Does anyone know someone looking for a job as a chemist?  I'm leaving my job at the end of this month, and I'd really like for there to be someone already trained to take my place.

https://www.cornproducts.apply2jobs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=27&CurrentPage=1

We have decided that paying to store our vardage (part vardo part cottage) so that we can haul it halfway across the country and back for one week's use is a waste.  So, the vardage is officially for sale.  I intend to take it to Pennsic this year and advertise it out there.  If it sells there, great!  If it doesn't I'll bring it back and we'll continue to store it until a buyer can be found.

The base trailer is a 12' by 102" tandem axle with trailer brakes.  The top is raised by a single winch on the front, and takes less than a minute for a moderately strong person (it's a little too hard for me).  Ceiling height is roughly 7'.  The bed platform is larger than a standard queen and has storage underneath.  A table pulls out from under the platform and can fit up to four people sitting on the benches, which also have storage space.  The windows are double paned and swing outward, so they can remain open even in the rain.  The walls and ceiling are insulated with 1" foam board, so it actually stays noticeably cooler even in the hot Pennsic sun.

If anyone is interested, or knows someone else who might be, please let me know.  I'm happy to answer any questions.
( Pictures here... )

The position I was being transferred to has been eliminated.  Friday is my last day.

Instead of laying me off, Volt is transferring me to East Peoria.  I've bumped someone else out of their job, but at least I'll still be employed.

My last day is Friday.

On Monday, the father of one of my high school friends suddenly died.  My friend's mother is in the hospital.  Nothing official has been reported, but it's suspected that they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from their water heater.  He was only 62 years old.  His new baby granddaughter will grow up never knowing him.

Please, my friends, keep yourselves safe.  Be aware of the signs of CO poisoning.  Get a CO detector.

Caterpillar eliminated a lot of people employed by my agency today.  Lucky for me, I was not one of them, yet.  I feel like it's probably only a matter of time.  I'm not a standard employee of Volt, though, so I may be somewhat protected.  We'll just have to see...

For those who have not yet heard, Baron Charles has decided to step down early.  I would encourage people to contact him if they would like to know his reasons, but suffice it to say it was not a decision he made lightly.  We are hoping to be able to get the polling done in time for the transition to take place at Maidens.

A few weeks ago I noticed a rabbit building a nest against our foundation.  Two weeks ago or so I noticed that the nest was flat, so I thought that the heavy rains had collapsed it.  Then I noticed it was moving and realized that there was a nest of baby bunnies in our yard.  Last week I checked on them, moving the grass aside with a stick, and they had their eyes open.  There were at least six of them (that's all I could see at one time, since they were moving around so much).  Today, Mike told me he saw one of them moving around the yard, so I went to check out the nest again.

Four of the bunnies never made it out of the nest.  Three of them were very small, and possibly hadn't gotten old enough to open their eyes.  The fourth was bigger.  As I was going back inside to tell Mike, I saw one of the live ones.  I think it might be old enough to have been weaned, but it's hard to tell with rabbits.  Mike removed the dead rabbits and I covered the nest back over.  I doubt the mother or living babies will return to it, since it smells like death.

I wasn't foolish enough to get attached to them, but I'm still bummed.

But not the type you expect.

On Monday I went to use the facilities at work and was greeted by a sign saying "Please be considerate of the person after you.  Please flush after use."  I find this humorous because we have those annoying automatic flushing toilets.  On average, for me the toilets flush two times, when I stand up and when I leave the stall.  There was actually one time that it flushed four times, when I entered the stall, when I sat down, when I stood up, and when I left the stall.  I can't imagine how the toilets aren't flushing for some people, when they flush so often for me (ironically destroying any water conservation that the autotoilet is supposed to help with).

It just struck me as funny, which goes to show how being at work damages my brain.

We were at the first meeting of the Pre-Proto-Incipient Group up in Princeton last night.  My impression was overall positive.  There were six other people there.  The woman who has done most of the legwork so far and her husband are from Caid, so they have some exposure to the SCA.  I'm not sure how much actual experience they have, but that's something we can talk about over the next few weeks.  The group wants to do things right, even if that means moving pretty slowly.  They're willing to ask for advice, and they asked good questions.

Mike set them 3 or 4 goals to achieve before their next meeting.  This will be the first test of how willing they are to follow through.  The warning signs I had seen regarding choosing the Seneschal didn't develop past the sign stage, which was a relief.

