Friends in Paris

From: Yasna and François
Date: Tue, Nov 17, 2015 at 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: Hi from Robert & Vince from the U.S.
To: Robert Mihaley

We are touched by your attention after these terrible events in Paris. We are OK. One of 6 attacks is very near Studio Voltaire (and the flat where we live), at the restaurant La Belle Equipe which is on the corner of Rue de Charonne and Rue Faidherbe... Our very nice 11th Arrondissement was attacked probably because it is very pleasant, full of young people, and full of life. But we are in community with the citizens of Paris and we will not allow these criminals prevent us from living normally in our beautiful city of Paris.

Best regards,

Yasna and François

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From: Robert Mihaley

Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 11:53 PM

To: Yasna and François

Subject: Hi from Robert & Vince from the U.S.

Yasna and Francois,

Thank you so much for the hospitality you extended to us when we stood in your apartment in Voltaire.

I was writing you to see if you both were ok; I understand from the news in the US, that the restaurant near your apartment was attacked by a terrorist, we also recognized it from the news as that is where we first ate lunch on our arrival to Paris. It was frighting to learn that restaurant is where the patrons were fired upon with weapons by terrorists.

We are hoping you both are ok, and we send our thoughts and prayers to the people injured or killed in the attacks on Paris.

Sincerely yours,

Bob Mihaley & Vince Thigpen

The Beautiful Team

We were horrified to read about the shootings and bombings in Paris on Friday night. 

The first the I read about it was around 9:30 PM when I saw a picture of one of the shooting scenes on Facebook.  This was a sidewalk cafe terrace area with bloody bodies on the sidewalk and aid workers trying to help.

The cafe looked vaguely familiar, especially because a bamboo screen ran up the left side of the picture.  I remembered the first place we ate in Paris - La Belle Equipe, "The Beautiful Team", the name, a play on the words La Belle Epoque, and recognized the front of the cafe as that place.

That bamboo screen separated the terrace area of the cafe from a sushi restaurant next door.

It was Sunday, October 4, and we had just gotten to Paris and checked into the studio apartment we rented nearby on Rue Godefroy Cavaignac.  The terrace was full and we went inside.  The dining room was packed too, but the hostess found a table for two for us. 

We sat at the second table from the front.

The tables were small and very close together.  They had to pull our table out from the wall so that I could scoot behind it and sit with my back to the wall.  Bob sat in the chair on the outside with his back to the bar.  We were seated between people we did not know and could not understand.

We had cheeseburgers, fries, and Cokes (from glass bottles!).

The dining room was not very big.  There was a small bar and a hallway to the back where the kitchen and restroom were.

I can only imagine the panic the shooting caused as everyone rushed down that hall to the back to hide from the shooters. 

It truly is a small world after all.

Clark, Wyoming

Even though our first aid training was 10 hours long, Dustin told the supervisors to mark everyone who attended for 12 hours.  No lost time!

I got paid this morning.  So, I was able to pay Bank of America, Verizon, Beartooth Electric, and Gordy Stoltz, Jr.  I have a little bit of money left over to spend on Christmas gifts.

Today we drove to Billings, MT and took the truck to Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge to have the airbag recall taken care of.  We also told them about the Failed Fuel Sensor messages we've been getting.  They fixed the issue with the airbags and ordered a new fuel sensor sending unit.  We will have to return to have it installed. 

While we were there the man behind the counter said, "Oh, I see you are due for the 30,000 Mile Service."  I said, "Oh yeah?  How much is it?"  He replied, "About $1,100.00."  I told him, "Not today."  There is no 30,000 Mile Service in the Owners Manual.  I understand that they have a business to run, but there is no way I am going to buy a bunch of stuff the truck doesn't even need!

When we finally got out of the dealership we went to Lowe's and then started our grocery shopping.  Our grocery bill this month was a little below our average.

Going back to night shift tomorrow evening.  Ugghhh... this back-and-forth with days and nights sucks badly.

Ten Hours

Today was a 10-hour day because we attended first aid training.  Tim, Arnie, Jen, Brad, David, Chris S, Cindy, Chris F, Agnes, Randy L, Randy S the Maintenance Man, Chris K the Security Guard, Chris A the Gauge Calibration Guy, Teddy, Sabrina, Lloyd, Tony, and Dustin the Production Manager attended the training session in the Marathon Building all day.  The company provided a lunch of chicken enchiladas, beans and rice, a nice salad, and cookies.

We covered CPR, cuts and bleeding, broken bones and sprains, tourniquets, splints, and choking.  We had lots of hands-on training doing the CPR, applying bandages, putting on splits and slings.  Tomorrow we are going to put it all together with fire and chemical accidents, injured people, first aid, and moving the patient.

So, I am working 3 days this week, 3 nights next weekend, 2 days next week, and then nights again.

Wintery Weather

The days aren't so bad - yet, but the past few nights have given us some snow and icy roads.   The snow is coming farther and farther down the mountains!

I thought it was sprinkling rain on Wednesday evening, but when I got out to pump gas I saw that it was actually snowing.  I drove across the street and went into the grocery to get bottled water for work and when I came out it was coming down like big chicken feathers!

Last night we built a fire in the wood stove because it was a little chilly.  It did not snow here, but we drove in to Cody this morning and found some very icy roads and some snow.  We put the truck in 4-wheel-drive and continued carefully into town.

At Cody we got breakfast, loaded up some wood from Tim and Dawn's wood pile, stopped at Albertson's to get some food items, browsed the Boot Barn, gassed the truck up, and brought back a 200-gallon load of water.

My work schedule will be changing quite a bit in the next few weeks... I am shifting back to days this week - Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  On Sunday we are going in and working with Crew A.  On Monday and Tuesday everyone in API will be attending first aid and fire fighting training classes.

Next week I will only have Tuesday the 17th off - I am going to attend Crucial Conversations on the 18th and 19th.

We are scheduled to work Thanksgiving and the day after.  I am glad.  We will work 24 hours, but get paid for 72 hours!!  That will be the last paycheck before Christmas too!

Cody, Wyoming

The second night is always the hardest for me. 

I was up all night on Monday night with no problems.  I really didn't sleep very well yesterday, and tonight I am really working to keep my eyes open.

We just finished a batch of Cocaine Hydrochloride and it is drying in Room 006. 

When I drove in last night the weather was wet and cold.  We haven't seen the mountains in two days due to the low cloud cover.  It rained most of the afternoon and temps were in the 40's.  Bob had a fire going in the wood stove when I got up.  My drive to Cody was okay, but the road was wet and temps dropped to below freezing.  I used 4-wheel drive for part of the trip.

I am very tired and I hope the roads are in better shape this morning.

Our birds are growing new feathers and it is hard to recognize them now!  They look really nice.  Now they need to get back to the work of egg-laying.

Today was my Wednesday.  Tonight will be my Friday.