Back to the blog on a rainy Monday. Our skies finally cleared on Saturday and I was able to play golf. We have had some terrible fires up in the Sierra, to the point that the boy's football games were postponed on Friday night because of the smokey skies and the problems that presented from a health standpoint. Thursday, there was smoke and ash all over the area and my car was covered with a light film of ash from the Fred fire up in the Pollock Pines area off Highway 50 when I got off of work. The state freeway Highway 50 which leads up to the Sierra and Lake Tahoe has been closed since Wednesday of this last week and is expected to remain closed until Wednesday of this week. With the heavy rains that started yesterday, the fires are no longer a problem, but mudslides are expected.

I did venture out to the golf course on Saturday. I've played golf with Mel, the husband of our policy typist, several times and he called Friday to see if I wanted to join he and a friend for a game on Saturday. I said "absolutely" just let me know the time and place. He said, "well, would you mind making us a tee time?" That was a first, being invited to play golf and then invited to make the arrangements. I set us up with a 9 a.m. tee time at Woodcreek Golf Course in Roseville. I shot 44-44=88 and felt like I could have scored better. It was windy and I only managed four pars, twelve bogeys and two double-bogeys. It was good to be out there again. I have a tournament on Sunday, the annual TOC (Tournament of Champions). Mel told me that Cora (his wife) and the rest of the staff are glad to see me in charge of the office. It was good to hear, even if he was just schmoozing me.

My old boss from Republic Western, Emery Jensen, is coming out to California on some marketing calls and will take Darla and I to dinner in Old Sacramento on Sunday night. He will then visit the office on Monday with his Package Underwriter. Emery is now a Manager with Scottsdale Insurance Company, our largest carrier.

Darla took Friday off work ill and decided (as is Darla's wont) to paint Daniel's room. She painted it a light almond color and is afraid that Dan will think it is too dark. Daniel has trouble keeping white walls white, so this will work fine. We also put some wood blinds up on his window and it looks as good in there as it ever has.

I just took a break for my morning constitutional. As I entered the men's room, there was a rather large man in the room washing at the basin. He had his sleeves rolled up and was washing his hands and arms as if he'd just assisted in the birth of a milk cow or something. The worst part was I then picked a stall and the commode was WARM. It made me want to take a shower. Perhaps you can file this under "too much information".

I've had several people ask why I write a blog. Truthfully, it allows my family to keep up with me, but more so, it is a creative outlet that was severed for me in 1999 when my Grandfather on my Dad's side died. We had been pen pals from the time I was about nine and I could write him several times a month and we kept up quite a dialogue over the years. I still have many of the letters that he sent me over the years. It was fascinating to hear his struggles with his decision to retire and his decision in his late seventies to give up his car and the freedom of having a license. He told me the story of his sister-in-law dying in his home, the confliction that he had over selling the family home and moving in to a condo in his later years. I then got a front row seat in watching his pure joy in being a part of the condo association and all of the friends that he made there. I also suffered with him as Grandma had her stroke and slowly withered away in the hospital. I then laughed with him as he told stories of Dad and he trying to live as bachelors after Gram passed away. My father modeled for me how to handle an older parent as he stayed with Gramp for months after Gram's death and helped him prepare to move into a care home.

Wow, how did I get off on that rabbit trail? I guess the lack of high school football left a void in the blog. I filled that, eh? The boys are supposed to make up the missed game tonight, but the last I heard the district was still trying to get an officiating crew for the game tonight. It could be a soggy mess out there.

I have to head up setting up a booth for our office this afternoon at the downtown convention center. Tomorrow is the Sacramento Insurance Day (Big I Day) and we will have a booth at the show. I've already purchased $200 worth of gift certificates from Home Depot for the drawing. We will have plenty of marketing materials as well as some candy and give aways at the booth. It is an all day event, beginning at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Well, that is the news that's fit to print and even some that isn't. I hope you are all well. God bless. Ciao.