olefin
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Arkansas
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Message Posted: May 21, 2013 11:22:50 AM
Trugas, you asked for the shows we been to at Branson.
Shepherd of the Hills, outdoor drama.
Roy Clark
Conway Twitty
Mickey Gilley
Shoji Tabuchi
Mel Tillis
Glen Campbell
Pat Boone
Loretta Lynn
Oak Ridge Boys
Neal McCoy
Charley Pride
Pam Tillis
Hank Williams grandson
Haywoods
Dollies Dixie Stampede, several times!
Kirby Vanburch Magic show
Shows at Silver Dollar City, several times.
Acrobats of China, Shang-Hai Theater.
Many more I've forgotten!
Most all shows at Branson honor Veterans in the audience by asking them to stand! Branson is still a clean family entrainment area that makes one proud of the USA. Many retirees also live in the area and a large part of the visitors are retirees.
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 21, 2013 10:16:56 AM
Olefin: Thanks for the info on Branson...absolutely amazing at how it has grown..no unemployed around there. Constant construction. So there is lots more to do than the shows. Got me interested again. You going since the 80's have seen firsthand all the growth. "Find a need and fill it" and that certainly was the case here.
Retirement does pass too quickly and l agree with all the statements of it passing too quickly. l cannot comprehend how quickly life in general passes.
tck, bulldozer & 2 many...enjoy what you have while you have it and l mean all phases of life. lt's a great life and retirement fortunately is a big part of it now. l look at mine as school, work and raising family, and retirement.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 21, 2013 9:16:00 AM
Trugas, we have been to about every top country musicians show at Branson for been going there since back in the mid 80’s. This trip we were there 4 days & never went to a show but highly enjoyed.
Always amazing what a person can find online. I needed a plugin blower relay for the 36 year old heat/air unit at the farm for the relay's coil was open. The manufactures name of the relay or part number was no longer listed. So I searched pictures of relays and found one at Amazon that looked like a match. It was only $4.30 plus shipping. Got it in a few days, checked it with my meter and shows to be a perfect match! The old relay is on the right.
I installed it Sunday at the farm, afterwards the AC worked great. Needed the cooling too!
The yard was almost knee high again but wife did the mowing while I ran the weed eater. Took us almost 3 hours, we both were pooped. Maybe we’re getting too old for that. :)
The only bad thing I've found about retirement, time passes too fast!
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BullDozer50
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Charlotte
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Message Posted: May 21, 2013 6:48:32 AM
Only 163 more days before I find out what retirement is like
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2manyfords
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Wisconsin
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Message Posted: May 21, 2013 6:47:00 AM
Yes, retirement can be a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is you are finally old enough to retire. The bad thing is you are old enough to retire. It wasn't that long ago that people had to work until they died just to survive. How lucky we are.
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tckayaker
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Michigan
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Message Posted: May 18, 2013 10:53:29 PM
not retired yet, but not in a big hurry to get there, if ya know what I mean..my mom has been retired for about 15 years, and she's busier than ever! good for her I say.. hope I'm that way too..
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 18, 2013 6:53:09 PM
Lots to see in Branson l understand. l lost interest when Andy died. But l really wanted to see him. Lots of showfolk "retire" there. Tell us who all you are seeing..
l live vicariously anymore.
Yes, retirement is great and l think it is 22 years for me. l was injured and left at 60+ and turned 82 in Jan.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 17, 2013 12:51:37 PM
Yes, Trugas, we like coming here couple times a year. Only about 4.5 hour drive.
Agree about time flying, can't believe it but this Sept been retired 24 years! Life is great!
Wife is saying lets go, LOL.
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trugasCA
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Message Posted: May 17, 2013 12:33:26 PM
gocat: that is one for the "planned but went awry" thread. (phone/power co mistake) LOL.
Retirement has been good for me in many ways. l was the type of person who put my family first and now it is me first and l do whatever l wish to do whenever l wish to do it (dependant on cash flow) LOL.
It has gone by so fast l just can't believe it. There is a saying about time flying when you're having fun or something to that effect. l sure have had and done all l wished for all the years l was working then raising family, then working again.
So l am one happy person now.
