Caught up with November Before December Ends

Written on 11-28-15.

    Thanksgiving is over.  Our 25th anniversary is also over.  We ended up getting fillable lamps for our living room as our anniversary gifts to each other, so no pearl earrings this time.  Maybe Christmas?  The lamps are beautiful.  We filled one with dark chocolate-colored wood chips, leftovers from our landscaping from Mother’s Day.  They look great in there.  In the other one, the smaller of the two, we added colorful rocks, pottery shards, and some other knick-knack gems with pewter-like figures glued on top that the children bought years ago on our trips to Lake Powell.  It also looks fantastic, and they both add a level of coziness to our living room that we have never had before.
    C.J. and I played yesterday, and I earned another birdie.  I should have had three, but my short game and putting were not “up to par” to make that happen.  I was ready to take on the Bogey Man again, but C.J. preferred...

Dreamlike Driving

Written on 11-20-15.

    C.J. and I played nine holes yesterday, and the weather was fabulous.  I could go with short sleeves starting at hole #4.  He wanted to play stroke play this time, and he thought three strokes would make it fair and close, but he had some blow-up holes, so it didn’t end up close at all. 
    He played again today, but I have things to do before all the company comes.  We are so looking forward to seeing our babies for this Thanksgiving, and this holiday is made even more special with our 25th wedding anniversary coming up in four days.  She wants pearl earrings, so my plan is to find the most beautiful pearl earrings around.  If I get most of my stuff done today, I can go shopping this afternoon before she comes home from work. 
    I earned another birdie when we played yesterday.  This round, though, in my mind had an even better outcome.  On every par five, I had a consistent drive that put my ball in play where I was intending.  Four huge consistent drives.  What a confidence booster.  No pulls.  No hooks.  No slices.  No low unintended punch shots.  No topped shots.  Every drive was long and straight, and except for #9 when I didn’t aim for the fairway, all were in the fairway, too.  It was...

Time for a Funeral

Written on 11-16-15.

    I just accidentally typed 11-16-16.  Whoa!  Slow down.  Let’s live one year at a time, okay?  This year isn’t over yet.  Although it makes me wonder what we will be doing a year from today.  Good thing I keep this journal.  It’s highly likely I will be writing again one year from now. 
    Belinda and I are headed back home after going to Lakewood for Joe’s step-grandfather’s funeral.  I missed his mother’s and his father’s funerals, so there was no way we weren't going to go to this one, especially now that we are “rewired” and we can take the time.  He truly appreciated our making the trip. 
    Belinda is driving, and we are listening to Alan Parson Project’s Games People Play, a perfect song for us as we are figuring out where we go from here now that all of the children are grown up.  We are figuring out how to live our lives now that nobody lends us a hand…or gives us a damn.  Just kidding.  We have plenty of help if we need it, and plenty who care about us. 
    Personally, I feel we are doing fine, just fine.  Although we went to a funeral, I love road-tripping with my wife.  In eight days, we will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with our children.  That’ll be fun.  Where did the time go?  When it was my turn to drive about an hour ago, I reminisced about...

My First Two Birdies With My New Cleveland Putter

Written on 11-10-15.

    I have two birdies to recount, so I’ll get right to it.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #6-Birdie #42 of 2015

    Belinda and I were having a most enjoyable Sunday together.  No more Sunday blues.  No reason to go to our schools to finish lesson plans, grade papers, or write a weekly newsletter.  After mass, I asked her to go to lunch with me, so we did one of our usual lunch dates: Wendy’s and Riverside Park.  After parking and eating at our usual spot, the road right next to the river and the walking path, we chose to park in an “actual” parking space and walk around the entire park.  It was a gorgeous fall day again, and after we made one loop we talked about going around again, but it was so pleasant outside that I had said I was considering golf, and she told me she wouldn’t mind walking with me out on the golf course, so we spontaneously went home, got my clubs and my shoes, and headed out to Aztec Municipal Golf Course.
    Hardly anyone was out there, so when we walked over to #1, it really felt like we were the only two people on the golf course.  J.P. was disgusted that more people were not taking advantage of the beautiful weather, but it made it better for my shy Belinda.  She walked and talked with me for the first four holes.  I did most of the talking, hoping to...

Bruce's Big Comeback

    Now that I’m back home, I’ve played a couple of times.  My back feels better, but it still has some unpredictable issues.  Just yesterday, it was “catching” while I was standing to do the dishes.  I’ve never had this type of feeling in my back before, and I am considering visiting my friend Dave Rakita again if it persists. 
    C.J., Bruce, and I played this past weekend.  C.J. and I walked while Bruce rode in a cart, and it was my idea for C.J. and I to take on Bruce.  Bruce was riding since he said he also had a cold.  He said everyone in his family had a cold, and he didn’t want to overdo things.  My cold was in its fourth day, and I wasn’t feeling too badly.  I could walk eighteen holes, so I believe it was on its way out, despite a nagging cough.  C.J. and I were playing well, and we were actually 4 up on Bruce after nine holes.  For the first time ever, we all...

Lake Carlsbad Golf Course

    Despite my exhaustion, I gathered a second wind after returning to the hotel.  Belinda was going to settle down for a nap, so I took my opportunity to go play golf in Carlsbad.  I’m so glad I did, because I played one of my best nine hole rounds in a while, and it was on a course that was unfamiliar.  I broke the pattern of having my score go up ten strokes when playing a course that’s new to me.  I played the front nine at Lake Carlsbad Golf Course.  My back was still fragile, but I was able to swing my clubs without causing more damage.  The tender back helped me to swing more consistently and smoothly, not ever trying to kill it.  I played the gold tees because the blues were the farthest ones back, and I didn’t know how hard those would be.  Looking back, I would have been better suited for the blues, but it was still some great scoring from the gold tees.  I earned three birdies total, including one on the back nine. 

Lake Carlsbad Golf Course-Hole #4-Birdie #37 of 2015

    I was +2 after three holes when I came to this one.  This course was the first one I have ever seen where holes #3, #4, and #5, were a par three, a par four, and a par five consecutively.  I thought that was a unique aspect of this course, and it helped me to remember the holes.  If I had played from the blue tees, I would have had to angle my tee shot from...

First Class Carlsbad

Written on 10-27-15.

    Belinda and I were overwhelmed with happiness after visiting the Carlsbad Caverns.  It’s an experience I know I will never forget, and it was so unique that it was well worth the trip way down south.  It started two nights ago when we arrived after our visit with the children.  The timing worked out so perfectly.  We got to the Caverns just before dusk, the time when the bats come out of the main cave’s entrance.  There was a time change issue, too, so we thought we were going to miss it, but after coming out of Texas, we gained back one hour, so we had plenty of time to not only see the bats as they made their exit, but listen to and learn from a knowledgeable park ranger moments before that.
    The ranger stood at the bottom of the auditorium, where the seats were all made from stones.  Belinda and I chose to stand up at the top, glad to have a break from sitting.  Behind the ranger was...

