Climbing aboard a 5 a.m. hotel shuttle I observed a wee little one riding shotgun. It’s great that children are able to spend a day with a parent at their job description but I don’t think that this was it. Unfair the disparity. Unfair that working parents in the affluent technology corridor where this hotel is situated have quality day care furnished as a career benefit while our driver hack has no such perk. No doubt he is an immigrant working all hours of the night to make ends meet. The child trying to catch Zsss in between dad’s 30 minute airport runs was quiet and unaware of her unfortunate caste. Let’s hope that when she’s old enough that she will do well in school and rise above it all.

A critter varmint accidentally died. The ultimate action in the chain of events was that BossOfYouRingGirl, was insulted by the odorific carcass. To reclaim the living room, I was volunteered to extract said item. Whilst standing on my head and squinting so as to avoid getting the remains in my eyes I removed the flu damper and groped for the prize. The thought crossed my mind that anyone else would have hired out this job. I found the remains on the smokeshelf and came up with handfuls of soot, dust, chimney clinkers, and pieces of birds nest. The offender removed, I sealed the thing shut with caulking.

Bro’ uses the Monty Roberts “horse whisperer” method to break MANGO, a 2 year old. learn more about it…

The lady remarked (pleasantly) that our machine looked old fashioned. I hardly agree but thought now there is a descriptor that you hear seldom used anymore. It’s either ‘retro’ or ‘nostalgic’. Good thing that she didn’t proclaim antiquity.

Unemployed roofer going from door to door is not deterred by the barking German Shepherd. He wants to clean my gutters but seeing as how he arrived on a kids size bicycle he doesn’t have a ladder with him. He wants to use mine. Lemme see now… If he falls and injures himself… Can you say lawsuit? Can’t do a background check neither. The Utah handyman (guilty or not) has made it tough for his co-horts to find work.

The alarm clock went off at o’dark hundred this morning. Hushed and switching on the bedside table lamp twas stunned with a blue green flash as the light bulb burned out and then a fraction later the phone rings with the wakeup call backup. Okay! I’m awake! I’m awake! I suppose a bucket of water in the face is worse.

The FO has his first baby due July 5th. Don’t think that he’s not checking his voice mail everytime we hit the deck 😉 I like the choice of dates. If the doctor had proclaimed the baby due on the 3rd — and it didn’t happen — why then he’d be on the hook for the holiday 4th. There’s no pressure or external influence in this calculation is there?

The FA (35 and single) has been working on her private pilot’s license for about a year now and is scheduled for the big checkride next month. She takes offense and shows various degrees of friendly irritation when asked “has she got it done yet”. She trys to be one of the guys but it’s a female frustration to be harangued about marital status, and when she’s finally married “any children yet”.

I was itching to ride the new GM Test Track at Epcot but it had been closed most of the morning due to tech difficulties (a common occurrence I understand) When they finally got it back up we waited out the 100 minute line and finally got our turn. It was worth it and we got the full effect except for the last 10 yards toward the unloading platform when the whole thing ground to a screeching halt. Broken down, again. We sat there strapped in like crash dummies unable to extricate ourselves. The lap/shoulder belts lock up for good until somebody in some control room pushes the red button. I mean, there is no emergency way out! After 10 minutes I was wishing for my Leatherman knife tool (back in the hotel) for with to start sawing my way out. So we waited it out and finally they powered down and they sprung us and we walked out. You should have seen the look of dejection on the faces of those who were waiting to board. They had been waiting near 2 hours for their chance and then — Sorry this ride is closed! I mean, some of them had actually made it into a waiting car and were ready to Go! Euuuuu — they were a little bit testy…

Remind me to clue in the apartment complex I’m visiting. They have a gorgeous marine aquarium in a public space. It looks to be professionally kept but devoid of life. If you peer closely the fishes are all cowering behind the rockscape. If they’d only put the tank lights on a timer, they’d get some relief and enjoy a natural Arcadian rhythm. In other words KILL THE LIGHTS SO THEY CAN GET SOME QUALITY SLEEP TIME, WOULD YA PLEASE? The other issue is the poor PC in the library/reading room. It’s a low end Compaq but it offers the tenants broadband internet and a few installed apps. I suspect that it is mostly used to play solitaire but not for much longer if it isn’t rescued. The cpu tower is hidden away in a desk cabinet with zilch for cooling air flow. I open the door and the hot air billows from the slow burning machine.

Should be off season. Early AM and summer peak yet the pilgrimage is full on. Rush hour. I ponder the day when the park service starts to limit the trail count. The locals are annoyed. Still it’s more fun then a trip to the (no less crowded) mall. People watching is so much more meaningful. You judge people less by their clothes, jeweley, hair, and makeup rather muscles, tans, respiration rates, sweat, and postures. It’s fun to catch snippets of conversation as they pass. Glimpses of other worlds and life styles.