mike-usa-blogger

Christmas Morning 2006

2006-12-25T05:42:00.001-08:00

Jordan Brianne is all decked out for Christmas. We had a December 23 family dinner at duaghter Kim's and Jamies house. They go up to Gma Kay's in Fort Worth for the hoilday weekend.
We finally got rain this weekend. It is muddy windy and chilly. Poor George has not enjoyed it much. Of Course he only stands in his barn when eating. ACCO feeds changed the formula for the food he has enjoyed for at least 6 years. It has chunks of soy beans that are hard as pebbles and he acts like it hard on his teeth and he does not like the smell.

After three days it is clear he is not going to give up an eat it. This morning I put the 3 sacks 150 pounds back in the sacks. there were a few scoops of the old food in the bottom and he was glad to get it. Tomarrow we go looking for a new food he will like.

2006-09-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

I had to do some work this week in the Capitol City of Wyoming - Cheyenne

2006-09-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a better focus on this one but it will have to do. I just love the pose

2006-09-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Come home from a trip and you get to feed Jordan

2006-09-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Jordan First Week

2006-08-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

This is Kimberly in the nurd=sery with her Baby Jordan. This smile is fantastic.

2006-08-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is Jordan Brianne Kropka very early on her first day. We couldn't get therefor the birth beacuse the labor was soo quick.

Maui, HI

2006-06-28T17:50:00.000-07:00

Maui Side trip on Saturday June 24,2006.
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I went to Maui on Saturday June 24. Got a lucky upgrade from Hertz. A Miata convertable that was fun to drive on the Hana Highway. I drove down the East Coast 44 miles to Haleakula National Park. I now have $35 OF THE $ 50 annual NPS fee. 25 yellowstone and 10 here.

Big Views on the Hana Hwy.

The Seven Sacred Pools was a fun spot to swim. I didn't jump from rocks like many did.

I did hike 4 miles round trip to se the Waimapo water fall. You need a helicopter to get a full view picture.

No pictures from my Sunday surfing lesson on Waikiki. I did it. It was hard work but lots of fun. I did ride the first wave and several more after a few wipe outs.

After 7 days in Hawaii I am happy to be home in my own space and I am looking forward to a few days of. I went there to work and I did get a lot done. I will likely go back to work with Hawaii Department of Transportation again next year.

Mike in Yellowstone

2006-06-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

I had 2 days to explore the park. I stayed in a Pioneer cabin atthe Canyon. This is a great location for home base in the park. I found the north loop to be the most senic. Especially the canyon with its 2 major water falls and the deep colorful canyon walls.

This was a 8.5 hour drive from my work site in Cheyenne and 10 hours back to the Denver Airport.

2006-05-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Lets try it right side up.

2006-05-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

Well this is more like it. Karens new TV Box made by dad. I think it turned out OK.

2006-05-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

I finally finished this project started last summer. I have had a lot of moonlighting work involving travel ao Its hard to stay focused on my woodworking.

2006-05-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hanauma Bay

2006-05-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Kawaikui Beach Park looking east toward Hanauma Bay Preserve

2006-05-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

Light House Peeks around the cliff Ohau

2006-05-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is mys Hawaii Department of Transsportation Pontis Team

Tweeking the Shop Layout

2006-02-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

To replace the Big table I made a new open leg 4x4 foot table with leveling feet. This allows a lot more movement and the table is light enough to move if needed. Note the Fence extender and the temp clamp foof to help handle large sheets for ripping.

2006-02-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

This is the latest Tweek to my shop. I broke down the big work table and converted it to a cabinet base. I made the top out of MDF a new material for me. It needs solid support to prevent bowing.

2006-01-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

I met some people from Tucson at 4 Points Hut Steamboat. I need to get this emailed to them as promised.

2005-12-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

This is a cute little girl named Sadie. She came to Kim's Christmas dinner and stole the party

2005-12-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

This is the Beau Revage Windjammer and Hardrock from the marina.

The Third Trip to Mississippi for Katrina.

2005-12-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

I made my 3rd trip to Mississippi to do inspections of Katrina Hurricane damage to residences on the residences Gulf Of Mexico and inland locations. On December 10 we moved the field office to New Orleans on Camp Street near the Superdome.

I did not see much of the damage in New Orleams. What I did see was a lot of traffic and a lot of people heading for Burbon St on a Saturday evening.

The coast is beginning to see a lot more clean up and a lot more reconstruction activity. The roads heading south to the coast from Jackson on Monday morning are full of pichkups with ladders and trailers full of shingles and sheetrock.

I hope that Pontis activity gets moving again in 2006. I don't think I want to do any more of the damage inspections.

Inland you find a lot of residences that had preexisting damage that owners hope to pass off as storm damage. I like to think the owners went looking for problems after the storm and found things they had not noticed before the storm. I hope they honestly believe what they claim. I also hope they accept the logical explainations and the evidence I provide the insurance companies.

