Bev's Surprise Weekend-Part 2 or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...

    On Saturday morning, some of us played golf.  It would not have worked out had I not pushed for it, like I am known to do.  Dad wanted us to ride together in his van, but I wasn’t sure if I could bring my clubs along.  Would there be enough room with all of our suitcases?  I forced the issue, though, bringing not only my clubs but my push cart as well.  I got some looks from my mother and father on that one, but they allowed it.
    Guy, B, Danielle, Mom, Dad, and I crammed all of our stuff (and my golf equipment) in the back, and we were on our way.  We had a few humorous moments on the way out of town.  Dad forgot his cane.  He and Mom had made a bet about when we would arrive in the Springs.  She thought he was hedging the bet in his favor with a delay tactic.  Some of us said we would just buy him a new cane; let’s keep moving.  Some said we should let him go back and get it (we were less than two minutes from home).  He pulled over into a left turn lane to take a moment and decide.  He was persuaded to keep going, so he pulled out again. 
    I was on the fence.  At first I agreed that buying a new cane would be an ideal solution.  Then I reconsidered and thought what’s the harm in turning around; we weren’t on a tight schedule.  I told Dad what I was thinking, so he pulled into a left turn lane again farther down the road.  We debated and deliberated again, but Dad chose once more to keep going, yanking the van back out into traffic.  We all laughed.  I think the final deciding factor was Mom offering him her walking cane.  Was she hedging the bet in her favor this time?  Either way, it was quite entertaining and a super funny family bonding moment for all of us.

Bev's Surprise Weekend-Part 1

Written on 2-21-14.

    We now have three places in our home that we’ve given different and unique names, all related to peace, tranquility, and serenity.  After the brain surgery, we named our front porch “Haven.”  Our deck has been known as “Sanctuary” for a long time, longer than any of our other favorite places in our home.  Now, we have our “new” living room with all of its supple and newfangled leather furniture, “Refuge.”  Belinda and I are sitting in our living room right now, our refuge, on a Friday night and we feel safe and secure from the outside pressures and dangers of our world.  It’s a most appropriate name.
    She’s reading a book on the spot closest to our gas fireplace.  The stove is off now, but the fan continues to hum, and the metal clicks intermittently as it cools.  I’m to her right, and the heel of my right foot is resting on the inside of her right calf; our legs are entwined, sharing the space on the popped-up leg rest. 
    I have a heating pad on my neck.  My neck’s been hurting off and on since a bad night’s sleep at Mom and Dad’s when we visited there last weekend for Bev’s 50th birthday surprise.  And, I even brought my own pillow.  I’m doing my best to relax and let the heat melt the pain away while I recline and tap away lightly on my keyboard.  Music from my iTunes library is playing on our new Samsung bluetooth speaker bar which is below yet another recent purchase, our Samsung flatscreen TV.  Ahhh, refuge.  Great name.
    Guy came up with the idea of surprising our sister Bev on Presidents‘ Day weekend.  He thought that it would be the perfect weekend because A. She would not suspect it at all since it was two weeks before her birthday on March 4th, and B. It was a 3-day weekend which made it easier for traveling.  He was right, but hey, Guy’s a smart guy.
    We surprised her at Kohl’s.  She was shopping there with Curt and Emily before a meeting about foster parenting.  We sent in the family members one at a time.  The idea was to make it an incredibly random and “out of context” experience, and also to make it get better and better with each person she would see.  It worked...mostly.  Danielle went first.  Bev looked up and said, “No way!  What are you doing here?”
    Danielle said, “We don’t have a Kohl’s in Aztec.” 
    I surprised her next.  It was supposed to be Mom, but she got lost.  Then she was found.  Dad came after Mom.  Seeing Guy got the best reaction that I witnessed.  I don’t think she expected him to make a trip of that distance just for her, but of course he did.  Belinda was the last one to come over inside the Kohl’s.  Laura completed the surprise when she walked over to Bev from the parking lot outside of Kohl’s.
    After the big reveal, we had lunch over at their house.  That night, we enjoyed dinner out at Jose Muldoon’s.  Joe couldn’t make it; he got an unexpected and unwanted head cold.  I think Danielle got a similar one after we came home again.

More next time...   

On This Given Sunday, Who Won?

Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #14-Birdie #8 of 2014

    We all aimed for the fairway on #7 because the snow was abundant on #14’s fairway.  My ball headed towards the “alley,” though, so I knew it would end up in the snow.  Bruce’s was in the snow, too.  After taking my free drop, I had my best swing of the round with my 7-iron.  My ball ended up in the snow again, but this time it was stuck in the snow on the green on the north-facing side of the bowl.  When I picked it up, my ball looked like it had a small white tire wrapped around it after rolling around in the snow again.  I took another drop and used up two putts from a position I had never been in before due to the snow stopping the ball higher up on the slope.  Bruce got a birdie, too, so neither one of us earned the three points for winning the “birdie hole” outright, and the points for winning the hole pushed again.

    I tied Bruce again on #15 with a par.  C.J. and Bruce both should have earned pars on #16, but Bruce rolled his first putt a bit too far and missed the comebacker.  C.J. had a short uphill putt for par, but he missed that one right, so we all got bogeys and the points pushed again.
    It wasn’t until hole #17 that the dam broke.  I was out of it after my approach.  I was fortunate it even made it over the ditch.  My thinned 9-iron caused my ball to come out low and short, but it smacked on the cart path and limped over the ditch.  I missed my par putt after another pitch that made it onto the green, but in the snow again. 
    Bruce and C.J., however, had birdie putts forthcoming from the right side of the hole that was on the front and near the middle.  Bruce went first.  Short.  C.J. rolled his, and I was hoping he would miss so I could win it all on the next hole.  Nope.  That wasn't meant to be.  He rolled it right in, leaving no doubt who had won this match. 
    He made some comments heading over to the #9 teeing ground about not letting an opportunity get away and making sure that any of his competitors didn’t hang around.  Well, he did not let that opportunity get away, and he demolished his competitors with that one stroke.  I don’t know which one was better, C.J.’s chip-in for the win when we played Skins or this putt.  Both were fantastic!  Way to go, C.J. 

Until next time...

The Short Game and We "Own" HIdden Valley

Written last night.

    I am home alone.  B has gone to her sister Char’s place with Amanda and Danielle has gone...well, where she usually goes: to see Robbie.  I am watching the Netflix Original Movie called The Short Game.  I have watched it before.  It fascinates me.  I feel equally thrilled and disgusted when I’m watching it. 
    I am thrilled because these little athlete golfers have such a naivete, such motivation, such enthusiasm.  It’s encouraging and fun to watch. 
    I am disgusted because it’s a bit much.  It’s over the top.  I worry that these children are missing out on their childhood.  I am also disgusted by a few of the overly competitive parents.  I’m thankful that it all takes place in a “gentleman’s” game, though, where honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship are expected.
    Our wi-fi just went out.  No more movie.  That’s okay.  I can focus more on my writing this way.
    I earned...

What a Difference Some Water Can Make

Now, for my three most recent birdies...

Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #15-Birdie #4 of 2014

    On Martin Luther King Jr. Saturday, C.J., Bruce and I played escalating skins again at my suggestion.  After the beating I took playing C.J. last time with his chip-in on #10, I was hoping to make some money back.  C.J. And I both got embarrassed by Bruce, though, who took home enough money to pay for a new, small company.  Bruce shot a 78 after being one under on the back.  That back nine score included three birdies for him on #13, #17 and #18.  Geesh!  Nice shootin', Tex.
    My one birdie in this round was pretty straightforward, and it helped me take...