Another busy weekend...

Alright?! So, I know I usually end up posting on a Monday sometimes to update what the weekend was like. Today being Sunday, I'm going to be bold and daring and make a post before the weekend's over! (I know, I can hear the OOOH's and AHHH's, lol)

I'll start with Thursday night, which technically is my Friday midnight shift, which I turned into a double by picking up an open shift for that next morning. I got out Friday afternoon and went over to Rene's house to drop off my paintball equipment for Saturday morning, then proceeded to go home and go to bed. I awoke this morning, bright eyed and chipper, and after stopping at Dunkin Donuts for a coffee, I made my way to the firehouse. Rene offered to drive, so we made a pit stop, picking up Corey(one of our members), and made our way down to Voluntown.

Why were we going to Voluntown, you may ask? Well, several months ago, my dispatch partner, along with members of his department, Moosup Fire Department, and the Plainfield Police Department decided to have a friendly game of paintball. Where, you might ask? Well, they searched around and could have very well played in some one's back yard, but wait... They found a company in Voluntown who has 3 paintball fields, and rents equipment. So, Travis and I planned another event for November 15th. I had posted it at the fire department for interested members to sign up, which some people did, but most either couldn't go, or backed out. So today, it was just the three of us from East Putnam.

So on the way down to Voluntown, my alpha-pager goes off from work, saying that there was an open shift tonight for the midnight shift. I immediately figured out that it was a call out, due to the fact that one of our dispatchers, who is a deputy chief in Scotland, was reported injured in a fire truck crash overnight, while responding to another town for a house fire. Thankfully, from what I heard, he's doing ok, aside from a leg injury. So I figured, what the heck, I already picked up a day shift tomorrow, I might as well pick up the night shift if it hadn't already been taken. So I called work and got the shift. Meanwhile, we pull into the paintball company's parking lot, after veering off the path two different times, and start to get geared up.

Well, we had an absolute blast! They had a conventional "speed ball" course which looked like the ones that you see on ESPN, a non-conventional "speed ball" course, which had things like port-a-potties, washing machines, tires, and barricades. And they also had a wooded course that was around 4 acres, loaded with forts, foxholes, trenches, and even had a camper and mobile home that could be used as shelters/sniper spots/death traps...LOL

So East Putnam Fire, Central Village Fire, Moosup Fire, and Plainfield Police had a great time(men playing like boys) from 10am to around 3pm. Before our last game, three cars full of kids pull up with their parents for a birthday party. One of the Plainfield cops knew the father of one of the kids, so he asked if the kids wanted to play the police officers and firefighters in our last game of paintball. They agreed. So around 12 adults decked out in camouflage went walking into the woods, preparing to fight 12 ten year olds wearing bright colored outfits. You would think we had the advantage, but the little buggers put up a good fight, not to mention one of those kids took me out with a come-out-of-no-where shot to the love handle! Talk about pain after running through the woods for several hours in rain soaked clothing! The kids put up a good battle, but we won with 4 people left.

So we packed up all our equipment, and began the drive home. We dropped Corey off at his house, and then drove to Thompson to get some gas, as it was only $2.09 a gallon there. We then went to the firehouse so I could grab my truck and go home. I was getting ready to go home to bed to rest up for work tonight, when the power at the firehouse went out for around 30 seconds. Minutes later a car pulled into the driveway, stating that a transformer was exploding and arching all over by Wal-mart, so I called work and told them to start a call for service, and we responded with ET-179. Come to find out, the homeowner that lives next to the telephone pole had already called the power company, and there was no more apparent problem safety wise, so we returned to the station. I was getting ready to leave for home again, when I was told the Chief was coming to the station and I had to wait for him because my 6 month probation was up last Thursday. Chief showed up, issued me my department plate, key, and blue light permit, and I scurried home to hit the sack.

