Sunny Sunday

8:40 tee time this morning at Penmar and I was looking forward to a chill golf game. Being at Penmar meant no rush at all in heading out and grabbing breakfast somewhere. In fact, in taking my time, I made myself some tea and made my bacon tomato cream cheese bagel right in my kitchen. And I still had plenty of time. However, I did get a call from Scott that he wasn't going to be able to join us today. I guess his wife did not do well with her 2nd Covid shot and was experiencing reactions. So he was going to stay home and look after her. I thought to myself if that were Lisa what would I do? Well if I were still married to her obviously I would do the same thing. But today? My first thought would have been to take Johnnie so she could deal with it. There is nothing I can do for her really other than to get her to be more mentally tough. <Note: I even did the muscle test stuff with her yesterday but it did not go well> Anyway, moot point and so I headed off to Penmar hoping that Greg would at least make it. Last week it was he that couldn't play and it was just Scott and I. Today I was relieved that he, in fact, did show. And we ended up playing with another guy so it turned out to be a chill game still. As far as my game itself, I know I was too relaxed starting out and then not relaxed at all at times. It seemed like the entire game I couldn't find that groove that I had last week where my rhythm was flowing. I knew I was too relaxed when my shots would wander to the right and I didn't get around to the ball. I knew I wasn't relaxed at all when I would yank a shot to the right, both from the tee and from the fairway. Maybe today, i was just out there to enjoy the sun and the exercise and simply being outside. After all, by 9 AM it had warmed up considerably like it was a summer day. I will say that I had at least 3 long putts that I got in which did NOT happen last week. OH to put a game together where I'm hitting off the tee well like I did last week and I putt well like I did today. Still there were some memorable shots. I never did get a par. But I had a lot of bogeys including the string of them on holes 4-5-6. Coupled with the one on 2 and I would say I actually did have a decent game. Good enough to earn my salmon kabobs for lunch LOL. 

It was so nice out that it would have been a shame to stay inside the rest of the afternoon. And I didn't have to work hard to find an excuse to do something outside. And this afternoon it was to go out on my scooter. Yay! I hadn't ridden that thing it seems like since that afternoon that Johnnie and I rode to Panda Express Westwood. That was before Daylight Savings! That's been at least 5 months. This afternoon it was simply to pick up stuff from Ralphs to make this week's stew. And the meat of the week is... pork and beef meatballs! Kind of my version of albondigas soup LOL. And you wanna know something? It turned out really really good! That's because I slow cooked it in a pot for at least an hour, instead of using the Instant Pot. It thickened the broth much better doing it that way. I really like getting my week's meal prep done today rather than tomorrow, that since I made enough stew for at least 3 meals. And I ended up with a hearty meatball soup for dinner tonight! But for sure the highlight of this afternoon, would be the scintillating win that the UCLA Bruins basketball team pulled out at the NCAA tournament. They were playing in the Sweet Sixteen where they had last been when Lonzo Ball was playing in 2017. I was already satisfied. After all, they had lost their best player and best backup big earlier in the season. They had lost 4 in a row to end the season. But man, something must have clicked because they are confident now boy. And they beat #2 seed Alabama to get to the Elite Eight! The last time UCLA did this was the Ben Howland years with Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook. And so it was that I took time out from one of my reflection afternoons and gave in to my past self with its attachments, one of them being the UCLA Bruins and it was very satisfying to see UCLA advance. Just as the Lakers did a few moths ago, and just as the Dodgers did a month after that. This UCLA team is on a run. Dare I dream? I mean, they're playing with house money now. They've gotten to the Elite Eight. Can you imagine if... Anyway I was grateful for a nice, beautiful Sunday, and the golf day today. I was grateful for some great meatball soup. I was grateful for the time with Johnnie yesterday. I was grateful for the UCLA win and the feeling of joy and watching the players celebrate. It WAS a good weekend.