accckkkkk!! .... it's fall !!

The cone flowers have had it.  Leaves on trees are a strange mixture of still-almost-fresh-looking-green, or lime greens, ..  some brilliant golden, some deep burgundy and lots of in-between reds....  ...or already blown off in the strong gusty winds we had last week.  Wheeling up and down the streets.... stopping in gutters and little dips here and there...piling up...

Our little Hawthorn has the biggest fattest berries I've ever seen on it....

Sometimes don't'cha just feel like we're on a merry-go-round?  Spinning in circles and all of a sudden we get off and...whoa..... dizzy......... 

I feel almost light headed thinking summer has flown...  and the robins will be flying tomorrow.  Yes, they do leave exactly on the day.... the 15th of October.  Oh, alright... not all of them, but the smart ones leave the second they finish all the berries on our Mayday tree.  Tomorrow.

And.... even though we usually have great weather long into October, it is now heading for the other season.... which at this point I don't really want to think about (except for the decorating and the fun stuff... I'm ready to put up my tree any day now) ..  .  However, not one to be left waiting in a long queue of last minute tire changers...I did already get the winter tires put on the car.  I'm ready! 

Summer..... gone......wow......... I lost two whole months of it with my wrecked ribs and I absolutely don't even remember that part of it.  Really.  What the heck did I do?  Sleep through it?  Don't even know.  Must look back to see if I blogged a bit or what ..... it seems to have just disappeared.

Then.... I got back to golfing too soon, because I was fed up at missing out ... and practiced (probably a bit incorrectly as well) ... too much.  I wrecked my elbow.... but, I was determined to get in some ball whacking before the end of the good weather and so....I did.  I overdid and now..I'm paying.  Can hardly get my hand to my mouth to drink a cup of tea...or to brush and floss...it hurts so much when I straighten it out ...ouch..... so... off to physio I guess.  Must get it back in action before next season, and I know this type of thing can take a while to rectify.  My own fault.  Ice, Ibuprofen, physio and whatever else it takes.  I need to be ready to take some winter golf swing classes just after Christmas ..... yeh..I know...I'm a nut job.  Can't deny it.

I'm trying to get back into my 'other' life routine now.  Actually, seeing as the arm is not good enough to golf...I'm actually enjoying doing other things.  There is plenty that has gone undone for the past few months.  Lots to catch up on.  How do things get so dusty in such a short time span? hahahhaha..... oh, I guess it was longer than I thought.  It's a wonder any of my houseplants are still alive...I've even ignored them.  Gee...and poor Mr. BV.... guess what?  He's still around too!  Just kidding...I would never ignore him.  He's pretty special.  I did still manage to make some meals for him and if I wasn't around...left things for him to heat up for suppers..or great salads...he didn't lose one single pound ...but, I on the other hand, have lost 11 pounds over the summer!  Who says golf is not exercise?  Liars.  Or... they don't walk the 18 holes.... they must take ride'em carts.  

He particularly enjoyed this Chicken Kiev I made one night ....

I don't know how long it will be before I feel like stabbing wool.  It is small motor movements that seem to be the most painful.  Day at a time I guess.  Time will tell.

One of my new golfing buddies wants to make a little bear....hope I feel up to doing something soon so we can get at it long before the festive season.

Poor Gwendolyn..

she's been relegated.  To propping up notes.  Notes about golfing.  Golf lessons... golf swings....golf course holes and how to manage things...... I think she is doing a great job.

She is not impressed.

just stopping in to say hullo..

Been trying to get out there and hit some balls as often as possible... maybe overdid it a bit...my elbow is killing me the past few days.

Almost played Ladies Day today... but, after a whopping +30C yesterday...... today?....the temperature has plummeted to only +10C and the rain has begun.... driving rain as the winds are now gusting up to almost 30kph......sigh...... I feel like Goldilocks trying to choose a good day to be out there.  Too darn hot...too cold, rainy and miserable.  Boy...there are not many perfect golfing days around this area. Now I'm all discombobulated and don't feel like doing anything but having a nap...so...that's next.

