“Hot fun in the summer sun….”
Ice cream….
Lake fun….
Golf….
Now, if you’ll remember from last month, John has embarked upon a new hobby/lifestyle. I’m happy/surprised to say that after one month, he’s still at it…and with (mostly) high motivation and enthusiasm. In fact, some days I am in awe at his level of dedication…..to shopping. It seems each day, UPS, Fed Ex AND the USPS show up with some sort of triathlon gear. And, just to demonstrate what a complete jerk I can be, I wanted to give you an example of the kind of kool-aid they market to said triathletes….
This is what they call a “transition mat.” The idea is simple enough…a place to put all of your things when moving from one part of the race to the next. Finished swimming? Throw your goggles and swim cap here, grab the shoes that have been patiently waiting on said mat, sip some water and hop on that bike. Or, you could just grab an extra towel from the laundry room, throw your stuff on there and save yourself $25.00….
Now that I’ve poked fun at my good sport of a husband, I’ll put on my romantic hat (no laughing John) and recap the celebration of our 12th anniversary. We were married at Fox Acres Country Club on June 26th a blink of an eye ago, and thought it would be a great idea to take Larry back there as a “thanks for emptying your checkbook” that one time. What a great party that was!!!
So, we rented a super 4 bedroom house, booked a few tee times, and invited the in-laws. As an added gift, Fox Acres happened to be one of my mom’s very favorite places, and Larry, Eric and I thought it a fitting place to spread her ashes. So, on the first beautiful morning, Larry and I set off with Jane in tow….
Now, to be fair the rule was only 2 persons per cart, so naturally we had to get a couple. We teed off, hit a few rogue shots, visited a sand trap or 10, and managed to card a few bogeys and pars. We sprinkled a little of Jane on each hole, imagining how she would hit the next shot, giggling to ourselves when we put her in the sand trap. At one point, the typical June thunderstorms threatened to end our round early. We decided that the lightening was getting a little close and we’d better take cover. In true Larry fashion, he was on a mission to “get the job done” and at one point I looked back to see him driving along as fast as his cart would go, a stream of ashes flying behind him. He had emptied the sand divot fixer of its contents and put Jane in there for “easier distribution.” It was a hilarious sight.
The storm passed, and we approached the 18th tee (a par 3) with a few beers under our belt and the confidence to match. Miraculously, we were both putting for par, although the putts were dicey at best. Larry drained a 40 footer and I put one in from above the hole. We were just sure Jane was watching over that green and laughing with glee. I immediately texted Eric with our tales of the day, and he said “You know Jane was looking over that last putt saying ‘For God’s sake Julie, do NOT leave it short’.” It was a bittersweet, yet awesome day.
The remainder of the trip was spent teaching the kids the finer things in life, like poker.
And dancing on your Grandpa’s feet….