25th Anniversary Trip, My Tweaky Back, and the First of Five Birdies

Written on 10-27-15.

    Belinda and I are about 41 minutes outside of Ruidoso.  We’re headed home after our 25th anniversary vacation/trip to the Carlsbad Caverns.  On the way down there, we also stopped to ride the tram up to Sandia Peak and stayed at Danielle’s place and visited the kids in Las Cruces, too.  It’s been an amazing trip so far, and it’s hard to resist the temptation to say it’s over since we are on our way back home today.  Our plan is to stop to see Mike Speck and get my Time to Teach books back.
    I have five birdies to write about, and I also want to relay the stories about Carlsbad and our vacation, so I’ll get right to the birdies and mix in other details as I go along. 

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #11-Birdie #36 of 2015

    I am going to count this one.  A birdie is a birdie no matter how small.  On the final day of The First Tee for the Par group, we played three holes of golf with the participants.  I took Lily and Garret in my group.  We played hole #12 first.  Then we walked over to #10, and we finished up on #11, which worked out well to finish right next to the pro shop.  C.J. and I decided before playing that we should let this group play from the ladies’ tees since they were the advanced group.  It was his idea, and it was an excellent one.  I wouldn’t have to put up temporary teeing grounds, and this group would be up for the increased challenge of the “longer” holes. 
    This is the first birdie with my tweaked back.  My back gave out on me while working on my presentation for Time to Teach for Koogler.  It was caused by many hours of cramped airplane seating, golf in Virginia, stress, and too many slight bends forward while sitting and testing Response Cards for the training. 
    That’s when I got...

Guy's 50th Birthday Surprise Weekend Details

Written on 10-12-15.

    I am on United Flight 1968, flying back to Denver after surprising Guy for his 50th birthday.  It was a swell visit, a real blast!  We surprised him on Friday night when we first arrived at their home.  Annmarie ended up being the one who picked us up.  He appeared underwhelmed, but hey, that’s Guy for you.  He said he thought something was amiss when Annmarie went out at night to get a compress for her eye.  She has a stye, poor thing, but Guy said she never goes out at night, so that was weird.  Also, she was doing quite a bit of house cleaning before the weekend, and she asked him to take off Monday, too. 
    I am going to stop for a minute because the drink cart is here.  I want to avoid any spills if I can.
    Okay, drink break is over.  So, he wasn’t really surprised, but Guy is not overly dramatic in any way either, so I hope he was at least mildly surprised.  On Saturday, Annmarie sent us off on...

Headin' to See My Bro for a 50th Birthday Surprise

Written on 10-9-15.

    Well, this is fun!  I am on United Flight 1887 to Dulles to surprise Guy for his 50th birthday.  We will surprise him tonight after he comes home from ShyShay’s baseball game.  Their friend Krystal (not her real name) is picking us up.  Bev and Duncan, Guy’s college roommate from their Mesa days, are on a Southwest flight right now.  They got a head start on my flight, but we should arrive close to the same time.  If the game gets rained out, though, Annmarie will pick us up instead.  Either way, Guy is in for a big shock.  I look forward to seeing the look on his face when he sees all of us and learns what’s in store for him this weekend.  His birthday isn’t officially until the 28th.
    Tomorrow, we are going on a brewery tour.  We have three stops to make.  Dave, one of Guy’s good neighbors and great friends, and I will be “in charge.”  At the final stop, he will be surprised again with a dinner with more family and more friends.
    On Sunday, we will play golf at...

A Cabin Home Fall Day and My First Training

10-3-15

    I am sitting next to my wife up at the cabin home, but we are not alone this time.  Eric is out on his patio, and I can see him through the window directly behind the stove. The stove has flames flowing like bright orange ribbons in the wind, but these ribbons are flowing vertically.  Amanda is sitting by the stove/fireplace.  We just had a delicious breakfast with sausage, french toast, and sliced apples.  Hey, we’re back at the cabin home again! We wanted to see the fall colors because they were just beginning to turn last weekend, and we were right to come back.  The drive up here was spectacular; fall colors have multiplied greatly in one week.
    Okay, it’s about five hours later now, and I just sat down again after running errands in Durango and having lunch at Chavolo’s with the Edgertons.  I wanted to buy three video adapters/dongles for my Time to Teach trainings, but they only had two at Connecting Point for my MacBook Pro.  When I go to present at various schools, I’ll need every type of adapter ready to go to match whatever my clients will have for their projectors or screens.  I bought the VGA and the DGI today, and now I only need the HDMI; they had none of those in stock today. 
    I also stopped at Home Depot to buy stuff for the cabin home.  I picked up mouse traps (old-fashioned, new-fangled with poison, and large ones with glue), defoggers, hanging sticky tape for flies and moths, brackets to hold shelves in the garage, and some other hanging devices with “grabbers” for rakes, shovels, and bikes.  It took a while, but...

St. Francis Watches Over Our Family

    Okay, on to St. Francis.  I just find it remarkable how often this happened and in such different places and with different members of our family.  It happened again tonight.
    The first time was with Belinda and Danielle.  Belinda and I dropped Danielle off at a little coffee shop.  It had knick-knacks, paintings, jewelry, coffee (of course), refrigerator magnets, clothing items, etc.  While waiting for my coffee and breakfast, I walked over to see what the ladies were looking at and we stopped right in front of St. Francis, a statuette of him.  There were some other religious items, too, but of course I noticed him right away, and I mentioned once again that he is my mother’s favorite saint. 
    The second time I was alone.  I went to church in Santa Fe.  I do not remember the church’s name, so I’ll have to research it later.  Belinda and I were there for my technology training, and Belinda was going to pick up James at the airport in Albuquerque the next day, too.  I googled the church, and I got directions, and it worked out that it was in the evening.  I had just enough time to...

Birdie From the Blues and Glacier Gift

Written on 9-26-15.

    B and I are up at the cabin home again.  We “escaped” up here for one night.  The fire is going.  It’s awesome here.  Not bragging, but definitely happy to be here.  I’ll start with that one birdie, and then I’ll add another that came in an unexpected, spectacular, free round. 

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #2-Birdie #33 of 2015

    Wow!  This birdie took place ten days ago.  I’m a bit behind.  C.J. and I played on a Wednesday.  We discovered that Wednesday mornings are our best times for playing, and we can walk a full eighteen on those mornings; we usually start at 8:30.  He doesn’t swim on those mornings, and Belinda is at work.  I don’t have The First Tee going on on those days either. 
    This was the day that I played from the blues and C.J. from the whites.  I chose my 8-iron from back there, but it was not a great swing.  I’ve been thinning my irons frequently lately, but they’re just barely missing.  I thinned this one out to the right, but it wasn't too bad, and it ended up past the hole and on the hill.  I was in between choosing my A-wedge or my sand wedge.  The sand wedge won out because I wanted to give my ball the best chance of not going too far past the hole.  It was going way too fast, however, after it left my clubface.  It probably would have ended up just off the green if the flagstick had not gotten in the way.  My ball hit the flagstick squarely and fell in, surprising me in the process.  I played the first three holes in one under again, always a great way to start a round.

