Mass Shootings, A Sign of Our Times

     Belinda and I are in a KOA Campground in Quebec City, and we are doing some laundry and some wi-fi stuff while we wait for our clothes to dry.  She just told me there was yet another shooting in Texas.  Sigh.

     We are in Quebec, because we picked up our brand new Safari Condo Alto F2114 yesterday, and we spent the first night in it just last night.  That's a bit of good news to help offset all of this tragic news.  For this last post in August, here is what I wrote at the beginning of the month.

Written on 8-4-19.

     Another day, two more mass shootings.  So sad.  This time, it’s a Wal-Mart in El Paso, Texas, and somewhere in Dayton, Ohio.  My director, Rocio, from CORE lives in El Paso, so I am truly hopeful that she’s safe.  What is happening in this world?  Why aren’t these individuals getting the love, support, and attention they need?  What will eventually reverse this dangerous trend?  Is this the new norm?  It has already struck close to home, too, right here at our Aztec High School, but that does not in any way make us feel safer.

On to golf (something to keep my mind off of these tragedies)…

     Shawn, C.J., and I played on Thursday, the first day of August, and we chose, or rather I chose, the GIR Game again.  They didn’t want to choose the game this time, so it was up to me.  GIR is always a great choice, because that’s what the game of golf and playing it really well is mostly all about.  The players who score well hit more greens than the ones who don’t. 

     Bruce has better things to do right now, according to his reply to me, but we are going to have dinner at their place tomorrow night, and we are bringing Kody, so he can have a play date with their dog, Rocky.

B/G Club Scramble Part 2

Written on 7-28-19.

Hole #15-I was the last to tee off again, but I had less pressure for this tee shot, because we had two on the fairway already.  I chose to wait, because the group ahead of us was still on the green.  After they left, though, another group was on the green on #16, so I hollered at them to let them know I was going to go for #15’s green.  They politely hid while I went for it, and I made one of the best driver swings of the day here.  My ball flew high and over the cottonwood, and Mike thought it would be either on the green or just short of it.  

     It took us a while to find it.  It wasn’t on the green, in the hole, or in one of the bunkers.  I noticed it in the weeds between the first bunker and the green, though, so we were a short chip away from the hole.  The scramble format helped, because we were able to place our golf balls and improve our lies.  Sadly, our best shot went over the green and stopped on the fringe, and I believe that was my shot.  We let Roger use a mulligan here to get it closer, but his club went under his ball and barely advanced, so we took mine instead.

     I was the first one to go, and I chose to putt it.  Amazingly, my ball hit the stick and dropped in.  We all hooted.  I had hogged all of the shots for this birdie, but I am choosing not to count it as an official birdie for this journal, because I certainly improved my lie for the shot from the weeds.  Eight under after ten holes.

Hole #16-I drove really well on #11 and #15, putting my golf balls right next to the greens and pin high for those, so I thought I might as well give it go on this hole, too, so I did.  Jeff Newland is the newest manager of the pro shop and the course after retiring from teaching this past year, and he showed up in a cart to watch us all tee off.  I went last again, and I did...

It Feels Like Summer and Our B/G Club Scramble Part 1

Written on 7-25-19.

     It feels like summer.  Zero to very little stress.  Swamp cooler on low.  Only commitment today was taking our two pets to the vet.  In just a little bit, Belinda and I are going to continue to finalize our trip to Quebec.  Oh, and lots of golf.  Golf yesterday and golf tomorrow.  Write about golf today.  Life is good.  

     Yesterday, Shawn and some guy I’d just met named Gary played at Pinon Hills.  It was dry and hot and exhausting, but we made it, and it was a tad better than when C.J. and I walked while Shawn and Davis rode this past Friday.  C.J. and I were struggling at the end of that round, moving so slowly and gasping for breath as we walked the last three holes.  Just beat.  I played better, so that was encouraging.  No birdies again, but I managed to shoot a lower score than Shawn for the first time in a long time.  He shot a 96, and I shot a 91.  My goal was to beat my 98 from that Friday round.  I did just that, but I really should have broken 90; I just had a really rough time focusing on #18, and that led to a snowman.

Written on 7-27-19.

     It’s 7:35 PM on a summery Saturday evening.  Belinda and I have already our dinner and dessert.  She’s on the back deck with her iPad, and I’m in the computer room writing this.  We washed both vehicles today, and I tried out the “new to us” car-washing “wand” that I was given when I helped Mom and Dad clean out their smaller storage shed during the 4th of July week.  It worked really well, and I know that thing will save us money on car washes.  Why pay when we can do it here at home easily and efficiently?  We plan on having a Facebook Video Chat with James in a couple of hours, so I am writing now before we take Kody for his evening walk.

On to golf…

     When Shawn and I played with that Gary guy earlier this week, Shawn asked me if I wanted to play in a scramble on Friday back at Hidden Valley.  I checked with B, and we had...

Who Is This Guy?

Written on 7-23-19.

     It’s Tuesday, and I will play at Pinon Hills again tomorrow.  I set a tee time for 8:40 AM, hoping to avoid the heat and the monsoon storms that will likely come in the afternoon.  I might be playing by myself, though.  Bruce and C.J. are working on a trellis at the Spence house, and I haven’t received a reply from Shawn yet.  

     The last time we played, Shawn suggested the three of us (Shawn, C.J., and I) take on this new Davis guy that C.J. and I had just met.  He took Eric’s place in our foursome, and that worked well, because he had just gotten the day off from working for UPS.  C.J. thought he was going to be really tough to beat, because he saw what he was doing down on the range.

     Shawn obviously knew how well this guy could play, and that’s why he said all three of us should take him on.  Davis started out with a bang!  After his approach ended up in the bunker behind the green, he splashed his ball out, and although it had too much speed on it, it clanked dead center on the flagstick and...