It's Memorial Day-

Thank you to every service man and woman, past, present and future. You are America's strength.

Another dreary day...

Will this crummy weather pattern ever end? It's grey and cloudy and just 49 degrees outside right now. Grr! I am so tired of this lousy weather! It just adds to my misery caused by being sick. I want to get out there and go fishing!

Luckily for me I have a couple inside projects to do this weekend. Sleek Black Beauty is getting upgraded lighting added to her Reubenesque tail with two new light sockets and dual filament bulbs added to the side lights and red coloring to all the lights. I've also gathered everything except the sheetrock for the repairs to the downstairs bathroom ceiling so those 2 projects should keep me busy if I can stand to get off my butt.

I'm sick!

I thought my general malaise earlier this week was a result of the untypicaly still crummy weather- it did snow on Monday, but it seems what was really happening was that I was coming down sick. I'm lousy. I've been sneezing and coughing and sniffling for 3 days now and generally feeling like crap. Antihistimines have helped and tonight it's some multi-symptom capsules to try to make myself feel human.

But I'm sure feeling crappy this week!

Taking one of my favorites off the blogroll

It saddens me but I'm removing Cranky Lit Professor from my blogroll tonight. She used to be one of my favorite daily reads but a couple weeks ago she put her blog behind a firewall and even though I've tried to register with Wordpress, I still can't see what she is writing. Too bad because I really liked her work.

I don't know what happened at her place to mke her take her blog down but she did. So thanks for the laughs, Prof but you're off the list!

Electing a new Bishop-Update to previous post

Well the Episcopal Diocese of Utah has a newly elected bishop; Rev. Cannon Scott Hayashi and as I mentioned earlier, I had a hand in the election process. I must say that it was a truly enriching and fascinating, unique experience and I feel very privileged to have participated in the event. I still feel pretty unqualified but I enjoyed this unique opportunity.

I've actually met the new bishop when he was the Rector at Church of the Good Sheperd in Ogden because he was there when we first returned to Utah and were seeking a church home so I'm glad to see him coming back to Utah. I'm betting he is happy to be leaving Chicago and coming back to Utah as well!

Another really interesting thing happened during yesterday's convention. I was stopped by one of the women working as a ballot counter as I returned from a break. She took a long look at me and then reached out and examined my ID badge. Then this woman says, "You're just as he described." Who described? She introduced herself, it was my buddy Bob's spousal unit! Bob had apparently read my previous post and told his bride to be looking out for me. She did and she found me and it was a treat to make a new friend. Bob- if this weather ever clears, we need to get together and go out and burn some gunpowder!

This is going to be unique-

and I am so not worthy! Tomorrow I will be in the Episcopal Cathedral of Utah, voting for the election of the next bishop. It turns out as Jr. Warden, I'm a voting participant in the proceedings. I've never done this before and the challenge feels daunting. It's a big decision as the bishop will be the leader of this state's Episcopalians for the next 10 or a dozen years or more and will guide the way the church grows and the ministries it undertakes.

All 4 candidates seem eminently qualified and capable. Sadly I missed the one opportunity to meet and talk with them a couple weeks ago so all I have to go on is their biographies and histories that you can read on the Utah Bishop Search page.

Not so fast there Bucko...

As reported last night, I did get a job offer from a company yesterday and I did sign it and return it today as requested. But- and there are a couple "buts" here, the company hasn't actually been awarded the contract or workload yet. That might happen as early as next month- ifthey win the award and ifthe contract isn't disputed by some other company that doesn't get the award, then there may be a job to go to. I also discovered the company sent offers to numerous individuals with the intent of actually choosing 1 or a couple when the workload is ready...

So I'm not going to stop job hunting just yet...

Finally- a job offer!

Yes! I received an offer letter for a logistician position today- sweet! A start date is still to be determined as the offer is contingent upon the company winning a contract award and the transfer of my security clearance to the new company.

But hey, somebody wants me! I'm so excited! Details tomorrow after I learn more.

Not dead- just incredibly busy-

and when I'm not busy, I've been too tired to write. Every thing is well though.

Employment status is still unchanged though...

Punch back twice as hard!

I can't wait until 2012 when I can say Adios Amigos to the present administration!

We're Number 2!

Really? According to Forbes, Ogden is #2 in their listing of America's Most Liveable Cities. Really? No kidding!
UPDATE: For whatever reason, tonight the video isn't working. You can see the KSL story here. I'll leave the video embedded for now and perhaps it will get back into operation later.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

I can't seem to locate the entire list but what I noticed about those towns I can find is that they are mostly in flyover states and not perched on a coastline where those noisy movers and shakers that seem to make all the news and headlines we see every day congregate.

How cool is that?

I found the leak...

I mentioned 2 post ago that there was water dripping from the ceiling of the downstairs bathroom, today I found the source- it was the upstairs toilet leaking through the wax ring. It was an easy enough repair and I replaced the toilet water shutoff valve and hose while I was in there but as soon as I put everything together, the fill valve began hanging up and not closing so I suppose I'll have to replace that tomorrow.

Which is ok because I have to buy a full sheet of sheetrock and some lumber tomorrow to repair the ceiling in the bathroom downstairs anyway. That drip had been soaking into the sheetrock and rotting some wood for a bit now so I've got a little bit of a task coming up. I got all the old stuff broke out and torn down tonight and all cleaned up- and it was a mess! Hopefully I'll be able to at least get the hole boxed back in before leaving for 3 days of fishing starting Sunday!

The hummingbirds have returned!

Hooray! I've heard a hummer or two recently so today, before Kenny and I went fishing, I hung out the first feeder of the year. And at dinner time. there was a hummer or two at the feeder! It was so exciting and they really nade me happy.

Itty Bit the kitten hasn't discovered them yet but watching him when he does should be a hoot. Since he wears a bell, I don't expect him to have much success.

Anyway, I'm just pleased to see my miniature feathered friends coming to the feeder just outside the dining room window!

What's worse than a water leak ruining your ceiling?

An intermittent leak that's what!

We have had a drip coming through the sheetrock above the basement toilet and below the upstairs tub and toilet for a couple days now. I assumed that if I removed the inspection panel behind the tub controls in the upstairs bathroom that I would find something leaking, maybe a pressure line to the tubs valves dripping.

But no... Everything in there is bone dry. And the drip has started and stopped a half dozen times now. It might drip with enthusiasm for a couple hours and then quit entirely overnight. I can't figure it out.

I'm pretty certain that I am going to have to take the sheetrock saw to the boxed in area where the leak is coming through just so I can get a view up into the rest of the area where the pipes run. But it's not leaking right now so I guess I'll go hook up the boat...