The water system has similar issues. Lots of cities are past 100 years old on large sections of the water and sewer lines, and even cast iron doesn't last forever.

I have a 7 month old asleep on my shoulder and K-Bug is on the floor playing legos and coloring with the 3 year old. My work is done for the week and there is a busy weekend ahead. I think I'll bask in the current moment for a while.

My school-age child has just learned how to use the blue Angry Birds. I'm so proud!

Paul wants to look at Outbacks. Man, that's a pricy car.

I love my Outback, but that is true. I got mine used at a good price, but I boggle at the price of new ones.

Aww, that is a nice moment, SuziQ.

The water system has similar issues. Lots of cities are past 100 years old on large sections of the water and sewer lines, and even cast iron doesn't last forever.

My current town is dealing with that. The main road is in mid-tear up so they can replace the ancient, falling-to-ruin sewage lines beneath them. At least one business has gone under because the construction made it difficult for people to drive there. And unexpected problems stemming from the the age and disrepair of the lines meant that construction on the first section took over twice as long as expected.

There's also a busted sewage line behind some old businesses that's falling into limbo. Apparently it was put in privately, many decades ago, and the water and sewage company says they have neither access rights to nor responsibility for it. The business owners are saying they've been paying for sewage treatment as part of their water bill (which, to be fair, they have, but probably for the sewage that went from the private line into the public line, and thence to the treatment plant). Meanwhile, the raw sewage keeps seeping into the world, untreated and unclaimed.

Utilities may not be as politically sexy as being able to claim you've cut violent crime in half or lured millions in business to your town. But damn they're noticeable when they stop working.

Just FYI to other people who might have an issue: I have queued up Good Stuff with posts through the weekend, because I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back on tumblr -- my dash was already full of 9/11 pictures just now. FYI.

But Good Stuff will remain Safe Space, of course.

my dash was already full of 9/11 pictures just now. FYI.

Man, our local news websites have been slinging 9/11 pictures up all week, and it bothers *me* to suddenly see them with no warning, which made me think, DAMN, if it's bothering *me,* it's got to be so much worse for people directly affected by it.

Personally, I'm trying to avoid all the "anniversary" stuff as much as humanly possible. Some years on 9/11 I've re-read the Natter thread from that day, but I'm not even sure I want to do that this year.

At least one business has gone under

The Dog is gone? Also, where's the private line you're talking about?

In other relevant questions, can I go home yet?

And here is possibly the oddest first world problem I have yet to face: I volunteered to put on a safety harness at a fall protection training this morning, and at the end the trainer gave me the most ridiculously patriotic hard hat I've ever seen. There's a screaming eagle on the front with "United States of America" on a banner underneath it, and rippling flags down the sides. It's a BADASS hard hat, but I don't know that I can bring myself to wear it. I can't decide whether to subvert it with stickers or give it to someone who will appreciate the "America, fuck yeah!!" nature of it.

Toddson, the people in the industry found it ironic too, but the laughter was somewhat muted by the billions it cost to meet the NRC regulations that came out of the Brown's Ferry Fire.

My not-then-ex drove an unmarked Crown Vic with a police package as a detective. That car could drive on anything and survive just about anything except hitting a deer at 100 mph. Deer have been poorly educated about blue lights and sirens. The ex didn't have a scratch, though.