Birthday 2.0 2015

I had started a report for the actual day, 18 June, but when I rose early that day, melancolia had set in & the condition was too severe to finish. It wasn’t until much later in the day, early evening in fact, that spirits turned around. There is also a new mystery to report here at the cloud but we’ll get to that in a bit.

Let’s see if I can squeeze in a full report before the lawn mower screams too loud begging to cut some grass or the bike ‘ride ME, ride ME.’

Truth be told Thursday, the actual official calendar Holiday, mental health got the better of me. But as always I fought thru it & resiliently recovered to return to form so here goes. No need for meds or a therapist of any sort.

Received short communique overnight from Emma in Oz. Very short, birthday wishes, one of her sibs is visiting so look out and she informs me that Down Unda they are making Coca-cola with stevia and get this … in GREEN cans. How cool is that? Need a photo Emma to confirm this.

FYI, the United States of Bureaucracy is stalled on ‘approving’ stevia as a ‘sweetener’ prohibiting wide-spread use in such beverage products probably from pressure from the antiquaited sugar lobby INSISTING upon calling it a ‘nutritional suppliment.’ But a GREEN coke can. Like Happy Saint Paddy’s Day in an appropriately colored can.

Virginia jetted in as planned. We had dinner at a local Italiano place that has now dropped off so markedly that it will no longer be recommended to readership, borders & lodgers. The menu has been cut back, WAY back & when we queried the wait staff, we were informed now that it was more stricter or strictly a ‘pizzeria.’ Sad but true. So the new go-to place for authentic & affordable Italian cuisine is Panevino in Allen.

Va also showered your correspondent with a nice BIG bag of goodies. New designer shades for starters. Apparently the cataract ranch wrap arounds looked a might too foolish so a change is good. Some colorful note cards with beautiful pictures of local ducks & birds. Very classy & very rich. There was a bottle of Maker’s 46. The overpriced new (NOT improved) product from our favorite maker of Kentucky Bourbon. Some fancy mens handkerchiefs blue with some plaid patterns. Very elegant perhaps too for yours truly but graciously accepted. And a few more items for general decoration & office only use.

But the biggest, strangest new mystery unfolded the next morning.

Friday as I am doing my front yard assessment for weekly maintenance, I spot a golf ball in the lawn. Nice, shiney & white, it is a Titlest proVI, 100 compression (the hard ones), low number, black #2. I mean someone, unknown, dropped not one but TWO of these beauties onto my lawn over night. Not an entire sleeve of three (3) but only two. I am not sure if there is any significant MEANING behind that OR any of this however I would like to know the identity of this unknown gamer. Next time leave money, CASH as I am not playing as much golf as I used to.

This is SOOO weird. Couldn’t be FB, they are traveling. IDK & have only reckless clues totally unfounded so I am dropping all speculations on the origin of these balls.

Speaking of balls, yesterday I finally caught up with Jimmy & got the signed Steve Stricker golf ball from the 2015 Colonial. You were thinking I made this up?

Stricker had signed my Ryder Cup flag previously at the Colonial later after the historic Cup win in ’08 so the ball is now a prized possesion on display in the permanent exhibit here in the office/study/den.

We had a wonderful beer buzz going for a Friday afternoon. Jimmy works 4-tens so Friday was a good day for him.

So today is a low profile, low energy day around the castle & the grounds. Overcast & cool as I finish the estate blended tea.

I was momentarily interrupted here as I saw a mockingbird swoop into the back deck lighting on a chair far too close to the cherry tomato bush for my comfort. I had to chase him away as some of the little tommies are starting to ripen & I WANT them. There is still leaf lettuse so I am thinking nice garden salad complete with tomatoes. I lost a couple last week to some varmint being a bird, rodent or squirrel. One of those was an off-colored ‘heirloom’ varietal I was watching & waiting on patiently. Subject fruit was severely damaged & beyond salvage.

US Open coverage picks up later today from the PACNW. Chambers Bay course looks humbling hard. Busted one eldrick Woods. Always nice to see him tank in a major missing the cut. The commentators make one want to puke with the ‘poor tiger’ & excuses. Fans, the problem is not between his ears, its between his legs. You heard it HERE.

It is hard to believe that the course is not lush & green and one Gary Player complained publically, openly & loudly about the course according to yahoo.sports. I met Gary Player in 1964 at the Greater Hartford Open as a kid & at the time a fan of his. I axed him for an autograph (as kids do) & he was a real Jerk. I wanted to say Prick but stopped short.

So I started to read the article, saw the source of the comment & Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Bill, move along. There are certainly bigger & better things for me to do.

I am uncertain if I will backfill the aforementioned missing entry or not. I MAY make it available to members only OR I just might make everyone wait for the book.

Reading the final Andrew Keen book Cult of the Amateur, Mass today at 4:00 & a planned activity with Son One (S1 or Br12) tomorrow for Father’s Day. Patty is stopping around for a cookout & swim later to celebrate Solstice.

OK. The tea is only warm & nearly gone. I feel spent & there are things calling demanding my attention so must dash.

If any member of readership can shed some light on solving the birthday golf ball mystery, send forth the tip & identify yourself. This MAY mean I have more Fans than I thought (?).

I’ll accept a collect call under the circumstances.