Not much has been happening lately. I feel like Charlie Brown, taking time out from life to make my dog happy.

Work has been summarizing the sage grouse wing data, transferring it to our standard data forms, and looking over data from one of my neighbors. Most of it done while sitting with the masked heeler.

Received several "requests for exceptions" from the federal land agency.

Winter range protection stipulations (basically, a "stay out of big game winter ranges" applied to energy extraction companies during the winter to keep from harassing big game during their stress season) went into effect as of 15 November, and have already had two requests from companies to be "excepted" from those protections.

Yes, it is an unusually mild November so far. But can we make them come back every week and ask again, in case the weather changes for the worse?

"Yes."

Okay, then. Alright by me.

Masked heeler got hit with extreme diarrhea last night, and still has it. Had to walk her out on her leash at midnight, 01:00, and 02:00. Wife took the 04:30 turn since she was up anyway, getting youngest son ready for the all-day band trip to River Town. Then I drove him to the school, and gave the heeler another hurried walk onto the grass. Etcetera, etcetera, all day.

Poor heeler.

Had no idea what to put down for an entry tonight. Was going to do a synopsis of what has been going on in other people's diaries and lives, but Imp beat me to it. Although she missed TvZero's bad news for today.

So I checked my list of "Grousin' Ideas." Haven't been there for months. And there it was.

"Mark Twain."

Cool. Perfect timing. We just finished watching the second part of the Star Trek: Next Generation episode that includes Mark Twain. Love that episode, or at least that actor playing Mark Twain.

I have always liked Mark Twain, although not Huckleberry Finn.

Wife is from Missouri, and also has an affinity for Twain. Folks from Missouri proudly claim him as one of their own, just like Harry Truman.

So the wife was a little disgruntled when I discovered that I am related to Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain.

Third cousin, five times removed.

We share the remarkably productive marriage of Thomas Moorman and Rachel Clark.

Yes, through my great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Pamplin Moorman.