Golf: Women Like It Too

When someone mentions the word "golf", it often brings to mind a sport that men play. Research has shown that more and more women are also enjoying the many benefits of one of the oldest sports around.  But where can women find golf opportunities that meet their specific needs?  EWGA, that’s where!

The Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) is an organization that connects women to learn, play and enjoy golf for business and fun in chapters through the USA, Canada and France. The Hampton Roads Chapter hosts events from the Southside to the Peninsula.  Members enjoy a calendar designed for all skill levels.   Benefits of joining include competition events designed for everyone from the beginning golfer to the seasoned golfer, education opportunities, mentoring programs, social events, weekly golf leagues, fitness programs, reduced green fees, and last but not least, forming valued friendships and connections through enjoying the game of golf!  

“This is my second year being a member of the EWGA Hampton Roads Chapter. I love it. It is so inexpensive to join, and I have made great new friends.  Since I am a new golfer, I have really enjoyed the mentoring program and play opportunities for beginners.  With my busy schedule, I hardly have time to plan dinner.  EWGA does the golf planning for me!  Whether it’s playing in a weekend event or attending one of the education clinics, I chose whatever works for me. When I get out on the course, I have a sisterhood supporting me as I develop my game.  Please join us for our 2010 Season Kick Off on March 27^th and take a look for yourself!”   -- Mary, Member Since 2009

The EWGA Hampton Roads Chapter invites you to attend the 2010 Season Kick Off! This year’s kick-off event will be held March 27^th from 9:00 am-11:00 am at Bide-A-Wee Golf Course in Portsmouth, VA.  Golf is available following

Come and learn about the benefits and exciting opportunities of being a member of EWGA.

Meet Jane! Hear from guest speaker, Jane Massey, long time blogger at Golf, Politics and Beyond for Pilot Online.

Silent Auction! Brunch! Door Prizes! Membership Drawing! And More!

To register, visit EWGA Hampton Roads website www.ewgahamptonroads.org.  See the Kick Off article on the front page and scroll down until you see the link to register through our eventsbot!

You can also go directly to the eventsbot registration site by clicking http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb341715622

EWGA is looking forward to meeting you!

[ This was a Guest Blog and posted with no edits other than 'bolding' the pull-out quote. /Golf, Politics and Beyond  ]

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

David Brooks Compliments The President - But Ya Gotta Wait for It.

In today's Virginian-Pilot, the Punditry comments were lifted from a recent editorial by New York Times journalist, David Brooks.  http://epilot.hamptonroads.com/Olive/ODE/VirginianPilot/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=VmlyZ2luaWFuUGlsb3QvMjAxMC8wMy8xNQ..&pageno=MjE.&entity=QXIwMjEwMQ..&view=ZW50aXR5

Brooks, to me, is an interesting read always, because I never know from which direction he'll approach a topic, or what conclusions on the topic he'll reach. After reading The Pilot's short piece I found the entire NYT's editorial online, and low and behold he did give President Obama a compliment, and not just a passing blow at that. Here is the editorial in full  - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/opinion/12brooks.html -

Reading through Brooks' many negative opinions regarding The President, I was beginning to wonder where THE PILOT found those generous words I saw. I had to wait a full five paragraphs, but finally there it was. Ahhhh, I needed THAT . . .

"But he has done it [ found his balance in a town without an organized center ] with tremendous tenacity. Readers of this column know that I’ve been critical on health care and other matters. Obama is four clicks to my left on most issues. He is inadequate on the greatest moral challenge of our day: the $9.7 trillion in new debt being created this decade. He has misread the country, imagining a hunger for federal activism that doesn’t exist.  But he is still the most realistic and reasonable major player in Washington."   (Emphasis, mine.)

Hey, I warned you about the wait, didn't I? But, there it is - realistic and reasonable, as in THE MOST in Washington town.

Thank you, Mr. Brooks. For those who wonder (and ask and ridicule and tote around ridiculous placards of Batman's JOKER and Hitler as Obama) why Barack Obama voters supported and still support the man - two words. . .  realistic and reasonable. If you disagree with me, I can understand it. I disagreed with those who thought electing a guy because he'd be fun to have a beer with (43) was over-the-top crazy, too; but there you go.

Hope my short trip over to 'Politics' hasn't got your knickers in a knot. As always, it's just an opinion.

