Old Guy Who Went To Play Golf

Winter Golf and Snow

2011-11-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

Can't play at 7,200 feet this time of the year. Good news is I will retire in June so next fall and winter I may go south a way's and play. Love fall, love football hate the golf weather. We have had 2 nights where we were -16 and -12 and so far 23 inches of snow--nothing like dreaming of warm weather and good golf.

Golf and Snow

2011-10-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

Here in Wyoming at 7200 feet looks like golf is over for a few months. We are expecting a foot or so of the white stuff in the next 20 hours. So to keep all my readers happy (most of you don’t need this because it is still warm and green where you live) here is the best golf joke I have heard lately.
I love golf. I live golf. I dream golf. If only I could play golf!

I'm Back

2011-09-29T19:09:00.001-07:00

Almost completed our move to the country--then I will be back.

New Glasses = Better Golf

2011-07-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

Got a new pair of sunglasses, just to play in, and guess what--the game got better. The perscription has just the far vision (what ever that is) but it makes a difference. I now feel like the course is in HD and it sure helps. Three lowest scores in the last 4 years all in the past ten days. Or maybe it's the clean livin' and stretching?????

When birthdays start with a 6 any score under 100 is great.

Vacation

2011-06-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve been on blog vacation for quite some time—now for the real thing—a trip to see family. Looking forward to it-will get in a few rounds.

These Guys Are Good

2011-01-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

Phil Michelson has Bones pull the stick on 18, just in case. When I am hitting a ball in from more than a hundred yards out, I just hope to get it close enough to avoid a four putt.
The Farmers tournament was really good this year and with no football, unless you call the pro bowl later, football, I hope the ratings were good.
Good to see David Duval, Tiger and John Daly hitting a few good shots and staying around for the weekend.
Nice to see Bubba Watson win again, remember the famous quote, when a very young Jack Nicklaus won the 1965 Master's? Golf legend Bobby Jones said he “was playing a game with which I am not familiar.” That is the game Bubba plays, but he seems like a great guy and is fun to watch.

Sorry Padraig --We Caught Ya

2011-01-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

For the second time this year a professional golfer has been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. After a viewer emailed in a rules violation by Padraig Harrington he became this years number two. Seems his ball may have moved a full dimple, or even a dimple and a half. This was determined after careful slow motion study of Padraig bumping his ball as he picked up his marker.

He said all the right things about the rules and the disqualification later, but I bet he was steamed. All of the sudden viewers think this is the home shopping network and they are supposed to call in.

I love golf but do not believe we should have turned the game over to television snitches. By the way if I could just move my ball a dimple and a half closer once in a while, I believe I could go to the tour – from my double digit handicap now.

Golf and Snow

2011-01-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

We have snow and cold here but the PGA is off and running in Hawaii. Love watching golf this time of year. Can’t play golf in the snow, so watching on TV is the next best thing-

“I never did see the sense in keeping my head down. The only reason I play golf is to see where the ball goes.”
Charles Price Golfer-at-Large (1982)

Bridgestone, Davis Love III, and Me

2011-01-12T18:30:00.000-08:00

I see Davis Love is switching to Bridgestone balls. I believe he has been a Titlist guy for his entire career. Bridgestone has done a great marketing job moving from tires to golf and being accepted in both areas. We all know that players get big bucks to play certain balls and clubs and even to wear their shirts. But not a single pro would use anything that would make their game worse.
I have played Bridgestone balls for two years—I like them. I play the RX –i.e., the old guy ball. I have found it to be soft and long, at least for me.

Viewer Call In Golf

2011-01-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

So here we go again a viewer calls in a violation and Camilo Villegas is gone from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Villegas was chipping up a steep slope to the 15th green and twice the ball rolled back toward him. The second time, Villegas walked over and casually swatted (Craig Stadler and John Daly style) away some loose pieces of grass in front of the divot while the ball was still rolling down the side hill.

That is a violation of Rule 23-1, "When a ball is in motion, a loose impediment that might influence the movement of the ball must not be removed." The penalty was two shots. Villegas had already signed his card which disqualified him for signing what was now an incorrect score card.

Well, all is not lost, Camilo still got $50,000 plus for his day of golf.

Ever wonder what would happen if we started calling in basketball, football and baseball rules violations the officials missed? Sometimes the penalty seems a bit harsh for the violation. But that’s just me speaking.

-Enjoy the golf-

More Golf Now

2011-01-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

If you just cannot get enough golf, the golf channel’s new morning show is just what you need. Just premiered, I think today, on the Golf Channel.
Morning Drive will show every weekday for two hours starting at seven A.M. Eastern Time. For those of us not living in Eastern we will have to figure it out all by ourselves.
The show host’s (Regis and Kelly of the Golf World) are Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams and will be talking everything golf every weekday. I will give it a try, but not until summer when I am in the real golf mode.

How Do You Spell Graeme Anyway?

2010-12-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

Graeme McDowell has been voted player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America. Not sure I will ever learn to spell his name. I am good with the spelling of Tiger or Phil just in case they rise again next year.

