The Long Days of Summer

 

 

It is the dog days of Summer with heat being omnipresent and the pool getting a good workout lately. Darla did end up having to take a medical leave of absence from work due to both medical issues and stress. She is working on clearing her head and getting her meds under control to better fight her diabetes. We went to the doctor together last Monday and her doctor gave her a two week leave and instructions to relax and get some additional exercise while she is off. She is getting in to the gym almost every day, walking the park across the street and trying to wind down and relax. If you know Darla, she is a person that is always on the go and slowing down and taking it easy is hard for her. I'm proud of her that she has been able to sleep in every morning and take a nap most afternoons and just relax at home and let the stress bleed out of her life.

 

She is a little needy at night as she is, at her core, a very social animal. She is ready for me to get home at night and wants to engage in conversation. I understand her and have no problem with this. The problem this week is that I had poker on Friday night and plans with the boys for a golf trip up to Squaw Valley. She was not on board with either of those activities this time around and hounded me about abandoning her. Friday night she had dinner with her parents and visited with Lucas and Alicia (Don is away at a convention in Vegas). Saturday, she got together with a girlfriend from work and went to see the movie, "The Heat". I had golf league on Thursday night and another of her friends invited her to dinner that night and she didn't get home until after 8 o'clock. I guess the pendulum swings both ways, eh?

 

I did head up to Squaw valley for our second go at the course at the Resort at Squaw. The first time was last Fall and the course whipped me with a 90. I gained a small measure of revenge with an 84 this time around. Neil and Darren both shot 96 and Boyd matched me with an 84. I was happy to have parred the last two holes, which were among the hardest on the course. The weather was incredible, about 82 degrees, but it felt like 90 degrees because of the high altitude. We met at the park and ride about 7:15 and were at the course before 9 o'clock for our 10:00 tee time. We had breakfast bagels at the resort and then went down to warm up. The course was crowded, but most of the players had already teed off and there was only one group teeing off before us and that was 9:50. We jumped at the chance to tee off early and left at 9:15, but made the mistake of teeing off on number 10 (The tee boxes are side by side with no tee markers). I figured it out when my sky caddie handheld GPS kept getting farther from the hole the closer we got. We figured it out fairly quickly and decided hole 10 was our practice hole. The day was great and it is always fun to do a road trip with friends. We were back home before 4 PM and I got home just as Darla was getting home from the movie.

 

There are some changes going on at work and a couple of promotions in the works. Harvey talked to me about them on Wednesday and I took the opportunity to remind him that the Branch Manager has had some tremendous success over the last six years and perhaps he needed some acknowledgement as well. My CEO will be in Roseville in October and Harvey said that a promotion to Vice President is on the table. I'm hoping that comes through as we have all worked hard and seen the success in my branch that we all wanted. We are ahead of last year's numbers in July and have three full workdays left this week to try to hit our budget number. We are about $50,000 in revenue shy of that number and about $400,000 in premium. I'm not counting my team out yet, but it is a hill to climb. (Neil Thomas always says: "It's no hill for a climber.")

 

Jennifer was in Vegas this weekend and planned to take Samantha out to see their new apartment. Jennifer has been offered a job with Alcatel Lucent as a project manager in Vegas and they are moving to a new apartment close to Samantha's new school. Samantha is ready for her Mom to be there. Jennifer bought her a "seed of happiness", some rock from a new wave store in Almanor and had planned to give it to her when they got back to Vegas, but had also bought one for Darla and gave it her. Sam knew she had bought one for her as well and was crying before bed that she wanted her "seed of happiness". I'm quite sure that you are not supposed to cry over the seed of happiness, but what do I know?

 

The pictures above were from Darla's parent's visit with Lucas this week and then Alicia's visit here on Saturday. Alicia's day care provider was on vacation this week and Earl and Frances stepped up and watched him during the day. Don works out of the house part time as a pharmaceutical rep and they wanted to get out of the house, so took him to the park a couple of days and then met at our place one day to swim.