Want to 'comment'  - either click the appropriate button below if you're registered, or E-mail me at    golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net.  (You will need to cut and paste my E-mail address into your 'To:' field. - I'll post your E-mail's comments here, without using your name unless you indicate otherwise.

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

- nip / tuck - Edgy? Totally crazy? Depravity run amok? Yes, yes & yes. I MISS IT ALREADY!

I finally got around to watching the series finale of FX's 'nip/tuck' tonight. As we were fast forwarding through one of the later commercials I told THE MR., "There's only a few minutes left, and they're leaving a whole lot of loose ends." Hard to believe, but the show DID manage to tie up the loose ends and send everyone off to their new lives - at least those characters who still had lives.

nip/tuck was dark and wild and creepy and surprising and even sometimes erotic in its own depraved way. And it was fun. I'm going to miss Christian and Sean and Julia and Kimber and Matt and Liz and all the other crazies that showed up in and around the offices and homes of plastic surgeons Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon).

The show was never for the prudish, squeamish or faint of heart. Luckily, I'm none of those, and it never failed to entertain on some freakish level. Every episode offered a train wreck of some sort, but still  . . . it was one hoot of a ride.

Usually, when a series ends that I've watched from the beginning it feels like saying goodbye to friends who've moved away for good. Not so in this show, and thank goodness; I don't think I would have wanted a one of these people as a ' friend'. (Although, Dr. Troy . . . well, that's for another blog, altogether.)

True to the adage that some things never change, Dr. Troy left us with one final, wickedly seductive grin:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meSn2cbL6F8

If you'd like to 'comment', either click the appropriate button below, or E-mail me at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   (Please copy and paste my E-mail address into your 'To:' field.)

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Tiger's Caddie, Steve Williams' take on Tiger's Mess. Hmmm. What's YOUR take?

I'm not surprised with Tiger Woods' caddie, Steve Williams, coming out and saying he was mad at Tiger over this scandal, but also trying to support Tiger at the same time, since obviously his friend needs a friend, in his corner.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/04/tiger-woods-caddie-steve-_n_485532.html#postComment 

I can see and understand Steve's dilemma - especially since he'd like to keep his job. I think Williams can have it both ways - damn the acts, but support the friend. What's your take on Stevie's comments about Tiger's scandal?

Think Tiger will be back on tour in time for the Masters in April? I dunno. I'm beginning to wonder since it's only a month away. We shall see.

2 ways to 'Comment '. Click the 'Ad new comment' button below this blog if you're registered. . . 

Or, email me at    golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net  (You will need to copy and paste my email address into your email 'TO:' field.   And, don't forget . . .

. . .  You are invited to write and send me a blog (topic of your choosing) between now and March 15. I'll post it in it's entirety, as a blog - not a comment. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite  ]

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

WUSS Alert; and a DOUBLE Good News Alert -

Total Wuss Alert:

I skipped golf today, my golf league's season opener because  . . . it was in the low 40s when we would have teed off, the wind was gusting between 15 and 20 miles per hour, and the ground was wet and slushy. Sounds like a mess, but I can remember back when I'd be thinking how wimpy people were who would skip a round of golf just because it wasn't a dry, balmy 80 degrees. Getting old(er) really reeks, doesn't it?

Good News Alerts - PLURAL:

I went to my Primary Care Physician's office on Monday to get weighed and all the way there I was worrying about having gained during February after visiting that son of mine for a week and eating things I shouldn't have eaten as well as more of them than I should have. All the way there I was rationalizing that anything short of a gain would be acceptable by me.

I'm happy to say according to the same scale I used at the end of January, I lost 1/2 pound in February. Quit that snickering - I hear all of those giggles. I said at the beginning of this adventure that we have to celebrate the teeny, weeny wins as well as the bigger ones. And, yeah - a one half pound loss is certainly teeny, weeny. It wasn't nearly as exciting as the 6.5 pound loss in January, but still I didn't gain.

There's more good news. Yesterday (Wed.) I had a routine appointment with my Cardiologist. My blood pressure was 122/68 the first and only time we took it. I was ecstatic. And, oh yeah - I weighed in at 143, which was exactly 10 pounds lighter than my last visit to him. (I'm not going to count that as a 1/2 pound overall loss, though, since it was on a different scale. I'm sticking with my above claim of 1/2 pound loss in Feb.)