Let Me At Um

2010-12-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

-David Fay to retire-

David Fay is retiring from the U.S. Golf Association and I am waiting by my phone for a call. I even checked my answering machine to make sure it was working in case I happen to be outside scooping snow (something I do a lot of these days).
When Fay stepped down last Friday many people were surprised, not me. He is nearly as old as I am and old guys like us need to play golf not watch others play. But I will put down the clubs and take over if the call comes. Ordered two dozen golf balls yesterday just in case someone in the Association office is on vacation and they accidentally call the wrong person.

Christmas and Sledding

2010-12-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over and I am sitting in my recliner playing with my brand new Kindle. All four kids and all seven grandkids made it. BUT as always there had to be a mishap and this one was a dozy. Our four year old granddaughter broke her leg sledding. It was our second day on the hill (yesterday) she is a tough little kid but when she said she needed to go to the doctor we knew it was hurting. Now it is all cast up (hip to foot) and in about eight weeks she will be as good as new. Thank God for grandkids, good doctors and quick healing for four year olds.

Merry Christmas from the Old Golf Guy

2010-12-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

From time to time I will be posting some of my favorite quotes and jokes from the world of golf. This is one of my favorites.

The proper score for a businessman golfer is 90. If he is better than that he is neglecting his business. If he's worse, he's neglecting his golf.
~ St Andrews Rotary Club Member

Merry Christmas and hope you get a bunch of great golf stuff from Santa this year.

FORE !

2010-12-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

FORE – Is that enough warning for one of my wild shots?
Looks like I don’t even need to holler.
A case brought to court by Dr. Azad Anand, who was struck in the eye ( and blinded in that eye, according to news stories) by a shanked shot in 2002 on a New York (Long Island) golf course by his friend Dr. Anoop Kapoor. (I think this may have strained their friendship.
Anand said his injury was caused by Kapoor failing to yell "fore" or some kind of warning for a ball headed his way.
But the New York State Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling, saying that Kapoor was not at fault.
"A person who chooses to participate in a sport or recreational activity consents to certain risks that are inherent in and arise out of the nature of the sport generally and flow from such participation," the court wrote.

Giving Golf for Christmas

2010-12-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

This is a bit tricky. If you know exactly what is wanted, golf stuff can be a great gift. If you guess, giving golf for Christmas can and likely will be a disaster. I give my kids (all grown-up) golf balls every year. But I know what is good, what they like and what they play. Not sure anyone should pick out a bag, clubs or balls for Christmas, stick with shirts, sweats, bad ties, books and food items. This stuff they can re-gift—now that I think of it bad golf gifts could be re-gifted for bad golfers.

Tiger's Got A Brand New Putter

2010-12-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

So Tiger’s got a brand new putter. He ditched the Scotty Cameron Newport 2 he has used for years in favor of the new Nike (surprise) Method 003 in the last tournament of the year. Wonder if the change will stick this time.

Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover are already using this model and looks like Tiger thought he needed to give it a try. It has a different look than the Scotty Cameron, might take some time to get used to how it looks at address. I thought Tiger looked pretty comfortable on my TV screen with the new putter. Changing from the more conventional looking Cameron to the semi-mallet is a huge for the greatest golfer on earth and may take more than one tournament to find the correct feel.

The putter is a little pricey for this old guy (who once putted great with a fourteen dollar K-Mart putter) and at two and a half bills I will pass. I think for most of us a putter in a mid price range will look and feel good. If you want to compare brands, prices and styles before going to the shop or range, I like this site—GolfPutters.net.

Oh by the way-Think Tiger will put a Ping grip on this new putter like he always did with the Newport 2?

The All New Golf Blog

2010-12-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

Another Golf Blog! Oh No!
Well this is a little more than that. I have spent a lifetime at the golf course, no, not just waiting to get on. Following are a few of my golf associated activities over the years.
• Manager of 2 golf courses
• Professional Golf course superintendent
• At one time a single digit handicapper (hey, give me a break I am 62 years old now)
• More than a dozen years of golf course work
• Architect of one water system and two golf course remodels
• Architect of two course expansions—adding holes
• Golf club builder and tinker for over thirty years
• Golf teacher for ten plus years
• Published author of several golf course articles
• And I watch the Golf Channel to excess

Follow me here for two or three blogs a week – let me know what you think

The Old Guy Talking About the Weather

2010-12-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Maybe there is something to global warming. We had a great fall and we have not had a single temperature below zero this winter—very unusual here. But we have had 25 inches of snow and double that up on the ski area. Not even the first of the year yet and I am already hoping for an early spring.

Pearl Harbor Day

2010-12-07T17:49:00.000-08:00

We should all remember this day in history. December 7, 1941.
My wife and I visited Pearl Harbor three years ago and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Every American should be lucky enough to some day visit.
When I was in college I had a history professor who told us that when he was a kid he thought he would never watch a parade without old men proudly walking by in their Union and Confederate uniforms. When I was a kid I watched so many old solders marching in their World War One and World War Two uniforms waving to us kids. I hope that there’re not all gone before all of us remember to say thanks. And not just to them but to all who served and are serving now.

