Since you asked

Someone asked me yesterday what the nasty smell was the other day. The truth is, I still don't know. I suspect, however, that it may have been someone firing up the building's A/C system for the first time this year. Happily, the smell was gone the next day and hasn't returned.

What hasn't abated is house showings. We had another last week and two more scheduled today. It's very tiring, and if I could get a final determination on the TX interview situation, I would know whether to give up and remove my home from the MLS, refinance, and settle in again, or to start packing like crazy for the big move. I can't imagine the middle alternative of selling my home without getting a new job, and I'm not sure whether or not I even want that alternative to come to pass. Our home has issues, but no more than most homes, and we do like our neighbors--but we are also the type who loves a new adventure in any form.

The TX company is supposed to get back to me in the next ~2 weeks, so we'll hopefully have more information soon, even if it's just that another interview is scheduled.

My office and the ones nearby smell like seawater--very strongly, as in, put your face next to a mound of kelp. It's making me mildly nauseated, and we can't figure out where it's coming from. :-(

Happy Odd Day

Today is only one of six days this century comprised of three consecutive odd numbers: 5/7/9. So, do something odd today in the name of mathematics! Or, look at your journal and do the reverse of what you did on 9/7/5.

Belated spring break report

The trip to Southern Utah was short, packed, and tiring, but I had a great time. On Friday, we left home early and went to Snow Canyon and hiked the trail to the lava tubes, went swimming, saw a few relatives, and visited the temple visitor's center and Jacob Hamblin's home. On Saturday, we spent the day in the Zion Canyon part of Zion n.p. and did some great hikes. Zion
is stunningly beautiful if you've never been. On Sunday, we went to church in La Verkin. The bishop looked just like the judge of Deadwood, c. 1875. He had the Wyatt Earp/President Taft handlebar moustache, the long, high-buttoned greycoat, the string bowtie, and the riding boots.
After that, we did the scenic drive and a hike in the Kolob Canyons part of Zion n.p., and also stopped at Cove Fort on the way home.

It was a lot to do in a few days, but it was fun and inexpensive. Our motel in Hurricane was quite nice, had kitchen facilities, and cost $133 for two nights, including tax. Beyond that and gas, our costs were pretty minimal. I hadn't been to Zion for many years, but I highly recommend it. I think the kids liked it even better than when we went to Arches last spring break. My wife stayed home with the baby, which gave her a little quiet and enabled us to do a little more. I could carry L when she got tired, and the older kids did just fine with lots of snacks and periodic rest breaks.

I made sure to point out to the kids that most of the people in our motel seemed to be German. People come from all over the world to visit the parks in the Southwest that are only a few hours from my home. I want my kids to realize that a vacation need not be to some far-off place or cost a lot of money to be memorable.