He was very happy with me. Very. He said he wished all his patients had the same will to make permanent changes in their lifestyles. When I told him how much I missed salt and how I read labels all the time now; and have given up all salt at the table and at the stove when cooking, he asked how the food was tasting. I said, "Well, I'm doing well with most foods, but there's one or two that no matter what I ad I get no flavor. . . none. "

I told him about the pot of navy bean soup I made over the weekend and even with adding onions, celery, tomatoes and plenty of Mrs. Dash salt substitute, I still couldn't get it to taste good."

He replied that we need to enjoy life, too, even while being careful.

"Cutting salt is working very well for you and I don't want you to stop." He said, and added: "Here's what I suggest -  for the few foods that are simply not worth eating without some salt, but that are good for you, such as beans are, use the smallest sprinkling of salt you can get by with that allows for some good taste, when you serve yourself. I'd say pick out a couple foods and continue to prepare them with no salt and just work to find the lowest amount of salt that makes the difference. "

Sounded good to me. I left his office on a major high and I felt great. Now, if the weather will start cooperating and allow me to get some exercise, I think I can do even better in lowering my blood pressure and taking off the weight to keep the other doctor happy.

And, how are YOU doing ? I haven't heard from anyone lately on their commitment, or 'commitment to start' committing to eating healthier and lighter in 2010. Good or bad - I share mine with you all and I'm waiting to hear from you, too.

2 ways to 'Comment '. Click the 'Ad new comment' button below this blog if you're registered; or, email me at    golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net  (You will need to copy and paste my email address into your email ' TO:' field.   

And, don't forget . . . You are invited to write and send me a blog of your choosing between now and March 15, and I'll post it in it's entirety, as a blog - not a comment. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite  ]

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

I Felt Like 'Blanche DuBois' for an Hour or So.

In case the name doesn't ring a bell, Blanche DuBois is the eccentric, deranged character that Vivien Leigh plays in the 1951movie, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Two scenes that I always enjoy the most are the ones where Blanche meets her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, played by the youthful, stunningly gorgeous Marlon Brando; and, the last scene where a kindly doctor is escorting Blanche out of the Kowalski home and off to some type of mental institute, presumably.

In that last scene as the doctor offers Blanche his arm, she looks at him and says,  "Whoever you are - I've always depended upon the kindness of strangers." Here's that last scene >  > >  www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxGN29njs3Q&feature=related

The kindness of strangers.

Day before yesterday I was tooling down Chesapeake Blvd, a block away from Fisherman Road about a mile from home, when my car started slowing down and chugged to a stop. This was around 4:15 p.m. and cars were whizzing by me at warp speed AAARRRGGGHH!

I sat there for a minute or two trying to start my baby up, and knowing I was going to have to get out and raise my hood, call Triple A and call THE MR. (on the golf course, no less.) As all this is running through my mind, a young man shows up from no where and starts tapping on my driver-side window.

"What's the problem, Ma'am? Can I help you?"

"Oh, thank you. I'm getting ready to call Triple A. I don't know what happened - it just starting slowing down and stopped."

"Will it start up?."

"No, I've been trying but it won't. I'll go ahead and call for a tow truck and then call my husband."

"Well, why don't you put the car in neutral and steer, and I'll push you up the street and out of traffic."

"You don't have to do that. Just push me off to the median." I told him.

"No, that's not safe  - too close to this traffic. Just steer it straight and then turn it unto the median up there next to that cross road."

"You're going to push me that far? Can you do that?" He just laughed and said, "Sure I can."

And, he did. He also stayed to hear what the car sounded like as I tried to start it, and he only left after making sure I was alright and determining that there was nothing else he could do for me.

He was the first of 10 men I encountered in about an hour and a half as I waited on the tow truck that Triple A was sending. The last was the outrageously funny and interesting tow truck driver that got me in his truck before hooking up my 17 year-old Honda Accord.

In between the time young man pushed me for nearly a block, and the working man's 'Jay Leno' drove hauled me and the car home, 8 (count 'em - EIGHT!) other men stopped next to my car or came across a street if they headed the other way, and offered me help. Half of them got out to check under the hood, and 2 of them told me the car still had at least 150 - 200 thousand miles left on her. I could swear 'my ride' actually straightened up and sat a little taller at the respect she garnered from the HONDA owners.

