Blogger and I are Having a Trial Separation

After pulling out too much hair over working with this blog site I'm switching over to wordpress.com. As soon as I set up a new blog site with wordpress I'll publish the new link. See you soon!!!

Meanwhile, you can try out the new site at
http://toccatamundi.wordpress.com/

Let me know how you like it.

Making Peace Through Golf

Every year here in SeniorLand our street and the neighboring street celebrate the 4th of July by spreading it out over at least 3 days. The first event is the GOLF TOURNAMENT. I will try to explain this grudge match and how I got involved. Believe it or not, I was drafted! Not because I was going to be an asset--oh no--but because I was the worst player that could be found who lived on the street and didn't mind public humiliation.

Last year a new resident, not knowing the chiseled in stone rules for the tournament, asked a friend who did NOT live on our street to be his partner. This friend just happened to have a 3 handicap. Big surprise! They won! The win was contested--of course it was! The upshot was that the big prize of $36 split 4 ways was carried over and added to this year's winning team's purse. An unfortunate grudge developed between the neighbor who had to forfeit his First Place and his neighbor who was accustomed to taking First Place but didn't because of the ringer. Sigh......

So, this year the newer neighbor was on top of the 'hood politics. He asked moi to be his partner thus guaranteeing a probable last place showing and giving his neighbor no more cause not to speak to him. I agreed and comforted my coming embarrassment by buying a really cute pink golf outfit, pink vest, pink socks, 2 pink golf balls, getting an entire new hair style and fresh highlights.

These tournaments have some weird rules--all involving math, best ball, gender, distance from pin and how old your grandmother was when she died. I never did figure out whose turn it was, whose ball was being played, where I was to put my ball or how anyone could keep score.

All I know that the 4 person team was required to use one of my tee shots as THE tee shot on at least one hole in the tournament. They were running out of holes to play when there was a group vote and my tee shot was offered up to satisfy the Rules God of Golf. The only shot I actually remember was sinking one putt that seemed to count for the good of the team.

The winners were announced the next night at the Neighborhood Party. "My" team came in 3rd from last. Unfortunately, there was a 3-way tie for next-to-the last. Even more unfortunately, the grudge-holding neighbor was on one of those teams. So, the double-money First Prize went to someone new and the grudge continues. Oh well--there's always next year.