Thanksgiving Walk and One Final Birdie for 2021

Written on 11-27-21.

        Let me see.  Who came with us on our walk this morning?  Two-legged: Belinda, Amanda, Kyle, James, Casey, Danielle, Brian (aka Yip), Cynthia, Luke, and me.  Four-legged: Kody, Pawz, Apollo, Moose, Yenta (sp?), Misty, and a timid, gray cat in a backpack that has a window orb thing for viewing the outside world.  The cat is named…well, I just learned it has changed names five times.  Only Cynthia and Luke really know.

Everybody except Kyle leaves in about an hour, and it has been a wonderful, relaxing, delicious Thanksgiving.  We pulled it off again, and the turkey was delicious and free after buy $150.00 in groceries at Safeway.  It was just under 24 lbs., and it cooked for 5.5 hours.  Yummy!  *Update: Danielle chose to stay until Monday.

On to golf…

I want to recount the most recent birdie from my round at Pinon Hills.  I picked up Herman, because he didn’t have a ride, so I was able to see where he lives for the first time.  Their home is near San Juan College, and I know the neighborhood, but I had never seen that part of it.  An older, maroon truck that belongs to his son was...

Am I Really Clark Griswold?

Written on 11-26-21.

        I said I would write about that nine hole round with Sam and Chelsea (not their real names) later, and it’s later now.  It was miserable and fun, I had said.  It was miserable, because they didn’t have a clue.  It was her first time, and he said he had played before, but his brother knew a lot more about the sport and played better than him.  It showed.

        When we met up by the tees on #1, the starter (Greg?) introduced me as Mr. Griswold.  He knew he had gotten my name wrong as soon as he had said it, but I helped him out and explained my name was really Patrick Swope.  I told them why he called me that, and it was because of our volleyball days when our co-ed team was called the Griswolds.  I told them about the station wagon, the movies, and how I was the character Clark.  We all laughed.  Greg blushed and apologized a couple of times.  

I remember Greg barely from tournaments in Farmington so many years ago, and he mentioned the ladies he played with, and their names sounded familiar, also.

It was also miserable, because I was giving tips to her when he should have been the one helping her.  I asked them both if I should keep offering advice, and they both loved that idea, so I gave tips here and there, mostly about etiquette (like how to mark a golf ball on a green) and simple goals such as getting it on the fairway and teeing it up when they were on the teeing grounds.

By the last hole, the miserable factor amped up due to their drinking, which also added to their already slower pace.  I saw her drinking what looked like whiskey on #8, and she was whiffing and chunking over and over and over again on #9.  It took a loooooong time to play that final hole, and I was ready to go home by then.  I was happy to say goodbye after nine holes.

It was fun, however, too.  It was fun, because they had some successes, and they both got so excited when they did.  It was fun to be a teacher and to just be mellow.  I knew I was only going to play nine holes with them, so I really didn’t mind helping.  They were very appreciative, and they said ‘thank you’ about as often as they had bad swings.  I really enjoyed their company, too.

I had also written above that I had tried something new that round, and I believe it was using only my odd irons.  I saw a YouTube video with the “golf sidekick,” and he recommended taking only clubs that would be my 100, 125, 150, and 175 yard clubs, so I took my Gap, 9-, 7-, and 5-irons.  I left my driver at home, and I used my 3-wood for the majority of my tee shots.  

This was his from his “Breaking 90” video, so I focused on getting my ball on the greens in just one over regulation and two-putting everything, and I nearly did it.  I hit two greens in regulation the way I am supposed to, and I only got two double bogeys.  I double-putted one of those greens in regulation, so I missed an opportunity to save a stroke there.  It does feel like I double-putt greens where I don’t get the GIR, and then I triple-putt when I do sometimes.  Pretty aggravating.

Until next time…

I have a birdie to write about next time, but it’s late.  It’s 10:40 now, so I should go to sleep.  Good night.

Birdie, Not a Birdie

Written on 11-14-21.

