Rough Riviera Maya Golf Course

Written on 7-27-18.

     I am sitting in a cabana at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, and this is our last full day here.  I am hot and sweaty.  It’s been muy caliente and humid every single day here, and that humidity really adds to the heat, making 87º feel more like 95º.  

     I am not complaining.  We are in paradise here, and reality is going to hit hard when we head back home tomorrow.  I have my Time to Teach training at SAMS Academy on Monday afternoon.  Eric and Amanda are staying another day, because we missed a day in the beginning due to mechanical problems on a United flight.

     Gotta go!  Off to play at the Hard Rock Riviera May Golf Course.  Will write about that later.

Written on 7-28-18.

     Time flies, and so does the plane that B and I are on right now.  We are headed back home.  Yesterday’s golf round went very quickly, too, and it was marked with a few great holes, plenty of lousy holes and lost golf balls, and some interesting native animals, too.  The course was gorgeous, lush, green, and wild.  Eric chose the skins game, and that was appropriate; I was happy he did not choose stroke play, because he and I both had some blow-up holes.  Any wayward golf ball was...

How We Took 3rd Place at the Robbie Ward Memorial Tournament

Also written on 7-22-18.

     Yesterday was the big Robbie Ward Tournament, and I assembled a great team.  Bruce, C.J., and Mike were my playing partners, and because we did so well, I’m going to do another hole by hole breakdown.  

Hole #16-I lost a ball right away when I attempted to drive the green.  We used a shot that went onto the fairway right at 100 yards away.  Our second best shot ended up on the fuzzy collar on the front side, and my putt from there hit the hole (our last attempt), but it was a tad too hard, so it popped out on the other side.  We got a par.

Hole #17-The hole was on the back side, so we were fortunate to get a par after hitting the front of the green and making a long comeback putt for our par; Bruce made that one.  Still even after two.

Hole #18-We used Mike’s drive instead of Bruce’s.  Bruce’s was closer, but we had a tall cottonwood blocking that second shot, so we chose Mike’s instead.  My 5-iron put our ball on the right side of the green and on the collar.  Everyone’s putt over the hill on the green, except Mike’s, rolled way too far beyond the hole.  Bruce made the birdie putt from the right side of the hole, the one that stayed on the green.  We were under par for the first time.

Hole #1-Bruce’s tee shot put us...

Cancun is Coming, Special Olympics, and a Return to Civitan

Written on 7-22-18.

     It’s nearly noon on a Sunday, and Francesco Molinari has just won another tournament, but this is a big one, if not the biggest one.  He just won The Open at Carnoustie with a bogey-free 69, ending his four days there at nine under.  Tiger was his playing partner for the day, but he ended up falling short at five under for the tournament.  Doesn’t he know that if I pick him to win, he’s supposed to win?  I chose to go to church early at Holy Trinity in order to catch the last two hours, and I’m glad I did.

     I’ve got the rest of the day to write, relax, and pack now.  We leave for Cancun tomorrow!  The First Tee is done for the summer.  I have two Time to Teach trainings coming up, one on the Monday immediately after we return, but for the most part, I feel I can take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy this vacation.  

     I’ve played tons of golf recently.  We played on Wednesday at Hillcrest, of course, and then I played Friday and yesterday, also.  It’s been great, and I still have more...

Hillcrest Round Breakdown

Written on 7-19-18.

     It’s a Thursday evening, and I have just enjoyed a day off.  I am finished with The First Tee for this summer; yesterday was the final day.  We held a tournament for the players to practice what they had learned in a culminating, competitive activity.  They played nine holes, each hole averaging close to 25 yards away.  A wonderful time was had by all, and it was a successful exclamation point to the end of our summer sessions.

     Tomorrow, I go to Riverview to help out one final time with the Special Olympics group.  It’s time for their area games, and I look forward to going and helping again.  I love those kids.  I enjoy it so much, I would do it for free.  Oh, wait a minute.  I already do it for free.  

     I said I had a day off, but I did get some stuff done for Time to Teach, and Belinda and I also finished some important things to get ready for our upcoming trip to Cancun on the 23rd.  I’ll have another new training coming up next month, and it will be the first one I’ve ever had outside of my home state of New Mexico.  I’m going to Carver Elementary in Colorado Springs on August 18th.  I’ll be training at my nephew Daryl’s wife’s school, and I am super excited about it!

On to golf…

     We had our annual summer round of golf at Hillcrest yesterday afternoon, but it wasn’t just Eric and me this time.  Bruce and C.J. came to play, too, and we also had all of our ladies meet us at Cuckoo’s downtown for dinner when the round was over.  After the last session with The First Tee in the morning, it ended up being a long day, but it was also a fabulous day, so I am happy it was so long.  While we played, we got...