A New Wishon 919 THI Driver and Thanksgiving

Written on 11-8-18.

     After some searching and sampling, I finally chose to buy a “new to me” driver.  It’s the Wishon 919 THI, and it has the stiff shaft and 11 degrees of loft.  I am very happy with my choice, and it only cost me $80.00.  Don asked for $75.00, but I got an ATM withdrawal for $80.00, so that’s what I gave him. On some holes, I have already had the longest drives I’ve ever had due to it being better suited to my swing.  

     Before I get to the latest birdie (with the help of that new driver), Danielle and I ended up seeing Bohemian Rhapsody yesterday instead of my watching it alone after going to that new Durango Joe’s five days ago.  It was a thoroughly entertaining and well-acted movie, and I highly recommend it.  Rami Malek was the best part; he was amazing with his performance and likeness of Freddy Mercury.  I grew up with Queen and Freddy Mercury songs, so it was great to reminisce, too.  In many ways, it was like going to a live concert, and I enjoyed seeing the origins of many of their most popular songs, too, including Bohemian Rhapsody, of course.

On to golf…

     I played with C.J. a few days ago, and we ended up playing match play on the front nine.  We agreed that he should get a pop on every hole, and that was because he was only playing with one club, his 7-iron.  I won the first hole, because I...

Wahweap Airstream, New Durango Joe's on 20th, and Driver Shopping

Written on 10-24-18.

     I have a break here at Twin Lakes in the afternoon, so I am going to take a few minutes to catch up some more on that latest Hillcrest round.  Bruce did so well on the front nine that he alone got us to three down by hole #9.  My par, the only one on #4, got us back to just one down, but his pars on #5 and #8 regained that stronger three-up lead for their team.

     On the back, my par on #10 got us back to two down, but C.J. earned the only birdie of the entire round on the par three #12 to put us back to three down once again, and that’s how it remained until we ran out of holes on hole #16.  Before his birdie, I nearly earned a par on #12 to get us back to just one down, but instead, I ended up on the receiving end of yet another putt that lipped out due to too much speed.  I had the strongest finish in our group on the final two holes with two pars, but it didn’t matter.  The final scores were: Pat-88, Eric-105, C.J.-100, and Bruce-83.  I was happy to see that Bruce had only beaten me by five strokes; that strong finish helped.  Stinker Bruce proved that you can take a break from golf and come back just as sharp as ever.  

Written on 10-27-18.

     Well, this is just plain fantastic!  I am sitting in a very expensive Airstream at Wahweap near Glen Canyon Dam and Page, Arizona.  This was Amanda’s idea.  She was googling Airstreams, and she stumbled upon this campground where anyone can stay in an Airstream right next to Lake Powell.  We are celebrating our anniversary earlier this year, and it will be our 28th on November 24th.  It was a surprise trip for me.  I had no idea where we were going until we drove into the national park itself.  

     As we drove in, A and B allowed Eric and I to guess what we would be staying in, and after many incorrect guesses, we discovered it would be two huge Airstreams, one per couple.  We did some research and found out that these would probably cost over 100 grand if we chose to buy one.  We agreed we would not want to spend that much money on a trailer.  We are looking at...

Even After Nine Holes!

Written on 10-18-18.

     Hello, old friend.  I have some fun news!  I played Civitan today, and I got two birdies…and I shot even par for the last nine holes I played.  Yes, even par!  I’ll record those birdies later, and I’ll do a hole by hole breakdown for the even-par round, too.  The birdies came on holes #8 and #4.

     I’m also writing really briefly here before falling asleep to report that Eric, C.J., Bruce and I are playing at Hillcrest tomorrow.  It’s going to be a blast!  Okay, off to sleep now.

Until next time…

10-20-18

     It’s 3:51 on a Saturday afternoon.  Belinda and Amanda are driving home after going to Albuquerque to do some dress shopping for Becca’s wedding.  I heard they had success.  Hooray!

Written on 10-21-18.

