December 28, 2017

What a day!

Greg and I warmed ourselves by the fire, talking until our hunger drove us from our room.  We made a quick run to Kneaders to pick up some of their famous, decadent French toast.  We came back and ate it with our feet propped up on the edge of the fire place.  We could see out our huge windows that the golf course was covered in frost.


The one and only other time we golfed at Entrada, it had been midsummer, and 107 degrees by the time we finished.  It was so hot, that we were nearly the only people out golfing.  Even in the heat, we had loved the course.  This time, Greg was really worried about the cold, but we were excited to golf here again.

We showered and checked out of our casita, and headed over to the clubhouse.  They told us they were about an hour behind due to a frost delay, so Greg and I spent some time chipping, putting, and hitting on the driving range.  Greg spent most of his time helping me with my swing.  So that by the end of an hour, I was sweaty and tired.  I was super pleased with my improvement, though.  I am so determined to get better at golfing.  I just want to be able to golf along with Greg without being an absolute embarrassment.

We ate lunch out on the patio, waiting for our tee-time.  When the starter came to get us, he recognized Greg as his doctor.  He begged Greg to call him any time he wanted to get on the course, and told him he would let him on.  Greg just smiled and thanked him and chatted with him for a bit, but then the man ended the conversation by insisting that Greg call him if we ever wanted to golf here again.  It was super nice.

We had the most glorious day.  The weather warmed up to sixty degrees.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and I was in short sleeves all day.  Instead of mostly playing horribly and every now and then doing something great, I mostly played well, and only occasionally did something horrible.  I even beat Greg on a couple of holes!  And on every hole, I got a legitimate score (when usually we have to give me a 10 when we've lost count).  I was hitting a 6, or a 7, and one time a 5.  We were having so much fun.  And Greg was so proud of me.

By the time we stepped up to the eighteenth hole, we were both exhausted.  By now, the sun had gone down, and we were getting chilled.  This tee box is high up over a ravine.  You must drive the ball over the ravine and down into this beautiful little canyon.  Last time we were here, I tried a couple of times and never even came close to clearing the ravine on this par 5.  This time, I wanted to hit from the white tee box, because the red was down off the cliff and not nearly as fun looking.

Greg went first and hit his ball way down the canyon, landing in the middle of the fairway, pretty close to the green.  We were both so impressed.  Our backs were both shot, but we wanted to end with a bang.  I teed up my ball, took a deep breath and swung away.  My ball cleared the ravine by a long shot, but went left and far into the wooded gully running the length of the narrow fairway.

Smiling at me, Greg handed me another ball.  I teed it up again.  Deep breath.  Huge swing.  Thwack!

We both stood, mouths open, as that ball sailed way over the ravine, high in the air, all the way down the fairway, as far as Greg's ball had gone.  It landed just barely in the edge of the trees, pretty near the green.

"Rindi!" Greg said, breathless, "You crushed that thing!"

We were both laughing and high-fiving as we got into the cart.  Then it was a winding trail down into the canyon.  We looked and looked for my ball, but never found it.  Those trees were standing in a marshy gully, and since it had been so far from the tee box, we weren't able to spot it's exact landing.  Greg kept saying, "Maybe you hit it farther than this," which only made me laugh.  So I dropped next to his ball.  I hit my next shot up near the green, then chipped it up and on, and then took a couple of putts to get it in the hole.  It felt like we were the only ones on earth, down in that quiet canyon.  The sun had set, and the air was cold.  And I was so thankful that we had been able to golf alone.

Best day ever!

On about the fifteenth hole, a group of four guys let us play through.  We had been breathing down their backs for quite a few holes.  Since it was a Par 3, I decided to hit from the whites again, so I could use my driver.  I was so nervous!  Including Greg, five men stood there watching me.  They were silent, of course, and with all my heart, I hoped I wouldn't swing and miss, or duff it badly.  Please let me hit this, I thought.  I took my time, tried to concentrate, and then swung away.

I let out the hugest sigh of relief when it came off the club solidly.  "Whoo-ee," one of the guys said.  And I walked back to the golf cart, knees still shaking.  After Greg hit and we drove away, I heard the four guys in a conversation about golfing with girls.  I just heard bits and pieces but it was something like, "I don't know if she'd be very good."  And, "I think I might be able to get her to try golf."  I hoped they were jealous of Greg.  Ha ha!

And of course, I completely screwed up my next shot.  But I was so grateful I hit it when it counted. :)

We drove home, backs sore, but excited about such a fun day.  Greg was really anxious to get going on my 100-bag challenge.  After seeing all the bags the girls and I were able to get rid of from the homework nook alone, he was starting to believe.

The house was spotless, the kids were happy, and a few slices of pizza were leftover for us.  We hugged and kissed everyone, and since the kids were watching a movie, Greg and I went back into our master closet to work.  By the time we fell exhausted into bed, we had removed another eight bags to donate.

Greg quit before I did and came out to play our new board game, "Catan," with the kids.  I could hear them laughing and playing as I worked through my bathroom cupboards.

The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was Greg telling me thank-you for a wonderful day.  I haven't been so tired in a long time.  An hour and a half practicing at the driving range, and then 18 holes of golf, made for a very exhausting day.  I had the warm and cozy feeling, when you just feel so sleepy, it wouldn't matter if you were sitting or standing, you know you would doze off.

It had been an excellent day.