'The kindness of strangers.'  Blanche may have been wild, weird and completely certifiable, but she was smart enough to recognize it's to our benefit to believe in, and, yes, 'depend' upon the kindness of our fellow travelers on this trek we make through life.

Here's a great big, whopping bear hug to each of you 10 guys who tackled traffic to come to my rescue. You were represented by young guys, middle-aged guys and oldies-but-goodies (just like me), and your skin was every hue of skin imaginable and you were of several nationalities as well. I am impressed with our gender.

As for the ladies - well, there were none. Several smiled but none slowed down. I was forced to consider the number of cars I'd driven right by, myself, who probably would have appreciated an offer of help. Even though I don't know a fuel tank from a carburetor, I pledge to make Blanche proud from now on; and slow down to offer the use of my cell phone in case a fellow strandee's isn't working, or see if  can help some other way.

Oh yeah, about that other scene in the movie - the one where Blanche encounters the hot, muscled Stanley in a T-shirt laden with sweat. Here it is >>>  www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_lToyPAUyE&feature=related   . . . 

Oh my. After all these years Stanley's crass, grubbiness still gets my motor running.

Comment if you like - you know how; or e-mail me at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   And, don't forget - - -

- - -  You are invited to write and send me a blog of your choosing between now and March 15, and I'll post it in it's entirety, as a blog - not a comment. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite  ]

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Betsy Wright Rhodes Article, Today - 2/27/2010 - Reminds Me of a Visit to Church

Betsy Wright Rhodes has an interesting article in today's The Virginian-Pilot. Ms. Rhodes writes about matters of spiritual inspiration and faith every other Saturday, and she seldom gets bogged down in the religiosity of it all. I like that. She cuts through the chase, so to speak.

Today's column about sex education being taught in church reminded me of the Mother's Day about two years before my mother died. 

epilot.hamptonroads.com/Olive/ODE/VirginianPilot/LandingPage/LandingPage.aspx?href=VmlyZ2luaWFuUGlsb3QvMjAxMC8wMi8yNw..&pageno=MzY.&entity=QXIwMzYwMQ..&view=ZW50aXR5

Mother had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) but, at that time was still able to walk. She wanted me to go to church with her on Mother's Day. I didn't want to go, but really, there was no way to say no, and trust me, not being a church goer for many, many years I did my best to think of a way out. 

I knew it was important to Mother that I meet all the women of her relatively new Sunday School class. For reasons I never fully understood, she had given up her decade's old membership with another church and denomination. The separation had been a heart breaker for Mother. But not one to skip church, she immediately started visited many churches before finding the warm, welcoming Christian 'feel' in a church she was searching for. The fit was found at Bayview Baptists Church and, most specifically in the 'Martha Sunday School Class', an all-women group. These ladies were supportive of my mother' during her illness, making sure she had a way to church, taking her out for lunch often, visiting her in her home, regularly, and delivering true Christian love and kindness all along the way.

So, she and I got dressed for Mother's Day and my mother looked terrific. You would never suspect the devastating illness was present within her body and progressively taking her life away.

The Sunday School class turned out to be one huge eye-opener for me. The teacher chose to speak to the women that day about sexual abuse, and at the time there was some big case all lover the news about the sexual abuse of women and children . Oral sex was involved in the case, and this brave Sunday School teacher took it upon herself to make sure the women in her class knew exactly what that meant to children and women who were forced to participate.

I watched the faces of the senior women as the teacher went as far as she could go without hauling out a banana and asking for a volunteer to show what was involved. Several shook their heads in disgust upon hearing what one human can force upon another, but no one passed out or seemed offended.

Sunday School had surely come a long way since I last attended, quite obviously.

Driving home, I told my mother that they were a great group of ladies and I was impressed with the teacher. My mother was afraid I was embarrassed, I suppose, because she began trying to explain that these ladies believed they needed to understand about evils that surround us, and what the devil is up to on a daily basis.

And, she was right. Many of these women, like my mother I'm certain, had never really considered the detailed horror of what victims of sexual abuse go through. The teacher of my mother's Sunday School class took her title of 'teacher' seriously, and probably knew she was taking a risk in being so bold and blunt, especially with some guests in the class. But, she felt it was more important to know facts, than to skip around the issue of the day.

