Two Post's in one day.......WOW!

Mark has lately posted  on Facebook about the spiders he's seen around his house.  This time of year there are some very large spiders building nests.  I was at the Zoo this morning, and when I left, right outside the office was this large spider.  The web was stretched from the tree branches to the flowers below.  It looks like he caught something pretty big and was either eating, or wrapping it up for a later meal.    I'd say counting his legs, he was about as big as a half-dollar.

Tree Carvings

In the past I've posted several carvings from tree trunks.  The "Royal Bunny", a Fish, Iguana's, Bears, etc.  This is a new one being carved near the house.  I'ts down below us on Castlewood Ave., in the corner lot that Mark used to cut for Dr. Rountree.
I'm not sure what's going to develop, but there's a door at the bottom, and looks like Castle turrets on top.  When he work's on this he builds a scaffolding all around the tree.  It's going to be a Landmark, that's for sure!  I'm anxious to see the finished product.

Working at the Zoo

I've been working as a Docent at the Louisville Zoo for 2 years now, but I've also been working in the front office for awhile, which doesn't count as Docent hours.  As a Docent, I'm required to put in 48 hours a year, which hasn't been hard to do.  In the 2 years I'm just now passing the 500 hour mark......so the required hours  for a Docent haven't been a problem.  So, the hours I work in the front office are above and beyond Docent hours.
I'd say I work 2-6 hours a week up front.  Lately, I've been transcribing a log book of all animal that come in to the Zoo.  The old log book, you can see a piece of it in the upper left hand corner, is very old and contains less the half the information the new log book will have.  My job is to pull each animal's ID number up on the computer and log all the information.  That is, ID number, Sex, Common Name, Scientific Name, House Name, How we came by it, From Who, The Date, and where the animal is now.  Hand-written.  Yes, this info is on the computer, but the log book will be for any Keeper to be able to drop in, look the animal up by ID number, find out all they need to know about it in a speedy manner.
Now, writing all this out by hand is very slow.  Especially when you have to 'wait' on the computer.  Each bit of information requires me to click on different sections of the web-page and wait for it to come up.  I average hand printing about 1 page an hour.  My usual time there is 2 hours, so I finish about 2 pages each time I work.
I usually start about 9:30am and work til 11:30.  The computer is pretty fast when I first start, but slows over the period I work.  So, I get almost twice as much done the first hour as I do the second hour.  You can see from the picture that it's a lot of writing.
Now, I've been working on 'Mammals'.  I'm up to 1993.  Only 20 more years to go!  Then, I'll have to do Birds, Reptiles, and Fish.  Talk about Job Security!

Just finished round 34 FTY at Iroquois GC

Just finished my round at Iroquois GC today.  Not a good round at all.  I  shot a 44 - 42 = 86.  Made a few really bad shots, but mostly it was poor putting.  On many holes I chipped up close enough to save par with a short5-6 foot putt, but then couldn't convert.  Just halfway decent putting would have put me down around an 80.  But, I guess this will go towards raising my handicap a little.  I told my fellow team-mates today that I was investing in the future.  You know I don't play bad on purpose just to raise my handicap, but that is what keeps me from being too disappointed with my round.  It was fun.

Round 33 for the year was a BUST!

I played round 33 for the year at Shawnee GC today.  Didn't play so good.  I hit more poor shots on the front nine than I've hit in 18 holes for a long time.  My 9 wood was the main culprit.  I just couldn't hit it.  Everything was off the toe and weak to the right.

I shot a 44 on the front nine.  And I feel like that was a good score for as bad as I played.  I shot a 44 - 40 = 84.  My 9 handicap at Shawnee netted me a 75.  However, shooting those scores should soon get me a little more handicap.  It was a nice day, the weather was nice, and even playing bad I still had fun.

Seneca Golf Scramble to Support Manual H.S. Girls Basketball Team

This team of old guys played in the Manual H.S. Girls Basketball Team Scramble today at Seneca GC.  Now, looking at these guys you'd think they didn't stand a chance.  They just might surprise you!.  We didn't win, but we gave the young pups who won a run for their money.  The winners finished -11 and we finished -9, pretty good for 4 old guys.  I'm not sure who the winners were, but Brian's team finished -10 and finished 2nd.  We left a several birdies out on the course early on, but we got hot coming in tot he clubhouse, with a birdie on the last 3 holes.  We really played well as a team, with everybody contributing shots the whole round. 

I guess I'd better identify the guys in the picture for those who don't know them.  R to L:  Bob Tabler, Tom Flood, Bobby Flood, Don Middleton.  Bobby hit some nice drives and sank a couple of nice putts, and Tommy and Donnie were consistant with all their play.  Everybody made a nice long putt for birdie, and at no time were we ever in trouble of not making par on a hole.

It was a lot of fun, and the first time we've all four been together on the course for awhile.  But, everbody agreed, we all missed having the H-Man out there!

