It seems that every Wednesday (my golf league night), we've had a rainy forecast. 80% chance has been seen multiple times in the last month or so. We go out with our rain gear and start play, get drizzled upon, then the clouds part, the sun comes out and we play in wonderful conditions.
Last week I went to Oscoda, to Lakewood Shores Resort, and we had the same forecast for Tuesday - our 'all day' golfing day. Our luck held out again. A little drizzle on and off for an hour or so, then a beautiful day. What luck.
I golfed 18 with a group from my league on Sunday. We're meeting for breakfast and golf, switching courses and restaurants every week. Hawk Meadows was the venue for that week.
Then I left for Oscoda Monday morning, played 29 holes (till dark), 36 more on Tuesday, and golfed the league Wednesday night. I pre-played 5 bonus holes before the league, too, for a total of 97 holes in 4 days. I think that's the most I've ever golfed in four days and I have to admit I was a bit sore afterwards. A restful Thursday and a good morning workout at the gym on Friday seemed the right thing to fix me up.
Lakewood Shores Resort was a lot of fun. The Gailes course was very tough (Scottish links style course), Blackshire was challenging with a lot of hazard all the way across numerous fairways, and the Serradella was my favorite. We had a great package deal for an overnight stay Monday evening and 36 holes on Tuesday for $139/person. Our 'extra' 18 during the day Monday was $25/person. They have a lot of great weekday and weekend packages and the four of us are talking about making this an annual trek.
Friendly staff, good food, and there was a chip and putt set of holes behind the lodging where you could practice, too. They let you take coolers out there and we saw numerous groups taking advantage of that feature. We didn't get a chance to use that particular facility, but it looked like a better way to spend your time than watching television.
If you go up to Oscoda, find the Wiltse's Brew Pub. Very good food and an interesting mix of beers. Stay away from the 'Crippler' - 10.5% ABV - or have a DD ready to step in. The Au Sable Inn is very good, too.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Summer Time!
Yes, the warm weather arrived early this year. It was in the low 70's wa-a-a-y back on St. Patrick's Day (my day of playing golf here). Since then we've been very lucky with the mostly warm weather.
The gardens are doing well, school is either out or about to be out for the districts in my area, and gasoline prices are staying reasonable or even dropping a little.
I'm fortunate to live in area with an abundance of inland lakes, and the boaters and fishermen seem to be having a good time. I can see a couple of the larger lakes in our area daily, as I drive fom here to there. And in the last two weeks, there have been multiple occasions where I was tempted to stop and take a quick dip.
In a week or so, I'm heading to Oscoda (Michigan, around the 44th parallel) for a two day, one night golf trip with a couple of budddies. We've found a great room rate, so we'll drive up and play 18 that day, stay overnight, wake up and play 36 the next day, then head home. Luckily it's only a two and a half to three hour drive, so we won't spend a lot of time on the travel part. I'm looking forward to it, and there are plenty of golfing opportunities within 45 minutes of our location.
I haven't been able to play much golf, and my game seems to have deteriorated. I'm hoping that a lot of golf in a short window of time will help shake out the rust, but then again, I am an optimist.
I hope things are going well for you, and if they're not - well, come on over to Michigan. There's plenty to see and do all over the state.
The gardens are doing well, school is either out or about to be out for the districts in my area, and gasoline prices are staying reasonable or even dropping a little.
I'm fortunate to live in area with an abundance of inland lakes, and the boaters and fishermen seem to be having a good time. I can see a couple of the larger lakes in our area daily, as I drive fom here to there. And in the last two weeks, there have been multiple occasions where I was tempted to stop and take a quick dip.
In a week or so, I'm heading to Oscoda (Michigan, around the 44th parallel) for a two day, one night golf trip with a couple of budddies. We've found a great room rate, so we'll drive up and play 18 that day, stay overnight, wake up and play 36 the next day, then head home. Luckily it's only a two and a half to three hour drive, so we won't spend a lot of time on the travel part. I'm looking forward to it, and there are plenty of golfing opportunities within 45 minutes of our location.
