Bye, trees!

Mary and I had three old Monterey pines removed from our backyard today. The arborist said they had about three years left to live and were infested with some sort of tree beetle. Plus we didn't like them. :) The workers are chopping up the trunks now.

This reminds me of a column I read in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1987 (I remember the context so I remember the date). Unfortunately, it predates the web and sfgate.com's online archive, so I can't find it. The article recounted the joy the author received from renting his own chainsaw and taking down just about everything in his own backyard before he had to return it. If you have a Lexis or Westlaw subscription, please help me find it! The search phrase I specifically remember is "chattering excitedly about peyote and hashish."

Update: the column is still MIA, but a friend sends an even better one.