RAIN OR SHINE
Just a few pictures (courtesy of MOFO) from our golf outing. It poured on us, we were frozen and drenched by the time we finished, but it was a great time. My golf game was another story, however . . . allow the following Haiku to illustrate it for you:

Played golf with the girls
Shankapotomus central
Must have been the clubs

ARGYLE AND KEGELS
So I should probably be outside mowing the lawn, pulling out weeds, or replacing the old sand with the new sand in the old sand box, but instead I'm waiting patiently for my burst of energy and thinking about everything but being productive. Tierney had soccer today. It was a slow start but it ended up okay. I'm just glad she wasn't overly distracted by her sister running up and down the fields in her larger-than-life pink tutu (thanks to Coach Heatwole). Uncle Andy came to watch which was a treat.

I'm counting down the hours until I play golf tonight with my book club homies. However, spoken as if (um, written as if?) I was not born and raised in Alaska or attended a college not-so-conveniently located on the top of a MN hill where the average low temperature in January is negative 20 . . . without wind, I'm not looking forward to playing in the cold (my name is Paige, and I enjoy run-on sentences).

Watching golf on TV is fun. But it's also deceiving . . . at least to those who don't have palm trees lining their streets or lemon trees planted in their backyard. Somewhere along the way I have painted a romanticized picture of what golf should be. The sky is blue. It's hot. There is a mild breeze-- just enough to keep the sweat to a minimum. I have a special compartment in my golf cart for my beverage. I know what club to use each time I'm up to bat. I know where I'm aiming. I know how to keep score. I'm wearing an argyle sweater vest with striped capris and think I can get away with it. I'm having fun. I'm solving all of the problems of the world and, at the same time, being reminded of the fact that I should really practice my kegels more often . . . because I'm having so much fun. My game rocks. I have my own "GET IN THE HOLE CLUB" following.

Turns out, not so much the case in my world (with the exception of the having fun part . . . and the special compartment part). Ah well. It'll be cold tonight, but frolicking on the golf course with the gals will no doubt be a good time, layers and all. Maybe I'll show up wearing my fuzzy polka-dotted ear muffs and see how long I can pull it off with the ladies . . . without cracking up.*

* Prediction: I'm guessing Shannon will be the first to notice it (knowing that it's a joke), and say something like, "Nice muffs!" Amy, will notice, compliment them, but will be a bit unsure as to whether or not I really meant to wear them on the golf course. And Bame will will do the same and ultimately come to the conclusion that it was a smart move on my part to cover up the ears.

A QUOTE WORTH SHARING
My friend Julia's* response after asking her if she'd prefer to drink wine or some other equally heart-healthy, yet non-dehydrating, beverage this past Saturday evening:

"I'd rather drink a half-bottle of vodka and not have a hangover the next day."

(*Name has been changed to protect the guilty . . . Godluvya, Amy).

ONE LOVE
Over the years I've watched a fair bit of women's soccer highlights online . . . some high school, some college, some of the US Women's National team. They all inspire me. They all fire me up. They are all reminders of why I love the sport so much. Just today, however, I came across this video that stood out more than any other I've seen. It's totally random and has a high goose bump factor (the music selection helped, of course). I'm not sure exactly how I found it (highlights of the Quinnipiac University women's soccer team in Hamden, Connecticut . . . um, never heard of them), but it instantly reminded me of my college soccer experience and all of the memories gained during my four years at Gustavus (another "never heard of it" school).

As Tierney begins her second year of soccer this summer, I can't help but think about her future and what I want for her as she grows up. Be it soccer, curling, ping-pong, synchronized swimming* or ballet, I hope both she and Parker find something that they are 100% passionate about. For me it was soccer. I like to think that soccer provided me with many tools for life: comradeship, sportsmanship, teamwork, self-confidence, physical and mental toughness (running excluded, of course), and respect for leadership, just to name a few. This video illustrates all of that and more.

*(Okay, maybe not synchronized swimming so much . . . that's TOTALLY going to come back to haunt me, I know it).

Check it out.

A QUOTE WORTH SHARING
Tierney to Parker: "You have a cute bum!"
Parker to Tierney (while sprinting by her): "Smell it!"
Tierney to Parker: "No."
Parker to Tierney: "Okay."

Interpersonal communication at its finest.

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS . . .

"SHINGUARDIGAN"
(as pronounced by 2nd year soccer player, Tierney J. Sullivan)

~ noun Sports.
a protective covering, usually of leather or plastic and often padded, for the shins and sometimes the knees, worn chiefly by catchers in a baseball and goalkeepers in ice hockey. Origin: 1900-05.

RANDOM SUNNY DAY HAIKU
Listening to Cake
and dreaming of Ultimate
Be still, Casey's heart.

2 BIRTHDAYS plus 2 FUNERALS last week
equals dehydration, bittersweet emotions and lessons learned:

Birthday #1 / T.O.
I learned that that drinking too many limeade cocktails limits my ability to filter . . . and can be dangerous . . . in more ways than one.
I also learned that my husband can run at a 10 mph pace on a 10% grade incline for at least a minute after consuming a generous amount of beer.

Birthday #2 / T.M.
I learned that the age of 40 really isn't really old anymore (even though it was ancient when my parents were 40).
I also learned that sometimes with unexpected sightings come purpose, character and overwhelming comfort.

Funeral #1 / J.C.
I learned that funerals are an odd, yet magical way of bringing friends closer together and that surrounding yourself with close friends of your deceased parents is therapeutic.
I also learned that as you get older, it probably doesn't really matter if your 65 year old friend shows up in a robin's egg blue suit with cowboy boots. Because as time goes by, there is probably less judgement and more focus on what really matters (like "What was he thinking?").

Funeral #2 / T.Y.
I learned that life is unfair, and that every day is a gift. Because we really don't know when it's our time to go . . . or God forbid, our children's time to go.
Lastly, I learned that sometimes it's okay to just hug and say nothing.