Sacramento State University is back in session and traffic is a bear!

This was an advertisement in today's Sacramento Bee for a company that instead of giving you a home equity loan takes a percentage of the future value of your home. I thought the concept was lousy, but the content was funny. How about you, Jen?


It took me forty minutes to get in this morning where it would normally take about 25 minutes on a Monday. Summer was great. I enjoyed the relaxed traffic and the slower pace, alas school is back in session. David headed back to school this morning and Daniel leaves for Cal Poly a week from Saturday. Daniel needs to get back to school. Inactivity doesn't suit him as sleeping and television are two of his favorite passions in life and those two activities are hard to praise as a parent. When I've been gone to work all day and come home and there is a package on the front porch, the empty trash can is on the street still and his lunch plates are in the sink because the dishwasher was done and is full of clean dishes, I just want to smack him upside the head. He is ready to head to college and I am ready to see him go.

I played in a golf tournament last week in the George Lucas area of San Rafael, near his Skywalker studio. The course is called San Geronimo and is a little enclave surrounded by horse ranches and family compounds. We played a shamble tournament in a cheese companies' charity event. One of my insurance agents' insures the cheese company and begged me to come out and play. We took third in the tournament and won $60 a man. The food and wine at this tournament were out of this world. They had food stations set up with oysters on the half shell, a fajita bar, a wine and cheese bar, a Chinese station and a barbecued lamb shanks station. The food was excellent and the wine and alcohol were flowing freely. I had a designated driver so enjoyed the Crown Royal that was pouring at the bar.

I also played this weekend in the qualifier for the Rose Cup. This qualifying tournament has become one of the most competitive tournaments of the year. I shot 39+40 = 79 on the day and was convinced that my net 69 was good enough to qualify. As it turns out there was a 63 which was a 75 shot by a 12 handicap, a 68 and four 69s. There are only four qualifying spots in my flight so after an hour delay waiting for the other groups to come in, the four 69s were back on the first tee for a playoff. I hit the long drive on the hole, but inexplicably duffed my 95 yard 52 degree wedge shot to the green. I played a second wedge to about fourteen feet. None of the other players hit the green on their second shots as the pressure was mounting. Steve chipped on to the green and hit the flag stopping 8 inches from the hole for par. Paul made his 16 foot putt for par and Bill missed his 15 foot par putt. I stood over my twisting left to right breaking putt and willed it into the cup. Bill was eliminated and we headed to number two. I hit a drive past the tree on the right side of the fairway, but came to rest in high grass. Steve hit his under the same tree and Paul went left under a tree on the left side of the fairway. Both Paul and Steve hit great shots up to the par five and were about 60 yards to the green. I should have hit a six iron back into the fairway, but instead took a hybrid 4 and duffed it to the right and into the tree line. I had to pitch out and put it on the green about eight feet for par. Steve AGAIN hit the flag on his chip and stopped about ten inches from the cup for birdie. Paul chipped to within sixteen feet and made the birdie putt. I missed the qualifying by a playoff. It feels bad, but I played my butt off. I even made the putt on the green after it was over. I am the first alternate and I told both guys (literally) to break a leg leading up to the tournament. Usually you can look back and find one hole where a putt should have gone in, but I look back over my 79 and see putts rolling in from fifteen feet and even one from 35 feet on the back side and know that I played as well as I could expect. It wasn't good enough, but I am the first alternate and if one of the four in my flight can't make it on October 5th and 6th, I will be there.

Darla and I had a relaxing day yesterday on the pool, just floating and sleeping and taking it easy. We walked to the video store last night to exchange some films and on the way back, Darla said "Let's jaywalk" as there was no traffic. We waited for the one car on the road to pass and started across only to both notice that the only car on the road was a Roseville Police officer. We both started across and just as quickly stopped as we saw the black and white patrol car at the same time. Here we are salt of the earth law abiding citizens and we almost jaywalk in front of a cop. We had a good laugh as we walked to the crosswalk and crossed the street legally.

