May 22, 2010

Well, I'm here after all, but not because we won't be going on vacation--we just decided to leave tomorrow instead of today. But, there's lots of work to do to get ready so this will be a short one.

First, our plans have settled and we know what we'll be doing for the next few months. Here's the plan: We'll be on vacation for the next couple of weeks, but then we'll be back here. Budd will accept a 30-day emergency-hire appointment (that's a technical term in government service that means they need a temporary worker) and I'll finish my appointment, or most of it. That's the only part that isn't quite settled. The days are business days, and they don't count my vacation, so when I get back I'll have 40 days left and Budd will only have 30. One of us will adjust, or he'll go ahead to the next thing without me while I finish up. That part hasn't been decided yet.

When we're done here, he will be re-hired as a seasonal at Timpanogos Cave and immediately be detailed to Lakewood, CO, near Denver, for a 60-90 day period at the Help Desk. This is to fill in for Budd's friend who passed away a few weeks ago, as I may have mentioned at the time. In government service, they can't just post the job and hire. There is a long process where the HR department combs through each application, which includes usually a resume and some essay questions addressing knowledge and skills related to the job description. HR 'rates and ranks' all the applicants, and then forwards a certified list to the department that's hiring. There is a lot more to it as I've learned from my friend Kathy, a long-time government employee, but it gets pretty complicated so I won't go into it.

The bottom line is that it can take months to get the new person into an open position, hence all the temporary types of appointment. We know of two types, the emergency-hire, which is 30 days extendible to 60 and no more (and can only be done once per year per individual); and the detail, which is when a park sends a regular employee, either permanent or term full-time or seasonal, to work elsewhere. That's the type Budd just finished up at Organ Pipe. I understand there are others, and each has its own rules and regulations, but I don't know anything about them including what they're called.

Our maintenance department, where I'm doing my temporary job, has a few workers who have been hired on a different type of temp appointment. Yesterday was to be the last day for one of them, but literally half an hour before close of business, someone called and asked the boss if he wanted to extend Mike for another 30 days. I wasn't on the scene when Bob told Mike, but I'll bet that was one happy worker. There is very little work in this area, so even 30-day appointments are precious. For the admin clerk permanent position that I applied for around Easter (thinking Budd would be here long-term), there were over 90 other applicants. The rating and ranking on us still isn't done.

I didn't get to help in other departments this week after all, as the superintendent had some projects for me and also gave Bob (my immediate supervisor) some others to give me. In fact, I didn't get them finished and will have a couple of them to come back to in June. My favorite was devising a way to collect the information for an annual energy report in such a way that it will be all ready when the time for it comes. Before now they have had to go back through monthly records and compile it, so the superintendent wanted to be proactive. My response was a monster spreadsheet, with separate worksheets for each type of energy or fuel we use and a summary worksheet that continually updates year-to-date consumption, pulling it from the individual worksheets as monthly data is entered. It links to other spreadsheets that are already kept on a monthly basis so that very little actual data entry is required, and it has embedded formulas to calculate totals. Creating it was a blast, but now I need to populate some of the worksheets with retrospective data from the beginning of this fiscal year. Others are done and already reporting YTD info. For those of you who aren't nerds, I apologize for putting you to sleep. This stuff is entertainment to me. Who was it who said, find employment doing something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life?

So, it's time to do the laundry so we can pack and finalize where we'll be, when. We will be traveling through Las Vegas where we'll catch a show for which Budd has purchased tickets (I guess it's a surprise--he hasn't told me what it is yet). And then on to either Montpelier, ID to see his brother and sister-in-law or straight to Salt Lake City to visit our kids and grandkids. That part depends on whether Joy is finished teaching school and can visit. One way or another, we'll be in Salt Lake for the holiday weekend, through Memorial Day.

If Idaho doesn't work out, we'll go straight to Salt Lake and maybe then go to Idaho after Memorial Day. Either way, I hope to grab a quick visit with Budd's mom and stepdad in Grand Junction before returning here. If that doesn't work out, at least we can plan to see them when we relocate to Lakewood sometime in July. We have missed everyone so much, that it's really exciting to know we'll be seeing them soon.

With that, I'll say adios for the next couple of weeks, and see you on the flip side.

May 15, 2010

Happy birthday to my grandson Shawn, 11 today. I understand his Uncle Matt bought him a fishing pole and that they planned to go fishing today.

