Hot Tub in Quarters

Even though I was scheduled off work, I was still up ahead of Mindy and before well 630a. I headed downstairs where I started coffee then my exercises. I was shocked at the temperature. It was still 72 degrees. All the windows were steamed up from the humidity.

I headed out with Eiknarf near 630a. It was a lovely summer morning. Lovely that is, as long as you like it hot and steamy like me. As soon as we were back I delivered Mindy’s coffee. I decided not to rush to get in my run. Instead, I planned to wait until after the kids were on the school bus. I used the time to write in my blog.

Mindy left near 730a for school. I continued writing until just before school bus time.  I changed into my running clothes before walking the kids out. Man was it sticky! Chrissy asked about our tee-time. We didn’t have one, but hoped to get out soon after my run. Kenny went to a job site early but was expected back before 10a.

After the kids were on the bus I let Eiknarf walk a while out front where she took a second dump. I spent a couple more minutes writing before heading out for my run. It was still before 830a.

I wasn’t into my run more than a few hundred yards when I broke into a sticky sweat. I probably should’ve gone shirtless. It was already 80 degrees with extremely high humidity, a fitting start to June. Aside from the short sleeved wicking shirt feeling like seal skin, the run went well. Felt really good. I was surprised to see the Junk-King truck in front of the house when I returned and the two-man crew organizing their gear to remove the hot tub. I asked if they needed anything from me before getting started. Nope. I headed in for a shower.

They started cutting up the hot tub with a reciprocating saw in a hurry, and they were still sawing away once I was back downstairs dressed and preparing to leave for golf. I called Kenny to confirm our plans. He was just leaving a job site and on his way home. We talked about playing Phoenix or Split Rock. Split Rock made more sense due to the shade provided by the trees. We were expecting a high of 95 degrees.

While waiting on Kenny, I headed out to the deck and took a few pics off the cut up hot tub. I prepared two large tumblers of ice water for the crew. I thought about pulling a joke, flying out of the house asking what the hell they were doing to my hot tub. I thought better of it. The guy doing all the sawing looked a wreck with sweat. I asked if they needed anything from me before I left for the day. They asked if I would mind settling up right then. I put the service on my credit card.

I stuffed my golf bag’s small cooler with a bottled water and a large Gatorade then walked down to Kenny’s. We left for Split Rock a couple minutes later. We took I-71S to

Stringtown Rd

to Rt 104 to Rt 762. That eventually turns into

Scioto Darby Creek Rd

, the home of Split Rock. Not sure the time, but the parking lot was a bit more crowded than either of us expected. We expected it to be almost barren given that it was a work day. Probably 25 cars there – by no means full = but Split Rock never is.

I think it was $25 each with a cart. There was a twosome in front of us on the tee so we went to the putting green to warm up. They were just walking off the 1^st green when we headed to the tee box. Kenny had the honors on the 1^st tee box. He hit his brand new driver but sliced it horribly right landing somewhere in the 9^th fairway. I hit my first drive straight down the middle about 230-240 yards. Thank you very much! I told Kenny to hit another. He hit his second drive much better – right side of the fairway.

In typical Jimmy fashion, I duffed my approach shot badly hitting a weak slice with a 7-iron. Kenny hit his 2^nd shot within 8 feet of the hole. I hit my 3^rd shot on but just barely. I left myself about a 40’ putt, which turned into a 3 putt. Kenny holed his putt for a birdie. I told him to take the birdie and not count the errant first drive. Told him I planned to take a mulligan at some point.

Hole #2 is a 150 yard par 3 down a steep hill with a concrete pond protecting the green. I was nervous standing over my shot hitting a 7-iron. My swing felt forced and uncomfortable but I got decent results leaving it just off the front of the green. I chipped on and two putted for a bogey.

Through the entire front nine I never once got myself in any trouble off the tee. I hit some darn good 2^nd shots too. I still wasn’t putting well, though. Lots of three putts. Ended up shooting a 47 on the front. Uncharacteristic for Split Rock, we were held up on almost every hole by that twosome in front of us. They were playing really slow. The starter came out a couple times and asked if we wanted to complain. Nah. Kenny practically drove the green on hole #9. We think they pocketed his ball. Kenny asked but they denied it. As they pulled away in their cart, Kenny asked if one of them left a club behind. Oops! They had.

At the turn they let us play through. Unfortunately, the foursome in front of them was playing slow too. We could’ve jumped in front of them had we not opted for a break, but Kenny went in to stock up on Gatorade. I still had one in my bag.

