Thankful | Ain't Complicated

God’s Gifts

God’s gifts today in New York City:

the pilot
the rest of the crew
the weather
the rescuers
the aircraft
life
the miracle

UPS, the Weather, Me

OK, I don’t have time for this. It’s the last day of the year and I have so much business stuff to take care of before midnight.

But even though I don’t have time for this, I surely can take a little break, no?

So on December 11, Rod & Staff sends me a small shipment of three boxes via the brown shirts (and pants and skirts and trucks and Web site and jets and semis) at UPS. Two of them arrive on the 18th.

It’s a minor inconvenience but, oh well, things happen. It’s surely arriving on the 19th, a mere one day late.

Nope.

Finally on December 24 (yeah, I know, Christmas Eve) I check their Web site.

Shocking! The package is out for delivery on that very day. Even with all the snow and ice. I figured I’d be very surprised to see it. (We live at the top of a tenth mile driveway.)

The next time I checked their site, it was rescheduled for delivery on December 29.

(Now this is getting too long!) Read it all

Try Gratefulness (It’s in Season!)

ODOT says rush-hour plowing on I-5 was for drivers’ safety

Citing concern for motorists’ safety, the Oregon Department of Transportation on Wednesday strongly defended its decision to close part of southbound Interstate 5 during Tuesday evening’s rush hour, stranding thousands of holiday travelers and commuters for hours.

Officials said that rapidly deteriorating road conditions had created a dangerous situation that left the agency no choice but to act when it did.

Already jammed with rush hour and holiday travelers, an 11-mile stretch of the freeway — from the Southwest Haines Street exit in Portland to the Charbonneau exit south of Wilsonville — was closed about 4:30 p.m. as a “moving blockade” of ODOT equipment lumbered south at about 5 mph.

I wasn’t there. Not behind the wheel of a “civilian” vehicle. Not behind the wheel of an ODOT vehicle. Not behind the “wheel” at ODOT.

But I still say “Thank you!” to all the folks at ODOT for their work.

And to each one of you ODOT equipment operators on the freeways last evening that got the finger from irate motorists, please accept ten thumbs-up from me for each obscene gesture you got.

And an especially-blessed Christmas to you as well.

Thanks again!

Breaking: Woodburn Bomber Caught?

I just read this:

Authorities arrested a suspect in the Salem area Sunday evening in the Woodburn bank bombing that killed two police explosives experts and injured the town’s police chief and a bank employee.

The name of the suspect, address of the arrest or any details about the investigation were not released “to protect the integrity of the investigation and the safety of officers continuing to investigate this crime,” a news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Those are the first two paragraphs of the story I just read at The Oregonian.

Good job!

Birthday Suit

I’ll show you a picture pretty soon. 😯

Meanwhile, don’t go getting any crazy ideas! 🙄

I wore it outside for about twenty minutes.

I came in about fifteen minutes ago.

It’s a windy night out there right now. And about 29 degrees. And about 61% humidity.

That feels mighty cold, I’m telling you!

Read it all

Woodburn, Oregon: Black Friday

Thank a law enforcement officer or another first responder...

Updated on Sunday, December 14, 2008 Please scroll to the end for the update.

Though I no longer live there (I don’t live in any town, for that matter), I still think of Woodburn as my home town (although Molalla is closer by four miles or so). Thus, last evening’s events seem particularly close to home.

From The Woodburn Independent:

According to the Oregon State Police a bomb detonated around 5:45 p.m. Friday evening at West Coast Bank, located at 2520 Newberg Hwy. in Woodburn.

The Woodburn Independent has learned through various sources that a Woodburn police officer has been killed and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell was seriously injured in the bomb blast.

Newer info from The Oregonian:

A bomb exploded Friday at a West Coast Bank branch in Woodburn, killing a Woodburn police officer and an Oregon State Police bomb squad technician, and critically injuring the Woodburn police chief.

The bomb detonated around 5:30 p.m. at the bank in the 2500 block of Oregon 214.

Oregon State Police authorities this morning confirmed the death of its bomb technician. Authorities have not released the names of the officers.

I wonder if the dead Woodburn officer is one of those I have thanked for his service. I’ll try to remember to thank law enforcement folks more often.

To all law enforcement personnel, thanks for your service! Likewise to all other first responders.

And may God be especially near those who have lost a loved one, a friend, a comrade.

And may He grant whole-being healing to the injured.

Original post date (for the above): December 13 at 7:58 am Pacific

Update

The Oregon State Police released biographical information for Sr. Trooper William “Bill” Hakim and Woodburn Police Capt. Tom Tennant, who both died in a bomb explosion at West Coast Bank in Woodburn Friday, and Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell, who is in critical condition at OHSU Hospital.

What I’m interested in here isn’t each one’s bio, but his family.

Oregon State Senior Trooper William “Bill” Hakim (51) is survived by his wife and a 16-year old son and 18-year old daughter. (It had been over seven years since an Oregon State trooper died in the line of duty.)

Woodburn Police Captain Tom Tennant (51) is survived by his wife Mary and three children (Becky, Jennifer, Scott) 24, 22, and 17.

Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell (46) is married and has two daughters, ages 12 and 10.