So there you have it, my weekend so far. Good thing I slept, because apparently the evening shift was bombarded with calls from the rain storm, and so far we've had nothing on the midnight shift(knock on wood). But either way, I'm here till 4pm, and then I come back in for 12:30am for my regular "Monday" night shift. Also, I'm working Thanksgiving Day, because I'd rather work and get Holiday pay then just have a day off and stuff my face with food. I'm just looking forward to the overtime and holiday pay next pay period, when I can really pay some bills and do some Christmas shopping!!

Who's up for getting shot in a tatoo by a paintball, while talking on a Blackberry??!! LOL

Isn't it amazing how a year can fly by. Last I remember, I had just thrown out the large garbage bags full of Christmas wrapping paper and the boxes from all of Hayleigh's toys. Now it's near the end of October, and there's only 14 more days till Election Day. GO OBAMA!!! I'm not sure if things seem to go by faster as we grow up, or if it's the actual global warming thing, that seems to make the year(and the weather) fly by so fast.

When I was younger, the winters seemed to be much colder, longer, and snowy-er(or snowier, is that a real word? LOL), and the summers always seemed to be long and hot. Maybe it's the fact that I work 3rd shift, and sleep through most of the daylight, that seems to make the days all blend together, but either way, the weather patterns over the past several years have been odd to say the least.




On a different note, I have several plans for this week. In a previous post, I believe I mentioned that fact that I thought I had registered to vote back in high school, but wasn't sure. Well, as soon as I get out of work this morning, I'm going to the town hall first thing, to either confirm my previous registration, or make a new one. I want to make sure that I vote this election, as I feel it's an important one. Then I'm filling up the gas tank and going down to Backus hospital to see a former co-worker that's been admitted overnight for observations, post, some chest discomfort.



I also received a phone call the other day from Sprint, that I have a free $150 upgrade available. I've been having trouble with my Nextel phone freezing up on me, and the #2 button works when it wants, so I'm looking into a Blackberry. Years ago, I had a regular cell phone and everyone was telling me to go to Nextel. So I switched over to Nextel, and now everyone is getting rid of it and going back to regular cell phones. Having checked into the Blackberries, both on-line and a member at the fire department allowing me to look at his, I've made up my mind that I'll drop the Nextel and pay a little more for a Blackberry. The Sprint/Blackberry plan comes with GPS, free text, free internet/web-browsing, and multiple brands of free instant messaging for maybe $10 more than I'm paying now. It also has many other features on it, including a camera with video option, and the fact that it performs much like a PDA and an i-pod, where I can plug into my laptop and upload photos, a calender and songs onto the phone. So I'm excited about that.




I'm also planning on getting some more tattoos this week. I'm planning on starting to fill out my right arm, which I have a Scottish sleeve visualized for it. I know - I know, the last post I was talking about what bills to pay with my big check this week. The bills will be paid, but I will have some extra, and having just the outlining done will not cost too much. I can always come back and have coloring done afterwards, as I'm not positive which colors I want them done in. So I'll be getting my Clan MacFarlane crest(above) on the top of the shoulder, with a large Rampant Lion below.



After that, I'm still working on what and where next, but I'm hoping to incorporate a thistle, and my Grandmother's name to my Scot sleeve. Now my last tat was done by an apprentice down in Montville. This time I'm going to a local shop artist, so if it's not too bad, I might move onto my chest for the next adventure, possibly next year. However, that one will take some research, as I want my daughter's portrait over my left chest, because after all, she is the closest thing to my heart!!

Other than that, just a relaxing weekend enjoying time spent with Hayleigh, my best friend Rene, and his daughter Megan. I'm also excited for the weekend of November 7th, as I made plans with Rene to have a father/daughter double date, to the movies to see Madagascar 2, and dinner, which I think the girls will absolutely LOVE!!! Then on the 15th of November, my dispatch partner Travis, a co-worker Jeff, and myself planned a full day of friendly paintball games between a our three departments, along with the Plainfield Police Department, down in Voluntown. The paintball complex has been reserved for us, and I'm sure it will be a blast! Pun intended. LOL, stay tuned, I'm sure I'll have some tales and pictures to post about, along with the welts to prove it...