I talked to Darryl and Cheryl last night about hotel reservations while we are in Austin. Cheryl has arranged for the Lyon family to stay with them and enjoy some family time before the wedding. I think Darla and I will stay, but get a hotel near the airport for Sunday night as we fly out early on Monday. Jennifer has a later flight and she can stay at the hotel until later. She will fly to Sacramento from Austin. She is coming home for a shower in her honor. I told her she should just stay in Sacramento as she has family here and John doesn't have any claim on her..it's not like they are married or anything. She wasn't completely amused at my prodding.

I have a golf tournament in Salinas on Thursday September 13th for the Monterey Bay Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers. Darla will join me and have two jewelry parties that same weekend. The only problem I have is that the club championship is going on that weekend and if I win my first match, I'll have to play on Saturday. We may have separate cars and I'll be up early to drive back on Saturday to make my tee time. My golf goals every year are to win my flight in the club championship, to qualify for the Rose Cup team and to get my index into single digits. So far, I am one for two.

It is Jennifer's 27th birthday tomorrow. Happy birthday, Jennifer. I hope you are all doing well and keeping God in the forefront of your lives. Ciao.

I saw kids going to school today..Is Summer Over Already?

We are back to work after an extended weekend. I took a mental health day on Friday and went with Darla to Monterey for a jewelry show. We drove down on Thursday night after my twilight league golf arriving in Hollister about 11:30 PM. Monterey had the Concours D' Elegance car show going on and the rooms were over $200 a night. We stayed in Hollister at the Best Western for $100. Friday we drove in to Salinas and had breakfast at the Black Bear Diner which is quickly becoming one of my favorite breakfast spots. The food is plentiful and the surroundings are great. From there we drove in to Monterey and walked around Cannery Row looking at the over-priced fare and having Darla actually buy an over-priced blouse. I'm good for about two minutes in those clothes shop. I'll look at the T-shirts with the sayings like "Am I actually intellectually superior or do I just have stupid friends?" Pretty funny, but not for $19.99. I wandered out of the shop where Darla was shopping and found a shop with country flags and car decals, etc. I was looking for a Canada grill plaque...not to buy it mind you, just to find it. Darla finished her purchase and then couldn't find me and I was in deep with her for about twenty minutes. Yes, I am an insensitive bastard. There I said it.

We went from there into Carmel and stopped at a gourmet deli and bought some Chicken Salad sandwiches to take to the beach. We drove down to the beach at the end of Foam street and relaxed. I fell asleep and Darla woke me to point out two European women who chose to change on the beach rather than use the rest rooms. I thanked her for waking me to see the show.

I dropped Darla at her hostesses house at 4:15 and drove over to Laguna Seca Golf Ranch to see if I could play some twilight golf. They wanted $53 for twilight with a cart. I asked the starter how much for a bucket of balls. There was almost no one on the course and he offered me a $15 NCGA discount and I jumped at it. I teed off at 4:55 PM and managed to get in 18 holes and shot 39+44=83. I struggled on the back as we were hurrying to finish the round. I put two balls in the water on the back and still managed a 44, so not too bad.

I played again on Saturday and actually ended up with a fivesome as one of the guys who called to say he couldn't make it, changed his mind the next day after I'd already filled his spot. We had two tee times and two extra guys, so I set up a third time for a twosome and played with my VP candidate, Rick Rusk. The guys in my original foursome/fivesome played two groups in front of me. I shot 42+39=81 and feel solid about my game right now. I will play in the Rose Cup qualifier on Saturday and hope to qualify for a spot to try to reclaim the Rose Cup for Diamond Oaks.


Darla woke up with a bruise above her left eye and a red dot in the white of her eye Sunday morning. She accused me of abuse, but I don't remember anything. You'd think if I rolled over and smacked her in the middle of the night, she would have woken up. Strange, eh?

