When Heat Tape Doesn't Heat

A couple of days ago, I discovered the roof heat tape I put up in September decided to stop working. This is not good as ice dams are starting to form. So I went out and bought a new roll of heat tape and have been working on chipping away the ice so I can get it properly on the roof. The good news is that when the old tape was working, it formed tunnels in the snow so there was good drainage. With a little luck and a couple of more days of warm weather, I will get the new tape up well enough to work. The bad news is I am on roof duty instead of skiing. On the other hand, I hear snowbowl has been PACKED the past few days to the point where folks are getting only 4-5 runs in.

Nanooks of the Northland

So what do my niece and bro' do on a snowy rain/snow mix Christmas day in Flag? They build an igloo of course. This was before settling in for a dinner of a salad of spinach, walnuts, apples and a yogurt-honey-lemon-dill dressing, ham, green beans with almonds toasted in chili oil, oven roasted spuds, cranberries, and croissants. There was also the FIRST dessert course of baked lutefisk - made nearly correctly - my daughter had a taste. THEN had a SECOND taste. She seemed to think it was less than vile, and may be open to having it next year. The second dessert course will consist of the normal Scandinavian cookies. YUM!

How Many Snow Days??

Well it happened again. Both the public schools and NAU were closed today. This is the third day for the public schools and the second this week for the U. My daughter is taking the yard sale bit in stride and seems to have accepted the fact that it is unlikely that they will have it. As far as the U goes, the building I work in was closed this week for repairs, except for those who requested special permission to be there this week. The closure of the U trumps my permission, so I took the time off to stay with my daughter. Now we just need to see what happens tomorrow. My daughter gets out of school at 11:30 tomorrow, so even a two hour delay will mess that up. Oh, well. Snowbowl opens Saturday! Thanks storms.

Snow Daze

The public schools here decided to be smart and add a couple more snow days into the schedule. Let's see if they can blow through half of them in one week of December. Oddly enough my daughter was upset about the snow days. Not because she loves school, but because her had scheduled an indoor "yard sale" yesterday. That was changed to today. Today was changed to tomorrow. If we get another foot tonight, it will be changed to Friday. Maybe I should really test the fabric of the universe and order some lutefisk. Don't worry, it has been established that she hates lutefisk so much, the word "lutefisk" is a dirty word to her. Oh, don't you just love the emblem above?

It Started On The Ides Of December!

Let's see here. It is mid December, Southern California has been getting rain, and the A.M. temperatures are up by about 10 degrees from just a couple days ago. Yes up. The cloud cover and increased humidity hold the heat. Hmmmm I guess that means more SNOW. We have around 15" in our yard, and might get another 12-15' more over the next 36 hours. I have also discovered that using a snowblower makes life a whole lot easier. This would not have mattered when I was 18, 25, or even 40, but WOW how it makes things easier. It also added to my already extended weekend. I was STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to avoid work yesterday as workers would be testing the fire detection system and the alarm would be going off all day. So I took the day off. Today, my daughter had a snow day, and I felt a little guilty for staying home, until I found out the U was closed due to the storm. Tonight is supposed to be a break in the storm before things start again tomorrow. I wonder what round 2 will bring. Keep doing that snow dance; my ski pass is undergoing atrophy.

I Got To Try My New Toy

Well, we finally got enough snow for me to try that new toy I wrote of a few weeks ago. Just enough. The 4-5" was a good practice run in preparation for what we are told to expect over the next few days. The phrases "significant accumulation," and "A foot or more." are being used. One report mentioned 20 inches over 2 days. We'll just need to wait to see. This would be way cool for Snowbowl, and way uncool for the repairs to the acid neutralization tank at the building I work in. But I got to use my new toy. I am a happy camper.

After Years of Service to NAU

Goodbye Timber Inn. You will be missed.

You Can Tell A German (but you can't tell them much)

Consider yourselves lucky; this is the condensed version.
About 4 months ago I placed an order for 2 pieces of glassware "x-7" and two pieces of glassware "x-8." When the package arrived it contained a piece of glassware "x-9" in a box marked glassware "x-8", and a piece of glassware "x-7" in a box marked glassware "x-8." I called the vendor and they got me in touch with the manufacturer. The German manufacturer stopped just short of calling me a liar and refused to correct the shortage and wrong part. The vendor agreed to send the correct pieces.
When THAT package arrived it contained ONE correct x-8 in a boxe marked glassware x-8and a x-7 in a box for the x-8. We now had both x-7 parts, and ONE good X-8, but still needed the other x-8. Another conversation with the manufacturer, where I indicated the boxes were mislabeled. I was quickly informed that we got EXACTLY what we ordered and I was wrong. The vendor tried again. AGAIN we got two x-7s in boxes labeled x-8. Months later and we now have a manufacturer rep. Today the manufacturer rep called me to introduce himself and let me know to call the manufacturers customer service. I did so and was told the problem is that the boxes were mislabeled. (I'm glad they let me know) They also asked to work with the VENDOR rep and I gave them his number. The good news is that the manufacturer now understands that I have been right all along. They just have to correct the problem and get me what I need.

Warnings Run Amok

Ahhhh, to be an American where we are free, strong, brave, and excessively litigious. Maybe it is really the warning label/sign maker lobby and not the lawyers that simplify our lives to the extent they do. It really doesn't matter who is responsible; the end result is the same. I am so glad signs are posted in restrooms proclaiming that the water in the commodes (crappers) is non potable. I was going to use it for coffee, but decided not to after reading the sign. Yo dudes! Just what do you think we all think toilets are used for? Maybe, just maybe Americans ARE smart enough to figure out not to get drinking water from the place where we piss and poop. We should let natural selection weed out the ones who aren't. I'd post an image of the sign, but you get the picture.

Made In Where?

The other day as I was unpacking the daily deliveries for the stockroom, I noticed the sodium hydroxide (AKA lye) I received was made in Sweden. I am used to things made in Germany, France, Japan, and the USA, but Sweden? I guess they need to make a lot of it for all the lutefisk production, and probably decided with my last name I have some sick desire to join in the festivities. Now before you get me involved in a Norge/Sverge war, be aware both countries are steeped in vats of the substance and probably use it instead of conventional weapons as they lob blobs of it across the border. Even Finns have been known to partake in the whatever it is. Oddly enough, the leading producer of lutefisk is in Minnesota - they even export it to Norway, or maybe they are really trying to send it back. Let's keep the lefse though.

Morning Wake Up Call

So after our daughter had the last five days off from school, and I had 5 days off from work (my wife had to settle for a simple weekend), we headed off to work and school in the pre dawn darkness. We were toolin' along the road toward the interstate when our daughter suddenly exclaimed ELK! ELK! ELK! Sure 'nuff a HUGE bull elk sauntered across the road some 20 yards in front of us. It was too dark to count points, but it was a big ol' boy. It served as a reminder that we do share our environment with wildlife and we must always be alert while driving. During my days of playing firefighter I saw what these animals do to even full size pick-up trucks, and it is impressive. What happens to the passengers is even more impressive. Seeing one of these beautiful and powerful animals is a great way to start the week.