Why teach a bunch of elderly women about such things, you might ask. Well, so that they don't cringe and look away; or,  'tsk, tsk' if a grandchild should inquire at something he or she heard on TV or read about. Also, so they can be knowledgeable and understand what certain terms really indicate.

Betsy Wright Rhodes is right - if children don't learn about sex from respectable, knowledgeable adults, there are plenty of people just willing to share all the wrong information they've learned on their own uninformed path. The same is true for the perverted among us just waiting to meet our innocents and steal their precious innocence.

'Comment' by clicking the appropriate button below.  OR,  e-mail me a comment at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   (Copy and paste my e-mail address into your 'To:' field.)    And, dont forget  - - -

- - - You are invited to write and send me a blog on a topic of YOUR choosing between now and March 15.  I'll post it in it's entirety, as a blog - not a comment. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite 

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Mr. Kristofferson, Can You Help Me Make It Through the Day?

Some days are a struggle . . . from the get go. Some days it feels like living the raw, painful to watch performance of Kris Kristofferson performing his song, HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT  www.cmt.com/videos/studio-330-sessions/kris-kristofferson/159268/help-me-make-it-through-the-night.jhtml

OK, hopefully, we aren't quite where our friend Kris is, but you know what I mean, I'm sure.

Today I have no clever recipes of veggies and eggs or pictures of a hot, satisfying bowl of oatmeal. Nope, I pretty much got nothing. It's going to be one of those days where I struggle with my eating until I go to bed.

"Note to Mr. Kristofferson, "Kris, I don't need so much help getting through the night - but today's going to be a first class scanker! Can you help me with that?"

My cupboards are far from empty - I just have no incentive, inspiration or energy to perk myself up with something good to eat. I pity what I'll be serving THE poor MR.

Some days, I guess you just have to go with what strikes your fancy and hope for the best - the wimpy way out, so to speak. Thus, my breakfast.

The peanut butter and preserves pita came in at approximately 210 calories and 250 mg of sodium. The good news is I actually measured 1 TBS of peanut butter and one TBS of the black cherry preserves to put in my sorry-looking 1/2 pita. That proves that I did put a minimal effort into breakfast, I suppose. And, yes, I know - 210 calories for breakfast is a little too much and certainly that much sodium is too much. But, hey, some days just not going hog-wild is all you can hope for.

Some days our meals will not be pretty and will not be within the guidelines and limitations we have set for ourselves. Some days we just have to accept it and do what it takes to get us through the day.

For me, I might just lay low today, rev up the old turn table and put on Kris and Rita and Willie, and wallow in whatever blue funk has invaded my being. Yep, it's the wimpy way out, but some days you might as well go with it.

Comment if you like - you know how; or e-mail me at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   And, don't forget - - -

- - - You are invited to write and send me a blog of your choosing between now and March 15, and I'll post it in it's entirety, as a blog - not a comment. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite  ]

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

How to Succeed in Eating Healthy on Vacation, and How Not To -

[ A QUICK, FOLLOW UP NOTE FROM A RECENT BLOG - You are invited to write and send me a blog of your choosing between now and March 15, and I'll post it in it's entirety. Click here for details > > >    http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/would-you-blog-my-blog-invite  ]

THE MR. and I visited my son and his family recently for a week in another state, and couldn't wait to get there to spend some Quality time with a Capitol Q, with the grand kids. In the back of my mind, though, was how we'd eat healthy while away from home. My son does most of the evening meals at their house and he never disappoints. He also never ignores the salt shaker while standing at the kitchen stove. Uh oh.

The first night I didn't do bad at all. Since it was their Mexican night, he stayed with his plan for soft and hard chicken tacos. I decided ahead of time to eat whatever he made and just not eat like a pig, as I usually do at his table. I put my order in for just ONE hard taco. Everyone but me voted against a big salad, so I fixed myself a large spinach salad with red onion, mango and a vinaigrette of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a touch of Dijon. I ate it ravenously and made my one taco last until the end of the meal. I went away from the meal feeling completely full and satisfied, even if my young folks looked at me like a horn had forced its way through my forehead.