    I ended up shooting an 85, with a 44 on the front and a 41 on the back.  C.J. and I tied with...

Wedding Day and First Official Day of Fall

Written on 9-19-15.

    I am in the basement of a VRBO in Colorado Springs.  We are here for Daryl and Katie’s wedding, which begins in a little over two hours.  I have so much to write, so I will do a quick summary to help me get it organized in my head. 
    First, I want to recount how St. Francis kept showing up with my family.  It happened three times, once in Albuquerque with Belinda and Danielle, once in Cuba with Belinda and James, and once more in Santa Fe when I went to church alone.  The circumstances for each appearance were serendipitous, in my opinion, and rather amazing, too. 
    Second, I earned three birdies in my last few rounds.  C.J. and I continue to play alone on Wednesdays, but on one Friday morning, we played with and against Mike and Pat for a best ball match play competition.  Anyway, I have two from that round, one on #11 with the sprinklers going full blast and another on #14 that was inches away from an eagle.  The other came more recently when C.J. and I played against each other with stroke play, he from the whites and I from the blues.  I had a pitch-in birdie on #2 in that round to start out even on the first three holes.  That was a close match! 
    Third, I have much to relay about...

The "Great Eight"

Written on 9-5-15.

    I am in “my spot” on the deck up at the cabin home.  “My spot” is around the corner of the deck on the far side of the homestead where the deck is narrow.  Oh, What a Beautiful Morning is playing on my iPod, and it’s so appropriate.  Misty is with me.  She’s whining and wandering back and forth around the corner.  I just asked her to come lie down beside me, and she did. 
    It’s cloudy today, more cloudy than clear, but the blue is peeking out over my left shoulder.  It’s so pleasant, because it’s not too hot or too cool.  I am wearing my oversized, slightly faded, grape purple sweater.  It protects me from the occasional brisk breeze.  So happy with “my spot,” my laptop, and my coffee. 
    Belinda and Amanda are here with me, and Eric is coming up later this afternoon to join us for dinner.  Danielle is here this Labor Day weekend due to a...

The Worst Storm We Have Ever Seen in Aztec

Written on 8-29-15.
   
    Tiger didn’t make it.  His season is over.  I don’t admire some of the things he has done (mostly his infidelity and his cussing), but I am admiring his perseverance right now.  No matter how badly he plays, he keeps going.  He knows how difficult this sport is.  He has a healthy respect for it, and I believe that’s a requirement for the proper demeanor in order to play.  Some people have it; some don’t. 
    Today I spent two hours using a blower on the practice greens at Hidden Valley.  We had the worst storm this area has seen since we’ve lived here.  It was a...

Teachers Report; Belinda and I Do Not

8-22-15

     I have not written for far too long.  It’s a Saturday and Eric has just helped us get our swamp cooler up to speed.  It needed a new pump and new pads, and it also needed the spiders with the bearings on both sides of the thing so it would be smooth and quiet again.  It was getting squeaky.  It’s fixed now, but it wasn’t without a battle.  It’s a long story, but we eventually replaced the spiders, the pump, and the pads.  I had to return three of the spider bearing thingamajigs, one to Aztec Hardware and two to Lowe’s.  We had the worst time with the spider bearing on the west side; we needed to sand down the shaft to get it to work properly.  Either way, it’s done now.  I am feeling cool air as I sit in my living room to write this. 
    These past two weeks have been surreal.  Teachers had to report last Wednesday.  B and I did not.  Everyone had to attend the “pep assembly” on Friday.  Belinda and I did not.  This past Monday was Meet and Greet.  Teachers had to be “on” most of the day, meeting and greeting parents and new students to get them comfortable and ready for the the first day of school on Tuesday.  Belinda and I, once again, did not.  Instead, we did what we wanted.  We did some work, but it was work we wanted to do.  I played golf, of course.  I played nine holes last Wednesday, and I played nine holes this past Monday and Tuesday.  It felt surreal (and wonderful) to be able to play golf on those days, the days that are typically the most stressful and sweat-producing.
    I have two...

A Different Type of Summer and Four More Birdies

Written on 8-4-15.

    Summer is coming to a close quickly, but it doesn’t matter this year because Belinda and I are “rewired.”  We do not have to set up our classrooms, or attend meetings, or…freak out.  We won’t have to go get our keys early only to sit in our classrooms and stressfully space out, reconstructing in our minds the lengthy “to do” lists with items that must be done before that all-important first day of school. 
    Instead, we are working on our summer “to do” list, one that we generate on our own and rarely has an item that with a time limit.  Lately, to adjust to this new lifestyle, I’ve found it very beneficial to set aside three hours a day to get things done related to my new businesses.  9:00 to 12:00 works pretty well, but today it was 1:30 to 4:30 since we had other work to do this morning (weed work for Eric’s mobile home park).  I have two more days of Santa Fe technology trainings coming up early next week, and I am close and hopeful for possible Time to Teach trainings at either Ruidoso or San Juan College.  We’ll see how that all pans out by the end of this week.
    After the weeding, Belinda and I stopped to...

Rei Returns, Danielle Leaves, and Two Birdies

Written on 7-31-15.

    We chose to go inside soon after I wrote that because of the bugs and the colder air.  Today, we are driving Danielle back to Las Cruces.  Well, actually she’s the one driving right now, but we are all headed that way.  It’s 3:57 PM, usually my nap time, even though I hardly ever take naps; I just feel nappy at this time of the day…every day. I’m in the passenger seat, and we are just on the other side of Albuquerque.  We just passed Isleta Boulevard.      
    B is behind Danielle, and the rest of the vehicle is filled with Danielle’s stuff: make-up, bags of clothes, her bridesmaid dress for Daryl and Katie’s wedding, speakers, a bamboo plant that used to belong to Belinda, pillows, a sewing kit, a plastic dresser with three drawers, and a bunch of other stuff she’ll want and need this year, her sophomore year. 
    Oh, and my golf clubs are directly behind me buried under all of that stuff.  It was a bit of an issue/controversy whether I should bring them or not.  Belinda and Danielle chose to love and allow it, though.  We are making this trip more of a vacation compared to the last time we came and brought the bulkier items like the box springs, mattresses, dressers, and shelves.
    Reilly is back.  He and Bruce went to play nine holes today at 11:00.  He had a successful surgery to repair his collapsed lung.  When Belinda saw Diane yesterday at the hair place, Diane said that he is only on oxygen at night, so that’s an improvement.  I’m excited to play with them again now that he has returned.  If we weren’t going down south, I would have played with them today.
    I earned two more birdies when Bruce and I...

