Never try to solve all the problems at once -- make them line up for you one-by-one.

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-- Richard Sloma

As always, squirrels and their pesky presence remain a topic for discussion.

Arden Lowndes, of Martinez, writes about my latest shortage of yard squirrels: "I'm pretty sure they all moved to my house. You're more than welcome to come over and get a few. I'll even deliver, which brings up my next subject.

"We also have a small dog that hates to have a squirrel step one foot on our property and wants everyone within a square mile to know about it. Every time we take her out, which is often, she still believes she will be able to catch one. How can a dog learn to sit and shake in five minutes but will never learn they can't catch a squirrel?

"Thanks for listening."

Jimmy Bridges thinks he knows the answer to the squirrel question: hawks.

"I live in a subdivision in Evans," he writes. "A couple of years ago, our backyard had an abundance of squirrels even though we didn't feed them or the birds. I noticed a couple of hawks flying around and perched in trees. This got my attention because we have a small Yorkie and I was concerned the hawks might make a meal out of him.

"After the hawks had been around several weeks, I noticed the number of squirrels was lessening. I never saw them catch one, but I'm sure that's what happened. The hawks eventually moved on and the squirrel population has increased."

SPEED RACE: I came in third in my age group in Saturday's 5K race for charity at Wesley United Methodist Church in Evans. I realize I am at the age where the secret isn't in running fast; it's in not stopping. That gets harder as I get older.

I won some gift card prizes, so I was pretty smug until my wife told me to "run up to the store" with a list of purchases to make.

YOUR OLD HOUSE: On Sunday, I mentioned using the computer to look up the houses where you lived decades ago. A Web site I found -- www.vpike.com -- seems to do the trick, or at least get you close.

Checking it out Sunday, I discovered someone had taken down the basketball goal I put up 45 years ago. They added a garage, too.

BLOG ALERT: With St. Patrick's Day around the corner, I share a story about Augusta's famous Irish editor -- Patrick Walsh -- in my Our Town blog on augustachronicle.com.

RIDDLE ANSWER: Startling.

TODAY'S JOKE: Molly Gray , of Aiken, offers this one.

His request approved, the CNN photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hangar.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, "Let's go."

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, "Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides."

"Why?" asked the pilot.

"Because I'm a photographer for CNN," he responded, "and I need to get some close-up shots."

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment. Finally he stammered, "So, what you're telling me, is ... you're NOT my flight instructor?"