This is my fifth chapter... yay! So, it's all diary entries through a full year. Be prepared for some interesting entries! Chapter 6 will be here momentarily, maybe next month! That's along time, I know, but there's other priorities... ya know. SORRY!
The following excerpts are of diary entries into Daniel Boone's Pip-Boy, spanning almost a full year from June 6, 2283 to May 15, 2284.
June 7, 2283
I decided to make a journal. Or diary, or whatever you wanna call it. Doesn't matter, as long as this stuff is down. If my Pip-Boy's memory gets fried, well that's how the cookie crumbles, right?
I couldn't sleep last night. No one could, really. The kids were crying, the adults were moaning, and my mind was completely messed up with what had happened down in what appears to be my former home. The Overseer announced today that we'd be spending our time up here until further notice, so I'm getting the vibe that we're never going back down.
We pretty much just sat around. Well, Father Helm did something, at least. He wandered around, picking up the flattest rocks he could find, and brought 27 of them back. Got a bunch of people together, wrote the names of the dead on the stones as permanently as they could, and laid them all out in a tiny clearing with no one in it. That was where he held his daily sermon. I didn't attend.
June 12, 2283
It's been five days already. I've heard the Overseer talking with the other Vault leaders about what they should do. Matheson is thinking of gathering a group to scavenge what they can from the vault, while Father Helm doesn't want anyone to go back in. The Doc appears neutral, but I saw his brow furrow when Matheson mentioned scavenging. I dunno what they're going to do, but whatever it is, they better do it quick. We've all been hearing weird noises outside the canyon.
June 16, 2283
Some other people are getting the idea that we're gonna be out here forever too. They started building some little shacks where there aren't any trees. It's mostly out of some bed sheets and metal from the tunnel. There are about five now, and they're all pretty big, but not enough to house 129 people. Besides, they barely protect us from the elements. It's not like it's rained out here yet, though.
June 18, 2283
It's been getting EXTREMELY hot out here. My Pip-Boy says it's about 96 degrees. Haha, definitely a change from the climate-controlled box of a home we once had. I guess it's a good thing I ripped off the arms of my jumpsuit, it's keeping me cool out here. Several other people got the same idea.
It's been a week and two days, by my count. I'm setting a timer and will stop it when we go back into the Vault. Who knows, I might just keep it going 'til I die.
Officer Matheson finally got the okay to get a group together, I guess. Either that, or he's acting out against the Overseer. Either way, he told everyone he needs ten people to come in with him in a couple of days. No more, no less. After a dinner of canned asparagus (ew), he came to me and told me he's recommending me to the team, especially after how I did a week ago. I told him I'd think about it.
June 21, 2283
Today's the day they go to scavenge. I hadn't gotten back to the chief, so he came to me today, asking again. They go tonight, and should be back by the morning, so he said I'd need to get some extra sleep during the day if I accept.
I don't know if it was the right choice, but I did. I didn't tell my mom. I won't until we get set to leave, because I know she'd fight to the death to keep me here.
…
We're getting ready to go. They gave me a small armored security outfit with a helmet, and it all came with a hunting rifle. My mom's extremely worried, but isn't stopping me, like I thought she would. Matheson is calling us together, so I better go.
June 22, 2283
We all came into the Vault together, ten of us. Then, Matheson split us up into twos. I got paired up with Officer Olmstead, a junior cop at the age of 18. Being four years older than me, he naturally took a superior stance, but it wasn't hostile.
We were given the offices to scavenge. That includes the Overseer's office, the security office, and the clinic, all the in same section of the Vault. I didn't envy the guys that got the supply room, since they'd probably find tons of stuff that they wouldn't be able to take right now, even though four guys were assigned there.
We had these oversized backpacks to carry our findings in, and we all had an SOS signal thing downloaded into our Pip-Boys to warn the others of any danger.
Olmstead and I (thats the correct grammar, as Mr. Nikitin often points out) reached the clinic first. There were tons of stimpacks, rad-aways, and other medicines all over. We managed to pack all that we found into our backpacks, and stuffed a few items that weren't fragile between our jumpsuits and armor. Since we'd have to go all the way up the stairs to reach the other offices, we went back to the atrium and carefully piled the medicines right there, leaving a glow-stick with it (we found the glow-sticks in an emergency kit outside the clinic).
