Metal Detecting at Atherton HS

I metal detected with Mark yesterday at Barrett Middle School and we didn't have a lot of luck. Mark found 2 pennies, one of them a 'wheat penny', and I found about .60 and a large drill bit. Today I went over to Atherton HS for about and hour and a half and found 83 cents and this silver earring with the initials G.B.F. on it, and inside was stamped 925. I don't know what the 925 means, but it looks silver to me.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

The End of Squirrel-Zilla

I finally caught him! This monster has been robbing my traps for over a week. He was either too big or too smart to get caught in the small traps. He would sneak in, get the bait, and leave his rump in the door of the trap. When the door would drop, it would hit him on the rear and he'd back out. Stealing my bait and getting me madder each time. Well, Mr. Squirrel, You've met your match! I got out the big trap. After several failed attempts with it, I finally set the hair trigger just enough to snare him. Boy, was he mad! Because I caught him in the big trap I couldn't water-board him, so I had to relocate him. He now resides at the Gardiner Lane Post Office parking lot. Stop by sometime and see "Squirrel-Zilla". He is a monster!

"The Sudden Appearance of 188 Pennies"

Kinda sounds like a Sherlock Holmes Story Title doesn't it? I went metal detecting yesterday around 10:00 a.m. Mary Lynn went to the grocery and to do a little shopping. When I got home around 12:30 I found these pennies and a small chain in the driveway. They weren't there when I left because I came out through the gate with my metal detector and box of tools. So, they appeared during those couple of hours I was gone. I asked Patti, who does the yard work for most of the houses around us if she knew anything about it. Nothing. When our next door neighbor, Marie, got home about an hour later, She knew nothing about it. When Mary Lynn got home, she knew nothing about it. Hmmmm. A mystery. They were there as shown in the picture. Not dropped from very high, or the pennies would have rolled in a bigger area. But seemingly spilled out of something. No broken glass as if dropped in a jar. So I picked them up and counted them. 188 pennies and a chain. One of the pennies was a 1951 wheat penny. Patti suggested that it may be a bribe from the squirrels. Mary Lynn says that maybe the Thanksgiving Turkey lays pennies around like the Easter Bunny does with the eggs. I like both of these theories, but I don't think Sherlock would taken either one as a solution. So, for now, it remains the mystery of the 188 pennies.

I found Isaac!!!!!!

Isaac finaly got his medallion. But, what a coincidence this was. I used to coach his Dad in T-ball and basketball at HYR. The medallion belonged to Isaac Owen, who is the son of Steven Owen, and grandson of Tom Owen, the Metro Councilman. I coached Steven and his brother Andrew in T-ball and basketball way back when. I would guess about 1978. Steven and Isaac stopped by today to pick up the medallion and we had a nice talk about the old days. He now coaches at HYR and is a board member. What a small world this is.

Thanksgiving Lunch and Daisy Scouts

Mary Lynn and I went to Jill's Pre-School Thanksgiving Lunch yesterday. They always have a very good lunch. Turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings with a table full of desserts. The pre-schoolers all wear their shirts they make with their Indian names on the back. Jill's was "Busy Pink Elephant". Then we went to Erin's school for her first Daisy Scout meeting. They got their scouts vests to wear that they can fill with merit badges as they earn them. And, they got their scout pins and all pledged the girl scout oath. It was a nice ceremony. I don't know why but I think Erin is going to earn a LOT of merit badges! Then, Jill wanted to take a picture of Erin eating strawberries. Do you think she got a close up?

Thursdays at Iroquois GC

I played my 68th round for the year with a 44 - 41 = 85. I didn't win lowest round money, lost by 2 strokes, but was on the winning foursome. So, I got $4 back for the $3 I put up. I always like to come out ahead, even if it's just a dollar. It was decent weather, upper 40's to 50 degrees. A little windy and cloudy, but not at all too cold to play.It's hard to believe that I've played my own ball for 68 rounds so far this year. With the other rounds, scrambles and such, I've got to be around 80 rounds of golf. No wonder I'm over on my golf budget this year. Oh well, I'll just have to cut Christmas expenses!

It's Tuesday, but no golf..

....................................................................................It was a little too wet to play today. The rain did quit right about the time we were supposed to tee off, but I didn't bother to go to the course.Even if the rain did let up it would have been a sloppy, wet day. We needed the rain though. I'm glad to see it. When metal detecting, it was getting hard to dig and some places I stayed away from because it was just too dry. I think the rain is supposed to move out tonight so it looks like Thursday will be a good golf day.

Oldest Coin Found so far - But how old?

I found this penny at Lincoln-Shelby Park today. It's a 1920 something, but I can't make out the last number. Sometimes I think it looks like a'0', sometimes a '2' and sometimes a '4'. But it's 1920 something, which makes it the oldest coin I've found so far. I also metal detected at Atherton HS this afternoon. Evidently they gave out their trophies for HYR this morning because I found a medallion that "Isaac" won, but didn't make it home with. I looked up HYR on line and called the director and left a message. I'm sure little "Isaac" would love to have his medallion that he worked hard all season to earn.

