Our Trip to Scotland--Day 5, June 12

Early in the morning we left Dundee and headed for St. Andrews. I had never picked up a golf club to play, but what a way to begin--at St. Andrews, the most famous club, and home of The Open.

Our first event was stopping at the Practice Centre where each group of two got 24 balls to hit after a brief demonstration and explanation. You can see we had some sun shining through the clouds. Then we boarded the bus and went into the city.

"St Andrews has a population of around 20,000 people. The university, where Prince William attended, attracts students from all over the world, keeping the bars and restaurants busy during the winter, and during the summer golfers from all over the world descend on the town to play the hallowed Old Course. The town has got a mystical charm about it, and is packed with golfers, golfing memorabilia and a load of golf-friendly bars where you won’t be asked to remove your spikes at the door." 

I love to visit "retired" or gently used clothing stores, and saw a number of shops passing through town with elegant used golf attire which would have been fun to visit if we'd been there all day. But instead many in our group walked to visit the ruins of the bishop's castle and the cathedral. Bob and I also stopped inside a small chapel.   The castle sits on a rocky promontory overlooking a small beach called Castle Sands and the adjoining North Sea.

We walked through the area of St. Andrews university, then Bob went back to the golf area and bus and I continued with Pat to the Cathedral, but he had the camera.  If I can snag a photo from the group's site I'll add it here.  It was quite dramatic. It was built in 1158 and became the center of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland.

"The story of St Andrew's revolves around the story of the apostle Andrew. According to one version of the story, a monk named Regulus was inspired by an angel to steal the relics of St Andrew and set sail to the island of Thule. He landed instead on this promontory on the coast of Fife and there founded a settlement. The saint's relics became a focal point, not only of religious pilgrimage, but also a symbol of Scottish independence from England. Andrew's symbol, the saltire cross, became forever associated with an independent Scotland, and eventually was chosen for the Scottish flag.

The medieval cathedral whose ruins we see today was begun around 1160, and was complete by the late 14th century. The church was huge, measuring 355 feet from end to end, with a central tower and spire." http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=1076 

From St. Andrews it was back on the bus to Perth and a visit to beautiful Scone Palace [pronounced skoon], the home of the Earl and Countess of Mansfield. While we were waiting to go in, we saw beautiful peacocks. We heard about the palace and the crowning of Scottish kings, including Robert the Bruce over coffee and shortbread. The peacock photo is from a tour group member. A guide told us about the Stone of Scone, upon which the Scottish kings were crowned.

"According to legend, the sandstone slab was used by the biblical figure Jacob as a pillow when he dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and then brought to Scotland by way of Egypt, Spain and Ireland. The rock, also known as the Stone of Destiny, was used for centuries in the coronation ceremonies of Scottish monarchs. Following his victory at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296, England’s King Edward I seized the stone from Scotland’s Scone Abbey and had it fitted into the base of a specially crafted wooden Coronation Chair on which English—and later British—monarchs have been crowned inside London’s Westminster Abbey ever since. "

Although we couldn't take photos inside the palace, this little video shows you much of what we saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCjGZ7FLevM

Chapel on the Moot Hill

Scottish long hair cattle

Back to the bus, across the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh to our final hotel, the Mercure Edinburgh on Princes Street with a fabulous view from our window. That night we attended a Scottish evening with Highland dancers (5 women) a bagpiper, fiddler, accordionist, a female soloist, and singing MC and the ceremony of the Haggis (mutton or lamb offal, minced and mixed with, oatmeal, suet, herbs, spices). Dining scene from our tour group FB page.

Oh, Canada? Laurie and daughters Kathy and Susann

Dancers

Barbara on left, Pat on right at the dinner

The golf game wedding snafu in Hawaii

I think the biggest non-story this week is Obama's golf game forcing a military couple to change their wedding plans. I don't think much of Obama as a president, but are we really to believe he personally arranges his golf games? This is a matter of security, and lately his security has been very lax. And so was that of the golf course, which made the decision. Someone should be fired for not noticing the mix up before it became a news story. He should send them a nice gift—a phone call doesn’t do it.

With so many scandals to choose from, I hate to see conservatives wallowing in stuff like this that he had no control over. We had something similar happen at our daughter's wedding in 1993. The senior pastor decided he needed the kitchen of the church to feed Billy Graham volunteers for one of his crusades in town that week. We'd had the fellowship hall for the reception reserved for 9 months--paid up front. Fortunately we had a great Christian caterer, who managed to work the kitchen by preparing the food elsewhere and bringing it in. I was one unhappy Mother of the Bride and had a real melt down. I think Joanie Poynter, our niece and the maid of honor, was the peace maker, and it wasn't even her church. Always helps to have a cool head. And that wouldn't be me. Ever.

Friday family photo—The Memorial Tournament 2012

Our son got tickets for the 2012 Memorial Tournament, May 31, in Dublin, Ohio, north and west of where we live.  The weather was gorgeous, the greens fast, and the spot we chose to put our folding chairs was very close to the second hole right on the water, near a grove of trees for shade to flee to when we needed it, close to the restroom, and close to a food tent, was fabulous.  We left after we saw Phil Mickelson play in a group with Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson, a favorite of my guys, and were home by about 2:30.  It was my first experience of any length with golf, other than walking through the living room saying, “Isn’t there anything interesting on TV?”

