Friday, February 11, 2005

Welcome - Our Moffat Family Blog

Just a quick note to everyone about this and that...
Talked with Mom, when I finally caught her at home, and heard about cell phone batteries blowing up, viruses on computer, her busy day, greasy chicken at Long John's, etc... hahaha.... She has had a head cold but was better when I visited with her.
Jake, as of today, will be finishing up his second full week at the Vet Teaching Hospital on OSU Campus in Stillwater. He seems to really like it, as it is a job and income! He keeps mentioning going to welding school. So one can only guess...
Phil starts his new job on this coming Monday working for Rain's Trucking in Perkins in the office. He will be a great addition to their team.
Jonathan is finishing up a school in OKC. It was put on by Microsoft and trained them in the use of a special program he will be using in tracking web design/development projects for the Chickasaw Nation. He is on their Web Dev team, and loves his job, just don't ask him if he does, haha...
Heather had a bout of tummy virus this week and with Madison Ann coming in a few months, it gave us all a scare. Ann kept Andrew for a day while Heather recovered at home. She is back at work and doing ok. Her father in law has a bout of it and last I heard was very weak and could hardly walk and if any of you know him, Roy, he retired from Stillwater Police Dept., farms full time and is now a full time deputy well!
Paul is ok, haven't heard a thing from Tammy or Austyn, and was told Randi and Kaitlyn are doing ok.
so all in all, things are going ok. Andrew has been spending Sundays with Jake and they play video games and have a big ole time for a few hours, and he loves to talk on the phone!!
In my area of the world, PCL is finishing up our year end awards and are to announce on the 14 of Feb., Monday. It has been a big deal, we had almost a million votes cast, with over 900 nominees for about 68 areas, and I count it all by myself... it has been a 18 to 20 hour a day seven day a week thing for me since Jan 1 and I am now looking forward to Tuesday!! Sure glad Jake has been able to tend to the cattle for Grandma and us!! He has been our saving grace this year!
Not much else going on here. Oh yes.. Grandma gets her hearing aids next week, can't wait to see how that works.. haha...
Enjoy the day... Hey Cortney, how was the Colorado trip?

From the New York Times (New York, New York), 11 February 1861

Railway Detentions--The Lesson of the Season
From the New York Times (New York, New York), 11 February 1861, page 3

If any railway traveler has escaped annoying detention during the cold terms of the present Winter, caused by the inability of the engine to proceed, he has been peculiarly fortunate. The vital features of the locomotive are susceptible to cold in a much great degree than the public imagines. A blockade of snow certainly delays progress, but it does not of itself permanently interrupt it, for if a locomotive can only be made to generate the breath of life, the penetration of the loftiest New-England snow-banks is but a question of time. The trouble is, that the supply of feedwater to the boiler, being dependent upon the locomotion of the engine, is cut off--the alternate charge and retreat of the huge battering-ram does not develop sufficient continuity of the motion to keep the pumps in action--the blood stops flowing through the veins of the iron horse, till half-a-dozen of them together are stalled in the same drift. But a more frequent cause of detention is the freezing of the pump during long stoppages at stations, or while waiting for trains. As the action of this heart of the monster is dependent upon his locomotion, any temporary cessation of the pulsation and flow is likely to result in disaster more or less serious. . . .