July 2008 update

It has been five months since I last posted in my blog. Since then, I have become less optimistic about the completion of our new house. We originally expected to be moving back home at the end of May, then that got pushed to the end of June, then to the end of July, and now I’m hearing that it might even be August before we see the majestic beauty of Dulzura, California once again! Why can’t contractors realize their limitations and schedule work accordingly. Do they honestly think hat a client is going to say “go ahead an build the other houses first, I know you’re busy, and I don’t mind waiting?”

Peg and I have been buying so many things for the new house that we no longer have room to move around the apartment. Since my last communication, I have acquired some new guitars. I picked up a nice 1966 Epiphone Riviera thinline electric guitar which will be great for blues and smooth jazz, and I met a local luthier, Dan Altilio, who owns Top Gear Pro Shop in La Mesa. I bought two guitars that he had hand made, a steel string acoustic electric thinline guitar and a nylon string acoustic electric thinline guitar. I also purchased a 1967 Fender Twin Reverb guitar amplifier from a store in Oregon. I took it to Top Gear, and their tube amp expert, Tim Pinnell, worked his magic on it. I would now put it up against any other amplifier in the world for tone and versatility.

We also bought a vintage farm/construction tractor, a Case 430 from the early or mid 1960’s. It is equipped with a bucket loader on the front and a gannon box scrapper with ripper teeth on the back. If you want to check it out (although I don’t know why you would) there are some photos at picasaweb.google.com/tomsmerk.

I ordered some custom accessories for our 2008 Dodge Charger, and next week it will be wearing a new rear deck spoiler wing and a new hood scoop. The Charger has always been a sporty car, and this will help its appearance a lot.

We visited our youngest daughter, Georgette, on her 22nd birthday, June 21, at her home in Phoenix, Arizona. While we were there the temperature stayed at around 117 degrees!

Peggy and I will be traveling to Kentucky on July 22 to attend the graduation of our daughter, Melody. She attended a community college studying medical office courses and hopes to work at a family practice office in Louisville. While we are there, we hope to visit a business associate of mine, Kelly Poelker, who lives in western Illinois near St. Louis, a 4-5 hour drive from Louisville. Kelly and I are getting ready to open an online business school. I have already written one course for the school and it will be available soon. We also hope to visit one of my favorite entertainment spots, Nashville, which is within driving distance from Louisville.

I’ll let you know more next month. See you then!