And I promptly crashed the blog into the ditch.
We’ve dug out the Christmas decorations and started tossing them around. We’ve got the garage door openers installed, and the new snow blower is really something. So far, we’ve had two <3-inch snow falls, so I may not get to really give a work out for a while. We do get lake effect snow here in Tooele. Last year one storm dropped four inches in Salt Lake City, and two feet in Tooele. It’s jacked up when you’re hoping for that. And of course, the more snow we get, the better the skiing will be up in the mountains. I’m looking forward to that, too.
We’ve got plans to replace the hideous carpet in the living room and the stairs and the common area upstairs. Hopefully in the spring. Daughter gets her braces off next week. She’s graduating in the spring, and we’re prodding her to decide where she wants to go for a family trip. I’m rooting for Yellowstone National Park, but it’s her trip.
So Donald J. Trump will be the President. The dog has caught the car. It will be interesting to see what he does with it. I’ve already been approached by three co-workers about forming a union local. I’ve been in contact with the union, and we’ll see what happens with that. I know a LOT of federal workers are concerned about our future. We’ll do what we can to operate in the new world, but quite a few people are polishing resumes.
Mike in NC
Ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times”. Heard it a lot in the Navy.
BGinCHI
Good to hear from you, Sooner.
How’s life in the winter playground slash Mormon mothership?
At least there’s a Patagonia outlet in Sugarhouse.
SiubhanDuinne
Good to see you, Soonergrunt. Thanks for the update.
I heard a great interview feature today (on NPR’S Here and Now). It was taped last summer at Yellowstone, about the importance of keeping some places on earth reserved as “dark sky” areas with no light pollution. The young woman who was the “guide” was not an astronomer but was clearly passionate about keeping the sky protected from encroaching artificial light. I’m not good at remembering numbers, but I think she said that fully a third of people living today have never seen the Milky Way. She spoke of the sky as if it were a living, breathing entity.
Soonergrunt
@BGinCHI: There’s also a couple off REI’s a couple of Columbia stores, and Backcountry.com has their warehouse and showroom here.
And while the church may be headquartered in Salt Lake City, the Mothership is in Provo.
JPL
Amazing that the daughter is going to graduate in the spring. It seems just like yesterday. How’s the pup?
jame
“interesting” is the word I keep using.
It’s that or “doomed”, and the latter is so negative and a dead giveaway as to my personal political beliefs.
JPL
Sooner, I don’t remember this part
And I promptly crashed the blog into the ditch.
I do remember the tornadoes and you helping out, though.
Soonergrunt
@JPL: I accused a commenter of sock-puppeting based on my misunderstanding of the admin interface.
demz taters
Those of us in federal agencies that study climate change are polishing a lot harder after this story: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/22/nasa-earth-donald-trump-eliminate-climate-change-research.
Anne Laurie
Happy slightly-belated bloggingversary, SG!
Dread
Glad to see you here. Hope you’re doing better.
I suppose the mildly good news is that everything shitty and awful and just fucking horrible that happens in the next four years is totally on the GOP. I just wish that I had the confidence that the Democrats would constantly remind the voters of that and that they can do better.
mattH
Yeah, lake effect snow is horribly unpredictable. It can make it so you get slammed one storm, and almost totally passed over the next. Makes the Best Snow on Earth™ though. Good to see you posting again.
trollhattan
@demz taters:
Would basically be like the people of Jonestown cancelling the peanut butter order to double the cyanide supply. Guess that’s what we were doing on the 12th.
demz taters
@trollhattan: It’s like the people of Jonestown deciding it would be a good thing for the whole world to drink the kool-aid whether they want to or not. I wish that was hyperbole.
stinger
Happy blogversary! I always enjoy your posts. Sounds like you’re really settled in in your new digs.
Shalimar
Strip it for parts and give them away to various Trump properties?
demz taters
@Shalimar: Pretty much the future for the American experiment.
Yutsano
I actually looked at a couple state jobs already, but not quite in full panic mode.