     I had to stop writing yesterday, because I remembered I had a BWP meeting in Farmington at 4:30.  Now, it’s 8:22 on a Sunday night, and my family and I just wrapped up an early chat on WhatsApp due to Guy getting up early for an MRI on his neck tomorrow.  Belinda is taking dinner to Jess.  She just got back from visiting her cousin, Beth, out in New York, so I am sure she will be super thankful to have dinner brought to her.  Kodak/Kody and I are just hanging out at home together.

On to golf…

     So, as I had written above, I earned two birdies at Civitan, and I shot a round of even par for my last nine holes.  I went around four times that day, and it was...

Four More Birdies!

Written on 9-28-18.

     I am just writing to make the time go faster until I present at a staff meeting here at Crownpoint Elementary School.  It’s 12:54, and we start at 1:00, so I don’t have much time.

     I saw that the United States is now down 5-3 after the Europeans swept them in the afternoon rounds.  That’s quite a turnaround.  C.J. has picked the Europeans to win, but I chose the Americans.  We still have tomorrow and Sunday to go, but it’s already shaping up to be extremely competitive.  

     When we played on Wednesday, C.J. was not feeling well due to a Shingles booster shot, so he stopped playing after twelve holes.  Don joined us, though, so he and I finished the rest of the round together.  We played, at C.J.’s suggestion, the Reverse Handicap Game, and we decided, in the interest of saving time on the first tee, to just use the handicaps on the scorecard.

     We started on the back nine, and I shot my best back nine score this season, finishing at just two over.  I earned two birdies at the end of that nine to really help lower that score.  

     Okay, people are showing up.  Writing for a few minutes helped.  Off I go.  

Until next time…

Written on 9-30-18.

     Kody and I are sitting outside at “Haven,” our front porch.  It’s a bit breezy.  It’s just not quite cold enough to make me get up and go get a jacket, though.  John and Chopper came up to say hello and visit for a bit, and Chopper didn’t bite, growl, or bark at Kody for the first time since they’d first met.  Hopefully, they will get along from here on out; Chopper is a favorite of ours, for sure.

     I played yesterday all by myself, and it was...

Two Fall Birdies

Written on 9-22-18.

     Belinda, Kody, and I are sitting out on our front porch, “Haven.”  I am about to go barbecue some chicken.  I can hear our neighbor, John, talking on his phone with a friend in the background.  Belinda went on a hike today out past Purgatory and Cascade Village with some of her school friends, and she saw some wonderful colors; it’s that time of year.  I relish this time of year.  C.J. and I got to go play golf in this fantastic weather this morning, and it was wonderful.  The high was in the mid-’70s.  Gorgeous golf weather right now.

     I earned two birdies during today’s round.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #4-Birdie #37 of 2018             

     We were playing a version of a points game that was slightly different.  I believe it was 3 points for a G.I.R., 3 points for a par, 5 for a birdie, and 7 for an eagle.  Getting up and in from off the green for a par was worth 2 points, and fairways were worth 1 point.  

     On four par three holes today, I hit my tee shots thin, causing them to fly lower and farther than I wanted.  This was one of those holes.  The white tees were in the middle, and the hole was down on the bottom.  My thinned 9-iron put my ball just off the green and below the hole.  I chose to putt from there, and when my ball was three feet away, I thought it was going to stop, but it just continued its slow march until it dropped in gently, not even tapping the flagstick.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #11-Birdie #38 of 2018             

     Our front nine scores were embarrassing.  We did not play well at all, except for my skulled birdie on #4.  That’s why it was so gratifying to turn things around and play up to my potential on the back nine.  

     For this birdie, I drove my ball over the wash where it settled into the bunker on the far left side.  The hole was cut on the far right side and near the middle.  C.J. got up and in from just off the green on the right side for his par.

     My second shot was the most difficult and the most impressive.  It was a long bunker shot, and the lie was not great.  My ball was sitting down on a small track, and that made the contact much more difficult, but I splashed my ball out just like a pro!  It popped up, landed on the green near the hole, and stopped on the far side.  The putt was not an easy one either.  The greens had been aerated, so I was putting through a bunch of tiny holes.  Just before I putted, I could clearly see six inches of break from right to left, so I just put my ball on the line that I saw so clearly in my head.  It worked so well.  My ball curved and dropped right in the hole. 