 

Darla and I walked up to the shopping center this morning so I could get a hair cut. We passed a new business in the strip center that is Sister's Massage and they do foot reflexology for $25 for an hour session. Darla is suffering from neuropathy in her feet as part of her diabetes and is always looking for ways to increase the circulation in her feet. She popped in there and I went to get my haircut and to the store for some hooks to hold our swimming pool pole, net and brushes on the fence. I got done before Darla and had 25 minutes to wait for her at the Massage place. They seemed very nice, but neither sister speaks much English and it was funny trying to communicate with them. They know the language of money, however.

 

Well, that is it for this week. Jennifer contacted me this week and said that Sam will be in California the week of August 12-19. They plan to be up here on August 17 (Randy's birthday). that is the day of our Summer Picnic at work and I'll see if they want to join us. I may take a day off during the week and go to Pleasanton to stay with Samantha and have some fun. Jennifer has her booked at the YMCA that week for a Summer camp. You all have a great week and we'll do this again next Sunday. Ciao.

 

 

Memories from Almanor

Most of the pictures are from our trip to Almanor, save for the last couple which Darla took today while out on the lake with Don and Alicia. I had, what else, but golf with our two man blind draw event. I shot an 82 and drew another 12 handicapper who shot 83 and we took 3rd with a net 63. The tournament was very poorly attended (only 30 players) because of a conflict with Doug Smith's Memorial, which was also today at 1 PM. Neil and I decided to play as we had a special Memorial for Doug right before the Firecracker tournament and, knowing Doug, he would have been pissed if we didn't play. Several of the golfers decided to go to the Memorial as they wanted to pay their respects to his family. we actually had Doug's wife, sister and son at our little memorial two weeks ago.

 

I also played golf during Power Hour on Saturday with Darren, Pamas and Paul. Pamas is a 3 handicap and insisted that we play the blue tees. Unfortunately, Woodcreek is in the process of rebuilding their tees and many of the blue tees, especially on the front side, were closed and they moved the tees back to the gold. The gold tees are almost 7000 yards, so it was tough. I had a good day with a birdie on both the front and the back and I shot a 41+40=81. We teed off at 6:50 and were off the course before noon. Darla and I were on the pool together by 12:30. We relaxed, I slept for awhile on the pool and we went to church at 5 PM (It was 102 degrees). We then went to dinner at Lorenzo's in Roseville.

 

Today, Darla went for a massage early and then met Don and Alicia in Folsom at the boat docks and headed out on the lake. I teed off at 9;00 AM and we were done shortly after 1:00 PM/ Darla and I again met on the pool at 2:30PM. I was up early this morning to watch the British Open and was fast asleep on the pool by 3:30.

 

Work continues to go well and we are in line for another great month. I have four new employees, one of them being my front desk receptionist. We had a bank of lights go out in our conference room and brought the maintenance guys from our property managers in to find out what the problem was. I asked the receptionist to let me know what they found. She sent me an e-mail on Wednesday saying that we had a ballast out and they had to order the part and would be back in on Friday to replace it. For some reason she also felt compelled to tell me that they needed to use a ladder to complete the task. My sense of humor led me to send her a note back telling her that company policy did not allow us to use ladders in our offices and that the workers would have to stack chairs to complete the task. I thought nothing of it until Friday when Bob, our maintenance rep, stopped by my office to argue that using a ladder was safer than stacking up chairs. Hey, at least she listened to me.

 

Darla was in to the doctor this week and I went with her. The doctor is adjusting some of her meds to help her better handle the changes happening to her hormones. She also started a homeopathic drug that seems to be helping her with her neuropathy in her feet and legs. So far, good news on the medical front.

 

Neil, Darren, Pamas and I take off Saturday for Incline Village and our second go at the Squaw Creek golf course. I will definitely play the course differently this time around. Darren had a free foursome up at the course and couldn't join us last year. Groupon had a $49 deal at the $85 per person course this past May and we bought the deal. I bought an extra one for Darren as we owe him a round after his generosity last year. Neil insisted on sharing the cost with me and we leave at 7 AM for the cooler confines of Squaw Valley, Nevada on Saturday morning. I also have poker on Friday night, so may be a bit tired.

