Last Day of February

Hen house improvements.

So far this year, we have only made one batch of EME, and the yield was only about half of what it should have been.  All last week we struggled with high sodium concentration in the mercury amalgam and we worked to reduce it with sulfuric acid.

When we came in on Monday, I was surprised to hear that Tim's team added more sodium to the electrolysis system, and raised the concentration so high again that we were not able to proceed.  Finally we were able to conduct our deltas.  Me and Cindy took the reaction completion sample and it came back passing.  It passed very well - 0.7% (it just has to be less than 4.0%) residual 2-CMT.  Then we had to get the product to dissolve before we could go on.

Well, the sodium was so high that our samples looked like snow cones!  I have never seen a batch so thick!  We have to have it completely dissolved because it is pumped through a filter and if it isn't dissolved, the filter will clog up and we will make a huge mess.

When we left on Thursday morning, the product was still not dissolved.

Yesterday we went to Powell, had breakfast at Pepe's, and did our laundry.  By the time we were heading home it had warmed up enough for us to bring a load of water.  So, we filled our tank at the Powell Water Dock and brought 180 gallons home with us.

Today we went to Belfry and had breakfast at The Blue Rooster.  When we got home I let the chickens out  because it was about 20°F.  I collected six eggs from the nest boxes.  Then I started to work on a couple of upgrades for the hen house.

The first thing I did was install a small 6-inch mirror in the back of their big room on the wall.  They can sit on the roost pole and see themselves in the mirror!  They will likely think it is another chicken.

Next I cut a 2x2 about 26-inches-long and screwed it to the litter dam behind the front door.  I needed to do this because the birds kick litter, bedding, and debris into the gap between the door and the litter dam.  Then when you open the door to change their water and added food, you cannot get the door shut unless you clean all of the litter out of that gap.  This ledge will not stop all of the litter, but it will keep most of it behind the dam where it belongs.

Tomorrow is the first day of March.  You know what they say about March - in like a lamp, out like a lion.  Or vice-versa.

I start another three nights of work tomorrow night.

Clark, Wyoming

I called off work on Wednesday.  Tom came in and worked my shift with Cindy.

On Thursday I went to work, but my guts still hurt and the poop was coming out white!  I was miserable all day, but we didn't have to work very hard and I only had to run for the restroom one time.

During lunch I went to Subway and got a foot-long turkey breast on white bread with lettuce, onions, and a little mayo.  After eating that sandwich I began to feel better.

On Friday, February 13th, I went in as usual.  Cindy and I were sent to Room 002 to mill some hydromorphone.  We did this for about three hours.  Then Arnie and Chris gave us a break.  After our break we had to go to Room 006 and make the EME process go forward.

We mixed the 2-CMT with purified water and some sodium hydroxide in a mixing tank and then took our lunch while it mixed up.  When we came back we rigged up the filter, pumps and hoses, added some activated charcoal, filtered the charcoal out, and then pumped the product solution over to Room 006a.

I worked in 006a and Cindy stayed in 006.  I needed to coordinate with her to pump the purified water rinses into the mix tank and then through the filters and over to Reactor 0107.

We worked non-stop until around 5:30 PM.  It was at 5:30 that the deltas officially began.  We took a short break at this point and then continued with cleaning up and getting ready to turn over to Team A.

Before I drove home, I stopped at Albertson's and picked up some fruit and a big heart-shaped balloon for Valentine's Day.  I left the balloon hidden in the truck when I got home.

On Valentine's Day morning I took the dog for his morning walk.  When we headed back to the house I took the balloon out and tied it to the dog's harness.  I put the dog inside the mud room and then went back out to take care of the chickens.  I told Buddy, "Now you wait here.  Mister Bob will be in here to help you in a minute."

The poor dog is terrified of the balloon and as he tried to avoid it, he unwittingly would pull it along to follow him!  Bob was surprised to see the dog in the mud room with the big heart-shaped balloon being towed behind him!

We went to Billings for the day.  We ate breakfast at Golden Corral.  We got some health food at Mary's Health Food Market.  We browsed the books at Barnes & Noble.  We went to Sam's Club and got some of our grocery shopping, but we didn't need as much stuff as usual because we were there two weeks ago.

Finally we got to Wal*Mart and got the rest of our groceries.  We only spent about $200 here, and we got a few non-food things too.

We woke up this morning to find a thin blanket of snow on the ground and temps right at 32°F.  We went to Powell and got breakfast at Pepe's.  Then we found the laundromat closed so we drove to Cody and did our laundry.  We got some chicken feed at Tractor Supply Co, and then filled our water tank before heading home to Clark.

I think I am going to get my taxes done tomorrow in Cody and file for my veteran's exemption on my property taxes.

Agony

On Saturday evening Bob heated up some beef stew that he made on Friday.  We had this for dinner again.
  I had seconds and finished off the pot.  On Sunday morning I was regretting it.

I was nauseous and had bad diarrhea.  I couldn't get very far from the toilet.  My guts were rumbling and thundering.  That stew had a cream base and I think it was bad.

Despite feeling awful, we went out to get some 7-Up for me - can't let myself get dehydrated!  Then we came home and started to put our new bookcases together.  Sheer willpower is what got the bookcases assembled and put in place.

To make me more comfortable, Bob gave me two cups of spearmint tea.  Then I went to take a hot shower.  In the shower, while I was brushing my teeth, the toothbrush made me puke.  I vomited up a torrent of hot water, blood, and undigested mushrooms and carrots.

I felt better after that.

During the night I had to keep getting up and trotting to the bathroom.  The liquid was just gushing out of me.  The cramps were uncomfortable and the rumbling sounds were worrying.