     When it was all over, the stretch of the first four holes gave me enough points to hold on until the very end of the round.  The final score was Pat: 40 to C.J.: 30.  I shot an 85, and that was with a 37, just +3, on the back nine.  

Until next time…

Bruce Takes a Break

Written on 9-11-18.

     I can’t type that date and not think of its significance.  I’m one of those who will never forget.  We had a delay at school due to electrical problems that day.  Belinda and I watched it all as it unfolded on the Today Show while we were waiting for the two-hour school delay to end.  We chose to go to school after the delay, but very few students were there.  It ended up being a wasted day.  Many parents, afraid that something might happen at school, chose to keep their children at home.  That was 17 years ago.  

On to golf…

     C.J. and I are going to continue playing without Bruce for a while.  When I last texted Bruce, he said he had several other projects he is enjoying right now, so I don’t know when he will join us again.  We miss him, certainly, but C.J. has taken over beating me lately, so I’m having no problems remaining humble.  

     We played nine holes on Thursday last week, and then we played the other nine on Friday.  I chose to play only nine holes both times mostly due to our new puppy, Kody.  I didn’t want to leave him alone for such a long time in our backyard.  Today, however, I felt he would be okay for an entire round of 18 holes, and he did...

Our New Puppy Kody and Much More

Written on 9-1-18.

     We have a new pet.  We have talked incessantly about possibly getting one since we “rewired” four years ago, but we went all in and picked up our new pup, now named Kody, yesterday.  He was originally and temporarily named Kyle because Kyle was the first one of the Swopertons to hold him when we first visited when the puppies were just two weeks old.  So, Dixie started calling him Kyle.  Danielle came home two days ago when we brought him home for an orientation, and we were actually able to keep it a surprise right up until the moment Danielle plucked him out of the pen from his siblings.  I said, “Okay, let’s go.”

     She didn’t believe me at all, but Belinda and I persisted and convinced her that he was definitely ours.  Now, he’s playing with Belinda in our living room.  We have not had a dog since Zen, and the timing really couldn’t be better.  We need a new hobby, a distraction, and an object of our affection.  We still have Pikachu, and I love Pikachu.  I will always love our Pika!  Kody is adorable, however, and he is quite bright, in my opinion.  He slept in his bed/crate from 10:00 last night until 6:00 this morning without a single accident.  He already knows how to sit, stay (a bit), lie down (kind of), and he goes into his crate without hesitation (mostly).

Written on 9-2-18.

     It’s the day before Labor Day, and we are relaxing on a Sunday.  Belinda and Kody are out front.  She is reading in her lounger, and he is passed out on the front porch under one of our blue cushiony chairs.  I’m half-writing, half-watching the Dell Technologies Championship in our computer room.

On to golf…

     I have a couple of new thoughts on golf and three birdies to catch up on.

     I’ll start with those two new thoughts.  The first came after two days of play on hole #11.  It’s just so typical of how fickle golf can be.  On the first day, I had driven...

Sad and Shocking News

Written on 8-28-18.

     I’m thankful for golf for many reasons, but one of the biggest is that it gets me and keeps me writing.  I haven’t wanted to write lately, and that’s because my father-in-law, Dale, died on Thursday, August 16th.  It was a shock, and we’re still reeling and recovering.  Belinda and I hugged and cried again just yesterday.  We cried because I went to finish up the narration for the Red Cedar Gathering Company with Daniel and Anna, the job that Dale hired me to do. The first time I did that work ended up being the last time I got to see him alive.  When I told Belinda how Anna exuded sadness and was obviously still struggling (understandably so), we both broke down.  It’s so quiet there now.  It’s just Anna and Daniel, the two introverts.  The flamboyant, friendly, “Hello, Ramsey Realty!” Dale is no longer there. 