Another week gone already...it's going too fast. I can see the same thing happening here that happened at Canyon de Chelly, when we ran out of time to see the canyon from the bottom. We meant to get to Rocky Point, Mexico, but haven't had the chance yet. Next Friday is Budd's last day at work here, unless he accepts the emergency hire position that's been offered. We still don't know exactly how everything will play out, but my job lasts until mid-July. We have made some applications and enquiries, but no answers yet.

My work week was very interesting, as we at Maintenance were hosting contractors associated with a multi-agency communications installation up in the mountains of the park, where there are no roads. On Monday, two helicopters flew in and used the maintenance yard as a landing pad. Just before they got there, one of our guys went all around the yard with a street sweeper, but there was still enough dust to create quite a mess. I was trapped in the auto shop where I had gone to deliver a message, and my office is on the other side of the yard, with the door wide open. Although my boss and the park superintendent were just outside the door, neither of them thought to close it, so I had sand all over everything when I got back.

Over the rest of the week, we got used to the comings and goings, and I even worked through the take-offs and landings without getting up to close the door. At one point I realized how lucky I was to be doing office work in an environment where I could keep the outer door wide open and get the fresh air. My door faces north, so until 1:00 p.m. or so, it's in shade and the air currents are cool. After that, when the air conditioner comes on, I have to shut the door, but the guys aren't used to keeping it shut so I get my exercise getting up to close it after them.

They had two helicopters because one was to transport people, and the other was for cargo. I have some pictures for Facebook, but I'll say here that it was fun watching them stuff four big guys in the back seat of the 'copter, with one hanging half out the door as they took off, at least on the side I could see from my door. That first day they made three or four trips to take all the men up, and then the big helicopter started ferrying the cargo up, which took the rest of the day. Just before I left for the day, they lifted the biggest load of all--the building into which the communications gear was installed over the rest of the week. I got a chance to talk to the mechanic when he came into the office to borrow the copy machine, and found out some interesting stuff about the cargo ship.

First, it is the only helicopter in existence that can lift more than its own weight. It weighs 5200 pounds dry, carries 1000 pounds of fuel, and can lift 6000 pounds of cargo. The cargo is lifted in baskets (not the technical term, lol) or is just hooked onto the long tow rope (also not the technical term). It has two rotors near the front of the cabin, angled in opposite directions from each other, about 30 degrees off perpendicular in relationship to the body of the aircraft. They rotate in opposite directions, too, which stabilizes the craft and makes a tail rotor unnecessary. That's important because it's what makes it possible for the craft to lift more than its own weight. A tail rotor, the mechanic told me, takes up to 30% of the engine's production. I asked him if there were others like it, because I hadn't seen any. Other than the military ones that have rotors on each end of a long tube-like cabin. This is the only one that looks the way it does that's manufactured here in the US. He said there was a predecessor from the same company that had room for passengers, and that the Russians have a knockoff of this one and a different one whose rotors are one on top of the other. I asked him what happens if the blades of the rotors get out of synch and hit each other, and he said that's impossible from a mechanical point of view, but that inexperienced pilots sometimes whack one against the other because they are flexing up and down. That doesn't cause the craft to wreck, as one might expect, but the blades do have to be replaced, to the tune of $400,000. The mechanic invited me to take a closer look, and I said I wanted a ride. That's when he pointed out something I hadn't realized before...there's only room for the one pilot. He said they'd either have to duct-tape me to the side or put me on the pilot's lap--which I politely declined.

On the third day they were there, the park superintendent pulled some strings and they all went out into the desert back-country to locate a wrecked car that had been out there for about twenty years. Since it's a designated wilderness area, they hadn't been able to go in after it with a truck when it was discovered, so it was just out there slowly decomposing. The Resources Management person who had the coordinates wasn't available, so my boss, who had found it in the first place, said, "Take me up in the helicopter, I'll take you right to it." Anything to get a ride, lol. Less than half an hour later, they were back, the old wreck swinging beneath the cargo 'copter. That caused quite a buzz around the park.

In a funny side-note, I was asked to track down a recycling company that would take the car, and find out what documentation they needed to accept it. The Hispanic-accented gentleman I spoke to said, "Just a title, that's all we need." When I explained where we got the car, he said he would have to check with the company that would buy the car from them. The word came back that we could just write a letter on NPS letterhead explaining the circumstances. I was envisioning having to get a salvage title from the state, so it was simpler than we thought.

It seemed too quiet on Friday, after all the extra people and the helicopters left Thursday evening. At least I finally got the trailer out from in front of my window. My boss had told the contractors to park one of their trailers in front of it to be sure they didn't throw a rock through it on take-off, especially when they lifted the communications building. All of this was taking place in a yard that is probably just a bit smaller than a football field. I got used to walking between the helicopters, even when one of them was running, but believe me, I gave the back end a wide berth.

