labor

This week while everyone back home enjoyed a 4-day week celebrating labor day, we've been actually laboring.  We are incredibly short-handed because our contractor has de-mobilized the majority of their staff, so I've been relying heavily on Phil and Jimbo to use their muscles.  In typical Jimbo/Phil fashion, there is always complaining involved, so I've been trying to get out and help as much as I can.  Sadly, installing piping and opening/closing valves has made me realize that I have basically zero upper-body strength and I would never survive as a pipe-fitter.  On the plus side, even though I still feel a bit like Homer on all my instrument & electrical commissioning, I've got the mechanical stuff down...

Naturally, I was complaining about being sore/exhausted to Alanna and being the sweet friend she is, she said something along the lines of prove it.  Conveniently one of my inspectors snapped some photos...

Alli I'll help you, but first let me take some photos...

Typical response when I ask these two to do something.

Back on the home-front...My parents and grabbed Nana and Papa and headed to Houston early Saturday morning to send Laurel and Jason off to South Korea.  They decided to have a joint birthday (HBD Jason), anniversary (34 years for mom and pops) and bon voyage Johnson family get together.  Anytime there is any sort of family function when I am at work, my mom does a great job of rapid-texting me pictures of what's happening.  Usually the photos are one of 3 things:  blurry, someone eating/mouth full, or surprised/caught off guard faces.  In her defense, I know first hand that getting some of our family members to smile is like pulling teeth.  Luckily, now we have Jason and Julie, and they are both always ready for a close up...
   

Typical text message that I wake up to post-family function....i love you mom!

Last week I reluctantly agreed to let my amazing construction coordinator (coonass Phil) leave my portion of the project to go help out another contract that is shorthanded.  He'll be heading offshore next week, and today is his last Sunday in camp which means there is a lot of prep work going on this morning for a big afternoon BBQ!

  
16 days down, 23 to go!  xoxo...