Looking good to go

There's been a rumor of snow today and it looks like the rumor might be false.  So far, no snow.  Temp is 26 up at Osborne Bridge and it's been flatlined all night.  The weather wonks are chattering about an "omega block pattern."  As far as I can discern, it means we're going to be dry most of the day and it might start snowing up there before dark tonight.  Most of the snow will fall while we are in the yurt and then it appears Friday will be OK once again to travel back home.  I hope they are correct as it will be really fun to be there when it's snowing nicely.  A light fluffy snow and a hot wood stove are a great combination.

This morning will be almost entirely devoted to packing as we have procrastinated profusely prior to now.
It ought to be interesting to see how quickly (or not so quickly) it all comes together.

I forgot to tell a story last night.  OK, you already know about the NVUM excitement.  Well, the plan now is to consider doing some subcontracting at some point during the summer--when and where we don't know.
However, we want to be travelign with all the various maps and documents in case we wind up communicating with the contractor while we are in Arizona.  We were missing the Forest map for the South Division of the Sawtooth National Forest.  We went over to the Chamber of Commerce to buy the map.
Luckily, Idaho Falls has an honest-to-gosh MAP ROOM!  No kidding.  You can find practically ANY map your heart might desire--including the USGS quads and so forth.  It's amazing.

Sure enough, they had the correct map and after forking over $10, I owned it.  Meanwhile, the two female clerks there know us both well because we are always in there buying maps, even if we don't need the maps.  People like Susun and I can never have enough maps.  Maps R Us.  I digress.

So, we were bagging with the clerks and, right smack out of the clear blue sky, one of them blurted out, "You really ought to write guidebooks for Senior Citizens."  Bam--just like that.  Gee, I told them just how "omen-ish" the comment was in light of me retiring from the job and how much I appreciated their suggestion.
I told them that was one of my goals in this phase of retirement and all three of us then commenced to chatter about how to proceed.  It was another great omen in the string of omens that make this life change so exciting and welcome!

This morning I drafted my two week notice of retirement letter.  I will deliver it on Friday after we return from the yurt.  Next week, I'm scheduled to fly up to Coeur d'Alene for a conference.  Then it's one more week in the office and we go bye-bye March 5.  Click here for a link to the conference.  I will be staying in a really swanky resort up there.  Times are slow what with the recession and all.  The resort offered rooms for El Cheap-o to this conference.  I think their normal rate is something like $225 a night and the conference people are getting them for $79.  The SERVE Idaho people are paying all my expenses.  Everything.
Click here for a link to the resort's website.   It's gonna be real interesting--no doubt about it and it's a nice way to go out of this position.

Well, time to begin the duffel shuffle.  I doubt we will post up again until Friday night but ya just never know.
Have a great day & Cheers!  jp