This past week was am interesting one for me. Instead of the usual Hartford, Connecticut and back I normally have, I enjoyed a tour of the country that included Columbus Ohio, Charlotte North Carolina, Atlanta Georgia, Shreveport Louisiana, Phoenix Arizona, El Paso Texas, Fort Worth, and Little Rock and then finally back into Memphis. I am ever so tired, but happy that I was able to work a full week this week. The war has had people not buying things and staying at home to watch CNN I suppose.

For those of you waiting for spring to officially arrive so that you might mark it on your calendars, you may do so. With the arrival of warmer days I have started carrying my

First Response on my belt again. This is the emergency tool I talk about that I carry and have used to burst windows of locked cars and trucks to rescue dying animals from a slow death of heat exhaustion and dehydration. I guess the activist part of me will never die completely. I may not ever throw red paint on any ladies wearing Chinchilla again, but I sure am not afraid to pop a window to save an animal.

I recently attended a business meeting at one of the Tunica Casinos. Posted out on a parking lot light pole was this notice in large lettering.

�Please do NOT leave pets, children or disabled persons unattended in vehicles.�

It is hard for me to believe that a sign of this nature would be necessary, but very obviously people are going gambling and leaving their kids/parents/animals alone in the hot car. Hot or not, no difference to me really, neglect is neglect. If you need to gamble so bad that you leave people or pets alone in the car you should realize that you have a problem. I don�t mean to preach, because I am far from perfect, but neglect is such a bad subject with me.

Have I mentioned I am going to be a Daddy again? *Nods head* Yup. It�s going to be another girl (thank you God!), and her name shall be Savannah. She is due in early July.

This past week was my daughter�s birthday. She turned seven. I feel bad because I was away and missed it, but she knows that I have to be away to make a living. She is such a great kid, I swear. Would you believe that when asked what she wanted for her birthday she asked would it be okay if she got a new pair of sneakers? She is just unbelievable! Most kids have entire lists made out a whole year in advance. I asked her why just the tennis shoes and she said, �Because the trucks haven�t worked as much as last year, so we don�t have as much money as we did.� I dropped my head for a second and said I didn�t know she knew that, and that I was sorry. She hugged me a long while and said, �Its okay Daddy, I love you no matter what!�

It was hard to keep from crying.

On Monday she will have cake and ice cream, balloons and funny hats. She will have as much of her family and friends present as is possible, a tonne of photographs made of her on her new bike�

and whatever new pair of sneakers she could possible desire.