I Hate Night Shift!

I got on the bus at 5:30 pm and the bus driver asked if we should take the alternate route to Dugway, thru Skull Valley because he thought there must be a marathon being run because there were cops everywhere on the south end of Tooele. We told him that Skull Valley was never a good option for going to work because it takes an additional half hour. He insisted, but we prevailed and we headed south out of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) parking lot. When we got to the south end of town, the driver turned out to be almost right. Not a marathon, but a bike race. Go figure, a bike race at 5:30 in the afternoon, right during rush hour. Only in Tooele! As it turned out for us, though, we detoured a couple of blocks and back onto the highway to Dugway.

The night shift is really the pits! I have avoided working nights since I have been here, but this week it changed. I am the “specialist” on the Army radios, and since this is Army test, and since this test has to be run after dark, I am on the night shift. I got her last night only to find out that the radios I am the “specialist” in are not even here yet! In fact, they won’t be here this week at all, but next week. Oh well, I am here and I am very tired! And it is only 9:30 pm! Last night I didn’t get really tired until about thirty minutes before the bus got here to take us home. I did go to the “downrange” site last night until midnight to observe. Observe what? I sat in the corner far away from the action, because our radios weren’t being used, and I was taking up valuable space. Tonight I get to go downrange again. This time from midnight to about 4 am to observe what goes on during the second half of the night. So tonight I brought my book…!

Since I am sitting here, I thought I would pass on some words of wisdom, or humor, or whatever I think of. So far, I am coming up empty!

Today was the Democratic Primary election in several states for the 2006 elections coming up in November. Does anyone really care about the Primaries? I know I don’t. Nobody changes office during a Primary. It does mark the beginning of a long political season. Only now days it seems like we are always in a political season. The thing I have noticed about the Democrat Party is that they are still running against W. I don’t think he is running for anything this year!

After spending as much time in Utah as I have spent this year, and will spend before I get to go back to Texas, I am having second thought s about all my Utah Mormon jokes. I am becoming one! I keep thinking that this wouldn’t be such a bad place to live. I listen to Mom tell about the oppressive humidity in Texas and think it would be nice not to have to put up with that. But then I remember that January in Utah is not like July in Utah. And I quickly get over my thoughts of immigrating to Zion!

The coyotes are in tune tonight! When the sun goes down here you can hear them howling! They sound like they could be right around the corner, but they are not very close…at least that is what I keep telling myself when I go out to the outhouse! I wonder what they howl at besides the moon…which may be enough to howl about tonight as it is a huge full moon!

Had a great weekend with Todd, Sunde and the kids. Little Luke is a doll. He is much cuter now than even the recent pictures. Sunde said that when they brought him home, they could fold his skin over … he had no meat on his bones. Now he has filled out and is looking good. The girls love him to death, but Mom won’t let them near him because they have runny noses. The doctor said that if Luke gets sick, he will have to go back into the hospital. So they are not taking any chances. He is being blessed on September 3rd. Mom and I are going up for that. If Holly is still here, she will go with us, too.

This must be a slow news night, as they say. I can’t think of much else to say. I guess I will sign off for tonight.