Our packs now empty, we traveled up the stairs to the main offices, passing another group along the way, who was charged with scavenging the kitchens. We took the security office first, and found quite a few weapons. A laser pistol, five 10mm, 10 grenades (believe it or not), an assault rifle, 2 hunting rifles, and this really weird thing called a Mesmetron. It was hidden in a floor safe underneath a bed in the security infirmary. Olmstead (his name is Robert) picked the safe open in the light of our Pip-Boys. It took maybe ten minutes. Then out came this clunky thing and some instruction manual, but we couldn't read it, so we stuffed it in with the rest of our crap.
On to the Overseer's office. Outside was a dead body and a fried Sentry-Bot. When I stumbled on it, it scared the hell out of both of us. The room looked plain at first, with the computers still flashing a little warning of some pest removal, but then we just happened to find out that the walls were removable on one side. After we emptied the lockers of a jumpsuit, some ammo, and an unused Pip-Boy, Rob slammed the door. The locker bounced back, hit the wall, and it sounded hollow. So, we hit it with the butts of our rifles and a whole section broke off. Inside were radiation suits, tons of survival kits, and several different books. We also found this dispenser thing, but it was too dark to see what it was.
We took two trips. The first time, our bags were already almost full, but the second time, we managed to fill them up again. When the whole place was cleared, I looked at the computer, but it was password protected, so I left it alone.
All this took at least 8 hours, surprisingly. We took our sweet time. Then, we gathered back in the atrium and left as a group, coming back several times for more stuff. It was dark outside, the early morning at about 4:30. When we got all the stuff out, the door was closed again, and we all went to sleep.
June 23, 2283
I just realized that I used up a whole 1% of my Pip-Boy's memory with my journal postings so far, so I'll keep them brief.
The books we found are a bunch of survival books about radiation, disease, and other stuff by Vault-Tec. One of them even tells you how to make houses out of dirt! It's called "adobe" or something like that. The Mesmetron was taken by Officer Matheson and we never saw it again. The little dispenser machine that we found in the wall makes jumpsuits! And you only need a little of the material we found to make them. There's a manual telling how to make different kinds of clothes like waterproofed and fireproofed jumpsuits. We already had one, but it was big and drilled to the floor, while this one is portable. I think they'll last us a while.
June 30, 2283
The Overseer deemed the Vault too dangerous to move back into. Apparently, the power's been acting all weird (which makes sense, the lights weren't on when we scavenged), and that the risk of another "accident" is too great. No one was really surprised. We had taken everything we could out of it, and now what were we going to do with it all? Well, turns out people are already thinking to create some sort of village in the forest.
A few people went over to Louis Goddard's place against Father Helm's wishes, and found two GECK boxes. Apparently, there are small cold fusion generators in each one, and two holodisks with a boatload of information on it, mostly Pre-War. It just sticks right into your Pip-Boy and you can read it from there! It was a great find, and the Overseer is saving all of it for later.
July 4, 2283
We had spent most of our time after the Incident in the canyon, but people have been moving about outside the gate. They say there are some good level clearings to live on, but everyone else is still a little wary of the world out there. Even so, the Overseer and the Vault leaders agree that we cannot stay inside our little ramshackle huts forever. People are starting to get dirty.
July 9, 2283
It rained out here for the first time, and it burned… literally. Mr. Nikitin said it's called "acid rain." It fell onto people's skin and gave them horrible rashes afterwards. Doc Lee says that they could have them for days. I hope it doesn't rain like that too much.
July 17, 2283
People have finally accepted being out here, I think. They're tearing down the shacks after Mr. Granger managed to make a couple dozen copies of "How to Build An Adobe House" and gave a small explanation of it in front of everybody. So, now that the shacks are down, and people are exploring outside, there's serious talk to creating some civilization out here.
But, I remember now. Where are the Herberts?
July 20, 2283
The Vault leaders have decided on a place to make a settlement. Luckily, it's not in that beautiful canyon that we scared all of the animals out of. It's at the summit of the mountain, in a little clearing without any rocks or nests or anything. There's just a big boulder at the side of the clearing. They decided that they were to build our "adobe" houses here. Being the largest clearing around, it's supposed to have a meeting area (like a church or assembly place), and a few homes. People say that they could use the other clearings to build too, and Mr. K said yes. We're going to make a town!
