being poured that I was into, but there was one local late harvest red wine that was reeeeaaalllyyyy good and it's sold at a local grocery store in Ptown so I can grab a bottle during one of my lunch breaks. The event was only 2 hours (5:30-7:30 pm) which we all agreed was too short as we weren't able to get to all the businesses in time.

This morning we woke up "early" and went out to Durham for the annual Rotary car show and pancake breakfast. Too bad it's actually tomorrow. Doh! Now we're just lounging around at home until this evening when we have big plans to go to Barnes & Noble. Non stop action in this house!

Weekend Warrior

Lots of fun activities this weekend - first a wedding for a recently retired co-worker and then a couple's dinner up in Ptown.

Saturday night myself and a dozen of my co-workers met up at Tuscan Ridge Golf Course on Skyway for our recently retired co-worker, Shelley's, wedding. It was an evening wedding, but the weather couldn't have been more perfect (for summertime in Chico) - slightly breezy and overcast. It was a dry wedding, but that didn't stop my friend Dina and I from pre-gaming in the parking lot before going in! Overall it was way more fun than we expected. We had a good table of peeps (we stuck all the stuffy town people at another table) with lots of dancing and laughter.

Sunday night we went up to Ptown for a couple's dinner with two other couples. Dinner and drinks were provided, we just brought an appetizer. Lots of great conversation and enjoyed an evening outside listening to a lone plane checking for fires.

We didn't do a lot of Labor Day, just hung out at home. Though this evening a 300 acre fire broke out between Ptown and Lime Saddle and I've already received a text to be on standby to be called in to the Emergency Operations Center. So I've already got my bag packed and now I'm just waiting for the call. What a terrible way to end the weekend!