THANKS NIK !!

THANKS NIKKI FOR TAKING OVER THE BLOG LAST WEEK. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW BLOG READERSHIP GROWS, BY WORD OF MOUTH. NIKKI'S FRIENDS AND READERS FROM MYSPACE TUNED INTO THE BLOG TO READ NIKKI'S ADVENTURES, AND READERSHIP WAS UP THIS WEEK BY 25%.

NOW THAT WE HAVE NIKKI TRAINED IN BLOGGING I THINK WE WILL BE HEARING FROM HER MORE OFTEN INCLUDING PICTURES OF "MAXINER" AND DELILAH.

HERE IN THE SIERRA NEVADAS THE WEATHER HAS TURNED TO SHIT. I ACTUALLY DROVE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN FROM WORK IN SNOW FLURRIES ON FRIDAY NIGHT, AND ON SATURDAY MORNING THE FOOTHILLS WERE WHITE WITH SNOW. AT WORK, WE ARE WELL INTO THE "SHOULDER SEASON" AND THEY ARE EVEN ASKING FULLTIME EMPLOYEES TO TAKE AN EXTRA DAY OFF ONCE IN AWHILE.

THE TOKE RATE HAS SLIPPED TO LESS THAN $80/DAY, I SCREWED UP AND SHOULD HAVE TAKEN VACATION WITH MARY. I'M OFF MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY, AND WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THE WEEK-END BEHIND ME SO I CAN BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN HEADING SOUTH TO "SUNNY & 80" WEATHER.

BESIDES MARY ISN'T HERE TO WASH MY DIRTY DISHES AND WARM MY BREAKFAST PLATE.

I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MY FAVORITE SON, PAULIE. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THE FAIR HAIRED LITTLE BOY FROM "BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN FRANKVILLE", WHO ONE DAY AT AGE 4 IN A TEMPER TANTRUM, ANNOUNCED LOUDLY TO HIS MOTHER HE WAS GONNA RUN AWAY TO CALIFORNIA. AS PAULIE GREW UP I NEVER FIGURED WE'D GET THE BOY OUT OF THE COUNTY, WITH TROUT FISHING, CAMPING, AND HIS LOVE OF RASCAL (HIS HORSE), I FIGURED HIM TO GROW UP LIKE HIS MOTHER WITH A VERY DEEP TAP ROOT IN THE RURAL NORTHEAST IOWA SOIL.

WELL I WAS WRONG, WHEN PAUL CALLED ME TODAY HE WAS IN LOS ANGLES WATCHING THE PACKER GAME AFTER AN ALL NIGHT PARTY. THIS YEAR HAS TAKEN PAUL ON VACATIONS FROM LA TO NEW YORK CITY, AND THE CARIBBEAN. I CAN'T EVEN DREAM WHAT HIS LIFE MUST BE LIKE AT THAT AGE, SINGLE, AND LIVING IN LAS VEGAS.

LIFE IS GOOD! AND IF YOUR PAULIE, LIFE IS VERY VERY GOOD!!