Many inland problems can be explained by old water leaks that caused rot or old drainage problems that caused foundation settlement. The most common issue is cracks in brick veneer mortar. Often the cracks have been caulked numerous times. It is hard to believe owners truely believe that the wind caused these problems over night.

2005-11-06T05:54:00.000-08:00

Glufport MS US 49 @ US 90

2005-11-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

2005-11-06T05:46:00.000-08:00

On the beach in Gulfport MS looking for address was very hard to do. In many cases the Owner had to give step by step directions identifying landmarks over the phone

2005-10-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

The first row of houses Standing 4800 block west of Grand Casino Gulfport MS. Everything between here ad the gulf is flattened. What a tough day

2005-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

10-27-05 ocean springs MS day 11 of my first tour on the Gulf of Mexico. Water 54 inches deep on the second level of this home. My back is to the south. They had a private Dock on a canal leading to the Gulf of Mexico so they really felt the full brunt of Katrina.

2005-10-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Another Post Katrina day at the Beach in Gulfportms. !0 down 4 days to go.

2005-10-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you find treasure in the flood debris

2005-10-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

This is what you find in the Streets fo Pass Christian MS . Today was my seventh day. I have driven 2600 miles in these days of damage investigation from Katrina. Storm Surge is no Joke.

2005-10-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Gulfport Katrina Victum was lucky H2O only 23 inches deep inside this house on Stilts. Took 3 weeks to mop up the mud but they are back in. Need more work but time to rest for now. Thanks for the snack. Its %pm and I started my day at 4:45 Am.

2005-10-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

First Day in Waveland,SM 10-17-05 This is my new job evaluate dammage from Katrina

2005-10-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here is my new band saw in my new shop

2005-01-20T15:34:00.000-08:00

I want to share the fun of living in the hill country near Dripping Springd TX. Susan loves to to see these little guys stealing bird food.

Christmas 2004

2004-12-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

We had a great family Christmas as we alway do. The grils and Jamie spent the night. Karen's Eric Barriga came for dinner C eve.

Eric worked on my home network problem without success. We had dinner and played a game. I shot Video and we all took digital Pics.

Karen had to go home early to take a nap before her nusing duties. Kim an I went for a run. Well she ran and I jogged. Jamie had to chase George. I had left one gates open and of course george found it.

Today Sunday the 26 th Mom did yard work and I did some elictrical work in my new shop. It was another beautiful blue sky day. I need to post a Picture.

Classmates.com

2004-12-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

I put $15 into a gold card at classmates.com and hooked up with an old HS friend and neighbor from the 1960's. We sat together on the school bus every morning me doing history home work as he did his latin translation. We played football and he ran track. I tried track but never got the running bug he did. So I need to write up my history.

I left NY for Arizona after completing 2 years at what was Auburn Community College. I completed my Civil Engineering Degree at the University of Arizona in September of 1969. I needed a summer session to finish up. I met my wife Susan ( Tucson Girl) in June while hanging out at the student union pool waiting for summer school to start. LOS (love at first sight) took over and we were married January 29, 1970

In October 1969 I started a 32 year career with the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) in Helena Montana. This short assignment ended in January and I was transferred to South Carolina. I stopped in Tucson and got married and then got drafted into the US Army May 5,1970. Funny thing I came home to NY for the draft and they sent me to boot camp back in Columbia SC Fort Jackson.

No Vietnam for me. My civil engineering degree landed me in Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas in an office of mostly civilian engineers. I always say I was only in the real Army for 8 weeks. Susan went to summer school at the U of A and also attended the U of Little Rock and managed to complete her degree by the time I got my early out release from the Army December 17, 1971.

I got back to the BPR which became the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with the creation of the US Department Of Transportation. February 1972 I was working on a bridge construction project for the Arkansas Highway Department in Pine Bluff. This was part of my 3 year training program.

In November 1972 we made the first move to Washington DC for a 2 month class room training assignment. February 1973 found us in Olympia Washington this time a bridge design training assignment with the Washington DOT.

February 1974 and we are in Arlington VA. My training program is completed and I have my first permanent assignment in the Demonstration Projects Program. It was technology transfer work. We transftred research results to practical application. I keep involved in technology transfer and promoted many ideas during my career. This was a great start.

Susan worked a couple of years for FHWA but became a full time mom July 19, 1975. Kimberly Elise Fraher .

1976 - Fort Worth Texas my first assignment in this Regional Office

1978 - August 16, 1978 Karen Elizabeth Fraher I did an interesting moonlight job—I sold beer in the stands of the Texas Rangers MLB team for 2 summers. That was the last time I wore size 32 pants.

1980 - 1986 Yardley PA working as Division Bridge Engineer FHWA in Trenton NJ
1984 Very interesting temporary assignment to Saudi Arabia

1986-1999 back in Fort Worth Texas FHWA Regional Office covering Arkansas Louisiana Texas Oklahoma and New Mexico. I also traveled to many other States providing training in highway drainage, bridge scour , bridge safety inspection and bridge management systems (computer stuff) . These trips helped me get to cities where my sibs scattered and up home to see the folks and brother Tom many times. Tom is the only one of the 8 of us to settle in CNY Skaneateles. They have a Camp on the canal near Mudd Lock.

