On Monday of this week, Budd had an interview with a committee from the US Forest Service, Job Corps division. The job he had applied for was a help-desk position, and he found out during the interview that if selected he would be supporting 28 Job Corps sites all over the U.S., from Golden, CO. When he returned home after work I asked him how the interview had gone, and he said he thought ok. We didn't discuss it any further, we've been here before. They had told him it would be 2-3 weeks before a decision would be made.
Instead, our discussion centered on our Christmas plans. With his hours for this seasonal position drawing to a close, he didn't want to take a week off and go to Salt Lake. We'll miss our kids terribly--this is the first time since I started having kids that I wasn't with at least some of them, and now grandkids, for Christmas. But it's just too impractical to get there and back. It's a 3-day drive for us with short days (we're both night-blind), and then 3 days back.
Tuesday, Budd received an instant message from his supervisor at Timpanogos Cave (his home park): call me. As soon as he could, Budd gave him a call and received some startling news. The hiring committee from the previous day's interview had called to check references, and told him that Budd was their top candidate. Now we're on pins and needles, but still expect to hear in 2-3 weeks. We know there's a process involved, and it doesn't go fast, especially at this time of year.
Yesterday, we had a Carlsbad Cavern tour planned. Budd had business in town, and had received permission from the superintendent here to take me with him and do the tour on work time. One of the great perks of the Park service is that employees, even those who aren't rangers, are expected to be knowledgeable about the parks, and are given time off with pay to explore when it's practical.
I was waiting for him to return from what he thought would be about two hours' worth of work before we could go, when the phone rang. The voice on the other end identified the caller as a Job Corps staffer, and wanted to talk to Budd. I was so agitated that I failed to get her name to write down, or her phone number! I just gave her Budd's work cell phone and started to pace. Fifteen minutes later, Budd called and told me that he would be late for our trip. He needed to get some paperwork to the Job Corps HR staffer that proved he had worked for at least a year at his current rating, and then they could offer him the job! In the middle of everything, the local phone company showed up for a trouble call Budd had placed two weeks ago. What a zoo!
I couldn't believe my reaction to this news. First, of course, I whooped and yelled and danced around the house. At long last, after more than two years of applications, 18 months of uncertainty while working for the Park Service, and just over a month away from unemployment, a permanent job is his! Not only a permanent job, but one of the best work situations he has applied for, and in a location we are happy with. Then, much to my surprise, I started shaking and dissolved in tears! After a few minutes, I got myself under control and started whirling around the house again.
By this time, we were quite late for our day's plans. I decided we would probably stay overnight in Carlsbad so we could celebrate our good fortune, and got out the suitcase to pack. I had no sooner finished getting my items into the bag when Budd blew in the door and we collided for a hug and screamed a little more together. Now it was 12:15, and we decided that we'd do the cavern tour on the way into town. Both of us grabbed a quick bite to eat, he threw his things into the bag and by 12:30 we were in the car...
Which wouldn't start! The battery was completely dead, all we got was a click. Budd jumped out of the car and cleaned the terminals, but still no luck. So he dug into the trunk under the spare for our jumper cables, and soon had it started, thanks to bringing home his work vehicle (usually a no-no). Off we went, sailing down the highway for a full mile before he remembered he hadn't rotated the backup drives. We had to turn around.
Now we were playing phone tag with the IT person at Carlsbad, who had arranged our tour. Budd left her a message, then she left him a message. Which said that the last tour leaving through the natural entrance of the cave was at 2 p.m. It was now 1:15, and the turnoff to the Cavern is 40 miles away. I said, 'Let's try to make it,' then had to specify that I didn't mean by doing 75 in a 55 zone. Budd slowed down 'til we were out of the park and the limit was in fact 75. We got to the visitor center 2 minutes late.
We did do part of the tour, going down the elevator to save some time, only to discover that I had left the SD chip in the slot of my home computer, and hadn't brought a spare battery. When we came to the fork in the cavern trail that was a short-cut back to the elevator, we called it a day, promising ourselves to come back on Sunday (tomorrow) for the natural-entrance tour. With my hiking habit, this will be far more satisfactory to me--I just hope his hip will take it. That's been sore from some unaccustomed crawling under desks and climbing ladders to disconnect and reconnect computers during a re-carpeting project at Guadalupe's visitor center.
Last night we had dinner at a restaurant that has been created in the last year in a historic building in Carlsbad. The Trinity Hotel and Restaurant has a fascinating history, including a robbery in the bank that used to be in the building--by none other than Bonnie and Clyde! The food was excellent, as was the service. I had grilled salmon with a champagne chablis sauce and steamed vegetables. We shared a goat cheese appetizer that had been drizzled with blackberry/habanero sauce, delicious and spicy! Following that with a delectable tiramisu, we rolled out of the restaurant looking for live music, which was not to be found in Carlsbad last night. Oh, well.
And now I'm here, finally caught up for the last three week's events, and looking forward to that Jazz game at Mavs in a few minutes.
We've got a lot of logistics to work out in the next couple of weeks, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. I'm ready to relax!
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