I haven't been able to play much golf, and my game seems to have deteriorated. I'm hoping that a lot of golf in a short window of time will help shake out the rust, but then again, I am an optimist.
I hope things are going well for you, and if they're not - well, come on over to Michigan. There's plenty to see and do all over the state.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Gulf Oil Spill, Politics and Blame
OK, we're facing perhaps the largest natural disaster ever (by the time it's resolved) and everybody is looking at somebody else to blame. And there's plenty to go around.
Where to start? Me. And you. Our cars, trucks and SUV's require more and more oil. Most of us outside of a large central city don't have access to good public transportation and are 'dead in the water' (no pun intended) without a personal vehicle, and we're still using (needing, demanding) that oil. And by the way, keep the cost under $2 (or $3 or $4) a gallon, please.
Politicans. Are they too cozy with big businesses? Too afraid of losing campaign fund donations? Too busy to properly manage and oversee government departments that are supposed to be doing the regulating/overseeing?
Governments. Federal and State governments have to be held somewhat responsible, too. Allegations about corporate cost cutting, taking short cuts to get wells into production - shouldn't that have been discovered with proper oversight? How about the Minerals & Management Service of the US Dept, of the Interior? Sure, they're on the case now, but did they do everything the were supposed to do prior to this accident? Some Gulf States are also screaming up a storm about deep water drilling cuts that will adversely impact their budgets. Wow. How about another oil leak for adverse impact? You can't have it both ways.
Corporations. Yup, they exist to prevent any one person from being held responsible and to make the most possible money from their ventures. When times are good the management team gets kudos. As long as the shareholders keep collecting dividends there isn't a problem. It'll be very interesting to see what happens in this case.
Environmentalists. Did their successful lobbying to stop on-shore and drilling at shallower depths force companies to go a mile or more deeper with oil rigs? I'm not a rocket scientist, but even I can see that problems are more easily solved on land or at a few hundred feet than at 5,000 feet under water.
There is no 'cure' for this event. And I have doubts as to whether we will learn the myriad of causes. I have less confidence that we will adequately correct the causes the become known to us, too. There's too much money and political power at stake. Somebody will take the 'fall' for it, but a huge natural area will still be devastated.
I've long considered myself a political independent, trying very hard to choose the best candidate for the office regardless of political party affiliation. Political parties are entities that want to accumulate and then retain political power to further their goals. It becomes their primary purpose and you have to wonder how often the greater good is thrown out the window when it's convenient for them to do so. In that way, they are no different than what many people call 'big business'. You might even make the argument that organized political parties (at least the two primary ones) *are* big business.
Is there hope for our future? I think there is, when citizens start taking more than a passing interest in how business and government really works. I believe we have the best system and the best way of living in the world. Let's not let a group if idiots mess it up for us.
Where to start? Me. And you. Our cars, trucks and SUV's require more and more oil. Most of us outside of a large central city don't have access to good public transportation and are 'dead in the water' (no pun intended) without a personal vehicle, and we're still using (needing, demanding) that oil. And by the way, keep the cost under $2 (or $3 or $4) a gallon, please.
Politicans. Are they too cozy with big businesses? Too afraid of losing campaign fund donations? Too busy to properly manage and oversee government departments that are supposed to be doing the regulating/overseeing?
Governments. Federal and State governments have to be held somewhat responsible, too. Allegations about corporate cost cutting, taking short cuts to get wells into production - shouldn't that have been discovered with proper oversight? How about the Minerals & Management Service of the US Dept, of the Interior? Sure, they're on the case now, but did they do everything the were supposed to do prior to this accident? Some Gulf States are also screaming up a storm about deep water drilling cuts that will adversely impact their budgets. Wow. How about another oil leak for adverse impact? You can't have it both ways.
Corporations. Yup, they exist to prevent any one person from being held responsible and to make the most possible money from their ventures. When times are good the management team gets kudos. As long as the shareholders keep collecting dividends there isn't a problem. It'll be very interesting to see what happens in this case.