Hamletta
There are reports that Fidel Castro has died. Producer for Morning Joe says Cuban state media reported.
Gretchen
I don’t remember any crashes either. I’ve really enjoyed your contributions, and missed you when you were taking a break. I’m glad you’re back, and hope things are going well for you.
magurakurin
@Soonergrunt: bygones. Glad to see you. You commentary was and is always informative and welcomed.
Mary G
Always glad to see a post from you, Sooner. Congrats to SoonerDaughter on her graduation.
demz taters
@Yutsano: Yeah I know the feeling. I’m in an agency that’s going to get cut to the bone, but I’m also one of their MVPs. Whether that translates into job security or kick-ass references, I don’t know yet, but I’m awfully uneasy about the future.
Brachiator
From the BBC, but no other new site so far.
GrandJury
@Brachiator: Dr. Orange will probably try take credit.
Yutsano
Farewell Fidel.
Okay that’s just weird…
Calouste
@GrandJury: Cuba is now probably at the front of the line for Don and Mike’s Excellent Adventures.
Amir Khalid
@Brachiator:
The Beeb is quoting Cuban state news media, so it’s probably accurate. Don’t forget to watch out for the Republican celebration of president-elect Donald’s mystical Commie-killing powers which magically laid waste to a sickly 90-year-old living in a foreign country.
BBA
@GrandJury: We will see the US break off diplomatic relations with Cuba, less than two years after they were reestablished, unless they agree to permanently grant exclusive casino development rights to Trump Resorts (in a blind trust, outside the president’s control, we swear).
Note that the statutory embargo on Cuba cannot be lifted while either of the Castro brothers are still in power, and Raul still has two years left until he’s supposed to retire.
frosty
@mattH: lake effect snow sounds like our nor’easters that come spinning up the coast. Depending on the track we either get off easy or we have to dig out of 2 feet of snow.
Yutsano
@Brachiator:
Pete Downunder
Australia’s ABC also reporting death of Fidel
Hamletta
Party in Miami, y’all!
Mike J
Hurrah I’m at home. Mom still in the hospital, but look like she gets out tomorrow. To recap: day after election, aortic valve replacement + dual cabbage. Stayed in hospital a week and got better every day. Sent home and got worse every day. Was re-admitted day before Thanksgiving[1] . Echo-cardiogram done on t-day, showed a pericardial effusion. Since they had her on blood thinners, they put off pericardiocentesis[2] until today. After a vitamin k drip, procedure was done. Afterwards she was awake and actually ate food for the first time in a week. The plan now is a follow up echo in the AM and then discharge.So yeah!
Funny story[3]. While she was in for the procedure today, hospital housekeeping came by. Wanted to clean her room. Sure fine, perfect time, she’s not here, do it before she comes back. “Oh, she’s not coming back.” Track down nurse. She’s heard nothing (and is already pissed at doc (the first she heard that the procedure was a definite go was when the surgeon showed up in the room with a gurney)). Everything is fine. There’s no problem, she’s alive and is not going to CCU after, just a miscommunication with housekeeping.
TLDR: mom fine, home tomorrow.
[1] Trying to decide if turkey in my fridge will be cookable on Sunday or just toss it,.
[2] Sticking a needle in the sac around the heart to drain the fluid in a process I am sure looks much like the adrenaline scene from Pulp Fiction, but the interventional cardiologist assures me is nothing like it.
[3] For some values of funny.
satby
@Mike J: Good news, glad to hear it. You should probably get some rest!
SWMBO
@Mike J: It should be ok if it was refrigerated. Spathcock it like Adam’s and it should cook fine. Strip it off the bone as soon as possible and don’t leave it out on the table half a day. If you brine it before, that should help some (salt is a preservative).
Glad to hear she is improving. Keep us posted.
Take care of yourself during these times. Most folks drop the ball on self care when someone else’s needs are more paramount. She’s going to be ok and now you can make sure you’re doing ok too.
rikyrah
Hi SoonerG??
jenn
Hi Sooner, great to hear from you! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving – and yeah, some serious snowfall in the West would be really nice.