        I made another birdie later at hole #5, but I am not counting it.  My tee shot was scuffed a bit, so it didn’t get to the fairway, or even to a spot where we could see it.  This was from an elevated teeing ground.  When Greg and I searched for it, we couldn’t find it, and it could have been because of all the leaves.  It might have also been because my ball didn’t make it to the leaves and had gotten stuck on the hill and the rough terrain.  I dropped on the taller grass about 147 yards away, and I took my swing.  It landed on the green.  I made that putt from about thirty feet, and Greg made his, too, from about thirty-five feet for an actual birdie.  That was the only birdie he earned on the round.  So, if I play the “leaf rule,” I made a birdie, too.  If I play it tee shot-one, back on the tee-two, second tee shot-three, approach-four, long putt-five, I would give myself an “illegal” bogey.  That’s one of the discrepancies in my scores.

Written on 11-23-21.

I am relaxing in bed on a Tuesday night, the night before B’s and my 31st wedding anniversary.  B had dinner tonight with her sisters and then they went hot-tubbing at Amanda’s, so I am alone.  I dropped by Julie Greenwood’s to visit for a bit and drop off some flowers and a card, but she wasn’t there.  I left them behind the screen door in her little closed-in porch.  I am struggling to not write “their” instead of “her.”  Sigh.  She left a voice message when I was on my way home after going to Farmington to thank me and to let me know why she wasn’t there.  I will call her back or stop by again at some point.

I drove to (somewhere) to grab a (something) for Belinda for her birthday next month.  I bought some flowers for her, too, when I was at Safeway.  Those are for the anniversary.  

I also stopped by Dick’s.  I looked at the standing golf bags that they had in stock, and it helped me discover what I don’t want.  I am bombarded with the variety.  I have watched videos on YouTube, and I have read the reviews of many of the bags on Amazon, but I am struggling with a choice.  I decided I wanted to get a new bag this Christmas.  My Wishon bag is getting worn, and I have had to duct tape it in more than a few places.  The zipper for the golf ball area is not lining up well either.  

I also hit a Ping G425 7-iron for the first time ever there, but it just felt strange to have such a thin grip.  They can’t put oversized grips on their demo clubs, so I am not sure how I can really see if I would like them or not.  I could pay for an iron and have them put an oversize grip on it, but then I would have to pay for it.  When we were finishing up, he switched the upright angle from +2 to standard, and I made better strikes with that, but I had warmed up by that time, too.

Canyonlands, HideOut Golf Course, and a Rare Birdie

Written on 11-14-21.

        I am sitting outside our Baker Street, and this is what I am seeing.  A juniper is blocking the sun for me, hulking rocks are enclosing our Wooden Shoe group site, and Kody is napping in a spot he recently tore up in the peach-colored dirt.

We are enjoying our last afternoon here in Canyonlands, and it was around five years ago when we were here last for a Valentine’s Day trip with the Edgertons.  On that trip, we stayed in hotels, Marriot for the Egertons and Hilton for the Swopes.  Before that, it was 27 years ago with Char, Ed, and Dale when we camped at Elephant Hills Campground.  

We just drove through it fifteen minutes ago before this “quiet time,” and I recalled staying there at the end of Loop B.  We took a hike at the Squaw Flat and Big Spring Canyon Trail, and I remembered James in a “womb with a view” (a light blue wrap you could wear around your shoulders to hold a baby) strapped around Dale, and it looked like James’s neck was breaking as he slept in his little cocoon.  Babies are made of rubber, right?  Later in the hike, it looked as if Dale was having a heart attack.  His face was sooooo red, and he was sweating sooooo much, we asked if he was okay.  He bellowed that he was fine, so we kept going.  Thankfully, he made it back that day.  

It’s been a marvelous and mellow trip this time, although Eric didn’t come.  He and Kyle are learning how to para-motor in Phoenix.  They’ve sent numerous videos of take-offs and landings, and we are all impressed with their courage.  I understand that it saps their energy quickly and tremendously, too, with all that running.  Kudos to them both for trying something new.

I have set up my little table outside our Alto (I picked it as an extra option for just such an occasion), and I just used it by writing postcards to my family.  We took a short hike this morning around Cowboy Camp with...