As luck would have it, I pulled my drive hard right and into the trees on hole #10. Rather than a mulligan I decided to take my medicine. That was a bad move. The ground all around the area where I went out of bounds was mushy, wet mud in tall grass. I took two unsuccessful swings at the ball before picking it up and carrying it near where Kenny’s ball lied. I took a nine.

Luckily, I regrouped and went on a mini tear paring or bogeying the next several holes. Holes 16 & 17 I struck the ball really well but had nothing but a bogey and a double to show for it. But then hole #18 proved really unkind. I hit a straight but weak tee shot and tried to muscle my 2^nd shot only to roll it about 80 yards. My next 3 wood left me still about 130 yards out. There was a tall tree between me and the green. I hit a PW as high as I could but couldn’t clear the tree. My ball careened into the crap to the left. Took me two more shots to get on and then I 3 putted for my 2^nd nine of the back half. After tow nines I shot a 51 on the back bring my 18 hole total to 98. Kenny beat me fared much better shooting a 94. I gave up 5 or 6 strokes on the last three holes alone.

Regardless, it felt good to get in 18 holes. It was 315p. We headed for home. Kenny made a brief stop at some mini-mart in Commercial Point to get another Gatorade. I decided to wait until home. I hoped to be home before 4p to intercept the kids off the bus. Mindy texted earlier asking if I would. I responded that I’d try, but let her know that play was extremely slow.

Kenny dropped me at home at 350p. Much to my surprise, Mindy was already home. I went right for a big glass of ice water. The AC felt terrific.  I asked Mindy how good a job the hot tub removal guys did. She didn’t know. Hadn’t even considered giving it a look. I walked out to see for myself. I worried that they might leave all the crud and scrappy pieces, but they didn’t. Cleaned up nicely and left our yard undamaged. Excellent. Now I’ll need to decide what to do with the hole in the deck.

The kids arrived home less than ten minutes after me. Mindy asked how I felt about taking and retrieving Bella from gymnastics. No problem. Mindy was tired and headed upstairs for a nap. I did some reading from the deck until it was time to call Bella in for a quick dinner and a change of clothes. It wasn’t quite 530p when I walked over to Emily’s to fetch her.

She asked that I fix her a Hebrew National hot dog for dinner while she changed into her gymnastics uniform. I made myself a hot dog at the same time only mine was a Ballpark brand. I don’t care much for the Hebrew National’s. Bella ate hers plain. I rolled mine in a burrito tortilla with a load of melted cheddar. It was good.

We left for gymnastics at 545p arriving a few minutes early. As soon as Bella headed inside I had to decide whether to head back home or elsewhere. Last second I decided to make a stop at Target. It took a while to get there. They’ve finally started the long overdue widening project on

Hilliard Rome Rd.

At Target I picked up a new pair of sunglasses, a towel specifically designed to dry a car after washing to replace my worn shami, a bottle or Wet Tire, and a new Coleman queen sized air mattress. We have two already that we originally bought for camping, but the one we keep in the spare room for guests leaks, and it’s getting worse. I’ve been looking to replace it for several months. They were on sale for $26 or $3.99 off. Now was the time. I thought about buying an oscillating stand fan for the deck too, but my hands were full and I didn’t have a cart. Perhaps another time.

I had a little back and forth with the Target checkout girl. Wanted to charge me full price for the Coleman mattress. She phoned a clerk to fetch a price check. He called back stating the full price. I referred him to the big sign nearby. He confirmed my position - $26, but added that the sale had expired. Not my problem. The cashier gave me the posted sale price.

It was only 635p. I was back at the gymnastics studio five minutes later. Mindy called after waking from her nap to check on my whereabouts. Shared my decision to stay out until gymnastics was over. I put the seat back and took a brief nap. At the same time, there was a call-in show discussing Tressel’s resignation and Terrell Pryor’s future. Things aren’t looking too good right now in Buckeye land.

I headed inside at 658p. Bella was in the office sitting on Grandma Sharon’s lap. I gave Sharon a hug then Bella and I left for home. She asked if we could stop for ice cream but I nixed that notion. As soon as we arrived home she ran off to play.

I enjoyed some of the fried chicken Mindy picked up at Kroger on her way home from school. I then headed out to water the flowers front and back. I headed back inside around 8p. I spent the next hour or so writing in my blog. I checked my Blackberry, too, hoping to get some news regarding the job I interviewed for. Nothing yet.

We tucked the kids into bed just after 915p then headed to bed ourselves.