Fun stuff Friday! Since it’s Friday, I’m going to tell you about some “fun stuff” we did lately. Nope, not running related, but just fun (or at least we thought so!).
Close to our house, there is a stone quarry. It’s even closer to the office I work at because there are times when our office building will rumble from when they are blasting at the quarry! That’s a pretty bizarre feeling the first time it happens – but after that you get immune to it. One interesting fact we learned – they do have a “call list” of companies close by that need to have a phone call before they blast. Why? Well one is a optometrist that does laser surgery. Can you imagine?? I did watch my husband getting his lasik surgery, and the thought of an unfortunately timed blasting shake makes me cringe!! Ewww.
I’ve always wondered what was in the quarry. I mean, you can’t see anything other than a pile of stones around the outside, but what’s really happening in there?? Recently my family got to find out! The quarry offers an open house once a year and they give tours. Did I mention they also have free lunch for their guests? Well of course we’ll be going to that! (parenting 101 – fun experiences are created at places with cheap/free food)
My kids had fun getting into their surroundings while we waited for the tour bus. They even got some cool geodes that they had to crack open.
Our tour went down into the quarry. The bus spiraled along the narrow drive that took us to the bottom of the quarry. The mining operation blasts alongside the walls of the quarry and then haul the rocks up to the top to be processed either with a truck of the conveyor belt. I think 15 employees work at this location, and they were quite entertaining to listen to. You can tell they enjoy what they do.
They mine for limestone and other rocky things at this location. (as you can tell, I was really absorbing all of the information they were telling us!!) Another fun fact – they get the winter off! Perfect for snow skiers like Alan and me 🙂
We got to check out all of the mining equipment, which was pretty cool too. The size and weight of the vehicles there was very impressive!
And we all had some delicious burgers, chips and cookies. A well rounded afternoon.
So there you have it – the interesting thing that’s down the road from me!
On a random side note – I went to the gym yesterday (a different location!) and was in the “ladies only” room. It was just me in there, until another lady came in there and started up the treadmill. She asked if the noise bothered me – which it didn’t. Then she left the room. With the treadmill running! WTF? I stopped back about 10 mins later, and the treadmill was still going, with no one on it. Do you think she was going to take a selfie on it later, bragging about how far she ran?? So odd.
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Q: Do you have any quarries near you?
We have several – and at least one is now converted into a swimming “hole”. Another is down the street from us and has beautiful homes along the quarry’s edges!
Q: Have you ever felt an earthquake?
Yes! A slight tremor a very long time ago. It was bizarre! Other than that, we don’t get any earthquake activity.
Q: What do you think that lady was doing with the treadmill??
There is a small rock quarry near where I live that is fed by a natural spring. The city converted it into a swimming area years ago and the last day of the season they allow people to bring their dogs to swim. It is hilarious. There are 100s of dogs all either swimming or chasing each other around. Mostly Labs, Goldens, and other water dogs. Where I grew up in Macon, Georgia, there is a kaolin quarry. Some of the pits have been mined out and allowed to fill with rain water. The kaolin causes some weird chemical reaction that turns the water a very electric blue. We have had a few tremors here in Chicago since I moved here but I can only remember feeling one. One morning I thought my Lab was trying to wake me up by shaking the bed which he would do when he was ready to go out. I finally sat up and looked around to realize he wasn’t in the room. Found out later we had a small tremor around sunrise. No idea on the TM lady unless she forgot something and intended to come back but was delayed. What aggravates me at my gym is the guys who stake out a piece of equipment by placing their gym bag on it and then walk away. They will walk away talking on their cell phones, come back to do a few reps, and then walk away again.
I just Googled the kaolin quarry water – how cool!! I can just imagine what that dog swimming day would look like 🙂
There was a lady at the gym today on the weight machines singing – way out of tune – to her headphones. I cut my workout short and skipped the last machine!! eek.
Wow I have no idea what that lady was doing! It reminds me of when I go turn the laminating machine on and they leave for 15 minutes while it warms up… but a treadmill doesn’t need to warm up. That is funny that the quarry has to call certain places before a blast! It makes sense, but I never would have thought of that. Your kids look so young in that first picture. I thought maybe it was an older picture! You guys always know the free food deals!
We had a pretty big blast yesterday when I was at work. I didn’t realize they called people either! Do you have a class “mom” that helps you out? I got to do laminating when I helped at my kids grade school. Always fun!
No but there is a woman who comes in most weeks to volunteer and laminate for the whole school. It’s so nice! If I 0lan ahead that is.
I bet the kids loved that quarry visit!! SO cool to get so be on the equipment. It is really awesome looking, I have not toured one.
I have felt two earthquakes now, one was much stronger and swung the house a bit, it was a wild feeling!
I can not make any sense of the TM lady.
I’m so glad we got to tour, I’ve always wondered what was going on. They had a whole bunch of asphalt that they do some sort of recycling with too, grind it up.
That would be weird feeling the house tremble! Our house is too far away to feel the blasting.
That is what I’m doing when I say I’m using the treadmill in the basement. Just turn the machine on and nap on the floor for 40 minutes.
Ha!!!