A Different Hillcrest Outing and the Final "Swope Green" Night of the Year

Written on 11-6-21.

        I am sitting in Baker Street, but it’s parked in its spot here at home.  We head to Canyonlands this Friday, though, so that’s exciting!  I just posted our pictures and videos from our trip to Wahweap and the North Rim on FaceBook and Shutterfly, and I am taking a break from that to get some writing in.  Once again, I am pressed for time, though.  Jessica is coming over at 5:30 to have dinner, so that leaves fifteen minutes to write.  I will quickly write what I want to cover, and then I will fill in the details later.

On to golf…

We had another “Swope Green” night this past week, most likely the last one of the year since daylight savings starts tonight.  Shawn and Eric came over.  It was great to have Shawn come for the first time and take a break from the construction of his workshop at his home.  We started at 4:00, because it has been getting darker earlier and earlier lately.

I played at Pinon Hills yesterday, and I ended up giving free golf tips to a couple.  Their names were Cheyenne and Steve, and it was both miserable and fun.  I will explain later.

During that round, I tried something new that worked for seven holes out of nine.  I will explain what I did later, too.

Herman (not his real name) and I spent a day at Hillcrest together, and it was super.  Normally, C.J. and Eric play there with me in the fall, and they asked me to set it up, but C.J. continued to have back/sciatica problems, and Eric forgot that Becca would be there on the day we played.  Thankfully, Herman decided to join me the day before with my late invite.  He played really well, as usual, and I played okay.  The putting threw us both off, because the greens were very fast, but it threw me off more…like off a cliff.  I triple-putted seven times!  If I had double-putted those, I would have scored a 90, and that is a closer score to my potential now.  They really had me baffled.

I have begun to take full swings off of my pitching mats for the putting green, and that is just an incredible and fun thing.  At anytime, I can just step outside and practice full swings.  I am sure to count the golf balls before I do, and I manage to get back over 95% of them.  I am only hitting 125-135 yard shots to the road (I watch for people that may be biking, walking, or 4-wheeling), and I have used my pitching wedge only, until today when I used my 9-iron instead.  We even incorporated full swings into a competition when Shawn and Eric came over.  Shawn won that one with a smooth shot that landed his ball closest to our makeshift target out there. 

Lake Powell National Golf Course

Continued from 10-18-21.

    Eric and I played at Lake Powell National Golf Course two days ago, and we can now say we have done it.  We talked about playing there for years.  Pretty much any time we drove by it.  I remember wanting to play there when Kelly and I were doing Spike Doctor clinics, so that’s been over twenty years ago.  We did one clinic in Page one summer, and we brought Stacey (last name) to help, since we had so many girls signed up in advance.

Eric wanted to play a different game, so we chose skins while we were driving.  He and I came early in their RV, the Compass, and the girls came later in our new Jeep towing the Safari Condo.  We decided on $10,000.00/hole, and we included the usual bonuses for $5,000.00 each.

He beat me pretty soundly.  He won six holes, and I only won two.  We pushed on the last hole, so nobody won that one, because Eric decided to switch games for the back nine.  He wanted to go back to the game we play most of the time, the 1, 2, 3 game, and I was fine with that.

We both had two blow-up holes on...

Swope Putting Green Fun and a Return to the North Rim

Written on 10-9-21.

        I am enjoying the view and the cool temperature out on our back deck.  Kody is lying down right next to me, and Belinda is waking up in our bedroom after a short nap.  James and Casey came to visit us this weekend, and it has been wonderful.  We had lunch at James Ranch, and then browsed around Honeyville for a bit after.  

On to golf…

I hosted another Wednesday night at our green this past week, and it was our largest group yet.  C.J. came for the first time, and Grant made his return.  Herman (not his real name) came for about an hour, also.  Eric had work to do with Miguel, so he didn’t come this time.  Grant and I were happy to have four players, so we could play the game we were thinking about from when we had it all to ourselves.  We thought it would be fun to have teams and have one teammate pitching and the other one putting for a competition.  It worked out that I got Herman first, and I was thrilled, because he has such a great short game.  He didn’t do too well, though.  He had a bad night.  I, however, made...

