This is about my friend Jimmy Sillas. He worked at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park for many years in the maintenance division, serving as a maintenance supervisor.
We both toiled at Carlsbad Caverns for long and interesting chunks of our lives before retiring in different years. We had vastly different jobs, his job required practical and mechanical knowledge and experience—the ability to maintain physical facilities. My job required research, public speaking, and very infrequent manual labor. While we both did computer work, I think that Jimmy would agree that my computer work was more fun than his.
Both of us are glad that we were privileged to work for the National Park Service as permanent employees for as long as we did.
Simply stated, Jimmy always could, and still can, work well in creating, planning, and maintaining physical objects or processes, He was so good doing such work that he became a supervisor in it.
Jimmy’s retirement days are here and have been for a couple years. Two daughters, Brenda and Blair, and a son, Jimmy, Jr. and five grandchildren (and of course, his wife). are his treasures in retirement life, as they were before retired life.
These are the people who make his retirement years Golden and Fulfilling. Jimmy stays busy with his Heart and Efforts in Family Matters, as well as his Hands on Projects around the Home Front.
Jimmy and I worked for many years together at Carlsbad Caverns National Park where we became friends. While my job was in a different division—visitor services (education and other logistics assisting the visitors entering, navigating, and exiting the park) we still had opportunities to become and be friends.
Recently, needing some advice for getting two gates replaced in our backyard, I asked Jimmy if he knew anyone who could help me or provide me with other “leads.”
Despite his busy life, he proposed that he could build two gates if I helped.
I accepted, immediately wanting to know how I could pay him or otherwise, reciprocate. He said not to worry about it.
While I appreciated his offer, I wanted to “give” him something, but I figured that I could devise a plan for that after the fact, smart lad that my parents had so many, many years ago. o(*><*)o
Jimmy does carpentry work very skillfully, very effectively, very professionally. Carpentry work is only one of his maintenance skills and not his favorite one at that.
This gate was built by Jimmy on the morning of May 31, 2011.
It is made of pine (great smelling) and so, so nice. My wife Chris loves painting and can hardly wait to brush up (and down) on her painting skills
We are taking Jimmy and his wife out to eat next week.
Assistant Bob doing Arnold S pose. Please note History Channel emblem hat.
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