I got supper ready earlier in anticipation of perhaps still getting out there.... it's so dark in the house I have to put on the lights and I can hear the rain on the roof...perfect napping weather.

Oh, just a minute....the dishwasher is finished...I could unload that...and...the washer and dryer need loads of laundry emptying too.... I guess there is always folding and ironing too...... yeh...... okay...I could manage that I guess.

 But, I don't wanna....... I just wanna be out there whacking balls.  There are only about 3 full weeks of golf left at my course.... and then....day by day at the city courses...... then, it will be months til we are able to get out again.... almost May usually..... and sometimes later, depending on the weather...not nearly a long enough golfing season.

What can I leave you with for a photo? ... can't just leave it with only words on here...that will  never do.... uhm...let's see.....

here's about how I feel.  My whiskers are just a teensy bit shorter than this...

very dark, rainy and windy...

.... so, no golfing today.  Hahahha.... whew, finally a day off to do some housecleaning, laundry and stuff around here.  As you know, I lost two whole months to those damn injured ribs and now...  well, around these parts, there are only two months left of golfing season.  Arrrgghhhhh!!!  What a royal ripoff this year... missed most of it.  Next year I must. be. more. careful.  I want a whole season out there to see if I can improve my game and get more confident.  At the moment (for you golfers) ...my driver is working pretty good... but, my short game has let me down a bit.  Usually I am a pretty darn great putter and my chipping is good too..but, the long rough near the greens has taken its toll with chipping...and for some reason...I am having trouble reading the speed of the greens.  Oh, well...we know the answer.....practice, practice, practice.......

No time to bother with much blogging... it'll hafta wait til October at this rate.  Then, I'll have months to do that and other things that have been neglected.  Golf season is so short.. ... and must be utilized if at all possible.

In between golfing and yard work...I've managed to find a buyer for my motorcycle.... through a burly Harley guy that helped me unload the bike from the van when I had to take it to the dealership to have a throttle cable replace.  Sold our bike ramp too... to the guy that helped unload the bike.  He admired it and we said...it's for sale.  Sold!  ....and now ...we have helmets and other gear to sell and we will have finished with that chapter in our lives.  It was a fun ride....and Greg had fun racing....  til his accident.... but, moving on now that I know I have full blown osteoporosis and could break everything if I get hit or fall off......  my sister is happy that I will be safer on the golf course, I know..... although, with balls flying over trees from some of the long hitters...not always.....as a matter of fact..I might save my helmet and wear it while I'm out whacking balls.

Found this one morning while out watering before I left for a game....

Glistening like so many diamonds in the early morning sun......

I also found this......

..... I don't know exactly what happened here.  I knew the mommy robin was building a great nest...but, really I thought it was too close to the outside edge of the lilac bush.  Then, I didn't see her around for a few days and put my camera up at arms length to take picture inside the nest.  Only one lonely egg..... and now...nothing.  She hasn't come back.  I don't know if they just abandoned it after a particularly bad windstorm...or what.... nature is pretty cruel......

....... on the golf course..

Finally!  I'm able to get a full swing and went out on Ladies Night to play 18 holes.  Here is the "island" hole.  It was beautiful, green and the water was so still..... but, the mosquitoes! YIKES !

This display is right beside the tee box on the 16th hole.... it's from last year.... didn't get to take a photo yesterday...

Me hurt today.  ow.... but,...a good hurt really, because it is just muscles being used.  Even my butt hurts from sprinting around dragging and pushing the cart full of "tools".  Those night time ladies like to have plenty of time to hang out in the clubhouse with a cold one and some grub.  That's a good thing.  Especially this time of year. OMG!!  the mosquitoes!  It was 'orrible!