 

Well, I need to get out and mow the lawn tonight before settling in to a little TV with my bride, so I'll call a halt to this drivel. Jennifer is off to Vegas this next weekend and is working toward transitioning back full time to Vegas in September of this year. Sam starts Kindergarten in September and Jennifer plans to rent a small house in John's neighborhood and be there for Samantha as she starts school. I hope you are all well and wish you all a blessed week. Be well. Ciao. 

 

 



Lake Almanor 2013!!

  

Yep. Lots of pictures from the trip. Ill have more to add next week, but this sort of sums up our week. We had a great time with Jennifer, Samantha, McKenny, David and with a surprise visit from Daniel. He was able to move his schedule at work around and come up for a very brief visit Monday thru Wednesday. Darla and I knew about Dan coming up, but kept it a surprise from David, Jennifer and Darla's parents. Alicia's husband, Don, had a new job this year so had to stay behind until Wednesday night and Alicia had to drive up by herself on Monday (she couldn't get into her cabin until Monday because someone had it over the weekend). Daniel had a funeral on Sunday in San Jose of a friend of he and Becky's who died from a pulmonary embolism at the age of 24. He took the bus Monday from San Jose to Sacramento and Alicia picked him up and drove him up to Almanor.

 

I happened to be in town getting gas for the jet ski Monday afternoon (a frequent occurrence) and ran into them while they were checking in. Dan jumped in the Explorer and we drive to the cabin to surprise David and Jennifer. We met them on the beach and I said I'd picked up some bum on the street in Chester. David was floored and Sam and Jen were thrilled.

 

The weather was awesome all week, a little on the hot side (low 90's) early in the week and moderating to the 80's by the weekend. I had bought a Jet Ski anchor, but we couldn't get it to set in the silt like lake bottom and finally Jennifer tied it to a tree stump about 30 yards offshore. She had to swim under water and pass the line under and around the stump to tie it securely. The anchor line has a red buoy on it and we were able to tie it up after each use. We could not beach it this year as the water level was too low and it would bottom out before reaching shore. The anchor line worked perfectly and thank God for the tree stump. It was divine intervention.

 

I did have one call from my Underwriting manager, Pete, while I was gone. We were supposed to get the extra desks and cubicles this coming week, but they showed up on Tuesday of last week. Pete and I had gone over it and I showed him the four spaces that were to be built out. Apparently the parts the guy had weren't enough to build out four spaces and he was only going to build out three. I answered the phone and Pete said, "Thank God you answered!" I told him to call the real estate Manger in HO and talk it over with them, but that they should have enough material to build out four cubes as we had extra in the office. Pete said he'd call. I went in to town later to ...get more gas for the jet ski and called to make sure everything was in order. Pete said and I quote,  "I've got it all under control, you relax and enjoy your vacation." Really? Apparently they were able to get the cubicles built out, power pulled to them and the desks all set up. One less thing for me to hassle with this week.

 

Samantha had a great trip. Jennifer and McKenny stayed with us until Monday. Darla and I made them sleep separately as it is our home and that's the way we wanted it. Jennifer didn't want to spend her whole vacation apart from McKenny, so they rented a campsite. They moved Monday, but were basically with us from early morning for breakfast until bedtime. Sam stayed with them Monday and Tuesday and Thursday, but fell fast asleep Wednesday night at our place, actually sleeping through dinner and overnight until about 8 AM Thursday morning. I think Daniel tired her out on Wednesday before he and David left for Roseville.

 

Earl and Frances treated everyone to Mexican food on Tuesday night at Maria's in Chester and we had a ball. Wednesday I arranged a golf game at the resort in Almanor, Bailey Creek. I had shot mid 80's there in the past, but was able to light up the course for an 81. We had six players and played in two threesomes. The other guys are recreational golfers. Robert shot a 94 and the rest were all well in the 100's. Don had called me over the weekend and wanted to play golf. I told him it was set up for Wednesday and he didn't get in until Wednesday. I agreed to play nine holes on Friday early and we snuck off to Lake Almanor Country Club for 9 holes at 7:30. We finished in 1 and a 1/2 hours and I shot a 40. I was amazed at how nice the 9 hole track was. It looked just like an upscale 18 hole country club and they had first class diesel golf carts. The cost at Bailey creek was $74 and it was only $25 for 9 holes at LACC. They charge $40 for 18 holes and you play a different set of tees. I have been going up there for years, but had missed playing at this gem. I will definitely add this to the rotation for vacation for sure.

