Looks like we might have a cloudy day today, breaking a three day streak of astonishingly perfect weather. I'm debating whether or not I should take advantage of the clouds by playing golf. There are three courses within a thirty minute drive. Not an easy decision.
On the one hand, I love golf in Maine. The courses are all designed for people who like to walk. Each green is a short walk to the next tee box. Most courses up here are only 9 hole affairs with two sets of tee boxes for the front and back nines. This is a function of the fact that they don't get a ton of play throughout the year (it's hard to play golf in three feet of snow) and it's cheaper to maintain 9 greens instead of 18. It's incredibly cheap to play golf in Maine, at least at the courses where I play. To walk and rent a set of clubs will cost me $35-$45. The grounds are always emaculate, beautifully maintained, and the folks that run these places are as nice as they can be. Last year, I got paired up with three locals who could really play. Nicest guys I've ever played with. On the 11th hole, the skies got very dark and soon it was raining cats and dogs. We pulled over into a shelter. I mean, it is pouring buckets and the sky was ominous as far as the eye could see. None of my playing companions showed any sign of wanting to head to the clubhouse. I was assured by each of them that this was merely a "passing showah." As soon as it slowed to a moderate level of rain, these guys were ready to finish the round. I could hardly believe it! We had 8 more holes to play and these guys seemed perfectly fine playing in a steady rain. Well, there was no way this Virginian was going to tuck tail and run back to the clubhouse. Apparently, in Maine, one plays through inclement weather. By the time we got to the 17th green, puddles had started to form. I tried to putt through one such puddle from about 30 feet and came up 8 feet short. One of them deadpans, "When you're putting through puddles ya gotta hit it haaddah.."So, I finished the round in a driving rainstorm. By the time I was buying them a round of drinks at the 19th Hole Grill, I was soaked through to my Fruit of the Looms. I guess if you live in a place which for long stretches of the year looks like the inside of a snow globe, you don't let anybody or anything stop you from finishing a round of golf!
However, on the other hand, if I go off to play golf, that leaves Pam, Russ and Vi stranded here with no car. Of course, I could roll the dice with Uber. Do they do Uber in Maine? My luck, some guy would roll up in here with a log truck and say, Hang on back there!
Just ran the idea by my wife. She's thinking that her folks might want to go eat some fried clams at Mariner's in Camden today, so golf will have to wait.
One more thing...last night, after a dinner of red hot dogs, baked beans, and pink fluff (don't ask), we decided to drive into Camden for some River Ducks ice cream. For my wife, River Ducks is what she thinks of when she imagines what heaven looks like. Last year, her goal for the month of July was to sample each of the 12 Uniquely Maine flavors. She missed it by two, mostly because they ran out. Anyway, it's great ice cream and the most charming little stand you can imagine. If it's possible for an ice cream joint to have ambiance, then River Ducks has it.
So, we walk up and olace our order with the server of the day, Sarah. Unfortunately, the State of the Day is Kentucky, so no free cones for us. I ordered Megunticook Chocolate Mayhem. Sarah asks, How many scoops? Without thinking I say...Two. Pam and Russ followed and ordered two scoops. Vi demurely asked for one scoop.
I have no idea what we were thinking. We have been eating ice cream at River Ducks for like eight years now. We should know better. When the lovely Sarah handed me my two scoop Megunticook Chocolate Mayhem on a waffle cone, the thing was nearly a foot high from the pointy bottom of the cone to the decadent mounds of chocolate confection at the top. Immediately, I remembered that we always get one scoop. But, the damage had been done. I wasn't about to give it back. I should note, at this point, that neither Pam's or Russ' cones had been prepared. Both of them had plenty of time to correct their orders...but neither did. So, we set on the footbridge stuffing our faces with a pound of ice cream. They couldn't finish theirs....but I did.
So, this morning I will compensate for last night's ghastly display of indulgence by running an extra half mile and cutting back from four pieces of bacon to two. Sacrifice and discipline. That's me!
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