Monday morning greeted me with a left rear tire that had lost air. I hooked up my mini-compressor to the tire and ten minutes later was at 35 pounds of pressure. I'll have to keep an eye on it. I couldn't find a nail or any obvious reason why air would have escaped the tire, but life's little mysteries sometimes are never answered. The sky was overcast and parts of Sacramento had periods of rain this morning. I missed the rain and I'm glad of it as I spent thirty minutes washing my car and detailing the wheels last night after dinner.

Mother's Day was a success as the boys helped with breakfast after church and dishes after dinner. They also made their Mom a ham and grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. That was AFTER Darla announced that she was going to make lunch for the boys and I put the kybosh on that plan. The boys also gave their Mom a nice card and wrote in it that "their love for her was unexplainable". I suppose that was a compliment, eh?

Mother's Day is still hard for me five years after Mom's all-too premature death in 1999. I still miss her laugh and her caring attitude and our visits on the phone and in person. It seems that the void she left in my life isn't meant to be filled and I thank God that He allowed her to be such a big part of my life as long as He did. I see and feel echoes of Mom in my own wife and I smile to see the similarities in them. They are both strong-willed women, but have very strong family ties and work to keep their families together. As Mom had to put up with Dad's moods and his perfectionism, Darla has to do the same with me.

Jennifer had a Mother's day treat in the person of her Mom visiting her in Georgia. I have yet to hear the details of their visit, but I trust that they had fun and enjoyed their time together. I called Jennifer last night, but her phone rolled over to the answering machine. She may have been worn out and went to bed early. I don't know. Perhaps Diane was still there and flies back today.

Well, I'm sure this will come as a huge shock to my three regular readers, but I was able to arrange a golf game this weekend. Mark Konrad called on Wednesday night and invited me to play with his neighbor at Auburn Valley Country Club up in the foothills above Auburn, California off Highway 49 on the road to Nevada City and Grass Valley. We teed off at 6:45 a.m Saturday and I once again managed the slow start/strong finish routine that seems ingrained in my game right now as I shot 44-41=85. I had two birdies on the back side and finished with a "kick in" birdie on the signature 535-yard par-5 finshing hole. Mark struggled to a 95 and the other two guys shot 91 and 103 and I walked away with $31 in skin money and the $5 stroke play bet that Mark insists on paying me each time we play. Country club golf is like no other as Darryl can attest. Someday I will also join a club, but right now I'm like a single guy who's not yet ready to settle down with one gal. There's too many great golf courses out there left to play and I want to play the field for awhile yet.

Darla and I are off to Monterey on Wednesday night where we will stay until Saturday. I will play golf with Mark and his group at Poppy Hills In Pebble Beach on Thursday and we will then head to the beach for a beach party on Thursday night complete with barbecue and music. Mark and his brother, Mike, are hosting the party for their 40th birthdays and it is being catered by the Beach Resort Hotel where we are staying. We're not sure how warm it will be and have shorts as well as jeans and sweatshirts ready to be packed.

Darla and I will return home on Saturday night and I have tickets to see the Christian Band, Third Day, at UC Davis on Sunday night. My child bride turns 40 on Sunday and we will pick up the boys from their father's house and go to church and then breakfast on Sunday. As I told Darla, I won't be playing golf next weekend in honor of her birthday. She just gave me a look that spoke volumes. Hope everyone is well. We lost my uncle Norm last week and I wish comfort on his wife and their family. Norm was the original golfer in my life and I'm sure he's arranging tee times in heaven as I write this.