Jul 25 - 31

I think veterinarians take a course in humor. I think their job is difficult and so to help them cope they play practical jokes on their patients owners. Like for instance, when my vet comes out and gives me a vial and tells me to bring back a urine sample form my 100 lb dog. Then the next day she calls me and says she needs my dogs temperature. There is only one place you can get that. Then there are the prescriptions. The series of pills that are so large that the dog constantly spits them out. Of course by this time the dog just hides whereever he can to avoid all of this. If you do find him, he just plants his feet so you have to drag him. I wonder sometimes if they don’t put a hidden camera on the dogs just to watch you try all these fun things. Anyway, I think there really should be a vet sitcom called “Prank the Owners”.

People, our costs have gotten to a point it is difficult to not lose money. Six years ago our two largest expenses, food cost and labor were 50%. This last month those two areas reached over 70%. That leaves only 30% for 25 other expense categories including rent, insurance, and payroll taxes. I hate raising prices so I will bring the discount for email customers down to 5% on the week days  with no discount on the weekends. 

Thank you for understanding.

Jul 18 - 24

So we are down here in Aptos for the weekend, just below Santa Cruz. I drove the electric Mustang down and found a free charge station at the state park down the street, provided I pay $10.00 for a day at the park. Ten dollars is not bad for a 180 mile drive. So I am in the house we are staying at when I here screams from my 3 daughters to come outside. They are yelling that I need to go next door to save a Monarch Butterfly caught in a spider web. Ok, understand the house we are staying at is on the cliff, which means the house next door is on the cliff, so that is something for me to consider as I am scaling the neighbors fence. Fortunately, for the butterfly, their house was being tented for termites, so I wasn't too concerned that someone would shoot me for being  in their back yard. Ok, being on the cliff, the fence dividing the properties is only about 3 feet tall. So I carefully plant my foot uphill on the other side and run to the rescue. This spider had a very sticky web, but I was able to get the butterfly out. I did have to pull the web off its wings but it flew away much to the happiness of my daughters. 

Jul 11 - 17

Ok, well last week I inferred I had bad luck. Well after travelling to Sutter Creek and watching everyone deal with the fire near Jackson, I realize how lucky we all are down here. 

So we went and stayed the night at a nice bed and breakfast up there. The fire had started the previous day and the poor manager of the B & B had told us how she had to help her mother evacuate just that morning. It was after lunch and we felt very bad for her and of course could do nothing for her. We saw fire trucks constantly go by, oddly enough, both ways. Then we went to Cavana’s pub for dinner. It was the only restaurant open. We noticed things were a little crazy and the place looked understaffed. When our server was bringing our food she apologized, and explained half the staff were out either evacuating or helping family evacuate. They literally closed while we were there. By the way it is a very good and well run restaurant. Anyway I think we are pretty lucky and I will try not to complain anymore.

Oh, and I got my fully electric Mustang. I ordered it in December and finally got it. They wanted to add $10,000 to the sticker price but I started crying and made a big scene and they finally agreed to only add $3000. I previously had a plug in Honda Hybrid that had a problem and I could never get Capital City Honda to ever take the time to find the problem let alone fix it. Anyway the Ford is a dream. It has this button you push that says “unbridled” (I guess because it is a Mustang). OMG, be ready, if you touch it, because it will accelerate like nothing you have ever experienced.

Jul 3 - 10

There is good luck, there is bad luck, and then there is Frank luck.

So the kids were scheduled to go to camp for 4 days last week down in Yosemite. My wife and I were pretty excited because we would get 3 nights to ourselves with no darling children. The 4th night my wife was going to spend in Modesto seeing her mother.  So we made reservations at a bed and breakfast for Sunday night up in Sutter Creek. When Sunday morning comes along we just finished breakfast with the cars all packed when my wife gets a text saying the nurse called in sick at the camp so we couldn’t come down until Monday. We look at each other knowing our reservations now won’t work and we both cry.

Monday I take the kids down to Yosemite and drop them off and then drive back. I get home and tell Kim, "hey no kids tonight so we can have Margaritas". We pour ourselves a Margarita and sit down and watch TV when I get a call from Taylors saying they have a massive water leak and they don’t know what to do. So I sober up and go over. Tuesday afternoon I call over to Taylors and ask if it is safe for us to have Margaritas and Andrew my manager says, “Funny you should call. All the plumbing is backed up.” I have not gotten and call at night in the 2 months prior to Monday and haven’t gotten a call since Tuesday.

FlapJacks is having a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser this coming Friday, July 8 from 4-6 pm. The meal comes with Meatballs, Salad with Italian Dressing, Garlic Bread and Spumoni Ice Cream for Dessert. All for $15.00 per person.

Pre-ordering is a must for this event. You can reserve your spot here: 
https://forms.gle/EacgzhK7zTgC3oVH8

Proceeds from this evening event will be used to help a family with the funeral arrangements of their beloved son, brother, and uncle. If you would like to give additional help, or are unable to attend, please consider giving to the GoFundMe page for Joel Wilson's Memorial.