Derby Day Predictions

Derby Day is fast approaching. This is the first year in a long time I don't have an on-line account to place bets on Derby Day. I'm going to miss it. So, on Oaks and Derby Day I'm going to make my selections and at the end of the day see how much money I saved. This will probably be the year every thing I pick wins at 30-1!
Predictions:
*I will have my first hot flower bloom on Derby Day.

*My Iris in the front yard will bloom on Derby Day. Because of the shade from the tree, it has never bloomed.

*Last but not least, Dunkirk will win the Derby with West Side Bernie second.

Pictures of Hot Flowers, Iris's, and me jumping up and down will be in a follow-up post!

Golf round #11 for the year

I played Shawnee GC today. Very disappointed with the way I played on the front 9, but pleased with the way I played on the back 9. On the back 9 I showed flashes of brilliance! Signs that maybe my game may be coming back, or, at least hasn't completely left me. I shot a 46 - 42 = 88. Shawnee GC is par 34 - 36 = 70. So I played 4 strokes better on the side of the course that is 2 strokes harder!
The sun, wind, and dry weather the past few days have really dried the fairways out. This is the first time I've played since last fall that you could actually get some roll on your tee shots. I think my game is coming around just in time for the BIG TOURNAMENT in 2 weeks.

A little golf, a little metal detecting

I played golf for the first time at Polo Fields GC Friday. Shot a 48-48= 96, with poor iron play being my major downfall. Sure, I three putted a lot of greens, but they were pretty tough greens and everyone else three putted a few times, too. Mostly though, it was just the poor iron play. Played in a scramble today at Cherokee. We Birdied 5 holes and bogied 3, finishing at -2. This was the first time I've played in a scramble where the rule was "Whichever tee shot you choose, that player doesn't get to hit the second shot." Doesn't seem like much trouble, but it makes a big difference when you have a very good player, someone who has a lot of their tee shots selected, and they don't get to hit to the green!
I metal detected at Audubon Elem School grounds Saturday afternoon, after getting home from Erin and Jill's soccer game. Found a total of 97 cents. I found 8 dimes. Those kids loose a lot of dimes. Their parents need to start giving them quarters for milk money. Preferably pre-1964 quarters.

Goddard Dogwood Festival

We had our first annual Goddard Avenue Dogwood Festival this week. Mary Lynn and I dressed in our 1800 period costumes and sang Stephen Foster songs on the front porch, had our pretty little Dogwood Tree lit up all night with a big spotlight. Attendance was small, but I'm sure will grow in years to come.

Copper Pennies - Pre-1982

Since I've been metal detecting I've found out something about pennies I didn't know. I knew they changed the metal composition a few years ago because the price of copper got so high the value of the penny was worth more than 1 cent. I didn't realize that this was changed in 1982! I thought it was just, maybe 5-10 years ago. And, I didn't realize how much this new penny composition corrodes when in the ground! Finding these new pennies that have been lost for several years, the penny is sometimes 30% GONE! The older copper pennies are always completely intact.

In 1982 they minted both copper and copper coated zinc.

Drop Test for Copper and Zinc Pennies
If you don't have a tenth-gram scale handy, you can use the "drop" test. You need a hard Formica surface, a known copper penny, and a known zinc penny. Drop each one onto the table, listening to its distinctive sound. Zinc pennies have sort of a flat "clunk," whereas copper pennies have a higher-pitched, more melodious "ring" sound. Once you have a good feeling for how each type sounds, start dropping your 1982's one at a time, listening for the sound they make, and you should be able to sort them out by metal composition. Obviously, this test isn't as reliable as weighing them, but it should help you sort most of copper and zinc pennies.

As you can see by the picture, the copper pennies hold up much better.

Backyard Find

This was such an unusual find I thought it deserved a post. I spent about 20 minutes metal detecting in the back yard tonight and found this Deutsche Mark dated 1972. We've lived here since 1969 so it's been lost since we've lived here. I can't imagine who'd have lost a Deutsche Mark. Would you have any idea.... Mark?

SIBLING DYNAMIC DUOS: Manning, Williams, Tabler

Erin and Jillian Tabler had their first soccer games of the season today. Jillian's first ever soccer game. The YMCA Board of Directors decided not to have them on the same team because they would be just too dominant. These two whirlwinds flew up and down the field, almost scoring at will (Note photo insert of Erin scoring while the other players try desperately to stay with her). Even if they weren't the best on the field, they were the cutest!