July 29, 2283
It's blazing hot, but we're working hard. It's pretty easy to make the houses, actually, as long as you're not the only one doing it. So far, we made a large one against the boulder that's supposed to be, I dunno, like the town center. We also put up four small houses and the meeting area, which has a bunch of benches in a semi-circle all around the front, like church. Whenever Mr. Krakauer rings this little bell, we come to him there, and he speaks to us about what we should do. It's all running really smoothly.
August 1, 2283
I was taking a break from building this house with 6 others, on the rock that we all looked out from that first time out here. But, I saw something strange. There was smoke coming from what the Overseer said was the airport, all trailing to the sky. Then, I heard this noise that sounded like someone screaming in the distance, but only for an instant. Could there really be other people out there? I suppose we're not the only ones that are still around, right?
August 4, 2283
We're all done with the houses at the town center. I have to say, roofs are the hardest to make because, well, they're horizontal. Anyways, we're done with that – a big building, a meeting area, and twelve homes for twelve families. We're not included, but it's actually nice to sleep under the stars. The security has been mapping the area when they aren't helping build. They say that three sides of the mountain are pretty much impassable up or down except to the south. There's a little place that you can walk down, from the looks of it, and that if that's the case, they should try make a path. Everyone's a little iffy, but Mr. K. eventually gave 'em the all go.
August 7, 2283
We were sleeping last night when one of the guards on duty started shouting and in ran this dirty bearded guy with long hair and wild eyes. All the officers started pointing their guns at him, and he just looked scared. He was babbling nonsense that sounded like "where's your bathroom" and "can I have more please" but that didn't make sense. I'm just speculating. When the Overseer came to meet him, he stopped talking and fell to his knees, almost dying from lack of oxygen 'cause he wouldn't shut up. When the man gathered himself, Mr. K. asked him some questions. He wouldn't really answer any of them. He said he had no name, but that we could call him Bill. Then he just kept saying "I heard y'all a-ringin' and a-shoutin' and I wanted to see."
Matheson locked him up in the big house.
August 11, 2283
We were finally given a house. It's smaller 'cause there's just me and my mom, but it's actually very good. The walls have great insulation, keeping the hot out during the day and the wind out during the night. I knew they did this before, but I never helped with it. When a house was built just enough, the electricians work on running wire through the walls to a few light bulbs, all from one of the cold fusion generators in the town hall. Our house has one. Some larger ones have two or three lights. But, it's better than candlelight, and we can change our light bulbs with the town supply. Me and mom had to build our own furniture, though. Right now, we just have mattresses on the ground because mom says that they could get the bed frames out of the Vault. But we made a table out of lumber that they cut out of particular trees. Mr. K. has forbidden the destruction of wildlife on the mountain without his say so, which makes sense. So now, we have a roof over our heads.
August 23, 2283
Been about a week since I last wrote in here. "Billo" as everyone calls him gives me the creeps. He sits in this little room in the town hall and just talks all day to no one in particular. I try to ignore him, but he always turns with interest without stopping his constant murmuring. It's a good thing no one else sleeps in there, they'd probably go crazy.
August 27, 2283
We're almost done with ALL the buildings. The team that's been making the path to the bottom is making good progress too, and there's shifts. I've only helped with it twice, and there appears to be another smaller canyon running down like a zig-zag all the way to the bottom. It's uneven though, and we're working to make it easier to climb. Billo got up here, so we should too, but they all feel the need to even out the surface with our shovels and pick axes.
August 30, 2283
The houses are done, the bottom of the mountain is reached, and Billo is dead. I saw them burying him near the canyon, and they say he died of some sickness. He was coughing a lot.
Anyway, they officially reached the bottom of the mountain, and say that a small team will try to circle its cliffs until they go around full circle. I heard they found some dead bodies near the bottom, but it's just a rumor. Whether or not it's true, they are talking about building a guard tower and gate there to keep out any "hostiles."
Mr. Nikitin has "purchased" a rather large building that really wasn't being used and is converting it into a school so that he can keep the job he actually likes. The Overseer approves of it, saying he wants to keep the values we learned in the vault going out here in this new environment. To me, it just means I have to go back to school again. Bleh.
September 3, 2283
The guards built their guard tower and gate, and also let their exploration team go this morning. Officer Matheson told my mom he'd recommend me for a career in security, and she told him that was wonderful, but it was up to me.