Next week I may get the chance to help another division. The Admin Officer has said maybe Resource Management, and my boss said maybe Law Enforcement. The only thing I can say for certain is that I've done just about everything I can do at Maintenance, clearing backlogs and doing inventories. There's not enough day-to-day work to keep me busy, as I can't do the most critical thing. That's the data entry to a massive database management system that keeps track of everything maintenance-related in the park. It requires a week of training to get into it, which they don't give to temp hires, so they won't let me do that.

Next weekend may be the beginning of a vacation, so I may not be back to blog for a couple of weeks...but I will be back!

May 8, 2010

I like warm but there's such a thing as too much of a good thing! Temps are running around 95 now, and I'm seriously worried about what's coming. Is there any place that stays right around 75 year-round? That's where I want to be.

Finally saw my first rattlesnake this week. It was in a corner outside the building furthest from my office in the maintenance yard, but the custodian came to get me to see it since I had complained that they were all pulling my leg about there being snakes in the park. It was beautiful, a pale tan-and-brown diamondback, with white and black banded rattles. I wonder if snakes all shed their skins at about the same time, because they all look brand-new right now. Those I've seen in co-worker's pictures, that is, as well as this live one. One of the guys came out with a lidded bucket and a hooked tool about 2-3 feet long, just scooped up the snake and popped it in the bucket, flipping the lid closed quickly. We could hear it rattling inside, guess it was not happy about the treatment. He let it go, far away from our buildings and the campground. Later that day we almost ran over another snake that was the prettiest pinkish-orange color. When I described it to my boss, he said it was a red racer, and that, though not poisonous, it would chase humans. Evidently just playing, as it doesn't try to bite. He said when he was a kid he would get one to chase after him and then he'd stop abruptly and watch it speed past him. I can never tell when they are teasing me, so will take that with a grain of salt until I can verify it.

I still haven't seen a gila monster, either, though I keep hearing of other people in the park seeing them. We are watching the progress of the saguaro cactus blooming, though. Right now many of them look like they are wearing little hats, as the flower bulbs sprout from the tops of the main stalk as well as many of the arms. Some have opened to these almost ridiculously-small white, flat flowers. I keep forgetting to take my camera to work, but will try to make it a priority from now on.

I don't think I mentioned last week that we encountered my boss and his wife at the restaurant we chose for Friday date night. I found out this week that they actually own it. Fortunately for me, I could truthfully tell him it's the best in town, with regard to both food and ambience. It turns out that the other temp admin person who started the same day I did used to be one of their servers, too. Small town fun.

So...I figured out what to do about the national debt. Found out that tens of millions of dollars of marijuana are interdicted just in the local area every year. We're only one of maybe half a dozen small towns that are on the carrier routes for the stuff. I think the government should make it legal, sell what they're confiscating, and use the profits to pay off the national debt.

In a related story, the local school district just got hit with a $1.2 million dollar reimbursement bill for including non-resident alien students in their claims for government education money. These kids' parents provided false addresses within the US, but there are pictures of dozens of them crossing the border every day to be picked up by school buses in Lukeville and transported to Ajo for school. All the locals say that school officials knew very well what was going on, but turned a blind eye in order to get the money.

We've had a bit of a shake-up in our expectations for federal employment, but we don't yet know which way it's going to go, so I won't say more just yet. Hopefully the picture will be clearer by next week. Meanwhile, Budd and I are both applying for fed jobs both here and elsewhere, just to hedge our bets. Watch for us, coming soon to a town near you (maybe).

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, especially mine and Budd's. We love you! Hope my kiddos call me tomorrow...I really miss them.

OK, it's time for basketball. Go Jazz!!!

May 1, 2010

One week down, and I'm surviving the new job and early hours pretty well! Although I did fall asleep for the first three or four nights almost as soon as dinner was over. And we did have to eat out or eat pre-prepared food three of the nights. Well, I'm sure I'll adjust.

It's fun getting to drive to work with Budd. His boss allowed him to adjust his hours to match mine (7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), and it gives him an excuse to leave on time, knowing that I'll be the only one left at the maintenance yard when he gets there to pick me up. I wouldn't be able to do any overtime, so I just have to wait there, or walk over to Budd's office, about a quarter mile. That wouldn't be a big deal right now, but will be when the temperature is over 100 degrees, beginning at the end of this month we're told. This week we had a cold snap that took us down to highs of only 65-70 degrees for a couple of days.