My Dad the Chauffeur and My First Eagle of the Year

Also written on 7-21-15.

My Dad, the Chauffeur, at Fox Meadows

     On Friday morning, dad and I went to Fox Meadows in Lakewood, so I could play nine holes, and he could hang with me and be my chauffeur.  I played the course titled The Links, and it was gorgeous.  It had no homes, and it was links style golf, matching its name well.  It went uphill and to the west towards Red Rocks and Bandimere Speedway.  Then it meandered slowly back downhill after hole #7.  The teeing ground on hole #7 had the best panoramic view of the entire course and area.  Beautiful!  The players in front of us, a couple, were slow, but every time we caught up or had to wait, I was thankful because it gave me another opportunity to catch up with dad, to just talk and be together. 
    I did not play...

My 30th High School Reunion Reflection and Stories

Written on 7-21-15.

    Tomorrow I will host my first ever Certification Night for The First Tee.  I look forward to seeing the participants who will choose to come and give it a go. 
    I’ve just spent the past weekend at Mom and Dad’s for my 30th high school reunion, and I had a blast.  It was so fun to see everyone, and I am social (at the far end of the spectrum compared to most), so I felt right at home speaking with anybody and everybody. 
    I really enjoyed spending time at Joe’s new place on Friday afternoon visiting with Jim, his girlfriend Jill, and of course Joe.  We perused my two yearbooks, laughed, shared stories, and then we laughed some more.  The four of us also had some serious moments speaking about suicide, bullying (some bullying actually coming from a teacher), and inspirational teachers too, most specifically Duane Lewis and Becky Porter.  I had no idea, but it makes perfect sense, that Becky was instrumental in inspiring Jim toward his path in life as well. 
    On Friday evening, we convinced Joe to...

The First First Tee Session Comes to a Close

Written on 7-14-15.

    B and I are out on our deck.  Our gas fire pit is going.  Solar lanterns are lit.  Christmas in July lights (still hanging after our retirement party) are shining.  Ah, summer.  In my head, I am celebrating the official end of the summer session of The First Tee here in Aztec.  I met with two of the Par players tonight to finish up their summer session.  It had been postponed for over a week due to one of them going away on vacation, but it’s done now.  The other Par player played with the PLAYer group instead, because they wanted to get out of town early for the 4th of July weekend.  This is the second birdie of that round where I shot a 38.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #7-Birdie #20 of 2015

    I hit six greens in regulation in this nine hole round, and I am finding that that is my key to excellent scoring.  Obviously when I hit greens in regulation, I can score my best scores. 
    My drive landed my ball in the bunker to start this birdie.  My 7-iron helped me escape the bunker easily.  I was 100 yards away from the hole, so I chose to...

A Tiny Snake and a 38

7-12-15

    We’re back home on a Sunday.  We arrived yesterday at around 6:00, and we were able to do a FaceTime chat with James for an hour until it was bedtime, about 10:30.  I am watching the U.S. Open, but it’s the Women’s this time.  We are headed for an exciting finish with Chun, Yang, and Lewis.  Park just finished 18 at 5 under, and it’s her birthday, too. 
    Pika is purring beside me on our bed.  Belinda and I just encouraged a tiny snake to leave our house.  Yes, a tiny snake, a foot long or so.  It was adorable…for a snake.  The little thing went under...

The Ladies Arrive at Casa B and NM Lottery Glitch

Written on 7-9-15.

    I am sitting out on the balcony of Apt. (number) at Casa Bandera in Las Cruces, the new home of Danielle, Becca, and their new bestie A.J. for the upcoming school year, Danielle and Becca’s sophomore year.  We are moving them in about a month early to get the first major load done and out of the way.  Kyle, Cameron, Adam, and Chase are also living in this apartment complex at (number) this fall.  The first three just helped us move everything in. 
    Belinda and Amanda are sitting out here with me.  A train is sounding in the distance.  The temperature is breezy cool and comfortable.  Everyone else has left to go to James’s house and pick up more of the girls’ stuff over there. 
    Danielle worked half a day at the Y.C.C., and after she came home, we had most everything loaded up: two queen mattresses and their bed frames from Art, Danielle’s dresser and book shelf that she recently painted a dusty purple, her snowy white childhood desk, and a plastic tub full of plates, mugs, cups, and other kitchenware.  Despite occasional torrential rainstorms splashing down on us on the highway, all furniture survived intact and mostly unharmed.  All had a bit of moisture, but not enough to ruin them.  Our babies are getting settled in for their second year of college.  Wow! 
    I am so proud of Danielle.  She became a Crimson Scholar with her 4.0 G.P.A. her first semester.  Her overall G.P.A. at the end of the year was a 3.893.  *I originally wrote 3.8, but she just corrected me.  I am now in her bedroom and everyone has returned, only to leave again.  Now it’s just Belinda, Danielle, and I, and I am ready for bed while they are futzing around in the kitchen. 
    She worked at Corbett Hall through her work study program where she was the Employee of the Month for October, and she also won “Best Customer Service” for the year.  She became a crew leader for the Y.C.C. this summer, too.  This past month, though, she had a hiccup with her New Mexico Lottery Scholarship.  It was taken away from her due to a scheduling glitch from her advisor.  Somehow, he had missed that one of her classes repeated a requirement that had already been fulfilled with one of her high school college equivalent classes.  That mistake dropped her from 15 new credits, a requirement for keeping the New Mexico Lottery money coming, to 12, so no more scholarship.  It took two appeals, but she got it back yesterday.  Phew!  The appeal to the appeal was more strongly worded, and it placed all of the blame on the advisor.  It wasn’t nice, but it worked.  I believe the key word was “mis-advised.”

Ah, Summer!

Written on 7-5-15.

    We are on vacation.  Phew!  June is over.  We made it to July.  With The First Tee, the Bisti Writing Project, and the Santa Fe train the trainers training, June was a hectic month.  And, I’m supposed to be retired?  Mostly it was The First Tee that made it so busy, but that was definitely a work of joy and love.  It all was.  To celebrate, Belinda and I spent the night at a brand new Hampton Inn in Cortez yesterday.  It had literally been open for exactly one week, according to a lady who looked like she was in charge. 
    We chose Cortez in order to stop at the cabin on our way home to spend the night here tonight.  The Edgertons had the cabin for the 4th of July, so we waited until today after they had left to spend our one night.  Danielle left the Edgertons and the cabin to come hang with us yesterday, though, and we chose to go to Mesa Verde.  We stopped...

