Ride Along with the Rescue Squad…

I did a ride along today.  I was on the ambulance from 9am to midnight.

Dare I sound macabre if I say it was fun?! Well…it was. I now know of two people who drive worse than I do. I think Ambulance driver’s must take the secret services special defensive driving class. It’s one thing being strapped down on a stretcher that is locked in place in the back of the box. I don’t recall swaying all that much.

It is entirely another different story when you are sitting up seat belted in and riding in the back of the box. I would not say that it is whiplash, but going over speed bumps and taking corners can be interesting.

There are alot of sick people out there folks. Do you know that there are people who will call an ambulance for a toothache? I know that our local hospitals do not have dentists on staff.  I am not quite sure what good going to the emergency room for a toothache does for you but it doesn’t get your tooth pulled.

When dispatch calls for the ambulance and you here sickness? Glove up! Throw an extra pair in your back pocket. Lots of  ’sickness’ out there…I think ’sickness’ is the code word for vomit.

I also think it will be along time before I can ever go through the drive through at the Colonel’s place and order a bucket of chicken. Imagine the look on my face when the EMT asks you to hand him a chicken bucket.

Yep, folks. A chicken bucket is what they call the vomit bucket.

Our county has alot of volunteer crews.  We have paid crews also but they wouldn’t be able to do the job in our county with out the assistance of the volunteer group. The paid crews are a little, um, how shall I put this…condescending to the volunteer crews.

The irony here though is that most of the units and the just about all of the fire and rescue buildings are the property of the volunteers. If the volunteers wanted to be snarky…they could post a no trespassing sign and keep the paid crew from ’sharing’ their space.

In order for our county to go all paid, our taxes would have to go up about 35%. We live in an all ready high cost of living county. The last thing we need are more taxes.

Apparently ’sickness’ calls are not good enough for the paid crews. They don’t like their units getting messed up so they will respond then have the volunteer BLS crew take the patient to the hospital. I guess when it comes to not liking ’sickness’ in the back of your unit it doesn’t matter if you are paid or volunteer.

Did you ever wonder why we have so many warnings on products that we use? I now know why.  I can bet you a that this particular item had a warning sign on it.  It just goes to show that common sense has left the building.

In case you are one of those poor unfortunates who just happened to be lucky enough to stumble across this blog, I would like to give a  small piece of advice. I hope you are ready.  I can put spaces in between the words so you can read it slowly…Maybe that is why someone today didn’t have enough common sense to NOT put his finger in the lawnmower.

Here goes….

Lawnmowers…are…for…cutting…grass…only! If that rotating blade can perfectly cut the top of your grass…I can assure it will have no problem cutting your finger off.

No fingers, feet, toes, hands, legs, arms or, I am reluctant to even say this one for fear some idiot would be dumb enough to try…Lawnmowers do not cut hair very well either.

They were only designed to cut blades of grass and only blades of grass. Got it?!

I will leave you with this one little tidbit of advice from the immortal green skinned, pointy eared sage…Spock.

“Live long and prosper.”

Three of my Favorite things….

….talking on the phone, snow, and cooking or grilling.

It is not very often that I get to do all three at the same time.  The south was hit with a wonderful snow storm. One we have been anticipating since November. My family and I happen to love, love the snow. We are into all that snow fun type of stuff. Of course homeschooling provides more time to play in the white stuff if we ever happen to be fortunate enough to get any of it.

It finally arrived!!  Much to the joy and anticipatory pleasure  awaiting all. I had to share in my joy over all this white stuff falling around me. I called a friend.

I called my friend in Texas. I had to call the only person I know who has all ready started her garden. She has put in 24 tomato plants all ready.  Plus some fruit trees. She wanted proof or just a picture of me  outside in the snow grilling our wonderful T’Bone steaks.  We are equal opportunist grillers. Our motto is much the same and more reliable than that of the post office.

We grill come rain,shine,snow, sleet, hail, lightening, hurricane and blizzard. We keep three tanks just for this purpose.

Here is the not so flattering photo of me on the deck, talking to my friend and grilling steaks.  Oh…they must be rare to medium rare.  I cannot over cook a good piece of meat. I have tried and failed. Much to the chagrin of those of my acquaintances who have the poor taste to like dead, overdone, tough as leather meat. I cook it to perfection and you can ruin it yourself by throwing it in the microwave. I’m not doing it for you…..

If you ever visit and I prepare  my special grilled baked potatoes and a yummy piece of steak…it will be done to perfection….Mine!! You can do what you will after I remove it from the grill. 

By the way…we are expected to get somewhere between 8-12″ of snow.  Not a good snow but I guess it will suffice. My husband and I were discussing our idea of a great snow.  At least we are on the same page in our thoughts of snow. That could have been a marriage disaster!! To our way of thinking…at least two feet.  That would make it a great snow.

I know…we are in the wrong place. I can remember when Virginia would get snows like that. I am afraid we will have to move to a more Northern climate.  Hopefully before I am too old and frail to enjoy the stuff.