July 21

The trading post Phil Fiesta (department party) was scheduled for tonight. I worked morning and was off before 4 p.m., which gave me a few hours to update the blog- something I've needed to do (I'm a bit behind).

At work, we took our official 2010 department photo. Everyone was in it. We even included the over-sized Jansport backpack (as modeled above).

Our Phil Fiesta (trading post staff dinner) went well. We had steaks, laughs, and good company. You can't beat that. We shared memories from this summer at Philmont and our experiences in the trading post itself. Secret Santa was a blast.

By the time we cleaned up and got home, it was definitely time for bed. Now, our department is fully staffed. In the next few weeks, some co-workers will begin trickling back to home, work, and school. There's not much time left- I know. But there are still things to do, people to see, and places to go. I'll do what I can. We'll see what happens.



In the mean time, it's storming. Heavy winds and rain are wreaking havoc on my tent. I moved my cot toward the middle to reduce the chance of getting wet from the small leaks in the canvas walls. It's not as bad as the hail storm, but still pretty insane. As my tent mate put it: "I'll take heavy rain or wind, but not both."