Never Forget! and Meeting a Difficult Goal at Hillcrest

Written on 9-11-21.

        I watched some of the memorial coverage on NBC this morning, and I have watched every episode except the final one of Turning Point’s series on 9/11 on Netflix.  I plan on watching the last one later today.  It’s a sad anniversary, but I want to remember what happened that day, so I can honor all of the innocent people who died.  Never forget.  

I have re-educated myself on the events of that day and the aftermath, and it’s been eye-opening.  The Turning Point series has a narrative that is saying America’s leadership took it too far when we went into Iraq to go after Saddam and the “weapons of mass destruction” that were never proven to have been there.  Hard to argue that point.

The citizens of Flight 93 who charged the terrorists have my highest respect.  They sacrificed their lives for others, and they decided that within minutes.  Wow!

On to golf…

Eric and I had fun yesterday playing at Hillcrest.  I probably had a bit more fun, because I won the game we played, but I think he enjoyed it, too.  Not the losing, of course, but the golf, the course, and the weather.  We played the...

Golf Strokes Are Possible After a Scary Stroke

Written on 9-9-21.

        It’s the day after the two-year anniversary of my stroke.  I am so happy to still be here, and, of course, I played golf yesterday.  

Belinda is up at Mancos camping with her sisters, so I am “bach-ing” here at home with Kody.  I managed to get a tee time for tomorrow at Hillcrest at 9:13, so Eric and I are going to play.  The Bishop’s Classic was completely full, so we won’t be playing, but I am hopeful for next year.  We just didn’t get our team together fast enough.

Yesterday, I ended up playing with Dave (not his real name) from church, and we played the front nine at Pinon Hills.  I think he was nervous to play with me, but I honestly didn’t pay much attention to how he was playing.  I shot a...

A Major Epiphany That is About a Half-Inch Long

Written on 9-1-21.

I am sitting at my computer desk, and I am giving my feet a soak.  B is at work, and I walked Misty and Kody earlier, but it was sprinkling when we started, so I had to put them in the garage to dry off.  They are back inside now, and they are continuing to dry off.  I look out my window, and it is coming down more steadily now.  Great to get some moisture, but not so great for walking dogs.    

I had another epiphany last night before going to sleep, so I wanted to voice it here.  What an adventure golf can be!  I went to the range yesterday, and I was working on posting around my lead leg and taking thunderous A+ divots again, and I watched the videos when I was back at home, of course.

I have been pointing my arms at the ball at address, because I have been using single plane.  I noticed on the videos that I move my head down lower at impact to make up the half-inch or inch to make those explosive divots.  

Then I remembered what Todd Graves said about conventional golf and the “one mistake,” which is hanging the hands and arms hang down at address.  At impact, a conventional golfer has to “make room” for impact to occur by raising up on their lead leg or by twisting.  What if I start my club hanging down and then not get out of the way?  Just straighten my arms more?  I have wondered how Tom Saguto is able to straighten his arms so much at impact and just let it rip.  Is it because he is not raising up at impact, because his hands are hanging down at address?  He is allowing for that half inch or inch (just a guess on the distance) by not getting out of the way as Todd talks about?

What does this mean for me?  I am betting that golfers who have used the “stack and tilt” method have already figured this out, but it’s better that I come to this discovery myself.  

It means I should experiment with standing a little closer to the ball and letting my arms hang down a little bit at address.  How much, though?  Half of an inch?  An inch?  The amount of space from the bottom of the club to the third or fourth groove?  I will need to find out.  Instead of me getting out of the way, the ground after the golf ball will be getting in the way and that will make the divot!  Skadoosh!   

Our Bishop's Classic Team and Saguto Divots

Written on 8-14-21.

        I am sitting on my “Freestyle Rocker” chair outside our Alto, and B is sitting in hers right across the table from me.  The awning is up, and Kody is lying down on the small rocks at our campsite here at North Canyon Campground next to Vallecito Lake.  We are at spot #8.  It’s 10:51 AM, and it is a gorgeous summer morning.  B goes back to work more officially next week, and I should start in September.  In the meantime, I will play as much golf as I can.  A and E are coming for lunch, and they should get here around noon.

