Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Quick To Judge

I got busted yesterday!  I caught myself in the act of being judgmental and the powers from above smacked me back down right off my high and mighty perch.  Just when I thought I was near perfect....bahahaha!

Let me explain....
I recently "graduated" from the 9 hole golf group to the 18 hole golf group.  It was time and a bunch of us "graduated" together so none of us had to make the move to the scary, competitive, serious 18 hole group alone.  Yes, we are in junior high school!  Anyway, our fears were quickly put to rest when they welcomed us with open arms.  They were very hospitable as we sat wide eyed and expectant at our first meeting.

One of our fears about joining the group was that we would be put in the back of the pack with the very slow golfers every week.  We may not be great golfers but we are definitely not slow golfers!  We always found ourselves catching up to their last groups on the course on Tuesdays and then having to wait for them on each hole. Our fear was that we would be in "that" group once we joined.

Yesterday, was our play day.  As I found my cart and the other two women I was assigned to play with that day I had a sinking feeling.  I knew one of the women from our 9 hole group, but the other looked like one of the "slow" playing women I had waited behind several times before.  I'll call her Golfer Gal. I figured my day was going to be an exercise in patience.

Off we went, in the gusting cold wind.  Perfect!  Cold... slow... golf....my favorite!  I watched and waited for our pace to be set.  None of us were playing especially well with all that wind and all those layers we were wearing.  Golfer Gal was no better or worse than either of us and not noticeably slower.  She was much older than either of us too.  There was about a 30 year age difference between Golfer Gal and the other girl and I was somewhere in the middle.  We were definitely an eclectic group.

Anyway, on the 4th hole our younger friend had to go and pick up her son at pre-school (yes, she is much younger!)because he was sick.  This left me and Golfer Gal to pair up and play the rest of the round together.  Two people will be a lot faster than three I figured .  Golfer Gal moved into my cart and we finally had a chance to visit with each other.  Well....that's when I got busted!

Golfer Gal mentioned that she had only played on our course three times!  Being an astute person, I figured that meant she was definitely not one of the slow bunch we always caught up to last season.  Shame on me!  As we visited in the cart I found out a lot about Golfer Gal and our worlds collided on at least three fronts, and by less than two degrees of separation.  She is new to the area.  She has lived here for less than a month.  We ended up having a delightful round of golf and I think I made a new friend. Plus, Golfer Gal has got game!

I can't help but think there was a much greater power at work yesterday.  I needed to be put in my place and I also needed to meet Golfer Gal.  I am definitely enjoying the new group and will from here on out withhold my judgment.  "Judge not lest ye be judged."  I can't imagine what they all think of me.  "That pushy 9 holer who plays fast and stares us down on every hole!"  Yikes!  I need to work on my golf demeanor.


Monday, January 13, 2014

Bears Do It

Is it just me or does everyone else want to hibernate in January?  I just want to stay inside and sit around all day wearing yoga pants, reading a book or watching chick flicks and finally eat a nice stew or soup for dinner at 5:30.   There has to be some kind of metaphysical reason for this!  It seems to happen every January.  Call it the post holiday lull....the calm after the storm....or maybe the calm before the storm.  Call it whatever you want but give me a good book, some hot tea and a blanket and leave me alone!

The weather last week did not exactly lend itself to playing outside.  The beginning of the week was freezing!  Literally....
Photo evidence of the freezing temperatures!

Since we live in Houston, the end of the week was warm, humid and rainy and we were back to wearing shorts.  We live in "wardrobe confusion" all winter long down here.  The sun finally showed it's shy face on the weekend and the freeze of earlier this week was but a distant memory.  I had just hunkered down for my long winter's nap and now it feels like springtime.  I really just need a good nap, can it get cold again?

I, for one, love the cold.  I like cooking all those comfort foods.  I like bundling up in sweaters, scarves and jackets...even a coat!  I like having to use the fireplace.  I like hibernating....I must be part bear!  I would really like it for more than four days too!  Just try me Houston!  While most of the city has been complaining about the "cold" winter we have had, I sit and say, "Wow!  It finally feels like winter!  Whoo hoo!".

The desire to hibernate diametrically opposes all of those January resolutions.  How am I supposed to do all that exercise I resolved to do in the freezing temperatures or rain... when all I really feel like doing is watching The Wedding Planner for the hundredth time?  If I could just hibernate I would not be tempted to overeat....I'd be sleeping!  Sounds like a great weight loss program to me, sleep for a month....ahhhh.

Alas, I am not a bear and the sun is out again.  My four day hibernation is over and it feels like springtime in Houston.  I guess I have to go out and get some of that exercise stuff while the sun is shining!




Monday, January 6, 2014

The Party Is Over

And so it begins....another year.
I usually don't "love" New Year's Eve.  I find it never quite lives up to the hype and as much as it pains me to admit, I have a hard time staying up past midnight these days.  This year was different!  Is this a sign?

We were still in Nova Scotia on New Year's Eve and went right across the street to a party.  No need to worry about which one of us would have to be the designated driver, we were free to drink... responsibly.  We bundled up, it was -20C, and walked to the party.  (Yes, we take on polar bear qualities when we are immersed in snowy wintry conditions)  We knew every single person at the party!  That is my kind of party!

The party itself was attended by young, old and all ages in between.  One of the many blessings of life at the shore are the multi-generational get togethers.  We had tons of delicious food, signature drinks, and on top of it all there was hockey and curling on the pond next door.  I can't say I actually witnessed the curling, I stayed inside and "made sure the fire did not go out"....I have my limits people and -20C is one of them!

This young man ?  braved the cold and participated in the curling,
 he also tried some creative ways to stay warm.
His glasses immediately fogged up when he came inside!
Winter up north has a few unique necessities aside from the obvious good boots, warm coats, hats and gloves.   A large mudroom is a must in any northern home.  The mudroom is the staging area for putting on and taking off all the winter gear.  We don't really have a need for mudrooms down here, except for mud...and really...how much mud do flip flops drag in anyways?

A nice self respecting mudroom...in full use!
We brought in the new year with cheers and hugs and kisses all around.  I loved being up there and bringing in the year with my summer friends and relatives.  Since the party was attended by many children things broke up soon after midnight....perfect!  We bundled back up and walked home, I'm sure we were stone sober by the time we got there.....-20C can do that!

So, here we are in 2014 and it's time to get back to work.  The holidays are officially over...or they will be tonight after the BCS Championship game...for me at least.  I guess it's that dreaded time of year when I am supposed to resolve to get healthier, organize my life, write at least once a week on the blog,  and be a better person.  Since we have a big wedding coming up in May, I will join the resolutionists this year and try to fight the flab in order to fit into that elusive-perfect-mother-of-the-bride dress.  The party is over......but it sure was fun!
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