If you got off the fairway they were so bad it was a rush to get the ball out of the long grass...so usually my ball striking was not the best.  But..also..I haven't been able to hit a ball for 5 weeks...so that has a lot to do with it. I hardly got to practice before I did myself in and then...just been waiting it out for the ribs to heal.

I do feel them a bit more today....but, Ibuprofen and in about 20 minutes...I will be better.  I hope.

Today ..no whacking golf balls.  Two days in a row right now is enough.  I'll do some more tomorrow.

I have other chores to get through today... like ordering a new throttle cable for my motorcycle.  Somehow a split appeared during the winter.... how it got there I have no idea. This bike is in pristine condition..is stored inside all the time...and there is nothing that can touch it in that spot. Look...pristine. So it seems weird to me.

I love this bike..but, I need to get it on the market...I'm selling it.  It would be foolish to ride when I know I have full blown osteoporosis.  If I get knocked off ... well, it would be more than just a few ribs that would be broken, and ohhh...man....that would not be a good thing.  So... best sell it.  Before I jump on and ride it and change my mind.

I'll be safer on the golf course, or in the kitchen..or making bears or something....
...

or ....we could go back to Portugal and  do some fishing.....

See more amazing history and architecture ...

Eat more of that amazing food!  Look at the size of those skewers!  Swords.  That's more like it.... with waaaay more meat skewered than we could eat.... oohhhh but it was tasty....

My preference...

definitely would not be Carnoustie..... I can't even envision being a member there.  Maybe there are tee boxes set up for those who can't bomb it a mile....or worse yet...those who would always be in the "burn" or the "rough".  It is a "links" style course...no trees.... just long scraggly grass here and there... big, deep sand bunkers... thick gorse bushes that swallow balls....wind blowing a gale off the ocean most days, etc.  Not my idea of fun at all.  In all fairness, I know they can't very well irrigate something this monstrous..nor would they want to... after all .. this IS the home of links golf.  And...this photo makes it look pretty green...which it is not.... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay..now..... here is my beautiful course.... serene, green, lots of lovely trees, which also make it challenging, as you do want to try to keep the ball in the middle of the fairway.... some of which are pretty narrow but, at least you can find it if it goes offline... unlike trying to dig it out of a gorse bush.

Occasional water hazards...just to keep you on your toes... but also...the beauty of it....... just look at this little island green.  There is a cute little footbridge leading to it...and a little muskrat lives under it. We sometimes see him on the walk over to putt ... (or maybe we have to get it out of the sand first)... yep...I was in there ...only once so far.  It is a mere 77 yards to the middle of the green from the shortest tees.  Which I am still using.   But...it is a tricky little shot too.  Sand traps all around the green.... some water to sail it over .... it's all a head game really, this golf.
If you look to the left....on the other side of the water .. near that little reddish tree?  You can see the tees lots of the ladies use.  For those of you who don't golf... there are several other tee boxes yards behind those...  ..each progressively further away... 'til you come to the Blacks ...or champions tees.  And, also from where the juniors or kids whack the ball.  Sigh... it is almost unnerving.  They are miles back...well, not miles..but, you know, if I didn't exaggerate.  How I wish I'd been able to take up golf as a kid.  Well, it just couldn't have happened in my childhood...but, in a perfect world, it sure as heck would have.

This is from above on the road leading down into the course..... what a beautiful sight as you drive in .... it was absolutely perfect this day.... .. not a breath of wind to ruffle the water.... 

Carnoustie

I wrote this a few years back when the regular 
tour was playing the British Open at this course. This year...the seniors are playing at the same
course ... poor guys ... I thought it appropriate.
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…………. Maiden by the Sea………………..

There’s a Scottish lass that brings grown men to their knees…

Their bodies caressed by a nearby cool sea breeze..

But she’s not for the faint of heart nor the slightly ill at ease…

And sometimes this breeze becomes a gale,

Or she gets ugly, rough, hardy and hale;

Much more than enough for the strongest male.

