My column was missing last week due to a family commitment that took Diane and me to my daughter Holly’s house in Carlsbad, Calif.

The occasion was my son-in-law Bruce’s surprise 50th birthday party. He was walked through the house with his eyes covered, by his sister, with whom he had spent the day.

Waiting for him in the back yard were some 100 of his good friends and family members.

The party had a Mexican theme. There was a taco bar, a bar with wine and Mexican beers and a live band called Liquid Blues. They played a variety of music from the 1970s to the present.

Bruce is one of the most fit people I know of any age, let alone being 50. He is a surfer, a bicyclist and has competed in a triathlon and many biathlons.

He’s also a loving husband to Holly and wonderful father to their two daughters, Brooke and Addy. He is employed as a salesman for a Minneapolis-based company that manufactures hotel equipment and furnishings. His clients are all around the Pacific Rim.

Happy 50th birthday, Bruce.

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The weather has been great lately. The 100-degree days are only a memory now. I had lows of 57 degrees on two nights last week.

The forecast called for some possible rain by Thursday. It appears we’ll just have to get used to that as predictions are panning out for El Nino and a wet winter.

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Well, you probably read the story on the front page, Editor Mike Scharnow is leaving The Times.

That’s right, he is changing careers after 32 years of working at this newspaper.

He came to us as a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a triple degree in English, psychology and philosophy. He also had a full beard and an Afro hairstyle.

We had a reporter’s position open and we had a variety of journalism graduates interview for the job. Mike came in to interview with no stories to show.

But, there was a quality about him that made me choose him for the job over the other people who had reporting experience.

Maybe it was his comment that convinced me to hire him. He said, “Where am I supposed to get some experience and some stories to show if nobody will give me a chance?”

I flashed back to a similar comment I made when I was looking for an advertising copywriter’s job when I was just out of college.

Well, l have never regretted giving Mike that chance. He started as a reporter, and advanced to become assistant editor, associate editor and finally the editor’s position in 1994.

He became active in the community. He co-chaired the original Men’s Softball League and he guided the creation and development of the town’s Parks and Recreation Commission and served as its first chairman.

He also was the Valley Big Brother of the year in 1987.

He is active with Christ’s Church and has served as president of the Noon Kiwanis Club.

I’d say the community and this newspaper have benefitted from giving him a chance to prove himself.

Good luck, Mike, and thanks for making me look good.