Last weekend I went to TPC Scottsdale and took advantage of their special summer deal. $99 for two rounds, one at the Champions Course and the other at the Stadium Course (where the FBR Open is played), lunch included.
We started around 7:30 AM and then ate lunch, showered, changed into fresh clothes, and headed back out to the Stadium Course. It wasn't until the last four holes that I really felt the heat...I was drained!
I shot a 79 at the Champions course! It was the first time I broke 80 for at least a year. We played for money on the overall 36 hole score and I won the pot. We also played greenies, skins, and birdies and I won a few of those as well! I had two birdies on the Champions course and one birdie on the beautiful par 5, hole 15, with the green surrounded by water!
Alicia and I made the trek up the mountain to Pinetop last weekend. We decided to leave on Thursday, but go through Globe instead of Payson. Last year we went through Payson on a holiday weekend and it took us something ridiculous, like 3 to 4 hours just to get to Payson...which normally only takes 1.5 hours. The Globe route was definitely a good choice. The only thing that slowed us down was a thunderstorm in Globe...otherwise it was smooth sailin'.
Of course the weekend was full of golf for me and much needed R&R for Alicia. Jimmy had set me up with a tee time on Friday, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon. Alicia was going to join us Saturday afternoon for her annual golf experience, but we got rained out. She was so distraught (add sarcasm here).
We had a great time with Jimmy and Julie, but also with Jimmy's cousins Ron and Janice and her family. We mostly just talked, went for walks in the pines, and feasted on Julie's good cooking. We watched some Wimbledon and the US Olympic swimming trials. Saturday after getting rained out from golf we went to see "Get Smart" a movie that's a re-creation of the 70's TV Show.
Alicia and I got our Yamaha 5'7" G2 Grand Piano yesterday!!! Can you believe it? I am so excited...I absolutely love playing the piano!
The only thing I am bummed about is that I didn't get a piano sooner! :) My hands are so rusty...songs that I could just fly through before I can't even stagger or limp through now.
Last night I played until my fingers and lower back were sore, but it was a good soreness. If anyone has some ideas of some good piano books, please let me know in a comment. I just ordered "Dan Coates Complete / Advanced Piano Solos" and "Blues Piano: Hal Leonard Keyboard Style Series". I already have a couple of Dan Coates books and really love his arrangements. I figure that his complete book probably has a lot of the same songs that I have now, but there should be some additional ones in there.
