"There is just one thing I can promise you about the outer space program - your tax dollar will go further." - Wernher Von Braun

I had a panic attack today, but it wasn't the sudden inexplicable type. This one had a real crisis behind it.
I've mentioned that while I'm in Puerto Rico Pam will be in Michigan visiting her mom. This afternoon I was typing out our flight schedules so we'd each have a complete copy showing ours and the other's. She flies from Portland (PDX) to O'Hare (ORD) to Grand Rapids (GRR), reversing that for the return. I fly from PDX to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to San Juan (SJU).
As I was typing out my return flights I noticed it was SJU to DFW to PHX.
What????????
I immediately knew what had happened. Whether it was force of habit after 9 years living there, or a case of auto-fill I didn't catch the wrong destination got plugged in and I didn't catch it. Or, I just typed PHX instead of PDX. Either way, as much as I love our kids I want to come home at the end of what will be a demanding week.
I've now discovered the minimum time req'd to look up and dial American Airlines. I didn't even mess with the "Press 1 for...." routine. My index finger danced on "0" and was very happy to get a real person surprisingly soon.
It took all of 30 seconds to resolve the problem because she had the same issue.
At first she saw the same thing, but quickly realized there was more on the screen when she scrolled down. I'd not thought of that.
Turns out I do have PDX as my final destination; I just have to go through PHX to get here, an extra leg to my return trip.
OK, deep breaths.

I got the throttle cable freed up. Alas, the truck still won't start. Pam's getting me some ether while she's out tonight, and if that doesn't work I'll check for spark using the timing light. In the meantime the battery is on the charger.
Not happy!

I read an article this evening about the Navy's newest ship. It's designed to hunt for submarines so it has lots of hi-tech and undoubtedly secret stuff built into it. But what's most remarkable is that it's a drone. Yep, unmanned. They'll take it where they want to look, drop it in the water, and let it do its thing all by itself.
Which doesn't explain why it has a bridge with windows.

I was working in Fred this afternoon when I heard a truck drive down the private road along the south side of our property and stop right outside Fred. It was Robin, a woman about my age who works for the OR Department of Forestry. She was there to check out the way the road crosses the stream because a guy who owns a BIG lot at the top of the hill is having some of his trees harvested. Robin wanted to make sure the "significant wetland" wouldn't be disturbed by the trucks that will go up and down the hill.
We talked for about 30 minutes and I learned a lot. The dead trees along the creek on our property are all White Firs and probably succumbed to an infestation. I can cut them down because the state gives property owners greater privileges if it's for firewood. Otherwise they'd be protected because they're next to that significant wetland."
Soon the guy from the timber company showed up so he could meet with Robin ("No, you're not late; I came early to look things over.") He was then joined by the aforementioned property owner.

Since I'm a total newbie with a chainsaw I'm a little hesitant to drop a 60' tree with a trunk about 2' in diameter, even if it is dead. I don't want to end up the same way.
So, Robin, is it OK if I get the timber guys to drop the trees for me? Then I can cut it up for firewood.
"Hmmm. That's a good question."
She's going to check and get back to me. Then I'll email the timber guy to see if his cutters are willing to drop them when they're here to harvest that guy's timber. If they're not willing the homeowner guy said he'd do it for me. And based on how he interacted with the guy from the timber company (they clearly knew each other) I feel confident he's competent for the job.

I learned a lot about trees, state regs, and just maybe got a deal to drop four dead fir trees.