Olefin: Branson Missouri...trip . Having a great time l am sure.
[Edited by: trugasCA at 5/17/2013 12:35:52 PM EST]
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 17, 2013 11:41:22 AM
Gocat- Same here. I'm sure if I had got on with the phone co I couldn't have afforded retirement at age 54. Many times I've thanked Bell in AR for not accepting my GED. :)
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gocatgo
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South Carolina
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Message Posted: May 17, 2013 11:29:20 AM
olef, funny thing about the phone company job was all I had to do was mention a name of a friend which would have opened many doors for me. Many years later I talked to that friend and he told me the power company was the better career choice. My life was changed by a wrong turn in 1968.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 17, 2013 10:07:01 AM
Hello all, from Branson, MO.
We ate Here yesterday. Didn't have but a 20 minute wait but it was at 3pm on a week day. We went once on a Saturday and waited 1.5 hours! But if you have ever ate there you know it's worth it! I believe its the most popular place in the USA!
Gocat, I was thinking about large compressors. We also had plant air and instrument air, all control valves were air operated. The ammonia plant had a large 4 stage air compressor that supply air to the process. It was mixed with 1200 degree hydrogen & methane... The oxygen burned and left nitrogen, H2 and carbon dioxide, that produced ammonia (NH3), the remaining CO2 was used in oil well injection.
Funny about you going to the power company and not the phone co. When I filled out the job application I thought it was Morton Salt Co. They called me later telling me to come back & fill out the back if I was really interested. That's when I found out it was petrochemical! They were so new they hadn't put up a sign outside their office and were located next to Morton Salt.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 16, 2013 11:06:48 AM
2many: OH l just got it.
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 15, 2013 12:01:36 AM
Olef, actually the phone company was my first job choice. I accidentally walked into the power company main office on the way to the phone company. I figured while I was there I'd apply for a job. I took a test and easily passed it. Next thing I knew they had me take a physical and I was in the meter repair shop. A year later I transferred to a power plant.
As for cleaning, I too spent many long hours cleaning equipment. I was among the highest paid laborers in the country. As for our compressors. They were used to operate a long list of auxillary equipment. We had air lines with chicago fittings about every 100' around the plant.
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2manyfords
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Message Posted: May 14, 2013 5:29:16 PM
I know trugas, I was just being a smart aleck.
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 14, 2013 10:31:15 AM
Good morning Retirees: Good to see you all here, Olefin, gocat, 63 pioneer,bad petroleum, and 2many.
l can't begin to converse with you two about turbines, compressors and steam engines etc. but l did watch and enjoy a program of "California's Gold" recently about just those things in a big, l mean big dug out cave below ground where an entire plant was located. Sorry l don't retain much info but it was near and was built years ago and is still working and the whole town works there or as support to the plant. l was stunned by it's size and existance even and down under ground. Fascinating.
Why not on the grass? 2many..Not that l have use of any. They made us remove all chairs from grass areas. My patio is concrete tho and l like it that way.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 14, 2013 10:09:47 AM
Gocat - The AFB in SD had some EE8 phones at key locations and a small switchboard for emergency use. It was our job to maintain the system so we really didn’t have a job. Bell civilians took care of the base phone service. The only other work I did with phones was helping maintain 450 miles of cable in Newfoundland. Most of my other AF job was with antennas and towers.
So you decided not to work for Bell after getting out of the Army?
Bell in AR wouldn’t hire me cause only GED. But after moving to TX, their Bell had no problem with the GED & hired me. But I was a no show, for had found a better paying job in the oil patch.
So why does a power plant have a need for compressors?
You are so correct about the items operators carried. Yes, that was a rag in my pocket. Spent more time in that compressor building cleaning than operating. When I started in 1958 we didn’t have real valve wrenches, carried a small pipe wrench and channel locks. So much has changed; new operator training was strictly OJT. Now days they attend operator schools for 2 or 3 years.
The 2 9000 hp motors were 12,000 volts. Had several compressor motors on 4160. The 12 KV switch gear was located in the plants power sub-station. Love the sound of those large motors when the start button was punched until they got up to run speed.
Trugas - Hope you're having a nice day and all other retirees.