1999 Atlanta Georgia for the National Resource Center created as part of a major reorganization of the FHWA. This brought me back to technology transfer fulltime as a Team Leader with an office with a door and windows and a great group of younger engineers promoting new technology for pavements hydraulics bridge design foundations and of course my specialty Bridge Management Systems.

2003 January 3 about a week after my 55th bday I retired from my first career and Started working as a self employed consultant for Bridge Management Systems implementation. In August the Atlanta area house was sold the moving van brought us to back to Texas near Austin where both Girls live and work. Both are University of Texas Grads.

Kim is married to Jamie Kropka. She is a Chemical engineer for Freescale ( formerly Motorola) She makes computer chips. Jamie is also a chemical engineer in grad school at the University of Texas.

Karen is a Critical Care Registered Nurse.

All three are super people.

Well I work when I have work and there is plenty right now. I have started may hobbies over the years and still get into them when I can. I have been building a shop and office and hope to get moved in in a few more months. Just need to complete the elictrical plumming insulation and sheetrock (ONLY!!!!) It is weather tight and painted on the outside.

Hey Ron
I did try some running finaly in the 80's ran one 10K and dropped back to hiking and walking Golf for 20 years and quit that. I down Hill Ski when I can affford it and the kids have time to go with me. Susan cooks and gets to play mom when we go. Just had a great week in Lake Tahoe.

I had a interior miniscus tear scrapped out last April but recovered pretty good. No more swelling I am walkin hiking skiing and in fair shape. My Son in law is a real runner and Kim is into it now. Jamie did the Boston last year but got sick he did finish intime to get his medal.
Austin is the most running place I have ever been. Marathon half marathon 10 k 5 k fun runs you name it they run it ( By the thousands) Not me I am saving my knees for the snow and getting out of bed in the morning. Lady TRI thing Karen did that one.

Good hearing from you.

Mike

Ron replied today with interesting catch-up letter about his past 40 years. I know my next trip to Montezuma NY will include a hike over the hills to se Ron.

2004-12-22T16:48:00.000-08:00

Blue Norther in Texas

2004-12-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

Not the first but a cold one. Snow in the forcast. It is a Stiff north wind all day. Iwent out for my 2 mile walk/run and it was mighty brisk.

I doug out our Christmas records and the old Sony LP 33 RPM player. I finaly figured out that to make individual mp3 tracks (these can be made into cd-audio) I need to baby sit my soundblaster when converting a record to MP3. Stop Save and restart. Then I need to go back an rename all the tracks to the song title. Its a lot of work but worth the fun.

Anyway I hope to get the College of St Cathrene and St Thomas Christmas Album out to mom and dad on CD soon, probably not by Christmas I waited too long.

George is enjoying the cold. I think its because he always gets extra hay. Susan has spent the day trying to shelter her plants from the north wind.

Heavenly Ski December 2004

2004-12-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

Heavenly South LakeTahoe

2004-12-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Kim and Jamie

2004-12-20T15:39:00.000-08:00

Kim and Dad

2004-12-20T15:35:00.001-08:00

Kim And Kare Bear

2004-12-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

Karen and Dad at the top

Family Trip to Lake Tahoe

2004-12-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

What a great week our family had in South Lake Tahoe. Too bad all the new snow fell the week before we arrived. I guess it was ok since I could get Susan to drive and drop us off 50 yards from the Gondola. What a deal.

I had a tough time with my rented boots but the scars from the blisters around the top of my socks earned the 4 of us a 20 % discount on the rentals. Not bad $100+ savings for a little PAIN!!!!.

The girls and Jaime and I skied 4 days and Mom got to be a full time MOM for a week. Dinner on the table by 6PM or sooner every day.

Our friends from Sacramento Bill and Nancy Forrester and Carson City Terry and Chris Philbin drove over to the Condo for a Tuesday evening dinner and visit. Susan made great lasagna Bill and Nancy brought sierra Nevada and Red Hook Terry and Chris provided a white wine. It was really great to hook up with good friends from FHWA.

All went well till the trip home. Susan Karen and I were on Delta and got a nasty surprise in Salt Lake City when I got on the phone hoping for a First Class Upgrade. Our incoming plane was delayed by mechanical problem and we would not make our Dallas to Austin connection. Stay in Salt Lake or Dallas?? We decided on Dallas and a rental car to Austin. Then the FOG delayed again and well at least I got my upgrade we got our Hertz and got home at 3am instead of 8 PM.

I'll be posting a few pictures.

George in some fresh ceder mulch

2004-12-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

George napping on new Mike made ceder mulch

2004-12-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

The Perdenalas from Wolfe MT Trail

Decorating For Christmas

2004-12-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

her we are
MJF

2004-11-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

George is Kim's Retiresd 1/4