Fall is Gone Winter is Here

2010-11-30T18:07:00.000-08:00

We had a great fall and now winter is here. And winter means snow and Ice everywhere, maybe that’s what we get for living at 7,200 feet above sea level and its cold outside. Not sure I will spend so much time here in the winter when I retire, but that is still a while away. I am now officially starting to think about playing some golf – only six months away.

-N-

Thanksgiving is Near

2010-11-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

Almost time to over eat and over watch Football on TV.
We really should be spending more time giving thanks for everything we have.

Here is my list of things to be thankful for.

1. Old age - mine because the alternative is not great

2. A job – even if I do grumble about it most days

3. A house to live in – and jobs to do around the house –ah—when I get around to them

4. My Mustang –Love that car

5. Family – with wishes they do not over stay there Thanksgiving stay with mom and dad

6. Text messaging – just kidding about this one

Wonderful Wyoming Weather

2010-08-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

Second night in a row I am setting out on the patio enjoying another beautiful Wyoming evening. We pay for it when winter comes but summers are spectacular. Seventy-one degrees, southwest breeze and 27 percent humidity can’t beat it. Last night we sat outside until ten-thirty, put the blankets over us about nine. Temperature went down to 48 last night but back around 80 today.

Back Home

2010-07-21T20:47:00.001-07:00

Took two weeks to travel through parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and at last back home again in Wyoming and cool weather. My wife grew up in Texas and Oklahoma so we saw a bunch of her old stomping grounds. (Not sure the next generation will say stomping grounds but I still like the way it sounds. Great time but it is always great to be back home no matter where your stomping grounds are.
-N-

Strange things in the night

2010-05-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

Strange things are about. We left our back sliding door open a few inches to let air circulate through the house last night. It’s finally warm here. Our back yard is fenced and gated and we thought impenetrable to intruders and large puppies, but we found out differently. We were awakened in the middle of the night, okay it was five AM but it was Saturday and we like to sleep in on Saturday. A large black dog (we do not own one or know anyone with one) was drinking noisily from the toilet. (YUM) He was scared and only too happy to be led outside. I opened the back gate and he was off. Within a minute he was around to our back yard again trying to jump through the opening in our fence where our garbage cans set. I moved the cans a little closer together and he could not or would not jump in again. He made some rather deep tracks through my raised bed garden but no other damage. Looked like a very young, maybe only a few months, Newfoundland Retriever. Sure was a good looking pup, someone must have paid a bunch for him.

Memorial Day

2010-05-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

Let’s all remember our fallen heroes during this weekends celebrations and Monday on Memorial Day.

In Flanders FieldsJohn McCrae, 1915.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

Easter

2010-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here's to you and yours! I hope you all get a day or two off and spend some time with your kids or gandkids.

-N-

Why am I so Exhausted - I Want My Hour Back

2010-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and along with it comes Daylight Savings Time and the new Health Care Bill. Someone asked me today what I thought about the Health Care Bill, I said, “I’ll let you know in 2016 when most of it is working or not working. And as far as Daylight Savings Time is concerned—I want my hour back! How did we save daylight when we took away an hour? I’m not sure either. Didn’t you love it in the old westerns when the hero crawled up on his hoss and said, “Come on we’re burnin’ daylight?” Sounded good every time!

Spring

2010-03-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, finally. Four months since it reached fifty degrees—and it was 52 today—yippee!
Weather man says high of 24 and snow Friday. I just can’t seem to get it right.

Grandkids--Gotta Love Um

2010-03-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

Grandma takes our grandson 'Alex' to swimming lessons every Tuesday and Thursday and sometimes they let me tag along. Yesterday the instructor had the six kids playing a game. They were in the shallow-shallow end and when he called out SHARK!!!, all the kids would kick the water like mad. They did this two or three times and then it was question time. (You know the teacher thing – check for understanding) He said Alex—“what do we do when I yell SHARK?” Alex answered, “Swim for the boat.” From the look on his face I knew that the instructor had not spent much time around five year olds.

Winter Olympics

2010-03-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

The Winter Olympics are over--four more years before I, once again, become an expert in pairs skating, short track and down hill. Guess I will watch a little Basketball.

New Health Plan

2010-02-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

Just thinking about health care and all the time congress is spending on it—and all the money. After much sitting and thinking I believe I have the answer. I am sure that many members of congress read my blog postings and this blog will make it easy for them. Here they are- 4 things we need to do for American health care.
1. Give all Americans dual citizenship with Canada—we can all go there and stand in line for care.
2. All- meds half price on Tuesdays at Wall-Mart. Didn’t someone once say,” Heal thyself?” If no one ever said it, I just did, and I like it and I like the half price meds.
3. Every Friday all businesses will close from noon until three and all Americans will walk two or more miles. Some might even start to like it.
4. Tell China we are out of money, cancel our debt and give everyone the same health insurance as members of congress get.

-N-

Winter Olympics--I think I can do that!

