I consider myself in the top 10 world-wide when chipmunk evasion is ranked. I’ve also decided that the chipmunk is the most indecisive member of the animal kingdom. I’ve yet to witness one commit to a trip across the road without reconsidering its decision two or three or 12 times. It’s as if they’ve just left home with a dozen irons possibly still hot.

This Saturday may witness Etienne’s inaugural dip in the Atlantic. If you can’t be on site, then you can watch the event live on CSPAN (we have an exclusive agreement with the network in light of the fact that most of E’s actions have direct and tangential effect on world politics). Our son has experienced pool water in the Philippines. The resulting screech scared the flying monkeys out of Oz. But he assures us that he is older now, and wiser. And the ocean is his thing. I’m waiting for the first crab claw bite on his wee toe.

The Fourth is upon us. The associated celebration happens once every year on the fourth day of July to celebrate our independence from the British some 240 years ago. Seems like an awfully long time to hold a grudge (I know some really nice English people), but it is not my place to intrude upon tradition. Of interest though might be the karma that is being applied as England attempts to extract itself from the clutches of the imperial European Union. I’ll admit that I know little about the situation, but it sounds something like Star Wars. Perhaps I’m mistaken.

We too have our own little struggle for independence right here on Chappy, on our esteemed links. The bent grass on my greens is striving to gain its sovereignty from the crabgrass and poa annua. The battle has been mighty, but the bent version is finally establishing its dominance. But even greater than the victory is how the war was won — with patience, the cultivation of an environment that naturally suits the grass, and little interference with weapons of mass destruction. The lesson? I’m awesome.

Please note my new email address (actually I’ve been using it for five years, but we’re slow to catch up here). It is: woodger81@gmail.com. So if it appears that I may have been ignoring your email, please assume that I never received it. Deal? Deal.

Send Chappy news to woodger81@gmail.com.