Danielle is 21! and Different Golf in Canada

*Happy 21st birthday to our dearest daughter, Danielle, today!

Written on 7-28-16.

     We are having some quiet time after a busy day here, and this is our last night at the VRBO.  Working backwards, I’ll recount what we’ve been up to.  All four of us just came back from playing frisbee golf together at the RV park I mentioned above.  The other three “chose to love” and come play with me (even though Eric was the one who came up with the idea), and I did my best to contain my excitement about having us all do something that I enjoy (golf of any kind) more than anyone else.  Belinda and I took on Amanda and Eric in total stroke play and we got away with the win by one stroke.  Go, Swopes!  

     Although, Eric was definitely the undisputed King of the Billiards Table at the VRBO.  He beat me resoundedly over and over again with some amazing shots, and we played multiple games the last two nights.  I learned that I play worse when I have had three Budweisers, but Eric plays better with more margaritas.  The Democratic National Convention did not upset him too much either, and he certainly was not distracted by any of Hilary’s remarks.  Incredulous, but not distracted.    

     Before that, we drove out to Huson Lake and Caves.  It was incredible!  The scenery here is...

M&M Peanut Calamity in Canada

Written on 7-26-16.

     I am sitting at the natural wood table in our VRBO. This amazing home is near Port McNeill, British Columbia.  Eric and Amanda are settling down for a short summer’s nap in the living room.  Scratch that.  Now, I have moved into the quiet upstairs bedroom with a stellar view of the Pacific Ocean away from everyone, and Eric has moved downstairs.  Belinda just walked into our bedroom, the master bedroom upstairs, for her shutdown time.  

     We are back from our morning activities on this, our first day of our 25th anniversary vacation together.  We had a “stuff our tummies” breakfast at Tia’s Cafe, did the social media thing by uploading pictures to share, cruised around the docks, found our whale tour guide building for tomorrow, and completed some grocery shopping at a local supermarket.  

     I am drinking an iced coffee and eating washed M&M peanuts as I write.  The M&M’s are washed because they spilled all over the floor at the store.  I got them from...

Beyond Where I Normally Write

Written on 7-22-16.

     This is new.  Writers write wherever and whenever, right?  I am in the parking lot at the Allen 8 Movie Theaters, waiting to see Star Trek Beyond…alone.  I just donated blood, and I was nearby, so I thought, “Why not?”

     Belinda and I had tentatively planned to go to the Bloomfield Swimming Pool to see the Hatch family between 5:00 and 7:00, almost the entire Hatch family since many of the children are home with their children for a family reunion and they rented the entire pool for themselves.  I figured we could meet up with later at their new restaurant H. Dawgs instead.  Marc and Echo will be performing at that time, too, so that will be a real treat.

     I have two new birdies and an eagle to report, so I want to get those recorded before I go into the theater.  They all came in one round when I played with Bruce.  C.J. has had a surgery, so he will be out of commission for a while.  It’s been a week, but it could be as much as two more.  

     Bruce and I chose to play the escalating skins game with escalating bonuses.  It was a blast!  What a fun match!  I mistakenly thought that the bonuses would not carry over, but Bruce thought they should.  After I hit the fairway on #14, though, he was fine with bonuses not carrying over.  

     I don’t have time to get the details in here, but here’s a quick summary of each one for later.

-Hole #1-Driver from the blues (yes, the blues) to the left side rough, utility club to the right front side of the green, and a putt that rolled above the hole and past it to about a foot.

-Hole #14-Eagle!  Driver up the left side, utility club to just short of the green, and a SW chip that worked out just the way I pictured it to the sweet hole location down in the bowl.

Hole #18-Driver to #18’s fairway, 6-iron over the trees on the right side and onto the green, and a tough downhill putt that went a bit too far, but a confident uphill putt back up to the hole.  

     That’s it for now.  Heading into the theater!

Summer Days

Written on 7-9-16.

     As I typed in the date, I realized that Danielle said she wanted to go back to Cruces on the 10th, but she might stay a bit longer now.  She is out on Jackson Lake kayaking while I sit and write in our cherry red GMC truck, still shiny after its recent waxing.  Does this scenario sound familiar?  Danielle is just like her mother.  We are both happy right now just like the time Belinda and I were happy when she went kayaking and I sat and wrote in the truck just like I am today.  

     Today, though, we are just one outlet away from where Belinda launched last time.  The windows are down and random cool breezes run through the truck’s open windows.  I see other breezes wiggle the leaves on nearby trees and bushes, but the leaves hold still more often than they wiggle.  

     We haven’t heard much from James; we know he’s busy.  He texted us, but it was brief.  It said, “Hey day one was good and so is day two!!  I hope youre having an awesome 4th (smiley face emoji).”

We also got to FaceTime with him, and we got to say hello to Nicola during that call as well.  They both looked so...

Proud to be an American

Written on 7-4-16.

     Happy 4th of July!  James starts his job today, or rather he started yesterday, with the time difference.  I just texted to ask him how it went, but I’m certain it went really well, and that he had a great time, and that this is exactly where he wants to be and this is exactly what he wants to be doing.  I just want to hear the details.

     It’s been a fantastic Independence Day here already.  I mowed our lawn, and it was just the best.  I’ve always wanted to just take care of/maintain a lawn, not get it set up, and that’s just what I did today.  The mower had been fixed under warranty through the Home Depot, so it started with one pull.  No back wrenching motion over and over again this time.  The grass was forest green and tall after I had fertilized it and we had gotten some generous summer rainstorms, but not tall enough to clog up the mower.  The lines I made were crisp diagonal lines, and it was fun to make the turns at each end, just like I used to when I worked for K.C.’s Lawn Care.  The cut grass smelled sweet and fresh.  Most satisfying!  

     Then, while the girls went to town to do the grocery shopping, I watched...