We sent some incredible pictures of the lake and the mountains out to our families yesterday, and they replied with the spirit of two thumbs-up.  Kody got two walks this morning, a longer walk with B where he got to run free, and then a shorter walk with me through the campground and down the road a bit towards the lake.  B just brushed him, and he looks more handsome.  He looked a little haggard and muddy, especially after his longer hike with B.

On to golf…

Eric is going to ask Dan to see if he can play in the Bishop’s Classic with us.  Debbie will be the alternate if Grant can’t play due to work.  I hope Dan can play, because he can bomb it, and we might...

Impact is the Key

Written on 8-5-21.

        I am attending a Graves Golf Single Plane Workshop, and they are talking about how what they teach is a system.  Herman (not his real name) was telling me today that he is trying to keep it simple with his daughter by telling her to simply turn behind the ball and then get the club face square at impact.  I agree that keeping it simple helps with tips like that, but that is not a system.  Since I started playing in 1999, I could see with other golfers and myself that there was no system with conventional golf instruction.  So many different ways of swinging a golf club and many more ways of teaching the golf swing.  It differs from volleyball very much in that way.  

Herman agreed that there are millions of different kinds of swings, just like there are millions of different people who play golf, but Graves Golf has a system that uses the biomechanics based on Moe’s swing.  I am not trying to figure out my own swing right now.  I am doing my best to match the model, just like Shot Doctor’s Successful Six for shooting a basketball.  

About Herman’s advice to his daughter, will she...

Falcon Crest and Grand Lake

Written on 7-21-21,

        I don’t have much time to write, because we plan on going out on the town here in Boise in just a few minutes.  I will write as long as I can.  We are coming to the end of our quiet/nappy time after the girls went to the lake to paddle board and kayak, and I played golf.  I cashed in on my Father’s Day gift from Danielle and James when I played at Falcon Crest Golf Course this morning.

We spent a little more than an hour waiting for Danielle to get off of work yesterday, and then we took a mini-tour of their facility.  I even got a new hat with their logo!  I am so proud of Danielle, and what she does.  She is so courageous.  So full of grit!  

She did hurt herself a little bit on this last “roll,” however.  She has some tendonitis, but she has rested it the past few days.  Her crew would not let her put any more strain on it, and that makes me happy to know they are looking out for her.  We went out for dinner at a sports bar after she got off work, and it’s just fabulous to be here with her.

The only bummer part of this visit is that we learned that Danielle’s FB account has been hacked.  She lost all of the pictures and memories she has ever posted or been tagged with, and there really is nothing she can do about it.  She is taking it well, though.  She will just have to start a brand new account.  What else can she do?

On to golf…

I played all right.  I was paired with...

Vegan Eating Brochure and a Great Driving Session

Written on 7-17-21.

        It’s been a wonderful day.  James and his new girl, Casey, came here for one night to visit with Kyle and Becca, who are here for the Edgerton reunion.  We invaded that party earlier (I know we are always welcome there, but we don’t stay long), and it was in full swing with a corn hole tournament, golf pitching, plenty of food and drink, and the same fancy port-a-potties they used for Becca’s and Matt’s wedding celebration.

Matt is super-psyched to play with Eric at Pinon Hills on Monday.  We are going out of town to go visit Danielle and then on to Grand Lake after that.  Otherwise, I would go, too.

I got caught talking with Fred, who wanted me to take home a brochure on vegan eating.  Ellen did her best to protect me, but I was fine with it.  She told Fred, “There are other things to talk about besides plants!”  

Kyle was worried, too, but more about Pawz, because she chewed up a few of the yellow foam golf balls that Eric bought for practicing pitching.  It made me laugh when Pawz jumped into their little babbling brook and “pawed” at them when they would bob up and down in the water.  Adorable.

On to golf…

I went to the range today to work on...

I Walk 36 Holes...in July...at Pinon Hills

Written on 7-16-21.