Darla and I hosted a BBQ for our life group on Sunday and it was a good time. You can see from the pictures that we had good food, some singing and a nice prayer time. The group is praying for Jennifer and John as they prepare to have my granddaughter. Jennifer's mom, Diane, was in Las Vegas this weekend visiting Jen and John. The barbecue was fun and we even swam a little and got caught up with everyone after the Summer off. The Life Group is breaking in two as the Pandos and Darla and I will take on a new life group effective September 10th.


The boys returned last night from their trip to Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, etc. I hope they had a good time, but its not my idea of a vacation as there is no ocean and not a lot of golf courses on the agenda. They visited the Grand Old Opry, Graceland, Branson and Chicago on the trip.

I am planning a golf trip in November to Torrey Pines in Oceanside. Boyd, Bob, Mel and I will play the famous North course home to the 2008 US Open. We will fly out Thursday night, play Torrey and then spend the weekend in San Diego before returning to Roseville on Sunday.

I talked to Randy this weekend on the occasion of his 47th birthday. Chris is getting ready for his senior year of High School and attended 9 football camps this Summer in preparation for his senior season. His team, Colleyville, opens the season against the Division 2 state champions, one of only 2 teams to defeat them last year. So revenge is definitely on the agenda.

Dad and Shirley are off on their European cruise and will be gone for 23 days. They return home for a week and then head to Texas for five weeks with Darryl and Cheryl. We will see them briefly as we will be there for Jesse's wedding.

That is the news that is fit to blog, so until next week..Ciao.

FANTASTIC SUMMER!!

This has been literally one of the best Summers I can remember in Sacramento. We have hit 100 degrees maybe twice this year. I know that bragging on that fact and the reality that the State Fair starts on Friday will likely bring on a spate of HOT weather, but this has been one for the books. The California State fair traditionally brings on a run of hot weather as the tourists wander the mostly blacktopped fairgrounds in flip flops and sandals indulging in ice cream and fried foods as the temperatures rise and the heat stifles one and all. The forecast for the rest of this week is 94 degrees today, dropping into the eighties for the rest of this week and back into the low nineties for Saturday and Sunday. The fair opens on Friday, so we can expect those temperatures to rise over the next couple of weeks.

I have one of the stunt motorcycle shows at the fair insured again this year. The guy does flips and jumps rows of cars and lets go of the bike in mid air. I insured him last year as well and he dropped the bike when he was doing a no hands wheelie and it hit the fence and slightly injured one of the fair goers who was leaning against the fence. The State fair police are supposed to make sure that the crowds do not stand near the fence, but it is what it is. We closed the claim with a $1500 payout last year. Darla and I may venture out to the fair with the boys next weekend if the weather stays mild.

I was in San Francisco yesterday and couldn't get to updating the blog as we had to leave first thing in the morning and I had to have a couple of items handled by the staff., so here I am today. You can see by the pictures that Darla and I had a good weekend. We went up to Saddle Creek golf course in Copperopolis. It is a tremendous facility with a wonderful practice area and driving range, a beautiful clubhouse and grounds, but one dilly of a golf course. My friend, Boyd, who is a 4 handicap golfer and is used to shooting mid seventies and in June shot his age (67) at a valley golf course, struggled mightily and shot a 39+44=83 on the course. He had the best round of the group as I struggled to a 43+44=87 on the lightning fast greens and it went to 94 from there and on up to 138 for an 18 handicapper. Brutal golf, but just plain fun to be on such a well manicured and exciting golf course. Boyd and Charlie took the $50 first prize with a net 65 on the blind draw best ball and Freida and I took the $30 second prize with a 67.

The ladies went shopping and Darla lead the cavalcade with the purchase of two new belts and tops and a purse. We all met back in Plymouth at the Shenandoah Inn about 6:15 PM and the guys quickly showered and we were over to the Mexican Food restaurant next door buy about 6:45 PM for dinner. There were sixteen of us and we thoroughly enjoyed the food and margaritas as we celebrated Gary's 53rd birthday in style. We walked back to the hotel and all gathered in the pool area for strawberry shortcake. It was alot of fun.

