Round 16. and pleased with the way I played

We played Shawnee GC today.  I walked the front nine, but due to the heat and trying to get over this Bronchial Infection I've had, I rode the back nine.  I really hit the ball well all day, even though a few of my fairway woods were pushed a little.  I had more birdie putts than I think I've ever had.  I putted well, but just couldn't make those birdie putts.  Got them close, but just couldn't make them. 
I ended up shooting a 37 - 44 = 81.  Both nines could have been much better if I'd been able to get a few putts to fall.  Like I said, I think I putted well, just didn't make them.  I had a lot of tap in par putts, and I think that says a lot for how well you played.
I hope I continue to hit the ball well.  I'm sure the putts will fall sooner or later.

Round 15 for the Year in the Books

I played Iroquois GC today.  It's our normal Shawnee GC day, but this week and next week we flip-flop and play Iroquois on Tuesday and Shawnee on Thursday due to tournaments scheduled.
I played decent today.  Felt like I hit the ball well, putted well, but didn't score well.  Probably the part of my game that wasn't very good was my chipping.  But I ended up with a 42 - 39 = 81, which netted me a 71 with my 10 handicap.  Our team averaged 72.3 score, and we were the 2nd team out.  When we got in the first team in had already beaten our score with a 71.5, so I didn't hang around.  We had 5 groups today and it would have been a good day to win.
While I like playing well like today, it's probably the worst thing to do.  Play well enough to lower your handicap, but not well enough to win.  So I can look for my handicap to remain 10 or maybe drop 1, so I'll have to shoot in the 70's if I expect to win any money!

Memorial Day 2013

Each Memorial Day I visit Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.  I appreciate the honor shown to our Service men and women.  Flags at each grave and the driveway lined with flags.  They hold a service around 2 pm which I've never attended, but draws a large crowd.  I've passed by there intending to go before, but the parking is terrible.  You have to park about a mile down Brownsboro road and walk.  So I visit a little later in the day.  It's still crowded with people paying their respect.  I like to see that.  I straighten a few of the flags as I'm walking to and from my parents grave site.

 

I walk back to visit Dad and Mom's grave site.  It's pretty far back off the main driveway. 
When Mary Lynn and I made our burial arrangements, I wanted to be buried in Zachary Taylor Cemetery, but they said it was already full.  I've always been impressed with the headstones, the way they line up no matter which direction you're looking.  I think the solid white headstones are pretty, and the place is always well manicured. 

I'm proud of my Dad's service.

A little more metal detecting

I went over to the Zoo field today and spent about 1/2 hour metal detecting.  I didn't spend very long because: 1.  I'm out of metal detecting shape, and 2.  The Zoo parking lot was filling fast and I thought they might start parking people in the field at any time.
In the short time I was there I found 47 cents, one of the pennies being a 1957 Wheat Penny. 
The Zoo field is really a 'clean' field, in that you don't get a lot of hits because of a bunch of garbage in the ground.  I've been over that field pretty thoroughly, but with many random passes, I'm never sure of what I've covered.  Also, as they continue to park cars there, there's always a chance of something of value being lost. 
It felt good to get a little detecting in.

Round 14 for the year.

OK, no picture today.  This will just be short and sweet.  I played at Shawnee today for the first time in almost 2 weeks.  I shot a 38 - 45 = 83.  Played a pretty good front nine, but doubled a couple of holes on the back.  Didn't play that bad, but didn't make any putts.  Managed to 3 putt on those double bogie's.  Having not played ion 2 weeks I felt pretty good about how I hit the ball   The putting wasn't that bad, but nothing seemed to fall. 
I'm trying to get over a bad cold.  That has my energy level very low.  I rode a cart at Shawnee GC today.  Usually I walk.  Even riding a cart, when I finished I was really tired.  It was pretty hot today, and I'm sure my body isn't used to this warm weather yet.  So, with trying to get over a cold and the heat, I'm not surprised I was bushed when I finished.  I won't get to play this Thursday, but I think I'm playing Saturday at Weissinger Hills GC.  I'll keep all my interested fans posted.

Willow Park Construction

The old dance floor has been removed and a new one framed up and concrete ready to be poured.  This picture was taken from the area where there were 2 small trees that Erin and Jilly used to climb.  They've been removed.
They've got a lot of work to do to get this ready by next weekend's first Summer Concert.  I would imagine they are going to sod the area.  If they just seed it, we'll have a lot of mud or dirt for the early summer.  I can't tell if the dance floor is bigger.  It was moved closer to the gazebo and rounded off on the edges.  The walkway goes from one side of the park to the other and I don't know if any or all of that will also be used for dance floor.
Memorial Weekend will be the first concert, so we'll see how it goes then.

Happy Birthday to my lovely wife of 46 years!

Mary Lynn celebrates her Birthday today, and she's still not as old as I am!  I know that because she tells me that on each one of her Birthdays.
I've posted this picture before.  This is the birthday cake I made for her when we were in California and had been married for a little over a month.  It was her 21st Birthday!  I think I've made a cake for her on each of her Birthdays since, except for the one year when I was in Vietnam.

This year she requested a Cinnamon Streusel cake.  I looks pretty tasty to me! 
We plan on meeting the family at Graeters Ice Cream shop in St Matthews this afternoon to celebrate.

So, Happy Birthday to my Sweet Wife, and may you have many, many more beautiful cakes made for you!

What are the odds? What do they mean?

There are many people who only bet the horses once a year, but have never mastered exactly how much a horse will pay by checking the odds.  It's explained in the front of programs at the track, but even then, it's hard to know.  And, I have to agree, thay make it as complicated as possible.  Odds are calculated to ONE dollar, and the payoffs are calculated at TWO dollars.

