I was very concerned about the high winds that blew into our area on Tuesday, but my CEO was in town and I couldn't do anything about it. We didn't take down the gazebo this Winter, instead anchoring it down with cinder blocks. It turns out that we should have taken the canvas off as the winds lifted up the gazebo and tossed it around. I called Darla as the winds grew stronger during the day and asked her to check on the gazebo. She had a full day and couldn't get home either. I picked my boss up at the Net Jets runway over at the old Mather AFB at 6:30 and we were at the Hyatt by 7 Pm and to dinner by 7:45. I didn't get out of the restaurant until 10:30 and took Anthony back to his house and finally got home about 11:20. I asked Darla how the gazebo fared and she said, "fine." I went out back and took a look and called her out there. What about our gazebo upside down in the pool is "fine"? She said that it was dark when she looked out and everything looked okay. Uh, right. I dismantled the twisted metal and torn fabric from the structure on Saturday and have the metal on the side yard ready for a trip to the recyclers.
The visit with our CEO went rather well. He brought me a nice San Giovesse from Italy as a gift and had very positive reinforcement for the office and the staff. We had agency visits Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning. I saw the talk show host, Montel Williams at the Hyatt Tuesday night as I waited for Alan and Harvey to check in. Wednesday morning saw the Dallas Mavericks and their team bus at the hotel as they were gathering to head over to the practice facility at Arco Arena (nee Power Balance Pavilion). Alan had some solid suggestions with regard to increasing our penetration into the middle tier and top tier agents in Sacramento, but again, the theme was very positive and he thanked me and the staff profusely for our results in 2010. It was a nice visit.
The staff was jittery all day on Wednesday with Alan in the office and I think most were surprised at the very positive tone of our meetings. Alan likes to grill the staff on company history and our statistics, but I had them prepared for the visit and we had grilled on statistics and history for three weeks before the visit. Alan did take a shine to my two newest hires, Connie and Dana, and have both of them coming into San Francisco next week for an assesment for the company management training program. I lose some measure of control if they join the program, so I'm a little ambivalent on their involvement, but see the need for the company to increase our bench strength. Of course, my bench strength will suffer if they are both picked for the program. I already have Matt in my office as a graduate of the training program. I will be sitting in on the assesments next Tuesday in San Francisco and we will do some role playing, having the candidates attempt to sell us some insurance products and grading them on their sales presentation and creativity. It should be interesting. I will be sitting in with Harvey (my boss), the VP of Human Resources and the head of college recruiting for the company.
Darla did get her car back on Monday after the shop repaired the damage. As I surmised, one of the hoses came loose from the transmission and sprayed the hot transmission fluid all over the engine and road. According to the shop owner, it was a pressure clamp that should have failed immediately, but lasted four hours and 69 miles before it gave up the ghost. As far as the accident, we have been cleared of any wrongdoing and the motorcycle's insurance (which so happens to be our insurance as well) will subrogate against the shop for the damage to the motorcycle. The shop power washed the engine before repairing the damage, but it still has a bit of a burnt transmission fluid smell to it.
I set up another out of town golf trip this weekend and we headed up to Darkhorse outside of Auburn, near Lake of the Pines on Saturday. The course is a championship layout and I've struggled each time I've played there. The greens are sloped and lightning fast and there are hazards, tight fairways and trees galore. I shot 44+46=90. Bob shot 81, Matt had 83 and Boyd shot a solid 36+38=74, a round that included 5 birdies. Boyd, at 71, is a golfer that takes his game on the road and plays well at almost any venue. It must be nice. I play in an NCGA 4 ball qualifier with Matt on Sunday.
Darla leaves for leadership conference with Silpada on Wednesday. She'll be gone until Sunday and the convention is in New Orleans this year. Mardis Gras is close and it should be a fun trip for her. I fly out to Scottsdale on March 6th for three days of carrier meetings. I will play golf on Sunday and then see the San Francisco Giants reprise their World Series matchup on Monday night at Scottsdale Stadium against the Texas Rangers. Spring training starts this weekend.
We have had Springlike temperatures this week, topping out at 74 degrees on Saturday, but Winter will return this week with rain for the valley and snow in the Sierra. The AT&T Pebble Beach golf tournament had excellent weather this week and I'm sure left most of the country longing for the blue skies and warm temperatures of California.
So, I will be batching it next weekend and hopefully the rain will end by Saturday and I can get in two days of golf next weekend. It was sure fantastic on Saturday. I hit two drives of close to 300 yards on Saturday and felt like Darryl. On one hole I was 80 yards past my playing partners. It's not really my game, the long ball off the tee, but fun when you nut one. My drives have been excellent the last month, but I haven't scored because of my poor chipping and putting. I know what I'm doing on my chips and pitches,(rolling over my right foot when I bring the club back). I'm working on keeping my right foot on the ground and planted, but it is a work in progress right now. Frankly, I'd rather be working on that than struggling with the driver.
I'm doing the blog early this afternoon as Darla and I have a Valentine's date at McCormick and Schmick's steakhouse at 5:30 tonight. I hope you are all well. Our worship pastor quoted Psalm 18 today: "...He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in my day of disaster, but the LORD was my support, he brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Call upon our Saviour in your times of struggle and he will protect you. Happy Valentines day. Ciao.
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