       

             

Yesterday was Sunday: Where was your Commander-in-Chief?

"At any given moment Obama is either organizing, Alinsky'izing, or golfing." This President out does all his predecessors in finding ways to unwind and ignore what's going on in the world. Maybe he's tense? Not up to the job? Lazy? Scared? I read somewhere that the only bump he got for bumping off Osama, was with Democrat women! I thought they were behind him (on the golf course and basketball court) no matter what, cheering him on.

American Thinker Blog: Yesterday was Sunday: Where was your Commander-in-Chief?

Tiger didn't have a good day today

In Augusta. At the Master's. Good.

When better isn't good enough

"After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person." Tiger Woods

Imagine that. He needs soul-searching to reach deep within his vacuous, moldy value system to see if bedding Bratz look-alike Bimbos was the best work out routine for his wife, family and career. If we can believe these devoted groupies, some of whom are probably confessing just to get their photo on the web, "everyone" knew--they were seen publically, photos were taken, arrangements were made for the hook-ups. Since he made no attempt to hide it, even other golf celebs knew and didn't say anything, just what did Tiger think was going to happen? (Probably not that his wife would clobber him with a golf club.) Where was the press which was so concerned about Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, Michael Vick, Dave Letterman (for 2 or 3 days) and other morally shriveled celebs? Apparently firmly attached to the Tiger gravy train. It was worth more to keep quiet than to sell that story to his adoring, blind public.

When these ladies of the night (and day and morning) start comparing dollar figures, there is going to be some flaming wrath and law suits like you wouldn't believe, but by then the press will have moved on to protect their next income source.

Naked legs

We live across the street from a golf course. 99% of the men seem to wear shorts (knee length) when they play golf. Why is that? And mostly the same color--khaki, beige, buff, cream or taupe. Are there no bugs on golf courses? Do your calves need to be exposed to hit a golf ball? They even wear shorts when it's cool. When it rains. In the fog. When it's 87 in the shade. All the golfers in the TV and newspaper Flomax commercials are wearing long pants. They seem to have a good time and play a decent game. Tiger manages to wear long pants and he's a pretty fair golfer, so what's with the naked legs?

Today's new word--VICISSITUDE

The root of this word is Latin, vicis, meaning change. Vicissitude mean regular or irregular change, don't know if Obama used it during the campaign. It also means revolution or mutation, or change of fortune or condition. It wasn't that I'd never seen the word, but I couldn't think of any situation when I'd want to use it. "Is there vicissitude on the menu tonight, honey?" So I checked google "vicissitude blog," and found a blog called Vicissitude written by a Filipina, Bambee de la Paz. And I walked right into it. Apparently she had witnessed her 56 year old father and 14 year old brother being beaten on a golf course and blogged about it. Over a thousand people responded to her blog entry. It was in the papers, some links which no longer work, and others in a language I don't read. Then I found a follow-up story that said her dad and brother have now been forbidden to come on the golf course, as have the goons that beat them up. However, the public official about whom she wrote is very unhappy and is suing her for what she wrote on her blog.

“May na-file nang kaso ng libel kahapon ang anak ko doon sa probinsya (Lano del Sur) against Bambee de la Paz (My son filed a libel case against Bambee de la Paz yesterday in our home province)," Pangandaman told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

You've got to watch out for those golfers--they take that game very seriously!

Gigolo Golf--If I'd only known

This appeared on Craig's List

"Please help me out as I need a place to stay next week near OSU. I am coming to town for the golf tournament. I am in my 40s, SWM, 6'3" with an athletic build. I have an air mattress so only need a room. Thanks"

View from our place, complete with outhouse
Now why do you suppose he described himself if he only needs a room? At least he can spell. If he'd checked a map, he'd see that the golf course is a long way from OSU. You could probably walk it in 45 minutes, or take the bus for an hour.

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How's your golf swing?

We live near a fabulous golf course. When I'm driving to or from home, I see a lot of bad golf swings. I know nothing about the game, but I know when a belly is in the way. Extra pounds looks like the culprit to me.

In today's Wall Street Journal, Tara Parker Pope writes about fitness and your golf swing.

1. If you need the cart, you probably need to improve your fitness level.
2. Short drives--lack of flexibility may be your "at a desk" life style.
3. Accuracy--posture, arthritis.
4. Inconsistent swings--lack of strength in the core muscles.
5. Game falls apart after a bad shot--you need stress management.

The women who use the OSU golf course seem to be in much better shape than the men.

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I felt the same way about the Master's

""Who are all these people?"

"All very bad Jews," he told me.

It was, afterall, the first night of Passover. But for about 300 of New York's fanciest (plus a few book types), yesterday evening was also time to gather. . ." rest of the story here.

As the men in my family gathered around the TV on Easter Sunday to watch the Master's, I said, "Why are they playing on Easter?" My husband said something about the dates are set way ahead, to which I replied, "So are the dates for Easter."