Mr. Kang says that if we don't find a reliable source of water, we won't be able to last up here. He proposed at a meeting today to reroute the plumbing from the Vault into the town, so that we could have water, and to make a rain catching module so that we could have more. It's rained at least 6 times since that first storm, and it hasn't been acid, so everyone deemed it okay. Don says that it could take a couple of months, but it'd all be done, and Matheson is using it as an excuse for some more scavenging.
September 9, 2283
We came into contact with some real people today. They were armored fellows without helmets or anything and a weird emblem on their chests. It looked like some sort of tower and sparks shooting from the top, or something. They said they were representatives from a settlement not far north from here, and had seen our smoke on the mountain. So, they came to see what the fuss was about. Our front gate guards had almost shot their heads off, but they told them they were friendly and wanted to trade with us, if possible. They were let into town with guns to their backs and the Overseer asked them some questions. I never heard the answers, but they walked freely after that.
Our exploration team came back tonight with no casualties but one had a serious injury. Apparently, there are bears in the area, and they aren't friendly. That's all they'd tell us.
September 10, 2283
We were gathered at the meeting place this morning, and the strangers introduced themselves. They were James, Connor, and Darren – three officers from a town called "Stony Knoll" up north. They told our whole village that they were one of about three cities in the area, and that theirs was based around a weather and radio station, which explained the emblem. They had come to explore what we had here and whether or not we were hostile to them. Obviously, we were not, so they proceeded to extending an invitation to trade with their settlement. The Overseer agreed, and the three officers gave him a map of the surrounding area. I have yet to look at it.
October 1, 2283
It's been a long time since I'd written in here. Almost a month… so much has happened. Since the Stony Knoll dignitaries came and left, traders have found their way to our town. The first couple we treated with suspicion, but after them we let 'em in if we could confiscate their guns until they left. They happily obliged.
Our guards met a group of hostile people to the east, dressed in revealing black armor and spouting a ton of profanities. They captured one and questioned him. They call themselves the Congregation and live in the town of Suffield, from which I know the mountain was named. He tried to escape, and the guards killed him. Since then, we've had no problems with the Congregation gang.
Mr. Kang and about a dozen plumbers and engineers started doing that thing with the pipes to the Vault. By now, they say they've gotten the main water line in there hooked up with a couple extensions into their own pipes, and are building to trail it up to the town. They're also not closing the door anymore, so that they can go in to get stuff, work on the plumbing, or retrieve the dead. They're all buried under their rocks now, it took a while, but all of them are accounted for except the Herberts.
October 8, 2283
We started school late in the year today. It's not bad, really. It's just like old school. Jessie LOVES school, apparently, and goes every single day. Well, everyone does, it's still the rules, but she goes willingly.
The plumbing thing is almost done and they're starting to build a rain catcher that drains into this water purifier from the Vault. The other pipes are going to go in there too, and then the water will go from there to the restrooms (there are about four) and this little bathhouse (with maybe three showers inside).
October 19, 2283
Traders came to our town today selling animals, particularly Brahmin. They're these weird brown two-headed cow things that apparently have excellent meat and nutritious milk (but the milk isn't the tastiest thing). The caravan had several with them, and our town bought 3, holding them in this little pen by the town hall. The traders asked us if New Eden was a permanent settlement, and we weren't sure what they were talking about. But, that's what they call our town – New Eden. I think it's a nice name, and so do a lot of people. Tonight, some people are making a sign with the name on it, and are asking to put it up by the guard tower.
Plumbing's done, by the way, and it feels good to shower.
October 26, 2283
The Congregation struck after a long time of nothing. They were a small group of pistol armed weirdos pushing a pretty intact car past our gate. When they realized they were being watched, they started firing at our guards, but were dispatched in a matter of minutes. The car is one of only a few I've seen out here. Not that I've left much farther than the gate, but there was one on top of the mountain and a few on the "road" outside the town. This car was in the best condition of any. It was a Chryslus Corvega, with a fission battery in back, and a burned interior. Our guards told one of the Congregation captives to start the car (so they wouldn't have to do it and explode) and the thing actually worked! The raider jumped into the car and tried to drive away, but our guards came up and shot him before it could move. They're keeping the vehicle inside a makeshift "garage" by the gate, and are asking some engineers to work on it.
