Hendrices departing (ding ding)

Kerry and I spent most of the weekend helping Angus and Julie pack their house into a moving truck. If all goes well with the last-minute items, they'll be off today for Tucson. Angus will be returning to his undergraduate stomping-grounds at the University of Arizona, this time to get a PhD in materials science. Julie will continue doing speech therapy in the local schools. Haley and AJ will do normal kid school things, plus have a pool in the backyard, and grandma, coyotes, and scorpions as neighbors.

Angus was the best friend I made working at Naval Reactors, and our families have been very close for years now. The Hendrices had a Halloween party Kerry's intern year, and she was so tired from the long hours that she crashed by 10pm. They offered that we spend the night, we had breakfast the next morning and hung out for the rest of the weekend. It was a fine time, which we have repeated many times since (even when Kerry wasn't exhausted from work).

We have very much enjoyed their friendship over the years, and it has been a treat to see Haley and AJ grow, from AJ as a newborn to Haley as a tween. Of course we will continue to be friends - Angus will tell you that all of his friends and family are soon moving to Tucson - but it won't be the same with them a few thousand miles away. We will miss them and their weekend breakfasts, and we wish them all the best.

The wily Ken Lay

I admit, I've only looked at headlines and snippets of articles on Ken Lay's death, but I am surprised by the tone. The stories appear to emphasize the fact that Lay will now serve no jail time. It's coming across not as a heart attack, but as bitter spite, an beaten-but-unrepentant man's final middle finger at prosecutors and the thousands of employees and investors that he wronged. Due legal process did find that Lay hurt a lot of people, but this degree of malevolence seems a bit much.

Paulson

Hank Paulson looks like he was sent to Washington by Central Casting for the role of the Evil Businessman. But actually, he has been confirmed by the Senate to be the new Secretary of the Treasury. From what I've read, he seems a good choice.

Fancy footwork

1. Don't miss the World Cup quarter-final this Friday between Germany and Argentina. These are the best two teams in the tournament so far. The winner will go on to win the Cup. You heard it here first. Or you heard it here, anyway.

2. Yesterday morning, Furry Lewis wrapped herself up in the bit of comforter hanging over the foot of our bed. I discovered this as my bare-foot step merely brushed by the comforter and found it surprisingly substantial and - get this - warm. Who knew that the common foot was so perceptive?

Make every day Take Your Pet To Work Day

Reuters reports a growing trend of employers allowing their staff to bring their pets to work. I'll limit my comments to saying that I can't wait to take the cats on the DC Metro.