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 13, 2013 11:28:30 AM
Olef, Omg you operated an Sb-22. In the field I mostly operated an Sb-86 from the back of a 3/4 ton truck. I think we did the same work though. In Vietnam the switchboards were in buildings with all the comforts of home.
Our big compressors were powered by 7200 volts. The smaller ones were 4160 volts. Your turbines look similar and ours were rated in mega watts. Btw is that an orange rag in your back pocket? There were 3 item plant operators always had on them at all times. A flash light, gloves and valve wrench.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
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63pioneer
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Texas
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Message Posted: May 13, 2013 6:58:46 AM
Still trying to figure it out!
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Bad_Petroleum
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Miami
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Message Posted: May 13, 2013 6:58:29 AM
I did it a couple of years back, just waiting for my old lady to do the same..that will happen in March next year !!!
So far I just love the freedom I know have, day in and day out.
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2manyfords
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Message Posted: May 13, 2013 6:56:14 AM
Sounds like you had a nice Mother's day trugas. Just don't put that chair on the grass. My wife got lots of plants and the kids were all home. It was a nice day.
I am off to Louisville on Wednesday to meet up with my buddy. We will be going to Churchill Downs on Thursday to see the horse races. It will be a nice break from the hectic spring. It is very cold here this morning, 26 degrees. Yikes! brrrr! A rule of thumb around here is you never plant your tomato plants until after Memorial Day. I hope that is late enough this year. We just can't lose this cold weather. We went to a track meet and soccer game on Saturday and got sleeted on 3 times.
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 12, 2013 11:38:56 PM
It is nice sitting in my new Adirondack chair on the porch, in the shade of afternoon, reading. lt is very comfy. Kinda low for an old lady and takes a bit of effort to get out of it. But love it. Nice Retirement.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 11, 2013 10:09:16 AM
gocat - Neat… we were in different branches of service but in the same field! My job was probably the same as you. I was trained in anything to do with phones, also in erecting radio towers. Most of our manuals were Army Signal Corp for the Air Force was so new.
You mention switchboards...This is me and a field switchboard while in tech school in Cheyenne, WO, 1952.
Yes, wet steam would damage steam turbine blades. 600 psi superheated steam was super dry.
Here is a steam turbine in the butadiene plant compressor building. I’m the guy in the middle by #2 compressor. It was my first job (1958) after going to work where I retired 32 years later. One steam turbine powered two gas compressors. In the olefin pant there was one gas fired turbine that powered a train of 4 compressors, each compressor turned at different speeds for there was gear boxes between each compressor. Two 9000 hp GE electric motors also powered another same type compressor train arrangement. It was maintenance peoples nightmare to get all that large equipment perfectly lined up after being worked on. The plants most powerful drivers were gas fired turbines. Their exhaust also used to generate steam.
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 11, 2013 9:37:55 AM
So nice to hear from all you happy Retirees.
Interesting to hear about what all your previous jobs were.
Enjoy the day and don't work too hard, even if it is fun.
My son is coming to visit for "Mother's Day" l guess and l am putting him to work assembling a chair so l can relax in my small patio.
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pupule777
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New Hampshire
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Message Posted: May 11, 2013 9:27:18 AM
retirement is so wonderful !!
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2manyfords
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Wisconsin
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Message Posted: May 11, 2013 8:32:03 AM
My biggest fear of retiring was being bored. But as you have seen that usually doesn't happen. I could not find enough hours in the day to get all the things done that I wanted even before I went back to work.
trugas, I have found that my backaches are usually a cumulation of things done previously. You can weaken muscles and then all it takes is bending a certain way and bang, ouch.
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 11, 2013 12:23:27 AM
olefin, I was an army signalman from 1965-68. If it was connected to a telephone switchboard I could set it up and operate it.
The superheated steam was dry which was a necessity to turn the turbine blades. Temperatures above 1,000 were not cost effective. Low steam temps could damage the turbine blades.
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ohrocker
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Ohio
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 7:46:54 PM
I'm loving it. I always heard people say they were busier than when they worked but I never really believe them. Well I am here to say it's true. There are not enough hours in the day.