     Writing about it now is giving me a headache similar to the one that I felt the evening of the day he died.  It’s been painful.  He died of a heart attack, and he had just finished his lunch at Blake’s.  We guess he blacked out after putting his car in reverse, because the car ended up in the ditch across the road, pointing up at the sky with the back of the car completely smashed and the back window knocked inside.  Ten or so people came to help and/or watch.  Adam, one of the cooks from Blake’s, climbed into the car through the back where the window was to help unbuckle him.  The first responders were able to get his heart going again in the ambulance, but only faintly.  The last-ditch effort of a pacemaker failed at the hospital.  

     I left the dentist right after my cleaning, completely avoiding my exam, and drove directly to the hospital, not in a really safe way.  When your wife wants you right away, you get there right away.  That’s when I found out he didn’t survive.  That’s enough for now.  I’ll catch up with more later.

     I played golf today, though, and that’s why I’m writing.  So, thank you, golf, for forcing the issue.

Until next time…

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...

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...

A New General Manager/Director of Golf at AMGC

Written on 7-14-18.

     I played by myself this past Wednesday after the supervised practice session for the Par kids.  C.J. wasn’t going to play, because he had two scramble tournaments coming up on Thursday and Friday.  Bruce and I planned on playing yesterday, so he didn’t join me either.  It gave me some time to work with my new clubs some more.  My goal, and my personal par (what I taught the kids about on Tuesday) right now is to shoot 80 or better, and to hit at least 8 greens in regulation for eighteen holes.  I almost got both goals.  I beat the Bogey Man by shooting a 79, my lowest score so far this year.  I managed six greens in regulation, but it was close to eight, because two shots ended up just off the greens.  

     I’ll be wrapping up The First Tee this coming week, and it will be a relief when I’m all done.  I haven’t reported it here yet, but Randy hired a new general manager/director of golf operations at Hidden Valley, and his name is Ty Ried. 

Ty D. Ried is a former Class A PGA Professional of ten years with playing experience resulting in four professional victories. In addition, he has experience in managing several prominent golf facilities nationwide. Ty is a graduate of the New Mexico State University Professional Golf Management Program endorsed by the Professional Golfer’s Association of America where he was a member of the Men’s Golf Team as both a player and an Assistant Coach.  He also earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from NMSU.  Ty has 6 hole-in-ones and one double eagle to his record.

     I am excited to have someone promoting golf there again.  

     When I played alone this past week, a final birdie helped me get under 80.  This is how it happened…

Bruce Shoots a 69!

Written on 7-10-18.

     I just wrote a handwritten letter to James.  Belinda is sending a package to him for his birthday (sent way early to ensure it gets there in time), but we are also sending a children’s book to one of his friends for their new baby, and we want James to get his AztecStrong shirt, too. 

     I also just posted my 3-Pointer story above on Facebook.  It’s such a fun story that I thought I would share with others, and it includes Kevin, Jeff N., John, Jeff C., and coach, so I am curious to learn how they remember it.  

On to golf…

     I have one new birdie to report, and Bruce just played his best round of the season so far yesterday.  C.J. came up with this great idea for a game.  We switched partners every six holes, so I played with C.J. first, then Bruce, and finally Norm who was playing one last time here before heading back home today.  In the end, we would count to see who had won the most holes.  Clever game, C.J.!

     C.J. and I nearly got skunked, however, during our six holes together.  It was partly due to Bruce playing well, but it was also because C.J. and I couldn’t get anything going ourselves.  Thankfully, my new trusty 9-iron gave...

4th of July and 3 Birdies

Written on 7-4-18.

     Well, hello.  Happy 4th of July!  It’s 3:42 in the afternoon, so I’ve got a little over an hour before I need to get the barbecue going for the party here at our place.  We are having Dale, Amanda, Eric, Char, Dorrie, and Craig over for our 4th of July celebration and dinner tonight.  

     Life is great right now.  Belinda and I cleaned our whole house and did some yard work a couple of days ago.  Yesterday, I played golf in the morning and then we met the Moores for the movie Incredibles 2 and had dinner at their home afterward.  Today, we got even more done, including working out, a little bit of shopping, and paying Gross Receipts.  I am feeling pretty accomplished right now, which is great because I head out of town to go to Orlando early tomorrow morning.  It’s time for my Time to Teach training on how to host invitationals, and I am so looking forward to this new and exciting opportunity.  