We drove to Cody yesterday to get breakfast at Granny's.  I had bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns.  I kept burping the taste of bacon all day.  After breakfast we went to the courthouse to get some paper work.  Then we stopped in at Albertson's grocery to get a few things.  Finally we went to the water dock and filled our tank up and drove home.

Gordy was working on the building up the hill from us when we got home.  After we dropped the water into our cistern, we drove up the hill to see if he needed any help.  He didn't.  So we came back home and I began to carry cases of books out of our storage container.

We put about 19 cases of books up on the shelves.  We are giving away two cases of books, and I put six cases of books back into the storage until we get more shelves.  The house feels more like "home" with all of my books out on display again!

I didn't eat anything for dinner yesterday and just tried to keep drinking.

Last night I had to get up several times and run to the toilet.  I am very tired.

Today we drove to Powell and had breakfast at McDonald's.  I had two breakfast burritos with a hashbrown. 

We went to the Cut-N-Sew store and bought four yards of fabric to make throw pillows for the new sofa.  I spent $97.00 on that!   Then we went to Blair's Market and got a few items.  I got a 12-pack of Fresca.

We filled our water tank and drove back home again.  After putting the water into the tank, we came in and I had lunch.  I asked Bob to make some chicken broth for me.  I drank the hot broth down and felt better, but I was still tired and went to lay down and take a nap.

This afternoon we tended to the pecked up feet on our hens.  They are healing!  Over the weekend we have averaged six eggs per day.

I am supposed to work tomorrow.  I hope I am feeling well enough to go, stay all day, and not soil my pants!

Clark, Wyoming

I don't even know if the groundhog saw his shadow or not.  All that I saw of the groundhog was some reporter getting bitten by one!  I can't complain about the winter - so far we've had a relatively mild winter.  January was actually fairly awesome!

Yesterday we drove to Lovell, Wyoming to visit Queen Bee Gardens.  They have an apiary and a retail candy store in town.  We asked about contacting their beekeeper just to watch and learn.  The lady at the counter gave us the name and number of their apiarist.  She told us that the hives are currently in California pollinating the almond crop.

We bought some candy and drove to Powell.  Here we sold a dozen eggs to Mary Vail, filled the gas tank, and got a Greek lunch.  I got the gyro sandwich and fries, Bob got the gyro sandwich without the pita.  Then we filled the water tank and brought home 150 gallons of city water.

Last night the winds really blew and it began to snow.  We only got a fraction of an inch, but temps were down today and the humidity was up.  It is supposed to get warmer tonight.  We burned some wood in the stove last night and we have a fire going right now.

Today we drove to Red Lodge and got breakfast at Cafe Regis.  Then we went to the True Value Hardware store to get a few things.  We stopped at the IGA and got a tub of sour cream and some Spam.  Finally we filled the gas tank and headed home.  The roads were kind of snowy on our way over there, but they were melting and drying off as we headed back.

Up at 5:00 AM tomorrow and back to work.  Not sure what we will be making yet.  Things change at work so much, there is no way you can plan your activities!  At least I can read my work email messages at home and know what they were doing during my days off!

When I get home tomorrow evening we will have a new leather sofa, chaise, and ottoman in the living room!  Our oak bookcases will be delivered on Friday.  We will assemble them and put books on them this weekend.

Pay Raise

These past three days have been a whirlwind.  We have been very busy.

I spent all of my time in Room 006 and 006a.  We returned to find that there was a little accident when Crew D began tranferring the mercury from the storage casks back to EU101.  The stainless steel filter housing did not have a gasket installed under the lid, and when the pump started up, mercury sprayed out everywhere!

To compound this, for some reason, they began their transfer before Maintenance could put the walls back up around the room, so the contamination spread into Room 006 as well.

We had to wear the miserable plastic Tychem protective suits for this clean up.  The Tychem suit gives very good protection from a wide range of chemicals, but it is insanely hot to wear.  We also had to wear a respirator with mercury filter cartridges, double neoprene gloves, and double shoe covers.

We had some zinc powder, powdered sulphur, and ferric chloride to clean up the free mercury.  We also had a special air-powered vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter in it.  It took hours to get it cleaned up.  In fact, it took us all day Friday.

On Saturday, after Maintenance got the walls installed, we attempted to transfer the mercury back again.  We had to filter the mercury as it was transferred and we were not able to make it "go".  Crew A relieved us and Jennifer Bell and Brad Bothwell were able to most of the mercury transferred back into EU101.  When we got in on Sunday we just had to suck the last little bit of mercury out of the casks with a venturi and carboy, clean the mercury, and put it back.

Then we put the tables and other furniture back where it belongs in the cramped little room, got the casks on their pallet wrapped up in giant plastic bags, and taken back to the milvan for storage.

In the afternoon we had to make a solution of 134 liters of 50% Sodium Hydroxide and 66 liters of purified water.  This is the "aqueous layer" that goes into EU101.  We transferred this over to the reactor, and we were pretty much done for the day.  Wiped out.

While reviewing my time card for the week, I discovered that the pay increase we were rumored to get had come in.  My increase comes out to about 16%.  I went from $13.89 per hour to $16.05.  During overtime I will be pulling down $24.00 per hour!

Today we drove to Cody to get a load of water.  We had breakfast at Granny's, shopped at Tractor Supply and Wal*Mart, and came back home.  Bob made homemade pizza for dinner.  We spent the afternoon putting the two Langstroth hive boxes he ordered together.  We are getting another two packages of bees in April and we want to be ready for them.