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pupule777
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New Hampshire
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 6:13:29 PM
I retired several years ago and was affraid the days and weeks would drag by ! WRONG !!!!! Each day seems like only a few hours long and the weekend comes around so quickly !! I sit in the summer for my daughter who works summers only at a nursery. I enjoy my 3 year old granddaughter SO much !! We have a very close relationship and she makes my heart sing every time I am with her !!!
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 5:50:42 PM
gocat - 1000°, would have guessed it would been higher for that high pressure steam. Superheaters raised our 600 psi steam to 760°F. Had one major boiler explosion.
Also had an explosion during startup of a gas fired turbine due to faulty instrumentation. Another when a gas turbine power wheel threw some blades. Both caused major damages but no injuries. Profits from olefins were good at that time and the turbines were replaced ASAP.
The anhydrous ammonia plant explosion happen at a time the market was terrible and been unwise to rebuild. In fact we were having meetings about shutting down the plant.
ugly - 46 years, wow!
I worked on this USAF “Long Lines” for 2 years, 1954-1956. It was lead covered telephone cable that ran across the island of Newfoundland alongside the railroad. At that time there were was no vehicle road from one side to the other side of the island.
trugas - Sometimes it doesn’t take much to injury a back especially if one has had previous problems.
Speaking of coffee…..In the petrochemical plants control rooms there was always a pot coffee, the company furnish the coffee and all that went with it. Also the control rooms had ovens and refrigerators that were purchased from coke machine profits for the operators owned the machines. Operators cooked and ate when they had the time, 99% of the time was about anytime. They were paid for a full shift.
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 10:34:29 AM
Ugly : that is nice to hear.
sks: go to "Do you enjoy your job" by me and post why and who etc. l would love some help there.
I need a cup of coffee. Retirement allows me the freedom to go get one. l once worked in a warehouse where we were "timed" and time out to go to the ladies room was also timed so they could deduct it to check our daily speed. l finally became the fastest one but only after many years and some finagling. (not sending back to the drugstores their mis-sent magazines etc if it was one or two it was a waste of time)
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ugly46
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Indiana
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 9:45:38 AM
I have been retired little over a year and love it.
Retired from AT&T Long Lines after 46 years.
I never looked at it as a job because I loved what I did.
They paid me well to get me to leave. Thanks
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 9:22:55 AM
OH Thanks gocat! l haven't been called a "lady" for quite awhile.LOL. Well one person here calls me the "OLD LADY" affectionately (I hope)
Good morning all: How are you all? Well l hope and backaches taken care of? l got one surprisingly yesterday and it was pretty good one and l couldn't figure out why. My housekeeper was here doing the work and we walked together down to the laundry room, but why the back ache? So l thought back to all l did. My housekeeper said it was all the furniture moving..no that was Saturday. No pain from that at all. But l had repotted some snapdragons yesterday and l remember it was heavy, being wet soil, when l lifted it and turned to put it down off the table. That turning can get you and l know better, but the pot wasn't THAT big, so l fooled myself into thinking it was ok. l still feel it this morning. Boy the sides and my back had super sharp pains yesterday and tender to get in bed last night. Once the back has been injured.........
So it should be nice today but l don't think the pool will be warm enough to go in as they count on the sun to heat it mostly tho they have solar panels there. Crazy greed.
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 10, 2013 12:38:26 AM
olefin, all 3 boilers were 1000 degrees, super heated. We had one boiler that blew up. All 3 units had major fires. I was part of the team that put out several fires. We also managed to get heavy oil in one turbine. No one was hurt during our disasters either. Our company always rebuilt and made repairs.
sks "a trip to Europe" and you stayed home. Again I can't wait to hear about this job. Fyi trugas is a lady.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 8, 2013 10:48:07 AM
trugas - I was fortunate for my income after retirement didn't change much for we had been saving most of my income. Wouldn't have retired at age 54 if money was going to be a problem. For I had a great job that I loved. But wife and I wanted to be completely free to do as we pleased so we hit the road in our motorhome (towing a Honda Civic) for several years.
My only days of retirement that's been bad was during heart valve surgery and during the time wife had breast cancer.
gocat - 2300 psi! Wow, So what was the steam temperature at that pressure?
