Saudi, family and fun…..?

Well I have now been back to the project for about a month since my adventure. The project was still sound with only a few problems for the I.T. guy to resolve. While I was away they finished most of the projects up that we had been working on some minor issues with equipment, terminations and such. Frank, my replacement who couldn’t leave fast enough, was back in his nice warm bed in the UK and happy to be away from all the sand. He left me a nice turnover list so when I got back I digested what he had done and wrote him a nice email of appreciation. I know it must have been a big culture shock to him, as this was his first trip to the Middle East and really didn’t know what to expect.

My welcome back by the team was low key however they were happy I was back to help them with issues while Ardie took and extended leave to visit his Grandmother in Canada. Of course the rumors started flying that he had left the project to seek employment in Canada. A couple of emails to confirm and he quickly shunned those who had started them and assured me he would be back as promised. The project engineer, Steve, was ecstatic to have me back as John my boss had left a few days after me and wasn’t due back for another couple of weeks. I think I had mentioned in an earlier blog that Steve had come from Jakarta to fill in for John on his first leave, and was mobilizing to the project mid November. At that time we had bonded and built a friendship as he was in love with golf as much as I. Of course I had brought my sticks back with me but his were on a boat from Jakarta and hadn’t expected them to arrive in the US for quite some time.

Things are as usual here, same ole routine, work, eat, sleep….. The days seem to just fly by and it really makes for time to go by quickly with my rotation not too far in sight. This rotation I am staying on an additional 4 weeks so I can attend and be a part of the year’s grand celebration. As most of you know, Josh and Cassie will be tying the knot in June to begin their wedded bliss together. Some of you may read Josh’s blog and know that he and Cassie are building a home in Falls Creek. Their first thought was to buy a home already there but their bid didn’t make it and so they opted to build instead of wasting more time looking. It seems to be coming together quite nicely, the slab was poured last week and they are already ¾ finished with the framing. Another of things that I am missing while over here is getting to watch his house under construction. I too have construction in my blood and miss not being able to spend time with Josh and learning from him things which I don’t know. But he knows that if he has a question about something, which he probably already knows the answer to, he can come to me. One of these days maybe we can work together side by side in our own Home Building business. If we are lucky, we will get the brains of the family involved as well and he can design all of the homes. Well that’s another story hopefully in a few years.

So as I wait for the next rotation, I continue to stay busy, studying feverishly for my PMP exam which I must take in June before I leave to come back, try and stay in shape making myself go to the gym, and try and keep up with all the fun that the family is having without me. Jeremy seems to be doing well in Iraq, he has decided to pursue a career in Safety Engineering and sounds like he has already made some great headway in that. I am trying to help as well trying to understand what he needs to be doing so that everything he works on will apply toward his goals. There is nothing like taking a lot of non-essential courses that will not help your advancement. I have a been down that road and I do have the T-shirt to prove it, well maybe not a T-shirt but I do still have some of the books. Anyway hopefully the Safety manager here will come through and we can assure Jeremy that he is not wasting his time and effort. I believe that his next rotation will be beginning right about the time is ending. We are going to try and get in at least one game of golf before I leave if Kimber will let him out of her sight for a day.

So that’s pretty much it. We trudge along day to day building this refinery, doing what is necessary to make our client happy and look for the end which is still at least 8 months away. Already looking in the weeds for the next adventure and hoping that something comes along. Hope you all have a great week and enjoy the sunshine when it finally appears. We do need the rain so don’t be too angry at the weathermen. Until next time……