long week...

it was a rough week here in chicago. we either had snow, rain, cold weather, wind, and sometimes all of it smashed together. i felt bad for the crew and said thank you to them as i let them go home at the end of the day. as a result from the weather our work has finally picked up a bit but because of the weather our crew has slowed up. our on-time is hurting a bit but the work is still getting done and thats all that counts. well...it's not all that counts but you cats get the idea...

manager...how's it looking today?

j.dot...not bad. we have a full crew.

manager...yeah but is the work getting delivered on time.

j.dot...umm, not really. our guys are running slow out there. this weather is really kicking them in the a$$. i think it's taking a toll on them.

6731 is as dependable as they come. i have never ever heard him ask for a break...well, beyond needing time to fix a flat or something to that effect. the other day he finally broke down and just requested a few minutes off the bike. i knew then something was wrong out there. 1168 who has been working for 15 some odd years out there is one of my late guys. i had him hustling all over the place late and was trying to set him up for his nightly pick up. he calls me...

1168...six-eight.

j.dot...what up?

1168...can you see if you can get someone to cover my night mail? i don't think i can make it. it's not that i can't but this weather is a bit much. it's raining non-stop now and the weather dropped. i just can't take it right now.

...i completely understood and dished the work off to one of our drivers. late at night and this weather it's hard to hold on to our crew. i have a select few that stay with me late but 6706 and 6758 are both in finals week for school and holding on to them has not been easy. sh*t...i completely forgot 6706 still had school when he calls me that he would turn in his p.o.d.'s after his final that was going to start in 3 minutes. all i could do was apologize and wish him luck. since i mentioned 6706 i might as well tell you cats that the poor guy had like 4 flats yesterday and still stuck it out. it was about 16 degrees all day and thats not counting the wind chill factor. i give the man mad love for sticking it out with me. i gave him the option of calling it quits cause Lord knows i would have been so frustrated that i probably would have given up.

i got 6717, 6664, and 6718 to stick around with me on different nights. these cats are usually the first one's in so that means they are the first one out but, like i said, it's hard getting cats to stick around that i had to stretch these soldiers out. again...all i could do was thank them. i keep saying "all i could do" but honestly, i don't forget who rocks out for me. when they want days off...no problem. when they want a moment to rest even if we are busy...no problem. when the work is there...it's all theirs. it's not that i won't spread the love as me and scott usually do but the cats that helped me out when i needed it definitely get some extra affection...ha!

seriously...thank you to everyone who came out to play this past week. i know it wasn't easy. i know im the one sitting in a chair and you cats are the ones doing the hard work. i deal with a different kind of stress but i remember how physically and mentally draining the bike could be. it's just the start of the winter...lets see what happens the rest of the way...peace.