2010-02-17T17:34:00.000-08:00

Like most people in America I have been watching the Winter Olympics the past few days. I like most of it, don’t like Luge (too fast to see) and most of the pairs skating (Dancing With The Stars On Ice) Seems like I did most of these events as a kid growing up in Nebraska and later living in Wyoming. Here is a list of the Winter Games events I have almost tried at one time.
1. Sledding—Lots of it as a kid this meets my requirement for Luge and Bobsled
2. Ice Skating—fell a lot but in Jr. High and High School I did some of it—I do remember I may have done some of those triple something-n-a-rather jumps, they are now doing in the Olympics—mine were all unintended.
3. Skiing—when we moved to Wyoming and had a mountain, skied for eight or ten years—not continuously, hardly skied at all in the summer. (hey I used two adverbs in a row in that sentence)
4. Ski Jumping—On occasion and always by accident
5. Ice Dancing—Prom Only!
6. Cross Country Skiing—Often I skied out of control and walked back carrying my skies –I believe that should count for something
7. Hooky—I did a lot of that as a kid played a lot of hooky. OH Sorry, Hockey played some, we didn’t really know all the rules but we fell down a lot, got really cold and had great fun. Also played a summer version on the tennis courts with a tennis ball—not sure if I should count that one or not.
8. Biathlon—The one where they ski and shoot –did both, never at the same time
9. Pole Vault –Opps—summer games
I never got a medal but I did get cold—I do like watching these events on TV. I know nothing about any of them and every four years I turn into an expert, scoring figure skating and ski jumping from my recliner—go figure.
-N-

More Snow in the East

2010-02-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

Wow-more snow in the east. Living in Wyoming we get lots of snow and we get used to it. Record snow all over the east and it has been mostly warm, for 7,200 feet, here the past few days. The snow is melting and I am starting to think spring.

Small Business--Help I need a Bailout

2010-01-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

I still have not been bailed out by the government. I’m waiting. Looks like some of the big wall-street boys will get their big bonuses again. Never could figure out why anyone needs that much money.
I find these government bailouts interesting—we have owned a small business and struggled in the down turn, no not this one. We took our losses, closed down and went on with our lives. Not one time did we think someone else should pay us for not making it. Took four years to dig out from our hole, but we did it.
READ MY STORY HERE >> http://www.helium.com/users/357802/show_articles

Haiti- We have it so good

2010-01-19T08:58:00.001-08:00

Have you been watching the news from Haiti? We should all be proud and happy to be Americans. Even before the quake these poor people lived in conditions that even the worst of Americans would look down on. Send your prayers and money if you can—they can use it.

Short Western Story

2009-12-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

I could see a body less than a hundred feet away. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get closer or farther away. I decided on closer but was going to be darn sure that this was a dead body, not a live one.
Fort Laramie had been abandoned for three years and I hadn’t been there in fifteen, I thought I might meet up with a few ghosts from my past, hadn’t expected a fresh one with a body attached. I dismounted and pulled my Winchester from the saddle scabbard and started toward the body. It was gone.

There you have it a complete western story in 99 words. This is also over on my western's site--but I wrote it because I got to thinking and . . . . . . .

Too Much Snow

2009-11-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

Is it really only the middle of November? Here in the high country of Wyoming I have already scooped 30 inches of snow. Okay, I lied, I used my snow blower, sorry extremely green people but I am getting too old to shovel snow.
So—this begs the question, don’t you love it when someone says, “this begs the question?” Why do we still live here---Answer, because the rest of the year, it is fabulous.
So—how do I cope? Easy, I wear shorts and sandals year round.
* I turn up the thermostat to 80 degrees.
*I mow the grass even when it is covered with snow.
* I turn the heat on high or ultra high if I can find it, and drive the pickup around town with my windows down.
* I build snowmen and put sunglasses on them so they look cool and summery. Is summery really a word?
*And last of all (note how I cleverly did not say, last but not least) I go to Wyoming football games, set in the student section, take off my shirt, paint WYO on my chest and pretend like it is not cold.
No-Forget the last one—it was a lie.

H1Old1 flu and other lies

2009-11-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

Getting old is usually looked at as all bad. Now, finally, some good news for those of us born before most people, nineteen fifty, that is. We cannot get the H1N1 flu. Wow finally something good about being old. Today I am not feeling so good. Think I may have the H1Old1 virus.

Snow and Green Grass

2009-10-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well—it’s October and that means snow in Wyoming and green grass underneath. I really hate this time of year, the constant scooping of snow from the lawn and garden so that I can mow and weed. Then more snow, more scooping and more mowing and weeding. I tried something a little different this year I duct taped (or is it duck taped—you know the gray silvery stuff) anyway, as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself. I taped with that gray shinny tape my snow blower to the front of my lawn mower, looks a bit funny when I do the driveway but works like a charm on the lawn.
Despite the snow (three times so far for a total of a foot of snow) my garden still looks pretty good. Why do the weather people on TV and radio now refer to snow storms as snow events? Despite three separate snow events my garden still looks pretty good. Of course most of it (tomatoes and onions) is in the garage. I pulled some carrots today and they were quite tasty, thank you. The rest of the garden really does not look so good, its mostly dead beans, dead peas, dead radishes, dead strawberries, dead herbs of all kinds (don’t like most of them anyway) and lots of dead flowers. And so as I started—Well –it’s October and so much for gardening this year.