        Well, it was another frustrating round, but, of course, I have good news.  I arrived in time to pay for the new (to me) Ping G410 Driver, and that was the highlight of the day.  Another big news item was that I walked for 36 holes in the middle of July…and I survived.  

After I played the first 18 holes with the guys, I decided to go directly to the range and try out my new toy, and it was like Christmas in July.  I only used the new driver a couple of times during the round before I decided to put it away, and that was after a huge slice on hole #7.  The best my playing partners could say was, “It really opens up over there,” but that was being nice…

I Buy a New (To Me) Ping G410 Adjustable Driver

Written on 7-11-21.

        It’s another Sunday, and B, Kody, and I are relaxing.  We have been invited to go to Trevor and Megan’s house tonight for dinner with Ben and Dixie, too.  That will be loads of fun, and I am sure we will have great food and conversation.

I am looking at getting new irons and a new driver, too (in five years more than likely).  I am watching videos on the best irons, and I see  reviews of many different kinds.  I am liking what I am hearing about the Ping G425 irons and Srixon ZX7 or ZX5.  If I am looking at being more consistent with my strikes, I would like to have clubs that are very consistent with their distances.  

I am also liking the new Ping driver, the G425.  No real reasons why, except Rick Shiels gave it a rave review when he said it was the best driver he has ever hit, or the most forgiving?  I just checked, and he said it’s the best and most forgiving in a video that has the title with the word, “straightest."  I am trying to hit it straight, so why wouldn’t I want more forgiveness…along with being the best? 

Written on 7-14-21.

Yet another cool date in numbers, and this one is counting by sevens.  It is 6:05 PM, and I am attending the Shaft Lean and Perfect Impact Plane Talk tonight.  It has just started.

I bought a new driver!  Just like that.  It’s the Ping I was talking about, but it was the model made just before the G425.  It’s the G410 Plus, and Luke just put one of my single plane grips on it today, so it will be ready for me to play with tomorrow.  It was the last one in the pro shop. 

I am playing tomorrow with Shawn, Tim, and Herman (not his real name), I think.  Tim Graves just said that the driver, speaking of drivers, has the hands ahead of the clubhead by about 5º.  Hmmmm.  I thought the head was “heading” up on the way to impact.  He is also saying that we are looking for the hands leading to create backspin which will make the golf ball fly more accurately.  Compressing the golf ball helps it to go straighter.

He is showing a drill that has a chip with the toe-up on the back swing, and it creates great shaft lean.  The elbow is folding in and up in a simple way.

He said every club except the putter and the driver are made for a downward blow.  Is he contradicting himself there?  He is also saying impact should be made on the third or fourth line on the club face, because the other lines are below, or should be below, the ground.  He is using the smaller “perfect impact” club (the little cousin of my 6-iron perfect impact club I bought), and he is saying that if you can hit that club off of tight lies really well, you have the proper shaft lean.

In his downswing, Moe was at approximately 30 MPH when his club was waist high, and it went up to 105 MPH at impact.

A New Umbrella to Beat the Heat

Written on 7-3–21.

        It is a few days after I posted what I wrote above.  I put it on Caring Bridge, My Golf Journal, and Facebook.  I have had a tremendous and overwhelming response from friends and family, especially on Facebook, and I spent over an hour responding to the kind and gracious comments.  Truly, people are mostly caring and good, and they want to see other people doing well.

On to golf…

I played 18 holes at Pinon Hills with C.J., and I did my best to continue with the success of the nine holes I played before.  I didn’t do too badly, but I really didn’t have the same feeling I had after playing the previous nine holes.  I shot an adjusted 96, and that was partly because of two blow-up holes, one on #9, and the other on #16.  That was the bummer part.  I was hoping for zero blow-up holes, but I did do many good things, too.

I ended with...

Quick Post from Lyman

Written on 6-26-21.

        This is superb.  James is right next to me on the king-sized bed in Baker Street, and we are just chillin’ after watching the end of Galaxy Quest.  Such an entertaining and amazing movie, we agreed when it was done.  Original, well-made, and with super special effects for the time.