I would love to tour a nuclear power plant control room!
We also had one boiler that would burn heavy oil or waste gas. Our total steam generation was only about 550,000 lbs per hour, not that much compared to power plants. Most of the steam was produced from waste heat from 1550°F propane "crackers" and 960°F gas turbines exhaust.
Speaking of psi, I was a production manager in a anhydrous ammonia plant that had working pressures of 5000 psi. In fact the year I was there a section of the 5000 psi piping failed and caused a major explosion and fire. The explosion was heard for 20 miles. But luckily no one has hurt. The plant wasn't rebuilt due to low profits. All employees were transferred to other petrochemical plants in the complex.
sks - Agree with trugas, you still didn't tell us what you do in your job?
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trugasCA
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Message Posted: May 8, 2013 9:33:57 AM
ON days like today with escalating food and gas prices l tend to lean towards work instead of retirement, but only for a moment. Lets face it l cannot work anymore, physically they won't let me and l admit it l need help in walking so even a desk job isn't possible.
However we aren't talking so much about money or even physical ability in retirement at least l am not.
We are talking about all the little pleasures that one enjoys in retirement. Things for me anyway, like sleeping in, or after one wakes up, just laying there knowing l am no longer a slave to income or bosses.
l could go on but l think others will express their feeling well.
sks: you still didn't define the type of "work" you do. ls it social services?
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sks1586
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New Jersey
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Message Posted: May 8, 2013 7:34:38 AM
gocatgo - My friend Retirement is defined by everyone in different ways. Forum Author (trugasCA) provided his defined his opinion. You extended definition of Retirement to express your opinion, "My worst day retired is better than my best day working.
My definition of Retirement includes exact opposite state of you, "IMHO - My worst day working is better than my best day of not working". As an example, My wife went on May 5 for 2 week Europe Trip with her 5 girlfriends who are with their spouses. Their Trip includes 11-Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise. I consider my work or any work superior to their Vacation. Work is Vacation for me.
I know that 99.9% humans will not agree with me. I am enjoying my retirement in work & plan to continue till my last breath. I consider every human as my friend. Every human contact @ work becomes helping my new friend in distress. Everyone in the universe will agree with me that helping a friend in distress never feels like work. Absence of feeling of working is another meaning of Retirement.
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wackiness
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Message Posted: May 8, 2013 1:52:20 AM
gocatgo
Damn do I hear you
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 8, 2013 12:07:21 AM
ole, we burned many fuels. 2 boilers were converted from coal fired to Heavy oil and back again to coal fired. The boilers had twin furnaces 1800 lbs psi. The generators produced 175 Mega Watts each. They burned Light oil, natural and refinery gas too. The newer unit was a bit larger. It burned heavy oil, light oil and natural gas. The twin furnace boilers ran at 2300 lbs psi and produced up to 900 mega watts. The shifts were 7-3, 3-11 and 11-7. The last 5 years we went to 12 hr shifts.
sks, so what kind of job feels like retirement? Inquiring minds want to know.
My worst day retired is better than my best day working.
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wackiness
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Message Posted: May 7, 2013 6:18:26 PM
Had a part time job at Wall Mart
Being quite honest, I don't want to kiss up to customers any longer
Rather stay home & watch the weeds grow
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trugasCA
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California
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Message Posted: May 7, 2013 3:34:11 PM
Olefin: l agree no job is as good as retirement even tho it is pleasurable one still hasn't the freedom that retirement provides. Of course the income is often much lower, but as long as needs are met and some pleasures are available then full steam ahead into the retirement years. l am about at the end tho and that is not as much pleasure as the first 10.
So l say get those trips in early before the aches and pains slow you down. Smile.
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olefin
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Message Posted: May 7, 2013 11:43:59 AM
gocat - Interesting you worked for Power Company! Shift for 33 years! Was it neutral, natural gas or steam?
I retired after 32 years but only worked rotating shift for 12 years. We had three 600 PSI boilers and several waste heat boilers and steam turbines. Power company boilers were probably 1200 PSI or even higher?