About Time

2009-09-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

I have been absent for a very long time, naughty boy (oops, that’s a story I am working on for my erotica blog—no I don’t really have one). Here is the real story, I won the lottery, actually just a small state power ball and have taken the past four months to do some traveling. It is an unbelievable relief to have the money to do what I want, when I want.
My wife and I spent much of last spring in Australia and this summer in Europe and northern Africa, the whole trip was like an out of body experience. The past four months have been the best of my life. We are now building our dream home, how many people can say that? And yes, I have retired from my teaching and coaching career—more travel to come.
Daydreaming again, I wish at least part of the above was true—but sadly—none of it is. I have skipped blogging the past few months because I have been lazy. But I am back—look for more to come.
-N-

Keynesian Economics

2009-04-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

We hear so much today about the economy and the trouble we are in world wide, reminds me of my old college days and my study of John Maynard Keynes, and his Keynesian Economics. All I remember is raise taxes when times are good to cool off the economy and lower taxes when times are bad to heat up the economy. If Keynes was right, he is dead now so we can’t ask him, then we should not have cut taxes during the high times we were all living with our MasterCard’s and Visas and times were good. Hummmm—Keynes also believed that government deficit spending might be okay in times of recession or especially depression. Maybe we are doing the right thing running around bailing everyone but me out of financial despair.
So I have been sitting around thinking some, I am good at thinking, and I believe I can solve this countries and maybe the worlds economic woes by doing the following.#

1. Every Thursday is free day at Wal-Mart.
#2. All fast food, everything is .99 cents.
#3. Congress recesses until 2012
#4. Network and Local news shows—all cancelled—replaced by Looney Tunes.
#5. Take peanuts and pistachios off the endangered foods list
#6. Instead of giving millionaire CEOs a big bonus, just let them give each other a big hug and wish each other well and then let the stockholders have the bonus money.
#7. A chicken in every can of chicken noodle and a cracker in every barrel (I have no idea what that means)
#8. Slash Green Fees on every golf course in the world by 50% (this one is personal)
#9. This one seems simple—a jobs program that works. Jobs for those that can—where, maybe in some of the failed businesses the government may eventually have to operate.
#10. Some businesses will fail, let them fail and reorganize, if they are worth their salt they can make it. Not everyone is happy all the time—and everything does not have a happy ending.
-BONUS-
#11. To save everyone a little money, let us, as consumers, choose what TV stations we want and pay for those. Skip the rest of the fluff.
#12. Required in every school—classes in manners, common courtesy, self sufficiency, basic economics, and appropriate language and dress. WOW I am showing my age on that one.
#13. Elect me, “the old guy that got to thinkin’,” President—I’ll take care of you—after myself of course!

Well there you have it; I may have been sitting and thinking too much.

The Income Tax Return

2009-03-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

I wrote on another site that I got a big Income Tax Return this year and was not sure how to spend it. I got several questions,,,,,, actually one,,,,, as to how I spent it.

I love it when I get a tax refund—but what to do with it? That is the Question? Sorry Mr. Shakespeare!

Now in the right hands $26.00 can be quite a chunk of change and in the wrong hands it can be used for great amounts of very evil stuff. So when you are talking, or is it just me talking, might be those voices only I hear coming back again? It takes more than just a little thinkin’ and decidin’ before time to do the spendin’. My spell checker hates it when I leave off the g at the end and use the ‘ instead. Well, just to keep Mr. Fancy Pants Spell Checker happy I will put the Gs back. GGG, there all three of them. Oh, great now it’s telling me that - GGG, there all three of them, is a fragment not a sentence. Well I like it as a sentence and will not be changing it. Please feel free to change it if you want to forward this blog to someone with good spelling and grammar skills.

Please find below the way I spent my $26.00 Federal Income Tax Return.

A down payment on a new house, Freddie Mac was happy to get the cash
-Or-
I bought a thousand shares of General Motors
-Or-
I washed my pick-up
-Or-
Took a spring break trip to Nebraska—Oh, forget that one, we really did-family was well
-Or-
Buried it in my back yard in an old Prince Albert Can (do they still sell Prince Albert)?
-Or-
Bought my wife a rose and put it in a borrowed vase
-Or-
Splurged and hired someone to mow the lawn—that one kind of backfired on me, it took all day to shovel the snow off first
-Or-
This is the last one—no kidding—bought a new tire for my Pee Wee Herman style bicycle; they tossed in the air for free.
-Or-
Hey a bonus humorous sentence. I spent it on dinner for four--------------At McDonalds.
-Or-
Now I can hear you asking for more. I spent it at the circus. I know that is not funny but –get this—there is no circus here! Now that makes it very funny.

Number 44 Our new President

2009-01-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

Today we have a new president number 44. I watched the inauguration and much of the additional coverage and was highly impressed with everything. If we could keep that same feeling of patriotism, togetherness and usefulness all year long everyone on earth would think—wow, they really are the greatest nation on the face of the earth.
Good Luck President Obama and God speed.