Brachiator
@Pete Downunder: 2016 is definitely doing some serious house cleaning.
Fidel Castro had obviously ceded authority to his brother and others, but his passing still represents the end of an era.
Has Trump put out a tweet yet?
Dog Dawg Damn
@efgoldman: “Appreciate the Congrats. Yes, I’m just like Ronald Raygun. Kill Communists just by the power of my huge temperament.”
Brachiator
@Mike J: Good to read that your mom is doing OK.
What’s dual cabbage?
Mike J
@Brachiator: Coronary artery bypass graft.
trollhattan
Fidel es muerte? I blame
Eisenhower,Kennedy,Johnson[fvckhim],Nixon,Ford,Carter,Reagan,Bush,Clinton,Bush,ObamaTrump.Mike J
mattH
@frosty: The closest similar effect is what the Great Lakes do, but because of the salinity of the Great Salt Lake less water usually makes it’s way into the air, making for drier snow. The Wikipedia article does a pretty good job of explaining the concept, but the result is essentially localized areas of higher snow. I’ve seen situations where you can be driving down the Wasatch Front and see a few inches, then suddenly run into the high impact zones where it’s literally feet of snow, traffic crawls to a stop for a few miles, followed by sometimes even less snow than before.
opiejeanne
@Mike J: Oh Mike, I had no idea but I’m glad to hear she’s doing better. I tried to ask if you had plans for Turkey day and if you’d like to join us, but never did get your attention and maybe it’s just as well since you had your hands so full.
On Wednesday morning I went to the Emergency room at Evergreen in Kirkland and that evening they removed my appendix. I came home on Thursday morning, our kids and their SOs showed up and cooked everything, and it was wonderful.
I’m fine but very sore so I’m moving pretty slowly right now.
Skippy-san
I understand completely about the coming “brain drain” from the Federal Government. Trump has made no secret of his desire to politicize the civil service, and the WP had an article of how they intend to fuck people out of retirement and health insurance. I think it will be harder than he realizes, but I can see the return of loyalty oaths and public repression quite easily.
When step increases are done away with and they can’t pay decent salaries the stampede to the exits will be huge.
demz taters
@Skippy-san: I’m so paranoid about my charities of choice for the Combined Federal Campaign (Planned Parenthood, ACLU). These are uneasy times for govt employees.
Skippy-san
@demz taters: I think it will get even worse. They will demand access to your Twitter accounts, and FB whenever they investigate you, which many people do every 5 years. In my office it is no secret that I was a Hillary voter and that I utterly loathe and despise Trump. I feel I have the right to feel this way, and I fear a lot of others don’t care about my rights.
The changes they are proposing to the Civil Service are serious and dangerously fucked up, and yes, I am confident they will drop good charities from CFC because they are not “approved” especially if a religious shitbag like Pence has anything to say about it.
Duane
I worked at Missouri State University, and they eliminated step raises on a whim. Our union was so weak we didn’t even have a vote.
Administration kept getting hefty raises,so there you go.
swiftfox
Spent 1993-1999 at DPG; lived in Tooele for 3 years. Never had a knock at the door from the mothership. Probably because of the heavy military influence. It was a rough time economically for the town with the army depot closing and threat of BRAC. At the time the town was known for having the worst teen pregnancy rate in the state. I understand since then it has had the expected amount of development. Only weather problem was the summer inversion that trapped the smoke from cheatgrass fires for 3 weeks – sinuses were clogged the whole time.
J R in WV
@Soonergrunt:
Soonergrunt: “accused a commenter of sock-puppeting based on my misunderstanding”…
While that is a faux pas, you did only run it into the ditch, from where it was merely pushed, needing no actual repairs. Fixed with an apology, actually.
Good to see you again, don’t be a stranger. Glad to hear your daughter is about to graduate, you didn’t say, but surely High School… hoping time doesn’t pass that fast yet!
Best wishes from WV>!
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
It’s damned good to see you posting Soonergrunt. Your voice is missed. Happy holidays to you and yours.