The control room pictures were taken 1963. The olefin plant wasn’t converted to computer control until 1970. Old Blue, IBM 1800 but the analog instruments and paper charts remained for when Blue went down. Process operators consoles consisted of nixie tubes for the only read out. The plant used 3 control rooms until after I retired in 1989. A new central control room was built using all computer control, no analog instruments or paper charts. I visited the control room in 2001, it was awesome! It was during startup from a power failure, they were using twice as many operators as we used in the old days but of course it because of the startup.
Before I retired the operators wanted to try 12 hour shifts. We set up the same 4 crew, 12 sift hour schedule that DuPont used. The younger guys loved it for it gave them 7 consecutive days off duty during each 4 week cycle. The older employees didn’t like it as well!
sks - So tell us more, what job feels like retirement?
For the last 2 years before taking early retirement I had an excellent job but still wasn't as good as being retired.
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gocatgo
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Message Posted: May 7, 2013 12:41:37 AM
wack, there's nothing wrong with making tons of money but when you don't have time to enjoy it, that sux. Thank goodness for retirement.
ole, your pics brought back a lot of memories, I worked for a power company. When I retired in 2003 there were few paper charts. I worked shift work for 33 years. One night I got stuck working an 18 hour shift. I told myself I would never do it again but the next night I worked 16 hours. What some people will do for money, Lol.
sks, if you like your job don't retire. By the time I retired I was burned out.
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sks1586
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New Jersey
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Joined:Mar 2013
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Message Posted: May 6, 2013 7:58:59 PM
My work feels like Retirement. Why should I quit?
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olefin
Champion Author
Arkansas
Posts:6,059
Points:725,740
Joined:Sep 2006
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Message Posted: May 6, 2013 5:05:42 PM
Hello folks!
wackin - Where I retired worked outside for the first 6 years before getting a control room job. That lasted another 6 years before making shift supervisor and going on salary. The most overtime ever worked was on new plant startup. Worked 12 hour shifts for 21 days. Some places like in the gas turbine/compressor building summertime temperature could reach 120°F. Fortunately no one was required to be in that building except long enough to for a walk through to check equipment.
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trugasCA
Champion Author
California
Posts:3,859
Points:160,455
Joined:Mar 2011
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Message Posted: May 6, 2013 4:33:10 PM
Made lasagne for two today. Big black rain clouds out there tho it isn't cold. Watched a Netflix movie after l finally figured out why the dvd player simply would not work. The plug way up topside out of view had come loose when l pulled it forward, after moving ll the furniture. l knew i had connected everything back in it;s proper place so was bewildered til l remembered how l had pulled it forward to the edge. So glad l finally got it working.
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wackiness
Champion Author
Fresno
Posts:9,267
Points:1,208,680
Joined:Jan 2007
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Message Posted: May 5, 2013 3:17:47 AM
I worked outside for a living
SMILES. Too hot I stay inside
Too cold I stay inside
Rain--what do you think?
My biggest hourly week (7 days) was 104 hours
My job skill was a dying breed so those that were left worked big hours & made tons of $$$$$$$$$$$
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gocatgo
Champion Author
South Carolina
Posts:15,647
Points:2,529,580
Joined:Apr 2006
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Message Posted: May 5, 2013 1:40:51 AM
Yesterday it cloudy and rainy. Today it will be more of the same except more rain. I was glad to do my volunteer work. I helped a fellow volunteer with her family research. I found a number of things that she did not know including one of her ancestors Civil war military records.
Last Wednesday I ate a Loquat it was really good. The tree is located on the grounds of the volunteer center. The tree is loaded with fruit which means I have a new snack when I'm working.
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trugasCA
Champion Author
California
Posts:3,859
Points:160,455
Joined:Mar 2011
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Message Posted: May 4, 2013 3:01:04 PM
Me too Olefin..he was special.
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olefin
Champion Author
Arkansas
Posts:6,059
Points:725,740
Joined:Sep 2006
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Message Posted: May 4, 2013 2:37:39 PM
Good Afternoon all,
trugas - Sorry about your cousin not returning from Korea.
I never went over but would have liked to went as a pilot. Back then there was a shortage of fighter pilots, took the test at my base in SD and passed. But later failed the main tests at Lowry Field, Denver. All but one in our group from SD failed, I later heard he got his wings.
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