splash and go

After a meeting over at Riverside this morning to discuss the vagueries of upcoming product releases and the contingencies that surround them, I departed for Goodlife not knowing that less than 30 seconds after turning the key in the car that I would be in dire need of a facility.

At this point, a review of the liquids that I had consumed this morning is in order:

• one large cup of coffee
• one litre of water
• one large chocolate milk

By the time I pulled up to the traffic light on Riverside Drive, my toe was tapping and my mind was focused on nothing other than the need to see a man about a horse.

I quickly wheeled into a strip-mall pub, where the barmaid welcomed me, attempting to either direct me to a table, or set me up with a pint. The last thing on my mind at this point was additional fluid intake. I made a b-line for the WC, quickly telling her that I was going to be meeting some friends who were sure to follow in just a couple of minutes.

Once the necessary was complete I exited the WC, gave a quizzical look around the pub, shrugged my shoulders, looked concerned due to the inexcusable latenesss of my posse, grabbed my cell from my pocket in an apparent attempt to contact those who were leaving me high anddry, and headed out the door to place the call.

Mission accomplished.

I jumped back in the car, feelin' great relief, and headed off the to gym without fear of damaging the leatherette.

however

It has come to my attention that I use "however" quite a bit as a transitional element in my writings. I will endeavour to rectify this grevious indulgence, however, I cannot make any promises. I have removed all instances of "however" in the "weekend update" post. I trust that you will continue to bring to my attention such atrocious literary stylings in the future.

weekend update

I drove to North Bay early on Saturday morning, spending some quality time with my girlfriend* along the way.  I arrived at Dad's around 9.30 am, where upon we went directly to Tim's, without passing go. We always see someone we know when we hit Tim's on Trout Lake Road, and this time was no exception as Jerry Stewart dropped by to say hello. For those of you I play hockey with, and who therefore know Jeremy and Graeme, that's their Dad.

(Almost forgot! Dad likes the new girlfriend very much. He thought that I had hooked up with another sporty number in blue that I was eyeing while he was in Kanata a few weeks back. I think he likes this one much better.)

Next we headed downtown to run an errand (an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the much-sought after field tomatoes at a makeshift farmer's market that had been set up in a vacant lot between Oak and Main).

Now home for lunch. Some manner of turkey with non-field tomato on white. And a beverage. Now off to Osprey Links, a newish course just south of North Bay. Not a bad track at all, though the fairways on the linksy-style front nine could use a little love / luck with its winters.

Our host for the day was John Marshall, father of Cam, with whom my Dad and I had an annual father-son thing going for a while. Cam moved to BC to work for Ballard four or five years ago, so it's been hard to keep it going.

My front nine started well, as I birdied the first and parred the second. Somehow though, I ended up shooting 49 on that side. I will attribute a few of the strokes in this ungodly number to our host John, as he prodded me into cutting some corners I shouldn't have and taking some risks that were ill-advised at best. Nevermind. I'm quite good at making my own mental errors on the course. John just happened to be there to facilitate.

Happily, the back nine was a different story. Here's my card for the shorter, yet much tighter and more undulating of the two nines.

Par      5 3 4 4 4 3 5 3 4  Total 35
Score  5 3 4 4 5 3 4 3 5  Total 36

I caught a nice break on 11, as the rock outcropping to the left of the green bounced my ball back onto the green. My bogey on 14 was a result of not getting up and down from just off the green. The birdie on the par 5 16th came after almost holing my greenside bunker shot for an eagle. The long par 3 17th (195 over water) looks okay as a 3 on the card, but my 7 wood ended up just 3.5 feet from the hole, so I can't help but think that I should have been -1 with one hole to go. That thought was the kiss of death, as this is what I was thinking while standing over the putt - and of course, I missed the putt. It wasn't a misread, but poor alignment that caused the miss, as I felt that I hit a perfect putt, only to have John tell me that I was aiming that way.

Anyway, on to 18. A smooth 4 wood to 128, and then a crisp yet not overcooked 9 iron to an elevated green. I hit a solid shot that landed just on the front fringe, but, due to the angle of descent, released to the back of the green. 40feet and two putts to an even par 35. Easy! Except I three-jacked it. What a dope!

An odd way to end up with 85, but I'll take it.

On Saturday night Dad and I were invited to John and Jane's for dinner. The Marshall's have an amazing house on Trout Lake - love that house, and if they ever decide to move one day, I want first dibs. Suppose I'd have to be able to get a job in North Bay and uproot the family unit. Details! It had been four years since I saw Jane, and it was pretty special to see her - she was always very motherly to me and Cam's friends, always making us feel welcome and like part of the family. After a few before-dinner drinks and a couple of hours of catching up, John sparked up the Jacuzzi (his circa 1977 bbq, not a spa / hot tub) and put on the steaks. After second helpings of both dinner and desert (Jane broke out the cobbler for the occasion!), we tapped into the Zambuca. Dad did not partake as he wanted to take the girlfriend home himself.

I promised Jane and John that it wouldn't be four years before I visited again. Hopefully Martine and I will drop by there when were up with the kids later this summer.

I won't get into such a blow-by-blow account of Sunday's round, unless you want me to that is...

It was just Dad and I up at NBGCC on Sunday morning. I felt like I was entitled to shooting 75 or less after the previous day's back nine. Entitled I was not. Ended up with 86 - 44 front, 42 back. Finishing on a positive note is always a good thing, and I did just that going one over for the last six holes. I birdied 16 and nearly holed a chip for another birdie on 18 - still can't believe it didn't go in. Those of you who know the 18th at NBGCC (formerly the 9th prior to the re-routing that took place a few years ago) will attest that it is nearly impossible to stop a ball from rolling off the green from above the hole.