Muggy Morning, Beautiful Afternoon

There was a big difference from the front nine to the back nine today.  I played Shawnee GC for the 33rd round of the year today.  Didn't play that bad, but still had a few bad shots that cost me.  Plus, I still can't seem to make those putts that save that par.  I shot a 42 - 40 = 82.  On the putts, I leave a lot of them just short, but dead in the middle of the cup.  I'm reading the greens OK, but not getting the putts to the hole.  I need to be a little more aggressive with my putts.  I can make those little 3 footers coming back, so why not make sure I get the putt to the hole?  I tell myself that, but then still leave the putt short.
As for the difference from back nine to front nine.  The weather really changed around noon.  The front nine it was very muggy after the all night rain and warm temperature this morning.  But, the wind picked up around noon with a cool breeze coming out of the north.  The humidity dropped, and the back nine was perfect weather for golf.  Maybe that's why I played a little better on the back.  I also walked the front nine, but rode a cart on the back nine. 
It was fun, I just wish I could put another good round together and get rid of all those bad shots.  Also, start sinking some putts.  It's not that I don't make any putts, I make a few.  But so many 6 - 8 footers are missed that I know making 4 or 5 of them would really improve an already decent score.  Such is golf.

A Rainy Round 32

I played round 32 for the year at Weissinger Hills GC today.  I didn't play well, hit a lot of bad shots during the round.  I hate anything worse than a bogey, and I had 3 double bogeys.  I shot a 44 - 42 = 86.  Not a real bad score, but I also didn't putt well.  I made a lot of short putts, 3-4 footers, but I couldn't make those pesky 5-8 footers that will really help your score. 
I played with Greg Lynn and Elwood Tackett.  Both guys I worked with at Toyota.  They live up Lexington way, so meeting them at Shelbyville to play makes it a halfway meeting.  I always give Greg strokes and play him $1-$1-$1.  Today I gave him 2 strokes on the front nine and 3 strokes on the back nine.  I tied him on the front, but beat him on the back and the 18, so I won $2 from him.  Also, we played Bingo, Bango, Bongo for a quarter a point, and I won $2 more from Greg, and $1.75 from Elwood.  So, even playing bad I still won all the money!
Now, for my new yellow ball.  My plan to play 10 rounds with that new yellow ball ended on hole #9.  My drive was a little short on the par 5 hole and I didn't quite reach the corner.  So, I tried to hit a driver through the opening in the trees, keeping it low.  I hit a good shot, but there was a small pot-hole in the cart path, and my ball hit very hard on the far edge of the hole, bounced straight up in the air, loosing about 60 more yards of roll.  And, it put a nice gouge in the ball, so I had to replace it.
It rained a lot during the round, but never very hard.  I never got my umbrella out, but did cover my bag with my bag umbrella to keep my clubs dry.  It never rained more than a sprinkle, but it did rain off and on for most of the round.  But, it was fun and I enjoy getting to see my old friends from Toyota.

Round 31 completed

I played round 31 for the year today.  I shot a 41 - 38 = 79.  A good score, but I hit a lot of bad shots today.  Most of them irons from the fairway or chips, and almost all of them that were bad were hit thin, or sculled.  Other than that, I played pretty good.  I did finish my tenth round with the same little yellow ball.  It's now retired.  I almost lost it on the 9th hole, when I hit it out of bounds.  I watched it closely and was able to go find it.  The 9th hole was my only really bad hole, getting a triple bogey on that hole.  So, with a nice par on 9 I could have had a 38 - 38, but that triple bogey really zooms up a score.
While waiting on the 9th tee, I looked around in the weeds behind the tee box for balls.  I found a little yellow ball, exactly like the one I've been playing with, and brand new!  So, I think I'll start a string of 10 rounds of golf with that one and see how far I get.

Round 9.....and Round 30.......What?

I played Shawnee GC today for Round 30 of the year!  I played well, but my putting Stunk!  I shot a 41 - 41 = 82, but if I'd have putted better it could have been easily 6 or 7 shots better.  I mean, missed short putts, long putts left 6 feet short, then missed the short one.  I had a 6 foot birdie putt and left it short dead in the middle!  I can't complain about an 82, but Wow, it could have been so much better.

Now, for the 9.  I have played 9 straight round of golf with this same yellow ball.  I play with balls I find.  I can't remember the last time I actually got out a new ball to play with.  If you'll remember what I said before....I play with a WIFL ball.  When people ask me what type ball I play with, it's WIFL...Whatever I Found Last!  Awhile back I noticed I had 4 yellow balls in my bag, so I thought I'd go ahead and use them to get rid of them.  Well, I always play with one ball and have another in my right hand pocket.  I've had the same two balls for the last 9 rounds, using the one in the picture and the other one has stayed in my pocket.  So, I'm going to use this ball for one more round, to have a nice round number of 10 rounds, then retire it!  I just know I'm going to lose this ball on my next round of golf, but we'll see how it goes.  I would doubt if anyone reading this blog has ever used the same ball for 9 complete 18 hole rounds of golf.  Yes, it's showing a little wear....with at least 3 cart path marks on it.  But, it's still good enough to play in my book!  They aren't Serious cart path marks.

Round 29 For The Year was a Good Round

 

I played Iroquois GC today for the 29th round of the year.  Our team didn't play well today, but I did!  I shot a 40 - 35 = 75, for my lowest round this year.  I actually shot 1 under on the back nine, the first time I've ever been under par on 9 holes.
I did manage to win low man today, with a net 67, and won $13.  I had 3 birdies in the round, 1 on the front nine hole #2, and 2 birdies on the back nine, holes #13 and #15.  I didn't putt great today, but I did make a few nice putts for my birdies.  However, I could have been much lower had I made a few other very make able putts.  I've mentioned that my tee shots had kinda left me the last month or so, when I'd really been hitting good tee shots this year.  Well, they came back today.  I really hit well off the tee today.  So, overall, I was very pleased with my round and I hope it keeps up.  I'm playing in a Scramble this coming Monday.