Well, the monthly reports are finally done, and ready to go to the boss.

Something that I will handle in person in about eight hours' time.

Yes, it is that time of year again. The annual sage grouse wing bee, where those of us assigned to the sage grouse team gather together and read all the wings collected in our state during the past fall. Usually in one of the unheated, or poorly heated, garages on one of our outfit's wildlife habitat units. The exact site largely dependant upon where some members want to hunt birds this November.

This Monday and Tuesday, we are again meeting in Feral Horse Town, none too far from Whinybutt's state. (If I see a balloon going by in the stratosphere, I'll wave.) So tomorrow, around 05:30, I hit the road, sans heelers. Pick up another box of frozen wings in Regional town, and then high-tail it north for the lunch meeting.

Haven't checked the road reports since Friday, but at that time the northern highways were dry. Not so for the first half of the drive.

Got a list of about eight caches and over 50 benchmarks along the highways to check if I get bored, and have the time.

Got a six-pack of Amber O'Doul's ready to go this time, for the evening steak grill. To avoid another desperate wander through that conservative little town looking for a package liquor store open. (There wasn't one... ended up buying it at a bar one year, convincing the barkeep to sell off some of his inventory. Probably a violation of the state's package liquor laws.)

Last couple years I have made a morning sojourn up into the mountains to visit the Wheel, but there is probably too much snow this year (all from the Hallowe'en blizzard). So I may occupy my Tuesday morning hunting.

Benchmarks.

Then, depending on when we get the wings read, it is either homeward bound, or off to Regional Town for another meeting on Wednesday morning.

One of the things that came up as I was doing my reports...

Sometime between now and the end of the year, I have to use 24 days of annual leave, as well as two and a half days of comp time. A situation further aggravated by there being so many holidays in the next two months.

Don't know when I'll get anything done.