This is the kind of work week Monday morning that you look forward to. Today is Monday and tomorrow is Friday. I'll be back in Lake Tahoe Tuesday night thru Saturday and, frankly, I can't wait to get back. The resort is wonderful, the room is spacious and it even includes a Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom that has already worked it's wonders on my aching back. We had a great time with the boys. We were able to get in on Friday night, although we squeezed into a suite with Darla and I in the lone bed and the boys in sleeping bags on the sofa sleeper next to us. It was tight quarters, but saved us a late arrival on Saturday and a shortened weekend. Saturday, the weather was ideal, about 84 degrees with some light clouds in the sky that drifted over ocassionally and cooled us off. We spent the afternoon at the pool and then out on the beach. The boys played catch with the football and David caught a group of batchelorettes that were resting on the beach before their big night on the town. The best looking girl of the bunch approached him and asked if we would claim them as ours if someone from the resort asked them for proof that they were staying there. It is a private beach and they were using some of the resorts' chaise lounges. David seemed pleased to claim them as part of our family.

We went out to dinner at the Lakeside Inn, which is one of Darla and my hangouts in Lake Tahoe. It is a smaller casino that caters to the locals and we like it because of the service. The waitresses are plentiful when you are gambling and the food is inexpensive and very good. We all had Prime Rib and baked potatoes and really enjoyed our dinner together.

Sunday dawned overcast with a chance of thundershowers. We were up late and headed back to the Lakeside for breakfast. The wait was about forty minutes for a table, so we gave the boys $5 and sent them to the arcade, while Darla and I sought out the nickle video poker machines. I hit four Kings in my first four plays for $10 and then hit four aces-with-a-four for $100 about fifteen minutes later. It was a lucrative wait for breakfast. I even allowed the boys to order off the menu instead of just the $2.99 specials. I know, I'm a big spender. They both had a ham steak that was the size of their plate with eggs, hash browns and toast. Darla and I stuck with the specials, two eggs, bacon, toast and hash browns for me and two eggs, sausage and pancakes for Darla.

The weather unfortunately left us high and dry at the resort, although Darla and the boys played tennis. I stayed back and rested my aching back. The toilet in the master bathroom decided to act up and wouldn't flush. When Darla got back, I told her to try it again and it came rushing over the top and flooded not only the bathroom, but flowed out into the room. I was stuck with my aching back on the bed, laughing my fool head off. Darla was yelling at me about a set-up, me baiting her into flushing the toilet when I knew it would flood. David had to use a pen to wedge against the plunger handle to get it to stop flowing. I was alternately laughing and holding my back in pain. Somehow I have yet to grow up. Bathroom humor still gets me laughing. Darla was so mad and it just got me laughing that much more.

We left about four yesterday afternoon and drove back via Highway 89 and the west side of the lake. We stopped at the rest area and were able to see the island at Emerald Bay and the castle that a Scandinavian couple built in the 1920's from the vista site. The castle is open for tours, although you have to walk down the hill a mile to the castle site. Depending on my back, Darla and I might go by the castle later in the week.

I still am not over my back problems (obviously). The intense pain has subsided, but now I have muscle spasms periodically and I'm stiff and sore if I sit in one place for too long. Luckily at a desk job, I don't have to sit for long periods of time. Oh, wait, I do. Well, this won't work.

I have played in the Rose Cup golf tournament three of the four years that it has been played, but I will not even attempt to qualify this year because of my back. The qualifier is on Saturday. I'm really disappointed because it is one of my yearly goals in golf. I want to get to a single digit handicap, win the club championship in my flight and qualify for the Rose Cup team. Now I have two goals left. The Club Championship is in September and my handicap is currently at 10.8.

We had the brass in here last week, as the CEO and COB of the company, Alan Kaufman, flew in to see the new office and to speak to the staff. My boss, Bill, was just a tad uptight on the day of the visit. When I came in on Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. he was in the file room staring at the walls. I chided him for not making coffee and he stormed into the kitchen and grabbed the pot. I said, "Hey, Bill, I was just kidding." He insisted on making the brew and when he spilled water all over the counter when he was trying to fill the coffee maker, he lost it and slammed the pot on the counter. When it inevitably smashed into pieces, he looked at me and said, "Can you believe that broke?" "Uh....yeah." I told him to relax and chill a little. He was way overamped and was able to cool his jets as he drove over to Wal-Mart to buy a new Mr. Coffee.

The visit was tense, but much needed as Alan was able to convey his opinions of the office and our under performance based on company standards. He talked about the tremendous potential of this office and that's what I took away from the meeting was the future. The past was not of my doing, but I am saddled with those results as we all are and can only look forward and perhaps learn from the past. Anthony and I were lucky in that we had booked the $156,000 account the week before and were able to skate a little on that accomplishment.

Well, it is work time. Tomorrow is my Friday, so I better get at it. Have a good week.