October 31, 2283
I was helping out with Joey Bogle and some engineers with the car when we were met by a different band of traders today coming from a place called Port Bradley, based around the airport! I did see smoke and life down there in August! They were pretty nice guys, like the Stony Knoll representatives, but one of them was kinda suspicious-looking. When we welcomed them, they spoke into this radio thing and out came a caravan loaded with… people. At least it looked like people at first, but a closer look revealed that their skin was nearly peeled off, they had no hair, and their eyes looked like death. They pretty much looked like living corpses.
The suspicious guy spoke up finally and asked our guards if they were interested in a little "cheap labor" because Port Bradley wasn't. I got the idea that instant that the zombie people were servants of some sort for sale… slaves. Thankfully, Matheson told them no, and they went on their way. The Port Bradley guys looked tired of traveling with the slaver, but they just kept walking.
November 5, 2283
The car is miraculously in very good working condition. I watched it drive. It didn't go far, because the ground is so suckish, but it's definitely usable. Joey says that they could try and turn it into some sort of "all-terrain battle vehicle," so that it can travel anywhere and shoot anything. So, they're working on that now.
Matheson wants to get some people to travel with the traders to some of the distant cities and gather intel on them before we can trust 'em. I happened to be in the garage at the time, and he asked, but I refused. I liked staying at home, for now. No reason for a fourteen year-old kid to be the pinnacle of an exploration.
November 11, 2283
The trading team was sent out with a caravan. They should be going to Port Bradley, then on to Stony Knoll, and back full circle. Estimated time: a week and a half.
There's a lot of gunfire coming from Suffield. At first I thought it was just the Congregation being crazy, but I see a large number of people inside and outside the town. Some sort of battle?
The trees are dying or something. All the leaves are falling off. Mr. Nikitin says it's nothing to worry about, that it's all part of the cycle every year. It makes things ugly, though.
School is still school. We still got homework, even among all these new chores we're doing now out here, but it's not like we have much better to do than something constructive…
November 24, 2283
The trading expedition is back, and they made some good deals with the cities. It took longer than usual to get back because the traders made a pit-stop at a place called Congamond Lakes, where these huge crab-things were nesting and hunted. The team said that they were the tastiest yet most dangerous things they'd ever seen, and the traders called them Lurks. It's not far from where we are, just a couple of miles west, and Mr. K wants to use the spot as a hunting zone for our town.
Stony Knoll is, according to the officers who left, a huge city built around a weather station, with great big metal walls all around, and hundreds of people living inside. The leader is a man named Neil Cathaway, and he controls more than just Stony Knoll, but several "provinces" all around the place. He's also got a small army in Suffield right now, which explains the constant gunfire every day.
Port Bradley is the airport, and the airplanes are the houses. It's protected by a brick wall on one side and the Connecticut River on the other. They couldn't explore the city much because the people there didn't trust them.
December 3, 2283
Our hunters have started using Congamond as a food source, like the traders. They take the now "all-terrain" Corvega there every week and bring back a bunch of tasty meat. The Overseer is thinking of making an official road to the lake to make it easier and safer for everyone. Basically, clear the way of debris for a couple of miles and make a small trading post at the lakes. Should be done by January.
Stony Knoll has increased interest in our town, and is signing numerous deals with us. Protection, trade, transportation, whatever. Either way, they're showing up more often, and we're not doing bad out here.
December 25, 2283
We're celebrating Christmas and the traders don't know what it is. When we explained it to them, they liked it and stayed for the feast. Santa never comes… he's just a tale of Pre-War Earth that the adults liked to tell us about, even in the Vault. But, we give and eat and have a good time for one night.
By now, the road to Congamond is finished and the trading post constructed. Suddenly, with us having made that move, Port Bradley is becoming very nice to us. We're still not accepting slaves, but they tell us that they're not theirs. I don't know whose they are, then.
January 1, 2284
Happy New Year! It hasn't gotten cold until now. Huge gusts of wind have been bombarding the mountain for the past few days, and my Pip-Boy says its 40 degrees Farenheit. No one's been trading, or coming out of their house for that matter, for a while now.
January 13, 2284
We learned that "President" Neil Cathaway's whole collection of provinces is called Agawam. I dunno why, it seems like a strange name. He finally retreated from Suffield, ending most of the gunfire, but the raiders are hurt bad, many of them dead. Good riddance. But they're still the same old Congregation.
