Best Plans Ever

Planning and Executing 

One of my senior leaders at work is a former Army commander. He always says “All battle plans are great until first contact”.  I have found this to be true at work, and in life.  How do I explain this phenomena?  

I can provide a real life example, as something some of you might have experienced yourself.  A recent Saturday in my life included, hanging out with some buddies, and (get this) cutting the yard.  Yes, I realized this is a lofty goal for a single day, but I really did not want to work on both of weekend days.   With spring upon us, and the light of day sticking around longer, I figured it could be done.  

The plan.

Tronster and his buddies planned on spending the day together and attending an event.  Living in the DC metro area, none of us are “neighbors” in the traditional sense.  We live about an hour and half away from each other.  The event was located in a city about 40 miles from casa de Tronster.  Sunshine, wife of Tronster, had not made any plans.  So I was free to hang out.  Being an early riser, we all met around 8:30 am.  This forced me to rise early, not really a big deal, and drive to buddy number 2’s house.  We spent the day together, had lunch, caught up on a few things and checked out manly stuff.  

Afterwards, I (without informing Sunshine) had planned on cutting the yard.  So I got home, got into my yard cutting apparatus, fueled up old reliable, and starting mowing the yard.  (This is now about 5:30 pm)

First Contact

I finish the front yard.  I begin to prepare for the back yard.  I take 5 minute breather and have some water. (Hydration is an important part of life). I re-don my safety gear, and I about to pull the string on the lawnmower, when Sunshine has an announcement.

Sunshine calls me to the door.  “I have a ticket to the Janet Jackson concert”.  My initial reply, “Great, do I have to go?”  I was not prepared for the next part at all.  “No, but I need you to drop me off”. 

Well, um, I am in the middle of something.  However, I love Sunshine, and said, ok.  (Guys who love their wives, they know what I’m doing here, happy wife = happy life”.  They Venus is less than ten miles from the homestead.  However, it’s on a two lane road.  

Change of plans

In life you must be flexible.  I checked my watch, there is a slim chance I can drop off Sunshine, return to the homestead and knock out the back yard before it gets to dark.  We high tail it down the road.  The first few miles it was looking promising.  The GPS with (reportedly) live traffic indicated we would be there in time for Sunshine to catch the show with her friends.  As we get closer the arrival time creeps later and later.  Then we hit traffic.  We have reached this point in our journey after about 20 - 25 minutes.  We got less than two miles to go.  We are at a standstill.  The next 30 minutes we moved 4 car lengths.  OMG.  As I watch the clock, and see the daylight begins to fade, I’m wondering, I hope it won’t rain so I can finish the yard work.  

It’s a bust

We creep forward another couple of car lengths, and Sunshine made the decision to return to base.  Well, now the day is almost over, and I will have work in the yard tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the support, and hope you have enjoyed my little story.

Hot Days

The past couple of weeks have been brutal with the heat. Ten minutes to set up a "pop up canopy" and then I had to take a shower. Don't get me wrong, I prefer the dog days of summer than the stuck in my house snow days.

Today it is a little cooler in the early evening and I have fired up the grill. Going to make some burgers and brats for dinner. This is harder to do in the winter.  Here is a picture of a chimney for the charcoal. If you are a fan of cooking with charcoal, I certianly am, then you should invest in one if these contraptions.   No lighter fluid required.

Goose update

We all get busy during our daily lives. I like to think sometimes I can stop and smell the roses to enjoy life. The grind can wear a person down. I enjoy mother nature and all she has to offer.

I posted before about the geese living at the metro station.  Well, they are growing. They are even starting to look like geese. The momma and papa goose look over the heard (I believe it is called a gaggle) as they munch on the delicious buffet of mother nature.

Remember folks, life is what we make it and the moments we can reflect that will give us peace are provided by God and we should not let them pass.

Geese on the way to work.

Tronster uses a combination of driving and riding to work. To save a little, we carpool to a metro station and I grab a bus for the last 12 miles.  It really is convenient.  I have the distinct privilage of patiently waiting for the bus everyday of the week.  At the metro station there is a family of geese that has grown right in front of our eyes.

This first photo was a few weeks ago.  When the little ones were smaller, there was no getting close.

This morning when I arrived at the bus stop, the little ones are not as little anymore.

Wildlife has always been a joy to watch. Even the geese hanging at the bus stop. 

We have the parents and all the little ones.

Enjoy this Friday, for some of us the week is at an end. 

This is a test. A test of the blogger iPhone app.

As a test of the iPhone app, I figured I would try to post something from my phone. We shall see if this works and try to determine if this is a viable option for adding content to this great blog. 

Thursday I took one of my vehicles in for the annual safety and bi-annual emissions I am subject to as a resident of the DC metro area.  On Thursday the great truck I drive back and forth to the hardware store failed its safety inspection.  Why?  Because of the light "behind the camper" is out. Really?  That is why you are going to fail this great truck that has served me so well?  Wonderful. Can you fix it?  Seems like a reasonable request. Oh no, we would have to remove the camper to perform that repair. Great. Now I have this great bug red sticker that says rejected. 

On the way home I pick up the required lamps. The plan is to fix this travesty on Friday. Lord knows I do not want my burn out light (behind the camper) to cause any problems. 

Today I returned to the inspection sight and got the proper documentation to allow tronster's truck to keep on trucking. I did have to wait until the inspectors lunch break was over.  A condition the only other guy at the station was unaware of. 

Inspect your vehicles early.