The Dire Wolf Collects His Due While The Boys Sing Round The Fire

Some say there are 3 kinds of people...Pigs, Sheep, and Wolves.

Pigs are the wealthy, the powerful, the corporations, the politicians. Sheep are the unwashed masses, the hoi polloi, the commoners. Wolves are those independent opportunists who know how to survive in the jungle.


Long ago, I think I was somewhat wolfish. Then we moved to New Zealand. Here, we have a small share of Pigs and as you probably know, most people are sheep and happy to be part of a very large and safe herd. Of course, there are wolves, but not too many and their teeth are not very sharp. In New Zealand I have become much more sheepish.


So, we came back to the US and A for a visit and one of the first guys I run into is an old student, Preston Toulon. He was a real good kid when I had him in grade 6. Now he is taller but still a real good kid. His parents, Sean and Kathy, are salt of the earth. Preston is now 16 and since his dad is the VP of Taylor Made Golf, the lad is quite the golfer with excellent clubs.
I might add that the Taylor Made Golf organization is the finest in the world.



As he was getting brand new equipment, he amazingly generously gave me his clubs and a bag and balls so we could play the next day. I put everything in the trunk of my cheap as rental car and happily drove away. I counted sheep that night I dreamed of these beautiful new clubs.

About this rental car...it was an economy, with no frills. You know I am no tall poppy with the cars. The locks for the door were manual, not electronic so there was a bit of a learning curve in the security department.

I am guessing when I locked up for the night, I may have somehow missed one of the doors.

Mea Culpa.

That was all it took. The wolves got in and popped the trunk and when I came out in the morning, new sticks and bag were nowhere to be seen. I slammed the trunk and then opened it to look again. I thought David Blaine or Chris Angel may have been punking me.

But no, the goods were gone forever.

I take full blame for forgetting I was back in the jungle, even though it was in the high rent district of Carlsbad, California.


Trust no one.

Be ever vigilant.

Baaaaaa!

Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad

We live on a hill and the road up is pretty narrow. If 2 cars meet going in opposite directions, someone needs to back down. It is a very friendly social experience and everyone knows the rules.

Yesterday I was going up the hill and a neighbor was coming down. I made the choice to back up to let her pass. Chivalry is my middle name.

Unfortunately, I backed up a teeny bit too far and narrowly missed going over the edge of a steep embankment. As we have still avoided getting cell phones, I had to go to a nearby home and use the phone to call for help. Because this is a small town, many looky-loos were able to get a view of my dilemma and I was happy to put a smile on their faces.

After about an hour, the tow truck got me out.

My biggest break of the day came when Kimberly did NOT come driving up the street and see my predicament.