We slept in a bit on Sunday and all met at the Dead Fly Cafe at 9:30 for breakfast before a run of wine tasting. The breakfast was fantastic and most of us left a good deal of it on the plate as they were large and delicious breakfasts. Mel and Cora met us at the restaurant and joined us for the wine tasting. Darla and I are not much for wine tasting. I enjoy a good Merlot with a steak dinner or a good Pinot Noir with chicken or seafood, but I can't tell a good wine from a $2 bottle of chuck. The group that we went with has three wine connoisseurs lead by Mel Padeirnos who used to work for the French government and was charged with importing wines for the commisaries all over France. They can taste the charcoals and oak and hint of berries and grasses. It is all a bit pretentious for me and Darla and I were on our way home after visiting four of the wineries. The group continued on and hit a total of ten wineries on the day. We were happily floating on our pool by about 2:30 PM on Sunday.

I play golf this afternoon at a country club in Roseville with one of my agents who also happens to attend Adventure Christian Church with me. We have been trying to get together for awhile and today is the day. It is a gloriously sunny day today and should be a great afternoon. Darla and I will meet with Bob and Vicki Pando tonight to plan our life group for this Winter. We are splitting off from our regular group and starting a new life group. Darla and I will host a barbecue on Sunday for all of the members of the life group. We will start up again next month and meet three Mondays a month. The members need to decide which life group they will attend.

I played golf with an inspection firm on Wednesday last week at a course in Davis, California (WildHorse) that I had never played. I had a really good front nine followed by a pedestrain back nine and shot 39+43=82. The course was unique in that they had a burrowing owl habitat scattered throughout the course. These burrowing owls are about a foot tall and are the cutest damn things you've ever seen. I was hittng out of the habitat (you can play it, just can't drive a cart into it) and two of the little guys were poking their heads out of the ground watching me. I had to step back and laugh, they were so funny.

Dad was in for a colonoscopy yesterday. He and Shirley leave for their European cruise on Saturday and he wants to make sure he is okay. The doctor wanted to do some precautionary lab work and we should know this week if there is anything to worry about. Pray with me that all is okay and they can get on with their trip.

Well, I need to get on to work as I haven't been in the saddle much this week. Be well, stay grounded in the Lord , and be thankful for the blessings in your life. Ciao.

Pei Wei

Darla turned me on to a new restaurant this weekend. It is a "Fast Casual" version of PF Chang's China Bistro and is owned by PF Chang's. The name is Pei Wei. They serve Lettuce Wraps, soups, salads as well as the entrees of Sweet and Sour Pork, Kung Pao chicken, Lemon Shrimp, etc. I see they have restaurants in Austin (4) and Dallas (28) as well as Houston (8). Darryl, perhaps you should order their Party Platters and just have the rehearsal dinner at your house. I was amazed at how good it was and we got out of there for $24. Now, go get you some, ya'll. Ciao.

Overcast and Dreary Monday

This is strange weather for Northern California. We went from 104 degrees on Saturday to 78 degrees yesterday, a drop of 26 degrees which is unprecedented in our area. Today is overcast, but there is not a chance for rain. We are lucky if we get a half inch of rain during the Summer months. I notice that Austin, TX for instance has had almost six inches of rain since July 1st. That is pretty much our rainy season in Northern California.



Speaking of Austin, Darla and I booked our flights for Jesse's wedding in September last week. I found some $198 round trip flights on US Airways and went ahead and booked the flight. We fly in Friday night September 28th and return on Monday October 1st. The wedding is Sunday for some reason and we decided to stay over until Monday so as not to be rushed. I look forward to seeing the family. This will be the family reunion that Dad's 70th was supposed to be.