During the time I was there I ate many of the things I consider good for me, including a can of my favorite sardines I'd brought, a couple bowls of oatmeal and Cheerios and Skim Milk for breakfasts and some sandwiches of deli chicken. I'm sure the chicken had more sodium than I needed, but considering some of the alternatives, it was the best I could do.

The second night was just a sandwich since the 'head cook' was working late, but the 3rd night was a challenge and a treat. One of my son's best friends and his wife arrived that day and were staying a couple nights also. Since the young man is also the main cook at his home too, my son fixed an impressive meal for us. It was pasta in a very light sauce, not cream or tomato based, with tasty shrimp added at the last minute, along with kale to wilt.  A huge salad and some French bread rounded out the meal.

I had two helpings, and never looked back or even glanced at THE MR. to see if there was a disaproving look. I needn't have worried; he was too busy re-filling his own plate.

The next morning things got even worse for me, since my son decided to skip the usual eggs and bacon (knowing I was not eating bacon) but instead fixed two cans of gloriously sweet Cinnamon Rolls. Someone needs to tell the kid that Cinnamon Rolls are not exactly an alternative to fried bacon for somen watching calories and sodium.I ate 3, and dared anyone to say a word. Ahhhhhhhhh - sugar ... bless your sweet little heart.

The next day and night THE MR. and I had the three grand children including the teen's BFF all to ourselves as the parents and visiting couple took a two-day 'get-a-way' trip of their own. My son left a bagful of sirloins marinating for us, and THE MR. grilled them to perfection - rare, the way all three of us ladies ordered them. Here, I will say that THE MR. and I did exercise some control. We ate plenty of the big salad, and about 5 ounces each of the steak. I guess if there was a boo-boo made with that dinner it was the butter and sour cream we literally ladled on our baked potatoes. Actually, as I think about it, THE MR. wasn't nearly as generous as I was with the sour cream. The teenage girls ate that steak like there was no tomorrow - they must have eaten over a pound between them. I guess loving their latest hero as they do, 'Edward' from the TWILIGHT books and movies, burns up a lot of energy. (His real name is Robert Pattinson and it seems teenaged girls everywhere are currently in love with the dark, brooding Edward character.)

I could only watch these little ladies down their dinner with envy and marvel at those racing metabolisms that allow them to eat like wart hogs and still remain lithe as gazelles. Oh, how I remember the days of my youth when I could eat anything and never worry about hips, waistlines, soaring blood pressure and the like. Youth, ah, I remember you well.

Our last night there, my son pulled a couple huge bags of home-made Bar-B-Que he'd made for us the week before, out of the freezer. He does the North Carolina style B-B-Que which is brown, not red or orange. It's like Doumar's, just a little spicier. He brings his own vinegars to the table so we can decide on our own level of heat, and he brings some of the best home-made slaw I've ever eaten, too. Where on earth he learned to cook (and ENJOY cooking) the way he does totally befuddles me. His wife is his ever-present 'little helper' as he calls her, and together they're a joy to watch in the kitchen. I ate one Bar-B-Que with a bun, but went back for two more helpings to eat and enjoy sans the bread. I was in HOG Heaven in more ways than one!

I'll just say that I didn't do as bad on my trip as I might have done; but, neither did I stick to my recent good eating habits as well as I should have. We didn't do too bad during the drive, either. We ate peanut butter and banana sandwiches for breakfast with our coffee, both going and coming home; and we stopped at Subway's in both directions. Starting our little trip we grabbed and split a foot-long 'Veggie Delite', and on the way home we split the Oven Roasted Chicken. And, immediately after each of those meals, we got out and walked the dogs for about 10 to 15 minutes. At least some exercise and leg-stretching was thrown into the mix.