I'll be at practice tonight if anyone has any questions or wants more details on my impression of the group.

Hooray!  Our internet is working again.  It's more than a little disturbing how much I've come to rely on it.  I can't say how many times last night I thought, "I'll just look that up on the internet" and then realized that I couldn't.

First things first, I've posted a picture of Thomas.  It's not very good, but we don't have an actual digital camera, so my phone had to do.  Did I mention he has no tail?

Yesterday, Mike and I went out to Wildlife Prairie Park.  Once again, I have missed the Bison Ground Blessing.  Something always interferes with me getting to it (this year it was me thinking it was a different day).  We walked the Floodplain Trail, which the map says is 4 miles, but I'm positive is not.  We strolled, and we made it to the end in just over 1 hour.  We saw two large deer running across the trail.  Once we got to the end, we walked through the farm area, which was frustratingly devoid of animals.  Then, as we were walking through the bear/cougar area, we saw a fox trotting down one of the access roads.  The wild animals were much more interesting than the captive ones!  I came home with a sunburn, and Mike came home with a tick (which luckily hadn't attached, but did make us both paranoid for the rest of the evening).

Today we went out to Chester's to work on the trailer.  He, Rob, and Dave did a fabulous job fabricating the roof supports.  With our limited help, they got them primed and welded to the frame.  Our friends rock!  I came home with a worse sunburn, and probably windburn.  Holy crap, it was windy!

We just got back from Thomas' vet appointment.  He's very healthy.  His teeth are in extremely good shape for an 8 year old cat.  His heart is fine.   

I got sick at work yesterday and had to come home early.  I'm home again today.  Ugh.  I hate being sick.

The cats had another meeting last night.  They seem to be settling into avoidance.  Thomas has his vet appointment tomorrow, so we'll soon know what his official weight is.  I think he's already lost some, though.

We hope to start work on the trailer this weekend.  I'm looking forward to it.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Imp and Thomas had their first real meeting tonight.  After some hissing and growling, they had settled down to mutual watchful avoidance.  Thomas was in a chair while Impy was on the back of the couch.  Thomas started making some hairball noises, so Mike moved over to soothe him.  Thomas had enough of Mike petting him, so he yowled and swatted at him.  Impy immediately yowled and lunged at Thomas, knocking some stuff off the table beside the couch, making a large noise and scaring himself into stopping his lunge.  There was a tense few minutes during which every time Thomas yowled and moved aggressively against Mike, Imp yowled and moved aggressively against Thomas.  So, apparently Imp is feeling he needs to protect us from the new invader.  After Imp backed down, I grabbed him (getting several scratches), and Mike herded Thomas back up to the guest room.

I'm not sure if I'm encouraged or not.

I just got done watching a show about a man in Britain who raised three wolves by living with them and being the alpha of the pack.  He's crazy, but it was a really cool show.

It's official, we're now the proud owners of a new cat, Thomas.  I had estimated him as being 1.5 the size of Impy, which would make him 22.5 pounds.  I was wrong.  We haven't been able to weigh him yet, but PAWS estimated his weight as 26 pounds.  His rolls of fat have rolls of fat!  He's still adjusting, so we have him shut in our guest bedroom for now.  Impy isn't reacting very well to having another cat, but hopefully we'll be able to integrate them okay.  

We found out today that Thomas has no claws at all.  I had already make an appointment to get his front claws removed, since his records indicated that he still had them, and we didn't want him hurting Bast and Imp.  I would never have had his back claws removed.

I really hope we haven't made a huge mistake...

Today's (actually yesterday's) Highlight:  All the people at PetSmart saying, "Oh!  Are you adopting the big guy?  He's my favorite!"

I got to have sushi tonight!  My tummy is very happy.

Today I decided to increase the treadmill speed during my workout, which strangely enough made the workout seem to go faster.  I'm not really sure why.  In the middle of the workout, a rabbit hopped right up to the basement window three feet from my head.

It stared at me.
I stared at it.
It stared at me.
I stared at it.

Then it hopped away.  It was probably wondering how I was walking without getting anywhere.

Last night we saw a cat at PetSmart that was about 1.5 the size of Impy!  It was gi-normous.  We may end up with a third cat if we aren't careful...


Today's Highlight:  Sushi!!!