My golf index (handicap) dropped to 9.6 this month and now I have to try to live up to being a single digit golfer. I played four straight days this week and shot 41 on Thursday in my twilight league, 80 on Friday at Cherry Island in Elverta, 83 on Saturday at Diamond Oaks and 86 yesterday at The Reserve at Spanos park in Stockton. I played golf with Jerry Tuel yesterday and Jerry and I both realized that we hadn't seen each other in two years. The last time we got together was in March of 2005 and that was the day that Jerry got into his DUI accident, where he went off the road and rolled his car into a barbed wire fence. It was great to get caught up and we played with his two brothers, Houston and Bob. Jerry struggled with his game and shot 93 while his brothers were both in the 100's. It was a windy day with gusts upwards of 35 MPH. There were a few holes that were downright miserable and it was an exercise in patience and fortitude to get through the round. I actually shot one stroke better on the back nine when the weather turned on us as I lived the old adage "when it's breezy, swing easy." It works and often keeps spin off the ball and keeps your ball lower in the wind. Tami and Jerry now own a vacation home up in Lake Tahoe and ten acres on a lake in Durant, Oklahoma. It is a master planned community with a 350 acre man made lake and sub dividable lots. Tami and Jerry bought ten one acre parcels for development. Their plan is to develop their own retirement home on the lake and sell off the other lots as the community takes shape. Jerry is 61 now and Tami turns 50 in October. Their daughter, Natalie, turns 21 in two weeks.



I have set up our golf weekend next week and have eight players for Saddle Creek in Copperopolis for Saturday. We will stay up in Plymouth, California at the Shenandoah Inn and then go wine tasting with the gang on Sunday. We actually have two couples that couldn't make the golf coming up Saturday night just for dinner and the wine tasting on Sunday. The women, of course, will go to lunch on Saturday and shop. They will check into the hotel and we will meet them afterward to shower and get ready for dinner. I have 4 relatively low index players and four high handicappers playing and I will set up a blind draw, two man best ball tournament with full handicaps. Each player will throw in $10 and the first place team will win $50 and the second place team $30. We won't know who our partner is until after the round and I draw the names. Each player will keep a net score for each hole and then we will determine the team score after the names are drawn. I will put four low and four high names in two hats and match the players up in that manner. It should be fun. I look forward to playing Saddle Creek, which is a championship venue in Northern California and rated number 8 in public access courses in California. It must be good, because those courses would include Pebble Beach, Spyglass, Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills, Harding Park, and Torrey Pines.

Darla had a "retirement party" on Saturday. This is the retired jewelry from Silpada designs that she clears out of her inventory every year and sells to her hostesses for 50% off of retail price. Darla then takes the proceeds and buys the new designs at 50% to restock her sample table. Unfortunately, the city of Roseville decided to host a major youth soccer tournament at the park across the street from our house the same day. Darla ended up putting chairs in front of our house to save parking spots for her guests. To say that Darla was irritated would be an understatement. One of our neighbors was also having a garage sale that complicated matters. It must have been a lame garage sale, because I left for golf at 7:30 and they hadn't even set up for it when I left. Darla did very well on her sales and will be able to completely restock her sample table.

We talked to Jennifer last night and her pregnancy continues to go well. She will have an Ultrasound on August 14th and be able to see the baby and how she is progressing. She is growing and can no longer fit in her clothes. She can feel the baby kicking and is really beginning to show. She is about halfway through her pregnancy and all is smooth sailing so far.

The office is doing very well. I was able to renew our largest account, a custom home builder that will bring in about $400,000 in premium this year. It was a struggle and I sincerely don't know how the big brokers handle these large accounts. I was completely in suspense for about two weeks waiting to hear if we retained the account. We had a competitor that actually came in about $30,000 in premium below us, but their form is more restrictive and we were able to be a little more creative on tiered rates and it saved us the account. It was an August 1st renewal so our month is in good shape. I took the retailer out for a celebration lunch last week and we drank mojitos and enjoyed some fine Italian food. I actually plan to take them to dinner with Darla later this month to Ruth Chris steak house as a thank you.

Well, work awaits and the sound of laughter floats out from the staff as they prepare for a Monday. I will take the staff out to lunch on Thursday to celebrate our largest month ever. We wrote $1,450,000 in premium in July with over $200,000 in net retained to our branch. We finished July up 26% from 2006 and a good leg up on the sales contest. Be well and stay grounded in the Lord, our Savior. Ciao.