Firstyl, thanks to all those asking after the health of my good lady, wife, the Pharmacist in doors, her recovery continues to go well, and edicts are being issued to ensure the smooth running of the household.
During one break from the everyday chores, however, we watched the White Ferns and I felt a kinship the with the collapse of their innings much like many of the many, and I mean many, batting failures of the England Mens team - oddly on a day when the England team actually managed to pull a performace together, for an unusual change of pace.
Whilst watching it, there was a point when there was a married couple at the crease together - which made me wonder what it would be like if the good lady Pharmacist and I were to ever be in such a situation. Suffice to say it would not be at an international level, quite apart from the fact that we are not good enough in any sport (although I was asked to play Shinty for the England Team as a specialist penalty taker, but that is a tale for a different time), the fact is we would represent different countries; so this was really a completely hypothetical situation.
Anyway, taking that into account, we decided almost instantaneously that it would bee an utter disaster. Quite apart from the idea that we would not agree about running between the wickets (I am frequently told off about my communication skills anyway), in a pressure cooker environment there is no doubt in my mind that there would be an almightly row when one of us (probably me) ran the other out, and gods forbid that we have to decide on whether or not to go for a review - can you imagine the post mortem that would happen after the match with your other half if one of you says go for it, and the other thinks you're out? The divorce lawyers must be rubbing their hands with glee and dropping cards every time they are put on the same teamsheet - in other words, I take my hat off to them
In the meantime, I have continued with my sttruggles on the course, and have discovered a new phenomenon where I play well/solidly for 5/6 holes, and then the wheels come off for some inexplicable reason and I spend the remaining holes fighting my way through them in utter bewilderment attempting to "get back to basics" - stupid game
This week though, I had the pleasure of playing with my favourite angry Aussie who made a welcome return to the course and promptly complained about it for 18 holes, generally unhappy about, well, everything actually. Still by the time we reached the bar, all was good again, which is probably a lesson for us all.
I also played with the club's Fashion Guru, Dave Schrades, who was in a muted salmon pink/peach number with plain shorts, floppy hat and golf shoes - clearly espousing the "comfy grump" look as he strolled the course. Of the four of us, only Dave was playing well yesterday, peaking with an eagle on the first hole (our 10th), when he followed a below average drive with holing his second from a looong way out, and out of the rough to boot. Naturlly golf decided that this was far too much positivity for one round, and punished him 3 holes later with a couple of extra putts that were wholly unjustified.
In Dave's defence, the pin position on number 4 is shocking (as it is on number 8), placed as it is just below the crest of the slope, meaning that there is no safe putt regardless of where you approach it from, even if the pace of the greens is as slow as they are at the moment.
Nonetheless, the first(?) eagle of the year is to be celebrated and congratulations to Dave ("He's so hot right now") Schrader for a wonderful result from a great shot.
My other notable excursion this week was a trip to our very own club dentist, Mark Goodhew. Mark was excellent, and I learnt more about my gnashers in the first 10 minutes than I had previously in over (well over) 40 years. I do ohave one question though, are dentists trained to ask questions of their patients whilst placing medical paraphanalia in said patient's gob? There have been countless skits on the ability to decipher the grunts and incomprehensible mumblings coming from the dentists chair (I have vague recollections of the Two Ronnies doing one where the translation involved a complex family tree going on holiday to Benidorm), but the fact remains that we aren't able to talk
Of course, dependning on the patient, some might see that as a distinct improvement
Stay safe and play well out there
Steve
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