Countdown to my trip - 2 weeks to go

Superbowl weekend, weather is real nice, it's Friday and I was able to work outside today, it felt great. I've been toying with the idea of going back to work, I've got a couple of unique opportunities but unsure if I'll act on either one.

Snow is still on the ground up at Cushman, with the weekend predicting to be nice and in the low 50's it might be enough to melt the remaining snow. If I were to guess I doubt that I will play any golf up there before I leave.

I also hung up my SW sign since I last posted to the blog.

I've slowly been preparing for the trip, bought a couple of shorts, a new golf hat at Salish Cliffs and I've been working through a checklist of things I need to do before leaving.

Brought in both generators today a sure bet that we'll lose power soon. the dogs have been great, I try hard to give them some exercise out in the front yard everyday, especially when the weather has been decent.

Chris and I have faithfully been walking on the treadmill down at the Hood Canal Fitness Club, we are now "one of the regulars that shows up on Mon - Wed & Fri. We have also been going to Eagle Creek on Thursday night for $1.00 Taco night, it's fun to get out at least once a week.

SF & Baltimore in the Superbowl, I think it will be a close game but these big events rarely live up to the hype.

Seahawks lose to Falcons - time to think about 2013

After a surprisingly good run at the end of the season, the Seahawk season just finished this afternoon with a close loss to the Atlanta Falcons. It was a fun run and very exciting for the Northwest. I've enjoyed having text wars with Jacob during the games. Chris and I went over to Jake and Em's dressed up in full Seahawk gear to watch them beat the Redskins last weekend.

Now that football has almost ran its course, I now need to move on to the events coming up.   I leave Feb 17th for a return trip to Arizona and Borrego Springs - its been unseasonably cold down there this year but I hope things will warm up in a month. Chris and I have been walking down at the Hood Canal Fitness Club 3x a week, it feels good to exercise and work up a lather again.

I'm starting to get involved in my new capacity as President of the 18 hole men's club at Lake Cushman. Haven't been able to play for a month because of snow up there but there are organizational things to do prior to the spring golf season. Since I'm gone for a month, I'm trying to get as many things lined up as I can before I leave.

I hope to get some burning done before I leave, we are scheduled to have a decent week of weather but it's bone-chilling cold. I tried yesterday to get a fire started and my neighbor Pat did as well without any luck. I might try to get my weed-burner fired up tomorrow to jump start a fire. Dennis and I discussed playing golf somewhere this week, we both have the bug to play and our local course is still snowed out.

I think my main spring tasks will be working on the lawn, working on my golf game, planning a garden this spring (a first for myself and Chris) and identifying plants for the hillside. I might tackle that project in small - easy to managed sections. I need to even out the drain field grass and overseed there, level out the new little section I planted on top of the cul-de-sac and reseed, and top dress the back and front lawns. We might move some of the plants out back that are too big for the spots they are in or to move them so Riley doesn't turn them to mulch. Finally, I will get together with Jake to help him redo his back yard. That should be easier to tackle then the major work we put into the front yard. Perhaps I'll come back in the fall and help him with painting the house - that will be a pretty big project.

I had the SW sign Jake gave me cleaned up and the neon tubing replaced. It is now ready and I can't wait to get it hung up in the shop.

Christmas is over bring on 2013

Had a wonderful christmas holiday. We were able to spend time with Ben & Matt, Jake & Em, had dinner with Merle and Donna. It definitely was a while christmas although it rained most of the day. Everyone was very generous with their gift giving. Nice Husky jacket from Jake & Em, Nice mid sleeve Salish Cliff wind/rain jacket from Chris. Headphones & a  really nice "go" coffee cup from Ben & Matt and a gift card from grandma. Most surprising gift was a neon Sherwin-Williams sign that Jacob restored himself. I'm working on tweaking the electrical stuff to make it easier to hang up in the shop.

Of course I ate too much and ate the wrong stuff as is the norm for the holiday.

Jake, Em & I watched the Hawks dismantle the niners on sunday night and that was a lot of fun to do that with them.

Merle and Donna are heading back south tomorrow, I'm a little jealous because it is so cold and wet here but it won't be long before I start getting ready for my own trip down south.

Week before Christmas, snowing almost every day

After LCMC closed the clubhouse on December 11, I played golf three or four times. I think the next golf will be down south with Rick. Today we really got hit, probably 4-6 inches, had to get the generators out and placed in the pump house and next to the house. The dogs are enjoying the snow, hard to play ball, the ball sinks into the snow and makes it difficult for Riley and Carter to find.

Todays our 32nd wedding anniversary, we want to have dinner tonight at Robin Hood to celebrate, I hope the snow changes to rain so we can get out of here.