The First Tee Carnival and the Dynamic Duo

6-30-15

    Two days left before the end of our first summer session, and for that matter, the first ever session of The First Tee here in Aztec with yours truly as coach.  It’s been spectacular.  I have joked that it’s like setting up a carnival, but that’s not too far from the truth.  What follows is a list of just some of the materials/supplies I have bought and/or used for this session: soccer balls, frisbees, foam noodles, decorative duct tape, cones, hula hoops, Nerf footballs, plastic baseball bats and small foam baseballs, badminton rackets and birdies, small nets, and more.  I have also utilized the SNAG equipment on more than half of the days. 
    A typical day includes...

Guy and Herndon, Work for The First Tee, and Robbie Ward

Written on 6-11-15.

    I’m sitting in the CTX at San Juan College, here for the purpose of drafting a proposal for how our Bisti Writing Project could help surrounding districts, their teachers, and therefore their students, too.  It’s lunchtime, but I have some time to do some writing before we reconvene.

On to golf…

    Guy and I had a blast at the Herndon Centennial Golf Course.  Like always, we teed off on #1 and then we were putting out on #18 a few seconds later.  That’s how it always goes, it seems.  I told him after our round that I wish we could play again tomorrow, and then play again on the weekend, but Belinda and I flew away from the east coast on Tuesday instead, and I will be playing this Saturday at Riverview.  That will be fun, of course, but it won’t be a round of golf with my brother.  I titled my last post, A Rare Treat, and that’s how it is when I play with Guy and we are all alone; it just doesn’t happen very often. 
    We chose to work cooperatively.  I thought we could shoot an 85 or better with our best ball score.  Par was 71, so I thought we could keep it from going over +14. 
    We didn’t get to play...

Becca's Birthday and R and R in Reston

Written on 6-8-15.

    Happy birthday, Becca!  Becca would smile knowing she has made her way into my golf journal again.  Today is her 19th birthday.  Our other baby is continuing her adventure into adulthood by taking part in an immersive Spanish class that is in Costa Rica right now.  We are so proud of all of our children.  Kyle started an exclusive internship as a hardware engineer today, James is in New Zealand and loving life for his business/marketing major, and Danielle is working hard at her new job as crew leader to earn tons of money this summer.
    I am back on Guy and Annmarie’s deck/patio, but this time I am all alone.  Guy took ShyShay to violin practice, Annmarie has her cousin and client Tara over for a workout downstairs, and Belinda is taking a walk around the neighborhood.  We fly out of here tomorrow at 12:32 to head back to Denver and then on to Durango where Danielle will pick us up, I hope.  It will be great to see her again.
    It’s been a...

A Rare Treat

Written on 6-6-15.

    This is a rare treat.  I am sitting on Guy and Annmarie’s back patio, under their large pale green umbrella.  Guy is inside starting dinner.  Belinda is on the opposite end of the corner shaped couch I am also sitting on.  Wait, she just got up; she has left to go help Guy with dinner.  To my right, out on the lawn on their oversized hammock, ShyShay and Annmarie rock ever so gently to and fro, as easily as the treetops that are swaying back and forth with the mellow breezes above us.  Above those treetops, an unidentified bird rides the wind, coasting out of view in an instant.
    I have just completed my Level 1 training as a First Tee Golf Coach in Baltimore.  It was a laid back, entertaining, busy, activity-filled, and motivating three days.  We enjoyed a pleasant mixture of sitting down to learn from presentations and getting out to observe or take part in actual lessons. 
    This morning, I took the lead with our Blue Group’s lesson on courtesy and targets and alignment, and it all went swimmingly.  We got some extremely positive feedback from the group that observed us and from the trainers/coaches themselves. 
    I can do this.  I was in my element, and I am in my element as a First Tee coach.  The teacher in me was shining through brightly.  I look forward to conducting my own sessions and lessons back in Aztec.  The First Tee is right for me, because it involves golf, my favorite sport, and I’ll be helping children to learn values and golf skills.
    My right foot is soaking in some soapy water.  I cut my big toe’s toenail a bit too short the other day, and it feels like an ingrown toenail is beginning.  Then I just stubbed/scraped the pad just below that same big toe when stepping up to Guy’s wooden deck.  Ouch!  I pray the toenail corrects itself quickly and doesn’t get infected.  The goal and hope is to play golf while I am here, of course.  I was just tortured for three days watching other people play a gorgeous golf course, Pine Ridge, while I attended my training.
    Oh, and this is the first trip EVER for Belinda and me as we begin our new adventure as “retirees.”  I use quotation marks because we have not really retired; it’s more of a rewirement, Guy’s term and a term I really like to use to define where we are now and what we are doing.  We are not retiring form working, only from public education in Aztec.

The Future Looks Bright

     We just had our HUGE "Rewirement Party" at our house yesterday.  I took multiple pictures with my new Canon Elph camera that I earned with bonus points from Scholastic Book Clubs.  It was a great excuse to get everyone's picture taken.  Belinda and I are officially retired from the Aztec Municipal Schools, and we are on to future endeavors.  First, we will head out to Baltimore on this Tuesday, June 2nd for my First Tee training to become a Level 1 coach.  Afterwards, we will stay and visit with Guy, Annmarie, and ShyShay for a few extra nights, and we are even squeezing in a visit with Bev and our cousin Adrienne.  If the future includes my going and doing and/or attending trainings and then staying for some vacation, the future looks so bright, we'll have to wear shades.

Here are the two most recent birdies I have earned...

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #1-Birdie #15 of 2015

    This drive went well to the right, so far right that it ended up on #5’s fairway.  My 21 degree utility club straightened things out a bit, but my ball ended up...

A Cruel Irony

Written on 5-28-15.

    This is different.  I am writing this from the Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque.  I’ve found a shady spot at a table just off the big park area where we will all meet in about 46 minutes for lunch.
    I have so many things to write, so I’ll get right to it.  First, some sad and bad news about Belinda.  My wife and partner for life has been officially diagnosed (twice now) with M.S. or Multiple Sclerosis.  I think she may have had it for three or more years now.  Who knows?  She has always talked about foot pain and switched out shoes to find a more comfortable pair, but I brushed that off as a hereditary problem.  Jess has had surgery on her feet, that’s how terrible they were.  She still has problems.
    It went down like this.

The Changes...They Are Beginning

Written on 5-15-15.

    I chose to stop writing that night in exchange for sleep.  It was a wise choice.
    Well, it’s now the Friday I wrote about from before, the one where James would be flying off to New Zealand.  Danielle, Belinda and I are on our way home (we are just outside of Bloomfield now) after dropping him off at the airport.  Belinda just announced that he has landed at LAX. He is using some of the cash the Edgertons gave him to buy a drink, and then he’ll wait until 10:30 to catch his next flight to Australia. 
    Danielle has already interviewed for, and received, the job as crew leader for the YCC, so everything is lining up nicely for the summer.  I need to get the dates set for my golf clinics and my technology trainings in Santa Fe this weekend.  Before summer arrives, though, we have to finalize things at school for our last year…ever.  We have our retirement parties this Monday, but for some odd reason they have been scheduled at the exact same time.  I don’t know who planned that, but it’s really poor planning.  Did they not think we would want to attend each others' parties?  I am going to leave mine for the first half hour or so to go to Belinda’s.  Good grief!
    In some discouraging news, Reilly had a collapsed lung on Thursday.  He and Diane went to Denver right away.  Bruce followed and went there today.  C.J. said the lung is inflated again, but I am concerned.

