I didn’t think two days of golf, using rental sets could result in sore arms and upper torso. Have we both lost our touch playing golf? Or was it the putting woes that caused this? Haha… Then I remembered it was the rock climbing! That must be it.
Since the both of us are feeling sore, we decided not to play a third round of golf which was the intended plan. We will do a vineyard tour after visiting downtown and checking out the stores.
We played another round of golf today. But tee-off was 12.24pm as there was a big group already out there when we arrived at ten. So we were advised to tee-off later which we were agreeable. It worked out better because it was chilly again.
But was it better?
The green speed was just so fast! I think it’s at least an 11, and this is a public course. Very well maintained. Although I came back with a slightly better score than yesterday, the putting was just very demoralizing.
Yesterday I three-putted seven holes! Seven holes, so that’s at least an extra seven strokes. Today, I three-putted one hole less. Just can’t handle super fast greens.
Sigh and double sigh… or maybe cry.
We came home for lunch after our golf game. And after a short rest, we didn’t waste time and headed for campus as I wanted to check out the bookstore again.
Then we met M1 for some gung-ho activity, rock climbing!
She wanted us to try it out and we did. It was actually quite fun and tiring. And as if that wasn’t enough, we played some table tennis, enjoying the campus facilities, before walking back.
It was 9.00pm when we reached home and I had registered 16,322 steps on my Mi Band2 by then. No wonder I was tired.
The golf course, Trysting Tree Golf Club was not too far and we got there within minutes. We rented sets and teed off at ten. As I don’t wear golf gloves to play, I had to sit on my hands several times to keep them warm because the morning was rather chilly. It took a couple of holes to warm up to get used to the weather.
It was quite a challenge to look for each hole as the golf course is not like what we’re used to – trees lining the sides and clear cut buggy paths to indicate and separate. The tee box markers were very obscure and we had to really look to find them. But the condition was superb for a public course, both on the fairways and on the greens.
I couldn’t get the hang of putting because the green speed was so fast, something I don’t get often when playing back home. As a result I had many three-putts.
We even had buggy problems after we crossed over. By the 14th Hole, the buggy was sputtering and dying a slow death. When we reached the 16th Hole, it died and we had to call in for a replacement.
Despite the putting woes and buggy issue, we had an enjoyable outing, so much so, we will play another round tomorrow. As we now know what to expect, I am sure we will fare better tomorrow.
The mini golf yesterday was quite enjoyable. I think the last time we did a round of mini golf was ages ago when hubby and I went to Florida for vacation. Of course during that time, it was just the two of us.
I looked at the score card and had a good laugh. If only our usual games are like that! What pros we were coming back with 11 pars and two birdies (for me) and nine pars and a birdie for hubby. M1 was not quite the golfer unfortunately.
Today we will play a real round of golf. Let’s see the scores after that…
Even holidays need a break! It’s Sunday today and we’re keeping the itinerary easy. We slept in longer this morning.
We spent the day without a fixed itinerary so we decided to do something fun – a round of mini golf!
Then it was basically checking out all the stores around town to see lovely packaging design and colorful produce on the shelves. It’s a good bonding time.
After saying goodbye to M2, we left Portland and headed for Washington Square to check out Dick’s Sporting Goods. There I found a box of matte fluorescent golf balls which I had to buy. I’ve never seen a purple matte golf ball before. Pretty cool.
So colorful
We hung out at the mall and the Tesla showroom caught our eyes. There were two cars – the Model 3 and the Model X. The X was way, way cool with its super huge double iPad touchscreen panel and wing doors.
The super cool Model X
Checking out the Model 3
The 3 has its appeal too with its super minimalist look and equally huge iPad-like touchscreen panel which controls everything. So clever.
We left the mall to go get an Earl Grey boba tea at Bubble N Tea en route to TopGolf golf range for some fun. The weather by then was beautiful to be semi-outdoor, so we ended up spending an hour and a half there, hitting balls into targets. Quite a good workout!
