Southwest Extravaganza

Being faced with one week of paid vacation I decided to head South. The initial plan was much grander; however, shortly before the trip plans changed for the person who was going with me. I contemplated several other trip options but the siren song of the sunny South wouldn't relent so I went anyway. (and I wasn't disappointed)

Leg one: I dropped the wagon off at the mechanics in Salt Lake for him to fix some of the things that I had "fixed" myself. I then picked up a rental car and headed for Green River, UT. It was a cold drive and I found where all the Subaru owners hang out. I had no idea that this place actually existed.

After my night in Green River I was going to take the ferry across Lake Powell but it was closed until April. Consulting my road atlas I planned a route around the lake. It was a beautiful drive and then 100 miles from anything the pavement ended on top of a bluff.

There was a dirt road leading down the face of the bluff and it looked like the highway might continue at the bottom. Plus, I was in a rental car so I figured why not. This was about as wide as the road got. It was pretty narrow and really steep.


I made it on to the Grand Canyon National Park that day where I hiked around a bit and looked at..........stuff. (F.Y.I.- The Grand Canyon Skywalk is not in the park. It's on some indian reservation at the other end) Finally I made it to Phoenix. This one picture sums up why I want to be snowbird next winter.

The weather was warm. The grass was green. The flowers were in bloom and there was fruit on the trees. I spent the time sight seeing and visiting friends and family. 74 degrees feels amazing after a long, cold winter. I even went out and took the tour at Taliesin West in Scottsdale.


After Phoenix I headed back to Salt Lake to visit more friends and family and to pick up the wagon. All in all it was nice break. As with any good vacation I came back exhausted and only too happy to return to my normal routine.

You Can Drive?

I was picking up one of my friend's sick kids from school because they were busy. I pass this kid walking to the bus stop as I walk to work most mornings. As she walked up to me so that I could take her home she looked at me a little incredulously and asked,"You know how to drive?" I just shrugged my shoulders and said,"I guess we'll find out." It never occurred to me that she only ever saw me walking.

This isn't the first time that I've had someone concerned over my walking. I've had ward members offer me cars for cheap and people stop and ask me if I need a ride. I find it funny that people can't believe that someone has a car (or three) and chooses to walk anyway.

I wish I had some altruistic reason for walking like saving the planet or becoming healthy, but the truth is that I just hate driving to run errands or for commuting. It just isn't fun.

My work is only a 12 minute walk away and it keeps me from having to scrape windows or agonized that in the 2 minute drive to work the engine oil never got up to temperature. Whatever fringe benefits I get are just icing on the cake.

On the Uphill Swing

The holidays are finally over; as is the shortest day of the year and the family wedding. As you may have already heard, the wedding was magical and December 21st was, well, short. Christmas was nice and quiet. Turns out it was to be the only quiet part of the last few weeks.

December in Nevada was cold and snowy. Temperatures frequently dropped blow zero and by the time all was said and done we had a foot and half or more snow with drifts that were much deeper. I got out my snow boots, but snow shoes would have served me better on the walk to work. This last week we've seen temperatures in the high 30's to mid 40's with sunny skies. The snow melted enough that I was even able to walk to work sans boots! (as long as I was careful where I stepped) I still end up in snow up to my knees when I try to walk across the rail yard. However, the days are getting a little longer. It's now barely still light outside when I leave the dental office instead of pitch dark. Nonetheless, I am still aware that February is generally miserably cold, but the muddy days of April and May are just around the corner. I can feel it coming and I can't wait.

To pass the winter months I'm planning road trip to the Southwest. It is astounding how great 50 degrees feels after -15.

Happy New Year!

Really?

Really Max?
Is it really so hard just to let us all be? You win the game, redeeming yourself from last year's embarrassment. For a moment it looks like Thanksgiving will be saved and then you go and crap in your hands and smear it everywhere,..........again!