Three Prepare to Fly From the Nest Again, But One Will Stay

Written on 5-11-15.

    It’s really rare to write on a Monday night, but I chose not to work out, so to help my guilt I am writing instead.  Shame on me, but at least I’m getting something done. 
    Our children are home!  Sadly, it’s only for this week.  On Thursday night, we are all driving to Albuquerque to spend the night and then James flies to New Zealand on Friday.  It’s approximately a 24-hour flight.  He’ll fly to LAX first, and then on to Australia.  After that, it’s one last leg to New Zealand.  What he will be doing is studying abroad.  Not studying a broad, but studying abroad.  I forgot who originally said that, but it’s hilarious.  Knowing James, he’ll be doing both anyway.  He got an internship at...

I Will Be an Official First Tee Golf Coach Soon

Written on 4-23-15.

    I am on United Airlines Flight 1701 to Dulles.  Bev is sitting right next to me, and she is sandwiched between Belinda and me.  She is also eating a sandwich from the Sara Lee Sandwich Shop, a late lunch she snagged just before getting on board.  Mom and Dad are about a 30-yard pitch ahead of us in First Class.  A little bit ago, I saw the stewardess handing out warm, moist wash cloths.  Ah, the benefits of experience and age.  We are all on our way to Virginia for ShyShay’s First Holy Communion. 
    Belinda and I will be flying this way again at the beginning of June.  I have my first First Tee training in Baltimore, Maryland June 3rd through the 6th, but we will be staying at Guy and Annmarie’s through the 9th.  Belinda is tagging along, and that will be the first of many adventures we will be enjoying in the future. 
    We had another match play competition the last time I played.  C.J. and I took on Bruce and Reilly again, and it was...

I Happily Write as Jordan Wins the Masters

More from 4-11-15 and 4-12-15...

    This is grand.  I am watching The Masters with my Google Chromecast casting, and I am typing away here at the same time.  C.J., Bruce, Reilly and I played eighteen this morning.  C.J. and I got whooped again 5 and 4, but it was still great fun to be out on an overcast, but warm April Saturday afternoon.  I just posted one of my Masters posts from my blog to Facebook, the one where I wrote about seeing Tiger live for the first time with my brother Guy three years ago. 
   
    *Jordan Spieth is running away with...

300th Post! Four Spring Birdies!

    I also played golf, lots of golf during the break.  I am happy to report that the birdie count continues as I earned four birdies, three of them coming in one nine hole round with Brad  (not his real name), the manager of Aztec’s Durango Joe’s Coffee.  This is what happened…

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #13-Birdie #2 of 2015

    I didn’t know what this guy was doing.  He had just played hole #11, so I thought he would continue on to #12.  I warmed up a bit on the practice green, so that’s why I saw what he was doing.  Then he drove his cart up to #10.  I walked up to #10, and he was sitting there in his cart waiting.  He said...

A Lazy Sunday After a Productive Spring Break

    It's Easter Sunday today, but I am posting last Sunday's musings.  Happy Easter!  I am less of a slug this time.  I am working on my lesson plans while watching the Houston Open.  One of my favorite players, J.B. Holmes, is in the clubhouse with the lead.  We'll see if his score of -16 holds.  He scored his lowest closing round ever today with a 64!  Wow!

Written on 3-29-15.

    I am a slug on a Sunday afternoon.  I just finished watching the Texas Valero Open after attending Palm Sunday mass.  Jimmy Walker cruised to a boring victory over Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel.  It was not exciting to watch, but I am sure it was a thrill for him; this being his 5th PGA Tour victory.  Things are really coming together for him after nine years of grinding and practicing, many of those years on the web.com tour.   
    I did at least write my class’s newsletter Swope Says… for the upcoming week while I watched.  I am slug-like due to the fact that it’s been a very productive, active, yet fun spring break, the final spring break of our careers.  To continue this slovenly behavior, I am going to sit and write some more.
    For spring break, we got...

The Rest of the Match with Bruce's Ace and My First Birdie of the Year

    In golf, I wanted to get the rest of that round that we played at the “new” Aztec Municipal Golf Course at Hidden Valley in here.  That was the round Bruce earned his first ace on hole #2.  I am still thrilled about that.  Still basking in the glow of it all.  So happy for Bruce.  It’s just so cool.  He did it!  And, we were all there to witness it.
    C.J. and I were taking on the father/son team again in match play.  We were getting spanked.  With Bruce’s hole-in-one and a round of even par on the front nine, we were down five holes.  It was brutal.  Great for Bruce and Reilly, but C.J. and I couldn’t get anything going.  I was...

Go, Belinda, Go!

Written on 3-21-15.

    I am alone at the cabin home.  Well, not completely alone.  I have the fireplace going.  I have my cup of coffee with a bit of milk and sugar.  *It’s a free day.  I have our laptop.  Music is playing on my “old” iPod as I type away here.  The TV that Eric bought is showing beautiful scenery on a channel that is more like a screensaver.  I think it’s called EscapeTV?  I will watch for the name (I just saw the name; it’s called escapestv, and it can be found at escapestv.com).  Compared to my view out the windows here, however, it looks so small and insignificant, even though it has gorgeous  moving pictures of incredible scenery.  Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby.
    Time to breathe in.  Breathe out again.  Relax, Pat.  You are on spring break in the final year of your teaching career.  Life is good, as usual.  Thank God.
    Belinda is at a training at Mesa Verde, and that is...

"New Course," Pi Day, and Bruce Gets and Ace!

Written on 3-14-15.

    It’s Pi Day, the really rare Pi Day that only comes around every 100 years.  It makes sense then that this day, this Pi Day, Bruce earned his first official hole-in-one ever!  We (our regular foursome) all met today to play 18 holes at the “new” Aztec Municipal Golf Course at Hidden Valley.
    The good news abounds.  First, it’s official that the city of Aztec has taken over our local golf course.  Thank you, Josh Ray and the city for doing this.  I bought my membership right away when I went to the course, and as a teacher I got the government employee discount, more than half of what I paid before when it was owned privately.  Because we walk, I’ll be saving even more money. 
    As C.J. and I were putting and waiting for the Dingwalls, I knew in my heart that it was the same old course, but it felt different and new.  Maybe it was the...

