Did I Win or Did I Lose Now?

Written on 8-15-18.

     It’s a Wednesday evening here at home, and Belinda is at TRX.  Good job, Belinda!  Those workouts feel like two workouts in one.  She and I have been working out consistently; it’s just the eating that hasn’t been perfect.  We’ve done intermittent fasting, but for a while there, it was either fasting…or fast food.  Not a good combination, I’m certain.  Fasting is good.  Fast food is bad.  I am learning that it’s not what I eat, however, that is so important.  It’s more when I eat.  By not eating anything until noon every day, and not eating dinners at all, or eating a light dinner earlier than usual, I’ve lost weight.  I was down to 212.8 yesterday.  Presenting at Carver Elementary for Time to Teach with this lighter weight will feel great this Saturday.

On to golf…

     Bruce, C.J., and I played on Monday.  I invited Don, and he accepted, but then he dropped out at the last minute due to back problems.  Bummer.  We forced Bruce to choose the game, because he hasn’t played in a while, and he picked the points game.

     By the end of the front nine, Bruce was leading 41 to 26 to 10.  I had the 26, and I had earned 12 points on #3 after doing everything right.  I hit the fairway for one point, the green in regulation for two points, and I got the par and the win for holes #2 and #3 after Bruce and I pushed the points from #2 with two pars.  I got eight more points on #9 when I got the green, a par, and another win.  Then things really got heated up on the back nine.

     Bruce and I pushed the points from #10 to #11 with two pars again.  Then we both got birdies on #11.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #11-Birdie #33 of 2018             

     That’s two times this year I’ve driven this green.  The last time, I barely missed my slippery downhill eagle putt from seven feet away.  This time, I had to...

Anywhere But There or Special Olympics Guilt

Written on 8-11-18.

     We are close to halfway through August already?  That’s cuckoo.  Belinda and I just drove back from Durango, and we are sitting in the Edgerton’s living room.  No, change that.  I just moved outside to get some fresh air.  It’s just beginning to get cool enough here to be outside, and the shady spots are very comfortable.  I’m sitting in the same kind of chair the kids bought for Belinda for Mother’s Day years ago, but this one belongs to Amanda, of course.  B is about to join me.  It’s just too beautiful to be inside right now.

     We drove to Durango in two vehicles, our new truck and Peggy.  We returned Peggy to Danielle, because Eric let her borrow his Land Cruiser to show off to her firefighting friends for a couple of weeks. It worked; they were impressed, especially her buddy, Scott.  He even asked Danielle to drive him to Walmart in the thing.  She could not get the door shut one time, though, despite slamming it and messing with the handle and the locking mechanism, so she drove home while holding the door shut.  Not an easy feat considering it’s a standard.  When she got back, Scott closed it in minutes.  She left the Land Cruiser with Eric at their family reunion at the O-Bar-O today.  Kyle or Matt can drive it home tomorrow, and this way Eric can have some fun with it while they are there, too.  It all worked out.

     We got very little time with Danielle, but we were grateful for every moment.  She met us at...

C.J.'s and My Pay-Per-View Match for 11 Million

Written on 8-7-18.

     C.J. and I played today, but Bruce could not, and I am guessing it’s because he is back to work as a technology contractor for Mosaic Academy.  We missed him.  I hope his new job doesn’t cut into his golf too much, but I am happy that he is working and helping out at Diane’s school.

     The golf was fabulous today.  C.J. and I became embroiled in a tremendous match, and it came down to the last hole.  It’s always better if it comes down to the last hole.  He came up with the idea for a game this time, and he chose skins.  Because Tiger and Phil will be taking each other on in a promotional match for 11 million, we decided to do something like that.  Each hole was worth half a million, and we chose to make the final hole worth two million to have it all equal the 11 million.  I earned three birdies during this round, and here’s how it all happened…

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #8-Birdie #29 of 2018             

     C.J. was kicking my tail.  I joked about how Belinda and I had smelled a skunk last night after we went to bed (true story), and that I certainly didn’t want to smell another skunk today, especially during this match.  He didn’t quite get it at first, but then it did click in.  I know C.J. is experiencing hearing loss (Bruce and I have both witnessed it before), and today he told me he is going to Albuquerque this Thursday for an appointment.  I hope it helps, but he also said he would not wear hearing aids on the golf course.  Hmmmm.

     At the end of the front nine, C.J. had earned all of the money except for the money for this hole, so this birdie gave me my first win, and I avoided that stinky skunk.  Phew. 

     I used my driver, of course, and it was another good one.  My golf ball, another gently used Titleist ProV1X, landed on the fairway and only 135 yards away.  My 9-iron got pulled for the approach, and then I pulled my shot way left, even though the hole was...

Six Birdies!

Written on 8-3-18.

     It’s a Friday afternoon, and Danielle left a couple of hours ago after a surprise visit.  It was wonderful to see her, of course, but it tugs at our heartstrings.  We joke that we (Belinda and I) are the “needy girlfriend.”  

     Do you need to go?  You can’t talk anymore?  Oh, okay.  Can you call us later?  Maybe?  Oh, okay.  Love you.  Bye.  Are you only staying until 2:00.  Oh, okay.  Can I get you anything while you’re here?  Lunch?  A coffee?  Do your laundry maybe?  Oh, okay.  Is it time for you to go already?  Oh, okay.  Thank you for coming.  Okay.  Bye.  Love you.

     Truthfully and non-sarcastically, we couldn’t be more proud.  While she was here, Eric showed her a couple of trees that he wants cut down at Craig and Dorrie’s.  Then she saw his chainsaw and knew the number.  Then she started it with some very strong, super fast, and incredibly efficient pulls of the cord.  It was something to behold.  She’s obviously more of an expert with chainsaws now.  

Also, she will be living with us starting mid-October when she’s done in Pagosa Springs.  The “needy girlfriend” will have plenty of time to be with Danielle then.  Or, more than likely, it will be ultimately up to Danielle.

On to golf…

     I have six, yes six, birdies to recount.  I earned two when...