John G Neihardt

2009-01-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

Today it the birthday of the great John G Neihardt, I have read “Black Elk Speaks,” at least a half dozen times. As a kid growing up in rural Nebraska we were fed a steady diet of Neihardt and I am sure that, at the time, I did not appreciate him as I do today. If you have never experienced any of his stuff, take a look, what a great writer he was. He was first published at 16 and last published at 90, a remarkable career.

He is a word sender. This world is like a garden and over it go his words like rain, and where they go they leave everything greener. After his words have passed, the memory of them shall stand long in the West like a flaming rainbow. —Black Elk

http://www.neihardt.com/jgn/index.html

The Faith of Barack Obama

2008-12-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

Hey read any good books lately? This is a quick read about our next President--I enjoyed it.

The Faith of Barack Obama

At first look I was not sure what to expect out of this book. Was it the unauthorized religious biography of President elect Obama or would it have enough dept to allow readers around the world a chance to understand this man’s religion?

What I found was a solid offering from author Stephen Mansfield. Although a bit formulaic I found this book to be a quick and thought provoking read. It is short, less than one hundred and fifty pages and only six chapters.

Mansfield does a nice job of explaining the wonderful mixed-up upbringing of Barack Obama, Catholic primary school with Mass every morning, Islamic services on the weekends and a professed atheist as a mother, all things that have lead this man to be more than a little wary of organized religion. Most of one chapter dispels the current urban myth of Obama as a Muslim, now or in the past, it just never happened. In the early eighties his heart lead him to become a member of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s, “United Church of Christ.” The church fit him both personally and professionally and likely benefited him politically. This part of the book is a must read and a real eye opener to people from mainstream WASP environments. It does a fine job of explaining the feelings of a very educated, very complicated leader like Jeremiah Wright.

The fifth chapter of this small book is of interest to anyone that takes more than a passing interest in politics/religion in America. This chapter entitled, “Four Faces of Faith,” focuses on the religious beliefs of the four big political players in this year’s presidential race; President Bush, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and President elect Obama.

Although the book may not do anything to convince evangelical Christians that he is the right person to lead America it will at least give hope to the far right that he is not anti-Christian, anti-American or anti-white. The only bad taste left for the far right may be Mr. Obama’s unyielding stance as a pro-choice liberal, a section that Mansfield covers very well in this book.

Overall this book is an excellent read, showing a side of our next president that most Americans will embrace. It is a truly open look at a man that has already lead a truly extraordinary life.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all and let’s not forget we are blessed every day of the year by friends, family and readers. My wish for you is that this Christmas will be your best ever.
God bless and enjoy the day like none other.

Christmas

2008-12-22T20:36:00.001-08:00

Seems to me it’s starting to be all about the retailers and the economy this year. I sincerely hope Christmas is not becoming just another holiday to get people to spend money—we already have enough of those. Is it just me or are we starting to lose the meaning of Christmas? Growing up I loved Santa Clause and hanging the Christmas stockings and decorating the tree and could hardly wait for Christmas morning. It is one of two great Christian holiday’s world wide but now we mostly hear moaning and groaning about it not helping the economy enough.
As for me, I can’t wait, some of our kids and grandkids will be here and we will open presents and enjoy the day. And for at least one day I will not worry, not at all, about the economy.

Economics and Me

2008-12-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Not long until we have a new president, in tough times like this I am not sure John McCain really lost that much. It will be interesting to see how the new president and congress address all that is wrong with the economy. I feel like a man alone, have a house, cars and a pick-up, not much credit card debt and a good job. Looks like there will be no economic help for me. I would be willing to give up my day job for one of the unemployed if congress will give me a nice severance package until I’m 65. Oh, and some health insurance.

Economy

2008-11-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

The elections over and the economy might be too. I can not believe what has happened to the stock market. In only a few weeks I have went from a thousand-aire to a hundred-aire. Price of gas is getting better but eggs and bread, if you use um, are getting worse. I have confidence that everything will turn around and probably soon.
One more note—we still are not getting enough global warming in Wyoming. It was down to single digits Friday night. Must be time to wax the skies and find my ice fishing equipment.

A Teachers View

2008-10-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

John McCain is the most out of touch candidate (when it comes to public schools) for president in recent times. His ideas about public schools are so wrong it seems like he is grabbing at straws and not even the good ones with the paper wrappers you can shoot at your friends.
I have been a life long Republican and have never voted for a Democrat for president—until this year. Naw forget it I will vote as I always have, write-in, myself. Neil Waring President of the United States--now that has a nice sound to it.
Oh—just in case you are a new visitor, I have been a public school teacher for 39 years.

Winter Coming On

2008-10-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

Cold last night, temperature slipped down to only eleven degrees. Looks like my garden will be okay as I only grow frozen vegetables and freeze dried fruit juices. Scraped the windshield on the pickup before I walked to work today, needed the ice for a Titanic experiment.
I really like winter, it’s my favorite season of the year and it’s just around the corner. My favorite winter activities include, turning up the thermostat, putting extra blankets on the bed, drinking cup after cup of hot liquids, watching hours of television, reading dozens of books and watching it snow out the family room windows.
Oh, but you ask, what about outside sports? I really like snowboarding and skiing and try to watch as much of them as I can.