Nice Day at Keeneland

I went to Keeneland today. I received in the mail from Twinspires a postcard for 2 free box seats, tip sheets, Derby Cap, and a $10 concession voucher for Thursday, April 16. I couldn't resist. J. R. and I drove up today, he had a postcard, too. It was a beautiful day and I came out $16 ahead on my wagers. I don't know why Twinspires would host a day at Keeneland, but I suppose they're working to be part of Keeneland along with Churchill Downs. Now, if they could just get their on-line wagering accounts settled.

More loot from St. Matthias Field

I metal detected at St. Matthias Field again today. I think it's my favorite place. I've gotten friendly with the maintenance man there and feel comfortable metal detecting there. There's about 6 acres of field and I haven't covered even half an acre yet. So, I've still got a lot of ground to cover. I've just checked the volleyball court and around the basketball court and still need to check a lot more around the basketball court. I haven't found anything good yet, but I find enough to keep me busy digging. Today I found $1.18 and one of the pennies was a 1932. I thought the key was kinda neat. I've never seen one with sports balls on it. And, the little "B" bead I found digging a hole for a coin. I had to keep it because it had a "B" on it!

Tabler Girls score big at Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza!

Erin and Jillian Tabler scored a major upset when they grabbed the largest Easter Egg collection of all their peers! Moving swiftly and with agility, these girls made a sham of the their competition. They worked as a team, picking up eggs left and right handed, scoring as needed and rendering assists when necessary. Moving with ease from one room to the next, filling their baskets to the brim. Then, with their baskets full, pointing out eggs to the other kids to show good sportsmanship. Way to go Erin and Jillian. You set a record that will stand for a long time.

April 8, 1967 - A lifetime ago

Today is our 42 wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that we've been married 2/3 of our life! We were 21 when we got married so we've been married twice as long as we were single. We were married at High Noon, at St. Columba Church on W. Market St. The reception was at the Shawnee Golf Course Clubhouse. Looking at our wedding pictures now, we sure looked like kids! And, I guess at 21, we were. But, even at that young age we made a good decision.

You'll have to excuse the picture, but I copied it out of our wedding album and I don't know how to crop it in 'My Pictures'.

Dub Jansing was my Best Man, and Kathy McDonald was Mary Lynn's Maid of Honor. We were married on a Saturday, and Sunday afternoon we left for California where I was stationed in the Navy. After 6 months in California I was sent to Vietnam and Mary Lynn went back to Louisville to stay with her parents. So after 6 months of marriage , we were apart for a year! It was a difficult year.

But, when I got home in October, 1968, we wasted no time starting a family! Mark was born 9 months later in July, 1969. Kevin followed two years later. Then Brian.

Now look at us! Two lovely daughters-in-law, that we love, and two of the most beautiful granddaughters we could have imagined! Look at what April 8, 1967 has produced!

April 3, 1974

Oh yes, I remember it well. I was driving home from work, watching the green, swirling, rolling clouds full of debris, and listening to the reports on WHAS Radio. The whole time I was driving I was looking for places to take shelter if the Tornado looked to be heading my way.
The reports on the radio had the Tornado moving from the Fairgounds, through Audubon Park and into Cherokee Park. I know my home was in that line and was scared to death. When I got to Ellison and Barret I finally knew my house and family were OK. That was the first and only time cars were backed all the way up Goddard Avenue from Baxter to Barrett.
After being home for about a half hour I got on a bicycle and road up to the area that was hit, Bardstown Road and Eastern Pkwy, Cherokee Park by the Boone statue, and through streets between Bardstown and Newburg. What a sight! So many people out surveying the damage, roofs damaged, chimneys toppled, trees and electric lines down everywhere. There is a picture taken at Eastern Parkway looking out Bardstown Road that's been in books and the paper, and that's the view I remember seeing.
My sister Jean lived in Palmyra, Indiana, brother Joe lived in Richmond, Ky, and I lived in Louisville. It's amazing, but the tornado only missed my house by about 3 blocks, but missing me further than it missed my brother or sister! That's how widespread the tornado's were that day.
That day will always be the benchmark for any other bad weather days Kentucky ever has.