January 30, 2284
Mom's birthday! Yay! I gave her a necklace I bought off of a trader for 100 caps. It's still pretty shiny and she loves it!
February 15, 2284
Two guys came to our town today. One was old and cranky, the other was young, big, and quiet. The bodyguard had a huge gun, and there was something weird about him. The old guy looked tired and as if he had been through hell, but his buddy was unscratched and seemed perfectly fine. Even his clothes were good. They just sat in Mr. Meier's bar and drank whisky before leaving without a word. One of the traders said he was a Commonwealth guy. I have no idea what that means.
February 28, 2284
A big flying thing landed outside of our gate today, rotors spinning and gears turning. When it stopped in an open area, a few guys with guns jumped out and our guards got pretty scared, but it was just some officials from Stony Knoll. Guess who came with them? Neil Cathaway. In a helibird. Now this guy was rich. He met with Mr. Krakauer and talked about things. I'd imagine stuff like how we started, how we're doing, and how we're going to be. But then he left after two hours back to his city. Just tonight, Mr. K. announced he had made a groundbreaking trading deal with Stony Knoll, and that Port Bradley will sign the deal also. I have yet to find out what it is.
March 12, 2284
The "deal" that our Overseer made about two weeks ago is now known by everybody, as of today. There is a triangle between Stony Knoll, Port Bradley, and New Eden, and Neil Cathaway wanted to create a road between the three, with guards passing on our Corvega and on foot every six hours, with complete radio capabilities with each city, and a helibird from Port Bradley flying over twice a day. This is ensure the safety and reliability of trading in the area, and the road is called the Three-Town Tread. With all cities working to build it and follow through with their end of the deal, Mr. K. says it should be safe to walk to each city any day of the week in no time.
March 27, 2284
They found the Herberts. A trader put their bodies on his wagon and brought them to the gate. I'm glad I didn't see them, but they said that they were both lying at the bottom of the eastern cliff, the one they were standing at that first day. Said that they were nearly decomposed, but wondered if we knew them. So, they buried them in the canyon.
April 5, 2284
It's my birthday today! Jessie gave me a comic book called Captain Marvel: Origins. I dunno what it is, but it's the first issue or something. Maybe I can find more of them. It's all about Captain Marvel growing up on his home planet and how he's enlisted into the Galactic Elite Squad, or something. Pretty cool, but I probably would've liked it better when I was 10. Oh well.
Officer Matheson wants me on the force, and said he'd pay whatever "tuition" was needed for training. It took a bit of deciding, and I talked with my mom, but I told him I'd give it a try. He looked very pleased. I start tomorrow morning.
April 7, 2284
Janey's birthday. She actually invited me to the party. Can't say I'm surprised, but I got her a cool-looking compass a trader was carrying. She liked it.
April 28, 2284
Officer Matheson asked me to help guard the front gate today, and I had nothing to do on a Sunday, so I agreed. It was cool. Got to carry a Chinese assault rifle and point it at a wastelander. My partner, Officer Tymony, actually encouraged me to pull the trigger, but I said no. He was just joking, of course.
Training is mostly shooting practice, lots of push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks morning, noon, and night, learning some room-clearing maneuvers, and watching the front gate with the real guards. Apparently, I'm doing well. There's only four kids in with me, and we're all doing good. They need the men, and one girl, anyways. Their names are: Will, Jon, Adam, and Victoria. Just so I remember, haha.
May 5, 2284
Matheson says I'm almost done with the basic training. I have a "section test," and it's to help escort a trader to Port Bradley. He told me all about it. Thing is, whatever trader I get, I get – even a slaver. I just need to watch whatever cargo there is, shoot anyone who attacks, and be wary of anyone who comes to trade. He said I also might learn a thing or two from the official bodyguard of the trader. Every caravan has one or two. So, that's in ten days. Yay… I guess.
May 15, 2284
Today's the day I go on my week-long trip to Port Bradley… whoppidy doo…
I just got up, so I still don't know who 'm traveling with, but I've gotta say my goodbyes quick, because the schedule states that they'll be here at 7:00 in the morning. I hope they got good protection already, and that the Raiders will be quiet today. But, I probably just jinxed myself. Oh well…