50 Year Anniversary, Hawaii, and My Eagle Has Landed

    Lots of news to report.  First, tomorrow is my parents’ official 50th wedding anniversary.  They are heading up to Estes Park to celebrate tomorrow afternoon.   They are leaving behind a living room filled with pictures scattered about, with only their two recliners available for sitting.  Their goal with the pictures is to select the best ones for a slideshow that my brother will be putting together.  I believe they are doing their best to find an equal number of pictures from birth to present day of each of us three children.  Belinda and I were fortunate to have a FaceTime chat with them tonight. The ever-growing anniversary party weekend is coming up on the weekend of the 22nd, and we are all very much looking forward to it.
    Second, our children are in Hawaii with the Edgertons for Kyle’s senior trip; they arrived there yesterday.  Belinda and I are making the most of our time here, although she did sob a bit right after they drove away.  Then she took a long walk alone.  It was not because she wanted to go to Hawaii; it was more because...

Eric's Return and Playing With a "Pro"

    On the very next day, I played golf in Durango with...Eric!  Yes, Eric.  I invited him to come play with me at Hillcrest since Belinda and I had originally taken a day off to go pick up James from college after his freshman year.  It worked out, though, that Amanda and Kyle were able to take our van down a couple of weeks before for Kyle to register, so James just came up with Michael instead, and Belinda and I saved ourselves a trip.  Eric said he could clear that day of any work, and when I agreed that we would eat at Cuckoo’s after, that was the clincher.
    I thought Eric would be rusty.  I thought he would not come close to beating me.  He hasn’t played for five years or more.  I haven’t stopped playing.  I’ve improved. 
    It was close, though.  Belinda, James and I were talking tonight about...

School's Out for Summer!

5-25-13

    School’s out for summer again.  I cried on the last day...again.  I get so attached to those children every year, even though it was for only one year this time, and not two when I have "looped" in the past.  I am sitting out on our front porch/”Haven,” and I see the new mama bird that has taken over the nest that is at the top of one of our white adobe columns just underneath the ceiling out here.  Last year, the bird that originally made that nest was killed by our cat Pikachu, who delivered part of the bloody body to our front step.  Gross.  I hope this one makes it, but I’ve already nicknamed it D.B. for Dead Bird.
    I just finished a pleasant conversation with our neighbor John.  I told him about the kids heading to...

5 Doubles Beat 4 Birdies-Part 2

Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #14-Birdie #13 of 2013

    My drive was long and left.  I thought it might catch “the alley,” but I didn’t see it spill out.  After I turned around, though, Cameron said he saw it, and sure enough, I could see my ball rolling out onto the fairway.
    Cameron’s tee shot is just a little farther left than mine.  Not only is it less than three feet from rolling down onto the fairway, but it’s also under a tree.  He can take a full swing, but his follow-through smacks a branch and I never see his ball, but it ends up ten feet away for his second eagle attempt of the round.
    My 9-iron from 150 is pulled slightly.  Cameron said it had hit the hill on the left side of the green and then rolled down onto it.  My eagle putt is a couple more feet away and more downhill than his.  We talk about trading.  I play mine too high.  It goes past the hole and stops on the other side, but Cameron’s goes in!  I buy him lunch after we finish #18 for his awesome eagle!

Written on 5-1-13.

Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #18-Birdie #14 of 2013

    Cameron and I came to the end of our round together.  I did not have a vehicle, so after this hole, I invited him to have lunch with me, my treat since he had eagled #14, like I wrote before.  Danielle was still in Farmington, so I had plenty of time before she could pick me up.  James has our van right now to help him move back after his first year of college at NMSU.  Amanda and Kyle brought it to him last weekend when they went for registration.
    I missed my drive in a big way.  If I would have been playing #5 or #7, it would have flown over the fence.  I was aiming for #3, but it ended up on #18’s fairway.
    After that, it was pretty simple.  I pictured a 7-iron draw, but it went straight instead, straight at the hole!  I got a warm, bubbly feeling in my tummy, that feeling that keeps me coming back and back and back for more.  I was on in two, and two putts later I had my fourth birdie of the round.
    Now, if I can only get my pars (and only pars) on the rest of the holes.

    I put the score in wrong.  I put it in as an 83, but it was really an 82.  An 82 with five doubles is both great and terrible at the same time.  Five doubles will always beat four birdies.
    Bruce and I play in the Best Ball League thing tomorrow.

Until next time...

Free of Screen Free Week, 5 Doubles Beat 4 Birdies-Part 1

Written on 4-29-13.

    It’s Screen-Free Week, so I am writing this with a pen in an Episode 1 Trade Federation Starfighter Journal.  What a nerd.  I chose a green Paper Mate Profile pen, mostly because I was thinking “golf green,” but it’s more “lime green” than “golf course green.”  Ah well.  I am going now.  A pen color won’t stop me.
    I had a couple of headaches today, but Advil relieved the pain.  Putting thoughts to pen to paper is soothing and helpful, too, though.
    I’m tired. Belinda and I have worked out and eaten healthily for three weeks now, so I should feel great, but not today.  I need sleep, rest, a vacation...something.  I will go to bed early tonight and do a double workout tomorrow to get caught up.
    I’m writing because...