When you're traveling with two crazy beagles you give up Cracker Barrel stops, unless you want the surrounding two or three counties to have to listen to what sounds like hounds on a rabbit's scent the whole time we leave them in the car. Giving up the CB stops has been a good thing, since neither of us need their delectable Biscuits n' Gravy with Sausage or those wonderful cobblers of chocolate brownies and berries and ice cream. * A Note to Cracker Barrel - personally, I truly miss you and your 'Sunrise Sampler'; not to mention that decadent 'Chocolate Cobber with Pecans and Ice Cream'. By Bye -

I almost forgot; we stopped to spend the night at a motel along the way that allows pets. Instead of the fried chicken from KFC we used to pick up and bring back to the motel room, we opted this time for a large Greek Salad and a small cheese/mushroom pizza from the local Greek/Italian Restaurant. Sounded like a good idea until I crunched down on an olive pit and evidently pulled out the filling of a back tooth. I thought I'd broken the pit but no such luck. The good news is that it never hurt the whole time I was out of town. A gaping crator in my mouth may have been the food god's way of punishing me for all that cheese and grease. Funny thing about that meal. For all the ooohhhhhing and aaahhhhing we did about how good it was, a couple days later both of us confessed that it wasn't nearly as good as we expected it to be.

Thank you for bearing with me and my details as I shared  the good (big salads), the bad (too much bar-b-Que), and the ugly (damned those Cinnamon Buns) with you. I learned that eating healthy and cutting out as much as I do at home was not easy on the road and visiting the young'uns. But, it was much better than it has been in the past.

Leave me a 'comment' if you like, by clicking the 'new comment' button below OR, by e-mailing me at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   Sorry, but you will have to either type in my e-mail address or do a copy and paste of it into your own e-mail's 'TO' field.

And, hey, don't forget that you're invited to 'Blog my Blog For a Day'.

/Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.

Would YOU Like to Blog My Blog? An Invite.

Once in a while I've allowed someone to do a blog on my blog when a topic is hot. There are so many thoughts and opinions flying about in response to some of my opinions, thoughts and nonsense, that your comments are sometimes longer than the 'comment' field allows.

So, here's your chance. Actually, someone who has graciously been commenting to me about Tiger Woods' situation is what made me think of giving all my readers an invite to 'Blog for a Day'.

You can do your blog about anything. You can talk about GOLF related stuff - Tiger Woods' carrying on, press conference/ the LPGA, the PGA or just your own golf experiences, complaints and so on. You can talk about THE WEIGHT issue or my adventures (and hopefully, yours too) in taking off unwanted body weight and eating better this year, and what's working for you and so on. Or, you can go totally bonkers and join in on the Washington, DC madness and go POLITICAL. If neither GOLF nor POLITICS nor food is to your liking, I'm sure there is something you'd like to share, get off your shoulders or just plain rant about, from the BEYOND category, which is limitless.

Just write an e-mail as you'd like it posted. You can give me a title, or I'll title it myself. I don't have to tell you that nothing obscene or profane will get posted -  NOTHING, plus I will not even post your blog if you try. There are words that will get through and words that will not - you know the difference, I'm sure, from reading my blogs over the years. I'll only edit where absolutely necessary and I'll let you know if I do.

I WILL NOT USE YOUR NAME, unless you expressly ask me to. Otherwise, I'll refer to you as something you suggest or something I choose if you don't tell me what to call you. (Regardless of your opinion, if you write a blog, I will not give you a name of something rude or insulting - that's a promise.

This can be short or long, but if I see a need to edit for length, I'll ask you to do it first, then do it myself if no reply. If you want to share something from a link, post the link and DO NOT copy and paste the actual content of the link.

If I hear from lots of you, it may take a day or two or three to get your blog up - but, I will let you know by e-mail when it's up and running. There is a cut off day on this offer - March 15. I hope to hear from lots of you, and you may even find you enjoyed doing this, and want to start your own blog. If you choose to accept my 'Blog for a Day' offer and get comments, I'll share them with you and ask how you'd like to respond. I have to take care of the technical part of that.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about this, and I'm hoping you'll help make this initial invite a success. If you do, we can do it again in the coming months. So, here's what you need to do:

1)  Write your story/blog

2)  PLEASE put something in the Subject line of your e-mail to let me know it's a blog submission. Just write, 'Blog Submit', or 'Just something I wrote for your blog.' or ANYTHING that lets me know you aren't half way around the world begging for money. I got no money.

3)  Write your blog in the body of your email or in a Word.doc ( If Word.doc don't be silly and forget to ATTACH it. You don't wanna be like me.)

4)  Send it to me at   golfbythecupful1405@verizon.net   (Sorry, but you will have to either type in my e-mail address or do a copy and paste of it into your own e-mail's 'TO' field.)

Thanks, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you about ANYTHING that strikes your fancy.   /Golf, Politics and Beyond

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.