Miserable smoke through the weekend until yesterday afternoon when it started to sprinkle. It has been sprinkling since on and off. Smoke is gone locally, hoping the fires are out or at least better contained. We also had a 20 degree drop in temps, so with some rain and lower temps, perhaps firefighters can get the upper hand quickly and end this fire season.
My wife put some ribs and chicken on the Traeger Friday, she usually uses apple juice to keep them moist, but was out, so used a jar of store bought peaches (LOL, with the fresh peaches we have had, I think she figured no one would eat the store bought ones).. turned out good. Problem is, we don't eat near as much meat at a sitting as we used to. We have plenty of leftovers, enough to share with company yesterday and still have some left.
Even with the smoke on Saturday, wife/daughter/granddaughter wanted to go to amusement park (they have season passes), so off we went. I enjoyed the day sitting in my camping chair, watching the fun.
In high school, I had decided I was going to trade school and become a farm machinery mechanic, so was not taking the "4year college prep classes" and then as a junior was talked into college, so had to take a bunch of classes in grades 11/12. The last semester, I was taking 2 extra classes, one before school and one after school, taking a full year in one semester. I finished up a week after I graduated (did not get actual diploma at graduation ceremony, had to wait until I completed all my classes). I went to state university one year, learned some bad habits, dropped out after that year, farmed for Pa, then realized that I needed to find a trade school, so found one 1500 miles away (Phoenix, AZ). Folks helped me get started and then I paid my own way. At first I was working 3 jobs plus full time school, then after a year, was getting enough hours at Sears automotive to quit the other jobs. I stayed part time at Sears because full time employees were limited to 40 hrs, as part timer, I could work all I wanted, averaged around 50 hrs week. Sears offered to match my post college job to keep me, but I wanted to try working in the field I studied. I've been with the same company since (lots of different jobs, but same company).
I think the problem with college now is the falsehood that 4 year degree equals high paying job. My oldest daughter got her teaching certificate and got a nice job (many K-12 teachers are underpaid, but that is another day's discussion). One of her friends got a 4 year degree in English and could not understand why she could not get a high paying job. Kids are being lied to, told to get a degree in something you love. It saddles them with debt (or their parents) and no job. The young woman that got her English degree, had to move home with her parents and go to a trade school. She is a massage therapist last I heard.
Pastor at church yesterday made an interesting comment, he said, "Young people today are not lazy, they simply lack passion." It made me think of the kids I went to college with, the ones paying their own way were working so much harder than those that had grants or parents or other means to pay (generally speaking, of course it was not every kid)..
