Labor Day Weekend

   Ben and Matt are in Palm Springs with friends this weekend. They don't let any moss grow under their feet! Tomorrow morning is our fantasy draft, I don't know how many years we've been doing this, maybe 5 or 6 years. Travis is the commissioner, I think he enjoys organizing it. It's an all family affair, 10 of us, Jake, Em, her dad Chris, Travis, Dillon, Jeff G., the Bonds & me.

                                                                    

   Greetings from the patio. I'm here with Riley & Carter. Beautiful evening, working the last of my holiday weekends at the golf course. Before I know it, we'll be packing up for Borrego. Lots to do before then. I've got budgets, cart path & parking lot paving projects to complete plus a variety of fall projects. Looks like I'm going back for a 6th year.


   Our dogwood is in full bloom this fall. Didn't bloom much in the spring. It must like hot weather because it's been a very nice summer and we still scheduled to get temps in the 90's next week!
 
    Even though I didn't get to Jake & Em's much I miss them being so far away. They really seem to be liking it in E. WA and Jake seems to be in his element as a sales rep. I am heading to Spokane in a couple of weeks to see Gracie and of course, the new digs. Looking forward to some time off, haven't taken any time since coming back to work.

    Chris & Carole are in Italy, they've been there several times. Probably revisiting their favorite places. Think they are taking a cooking class.

    Only five weeks to go before we leave, right in the middle of our paving project. Things seems to be going real good. Budgets pretty much done, inventory complete and we got the greens artifice. Just got to get through the clubhouse opening and most of the heavy lifting is done.

Always like to include photos but I can't get them to load.

Summer Time in Hoodsport

Start to another summer, very wet spring has given way to some really nice warm summer days. Some big changes are coming. Jake got promoted to a large sales territory in Eastern Washington. Just this week he & Em bought a home in the Liberty Lake area of Spokane.

We also celebrated Gracie's 3rd birthday on June 3rd at the children's museum in Everett. A very fun day with family & friends.

Chris & I have been busy at our work and in our spare time working out in the yard. Never enough time!

Some sad news, Chris found out that her mom has cancer, its early in the discovery process, we don't know much at this time. We all should have a good idea about her condition later this summer.

We are excited for Jake & Em but it is hard to imagine Grace so far away. I think our summers will now include a week in Spokane. The home the kids bought has a full apartment downstairs, perfect for a visit.

Ben & Matt are great and doing very well. They've come over a couple of times around Mother's Day & Father's Day. They cooked wonderful meals, we had Carole over both times, Merle & Donna joined us in June. Ben, once again amazes us managing to do so well at Starbucks & paint as well. I'm attaching a beautiful painting he did as a project for Howard. Several employees painted pictures to be given as gifts to the board of directors @ Starbucks. Ben had the privilege to do a painting for former New York senator and NBA Knick great, Bill Bradley. Unbelievable!!! They also processed their white wine also called Fate, it is very good, enjoyed by all!

Time to go home

Our first extended time down here in Borrego is quickly coming to an end. I'm down to my last week, maybe the same for Chris & Carole. An unusual season down here with record amounts of rainfall and now record heat. All in all, it's been a pleasant stay, we enjoy our place, it's low maintenance but we are both ready to go home. We didn't do much to the place, had Rosie convert our path to the golf course to cement. We bought a new golf cart and a tough shed to store it in. Now we can lock things up when we leave.

It will be nice to get home and see the family, Ben & Matt came down for 3 days after Christmas, we had fun with them and Matt's folks in Palm Springs. We did a lot of Facetiming with Jake, Em & of course Grace, can't wait to see them again. Looks like we'll get a chance to see Travis in May. Dillon is graduating and we are going back to help them celebrate.


Still managing the golf course, I've worked on a good plan to have this extended time off, saving them money and giving me more time down here. Played plenty of golf including shooting a 73 at Rams Hill, a personal best for me. I don't plan on playing as much back home, concentrating on work and the yard but we'll see.

Carter & Riley enjoyed their time here, I was concerned how they would react to losing their back yard at home but between visits to the dog park and walks down to the green belt, they seemed happy with that. I have noticed Riley hasn't been limping around. Perhaps the warmer weather helps.

I'll have to add some photos when I get back home, can't access some of the ones I'd like to include.