What Was Lost is Now Found

    We visited our children last weekend.  It was a mind-numbing, fast trip, but it was soooo worth it.  We celebrated Kyle's birthday, which is actually tomorrow.  We also participated in a largely attended breakfast/brunch at Taos.  I remember having seven circular tables pulled together and B just told me A counted 24 people in all.  We did some shopping, and we got to meet many of the members of James's fraternity.  We were thankful to stay at Debbie's; she's always a wonderful host and we feel right at home when staying there.  This weekend, Belinda and I will be working on report cards and relaxing at home.
    In golf news, I found the lost official birdie and eagle count that I had worked so hard on before the laptop fell victim to that awful rainstorm.  In order to keep it safe-r, I am copying it here on my blog.  I had included the first part of it in an earlier post, but what follows is the most up-to-date version.  Phew!  Here it is:  

1999 (3 Birdies Total, All Par 3s)

#1-Hole 7-Par 3-Civitan-After Scoring Two Nines on This Hole in Other Rounds
#2-Hole 4-Par 3-Pinon-To 2 or 3 Feet
#3-Hole 3-Par 3-Civitan-With 50-Year Old Chuck (it was his birthday)

2000 (7 Birdies Total, 1 Par 4, 6 Par 3s)

Data Recovered. Now What?

Written on 2-27-15
   
    Belinda just got on the treadmill.  Wow!  It’s late for her to be working out, around 6:13.  I am so impressed and proud.  We are starting a new 12 week BFL/workout cycle, so this is the first week we have stopped eating like idiots throughout the week and have worked out each day, too.  For me, it was Lent that got me going again.  That and the fact that since we are heading towards retirement, we are setting the stage for our new life.
    In other news, we received our recovered data from the soaked laptop in the mail yesterday on a 500 GB external hard drive.  I copied the folder that had all of our old data from that drive over to this new laptop, and now I’m stuck.  What do I do now?  I really should go through all of it and throw away what is not important or useful anymore.  What do I do after that, though?  How should I back up our important stuff from here on out to ensure that nothing like that ever happens again?  I really don’t want to pay for extra iCloud storage.  I also don’t want to think or worry about our information being backed up either.  So, I want it to be free and automatic.       There has to be a way.  Going through all that old stuff will take hours and hours and hours.  If I wasn’t teaching, I would do it this weekend, but I have hours and hours and hours of work to do for school this weekend, especially because we are between months.  In my classroom, that means moving the desks, changing calendars, and putting out new books.  It also means getting ready for report card assessments, and I always have my lesson plans and my newsletter to complete.  A teacher’s work is never done.  Although this year, Belinda’s and my teacher work really will be done.  Whoa!

We Stay Home and New HV Membership Fees

2-27-15   

    Belinda and I are home on a Friday night.  The plan was to leave for Las Cruces right after school today, but with major snowstorms statewide, we chose to stay safely at home.  We are sad, of course, because we won’t get to see our children, but we are thinking we will go next weekend instead.  The Edgertons are going next weekend, so we can have all eight of us together again, and that will be fun! 
    We always joke that our bedtime on a Friday is around 8:40, especially after a week at school.  Today was a snowy day, and despite over 100 school closings or delays across the state of New Mexico, we still had school in li’l ol’ Aztec.  Actually, it was a beautiful day and not so bad at school at all.  I think I might stay up until 9:00 (wink, wink).  I felt a real sense of joy and peace giving the spelling practice we did today while looking out our southern-facing window.  The trees were dusted/coated with snow, and the numerous flakes that were coming down were like tiny white feathers.  Gorgeous.
    In golf news, I spoke with Josh, city manager here in Aztec, yesterday after school.  He was at the golf course.  The phone number has remained the same with this takeover.  He had just played nine holes, and he said he was seven under.  I said, “Seven under?”
    He said it again, so I repeated my question, and then he realized what he was saying.  I told him he should be playing professional golf if he was seven under.  He really was seven over.  Anyway, I asked about memberships, and I was thrilled to discover that I will get a government employee discount.  I will only need to pay $250 for my membership!  That is a fantastic deal, and it’s less than half of what I was paying before. 
    Not everyone is as thrilled about it as I am, though.  C.J. is miffed, and I can’t blame him.  Josh justifies it by saying that other golf courses offer similar discounts to entice people to play, and it is true that recreational golf is in a steady decline.

Live Life to the Fullest; Be Impactful

    Pricela joined me at mass for Ash Wednesday, and it was great to have someone come along.  It was packed!  She and I helped bring over folding chairs from the parish hall, and we lined the center aisle with chairs all along the right side.  People were sitting on the sides, too, and we even had some sitting up on the altar. For Ash Wednesday to not be a holy day of obligation, I am always amazed at how many feel “obligated” to attend.  I believe it’s because all are welcome and all are allowed to receive ashes.  It was a beautiful ceremony, and I learned some more about Pricela.
    She had two close friends die well before their time, both in car accidents, and their deaths have had a huge impact on her life.  They lived life to the fullest, she said, and she wanted her life to be as impactful as theirs were, even though they lived a short time (they died in their twenties). 
    As I write this, I am thinking this was a message for both of us.  For me, I learned again from Pricela’s story and experience that life is precious.  Nobody knows when death will come, so make the most of life.  For Pricela, she had the ashes spread across her forehead, and she heard, “Remember that you come from ashes, and to ashes you shall return.”  It’s not that we needed to hear these messages, but it reaffirmed what we are both doing now, with my being a teacher and she a participant with Up With People.

We Put Up Some Up With People People

Written on 2-21-15.

    We are up at the cabin home. Surprise!  I say surprise because I am writing, and this is one of the few places where I make the time to write.  The reason for this trip is the Up With People program.  Let me explain. 
    Belinda saw an e-mail a few weeks ago asking for families to host participants in their homes.  We thought it was a fantastic idea, so we turned in the proper paperwork.  Fast forward to today, and we are currently hosting Pricela (pronounced Priscilla) from Tucson, and Sally from Belgium.  We have one day called Host Day, today, where we can take our ladies wherever and do whatever, so the cabin home was the perfect ticket.  I just finished serving up eggs and veggies, and they are contentedly eating. 
    Pricela is 26 years old.  Sally is 19.  Pricela is thoughtful and passionate, wise beyond her years.  Sally is exuberant and bright, a funny storyteller with a fantastic, slight Flemish accent.  They are both extremely polite, helpful, hardworking, and just plain fun to hang with.  We are honored to have them visiting with us, and we are happy to offer our home since we are empty nesting now.
    In order to meet them for the first time at San Juan College, the program set up “fairy tale codes.”  Our code was “the golden goose,” so Belinda and I bought two pastel yellow craft eggs from Hobby Lobby to help them find us.  On one egg, we wrote, “Welcome to our empty nest.”  On the other, we wrote, “Welcome li’l gosling.”  They found us immediately, and after hugs and introductions, we were on our way.
    Honestly, we haven’t gotten to see them much.  I make eggs and grilled veggies for them every morning before 7:00.  Sally comes out earlier and eats the eggs, but not the veggies.  Pricela comes out later, makes some coffee and moves really quickly, but she barely makes it out the door on time juggling all of her stuff in hand.  I am impressed with how rapidly she can eat her breakfast, make a coffee, clean up, and be on her way, but I have always been a slow mover in the mornings, so I am easily impressed with something like that.  Belinda takes them over to Ginny Jones’s house, and then we don’t see them again until dinnertime.  One night, they were asked to stay until 8:00 or 8:30, so we didn’t see them until 9:00. Another night, Belinda took them to Navajo Prep for a cultural type fair, so they did not get home until later.  We are staying up later than we normally would visiting, but it’s sooooo worth it.  It’s as if we have literally invited the world into our home, albeit a small part of our world, and it has brightened our lives.  Hopefully, we have brightened their lives as well.