Based on Dad's performance with the driver (my old Accuform behemoth), I've taken it to get reshafted. While he hit's it well, everything is off to the right. I fear that he's gonna quit the game if someone or something doesn't straighten him out. Hopefully a bit more whip in the ole shaft will do the trick and help get that face squared up.

*girlfriend = bmw

my wife is nice

Some have taken umbridge with my wont to label my wife as "nice", as noted in a previous post.

Here's the thing one should know about nice before one judges it as an affront:

• nice never wears out it's welcome.
• nice stands the test of time.
• nice makes it easy to come home at night.
• nice will be around long after the kids have left for university.

And one more thing:

• nice allows for guilt free trips to Scotland with friends while the understanding husband happily takes care of the kids while the nice wife is off on a cruise with her mother and sisters.

it's good to be married

After spending last evening at O'Connor's, enjoying The Dukes of Haggis (a three man band that includes our neighbor Drew on bass), I'm very happy that I'm not a single man.

I now understand why some friends of mine remain single. I had often heard about, but had never truly witnessed the skanky hooched cougar in her natural environment. If this is what single men have to choose from these days, I would be among those friends of mine who are quite content to remain a bachelor.

shower at work

I just had a shower at work.
 
It's kinda odd knowing that you're buck just a few feet away from your co-workers. I suppose it's no different that showering at the gym after my workout or at the rink after hockey. It's actually far more private an environment here. But I don't think that means I'll be making a habit of this.
 
I had to shower at work today because today I had a physio appointment for my knee (a simple case of runner's knee - I run one little 10K race back in late may (see placing number 1183) and now all of a sudden I have "runner's" knee). The physiotherapist asked me to have a short run before my treatment this week. I thought I'd last about 10 minutes before I started to feel the knee, but surprisingly, I lasted 30.
 
I even pushed the pace for the last 10 minutes and was still unable to get the knee to hurt. I guess last Tuesday's deep muscle massage / ultrasound treatment was worth it. Either that, or the physio place knows that this can be fixed in just one session and is now charging me up the yingyang for a few more visits, until I'm really "healed". Not that I really care - my company covers it.

i got nuthin

I have nothing interesting, nor noteworthy to say today. Some may feel the need to point out that I never really have anything interesting or noteworthy to say. To them I say, "stick it in your cakehole."
 
Have nice day.

milestone checklist

1. Graduate somewhat successfully from post-secondary institution.
   Done.
2. Get a job.
   Done.
3. Get laid off. That's laid off you dirty-minded bastards, not laid.
   Done.
4. Repeat numbers two through three, three times.
   Done.
5. Buy a house in the burbs.
   Done.
6. Find a nice wife.
   Done.
7. Have two great kids. One boy, one girl.
   Done.
8. Stir in big tv and hot tub.
   Done.
9. Buy dream car.
   Done.
10. Golf trip to Scotland.
    ???

the open

Spent most of saturday and sunday morning, and into the afternoons of said days, watching The Open. Good stuff.
 
Dad and I played at Troon during our trip to Ireland / Scotland many years ago, not on the Old Course, but on the Portland Course (One has to be 18 or older to play the Championship Course, and I was only 17 at the time of our trip). Check out http://www.royaltroon.co.uk/ and click courses / Portland Course. It's not a terribly long course from the Medal (back) tees at 6289 yards. I wish I had paid more attention to where I was and what I was doing at the time.
 
I can't remember what I shot, but I do remember a few things about the round:

1. We came to a shortish par three, number eight I think, where there were some workers down in the left pot bunker. They climbed out to watch us hit. I had the honour, hit it solid, but into the pot bunker on the right. Dad hit it stiff to about four feet. From the bottom of the bunker I could only see the top of the flag. I whailed on a wedge, popping it out to a foot or so from the pin. Par. Dad drained his putt for birdie. A round of applause from the knowledgeable greenskeeping staff ensued. Well done.
   
   
2. On 18, a long par five, we were down to one ball between us. The gorse had devoured the half dozen or so we had between us to start the round. We played alternate shot to finish.
   
   
3. Over dinner / pints that night, a few of the locals, when commenting on my proclaimed love of the fade, dubbed me a "gay blade". Whatever that means ;). Odd that now my standard ball flight is now a draw.
   

no more coffee in the big tim

Nothing worse really. I take the time to drive to Tim's to fill the big one and all of the gluttons around here suck it up before I can imbibe. I suppose it serves me right for screwing around too much today at work.

gnip gnop

...is ping pong...

Nobody can bend it like Matthew. June 2004. 

The much ballyhooed automotive purchase. Dig the owner with the wacked lid. July 1, 2004. 

Not a bad looking family, despite my influences. May 2004. 

The deck is now stained to match the gazbo. July 4, 2004. 

wednesday's gnip gnop results

In a spirited affair, Fraser lept out to a commanding two games to zero lead. I stormed back to tie the best of five at two, only to be trounced in the final game 11-2. I weep for the future.

feel free to comment

You can now comment on any new posts that I make. I'm sure that each and every one of you will have some witty insight into how I should be living my life. I'm looking forward to the scrutiny and absurdity.

ah, the blog!

You may have reckoned that I had given the blog the go by, but, in a fit of excitement over blogger's new interface, I've decided that it was high time that I get back with the program. Last night I wrote a long email to friends we met while on vacation in St. Lucia, the contents of which would make excellent blog material. I'll try to put it up tonight. Until then my readership, thin in numbers though you may be, likely having thought that I had fallen off the face of the earth.

I'm back. For a while anyway.