On The Fly

Mark your calendars, folks. Update the history books. Notify the Smithsonian. Move over, Pyramids of Egypt. Step aside, Hoover Dam.  Future civilizations will speak of this day in hushed, reverent tones. May 22, 2026, will forever be remembered as the moment humanity reached the pinnacle of suburban engineering excellence. Earlier today, my neighbor Steve and I drove the final screw into what can only be described as the most overbuilt property divider in North County. The Fence! And then there’s the gate. Good grief, the gate. Calling it just a gate is almost disrespectful. It looks like the entrance to a medieval fortress or to Hogwarts Castle. It swings open with the heft of a bank vault and closes with the wave of a magic wand. At this point, we’re considering applying for FAA clearance to install a helicopter pad on top of it. This glorious odyssey began in early February, the primitive era. From the start, we made a sacred pact: we would not become one of those people. You ...

This morning, there is something missing from my life. There's an empty space on the back of our sofa where my companion Tony Junior (Jr.) usually sleeps or watches the world go by through the window, perched on his soft, red, fuzzy blanket. There, he waits for me to join him in a nap so he can climb onto my chest, settle in, and purr as I gently scratch his chin and behind his left ear. You see, last night, October 10, 2023, Jr. quietly passed at about 11:30 p.m. Needless to say, I’m heartbroken. As I write this, tears are streaming down my cheeks. You see, Jr. was my special friend like no other. He never complained; he was always there to greet me every morning, at night, returning from a mountain trip, or just from a daily walk around the neighborhood. Junior, our indoor cat, had a routine of following me around the house. He never wanted to venture outside - he considered our home “his castle.” I could set my watch to his predictable daily routines. And he knew mine. See What ...

In this episode, A Tribute to Dr. Seuss . . . by; Patrick Ball From Amazon, it must have been kismet, I received my  first  book, such a joy to revisit. Hand-delivered by truck, Dr. Seuss,  Oh,  what luck! Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I know what you’re thinking, “You’re too old for kids' books, wake up - stop dreaming.” The winter is dark, a rediscovery - who me? The  thrill  of reading, It’s what sets you  free .   Like you, I’m off to great places. “We’re off and away!” Reading is fun amidst the news of today. Come on - you’ve read Ted Geisel, you may recall, The Grinch  Christmas podcast was recorded last fall. That wasn’t a book, but a digital rendition, We read from a Kindle, O h My , we  Broke  tradition! It worked, on an iPad, artwork in color. But let's be clear, it wasn’t that clever. Somehow - someway - it’s just not the same. Having a book in hand, that’s the name of the game. What a tactile sensation, Not to mention the sm...