City of Aztec Considers Leasing Hidden Valley Golf Course

     I really want to end this month with four posts, so I am adding this extra one.  I should be going to sleep as I am leaving for Las Vegas, NM tomorrow at 3:00 with my teacher buddies for part 2 of a Reads to Lead training.  And, that is right during the Superbowl celebration.  Good thing the Broncos aren't playing in it again this year.  
     It's important I get this in here, though. Below is the info leading up to the meeting about our city's possible lease of our beloved Hidden Valley Golf Course. 
     I will start with the e-mail that C.J. forwarded to me telling of the meeting.

From: cj spence 
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2015 1:10 PM
To: Swope, Patrick
Subject: golf course

Pat, this from Josh Ray this morning!

Good afternoon Mr. Spence.

I wanted to let you know that the City has made...

Happy Birthday to Me!

     Two days ago, I turned 48 years old.  Two days and twenty-five years ago, I started my teaching career.  Looking back, that was one of the best ways to start a career---happy birthday, here's a job that will be incredible and fulfilling, a journey for the ages.  At times, though, it has been equally as frustrating.  Rewarding for certain, but a time sucker if there ever was one.  I just spent another three hours in my classroom this morning (a typical amount of time spent each weekend), and that was after hosting my final parent-teacher conferences.  Conferences were preceded by a celebration of the 100th Day of School and my birthday celebration was tacked onto that.  A very generous parent and her daughter brought cake and punch for the class for my birthday that morning when I arrived at my door.  I love my job!  All the frustrations and time spent preparing on the weekends are worth it.  They are far outweighed by watching my students learn and grow.  Oh, and the free sugar.
     Today, Eric, Amanda, Belinda and I had dinner in Durango to celebrate our birthdays.  Eric just had his 49th birthday on the 26th, and the twins had their birthday on December 22nd.  It's an annual tradition that the four of us have held to go out for at least one birthday dinner, and sometimes we've gone out for two.  Eric plans on returning to golf, I hope, now that he has had his shoulder surgery.  I am also hoping that it all works out with the city of Aztec leasing the golf course.  We had a fabulous time together at Cuckoo's, one of Eric's and my favorite places to go after we used to go play golf at Hillcrest.  Hopefully we will go play there again as well.
     In other news, our family's favorite show, Parenthood, ended with the season's finale on Thursday.  We love that show, so it's very sad to all of us that it's now officially over.  We talked about it at dinner tonight, too, and I said that that show was one of the best contemporary television shows ever.  Goodbye, Parenthood.  You will be missed.  Catch you again when your reruns end up on Netflix.  That's it for this month.  I only posted three times, so I hope February, although shorter, will have my usual four posts.  
    

Now Wait Just a Minute

1-27-15

    I left right after school today to early vote on the Bond election for San Juan College, and who did I see but Mike Stark, my first ever golf instructor.  He is working for the county now, so we bumped into each other, and it was great to see him and get caught up with each other.  He’s doing very well.
    The more things change, the more they stay the same.  When we parted ways, I told him I was headed to the meeting at City Hall about the possibility of the city of Aztec taking over Hidden Valley and making it a municipal course.  Here we were some 15 or so years later, and we are still talking about golf, but in a different context this time.
    The meeting went very well, and things look hopeful.  Our city manager had done his homework, and he presented a budget proposal that was well thought out.  The emphasis was on what a great opportunity this was, and that the risk was minimal.  They are considering a two-year lease and if things don’t go well in the first year, they can let it go and get out of it.  Hopefully, though, that won’t happen.
    Having a golf course is good for our city and super for business.  It’s great for the children in this area who can participate in the First Tee program, and it’s wonderful for our high school students who can play competitively on the golf team.  It’s also beneficial for marketing Aztec as a place where people can come and play, and one of the things they can play is…golf.  It’s great for events, too.  We can use tournaments as fundraisers for a variety of causes, and people can rent it for other venues as well, such as weddings.  If all goes as planned, the golf course would reopen by February 15th.  It looks like love will be in the air soon after Valentine’s Day, the love of golf in Aztec again.

Hello, 2015! A Year of HUGE Changes

1-22-15

    Welcome to another year and another journal.  Belinda and I are on the cusp of new adventures, and I know that writing, especially writing in this journal will continue to be a part of it all.  She and I are retiring from public education after a combined 50+ years.  This is it.  The end is nigh.  Changes are coming, HUGE changes, and it’s a very exciting, yet stressful time. 
    So, what’s up with the golf now?  First, Hidden Valley is officially closed.  Bruce said in an e-mail they have boarded up the windows.  It’s done.  Over.  Might it start up again under new owners and new management?  Maybe.  Could it be completely redesigned and have lots for sale for home sites?  Possibly.  Will the city take it over?  There’s a chance.  Until any of those possibilities happen (or not), life and golf continue. 
    I saw the stark differences of not having our own home course anymore when C.J. and I played nine holes at Pinon Hills this past weekend on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.      First, I had to call ahead to get a tee time.  Second, I didn’t get the time I had hoped.  We wanted to play close to 11:00, and the earliest tee time was at 11:40.  Third, I chose to go pick up C.J. because his house is on the way to Pinon Hills.  No big deal; I certainly don’t mind.  Fourth, it takes longer (of course) to get there, about fifteen minutes longer.  I left my home at around ten ’til 11:00, and after a completely uninterrupted nine holes on the back nine (thanks to Dana who was working the pro shop), was back home close to 2:00.  I know that a full eighteen hole round would be easily a full five hour event, and that is if it’s not crowded.  If we were to play eighteen holes at Hidden Valley, it could be done in four hours, or maybe a bit more than that.  One of the nicest things about Hidden Valley, and one of the things I will miss the most is that it was close. 
    Next time I write, I’ll talk about the round with C.J., the first round of 2015.

Until next time…