Today at 5:25 pm...

 ...I sank this putt...for a bogey as the first official score ever registered on the par 4 first hole of the Ryan P. Hare Memorial Hickory / Wiffle Golf Course.

Should have been a par, but after a decent tee shot with my play club, I left my niblick just a little short of the green, so had to chip on in 3.

Missed the 8 footer for the leave you see above, then sank that for a bogey.

Here's the view from the tee:

Did you spot the flag?

Slight dogleg right, about 45 yards away.

To be honest I'm not satisfied with the feel of the green.  I hand compacted the crushed limestone layer many times then spread 9 bags of sand over that to fill in the cracks.

After that I wet it and hand compacted the sand layer several times.

Seemed ok when I put down the turf but now you can still feel the crushed limestone underfoot when you’re standing on the green.

At some future date I’ll probably take up the turf and put more sand down but don’t want to overdo it or it will shift under your feet when you stand on it.

Gotta think about it, but not too bad for a first effort...I'll give it a C+, maybe a B- if grading on the curve.

Three more chances to get it right this summer.

In the classic car department...

...I no longer own one.

Yep, Mr. T finally sold this past week, the proceeds of which to be used in the "martinis and bikinis" fund (read: in ground pool).

Had him for 6 years and truly enjoyed driving him.

End of an era.

We have a number of stray / neighborhood cats who mosey on over for a bite to eat now and then, but one of the strays recently managed to worm his way inside...

...meet Buddy the Cat, currently making himself at home on my side of the bed.

He'd been hanging around for a couple of months, out in the woods, seeking shelter under the She-shed at night, and then one day I noticed he was inside.

I questioned the Lady of the Manor closely as to exactly what her intentions were re: this wayward beast, to which she replied (and I'm quoting here for accuracy):

"Oh, never mind..."

Now my fears have been realized.

I've often said Karen's cats live and prosper under the protective umbrella of her love, and never has that been truer than with this latest addition.

Heavy sigh...

On the home stretch now with Born Out Of Due Time...

...have my ending - well, mostly - and have written it in the neural network that passes for my brain...now just have to get it down on (digital) paper.

Shooting for next weekend, then proofreading / tweaking begins.

Hoping to publish by June.

Time for a stroll through the parting shots gallery...

Uncle Ryan with 3 of #1 son's kids, probably 15 years ago

I just like this art deco bar

Buddy Kitten giving me the stink eye

Lilacs in bloom

this is the trunk of the big green spider tree that was blocking our wall until I cut the top off...I wanted to cut the trunk down, but Karen said "Wait 'til spring...if it blooms, we'll keep it..."

...wouldn't you know it...the gnarly bugger bloomed...oh well, it does make a good Halloween Tree

Saw the pretender to the throne mumbling to himself on TV the other day, and it brought this Scripture to mind:

later, mcm fans...