A View From The 17th Fairway

I Fought the Drapes & the Drapes Won!!

Yes, it's sad but true. We've been in our new home for two and a half years now. Before we moved in, I ordered these gorgeous 'waterfall' Roman shades from a local drapery store. They were handmade with custom fabric that matched my bedspread and carpeting beautifully. Thinking that this particular style would compliment the three bay windows, we splurged to include the continuous loop chains et al.

It soon became apparent that the centre window shade was heavy and hard to pull up on a daily basis. But I tolerated it as other Life Priorities presented themselves. Fast forward two and a half years. Now it is a constant struggle with the center window that culminated in an out and out battle last night.  

Clearly, the drapes won. I was SO frustrated that I yanked the chain, continuous loop and all, until it finally broke. I then staged an out and out assault on the drapes in a complete show of two years of accumulated frustration. Oh, by the way, did I tell you the drapery shop went out of business??

So now the large middle window remains covered in a sad and asymmetrical tribute to last night's meltdown. I'm conflicted on what path to take next. My sense is to go for the wood shutters that I should have purchased initially, but didn't. It certainly would have been more cost effective. And for those of you considering a 'waterfall' Roman shade over a frequently used oversized window..Don't and Save Yourselves Now!!

Sports Gene Testing???

Yeah, what will they think of next....to part parents from their money??? With a new grandchild on the way, and one approaching his thirteenth (and very athletic) year, testing for the sports gene seems a bit 'over the top' even for sports-minded grandparents like us! Thoughts? Check out the original article from the NY Times.

Beantown Never Fails to Delight!

 

Of course this trip was extra-special. Daughter Sunni is expecting our second grandchild (and first granddaughter!) in late February. Kevin was in training in Savannah for his new job, so it was 'girl-time' all the way!

The highlight of the trip was of course the doctor's appointment. Sunni's doctor wheeled in a small ultra-sound machine where I could clearly see that healthy heartbeat and precious baby in waiting. What a memorable moment...
We had such a good time discussing decorating ideas, potting plants and printing photos. Her home is so warm and cozy. That beautiful and roomy guestroom will get alot of activity come baby-time!!

Of course two new restaurants were so delicious! Common Ground and Fat Cat were unique and great fun. And we also visited the Museum of Fine Arts and enjoyed a photographic exhibit of Yousuf Karsh, which was amazing...

 

All in all, a great trip!

 

Back To Our Old Digs!

Yes, we're headed back to PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Our close friends, Steve & Marga Montanino, will be celebrating FIFTY years of marriage in mid-August. Their beautiful daughter, Mona, is hosting the anniversary party at their home in PGA Village.

We're very excited to be returning to the community where we previously lived. We made several close friends there that, over the years, have become more like family. In addition, the PGA Village courses (three plus an affiliated course) are world-class. We love the spacious lots in our new community, but we truly miss the meticulous fairways and manicured greens of PGA Village.

 PGA Village is a unique community for golfers. In addition to its' immaculate courses, it also hosts a golf museum and a school for aspiring golf professionals. All those 'extra's' make for a super-fun place to golf and live.

Fortunately for us, the Mainstay Hotel is onsite in the Village. They also allow pets, so Bailey and Brandee will be enjoying the vacation along with us. They were very well behaved during Sunni & Kevin's wedding, so they deserve a special trip, too.

So, we'll be packing up and heading south for sun, fun, golf and friends! Can't wait!

El Campeon...The Champion

Mission Inn is located in Howie-in-the-Hills, Florida. The El Campeon ("The Champion") course was designed in 1926 by C.E. Clarke of Troon, Scotland. David and I will be playing this course tomorrow with our friends. We're very excited as this course features rolling hills, peninsula greens and tee boxes up to 85 feet in elevation! We've had a lovely lunch at Mission Inn, and now we get to play the course!

Golfing with Nancy...

Lopez, that is...After my doctor's appointment on Monday, David and I took our 'rain check' from last year and headed out to the Nancy Lopez course. It's been a course I've wanted to play every since I exchanged greetings with Nancy herself at a recent lunch at her casual restaurant, The Legacy.

We had a delicious lunch in a covered patio part of the restaurant. The waiter was more than attentive. David devoured his gourmet burger and I loved my lobster bisque. Other favorites include: Chicken Marsala, Warm Lobster Salad and Beef Stroganoff.