On to golf…

     I have three new birdies to add, so here I go…

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #16-Birdie #16 of 2018             

     Hey, I got my 16th birdie this year on the 16th hole.  Cool.  C.J. and I were playing the Reverse Handicap Game, but we decided on our own the rankings of the holes before we played, which made it much better.  He was whooping up on me on the front nine, so I was behind 37 to 62, but I heated up on the back.  I only lost hole #14, and we tied on the last hole, so I got all of the rest of the points on the back nine.

     This birdie, of course, helped.  I teed off with my...

A Toast to Bruce and Diane

Written on 7-1-18.

     I am watching the Quicken Loans Tournament on my Chromecast this Sunday.  Guy was literally there a couple of hours ago with ShyShay, but they left due to the heat.  On the broadcast, they are saying it’s 95º, but it feels like 110º.  Francesco Molinari is putting on a clinic in golf expertise right now and blowing away the field.  Amanda Balionis just showed how he is either first or tied for first in a variety of categories like scoring on par three, four, and five holes, strokes gained in putting and scrambling, and more.  On the back nine, he has started out eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie.  Wow!

    Tiger has gone away from -10 and back to it three times, but he just got to 11 under for the first time, a minor victory.  They just said he is leading the field in birdies, but he’s had too many bogeys and double bogeys to hinder those better scores.  I have said it, but I haven’t written it yet; Tiger will win again.  It’s just a matter of time.  The commentators are mentioning how he has had a tough time after making the turn, and how that’s becoming a repeated script.  He gets momentum, and then he loses it.  Things get tougher on the back nine for some reason.

     It’s been a tough week for us and...

My 7th Birthday Comes With Heartbreaking News

Written on 6-27-18.

     It’s my other birthday tomorrow, and I will be seven years old this time.  I’m 51 now, so that means I was 44 when I had my brain surgery?!  That’s nuts.  Time sure is a funny thing.

     This birthday is highlighted (or “lowlighted?”) depending on how you look at it due to the sudden death of our dear friends’ son, Reilly, just two days ago.  Bruce and Diane  have now lost their second child due to Cystic Fibrosis, and we are all in denial, shock, and mourning.  It’s another lesson that we should continue to take nothing for granted and enjoy every moment with the people we care about most.

     That’s what I’ll continue to do.  I recently wrote a post on my golf blog about the little and big moments in our lives.  Big moments like weddings and childbirth are incredible, of course, and I wouldn’t trade them, but it’s the little moments that I remember with a different fondness.  I still remember sitting in my ‘79 Buick Estate Wagon on Main Street in Durango with Belinda one evening when we were in college and becoming best friends.  We listened to the radio, talked about nothing and everything, and enjoyed each other’s company, and I realize now that I was falling in love with my new best friend in that little moment. 

     Looking back seven years ago, I remember little recovery moments.  These all took place after the surgery, and they all marked the beginning of my comeback.  I could...

I'm Always Open to See the San Juan Open

Written on 6-24-18.

     I’m back home after just watching the end of the San Juan Open.  Yesterday, I watched by walking backward from #18 to #13 and then following a group from #10 to #13, but today I camped out at #18 to watch the final five groups finish their rounds.  Yesterday, I wanted to see Calum Hill, last year’s champion, but I followed some other group by mistake instead.  After I got to #13 yesterday, I walked back to #10 hoping to catch Calum’s group making the turn.  I asked a lady with a clipboard if she knew where his group was, and she told me they had just teed off on #10, so I took off after them.  Then I saw some guy helping out on the fairway on #10, and it turned out to be Mike Goen.  When I asked him who Calum was, he pointed out one of the players on the green.  That turned out to be someone else, though.  Not sure who that guy was, but he was a great player, and I shook his hand today and told him he played well.  He was very appreciative and thanked me for coming out to show my support.  

     I just looked at the names of the pro’s from the San Juan Open site, and I randomly chose to google Nick Mason.  It was just a guess, but it ended up being the guy...

Happy Father's Day to Me

Written on 6-16-18.

