After heading to bed early, I really didn’t sleep too deeply at all. Instead, I spent a lot of time tossing and turning. But after just one dose of Levaquin, I was feeling much better than I did on Monday & Tuesday, although still skeptical after similar early results with Azithromycin. That stuff never fully killed the stuff.

I was up & getting after my exercise routine by 5:40am. Like yesterday, I was slow, but managed my way through. It was 70 degrees when Ykraps and I headed out the door, but the sky was overcast after last evening’s heavy rains. Even before coffee, I noticed how much better I was feeling physically & psychologically. I just hoped it could be sustained. After coffee and meditation, I readied and left for a run. I could’ve run four miles, but didn’t. Not wanting to push it too hard, I ran just three.

Already, the sun was trying to peak through the overcast. I threw together a quick lunch and then made some fried eggs. I was headed up for a shower by 7:40am. As I dropped Mindy’s coffee off bedside, she asked how I felt. Good! I headed towards the shower. She asked again if I planned to golf later. I hoped to, especially since we definitely won’t be golfing next week.

I left for work near 8:15am. The kids were still sleeping. Work was entertaining. Save for a brief trip to the neighborhood bank, I worked straight through the day. Bob emailed his intentions to golf. I responded in kind. While I was working, Mindy was spending the afternoon at Riverside hospital doing some strengthening exercises as part of her after-surgery therapy. Her Mom was at our home watching the kids. She called late in the afternoon just before I left work to tell me that her and Bella were shopping, and then going to Bob Evans for dinner. Jacob was with Jimaken.

I was determined to depart work by 4:20pm to make sure and leave myself a few minutes to putt and swing a club prior to teeing off. Usually it’s car to tee in less than five minutes. I was successful in carrying out my plan.


I hit no real traffic jams whatsoever. I was fortunate. And by late afternoon it was very pleasant. It was sunny and 83 degrees with little humidity. Perfect golf weather. I arrived at 4:56pm. About 15-20 minutes earlier than usual. I had enough time to swing and putt. I felt good about it too. Bob B. was already there. We chatted while waiting on Mr Imber.
Bob I. arrived around 5:20pm and we dashed off to the 10th tee box – a par 5.

I hit a decent drive off the tee – not perfect but certainly respectable. Good! Unfortunately, I pretty much topped two 3-irons in a row placing myself in a real jam. I ended up taking a double-bogey right out of the shoot. Hole #11 was more kind. After a powerful drive I recovered with a nice clean par – 2 putt. Hole #12 is a 165 yard downhill par 3. I hit my 6-iron slightly left of the green, and then got an unkind carom off of a tree kicking my ball out-of-bounds much further to the left. Shoot! Bogey.

Bottom line, after a so-so start, I was heading into the final hole already with a 39. But that‘s not so bad. If I pared this hole I’d finish with a respectable 44. But the hole’s a long tough par 5 with hills, bends, and a tight-tight fairway on your approach. I let my tee shot get a away from me to the right something fierce – big ol’ duck hook! Rare for me. After laying out, I hit a 3-wood over our fairway and into the practice range. Oh boy! Laying in three, I hit a half 7-iron between several trees just to get back in our fairway. Success! Laying in four I pulled out my 3-iron and blasted one straight down the middle just short of the blind, but uphill green. I chunked a sand wedge and ended up on in 7. Geesh! Ended with a nine! Not a happy way to finish.

As we were preparing to head in, Bob I. noticed that his PW was missing. Bob B. went on in. Bob I. & I went back to hole #17 where he used it last. He couldn’t locate it. This defied logic. Looking more carefully through his bag he found it under his massive driver. Ah-hah! All for not. But since we were right there, we played #18 over again. I hit a much better drive, but still left myself a tough second shot on the slight dogleg left. I chose to take my medicine and hit a safe shot out onto the middle of fairway. After another long 3-iron I was just short of the green again, only this time in three. After another failed chip, I was on in 5. Ugh!

We laughed it off as we headed back to our cars. I wished Bob a long, happy vacation in Okracoke (he leaves tomorrow). We’ll hook up again in two weeks. I checked in with Mindy before driving off. It’s never a good idea to talk on my cell while driving the BM’er. It’s a two –hand machine. Meanwhile, it was a lovely drive home. I made it home in less than 30 minutes.

I was very hungry by the time I made it home. Anything hand-to-mouth would be fine. I settled for some Lime Tosititos and then my leftover pannini napoli from Vito’s. Jacob returned from an evening with his daddy not five minutes after I got back. They went to see a movie together. Meanwhile, Bella was at Bible school. Mindy soon left to fetch her. Jacob chose to remain home with me. We planned a bike ride. However, given that Jacob learned how to ride a bike just three days prior, I wasn’t expecting much of a ride.

We went towards Evan’s house first, where several of Jacob’s buddies were busy playing. I was a little surprised at how well he was handling his bike. We ended up going about 1.5 miles around the sub-division and through the neighborhood park. We stopped briefly, took pictures of the sunset then headed back towards home. Jacob stopped at Evan’s while I continued the rest of the way home. He eventually came home when Mindy & Bella returned.

Mindy got the kids a bath and ultimately in bed. I assisted with the tuck-in. We headed to bed at a little after 10pm.