Now, he is playing Skyward on my iPad, and B is napping in the dining area. Kody is passed out just below James.  

The Edgertons (sans Becca and Matt) left at noon today, and they headed home to get ready for their trip to Boise.  Kyle brought Pawz with him for the weekend, and she and Kody had so much fun down at the Lyman Reservoir/Lake this morning.

We had fun, too, up here at our campgrounds when Kyle and James had a competition ready for the two couples.  We had to cook a hot dog, a s’more, and a chocolate chip cookie and present them as best we could for judging in ten minutes.

Of course, we won.

Rounds with Jeff, John, and a Math Teacher

Written on 6-25-21.

        I have great news!  I played the front nine from the blues at Pinon Hills the other day, and I played closer to my potential.  I shot a 43 with two pars and seven bogeys.  I also played with Jeff Tuell at the Common Ground Golf Course in Aurora and Uncle John at Hillcrest recently, so I will write about those rounds, too.

First, I will write about my round with Uncle John.  I had a wonderful time, and it was surreal to play with Jeff…and then his father a few days later.  We ate with John and Donna at Chavolo’s Restaurant in Bayfield on our way home from Mom and Dad’s.  They got their RV all set up at the Durango Fairgrounds, and then they made the drive to Bayfield to meet us.

John asked it I wanted to play golf while he was in town, so who was I to say no?  I didn’t want to be rude, so I accepted his invitation (wink, wink).  I called the golf course just before we lost the signal between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, and they had a tee time for two at 1:20.  Perfect!  I snagged it, and then I told John at dinner.

We arrived early, because I had an...

A New Jeep, a Scary Scenario, and a Positive Round

Written on 6-15-21.

We spent our first night at Spot #5 at the Blue Lake Campground in the San Isabel National Forest last night, and we are relaxing outside now just before lunch.  Kody got two walks this morning, one with B and the other with me.  

Let me set the scene.  B is reading her iPad, and sunning her feet on her Rocker style camping chair.  Kody is watching from where he’s lying down, and he has pine needles to lie on that were left behind from trimming the trees.  I can see blue paint spots at the base of the trees around our site, and I can tell they have been trimmed around the bottom.  Was that what the blue spots were for?  

When I just took a drink of my iced coffee, I looked up past the edge of our Alto’s roof, and I saw a gorgeous, bright white cloud coming past the edge of the closed awning.  The awning is acting like a picture frame for the cloud and the sky above.  

I am sitting in my Rocker chair, and I have my feet propped up on a rock about the size of a small cooler.  Kody’s water dish is also on that rock to keep it up and off the dirt.  I can hear birds and a fly buzzing by, and our neighbors have just driven by after packing everything up.  It’s about 11:42, and I remember reading that check-out here is at 11:00.

Basically, life is...

Finally, The First Two Birdies of 2021

Written on 6-6-21.

        I am in Gallup tonight, and I am staying at the Hilton Garden Inn this time in room #418.  This will be my last visit to Twin Lakes for this school year, and it’s a bonus visit, because our contract was extended.  I go to Newcomb this Friday, and I plan on going to McCoy later this month.

B and I had a successful trip to Dallas, but we ended up taking our truck, though not by choice.  On the Friday before we left, we were driving home from the Edgerton’s, when we were cut off unexpectedly at the intersection of Main Street and the highway by a small red truck.  That truck was being driven by a Bloomfield graduate named Adam.  We know he had just graduated, because it BHS and 2021 were written all over his windows.  There was no possible way we could avoid the crash by stopping, and I couldn’t steer around it either.  It was a rough feeling knowing...

Jemez Valley Campground

Written on 5-24-21.

        Well, this is just spectacular.  We are camping in our Baker Street at the campground that I drove by many times between Jemez Springs and Jemez Valley Elementary School.  I thought, “It would be so great to camp there one day,” and here we are.

I volunteered to pick up some of the SWIVL equipment from schools that are no longer a part of our grant, so we stopped at Lybrook Elementary and Jemez Valley Elementary on our way here.  I figured we could use the CORE for a small camping trip when they offered to reimburse for mileage and meals.  I am sure they appreciate the help, though.  