Environmentalists. Did their successful lobbying to stop on-shore and drilling at shallower depths force companies to go a mile or more deeper with oil rigs? I'm not a rocket scientist, but even I can see that problems are more easily solved on land or at a few hundred feet than at 5,000 feet under water.
There is no 'cure' for this event. And I have doubts as to whether we will learn the myriad of causes. I have less confidence that we will adequately correct the causes the become known to us, too. There's too much money and political power at stake. Somebody will take the 'fall' for it, but a huge natural area will still be devastated.
I've long considered myself a political independent, trying very hard to choose the best candidate for the office regardless of political party affiliation. Political parties are entities that want to accumulate and then retain political power to further their goals. It becomes their primary purpose and you have to wonder how often the greater good is thrown out the window when it's convenient for them to do so. In that way, they are no different than what many people call 'big business'. You might even make the argument that organized political parties (at least the two primary ones) *are* big business.
Is there hope for our future? I think there is, when citizens start taking more than a passing interest in how business and government really works. I believe we have the best system and the best way of living in the world. Let's not let a group if idiots mess it up for us.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Stretching Your Dollars
If you've got any left to stretch, that is. Here's a few local 'deals' that I've seen.
For casual atmosphere socializing after work, try Bennigan's at Latson & Grand River in Howell for $2 pints of domestic draft beer - and they have full pint glasses. They also have a nice selection of happy hour appetizers running from 3-7 pm and then again 9pm - closing. On Thursday evenings they have $1 bottle beer (domestic).
Just a stone's throw away from Bennigan's is Los Tres Amigos, who offer $1 domestic drafts M-F, and if you go there on a Monday, you can get $1 tacos, too. Hard shell, beef only, but what a great bargain - and a tasty one. Good for dine-in or take-out, by the way, so here's a cheap Monday dinner idea for you.
In Brighton? Try Stout's Irish Pub for an every day happy hour of $2 domestic drafts (12 or 14 oz glasses) and discounted 'premium' drafts. Wednesdays are $3 burger days - and this is a pretty good burger.
Want to golf? Faulkwood Shores Golf Club, Hawk Meadows and Chemung Hills Golf Club (all in Howell) have $18 for 18 with cart, weekdays senior rate. Faulkwood is age 55 and over for senior, Chemung Hills is 50 and over. Faulkwood also publishes some coupons for 18 holes w/cart for $16.75 - you can find them in the Val Pak mailing or sometimes in the Detroit Newspapers coupons in the golf area of the Sports section.
Chemung Hills is also a good deal to hit a large bucket of balls, just $6! Nice practice putting green, too.
For casual atmosphere socializing after work, try Bennigan's at Latson & Grand River in Howell for $2 pints of domestic draft beer - and they have full pint glasses. They also have a nice selection of happy hour appetizers running from 3-7 pm and then again 9pm - closing. On Thursday evenings they have $1 bottle beer (domestic).
Just a stone's throw away from Bennigan's is Los Tres Amigos, who offer $1 domestic drafts M-F, and if you go there on a Monday, you can get $1 tacos, too. Hard shell, beef only, but what a great bargain - and a tasty one. Good for dine-in or take-out, by the way, so here's a cheap Monday dinner idea for you.
In Brighton? Try Stout's Irish Pub for an every day happy hour of $2 domestic drafts (12 or 14 oz glasses) and discounted 'premium' drafts. Wednesdays are $3 burger days - and this is a pretty good burger.
Want to golf? Faulkwood Shores Golf Club, Hawk Meadows and Chemung Hills Golf Club (all in Howell) have $18 for 18 with cart, weekdays senior rate. Faulkwood is age 55 and over for senior, Chemung Hills is 50 and over. Faulkwood also publishes some coupons for 18 holes w/cart for $16.75 - you can find them in the Val Pak mailing or sometimes in the Detroit Newspapers coupons in the golf area of the Sports section.
Chemung Hills is also a good deal to hit a large bucket of balls, just $6! Nice practice putting green, too.
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