WTF? Its almost May.

I haven't been idle long enough at the house to keep up with blogging. I have been to numerous crawfish boils, the beach, breweries, sushi, Ken came down, Las Cruces for the Chile Challenge etc. I don't find myself on the internet as much as I used to socializing. They have PEOPLE in Houston with whom I can socialize instead of living in BFE.

The System is down. Down Down Down.

Work Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

Beer GOOOOOOOOOD.

I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately. From the time I leave home to the time I get home from work it turns out to be an 11 hour day.

My weekends are ate up by a front axle rebuild on my Jeep. The axle seals required removal of the ring gear and I have non-standardized and aftermarket parts. I spend the better parts of Saturdays just trying to get an axle parts.

I will be in Las Cruces next weekend for the Chile Challenge off road competition.

No Handlebars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs&feature=related

SOLD!

Belinda and I sold the Nissan today. We were sad to see it go. A 1996 model with 148,000 miles, clean interior, and air conditioning. Minimal leaks from the oil pan seal and didn't burn a drop of oil and no major mechanical work other than a clutch and normal maintenance.

However, Belinda and I have purchased newer vehicles, but it was a great vehicle to run to the grocery store in and not have to worry about dings and scratches. The parking lots here are BRUTAL. Also newer Ford Trucks are the number one vehicle stolen in Houston.

Time to get the Jeep street legal!

Bought a new truck.

Belinda and I decided that it was time to get a new truck. Turns out we bought A LOT of truck. Its a 2008 F-250 4x4 Lariat with all the bells and whistles except the satellite navigation (we own a nice Garmin) and heated seats (it was 75 degrees above zero yesterday). Powered folding and extending mirrors, back-up camera in the review mirror, powered sliding glass window in the back window, adjustable gas and break pedal, amd a motor with very little rawr! The 6.4L Powerstroke has been muted with tons of sound deadening. If anyone has ever been next to a Cummins at a stop light you know exactly what I mean.

It will be a daily commuter for Belinda because the park and ride is about 2 miles from the house and I will still drive the Jetta 15 miles one way to work. Damn.

Doggie Door.

Coco and Guinness are large dogs. During the week the dogs are confined to the house or a walk around the block. If they do not get enough exercise they become naughty as a means to expel the extra energy. Belinda and I have found a drainage canal that runs through our subdivision that is mowed and maintained allowing the dogs to run and play. Afterwards they normally get a bath. It had begun to rain that afternoon we took them out there so I slid the steel insert in the dog door so after the bath they couldn't go outside. Little did I know that neither of the dogs paid attention when we let them out of the bathroom and both dogs bulldozed right into the door.

WTF Did we order.

Went to lunch with some co-workers and they were giving me some flack for not ordering the large order of chicken fried steak. Turns out the joke was on them.

CMT Redneck Wedding

They call them like they see them. I went to a CMT filming of CMT's My Big Fat Redneck Wedding. Even I cringed a little.

I found an NSX I want

Daddy likey

The New House.

Per Raven's Request.

Durty Nelly's

Belinda and I went to the Riverwalk in San Antonio for Nic and Katrina's wedding. This is the sign that was posted out front of Durty Nelly's.

Hurricane Ike

I don't really have a plethora of photos from the Hurricane. I think that we were too busy being in shock from buying our new house, coming to Houston, and experiencing a frickin' Hurricane. We were without power for about a week. During that time Belinda and I were still going to work. Its was almost like a long camping trip in a nice house. The evenings were really eerie almost like a bad slasher flick.

And Were Back

6 weeks after the Hurricane I finally have internet at the house. And boy do I have some pictures.

Stay Tuned.

All Aboard! HA HA HA!

I don't think this is what Ozzy had in mind for his crazy train. Even the pink Chryslers are bigger in Texas.

I-10 What a great place to drive

Traveling along Interstate 10 back to Houston at 80 mph (the posted speed limit) Belinda and I came across a tractor trailer that somehow caught fire that was full of cases of Bud Light. I guess that one of the tires blew out or bad wiring may have been the culprit.

???

I was having lunch with some friends at BJ's Brewhouse. When we left I rode with Victor back to his house and met Belinda with a puzzled look on her face. The 'bubble' had started on her way back driving down the interstate. Fortunately we changed the tired before any real or serious damaged had occured.

National Oilwell Varco

I had a really good interview yesterday afternoon with NOV. It was a change of pace actually having a Certified Personal Consultant helping with my job search. Basically, I have been pre-qualified for the positions that my CPC recommends me for and it skips the 'weeding' out process.

Questions like: Where do you see yourself in five years? Based on a personal experience give an example of conflict resolution you have implemented. and What do you have to offer to the Company?

The position at NOV would require me to design Drilling Rig Manifolds* based on customer specifications. Starting with off the shelf parts from the warehouse, I would create manifolds in Solidworks and then submit them to the customer for assembly in the machine shop located behind the building.

*Rig Manifolds are a way of metering production from an oil or gas well

New House...Again.

We finally have an offer on our house in Seminole and should close by the 9th of September. We also have a new contract on a house in Spring TX which is the north side of Houston. The Spring home is supposed to close on the 12th of September. The nice thing about that house is its brand f-ing new.

Can we eat them!?

There has been tons of mushrooms around the apt. complex I am living in right now. I have had none stop steady rain for the past week and it has been AWESOME...the kind of rain that wakes you up.

HOLY CRAP! is the building falling down. NO. But the pool keeps overflowing and the groundskeepers keep getting their golf cart stuck all over the place.

Smart crazy Belgian offroad test