This morning and the early afternoon were spent with more tooth letters. Two elk areas done, one to go. And then the 200 deer hunters.

Guess what I will be doing in my spare time on check station tomorrow (got four antelope areas opening). Yep... signing, folding and stuffing.

Postmaster was real happy to see my outgoing mail today. A hundred and fifty plus outgoing first class letters is a significant jump for this little place. But I sort the letters by zipcode, so it isn't that hard on her. And I don't drop any off within the hour before closing time, so she doesn't have to work late.

Rest of the afternoon and the evening were spent putting up barrels to collect sage grouse wings when that season opens on Saturday.

Nine barrels up, eight to go.

Been feeling fine all summer, but woke up the past two mornings with pain and stiffness in the lower back. Purely muscular, I can tell, but I have no idea what brought it on. And naturally I had to spend six hours hauling barrels in and out of the truck and pounding steel posts into the ground.

But it feels much better now.

Pretty much had to.

We put in the next-to-the-last barrel right at sunset, and had to cross the main highway to head west to the last site. Masked heeler got pretty agitated when I headed straight across the asphalt.

"You're supposed to turn left, dummy!"

They know when it is getting close to dinner time, and when we ought to be turning back towards home.

Maskless heeler turned on her stare.

This is a deadpan, non-blinking stare directly into my face, from less than two feet away. Not a pleading "please turn back" stare, nor a demanding "we're hungry" stare. It is a more of a "I can't believe you're this stupid" stare.

But they enjoyed the run and snooping at the last barrel site, and dinner was only a half hour late (but that's three and a half dog-hours).

Will spend all of tomorrow being bored here. And all of Saturday and Sunday also. It's within hearing distance of the Interstate, so honk if you're going by.

Oh, and to my reader from Taiwan. Thanks for the email. Sent you a really nice response, but it got bounced back as undeliverable (twice, even). But thanks for the contact.