I saw kids going to school today..Is Summer Over Already?

We are back to work after an extended weekend. I took a mental health day on Friday and went with Darla to Monterey for a jewelry show. We drove down on Thursday night after my twilight league golf arriving in Hollister about 11:30 PM. Monterey had the Concours D' Elegance car show going on and the rooms were over $200 a night. We stayed in Hollister at the Best Western for $100. Friday we drove in to Salinas and had breakfast at the Black Bear Diner which is quickly becoming one of my favorite breakfast spots. The food is plentiful and the surroundings are great. From there we drove in to Monterey and walked around Cannery Row looking at the over-priced fare and having Darla actually buy an over-priced blouse. I'm good for about two minutes in those clothes shop. I'll look at the T-shirts with the sayings like "Am I actually intellectually superior or do I just have stupid friends?" Pretty funny, but not for $19.99. I wandered out of the shop where Darla was shopping and found a shop with country flags and car decals, etc. I was looking for a Canada grill plaque...not to buy it mind you, just to find it. Darla finished her purchase and then couldn't find me and I was in deep with her for about twenty minutes. Yes, I am an insensitive bastard. There I said it.

We went from there into Carmel and stopped at a gourmet deli and bought some Chicken Salad sandwiches to take to the beach. We drove down to the beach at the end of Foam street and relaxed. I fell asleep and Darla woke me to point out two European women who chose to change on the beach rather than use the rest rooms. I thanked her for waking me to see the show.

I dropped Darla at her hostesses house at 4:15 and drove over to Laguna Seca Golf Ranch to see if I could play some twilight golf. They wanted $53 for twilight with a cart. I asked the starter how much for a bucket of balls. There was almost no one on the course and he offered me a $15 NCGA discount and I jumped at it. I teed off at 4:55 PM and managed to get in 18 holes and shot 39+44=83. I struggled on the back as we were hurrying to finish the round. I put two balls in the water on the back and still managed a 44, so not too bad.

I played again on Saturday and actually ended up with a fivesome as one of the guys who called to say he couldn't make it, changed his mind the next day after I'd already filled his spot. We had two tee times and two extra guys, so I set up a third time for a twosome and played with my VP candidate, Rick Rusk. The guys in my original foursome/fivesome played two groups in front of me. I shot 42+39=81 and feel solid about my game right now. I will play in the Rose Cup qualifier on Saturday and hope to qualify for a spot to try to reclaim the Rose Cup for Diamond Oaks.


Darla woke up with a bruise above her left eye and a red dot in the white of her eye Sunday morning. She accused me of abuse, but I don't remember anything. You'd think if I rolled over and smacked her in the middle of the night, she would have woken up. Strange, eh?

Darla and I hosted a BBQ for our life group on Sunday and it was a good time. You can see from the pictures that we had good food, some singing and a nice prayer time. The group is praying for Jennifer and John as they prepare to have my granddaughter. Jennifer's mom, Diane, was in Las Vegas this weekend visiting Jen and John. The barbecue was fun and we even swam a little and got caught up with everyone after the Summer off. The Life Group is breaking in two as the Pandos and Darla and I will take on a new life group effective September 10th.


The boys returned last night from their trip to Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, etc. I hope they had a good time, but its not my idea of a vacation as there is no ocean and not a lot of golf courses on the agenda. They visited the Grand Old Opry, Graceland, Branson and Chicago on the trip.

I am planning a golf trip in November to Torrey Pines in Oceanside. Boyd, Bob, Mel and I will play the famous North course home to the 2008 US Open. We will fly out Thursday night, play Torrey and then spend the weekend in San Diego before returning to Roseville on Sunday.

I talked to Randy this weekend on the occasion of his 47th birthday. Chris is getting ready for his senior year of High School and attended 9 football camps this Summer in preparation for his senior season. His team, Colleyville, opens the season against the Division 2 state champions, one of only 2 teams to defeat them last year. So revenge is definitely on the agenda.

Dad and Shirley are off on their European cruise and will be gone for 23 days. They return home for a week and then head to Texas for five weeks with Darryl and Cheryl. We will see them briefly as we will be there for Jesse's wedding.

That is the news that is fit to blog, so until next week..Ciao.