Max, can you honestly think that you are the only person who has ever had their family insulted? Furthermore, can you possible think that your family members are the only BYU fans who have ever had to put up with mouthy Utes at a game? I'm sure to have your family treated that way must be aggravating but GROW UP! and quit dragging us all through the mud with you. Get some moral fiber, and while your at it tell you friend Jorgensen to grow up too.

I almost would have rather lost than had to deal with the kind of publicity that you seem to attract. As far as I'm concerned you are the Harry Reid of the Cougar football team.

In the words of Eunice Burns,"Don't you know the meaning of propriety?!"

Best VW based video I've seen yet!

VIDEO: Mechanically-inclined ninja blows our collective mind — Autoblog

Re-Unretired

As I'm on the verge of receiving my second paycheck (that's right, second), I thought I might as well let you all in on the bad news. I've come out of retirement. No more mid afternoon naps, mowing the lawn in the middle of the day, and shop time has been relegated to evenings and weekends.

I decided that as long as I was coming out of retirement I was going to go all the way. Instead of just getting one job I got three.


First: I got a job at the Nevada Northern Railway. This is a tourist railroad that runs steam trains. The rail yard and rolling stock is a national historic landmark. The entire complex was built during the very early part of the 20th century, and has remained virtually unchanged since that time. Any building that need saving or infrastructure that needs replacing becomes my project. The pay is very low (mostly nothing), but it's a pretty fun job. Come out some time. I'll try to get you a train ride. Just come and talk with the Project Manager.


Second: I'm the front office manager at a Dental Office. This is the job that pays the bills. The other office employees are fun to work with and the work schedule is fairly flexible.

Some pearls of joy from the dental office:

"Ely Family Dental, this is Nathan, how can I help you?"
"David?"
"No, Nathan."
"Well David I need to ask some questions about..."

A little while later, LTD...

"Ely Family Dental, this is Nathan, how can I help you?"
"Nathan, I was talking with David. Is he there?"
"No, he has stepped out?"
"Well, David told me that..."
"David is new and was mistaken, that isn't the case."
"Well, I'll call back when David is in."
"Fine."

The fun really never ends between the Medicaid patients and the kids who have never brushed or flossed (see the case of the 12 year old with the $14,000+ treatment plan).


Third: On occasion I help with some projects for a small engineering firm that a friend of mine runs. Helping usually entails holding the surveying rod or talking him into buying new equipment. He is also the Ely city engineer so I deal with him quite a bit on projects for the railroad. This job is mostly fun and pays for some car parts.

Currently, the plan is to work here for three years so that I can save up to return to grad school, but I've seen how plans tend to go. Only time will tell.

All I Need

What I've always needed is a garage; somewhere to put my cars and unpack my tools; somewhere I can turn on NPR while I let my hands marinate in dirty engine oil. Obviously, this need has become much more acute since my retirement.

Well, that dream has finally come to fruition. It's a nearly 20'x40' building located a few blocks from the house. Infact, this garage used to be owned by a retired diesel mechanic that helped me with my cars when I was younger. I've spent the last week cleaning it out and arranging my stuff. My new garage can easily hold four cars or comfortably hold three, but currently I only have two cars housed in it.


One of my favorite features, apart from the automatic garage door, is the work bench. The work bench is accessorized with an overhead light, a set of drawers and a peg board for hanging tools on. It still needs a vise and a chair to finish it off.

To round out my publicly uninteresting piece on my new man cave, here is a small excerpt from the champion of the shed, James May.

...all the best things in the world came out of sheds: the aeroplane, television, radio, the power loom, home-brew, blasphemy, potted hyacinths, the machine gun and, if we stretch the definition a bit further, Jesus... I've often thought that there is something about the ambiance of a shed - the way it liberates its occupant from the stifling conventions concerning decoration, function and acceptable behavior that apply to the rest of the house - that stimulates inventiveness.

James May - Telegraph, Feb. 2008

Expect great things.