The Siblings' Visits!

Written on 3-26-25.

        It’s quiet time here at the Swope household.  B is resting next to me in our bed on a Thursday afternoon.  The Lamberts are here!  Daryl is watching a movie in our living room while Adi is being forced to take a nap in Danielle’s old room.  Not sure where Bev chose to have her quiet time.

Our visit with Guy was great…just great!  He got to spend some time with the kids and Rowan in Albuquerque, but we decided to drive back to Aztec on Friday night.  That was wonderful for two reasons.  First, Rowan and Casey still felt awful from the same cold that Belinda had.  Belinda still has it, but it’s only an occasional cough now.  Second, we got to wake up in Aztec, so Guy’s stay felt longer here.  

We had breakfast at Rubia’s, and it worked out so well, because I saw three guys from...

church who said splendid things about me.  Also, we were served by a mom whose kids I had taught, and she talked Belinda and me up.  They were so complimentary, Guy joked that I had planted them.  I told him that I had (wink, wink).

We watched Project Hail Mary at a matinee, and that was fun.  He liked it more than I did, but I enjoyed it.  I booked a tee time at Riverview on Sunday, because he said he hadn’t played there before.  I got a 12:40 time, but that forced us to go to church at Holy Trinity instead.  That was okay, though, because he had never been there either.  He was discovering new places on this trip.  Like I had written before, the reason he came was AnnMarie was attending a bachelorette party in New York, and he wanted a fun trip, too.  I believe he got one.

On to golf…

We were paired up with a father, Tom, and his son, Noah.  It would have been preferable to play alone, but they were the best partners.  They started the front nine playing the blues, but they switched to play with us from the whites on the back nine.  I am not sure why they switched, but I think Tom was wondering if we were thought why they started on the blues.  I did.  Their play was not of “blues” quality.  Not sure if Guy questioned it.  I think the whites were a much better fit for them, and I was right.  

Tom was as talkative as Noah was quiet.  Tom felt right at ease with us, but we were of the same generation.  Noah was 25, Tom told us on hole #8.  I think Noah was mostly just shy.  He would only speak when he had to.  For example, he would say thank you after getting a compliment after sinking a long putt.

I played well.  I shot a 41 on the front nine.  I had only pars and bogeys.  I was using my “flying thumb” move when I used my driver, and it worked very well again.  I was smashing drives on the par fours to spots that were only 60 to 100 yards away from the greens.

Written on 3-27-26.

We are on our final day with Bev, Daryl, and Adi.  Everyone is enjoying another quiet time.  It’s been a wonderful and mellow visit.  They will leave tomorrow at around noon, and that will mark the end of the siblings’ visits here this spring.  They was amazing!  First, I had Guy to myself (I did share him a little with Belinda) and then my sister with Daryl and cute, second grader Adi.

We went to the Aztec Ruins this morning.  Yesterday, we attempted to go to the Aztec Museum, but they were closed until May for reorganization.  We took a walk up and down Main instead, though.

We played on the putting green the first day and night, and that was fun.  As it got darker, I brought out the glowing golf balls, and Adi came up with a game.  Daryl killed me in a putting contest, and then he beat Bev up with another trouncing.  So much for my home field advantage.

We have taken many walks with Kody, and Adi enjoyed going up and down our big hill behind our home, too.  After our walk yesterday, we stopped at the park just down the street.  I grabbed the frisbees, and we played some frisbee golf.  Adi enjoyed the park, and she played on the “spinny thing” the most.

When Guy was here, I helped him complete his Lenten Challenge from his longtime friend and roommate from Mesa, Duncan.  He sends an unorthodox challenge for Guy to complete every year, and this year’s matched up well with what we have here: a basketball hoop and a putting green.  He had to make ten free throws in a row and two 15’ putts in a row, too.  We completed both within an hour.  I managed to get five free throws in a row, and I made more 15’ putts than Guy did, but he was the one who garnered two of them in a row.  I was a witness, of course.

Until next time...