Thursdays at Iroquois GC

My 67th round of the year was at Iroquois GC today. I shot a 41 - 41 = 82. As I was doing Monday, my short game is just not working. I'm hitting the ball well off the tee, hitting good fairway shots, but my chipping and putting is awful. I almost got through the round without anything over a bogey, but double bogeyed 17! Three putted. Then three putted on the 18th hole for a bogey. I just don't feel confident over a putt anymore. I'm sure it will come back. Probably when I start hitting bad drives. It seems the whole game never wants to come together at the same time.

Shawnee GC on a Tuesday

Well, I completed round 66 for the year. I only count rounds where I play my own ball the whole 18 holes. Scrambles, Mystery Golf, and any round that I don't play my own ball the whole 18 won't count on the total for the year. I shot a 44 - 44 = 88 today. I hit the ball well off the tee and hit my fairway shots OK, but my short game left a lot to be desired. Either I couldn't chip it close, or if I got it fairly close, couldn't make the putt. A good short game would have cut the score down to about an 80. I 3 putted 3 or 4 greens. Well, looks like my handicap keeps going up, up, up! Now, if I can just slip in a good score one week, I could win some money.

Girl Scout Ring

I found this Girl Scout ring yesterday. It's a cheap ring and tarnished and looks like it may have been hit by a lawn mower. But, I think it was an interesting find. I wish I had found it when it was still new. Even though it is cheap, it would have been a 'neat' find.

Weissinger Hill Mystery Golf

I played Weissinger Hills GC today in our "Mystery Golf" round. J. R. Harris and I play Harold Goad and Barry Rahn, 2 man team agains 2 man team. I'll explain how our 'Mystery Golf' works. We play team match play, each hole being either won, lost, or halved, as in normal match play. On each tee we alternate drawing out a number from a bag, numbers 1 thru 4. #1, we play our own ball, add both players score to see which team has lowest score. #2 we play alternate shot. Both players tee off and whichever drive is chosen, the other player takes the next shot. #3 is scramble format for that hole. #4 the team gets to choose which format they want to play for that hole. Well, we played today. J. R. and I were down 2 with 2 holes to play and ended up winning the last 2 holes to tie. It was fun, and changing the format each hole keeps it interesting.

Winners for Saturday Breeders Cup

Did I get you rich on Friday? Use all your winnings to bet on these ponies Saturday. The same guarantee applies:

BC JUVENILE TURF..................Interactif
BC TURF SPRINT....................California Flag
SENTIENT JET BC SPRINT............Fleeting Spirit
GREY GOOSE BC JUVENILE............Eskendereya
TVG BC MILE.......................Court Vision
BC DIRT MILE......................Mastercraftsman
EMIRATES AIRLINES BC TURF.........Conduit
BC CLASSIC........................Richard's Kid (6-8-10 Exacta Box)
There you have it. If you're still poor tomorrow night it's your own fault! Remember, the less you bet, the more you lose when you win!

Breeder's Cup Winners You Can Count On!

Today is the first day of Breeder's Cup Racing. There are six races today and eight tomorrow. I have guaranteed* winners for the six races today and will post tomorrows winners later.

BC MARATHON..........................Mastery
BC JUVENILE FILLIES TURF.............Tapitsfly
GREY GOOSE BC JUVENILE FILLIES.......Negligee
EMIRATES BC FILLY & MARE TURF........Midday
SENTIENT JET BC FILLY & MARE SPRINT..Ventura
BC LADIES CLASSIC....................Proviso

*Guarantee void in English speaking nations and areas outside continental United States.

You got your winners. Now, go make some money!

Thursday golf at Iroquois GC

If it's Thursday, this must be Iroquois. I played OK today, but didn't putt well. I gave myself a lot of chances to save par with a makeable par putt, but couldn't convert. I shot a 43 - 39 = 82. I can't believe this is round 65 for the year!

Passing the time Metal Detecting

I've been doing a little detecting the past couple of days. I've been to Camp Taylor Park, The Water Tower, A little park in Portland, and the park in Lyndon of which I can never remember the name. I found this Seaworld penny in Lyndon. It's a newer penny because it was already starting to corrode. I don't know what park I found the two wheat pennies in. I think it must have been Portland, because I stopped there for only a half and hour when I finished playing golf on Tuesday. I was kinda in a hurry and I don't think I checked what I found real close while there. But, I may have to check out the park again.

UGLY, UGLY, UGLY

Ugly, Ugly, Ugly. That's how I'd have to describe my round of golf today. I played my usual Tuesday at Shawnee GC. I shot a 46 - 44 - 90. The only part of my game that I thought was good today was my drives. I hit very good tee shots with my driver. However, my par three tee shots weren't anything to brag about. I hit terrible fairway woods and didn't putt very well. One plus though, my handicap will go up! This was round 64 for the year.