 

Samantha made a friend while she was in Almanor. Darla's cousin, Staci, adopted a little girl four years ago and she is now 4 and will turn 5 in December. The girls mostly ignored each other the first half of the week, but were fast friends by the time we left and look forward to seeing each other again next year. Zoey is a little cutie and she and Sam made quite a pair.

 

Jennifer and McKenny were excellent house guests all week and tremendously helpful with meals, shopping, house cleaning and taking care of the jet ski. They made sure the ski was gassed up and that the oil level was kept up. They made sure the beach was cleaned up each night and the ski vests and towels were brought up to the cabin each night. Both Darla and I were very impressed with how much help they gave us all week.

 

Darla is dealing with a lot of medical issues right now and has neuropathy in her feet due to her diabetes which is really affecting her life and her health right now. She is going in to the hospital tomorrow for a colonoscopy. I will go in to work early and then pick her up at ten. Her surgery is 11 AM and I will return to work for about an hour and a half before picking her up. She is working on her bottle of Gaviolite know and working her colon clean. Her colon hasn't been very active lately, so the process is a little less intense than when I did it. Darla has been foggy of late and we think her meds need to be altered to clear her head, we are meeting with her doctor on Thursday and we will start to get a handle on this. Please pray for her and for us as we deal with this serious health concern for her.

 

Darla talked to Jennifer today. They left Almanor at 7:30 on Saturday and arrived in Vegas late afternoon Saturday, dropped Sam off with John and drove through the night arriving in Pleasanton after three this morning. They were going to stay over in Vegas, but wanted to get home to do wash and get ready for their work week. the job with Verizon looks good and we are praying for her to be back in Vegas full time in September. Sam is pretty traumatized by her Mom being gone and freaks out if Mom is out of her sight. Jennifer and McKenny went in to town a couple of times and Samantha was on "pins and needles" until her Mom got back. Poor thing.

 

We had a great time on vacation and thoroughly enjoyed Samantha for the whole week. She is growing into a very bright and adorable young lady and Darla and I played a few games of War and Go Fish with her and had a ball. The boys were great with her and she had her moments as young kids do, but overall was a delight. We took her miniature golfing at some run down course in Almanor next to an ice cream place and played for $3 a person and had a ball. that may be my third golf trip each year, as long as Samantha is along for the ride. We, of course, also took full advantage of the ice cream shop as well. You can see the one picture of Sam ducking down by the deer. She was trying to get up close to look at him without spooking him into traffic.

 

Well, that is our week in a nutshell. I will be back online next week and will add more of the 100 some pictures we took during the trip. I hope you are all well and do ask for prayer for health and healing for Darla. Be well. Ciao.

 

 

 

 

 

SUMMER is in Full Swing

 

Yeah, you can see the forecast from my iphone. We have already endured three straight days in the 100's and two days over 105 degrees. The really hot weather will last through July 4th and then moderate into the simple low 100's. It is actually supposed to cool off into the upper 90's, but we will be off to Lake Almanor by then and weather in the 80's and overnight lows in the 50's. Nice.

I look forward to Sammy being back in Almanor and able to play on the shore and take her for rides with the jet ski. She will  be thrilled to be out of Vegas where they have seen temperatures approaching 120 degrees. Jennifer shared the black and white photo above on her Instagram and I stole it.