We had Luella and Bob spend a few days last weekend, we have Ben & Matt coming over on Friday and Jake and Em are coming on Saturday to celebrate Christmas. Jake is bringing the standing rib roast, his contribution to the holiday.

Big day this coming Saturday!

What's the big date? Riley's birthday - he turns 1 on Dec 8. Today is Wednesday, nice day, I played 18 holes of golf just 2 weeks after the carpal tunnel surgery (got the stitches out on Monday). Played under control and despite pretty soggy conditions I shot an 80 and it certainly could have been lower if I putted a little better on the front nine 3 putting 3 straights holes after landing on each green in regulation. Needed a little more club then normal but I was quite surprised.

Cleaned out the culvert on lot 11 yesterday, no fun but was necessary. All the leaves and crap is going into the pipe that feeds into the property. Raked out all the leaves and other debris and built several small cofferdams.

The boys are being good, we are trying to get outside and get a good walk in on the nice days. Riley is leaving both christmas trees alone.

I've put together a new play list on Rhapsody as Dave Matthews, Graham Parker, Dwight Yoakum and new guy Phillip Phillips have new albums (do we still them albums?). I'm sure it will be part of the music I'll use on my trip down south (73 days & counting).

Saturday there is a Christmas party at the golf course, nice to hear that Dennis & Carletta are now planning on attending. They are having a raffle for a free membership, that would be nice to win! It should be fun after golfing there all year, we are getting to know quite a few of the members. The locals are all up in arms because the LCMC has made a decision to close the club house from Dec 11 - March 1 and the rates are going up.

Last week of November

We had a great Thanksgiving, good weather and great company. Jake, Em & her dad, Chris spent Thanksgiving with us and Ben & Matt came over on Friday and spent the night. Lots of good food and football this weekend. For once I feel like I didn't over do it. I had plenty of goodies but in lower volume.

On the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving I had the Carpal Tunnel surgery performed at Mason General and as far as I can tell, everything is progressing normally.

Ben, Matt, Chris & I uncorked my beer I made and surprisingly enough it was very good, a honey wheat beer - that was a fun project.

We put up two Christmas trees this year, we put the second tree up in the loft. It's nice for Chris because its a room she spends a lot of time in.

We got heavy rains on Wednesday which caused local flooding. I found out that we have a blockage in one of our 12" pipes, I'm sure its an accumulation of debris that comes down from lot 11. Chris, Charlie and I tried to get it cleared but had little luck. I need to call a Roto Rooter kind of company to clear that drain.

Since my last entry, Carol & Jeff have left for warmer surroundings, as I write this they are in Bakersfield, CA getting ready to head to Borrego Springs in a couple of days.

It's nice outside but kind of chilly, I plan to do a little work out in the yard, cleaning up some of the annuals that have finally died after the first good frost of the season. I've got a meeting to attend this evening up by the golf course where they are addressing upcoming memberships fees. I need to get together soon with Steve to go over what the heck I should be doing as President of the men's club.

Beautiful Early November Day

Three straight days of blue skies - NICE! Made it out to the golf course today and this past Tuesday and didn't play too bad (86 -85). Cartpath only means humping it out to the balls each shot, I suppose its good for me. Barack Obama was reelected on Tuesday, first time I can remember ever watching most of the evening returns.

I had an appointment Wednesday to get ready for my upcoming carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand. The hospital was thorough, blood draw, EKG, chest x-rays and lots of paper work filled out. I've got one more day of golf planned for tomorrow before I go on the shelf.

I trimmed several plants back and finished the garden shed redo this past weekend. After the surgery on the 20th, I'll need about 3 weeks to heal which will put me well into December. I'm not counting on to many more golf outings based on normal weather patterns before heading south in late Feb.

We had to move the Santee golf trip to April because of hurricane Sandy postponing some meetings for the guys. that should be interesting, the weather in April should be considerably warmer then what we are use to and the days will be longer as well.

Jake, Em & her dad Chris are coming over for Turkey day, that should be fun. might be a little challenge to find a bed for everyone since we only have 2 bedrooms but I know we will make it work.

Since the weather is suppose to be nice, I'm planning on hanging Christmas lights up on Saturday before the surgery.

Chris and I are planning a date night tomorrow - the latest James Bond movie "Skyfall" comes out and we'll go into Olympia to see it and grab Chinese food.

Should have taken before pictures of the garden shed, I'll snap a picture of the finished work and attach it to this posting.

Late addition, shot a 75 today, I have no idea where that came from but it's a great way to end things if I don't play next week and the surgery is the following week.