Grandpa's Girls

Erin and Jill spent the night at our house Thursday. The whole time they were here they told me not to get in their backpacks because there was something in there that was a surprise and I couldn't see it. Well, Friday they got dressed back in the bedroom and I sat on the couch in the living room. When the were dressed, they came running in to show me. They went "Ta-Da". They both had on "Grandpa's Girl" T-shirts! What a surprise! Of course, I didn't like that at all. I'm sure Grandpa Len's going to love it when he sees them, too. They are "Grandpa's Girls"!

Scramble at Chariot Run GC

I played a scamble at Chariot Run GC today. That's the Course run by the Horseshoe Casino just down the river from New Albany. Frank Krider called me the other day and said he had an opening for me and one other to play. Harrison Co. Bank sponsored a team so it was FREE! My kinda golf! I called Brian for our fourth. So me, Brian, Frank and Franks' friend Jerry played. We played very well as a team and finished 8 under, tied for second. We won second place in the scorecard playoff. Our prize was a $25 gift certificate each to Bearno's Italian restaurant. We all agreed to give our certificates to the Smith family, beings Aaron's bank sponsored our team. So, we got to play at Chariot Run, which I'd never played, had a nice lunch, and got a set of 4 Horseshoe Casino Pilsner Beer glasses each free. Nice day!

Round 9 for the year at Houston Oaks GC

I played Houston Oaks GC today in Paris, Ky. Very nice course! I've played it once before, but it was in a scramble. I remembered a lot of the holes when I saw them, but couldn't remember how they were layed out. The scores:

Bob Tabler 43 - 50 = 93
Harold Goad 48 - 46 = 94
J. R. Harris 49 - 48 = 97

I started out strong on the front, but faded on the back nine. On the back a couple of bad shots and a couple of bad decisions caused a fat score. I hit into the water once laying up, misjudging the ground slope with very thin grass to stop the ball. And once hit it into a creek that I should have known was ther but wasn't paying close enough attention. Harold played a steady round, getting 7 skins and one sugar. I ended with 6 skins. J. R. ended with 4 skins, but made a nice comeback on the final 10 holes. His for skins were all singles and he beat me by 2 strokes on the back nine. This was after scoring an '11' on the 10th hole! Congratulations on a nice nine Mr. Harris! I hit a lot a good shots, but need to reduce the number of terrible shots and play a little smarter next time. Anyway, it was a nice course, nice day, and good company.

St Matthias Field

I metal detected at St Matthias Field again today. I found a total of $1.05 there in the morning and $0.09 at Highland Middle School after lunch. At HMS I also found the small broken I.D. bracelet that says "Stan" on the front and R.M.A. 45' and 'sterling' on the back. So it is silver. I found the bullet at St. Matthias. With it being Spring Break, I had plent of company while I was doing my metal detecting:

"What are you doing?"

"Can I help you dig?"

"Have you found anything yet?"

"Do you do this for a living?"

"My name is Coreyon. I go to Shawnee."

"How come that makes noise?."

And a blue million other questions. At St. Matthias I got permission from the people there to metal detect. They said "No Problem, you can't hurt anything". So, Mark and Brian, if you ever want to go there, we have permission. I've checked the volleyball court and around the benches at the basketball court, but there's a huge field that I haven't touched. That's where we used to practice football when I was in St. Matthias. Tomorrow I'm playing golf at Houston Oaks in Paris, Ky. Then, Erin and Jill are coming over in the afternoon to spend the night. So, I won't be metal detecting the next couple of days. I'll be having fun in other ways!

Great find at Old River Road Country Club

I metal detected at the old River Road Country Club this morning and had the find of the century! Looking around the area Brian thinks was an old wishing well my detector hit on something that I thought must be either a sprinkler head or a pipe. After digging down about 3 inches my spade hit something metal. I thought it was some sort of metal plate but I saw a small handle on it. I widened the hole to get to the edge and realized it was a box. After some careful digging, not knowing what it could be, I pulled a metal box from the ground. It was locked, but I pryed it open with my digging knife. What a surprise! It was full of cash! I took it straight home before I even examined the rest of the contents. It was all cash! Mary Lynn and I counted it and it totaled $10,000! I have no idea how it got their, but now I'm way ahead of Mark and Brian in money found!