We are at spot #8, and it is very near the river.  It’s a bit hot, but it will be cool and relaxing later tonight, so I am looking forward to the evening temperatures.  We are about to take Kody for an excursion before dinner, and then it will be time for our family chat.  I plan to go into Jemez Springs to get a signal, so I can talk with the family.

On to golf…

Eric got his new Callaway clubs when we practiced this past Saturday, and they are gorgeous.  I helped unwrap them in the pro shop, and it was like Christmas.  I was the younger brother who didn’t get much, but I was happy for the older brother who got what was akin to a new, sparkly bicycle.

I heard the price when he checked out at the register, and I...

Golf Pants and a Round with C.J.'s OCS Buddy

Written on 5-19-21.

        I am relaxing in Room 301 at the Hampton Inn in west Gallup tonight.  Wrath of the Titans is on HBO, and I am half-watching while I write this.  I worked at Twin Lakes today, my first day of my last visit for this month.  I go back tomorrow, and that will wrap up May for every school I serve.  I hope to get in at least one visit at each school in June, but it’s looking like that will be difficult to schedule.  I will do my best.  I have one scheduled already, Newcomb, on June 11th.

I found some golf pants at the Wal-Mart here in Gallup, of all places.  They are the Ben Hogan brand, and they are light and stretchy, just like I was looking for.  I bought two pairs that were w38, l32, and one that was w36, l30.  I wanted to see if w36 would fit better, so that is why I bought the smaller pair.  I knew the length wouldn’t work, but they are not allowing customers to use the fitting rooms to find out due to the pandemic (how many more times am I going to write “due to the pandemic?”).  The larger pairs worked well, so I hope to exchange the smaller ones for a different color in the size that works.  They only cost, and this is the best part, $19.97.  I am exchanging my Dunning pair for a w36, l32 to see if those will work.  Those are obviously of higher quality.

Written on 5-22-21.

On to even more golf…

I want to recount how our last match went.  It went...

Spending Too Much Time on the Full Swing?

Written on 5-16-21.

        B, Kody, and I drove up to Little Molas to check out possible camp sites for a future Baker Street trip, but the road was closed.  Darn it!  It is a first come-first served site there.  We did get to see Andrews Lake, though, and that was beautiful.  A bald eagle flew out over the lake to wish us farewell as we were about to drive away.  Stunning sight, so the trip was worth it right at that moment.        

        We are at the Molas Pass viewing area just above Little Molas now and having some quiet time before driving into Durango to have dinner.  The sign I spy from the driver’s seat says we are at 10,899 feet.  Wow!  The front window is like a picture frame, and it is filled with mountains that are covered with melting snow.  The evergreen trees are not all green; they have a mix of green, brown, and gray.

On to golf…

Not too enthused about golf right now.  The last few times I have played, I have scored over 50 for nine holes.  I played the back twice one night, and then I played...

Phoenix, Ajo, and Abiquiu

Written on 4-26-21.

        We had a grand trip to Phoenix and Ajo.  Kyle and I went to Western Skies Golf Club on Friday morning.  It was ten minutes from his new home.  We stopped at Dutch Bros. for iced coffees along the way.  It was fun, and I think Kyle enjoyed it.  I was happy to have some time alone with him and to practice my new swing a little bit.

His house is splendid, and I was so glad I got the chance to see it.  With the new solar panels and new windows coming soon, it is really shaping up.  We were there when he got the best estimate for replacing all of the windows from Lowe’s.  We enjoyed a treat from Creamistry, a liquid nitrogen ice cream shop in downtown Gilbert to celebrate.

We also had a swell time in Ajo with Char and Ed.  It was complete with an arroyo hike, a tour of their construction progress, excellent food, stimulating and hilarious conversations, and another final tour of Ajo just before we left.  Pawz and Kody got along swimmingly and had all cholla spines removed successfully, but not without some tremendous pain, before we left.  We had to use pliers.  

Seeing Belinda and the two dogs in the back of our truck was...