     Danielle surprised me by coming home last night for Father’s Day weekend.  I was so overjoyed to see her, because it was a big sacrifice for her to drive home after a long, exhausting week at work.  She plans to head home again at around 1:00 today, so it’s a quick visit, but I’ll take it.  I feel very fortunate to have her here at all.  Thank you, Danielle!  It means a lot, because I thought I might not get to see either of my children this weekend.  I love you, sweet daughter of mine!

     In some incredibly sad news, Reilly is in the hospital in Las Vegas, and it’s just been one horrible report after another.  He flew there to participate in a Magic tournament, but he’s now in ICU instead.  The last report sounded devastating to me.  I feel I may be getting a phone call from C.J. soon, and it won’t be good news.  Sigh.

On to golf…

     I am watching the U.S. Open with my Chromecast.  Belinda is making Fettuccine for lunch in celebration of Father’s Day.  Danielle is taking her shower.  It rained this morning, and it was glorious.  We’ve needed rain, and I am hoping it helps with the 416 and the Burro Fires.  Our lawn needs it.  Our golf course needs it.  Thank you, rain, for coming.  You are always welcome.

     I played alone yesterday after Belinda came and helped a second time with the Special Olympics group.  C.J. had an appointment, and Bruce texted me to let me know he couldn’t play.  So, I took off by myself.  

     I had high hopes.  I played pretty well on Wednesday when all three of us played the new “Battle for the Box” game again.  This time, C.J. and I reversed roles.  He was struggling to get back into the game, and I was the one who ended up taking Bruce to the limit.  It’s very hard if...

The 3-Pointer Story, A Fun and Fond Memory

Written on 6-11-18.

     Let’s write about that 3-pointer story now.  It’s been on my Writing To Do List for years.  I had a dream just this morning where Marcy Jung asked me to announce for a volleyball match again.  I did that a few times when I was at Fort Lewis.  It was fantastic, because I was a big fan of the team, I was learning about and getting better at playing volleyball, and I had an immense crush on #8, too.

     Belinda (#8) and I have had many dreams similar to that about that time in our lives, recurring dreams about trying out for the team and having practices.  Why?  What is it about that time?  It’s emotional and formational, for sure.  During that period, I had what was a highlight and a lowlight, the 3-pointer.

     This is how I remember it.  It was my sophomore year, and we were near the end of our season.  Because of our winning record, we had the best seed and Colorado School of Mines had the worst, so we got to play them at home in the first round of the RMAC tournament.  My high school friend and incredibly talented basketball player, Andy Visnyei, or Vish for short, played for them and played a lot.  

I, however, did not play a lot.  I was in the top ten, so I traveled with the team, but I only got in...

Bruce and Parts of the San Juan Forest are on Fire

Written on 6-10-18.

     Belinda and I are back at the cabin home for the first time since MLK Jr. Day. Tomorrow is Bev and Curt’s 30th anniversary, so congratulations to them.  What a landmark!  Belinda and I will celebrate our 28th this November.  I still need to do something for Mom and Dad’s 55th.  I will text Guy now to see if he has an idea.  

     When Bruce and I played two days ago, we played the game where it’s really difficult to earn points.  We had to hit the fairway, get the green in regulation, and use only two putts for a par to earn one point.  A birdie would give us two points, and an eagle would be worth three.  Of course, on the par three holes, the fairway was not included.  After hole #8, we chose to disregard fairways, because it’s hard to see where the lines are and hitting a fairway isn’t much of an advantage because the course is in terrible shape still.  It’s getting better, but it’s still awful in many places.  Also, on hole #15 (a bit late, I know), we chose to lift, clean, and place our golf balls if we saw mud on them.  It was happening so often.  When the entire round was over, I had earned only three points, and two of those points came from a birdie on hole #11.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #11-Birdie #8 of 2018             

     Bruce had earned three points on the front nine, and I hadn’t earned any, so earning this birdie got me...

An Anniversary, a Birthday, and a Disadvantage

Written on 6-1-18.

