"As exciting as watching grass grow!"

49er was reminded of this comment from a friend recently when he heard the news of his "retired" brother-in-law's new temporary job.

Here are some additional details. He has the ideal part time job. A job as a "Field Observer" at the 'gap' in highway 140 created next to the Merced River by the recent Ferguson Rock Slide in the Sierra National Forest. He watches rocks roll down hill! All night long! And afterwards he hurries home, sleeps and hurries right back to work! Exciting, eh?

Of course there is some paper work to do - keeping track of the latest "rollers" so the crews in the morning know what's happened during the night - but how's that for a great profession - rock watcher? What tales he'll have to tell his grandsons!

OK, enough already. It is an economic disaster for hundreds of folks living in Mariposa County and working in El Portal or Yosemite NP, so we shouldn't take too much glee with this, but the BIL has sure put in his years fighting fires all over the west during many, many summers - so we don't begrudge him a season at home, even though he is forced to work nights for a change. Good go, Dennis!

PS: For those interested in personal memorabilia, the linked publication is the modern version of the same weekly newspaper 49er edited for a couple of years during the late 1960's. Another of his many, many fun jobs!