You can see a picture of Neil and I with Doug from a couple of weeks ago. I am so glad that we went and visited with him and shared a few laughs. Doug Smith passed away Sunday morning in the arms of his loving family with his wife and two adult children by his side. Cancer is a beast and spares no one that it decides to stare down. Doug was tremendously active in the Roseville Golf Club and was our Tournament Bookkeeper for several years. Doug was a man of simple elegance with a calm demeanor and a perpetual smile on his face. I will miss him greatly and was honored to have known him. We do leave for Almanor early Saturday afternoon, but they are honoring Doug at the Firecracker tournament at the club on Saturday and Neil has asked me to make the announcement to the club of Doug's passing and that the tournament is being played in his honor. Neil is setting up a remembrance table on the first tee with pictures of Doug, his driver and a guest book for the members to sign for his widow, Mickey. It is a sad time for the club, but at least he suffers no more.

I also included a photo of the pool that you have seen dozens of times. Darla and I went out Sunday and bought two new umbrellas for the pool which we put in the holes designed for the volleyball net. We had breakfast Sunday morning out and then went over to Sam's Club to shop and saw a nice umbrella for $114. We passed on that and ended up buying the green ones on sale at Rite Aid for $29 a piece. I'm sure the Sam's Club  umbrella is much nicer and heavier, but I can buy almost four of these for the cost of one of those.

I only work three days this week as I have Thursday and Friday off for July 4th and then we are on vacation next week. I will golf with the guys at the club on Friday morning at 7:00 AM and hopefully beat the heat. In a nice twist, I am off on Friday and Darla has to work. Will wonders never cease?

I did play golf Saturday in spite of the oppressive heat. We had rain Monday and Tuesday and I spent part of Monday night clearing out the downspouts on my gutters. It was a decent rain with about 1/2 an inch of rain. That combined with the heat and the early morning watering of the course led to a hot and humid start on Saturday. We teed off at 7 AM and it was already 77 degrees and humid. The front nine was rather uncomfortable and my game mirrored that with double bogeys on 8 and 9 for a 44 front. In fact, Neil walked off the course as his game was so sideways. Boyd, Darren and I soldiered on and I shot a 38 on the back to match Boyd and Darren shot a 43 to finally break 90 this year with an 88. Boyd shot his usual 76. I was thrilled to turn my game around and had seven pars and two bogeys on the back side on my way to an 82.

I met with Neil today for lunch as he wanted to discuss his plans for the tournament and Doug. It was his first visit to my office and he enjoyed the man cave here in the back of the suite. We went to Mas Mexican food for lunch and I enjoyed our time together as I always do.

The office had an interesting month in June. I addressed the staff on Wednesday morning and pointed out that many of the staff had never seen us go through a month under budget, but with our budget number at $329,500 and our earned income at $258,000 with two days to go, it was a long shot. I praised the staff for eight straight months exceeding budget. A funny thing happened over the next two days and we booked another $79,000 in earned income to finish with over $2,000,000 in premium and $337,000 in net retained income.  We finished the six months with $11,500,000 in premium written and $1,900,000 in earned income up 25% and 27% respectively over 2012. My staff continues to amaze me and we finished June with five of my eight underwriters over $40,000 in retained income. Awesome stuff and I am a blessed man. I will be hosting a lunch for the eighth consecutive month as we beat our budget number again.

Jennifer will drive to Vegas on Thursday and pick up Miss Samantha for our vacation in Northern California. She will drive back over night on Thursday and Friday and be in Almanor with us on Saturday for a week's stay. Jennifer and McKenney were going to come up on Tuesday as McKenney couldn't get Monday off, but his bosses have agreed to allow him to be available by phone on Monday and they will be there all week. David is coming up with us on Saturday and will head home Monday. Daniel is broke and can't make the trip this time. He still works part time at Home Depot and the drive alone from So Cal would wipe him out. He also can't afford to miss any shifts. I hope he lands something in his field soon.

My fingernail has finally completely grown back in after I lost it a couple of months ago. This goes back to last year when I slammed my finger in my golf cart and it turned black and I had to lance it to release the pressure. it was an interesting process, but I'm thrilled to be whole again.

Well, obviously I'm reaching for news and have to get back to work. I had to do some handicapping for the Roseville Golf Club last night and was too lazy to work on the blog, so I did it today. The blog will be on vacation next week, but will return with a bunch of pictures from our trip and some great memories of our week with family. Be well. Ciao.