It's Almost Time to Vote

2008-10-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

It’s almost time to vote, we have one debate left to make up our minds. That is unless you already know who your guy is.
The economy is making a real mess of the candidate’s promises for less taxes and help with everything from health insurance to house payments.
If you have not made up your mind yet write in the old coach, if I win I’ll do something, not sure what. But here is my best try.

• I will put a chicken in every pot—opps, think FDR already promised that.

• Read my lips, no new taxes, opps, think Bush # 1 said that.

• Snow in the months of December, January and February only.

• A law against cell phones in the grocery store—“do we need butter, honey? How’s the milk, and did you say we were out of crackers?”

• Gas prices to remain at $1.25 per gallon

Large government grants will go to

• Inventors working on a trash can that will separate and recycle after I throw everything in.

• Someone that invents a car that runs on air

• A peace plan that works

• And finally to a member of the U.S. House or Senate that is elected to be a statesman not just a politician.

• Oh and a large grant to me so I can get a place on the beach in Hawaii during Wyoming’s six or eight months of winter.

Can’t wait for the election to be over so my taxes will go down, my business will be saved, my health insurance will be paid for, the air will be cleaner, we will be respected around the globe and all will be good in the world—again.

Our New Vice President will be --

2008-10-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

I’m watching the Vice Presidential Debate as I write this blog so if I end in the middle of a sentence I must have had a heart attach.

“What could cause a wise old guy like you to have a heart attach,” you ask.

If one or the other says any of the following—

1. Anything about balancing the Budget
2. Something that would bail me out
3. Lower gasoline prices
4. That someone has figured out something about Iraq and Afghanistan.
5. I’m starting to think about turning to the Baseball Game—don’t count that one.
6. Start paying down the deficit***or is that too much like number one?
7. Lucky for me I caught myself, on number six above, I typed defecate instead deficit-wow- talk about a Freudian slip. Good thing I caught it before publishing, might have messed up my chance to win a blogging Pulitzer.
8. The guy I’m running with is a dud but elect me as VP and the country will be on the right track
9. We caught Osama ben Laden.
10. I will, we will, when elected—Bla, Bla, Bla *-* Bla, Bla –About ready to turn this stuff off.
Same old promises I will vote for the one that is telling the truth—now who is that?

Remember, regardless of how you feel, get out and vote, vote early and vote often.

One final note, be sure to …………………………

Young Again

2008-09-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Good News—I think!
Read in today newspaper that age 65 is today’s 55. Is that good? I am in between and was almost looking forward to retirement but maybe I should wait until I’m 75 because that would be 65.
I really am pretty healthy – but then again if I’m 60 now, in today’s world that is 50—young enough, should be healthy.
Except for a really messed up big toe (not doctors lingo), bad hip, sore shoulders, bum elbow, high triglycerides, (no idea how to spell that word and my computer is so old the spell checker has never heard of it before), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low income (starting to get high so I tossed that one in), I’m felling pretty healthy.
I over eat a little and under exercise, my hair fell out and I lapped over my belt buckle a bit. Can’t remember things like I used too, and run into more stuff and drop more things than I did a few years ago. I can’t get to sleep and when I do I wake up with a sore neck. Allergy season ends when cold season starts, leaving me sneezing every day of the year except my birthday when I stumble around in shock and marvel at the fact that I am really feeling ten years younger than my birthday.
Can’t seem to remember what time of the year white shoes are in and black shoes are out. Need to rest more than I work and think every candidate for office is a young whippersnapper.
Other than those few maladies I feel ten years younger than I did before I read today’s newspaper.
Can’t wait for Monday morning—back to work almost a youngster.

Football--New Rules

2008-09-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Tough time of the year for me, getting cold, fall heading into winter, nope. Lots of people in Wyoming call this time of year hunting season, but not me, it’s the end of golf and the beginning of football. There is some difference—I play golf and watch football. I like to play golf at this time of year. Not many people on the course and it’s really not that hard to find golf balls in the snow, they almost always leave a trail. This year I am going to limit myself to watching only five or six football games a week. That may sound like a lot to many people but about half of what I usually do. I even have a few suggestions for new rules to make football more exciting.

1. Use two footballs instead of one.
2. Allow holding—anywhere, anytime
3. Ten points for a drop kick field goal of over twenty-five yards
4. Let the soda and hot dog venders on the sidelines and into the huddle during time outs.
5. Have all teams wear white uniforms
6. Fine any network using a sideline reporter one million dollars—I really hate sideline reporters.
7. All music in the stadium must be from the band—no more obnoxious music
blaring from huge million dollar boom boxes.
8. All football games must be played outside
9. Instant replays will be sent to the nearest local sports bar with everyone in the bar getting three votes
10. Night games will be played without lights—players will be allowed flashlights and spectators are each allowed two glow sticks

Looking a lot like Fall

2008-09-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

It’s starting to look like winter, er-a- fall in Wyoming. The aspen are turning and frost has already reared its ugly head. A few days ago it frosted so hard I couldn’t walk to work, I skied instead. Slick as ice all the way only fell down a half dozen time. My tomatoes froze—I picked them and hung them upside down in the garage. They should ripen okay I’m told. I did notice a sticker on one that said-mix with six ounces of cold tap water for a delicious tomato-ee, juice like drink. Maybe they froze too hard!

