It is one of those days that you know will be a scorcher. I just walked out to check the koi pond and there is a smell of heat in the air. We are supposed to hit 100 degrees today, although there is some sub-tropical moisture being pumped up from southern California that will cool us down quickly and bring a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. Not exactly what Jennifer had in mind for her return to California, but you get what you get.

Jennifer arrived yesterday. Typical of my only daughter, she told her mother and I that her plane would arrive at 11:45 in the morning. I had arranged the flight and it seemed to me that she was due in earlier, so I jumped on the web yesterday morning after church and sure enough, her plane was scheduled to arrive at 10:35 and was actually about twenty minutes ahead of schedule. We were meeting her at the airport and then going over to the Chevy's restaurant on the river for brunch as a group. I quickly called Bill and let him know of the snafu. He said that Diane was still at the gym and they would have to meet us at the restaurant. Darla and I were on time and met Jen as she descended the escalator from the terminal. Darla wanted me to hold the end of a banner welcoming her home, but I'm not in to those type of public displays. Darla took pictures and insisted on setting the banner at the table at Chevy's. Jennifer is thrilled to be home and away from Army life for awhile.

We talked about her pending promotion and she feels that she WILL be promoted to the Specialist rank by November. She upset some of the brass by complaining about KP duty and yardwork. The military has regard for only ONE opinion and that is theirs. Jennifer felt that she didn't join the Army to do KP and cut the grass on base. The brass felt that she is to do anything that they tell her to do. Jennifer is learning about life in the military and will get her promotion in due time. With all of the specialized training that she has had and the expense that the Army has gone to in training her, it would be a sham not to promote her to the Specialist rank. I'm proud of her...and we have someone to wash the dishes and mow the lawn while she is home. Just kidding, Jen.

Jennifer is driving the Mustang while she is here and she was thrilled when she saw it. David was nice enough to agree to let her borrow his car while she is in town. David will finally get his license next month, four months after his 16th birthday. He is so involved in sports it took him four months after he was 15 1/2 to get his permit and the law requires new drivers to drive under permit status for six months prior to getting their license. Darla will be relieved when he finally does get his license as she has to drive him to school and pick him up from football practice every day that we have the boys. Once David has his license he will be free to come and go at his own whim.

Darla ran into Daniel's football coach at the gas station the other night and heard some excellent feedback on Daniel and his abilities at the sport. Daniel has always been something of a quick blossomer. He grew so fast, that it took him a long time for his coordination and his brain to catch up to his physical size. The coach will start Dan on both the offensive and defensive lines. He is one of the best linemen on the team and the coach, who has coached Daniel before, is thrilled with Dan's progression as a football player. I suppose you can't teach someone to be 6'1 and 200 pounds at age 13. You are or you aren't. It is kudos to Daniel and we were thrilled to get the feedback. Following in the footsteps of David, the jock, won't be easy, but Daniel is so far holding his own.

Work continues at a crawl. I talked to Nancy about it and she said that it is a typical problem, where business flows drag at the end of August as the worker bees in an insurance agency are also Moms and they are getting their kids ready for back to school and take time off this time of year. I've never experienced a slow down like this before in my career and I'm a bit concerned. I'm ramping up the marketing side of my business right now and working the phones.

Darryl has moved in to his new home outside of Austin, Texas and sent us pictures of his new deck and patio. He mentioned a wedding next weekend, which is news to us. I assume that my niece is getting married next week. I sent him a note chastising him for not keeping us in the loop. I think he needs a blog.

Darla and I celebrated seven years of wedded bliss this weekend. We've been married for twelve years, but seven happily. Just kidding, we married in 1996 and no itch as of yet. I wrote in her card that the only itch I feel is an itch to be even closer to her. That bought me some points, but writing about it here probably just cost me. Darla has been a true blessing in my life and I thank God for such a wonderful and Godly woman in my life. (I might have pulled out of it, I'm not sure.)

Finally, Saturday was also the qualifying tournament for the Rose Cup annual Ryder Cup-style tournament against three other golf clubs here in Roseville. Our qualifying field consisted of 56 determined golfers striving for 11 spots in the field. I started out strong shooting par-bogey-par-bogey-birdie in my first 5 holes to go one over, but stumbled down the stretch and finished the front nine with a double-bogey, double-bogey finish for 42. I then started the back side with par, double-bogey to go eight over after 11 holes. I was stinking up the joint, but pulled my game together with par-birdie-birdie over the next three holes and a solid finish to shoot 38 on the back side and finish with an 80, net 68 to qualify. This is the fourth year out of five that I will be in the Rose Cup (I missed the cut last year) and it is a tournament that I truly enjoy. The tournament will be held on October 10th and 11th at Woodcreek Golf Course and Sun City Roseville.

That's it for this week. The pastor told us the story yesterday of a young man who was proposing marriage to his sweetheart. He took her out on a secluded lake at midnight and held her hand. He said, "Honey, I may not have a yacht, like Steve Williams, all that I have is a small sailboat. And I may not have a Porsche, like Steve Williams, but I do have a Volkswagen and it is in good shape. And, finally, I may not have a mansion like Steve Williams, but my apartment is nice and we have plenty of room. I adore you and I love you. Will you marry me?" His girlfriend looked up at him and said, "Honey, I love you too, but who is this Steve Williams and where can I meet him?"