     It’s my parents’ 55th anniversary today.  Five years ago, we had a huge celebration for their 50th, but it feels like it was ten years ago.  I’ve texted them to wish them well, and I hope to FaceTime with them at some point, too.

     Bruce, C.J., and I played our first round together with all three of us having now paid for our memberships.  Bruce and C.J. had played a few times before I had paid for mine.  It was another fun round, and it was wonderful weather, too, sunny and somewhere in the 80’s.  Ah, summer has arrived.

     We agreed to give the new “Battle for the Box” game a shot with all of us since Bruce and I had “perfected” it the last time we tried it.  It was a close match…between Bruce and C.J.  I managed only eight points for the entire round.  
     Bruce had 17 points after the first nine, so C.J. and I had a lot of work to do to try and catch him on the back.  C.J. was slowly creeping closer and closer to Bruce’s score, but when he failed to keep...

New Start, New Yearly Membership

Written on 5-29-18.

     Yesterday, I paid for my yearly membership at Aztec Municipal Golf Course and played eighteen holes.  Bruce called me when I was on my way (I had texted Bruce and C.J. just before I left not expecting to hear from either one), and he asked if I would wait for him.  I needed to pay for the membership and do a few things related to The First Tee, so that was not a problem.

     The front nine was in awful condition, but Bruce reassured me more than a couple of times that it was much better than when he and C.J. had played before.  It must have been really bad before, because this was discouraging and depressing.  I considered getting my money back.  Bare spots took up large pieces of fairway where grass normally grows.  Multiple, large areas were made up of just dirt and weeds, too.  The greens are nearly back to the disastrous form from a few seasons ago when they had to have emergency procedures to regain their smooth rolling status.  They were patchy, clumpy in spots, and loaded with brown dead areas.  Bruce reminded me, however, that if it weren’t for...

Golf in Colorado Springs-Going Solo?

Written on 5-29-18.

On to golf…

     I played with Curt at Cherokee Ridge in Colorado Springs this past Friday, the same day we saw the new Star Wars movie Solo, and that was the first time I had played since our free round at Riverview with Bruce, C.J., and Eric.

     Curt is still on the bubble when it comes to golf.  He can’t decide if he wants to quit the game forever, or if he wants to pick it up again.  I was glad he went, though, because it’s always better to play with a friend than to play alone.  We were joined by a member there named Mike.  He was a retired teacher from Coronado High School, and he was friendly and helpful.  At the end of the round, Curt was struggling mightily, so Mike offered him advice.  Never give another play advice, I told Curt as we drove away.  Curt and I rode, and Mike walked.  After we stopped up by the green, Mike caught up again and gave his advice anyway.  I was too far away to hear what it was, but Curt (to his credit) took it in stride.  

     Without Curt knowing, I decided to play match play against him, but it was an unfair match in two ways.  First, Curt plays illegally on most holes when he jiggles his ball with his clubs into better positions, thereby improving his lie.  Second, I am better than Curt now (sorry, Curt), because I play more often.  Despite that stuff, though, it was close...

4th and Final Trip of May: Solo!

Written on 5-25-18.

     Hard to believe it’s near the end of May.  I am sitting in our new truck in the parking lot between Chile’s and the Regal Cinema Theater just off I-25 near Hampden.  We are meeting for dinner before the newest Star Wars movie, Solo.  It’s 4:46, and we have reservations for 5:00.  Belinda is doing word search puzzles in the passenger seat next to me.  

     We’ve just driven here from Colorado Springs after spending one night at Bev’s house, and we got here earlier than anticipated.  Belinda finally got to see and hold Adison, and we got a tour of Daryl and Katie’s home, too.  I set up two business meetings (with Katie’s help) for Time to Teach.  I met with her principal yesterday afternoon and her mom, Ronda, for breakfast this morning.  The goal is to get a training somewhere in Colorado Springs somehow.  It looks like it could be a real possibility, and after these two meetings, I am super optimistic.

     I am very excited to see family tonight and this new movie.  Belinda just messaged James via Facebook Messenger, and he said he saw it yesterday, but it’s just not the same seeing it here without him.  We can talk about it together tomorrow, though, so that’s better than nothing.