But the day went by slowly as we waited to hear from M2 which we did when she finally arrived at Atlanta in transit to connect for the next flight to Ireland. Feeling assured that she’s safely on her way, we made our way back to Corvallis, had a home-cooked meal and prepared for an early good night’s sleep to recover from today’s trip.
This morning we sent M2 to the airport. She returns to Ireland to continue with Summer school. I felt a sense of heavy heart but thankfully no tears.
And now that there’s just the three of us, we will do some winery tours and play some golf.
Last week, I pushed myself on my activities. After playing golf in the morning, I was back in the office in the afternoon. Then in the evening we went to the gym. I told my trainer to go easy on me because I had done more than 11 thousand steps already, more than the quota for the day.
So she put me on the lighter weights instead of the ten-pounder that I have been using the last few sessions. And certain routines, I jumped, lunged and turned less than hubby. I managed and survived the workout session.
And towards the end of last week, my weight dropped even further! Now that’s motivation to push myself. I was down to a mere 0.3lbs away from my new revised target. Woo hoo…
This week, it was the same for Monday – golf then office. However, gym was cancelled because it’s two days before Hari Raya. And it’s only sensible to give my trainer a break from fighting with traffic (like last week) to make her way over to us. It can be very aggravating to be on the road with so many cars for their last minute errands and what nots. Not a good feeling to have before the festivity and holiday.
With Wednesday and Thursday being public holidays again, focusing on the 16/8 diet was a challenge because our routine and menu had to be adjusted.
In fact on Tuesday, I literally pigged out when I met up with my girlfriends dining on a sumptuous porky spread. That evening we talked, laughed and ate passed my eating window. Forget the 16/8 as it was a great night catching up. And after an eventful week, the weigh-in this morning, to my surprise was 0.8lbs beyond the new target! Double woo hoo…
Now I know why I push myself and not sit on my laurels. It sure feels good! Maybe at this point, I will go for another 0.2lbs just to round up the number. From then on, it should be about maintaining the weight as is because my target, twice, has been achieved. There’s no need to set a third new target weight.
To recap, I started this 16/8 diet on 25th Feb and had a horrendous weight spike at the end of that week. But perseverance and discipline paid off over the months. Today, officially on record, I have lost a total of 10.8lbs. So proud of myself.
These past few weeks, it has been raining just about every single evening or alternate evenings. It isn’t nice. For us, the rain disrupts a lot of afternoon or evening plans. We wouldn’t play golf in the afternoons because we know it will be a wash out, so only morning tee offs for us.
By three o’clock everyday, we can hear thunder and rumbling. Then it pours. And pours like crazy.
In the evenings if the rain came down too heavy, there would be traffic snarls to deal with, so any plans to go out had to be reconsidered. But of course if the rain wasn’t long and heavy, we will go ahead with whatever we plan. We had to cancel our movie date to watch John Wick 3: Parabellum the first time because of the rain as it was just too troublesome. We watched it three days later when the weather was better.
Last week, during the public holiday on Wednesday and we were home after the morning golf game, the skies opened up without fail. It rained so heavily that afternoon, the garden was flooded. And official pet number one was grumpy and terrified at the same time because of the wet condition, loud thunder and lightning.
The poor caterpillar
After the rain stopped, hubby was out in the garden to inspect his plants and discovered a drowned caterpillar! It’s incredulous and terrible at the same time as we have never seen anything like this before.
The poor creature was exposed in the open and the pelting rain was too much for it to withstand thus, laid battered and drowned on the leaf. But amazingly, it stayed there and did not plunge to the ground. Rain affects not only us, even small creatures too are at risk.
On hindsight of this unfortunate incident, maybe it’s a good thing that there has not been many caterpillars on our lime trees lately, otherwise they could have also suffered the same fate as this fella.
Angieneering 
Remarks