Conventions--Blaa

2008-08-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

The Democratic convention is over and now its time for the Republicans. It all seems a bit melodramatic now with the winning candidate’s chosen before the conventions. I still remember when they were really exciting and the candidate’s spoke about real issues with real substance and people believed them. But then it was during the Lincoln Presidency and not many of us remember that day and age.

Oh well, this is the new age, the age of instant everything. The candidates seem to try to tell us whatever it is that will get them elected. Instant gratification for the voter, but once elected it seems to be the same old thing again.

Will we ever see real change again, or a real statesman in the office of President, someone that really cares about us? No probably not as I decided not to run again as I have decided not to run in each election since Eisenhower.

When I was a kid I would eagerly mark off each day for four years waiting for the next convention, I loved to hear those speeches—Not really I mostly played baseball, listened to KOMA and acted like all other kids.

I will watch this week just like I watched last week. Maybe I will make up my mind before November.

Now if I need a write in candidate, how is it that you spell Dukakis?

Saving Money in 2008

2008-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

-How to Save Money-

So you want to save a few bucks? First a few ramblings then the good stuff you really want to know.

The price of gas is going down— a station nearby has lowered prices twice in the past few days. All stations in our little city of thirty thousand are now under four dollars a gallon—whoop-e.
Two things stand out in my mind about gas prices, first when I had to raise the prices on the sign at the Texaco station where I worked in high school to thirty cents a gallon. Boss wondered if anyone would ever stop again. Second, when my dad said, “If gas goes over a dollar a gallon the highways will be empty, no one will go anywhere.”
Today we seem almost happy to have gas under four dollars. Everything is going up, except salaries it seems. The minimum wage did go, not sure what that means?
Now the good stuff—saving money, my six priceless money saving steps.

1. At the pumps—fill your tank only half full. That makes sense and will cost only half as much. And how do you really look at your gas gage are you a half full kind of person or half empty. Walking is good!

2. At the grocery store—carry one of the little baskets, no push cart for you and don’t go so often. Need more food, garden, what a concept exercise and food. Go on a diet and save money. All-ready to skinny, buy cheap stuff and exercise less.

3. Home mortgage—refinance with a lower interest rate. If you can’t do that don’t make any payments for a while and try to get into the governments new bail out program. If that doesn’t work buy a used RV for almost nothing and park in front of your neighbor’s house. Same neighborhood, nice.

4. Medical insurance—if you have it though the old job, great. If you are buying it on your own beware, there are a lot of scams out there. Pay by the month and don’t get insurance that wants all the money up front in unmarked bills. Don’t limp into an insurance office and expect a good rate. When you show up to an insurance office, suck in the gut, where larger than needed clothes, put your glasses in your pocket and talk endlessly about how much you like exercise and vegetables. It also helps to mention that mom and dad are both over one hundred and vacationing on a nude beach in Mexico, for a month.

5. Needing a new car—by large and save. If it gets less than twenty miles per gallon it will be on sale. Then carefully follow directions in number one above.

6. Investing or starting your own business—don’t. This is the wrong time and wrong place. Spend all the money you have take a vacation. No wait a minute that’s what I do, not always smart.

**** Want to know more about starting your own business and how bad you will fail? See my story at: http://www.helium.com/items/831316-satire-work?search_result=true

Wyoming Mosquito season-Again

2008-07-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

-It’s Mosquito season—again-

It lasted only a few days, the same days we had relatives visiting from all over the U.S heartland here to enjoy fine Wyoming weather. Seems like Mosquito season always comes at the worst of times, as if there is a good season for Mosquito’s.
Mosquitoes carried off two children, a dog, although not a large one and three steaks from the grill. Seems like nothing can control them, we sprayed, lit the famous Mosquito candles and burned the Kerosene Tiki torches. Not sure, but I do not believe Tiki torches are native Wyoming insect fighting apparatus.
We played golf and were assaulted by Mosquito’s the size of sparrows—we sprayed down with OFF then couldn’t smell, see or hold on to a club. Reminded me to close my eyes before spraying my face with repellant. A few years ago I tried the famous ‘Skin So Soft’ to repel what needed repelled, didn’t work but my skin was softer and the Mosquito’s didn’t have to work so hard to hand me West Nile. I never really believed we had the West Nile virus here in Wyoming, I think instead it might be the North Platte virus or the Laramie river virus—West Nile is too far away, Egypt or somewhere in Africa. Wait a minute; I believe Egypt is in Africa. Doesn’t matter, it’s still a government conspiracy they turn the mosquitoes lose on us so we forget about inflation, high gas prices and the fact that Coca Cola has never been the same since they tried the experiment. Now the city is Arial spraying—good luck. I believe that the little bugs enjoy Malathion seems like every spraying they get bigger. If Malathion is watered down too much, usually with diesel fuel in a fogger the little buggers build up a tolerance to it and only get bigger, tougher and better looking.