A Blessing Begets a Milestone

Courtesy of ccclongview.com

It is hard picking out a title for this blog post without giving away my victorious achievement today (link to the YouTube video.) I've been so very blessed lately with the way things are progressing with my new job and homesteading dream.  Even though my immediate family is not here to enjoy it with me in person (yet), I am thankful to have this blog and other forms of communication with which to share the events.

Being grateful for what you have is important in my opinion to keep you humble. When you start to take things for granted and expect things to bow to YOUR command, that's when trouble starts. I saw this first hand today so it is fresh on my mind for conversation tonight.

As a new employee in the local hospital, I am capable of performing many tasks. One of which is Sonography (ultrasound exams) but the hospital already has a contract with an outside company to provide Sonographers around the clock. This has been the norm at this hospital for quite some time. Since there is already someone fulfilling the need of ultrasounds, I routinely perform X-rays and CT scans.

It was interesting to witness the contract Sonographer today as he expressed disgust at his lunch hour being shortened by thirty minutes by my boss. He snorted "He's not MY boss, he can't do that! I've always had one full hour for lunch." He also verbalized a distaste for the fact that his new unannounced schedule change put him working from 8am to  5pm instead of his usual 8-4:30pm.

As my boss walked in the room, a short but heated exchange occurred. Mr Spoiled Tech stated that his hours have always been 8-4:30 and he would not be staying until 5pm. My boss quickly pointed out that a paycheck is cut to the tune of eight hours of work each day to his contract company. 8-4:30 with a one hour lunch is only 7.5 hours of work. "Therefore," he stated matter-of-factly, "you WILL be staying until 5pm or cutting your hour lunch by 30 minutes."

The tech hastily left the room and my boss was visible steamed. "I've had it with that guy," he said. "I'm making an Executive Decision!" He turned, looked at me and said "Are you up to speed with ultrasounds?" I have been dusting my boss with suggestions that I could cover the evening hour calls for ultrasound and cost him much less than the contract company. It just so happens that it would also put more money in my pocket too...

At that moment, he declared the evening call hours were mine from then on. I would be paid $15 per night just to be "on call" and if I do get called in for an ultrasound, I'll get paid 1.5 times my hourly pay for the duration of my visit.

And for that, I was grateful. Mr Spoiled Tech has forgotten how lucky he is to be employed in this recession. He has taken for granted the fact that he has more work than he cares to do. He clearly doesn't realize that there are people out there who would be MORE than happy to relieve him of his duties/work/money.

The plan is coming together, piece by piece.

So today I am thankful that I picked up more work. That can easily be called a blessing in disguise. What better to follow a blessing than to get home and complete a milestone? In an attempt to create a homestead on our old family farm, one of the crucial tools needed will be a reliable tractor. I took a few steps back today to reassess what I had already done to the old Ford.

As I considered some advice from several commenters, it dawned on me that I shouldn't take for granted that what I had already done to the tractor was correct. Turns out, the gasoline I had purchase under the belief that it was ethanol free regular gas was in fact diesel. Exactly what I questioned the young gas attendant about. Google searching taught me that diesel was dyed red in some cases and this proved to be what I had in my gas can.

A quick draining of the red tractor fuel and refueling with fresh REGULAR gas and I had the Ford 8N fired up in no time. The homestead's workhorse was now reborn. She'll need new filters and fluid changes but she runs like a champ. I look forwards to plowing gardens and tilling fields with her. For now, she is parked proudly in front of the farm house...basking in all her former glory.  Right next to a big, beautiful Orange Jeep.

~OJD

New Rules for the Farm

13) Diesel is Diesel is DIESEL...no matter what they call it. Regular diesel, farm diesel, whatever. If you aren't sure, ask someone over 40 years old in dirty overalls. NOT someone under 20 in bluejeans and a tank top.

14) Trust your gut. If it tells you that you might be wrong, then maybe you are. There's no shame in that...unless you keep ignoring it.

15) Be thankful for what you have. Nothing lasts forever.