One morning Budd's boss had him collect me and meet her and her new temporary assistant at one of the buildings that's going to be repurposed. While there, she mentioned that we should be careful to look down as we walk, as the area abounds in rattlesnakes and scorpions. Two of my favorite beasts, lol. Later, the custodian (part of my department and the only other woman in the department) dropped by to visit me because all the guys were out on an all-day project. After she left, she popped back in to say, "Be sure to look for snakes before you step out the door. Last week there was one right here." Then she pointed down directly in front of the door. After forgetting to check the next time I went out the door, I posted a sign to remind me: CHECK FOR SNAKES! The guys are all making fun of me, but I don't have ankle-high boots like they do. Better safe and the butt of jokes than sorry.

My department consists of several permanent government employees and several more temporary-hires for special projects or who were hired with special funds. Maintenance takes care of all the buildings and the stuff that's in them with the exception of the computers, the park infrastructure (water, sewer, electrical), all the automobiles, and the trails. On my first morning there, I learned that there was a job requirement that hadn't been mentioned in the preliminary talks...seems my predecessor spoiled the guys with carrot cake for their birthdays. After a few days, I told them I couldn't make them any cakes because my cake pan isn't with me. There were two responses, 'You're fired.' and 'Let's take up a collection to buy her a cake pan.' lol. The guys are good-natured and fun, especially Alex, who is always quick with a joke or a tease, but never anything that I would find objectionable.

Maintenance has also been working on preparing a site for a communications center that will be shared by the rangers, border patrol, and customs/border protection for their equipment. I have yet to learn what the difference between those last two agencies is, but they evidently are different. Anyway, it was exciting to me because they cleared the maintenance yard so that a helicopter could take off and land there. The site of this communications center is inaccessible by road. They had to fly the equipment, the construction materials, and the workers there, staging everything at the trailhead and relaying them up to the top. They were all gone by the time I got there on Wednesday, and didn't get back until after I left. But on Thursday, I got to see it take off just 50 feet or so away from my office door. Yeah, I know I need to get out more.

Finally, the mystery of the difference between a National Monument and a National Park is solved! We always thought the National Monuments were sort of poor cousins to the Parks. That may be because we both remember a time when Arches near Moab was the former and then became the latter. Don't know how this new information jives with that, but I learned from the Employee Handbook, which I read during a two-hour electrical outage when I could do nothing else, that Monuments are formed by Presidential declaration, and Parks are created by Congress.

An interesting side note with this particular park is that the law enforcement role of the rangers is highly expanded and volatile because the park shares 30 miles of its border with Mexico. I have a radio on my desk, and it's very interesting to listen to the ranger chatter about the undocumented aliens they encounter every day. Our visitor's center is named for a ranger who was killed in the line of duty by drug runners he ran into in the back country without backup. As far as I know, though, no visitors have been harmed or even inconvenienced by this problem. Our rangers are very good at what they do, and they cooperate fully with the other agencies. Sort of a funny side note on that, Budd's boss says that when they have been here a while and then go to other parks, they have to be 'de-fanged'.

Even the custodian, who for some reason is out on the trails by herself when cleaning the comfort stations, mentions encountering them. One day she mentioned that she turned up an unimproved road only to be stopped by a big pile of brush that one had put in the middle of the road. She started to get out and clear it, then noticed him stepping out from behind some bushes, so she jumped back in the truck and tried to call for help on the radio. Unfortunately, she wasn't broadcasting and no one heard her. But the man got out of her way when she shook her head and waved him off. It could have been much worse. I don't know why she is unaccompanied on her rounds. Maybe it isn't as far backcountry as the areas where the Resource Management people are directed to have two rangers per RM person for protection.

I was given two major projects along with a number of minor and everyday tasks at the beginning of the week, and then left to my own devices most of the week because of the construction project that took everyone, including my boss, out of the immediate area. I managed to complete one of the projects and make a good strong start on the other one, so I'm hoping that will impress my boss enough to make him at least think about working to keep me on. He seems to be a nice guy, competent, but somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of work that he's expected to stay on top of. It seems that some, maybe almost all, of the department heads are 'acting' in their titular capacity, but also doing the jobs they moved up from so that they have at least the work of two people to do. It would be nice to be a part of getting the record-keeping, at least, organized enough to allow him to take care of the rest of his duties instead of worrying about that.

At least there will be plenty of work, not too hard but interesting enough to keep me from being bored. There's nothing I hate more than sitting at a desk staring at the phone and twiddling my thumbs. From what I've seen so far, I could do this until retirement without a problem. Now if I can just stay awake long enough to use the late afternoon for something productive, I'll feel like I can justify my keep again.