Hey all,
I'm now a resident of North Dakota. Been extremely busy working 14+ hours per day. Got a little break with some rain yesterday and don't have to work until 12:30 pm (central time) today so I thought I'd give a shout out.
I can't say that I enjoy being here because the family is still in Indiana but I try to talk with them every day. I very rarely get to jump on the computer anymore but wanted to check in and say Hi and that I'm doing okay. I've found that I'm terribly out of shape but that should change pretty soon.
Haven't seen my family for about a month and miss them terribly as well as all my friends here. Not getting to smoke much but I do have to do about 60 pounds of pork butt for a graduation party next weekend.
Hope all is well. If you're trying to reach me on the cell phone, please know that I have zero coverage in the immediate area and really have to travel about 45 minutes before I get coverage.
Take care all,
Marc
Hey Marc
Glad to hear you are doing well in ND. I know how it feels to miss your family but hang in there.
Take care
nepas
Hi Marc
Good to know that you are surviving this thing. Any chance of the family driving up for visits? If this is not going to be temporary, are you going to move the family up?
Wishing you the best,
Rick
Hi Marc
Great to hear from you! ;)
Hang in there buddy!
Good on you for doing what has to be done. It's tough but you and your family will get through it.
Keep us posted when you can.
Mike
Hey Marc!
Glad to hear from you buddy. Have been thinking about you and wondering how you're doing. I know it can't be easy for you but hang in there.
Larry
Good to hear from ya Marc! Hang in there!
C
Marc,
Good to hear from you buddy! Keep up the good fight - all will be well! Have also been thinking about you lately. Take care of yourself, and keep in touch. Wishing you and your family the best!
Hang in there Marc!
Having been on several deployments in the Military, I feel your pain in missing the family.
Hang in there Marc,
good to hear from ya!
Hi Marc,
good to hear that you are doing well.
Hope you won't be far from your family for long.
You and your family are in my prayers.
Take care and hang in there,
Carolyn
Thanks for posting to keep us up to date Marc. Was just talking to 10.5 the other day and had asked him if he had heard anything from you lately. Good to hear you are hanging in there.
Till next time.
Nice to here from you Marc, I miss your posts around here. Have fun with the 60 lbs of pork butt, sounds like a nice break after 14 hour days.
marc .......... glad is all good miss you on here
seemore
Hi Marc;
Good to see a post from you. I hope your situation changes soon and you will be back with your family.
DUCK!!!! Behind you.
Sorry. Great to see ya, Marc. Hang in there buddy, you'll be back with the family before you know it.
Thanks for the update, Marco. Wishing you and the family the best.
Look forward to learning about the job when you have a moment.
Consiglieri
Hey brother, it's really great to hear from you. You're always in my thoughts. Give me a call when you're able to. I've just been busy back here getting the Ark ready for the big storm heading our way. ;) :D
Hey Marc Glad to hear from you again. Could have used you in the Iron Chef Comp. Keep your head up and keep talking to Momma and the Kids. It will be over before you know it.
Giggles...you mad man...so really glad to hear from you!!! I don't know if I have the proper numbers to call and harrass you??? ;D
You can pm me??? :)
I was seriously wondering where my "hazel" friend was. Glad to here your ok and working. Like me, you are hoping that things will get better, but I'm not seeing any recovery yet. We just gotta do what we do.
I really hope you and your family can weather it out.
Thanks for the well wishes, all!
The work is not the easiest I've done but it's hard, honest work and decent pay. I generally will work from 7 am until 9 pm (hours will go till 10 or 11 pm when the summer gets here as it stays daylight until 11 pm in the summers here). We get a 1/2 lunch break so that breaks up the day a little. I live 40 minutes from work, so it does make for an early day after a short night. No breaks for dinner though, so I usually eat my dinner on the drive home.
We're installing fibre optic cable into a lot of towns in North Dakota. It starts with putting in the duct (basically 1 1/4 inch tubing). This starts with digging a 2 ft hole by the house to hook up to the house. Usually it's a 2 ft deep by 5 foot long hole. You also have to shovel out where the line would cross power lines, cable and telephone lines. Once that's done, you have to attach the tubing to a ditch witch or a lawn plow and run the duct out to where it will attach to the mainline. It sounds pretty easy but it's a little more difficult than it sounds.
It is a great way to lose weight. I'm down about 2 notches in the belt already but pretty sore most days as I'm not as young as I used to be (in fact, I think I'm the oldest one on the crew :o). All in all, it's a decent job and it's nice because we're usually working on overtime come Wednesday (unless we get rain or snow).
Haven't seen the family in about a month but I try to talk to then every day. My cell phone has no coverage unless I'm in a bigger town (there are only about 12 of them here) so talking to them is a bit difficult during the week. Talking to anyone is dificult during the week, actually. I do have the weekends off but I'm told that during the summer they'll move to working Saturdays as well.
One upside is that I now live near one of the best walleye lakes in the country (Devil's Lake) and will be going fishing there Sunday. There are also all kinds of ducks, pheasants, grouse, deer and moose in the area. Hopefully, I'll get to hunt them this fall.
I'm hoping the wife and kids can come visit next month but not sure if that will happen or not.
Thanks again for all the well wishes. I don't get on much but my thoughts are here and during the day, I always wonder what new wonderful smoked foods you guys are coming up with.
Take care,
Marc
Marc, Its great to hear from you and I hope all is well. I am sure the family understands you are only doing what is best for all
pens
Hey Bud,
Really great to hear from you. All the best wishes to you and your family. Hugs and smootches to Steeler. You're in my thoughts.
Mike
SD,
Hang in there buddy. Sounds like you're awful busy right now, but hopefully that will change in the future. I just got back from a week away from the family (for work), and thought that it was not nice..., can't even begin to imagine what you're going through.
Stay Strong, we'll all be wishing the best for you.
Jeff
Marc
Its good to hear from you and hear that you are doing some good work and working hard. You might be one of the oldest, but surely one of the hardest working ones out there. Your motivation will keep you going and your family will be there for you as you are there for them.
Hope that maybe this can help in some way get closer to home or bring home closer to you.
Thanks for checking on us. We are proud of you.
- Johnny.
Got your Southern flank. Good luck to you. We've been taking a bunch of walleye down here on the river.