Chicago

I spent a good portion of last week at a convention in Chicago.  What a cool city Chicago is.  I had a great view from my window that inspired me to get out and walk around.

Of course, the weather did not always cooperate, so I had to negotiate the rain showers.  On Saturday, just before I left, it was beautiful out.  So I went for a long walk.  About a mile or so from my hotel I came across Oprah's TV studio.  It was far more modest than I had ever pictured.

I did notice, though, that the side street had been named "Oprah Winfrey Way".  Maybe not so modest after all.





A "Relaxing" Day Off

As a "thank you" for volunteering at the US Senior Open event, Indianwood Country Club allowed me to play a round of golf on the old course for a reduced fee.  They also let me bring a guest, so yesterday I took the day off work, grabbed the Hubs, and set out for a nice relaxing game of golf.
I had no idea what I was in for!  The course is hard to begin with, with a slope rating of 131 from the forward tees.  But, it was still in "tournament shape" with the roughs being extra-long, and the greens being extra-fast.  On the first green, we each putted once, and then just stared at each other.  It was like putting on linoleum!  We managed to get through the round with our dignity somewhat intact.  I didn't break 100, but I was still able to hold my head up.  I did make 3 pars after all...
Anyway, we went to the Sagebrush Cantina afterward, and drowned our sorrows in a couple margueritas.  You know what they say...a bad day on the golf course still beats the best day at work!

Golf Then Dinner

Last fall I was at a benefit golf outing for the assistant pro from my club.  As a door prize, I won a round of golf at Hawk Hollow in Lansing.  Today we went to play.  It is a beautiful course, and in really good shape.  We were having a great time, and I was kicking the Hubs' you-know-what, up until the last hole.  That's when I put three balls in the water, and ended up taking a 10.  He beat me by two strokes.  Damn!  I think he must have felt sorry for me, though, because he took me to Whitey's for dinner.  That's a favorite restaurant of ours, with a salad bar like no other.  They are known for their fish, and we have never been disappointed.

Someday I will figure out how to get a couple of their bar stools for my basement!

My Week As A Marshall

I just finished my final shift at the golf tournament, and I am now sitting in my cool house, watching the leaders finish on TV.  The U.S. Senior Open Championship is the first outing I have ever worked as a Marshall, and I really had a blast.  I would do it again in a minute, despite the heat, dust, and a few rather nasty spectators.  I chalked it all up to being part of the job.  For the most part, I found the spectators to be very understanding of the job we had to do, and the players were very appreciative of our efforts...and said so.  It was a real thrill to stand on the tee box with Fuzzy Zoeller, Larry Mize, Corey Pavin, Tom Lehman, and so many others I have admired for years.  I happened to be working the #12 hole, the hardest hole on the course.  And, they made it look so easy!  I am told I can play the course any Tuesday for the rest of this season, and I really want to give it a try.  I'm sure my game will not look nearly as pretty, but it should be fun.

Family Get Together

 Last Saturday we went to my sister's for a fun summer get-together with the family.  The weather was a great relief, after more than a week of 90-100 degrees, and we really looked forward to sitting by the lake enjoying the breeze.  It was great seeing everyone, and sharing the company.  From the seniors to the new arrivals, it seemed like everyone had a great time.

We spent the night in town, and the next morning had breakfast at Al's.  Then we went to Verona Hills for a round of golf.  The Hubs beat me by one stroke, so I paid for the dinner at Frankenmuth on the way home.  It was a wonderful weekend.

Enjoying the Fireworks

Yesterday we went to our friends house on Hidden Lake to watch the fireworks.  It was the first time we had seen them there, and they did a great job.  Of course, I forgot my camera, so I have no pictures, but it was a great display.  We were joined by several other friends, and sat out on the patio, overlooking the lake.  We had a spectacular view of the show.  We visited, and did our usual job of eating too much.  It was a great time.  The only drawback is that they are over an hour away from our house, so we didn't get home until quite late.  Today I have no energy at all.

Happy Dad's Day

One great thing about Father's Day is that we get to see the boys, whom we do not see nearly as often as we would like.  Today we went to dinner at Carrie Lee's.  It was kind of like old times, as we used to take them to dinner at Carrie Lee's when it was in Birmingham.  Now we had to go out to Williams Lake Road, but it's close to them so it was worth the trip. 

We enjoyed a great dinner, and lots of conversation.  Of course I kept my eye on the U.S. Open which was on the TV in the background.