That Damn "Picture Book" …LOL

Ok, Ok ..yea.. it’s my birthday. I was hoping to keep it quiet and then I logged in to check e-mails etc. WOW! I didn’t realize that “Picture Book” (Face Book) sent my birthday out to everyone in the country… so much for keeping it quiet huh? Anyway THANKS to everyone for the e-mails and comments wishing me a happy one. It really means a lot.

I was keeping it quiet because I wasn’t sure if I would have enough dancing gals   … errrrr CAKE to go around for everyone who would want to come….

LOL.. who am I trying to kid??? Hell, BOTH of my readers couldn’t eat that much cake! YES that is Jenna Jamison and No … we all know that isn’t my cake but I did get one just as nice …..

Yea…. I know … and you’re welcome.  Who cares that she’s a little dyslexic … big deal I’m 42 instead of 24 .. IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!  (besides.. I told her I was only 24..Shhhhh)  LOL…You see, it should be pretty obvious by now that I don’t mind “sharing” with you folks … heck.. you’re like family … and besides… I’m a “giver”. Take today (my Birthday)  for example. I know how sensitive Rhett can get and I also know how he likes to be included in everything … especially everything “Ironfiremen.com” related. So, there was no way I could celebrate my birthday and not include my “little buddy” Rhett….. we made him a cake too …

Easy there Statter!  No I did NOT pose for the cake but yes, the cowboy hat is fitting LOL. So again, I just wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU for the comments and well wishes .

Today marks #42 for me and I have to admit that I’m beginning to feel it. I often think back to my younger days in the Department when the “senior” guys would tell me to slow it down a little. Ahhhh spit … what do they know? Yep .. I shoulda listened. I can say that on this birthday, I have gained more than I lost. I know that doesn’t make much sense but it’s true.

Despite a tough year (or more), my gains in the end are invaluable. That said, I hope we all grow and prosper if even just a little with every passing year. On my birthday last year, I had lost a little something … well, maybe more than just a “little”, I had lost my “stache” and my company (It was January 16, 2010 that I was moved from Station #9 to Station #3).

 

Makes me look 20 years younger right?? LMAO…  NO!  As bad as it looks there, you should have seen how they left me. Some friends decided to play a joke on me while I was asleep. They thought it’d be funny to shave off half of it …. they thought it’d be good for a laugh.   IT WASN’T.

There was nothing left for me to do (following the killings) but to shave the rest of it off. There was no way I could have went to work the next day with 1/2 a stache. The pictures, video and cartoons made it into the City a little faster than I did though …

It wasn’t too big of a deal .. after all, it’s not like I’ve had the stache all my life. I don’t think I grew it until I was 7 or 8 years old LOL.  No kidding, there was one other time that I shaved it (that time on my own).  It was a little after I was first hired in 1991. I was assigned to Ladder Company #2-A but drove the “District” Chief. Here’s a shot from “back in the day”

Now I’ve been at all the stages in between …. from neatly groomed to decent to comparative with Chief Billy Goldfeder..

All said and done, it has all worked out. I lived another year and the stache grew back. Here’s a shot of me today with it back to pretty good shape. ( I’m letting it get back to good for more photo ops with Chief Goldfeder at EMS Today and FDIC this coming March).

I have enjoyed the day thus far and plan to continue doing so. Thanks yet again for the thoughts and wishes. Thanks too for reading and following along. Don’t forget to “friend request” and “like” me on “Picture Book” and to “tweet” me on “Churp Churp”. More importantly, don’t forget that nominations are open for the  Black Diamond 2011 Blog of the Year  hosted by The FireCritic. Take the time to nominate and vote for me as often as possible .. I really wanna win this one!

I’ll check back in later tonight and update ya on yesterday’s shift as well as the events of today.

Until then, stay safe and in house!

Captain Wines