So, Bookie Bob will take this time to try to enlighten you on what you can expect your horse to pay.  There are THREE main things to keep in mind:

1.  5 to 1 odds means you will win $5 for every $1 you bet.

2.  The payouts listed after the race are for $2 bets.

3.  When you win, you get YOUR money back.

So, keeping those 3 things in mind. let's bet $2 on a horse that went off at 5 to 1.  The money we get back will be $12.  $5 for each $1 we bet, then our original $2 back that we bet, for a total of $12.  Simple?  If not, go back over the 3 steps again.    If you're still not clear on what you should get back when you bet, make sure all your bets go through Bookie Bob!

Our Team wins low Team title today and I rake in money

Our normal Thursday golf at Iroquois GC today.  Our team won low team today with a combined average of net 73, and we each received $8.  Yep, I'm rolling in dough.  Now, I know Jit won a little vacation package worth about $6400, but I figure only 800 more wins like today and I'll pull even with him.
I shot a 43 - 40 = 83.  I hit a lot of good tee shots, and decent fairway woods.  I think the biggest problem today was a few really bad shots got thrown in, and each one of those really cost me.  Looking back, 3 or 4 shots over again and my score could have been down in the 70's.
It was one of the best weather days we've had this year.  Temperature hovered around 70, light breeze.  Perfect golfing weather.  I've already let it be known that I won't be playing as much during the summer.  On those extra hot days I'm just not going to be out exerting myself.  I don't know how many days like that we'll have this year, but over 90 degrees is not something that I'm going to do this year.
This was round 13 for the year.

Derby Glass Mistake

If you bought a Derby glass, you can check it to see if it's defective.  I checked mine.  As you can see, 1948 is listed twice, with Citation winning and Ponder winning.  I don't know if all the glasses were printed this way, but I think they were.
So, now you know a little derby trivia about the 2013 Derby!

Derby Party, Great Fun!

Brian and Julie had their first Derby Party yesterday.  It was great fun and everybody had a good time.  We had a new jackpot scheme going.  Besides the draw a horse jackpot, we had a jackpot where you pick the horse you like, and if your horse wins, you get the jackpot.  If more than one person picked the horse, you split the pot.  Of course, the favored horses usually had more than one person take them, and the longer shots didn't.  It worked well.

Here, Julie Hedges writes down her selection.  You could enter as many times as you want, for $1 a pick.  Our drawing jackpots were for 50 cents.  Many of the races had short fields, so we had to double-up on the drawing jackpots.
I did pretty good on the pots all day, ending up about $17 ahead!  That's pretty good!

Of course, Derby Festivities must have Derby Princesses.  I don't like to brag, but I think this is one of the best pictures I've ever taken.  And I've taken a lot a pictures.
Erin and Jill, with their dolls Kunani and Rose, and all in homemade hats!  I think Erin and Jilly came out a little ahead on their jackpots, too.  Of course, Grampy started them out $5 ahead.

And, of course, we had the old 'dice game'!  That one cost me a few dollars, but is always fun to play.
Brian and Julie had a great party. I hope it's the beginning of a long Derby tradition.
I hope you blog followers followed my advice and bet on Orb.  Normally, I'd shy away from favorites preferring to try and beat them with a horse that will pay a little money.  But, this favorite went off at over 6 - 1, which is a heck of a price for a favorite.  I can't believe Golden Soul came in second.  There's always a horse that comes in under the radar that will make those exotic bets pay a big price.  The trick is, trying to figure out which one it will be.
We enjoyed having Julie, Jit, Susie and Tori down for the weekend.  The weather was terrible for Derby Day, and I'm sure it dampened the spirits of many of those out at the track.  But, even though we had to spend a little more time in the house than would be normal for a Derby party, it didn't hurt B and J's Derby party at all.

Derby Week Morning filled with Derby Events!

We went to Dawn at the Downs this morning with Dub and Linda Jansing.  Had a great time and I think we saw ALL the Derby horses on the track and probably all the Oaks Filly's.  After the 8 o'clock break they all came out and trotted around.  It was really neat to see all the Derby horses up close.  Then, we wanted to go to breakfast at Wagner's, but it was way too crowded, so we went to Frisch's.
Then, off to Chance School to watch the Derby Hat Parade!  Jilly stopped to pose for a picture on one of her trips around the school.

Then Erin stopped with her friend Ikia (Sorry if the spelling is wrong).  Don't their hats look great!  A lot of the hats were just off the rack, not decorated, and some were hats that had decorations attached.  I like Erin and Jill's because they made theirs from paper and decorated them to the hilt!  I hope they wear them to Brian and Julie's Derby Party!

 

Hey.....I gotta dollar for ya!

If you don't want to know the winner of the Derby ahead of time, stop reading right now!  Well, I warned you!
I'm gonna give you my Derby pick, what you do with this valuable information is up to you.
The winner is:  ORB
Yes, I know he's one of the favorites, maybe THE favorite, but cashing in on a winning favorite pays more than trying to cash in on a losing long shot.
Now, if you want to make a little money, I'll give you a few hot horses to put in your exotic wagers.
Myself, I'm boxing Orb, Revolutionary, Verrazano, and ItsYourLucky Day in a Trifecta Box.  I really hated to, but I had to settle on those four and leave out Normandy Invasion, Vyjack, and MyLute.  I really like those 3, but you can't bet everybody.
One horse I'm leaving out is Goldencents.  I think that horse may be either 3rd or 4th choice in the betting.  But, I think he's a good Polytrack horse and won't stand up to the grueling Churchill mile and a quarter on dirt.
So, there you have it.  Remember the old racetrack adage:  |"The more you bet, the less you lose when you win!".  So, bet wisely, and when you rake in all that dough, remember where you got your hot tips.