It's Monday, so it must be time to update this diatribe on Life with the Lyon's. This weekend revolved around two themes, Rain and Golf, and never the twain shall meet. We finally got some much needed rain and it was a true Pacific storm and all that entails. We had wind, rain and snow in the high country and some major squalls that, along with hail and some thunder and lightning, even saw a funnel cloud spotted in the Sacramento area. I wasn't sure if I went to bed and woke up in Vancouver, British Columbia or Dallas, Texas.

The heaviest precipitation came to us overnight on Friday, with about an inch-and-a-half of rain soaking the valley floor. It was so heavy and incessant that it caused the creeks and ponds on Diamond Oaks Golf Course to overflow their banks and flood the course. I called over early Saturday morning to see if the tournament was on and was told that Steve Hitchcock, our tournament director, had decided to cancel the Saturday round. This is a three-day medal event and Steve had already locked in Sunday, March 22nd as a rain makeup date. Frankly, it was clearing up and looked like we'd get little or no additional rain on Saturday, but the course was drenched and only 14 holes were open. It was the right call, but I was determined to play that day.

Darla was taking David to the DMV to get his driving permit. EGAD...I could miss that. I drove over to the course and saw several of the guys milling about, putting or hitting balls. I grabbed a bucket of balls, and as I hit them tried to implore several more nutcases to join me on the course. I finally got Dave and Gary to agree to play and we lit out on the back nine. We played 10-17 and decided to play 11-17 again. We played two balls in on 18 and then played 11 again. We finished in three hours and eighteen minutes and I shot a 43-39=82. Little did I know that I would wish at the end of the weekend that that score was part of the tournament and not just practice. I was shocked at the level of water on the course. We have had about 600 new homes built around the course in the last three years and many of them sit above the course and drain down onto the course. The drainage is horrible. We had a torrent of water sluicing through the 15th fairway and out through twelve and thirteen. It drained well over Saturday and we were able to play on Sunday.

Sunday was not as agreeable in the weather department. It was overcast and nasty looking, but the tournament was ON. I had a terrible round and had sodden and soaked grips and clubs by the end of the day. The rain started on our sixth hole and rained incessantly from then on. I shot 44-45=89 and walked off the course disgusted with myself and my game. I had several holes when the wet grips almost caused the club to fly out of my hands. I was able to hang onto the club, but not my game and look forward to improving over next weekend, which so far appears to forecast as sunny and warm.

I got off the course on Saturday early and we went with Darla's sister, Alicia, and David and Daniel to Arco Arena to watch David's varsity basketball team at Woodcreek vie for the Nor-Cal Championship in Division II. It was fun to sit in the Sacramento Kings arena and watch our high school boys playing on the same floor as the Kings. They played a see-saw game with a team from Santa Clara and finally went on a nine-point run in the third quarter that helped them to a 65-56 win. They will play at Arco next Friday night for the state title against a team from Los Angeles. We will, of course, be there for the game.

After the game, which ended about six-thirty and included presentations of the winner's plaque and medals for both teams, I treated everyone to dinner at Hamburger Mary's. Mary's is a mid-town Sacramento restaurant that is eclectic because of it's age, it's decor and its clientele. Mary's is located on J Street across from the Memorial Auditorium and directly across the street from The Beat, a downtown music store that caters to the punk scene. I had to talk to the boys before we went in, because Mary's is known to attract the downtown crowd, which includes the gay population. I told the boys to not stare and to just enjoy the meal. Our luck would have it that one of those rather eccentric couples sat right behind us. It at first appeared to be two older women, but quickly became apparent that one of the old ladies was an old man in drag. He was a dead ringer for Mrs. Doubtfire with his large glasses, long skirt, old lady clog shoes and a bright top with tassles and fringe. He was also toting a handbag of gargantuan proportions and had on a necklace, rings and full makeup and painted nails. It was all I could do to keep David and Daniel from going into hysterics. David and Daniel have grown up in conservative Roseville and have had little contact with how the other half lives. They got an eyeful on Saturday night.

I had mentioned Darla's lawyer friend, Jim Dodds, who is building us a coffee table. We had hoped to meet up with him on our way back from Carmel, but he had his phone hooked up to a Fax machine all day on Saturday and we weren't able to hook up (literally) and the wait continues. Jim is in the middle of a big court case and he was hoping for a big settlement and had his phone turned to FAX. Jim talked to Darla on Sunday and said that he was sorry that we couldn't reach him as he's going nuts with the table there and keeps tinkering with it and adding touches. I just hope we can lift it into the truck when we finally do get over there.

I'm off to the San Francisco Bay area this week on work. I'll be in San Jose Tuesday night and Wednesday and Burlingame on Wednesday night and Thursday. I'll return home on Thursday night. I hope you all are well. Buckle in as it looks like Saddam might have his comeuppance sooner rather than later. God be merciful with his soul.