Pleasantly surprised at finding our neighbor behind the desk at the Pro Shop, we got good advice on which of the three nines to play. Each nine is named after one of Nancy's three daughters, Ashley, Erinn & Tori.

Click here for a flyover of the course. Click on your back arrow to return here.

Off we went! Still working with my new hybrid clubs, I hit my drives well, made some good short shots and had a few putts that had David scratching his head (in a good way!) David played well, as usual and had a great time.

We arrived home tired but happy with our day together.

Rainy Day Tuesday

Rainy days (not hurricanes, now! )always energize me. They're comfy & cozy and renew my spirit. The last thing I felt like doing was golfing in inclement weather. Especially when I'd much rather be dry and enjoying the weather from the comfort of my living room or even patio. But a commitment to a Tuesday group of lady golfers got me up, dressed and out the door with a few minutes to spare before tee time.

Although the skies were still threatening, the rain subsided. Surprisingly, only one of our twelve-women team showed up to play! We waited until finally, we could wait no more. Sure, we could have headed back home, but we were ready to take on the course with enthusiasm!

Jane & I headed out. It was an unusual opportunity for us to play with each of our balls, and use a second uncounted ball for practice. We played seven holes, when two friends drove up and asked to join us. We finished our round with all the usual fun, banter and frustration that makes the game of golf...well, golf!

Today's rainy day was full of pleasant surprises. And weather wasn't even one of them!

Air Conditioning & Other Life Musings

Our air conditioner went on the blink Friday night. In a normal environment, that wouldn't be a catastrophic situation. After all, who even HAD air conditioning fifty or sixty years ago? But here, in Central Florida's summertime in the 21st century, cool air really is critical.

Although I must say, I consider myself a 'trooper.' During the hurricanes in 2004, the eye of the storms, Frances & Jeanne, hit a mere fourteen miles from our home on Florida's East Coast in the city of Port St. Lucie. An eerie and unusual situation unfolded. Two hurricanes hit in almost the exact same spot three weeks apart. (Five hurricanes hit the State of Florida that 'mean season'.)

On the fifth day without electricity, we finally high-tailed it ninety minutes North to Orlando, where electricity (and air conditioning) was in abundance. I don't think a room service dinner, hot and generous, ever tasted that good.

But the experience taught me a little bit about survival. Without a working electric stove, air conditioning, lights and television, even in ninety degree heat, I can toughen up and get through it. Not a permanent situation, and not the worst that can happen. After all, no one in my family was hurt (although many lost their lives) and our home was still intact. Many of our immediate neighbors did suffer some damage.

But I summoned up all of my reserve (whatever was left after the experience of hearing the 'train roar' in the early morning hours) and made it through. Those kind of Life-altering experiences give you a sort of armor that you can call upon in other circumstances. And I have! So last Saturday morning, David sent me out to play golf with my girlfriends. He found an electrician to repair the power cable that had blown outside of the unit and paid the exhorbitant Saturday fee without much grumbling. Here's to all those strength- and faith-testing situations that make us stronger and appreciative of all things - including air conditioning! More pictures of our Hurricane Francis experience here.

Terrible Twos...Not!!

Easy for me to say as a simple guest at our friends' birthday party for their two year old son. Dr. Seuss was the theme of the evening. We were treated to games and food from Whoville (did I get that right??)

The piece de resistance was the incredibly accurate leaning hat-cake straight from the pages of Dr. Suess' latest story. Congratulations to both Jennifer and Patrick for hosting a fun party, and of course to their two year old son, Cohen.

Girlfriends...A Recurring Theme

Lately, some wonderful women have come into my Life. Or maybe, I've just been more aware of the lovely women that surround me. Last week, it was an inspiring Thai lunch. Yesterday, it was an eighteen hole round of golf with three good golfers. It wasn't so much about their great swings, or talented turns (which they had in abundance). It was more about the encouragement, comraderie and sense of well-being that I enjoyed in their presence.

Already feeling somewhat inadequate due to my high handicap, I added an extra-element of concern with my new hybrid clubs. Not wanting to spend an additional $400 for the classy Adams set, I opted for a less-expensive set  (company still owned by Adams) suiting my current ability. And I still got the new hybrid technology.

The girls immediately put me at ease, prioritizing FUN as our overriding goal. The rest of the round was filled with the usual ups and downs associated with this manic-depressive game. But through it all, laughs, support, acceptance and shared experiences was indeed the order of the day.

Female friendships have a special and warm place in my heart.