She’s a strapping gal of generous size;

An unusual sight for any man’s eyes…

Still,…..  considered to be a genuine prize.

No’ a soft touch, her’s; no inviting glade or glen.

She’s a hag, a bag and a bog-witch; not a caring mother hen.

She’s cruel, she’s mean, and if you dare to give her a try, you’ll ken.

Yet, suitors arrive from all of the map;

Hardly daring to sleep or even to nap;

Hoping she’ll favor the tip of their cap.

     They’d best all be in finest fettle,

For a wench like this will never just “settle”.

She seeks the best – a man of rarest mettle.

Don’t even consider her for a young man’s flirtation…

This is serious intent only; no other situation ..

Truly this one is a Major initiation…

She’s a men’s league special with a claret jug as a treasure,

A she-devil named Carnoustie lads; and she’s mean about giving pleasure.

It’s merely a cruel trick to test the best man’s measure..

So, step forward fellas and take your chance,

But don’t be silly or quick in a careless advance;

For only the clever and patient survive in this dance.

Can this maid be conquered or perhaps fairly won?

Which man will dare to make the final skillful run?

We’ll only know when the last few steps are done.

come for a walk....

I'm out here at the golf course..... taking some lessons ... doing some practicing.... trying out my new found information.... wandering around the beautiful landscape and am hitting it a bit better, but still not as well as I'd like.  Sooooooon...... I hope.....

 ....  I even had time to take a few shots with my camera last time out..... imagine me here.... I wish you could all be hanging out here too.  Even if you don't golf.... and you don't have to walk if you don't want....just get a cart...ride along sipping on a cold beverage...... having a laugh or two.....

However...I golf for exercise ....so, the walking is great.

what's that?  looks like rhubarb to me.  Giant rhubarb! Must take a closer look next time...I could pick a stalk or two... that size would fill the pot.  I love rhubarb in my apple cobbler.

...how could you not love being out here?  so peaceful and quiet...

Off to have a snack and a nap....... hope you enjoyed your walkabout in the greenery....

Dear Vikki ...

(that's my sister) ... Please stop already with the rain dances, prayers and chanting.... it's obviously working wonders.... but,.... on the wrong side of the mountains.  I DONT WANT RAIN!  Yes, I know you do and you need it and love it and all of that ...but, can't you at least TRY to set some boundaries?  On the west side of the Rockies would be fine with me.  And... you know it doesn't matter how long or how much it rains over there at your house (which, by the way, I don't begrudge you)  ... it will dry out in two days as soon as your blistering sun pokes out anyway.  Here, on the other hand...... so far this year, there is no blistering...no sun.... and, so very little golf.  Dammit...I'm getting tired of going from window to window hoping for things to change so I can get out there and use my golf lesson time.  At my great (and, now, very green) golf course.  Where, strangely, nobody is willing to show me anything in the pouring rain even if I desperately want to be there to learn something...anything.  They have flatly refused.  As a matter of fact..I think I heard some rather unflattering mumbling about the state of my mental health....

I'm beginning to wonder why we, in this geographic location that must have the shortest golf season in the world.... would want to bother with the stupid game anyway.  We must be nut jobs.  All of us.  Because we seem to also have the highest per capita number of golf courses and golfers on the planet..... just plain weird, that's what it is ...(or maybe that should read...  we are...) ....

I think it's high time I learned to do some dancing of my own.... in opposition to somebody's supplication to the Rain Gods.  I definitely need to learn the Sun Dance.  Fortunately the Canadian Government outlawed the skin piercing and flesh sacrifice portions of Sun Dancing in 1895...so I don't have to worry about totally exposing myself to the elements ... as a matter of fact...I will be wearing my winter parka, a toque and my foam padded bra.... at the very least....

Poor Basil is really fed up with the cold...

.... the violets love a little moisture, but come on... I bet they're in danger of getting root rot standing around in puddles....

see any tadpoles in there? ...

no bleeding here...just a lot of weeping ...watery tears.....

and, see this?  I got a bag of dirt, I got a bag of dirt...sounds a bit like Johnny in Pirates... but, his was a jar of dirt.  I ordered this two weeks ago. To dig into my depleted garden soil ...and there has been no digging.. NONE...   All I have out there at the moment is mud.  And I ain't standing out in the rain digging in my mud... so... I impatiently wait for a sunny day to whack some balls ... to dig....

Today..... I'm staying warm baking strawberry banana muffins ... making a hearty stew...with "those puffy white things"...
and putting some paint on little dolly.....

Tagged......

I've been tagged by Carolyn of Draffin Bears. Normally, I don't like to go through the "doing" of tags.... but, decided this one would be perfect for the time of year. Of course, we had snow again today..but, normally we begin golfing any week now. Last week it was +21C one day... but, now the bottom fell out...so perhaps next week guys?

The rules for this tag are:

1 Go to your documents/ pictures
2 Go to your 5th file
3 Go to your 5th picture
4 Blog about it
5 Tag 5 people.


Soooo... let me tell you about my boyfriends in this picture....

I golf with 3 "old guys" ... and I do mean old. They even refer to themselves as that, or as old farts... and they are quite a bit older than I am, but they let me play with them. I met Howard years ago when I was doing massage therapy and he came to my clinic. The others are friends of his.. and now...very special friends of mine also.
They tell the other old guys at the course that I'm their token "blonde chick".... or that I am the "eyes" of the group (even if they have had laser surgery and see better than I do !) ...or they say I have to be there to crawl under the trees to get their balls because they can't bend over anymore... (which is often true because they do spend a lot of time in the trees). We play a small 9 hole course every Wednesday morning about 10:00. It is great fun and let me tell you, I don't dare wimp out because they all show up, rain or shine...we've even had snowflakes on some rotten fall days. They give me a bad time if I try to find an excuse not to go. One time after a really horrible rainy day.. (when I didn't go.. just "knowing" they wouldn't be silly enough to be there...hahahha)...they all went to the thrift store and bought me some cute little purple and pink gumboots... wrapped them in wild paper and presented them to me the following Wednesday. They made a big deal of it and obviously everybody but me knew what was up... my cheeks were pretty pink by the time I had unwrapped them and noticed the big crowd of onlookers..... *blush*..... Brother.... what a crew!

Chuck on the left and Angus on the right...the third guy is sitting over to the left in his golf cart...that would be Howard.. even if you can't see him in this shot. Howard is 90 this late summer.... Chuck is 81 and Angus is 86. Two of them have had heart attacks ...one has a few every winter...but, we play on each spring when Howard calls me to say he has a tee time booked. He is very "with it"... and even goes through the computer call-in service...hahha...what a guy. You have to be up at 6:00 a.m. and already hanging on the line to get a time doing that. He called me two weeks ago to tell me to get my clubs out and scrub the dirt off.











Reservoir beside the 1st hole on a perfect golfing day last summer.

We hack our way around the course... laughing and poking fun at each other.... kibitzing and haranguing..... as they like to say. After our game we add 'em up and rehash our game.. whine and complain about it over coffee. We take turns being the big spender and buying every fourth week or so..or if Howard accidentally "forgets" it is his turn.. ( cuz he is notoriously cheap... Angus, his buddy, buys two weeks in a row). We yak about any subject that happens to pop up. What a fun morning it is... I always leave feeling like I have energy to burn. They are so positive... enjoy every moment of life... yes, we talk about health problems too sometimes...but, honestly, even with some serious things going on.... they still love to just get on with the business of living every day to it's fullest.











Angus, me, Howard..... two summers ago....


At this point I am supposed to tag 5 others whose blogs I enjoy visiting...but, I so hate to do that part... choosing or not choosing is too tough. I enjoy all the blogs I visit. So ... I'm changing things. Maybe you'd all like to play along... maybe nobody wants to...that's okay too. If you want to, please take the rules to your house...er .. blog. If not, no biggy.....

wow....what a weekend....

Perfect weather.... sun and fun. Played in the garden for hours... still tidying up winter's debris. Enjoying the first flowers.









On a fun note:... neighbours had a tee time for Sunday ... high noon. Time to do battle with our closest city course.... the toughest and longest and in reality a benchmark course. Dusted off and polished up our weapons. Froze some water in a bottle. Packed some snacks..

If you can play well on this course....nothing will intimidate you. Length from the "champion" or black tees.... 6576 yards. So, even if you don't tee off from that distance, you still must walk past each of those tee boxes...and hence walk the whole length of the course. It is several miles by the end of the day. It is up and down hill and dale as well...so pulling or pushing or holding back our carts as we needed to... my feet were getting sore by the end of it. And..it was HOT. . we all got sunburned.

The guys used the whites at 5779 and we used the forward tees at 5503 yds. Long enough for the first 18 hole game of the season. On Wednesdays, with "my old guys", I only play 9 holes on a much smaller course. To be honest, I was a bit panicked to do 18 ...especially on this particular course, after not swinging a club all last year...and only having been out two times with my Wednesday buddies. I only wanted to have one swing thought in my head as I stepped nervously up to the first tee. Keep my eye on the ball. That way, no matter what I looked like, or swung like.... I would hit the ball for sure. There is nothing quite as embarrassing as "whiffing" (that means missing the ball entirely!!) on the only tee where everybody is standing around watching you ...... not that they really care... and for sure they don't know me...and what difference does it make anyway? ...but...somehow inside... it does. And, besides, they say right on the score card..... "this is an intermediate to advanced skill level course"... and although they also say all golfers are allowed on the course there is also the stipulation that you must keep up the "pace of play"...which is 4 hours, .... 4 1/2 hours maximum on busy days. If you can't keep up the pace you must pick up your ball and walk to the spot where the better players have hit theirs and take your next shot from there. So...I need to be able to get it at least 150 yds. or so on a fairway shot to be able to keep up. Marshals are out there in their little riding carts...kind of like the old west...almost like they are on horse back when you think of it.... forcing us to speed up or "play on" if we fall behind by more than a hole...... But........ first drive of the day..... 150 and straight down the center of the fairway!! Hah! we were off and I was a happy camper! the guys went into some trees...way down there........ and my friend was just to the right of me on the fairyway. (hahahha look at that... fairy way) ....love it. It is the fairway actually. However, it became the "fairy way" after the very first shot. It was magical... a beautiful golf course, ....all to ourselves! The group behind us must have had poor tee shots...and the group in front disappeared from the first tee before we even took our third shots... the pace was wonderful... walk, hit.. etc.. The guys behind never did get near us..... the ones in front were always off the green by our approach. Perfect pace. I only lost one ball to the water.... and managed to score 107.... I was pretty pleased with myself for my first game. I know I can improve on that by several shots... cuz I lost some shots to just silly errors and looking up too soon....... looking forward to the next attempt ...and will be soooo much more relaxed now that I know I can still do what I was able to a few years ago. Around the green I don't lose many shots... as a matter of fact, I took some sand and chipping lessons years ago... and the pro told me that women can do away with a lot of shots around the green by perfecting shots the guys never practice. He was right... women don't need to be able to hit the ball 250 yards... (especially into trees or long grass) .. as long as once we get to within 100 yards of the green we play it smart. And, practice chipping and putting.... it saves soooo many strokes! I like to think I am a pretty good putter... it does take a few games to get a feel for it though...










This pic is from a few years ago... forgot my camera on Sunday.... playing in a foursome with the guys from the smaller company we are now "with". A rather cool October day at a beautiful private course that we managed to get on .. due to a member of the course who used to own the engineering company. Sure wish I had pics of this past weekend.... darn it.


Mr. BumbleVee.... who is notorious for a rather poor attitude on a golf course, (I have decided it is because he is very competitive, but, also embarrasses easily) had a really great day. I mean,it became almost legendary years ago... when working for a large oil company. Yearly golf tournaments had to be played... one year somebody called me to say they had a lottery going for a big weekend golf tournament... did I want to buy some squares. They had a huge pool of money already..almost sold out. It was a guessing game... on which hole would G lose it. At first I was ... uhm.... a bit embarrassed ... both for me and then for him. But... I figured what the hey... I could win some money! the pot was pretty big! As it turned out... he did fine for two whole days... somebody who didn't know him had chosen the third day ... and they won. They even had people in his group and in front and behind watching and they would be the judges as to whether he really lost it or it was just a normal swearing thing as they all do if they miss a critical shot or something. They all agreed...he held it together pretty well 'til the morning of the third day..when he was in contention for a big win and then...as they say in golf.... "the wheels fell off" .. both with his game and his attitude. People have to hide when his wheels really come off.... clubs might even go sailing ... sigh... poor guy. But.. . back to Sunday.... he shot an 89 !! He has never broken 100 on this course. He was quietly very impressed with himself I am sure.. ... now to hold onto that thought. I end up not being able to play with him if he "loses it" more than a couple times in a season ... I then just refuse to go with him to the course until next year. I have to find others to play with... so I am still hoping that as he ages..perhaps he will mellow....but..... not clinging to that hope very desperately. After all ...he is a man. But, I have found other people to golf with so that he doesn't have to force himself to be out there just to make me happy. It is kind of sad really.... because he has infinite patience with others.....how strange. He even taught me all he knew about golf.......til the point where he said he didn't know enough to help me any further and that I should probably take a few lessons from a pro. He has taught many others too... so patient with all of them...even the totally non-athletic ones...but just not for himself.... I so want to be able to golf with him til well into old age....so I guess I do keep hoping.....

Today was a great day. First thing this a.m. I managed to catch the garbage guys on their route and ran out... hahaha (I mean hopped out there).... with some muffins for them. It feels great to begin the day with ... "tx so much... that's awesome!" They usually sneak by before I ever get up, but today they were doing the route in reverse . Unsung heroes. They are pretty great. They take much more than they are supposed to do for us in this city. Although we are very lucky compared to the next province over... my sister who lives there has to pay for anything over two cans. Some days we have 5 bags of grass clippings and yard stuff as well as our can. A lot of people complain ...but I am always so thankful because they take everything I ever put out. Last week I duct taped and strung a pile of juniper branches that Greg pruned... it was a pile about 2.5 feet high and 2 feet wide... the gal was doing it that day and she grabbed it... and swung it right into the truck... most of it made it. The little fronds that didn't?... she even gathered them up too!

Worked on a new bear... cute design.... oh, I wish I had doubles of all of them! I love them all....don't want to part with any of them unless I have a second one that is just like the prototype or maybe even better in the "cute" or "endearing" department.... silly me. Maybe once I get a huge collection of my own stuff I will feel more like parting with them. Maybe when they over run the place... maybe.... maybe not.....

Tomorrow I am going to meet my "old guys" as I call them to tease them. I usually golf with them every Wednesday of our summer. They have been calling weekly to see if I am ready to get out there. I'll cheer them on at the last hole and then have coffee with them when they finish the round; they can chide me about my foot and have a good laugh at my expense ... the least I can do for the gang. I have known these guys for years ... and used to do massage for one of them .. the eldest of our group at 90 (on the right side of the pic) and still loves to get out there. He is giving me a bad time cuz I am much younger than they are but am failing the group. The one on the left of pic is 80 ..the one taking the pic is 78... "My guys" I always call them. We have such a great time out there and I sure do miss them this summer.