First off, 'Hi' to the new resnet.montana.edu in my stats. Glad to see you made it, hope things are off to a good start at the new place.

Now... Tuesday.

Tuesday was a looong day.

Started an hour later than I had hoped (and no, Melissa, it wasn't your fault), so had to take the direct highway route to the meeting in Office Town, rather than cutting across the desert.

Coming into town I noticed banks of unusually blue fog hanging in a couple valleys on the front slope. And thought nothing of it.

First order of business at the meeting was handing out four service awards. Totalling up to 85 years of service to our outfit.

Kinda impressive.

One for 35 years, two 25 years, and a youngster with his ten-year award. Reportedly a genuine diamond on the 35-year pin (suspect they didn't expect to hand many out when they made that decision). Someone asked the eldest veteran "What's the year on that?"

The quipped response from across the room?

"1812."

Most of the meeting was computer and budget stuff. Code changes, steps for accessing databases online. Stuff that generally took more time that it needed, just because it's been so long since some of us have been there.

The newest fellow in the group, been with us maybe a year and a half, asked if I needed a map to find the office town. His smart way of noting that he has only seen me up there twice since he moved in (not true... must be at least three times). But he's right. With the reductions in meetings (to save money on travel), I often don't feel like I belong there anymore. More like a guest.

Budget stuff was simple.

We ain't got much. And next year it'll be less.

Bosses made a big deal about the prioritization they did, to identify where cuts will have to be made if the fiscal picture doesn't improve. How they ranked programs, and how hard they worked at it.

Then refused to give us the results. Outfit Policy. They don't want people panicking if they see their toys, flight time, or jobs are somewhere on the list.

Fine. That makes sense. But then why bring it up? Just tell us it's done, and move on, please.

They did mention our part of the outfit has 72% of the budget in salaries, which doesn't leave much to cut until you get to people. And we used to be about 50% salaries. Which means we have already cut most of the fat off the budget (Known as "toys". And flight time.).

Rest of the outfit still averages 50% in salaries.

So my question was, who still has all the toys?

Do they pass out (literally, flying across the room) the large Atomix red hot candies at your meetings?

They do at ours. Bought out of the privately contributed coffee fund.

At lunch time, the fella who blew out the windshield of his previous truck with a can of bear spray had to show me the modifications he made to his new rig.

There, between the bucket seats, is a small wood platform, topped with carpet.

A platform for his blue heeler to ride on.

And there, behind that platform, raised about half-heeler high, is another carpet covered wood platform for his second truck dog (some kind of mix breed).

Double-decker doggie seats. Would love to see that arrangement going down the highway. He says they like it.

And you thought I spoiled my truck dogs. Bet the plywood and carpet arrangement would work well with the extended cab, if I could hinge the bed.

After lunch the boss commented how the fire had flared up.

Fire?

Yes, they have a new wildfire just outside town. Been evacuating some remote homes. The blue "fog" I saw coming into town. Go outside to look, and you can see a huge plume of smoke rising above the nearest hills.

Oh. That fire.

In discussing lodging for a task force this fall, one warden asked if they were going to stay in the new cabin, or the old "Hantavirus Hotel."

The new cabin.

Using the last of last year's moneys, the boss secured us a new tranqulizing rifle. The modernistic version you see at the end of Jurassic Park Two. Now I gotta get a scope on it, sight it in, and then shoot lots of practice darts to plot out what size dart goes how far with what pressure reading.

Like I have time for that?

One of my wardens was positively drooling over the opportunity to play with a new toy.

Maybe I'll set up an antelope decoy across the fence from one of my check stations, and while away the empty hours shooting darts at it.

Stopped at the Texaco for a crappuccino on my way home, and the clerk asked me what happened to their fire. The huge plume of smoke was gone. Told him it probably settled down with the cold front and clouds that came in.

He's worried about all the new lightning strikes. I explain most of those will be put out by the rain. But he points out the wildfire was supposedly a lightning strike.

Yes, but that was a dry storm. He is unconvinced, seeming to want a conflagration to come to their community. And worried that they only have a line around 5% of this 11,000 acre fire. Another customer comes in, sees the uniform, and just assumes I'm a resident, telling me all about their personal experiences with the fire.

People in this town definitely need some excitement in their lives.

I had to ask him to ring up my coffee so I could get out of there.

As suspected, the cool temps, high humidity and low winds was putting a damper on their blaze: