Old times, new times, good times

Billy assaults the earth with an iron stick.

Growing up I had some real close friends...Alan, Woody, Bryce, Kyle, Billy, Carl. We have mostly moved on with our lives...

Alan lives in Washington DC, we chat a bit and get together whenever he is in Oregon, but that is seldom.

Woody and I are "facebook friends'. Bryce I have not talked to in years. Same with Carl.

But today Billy is visiting Oregon along with one of his friends from Bible college. So those two, Kyle and I went golfing.


Kyle fears the ball so he is just going to stand here in this picture. Forever.

It was a good time. James knows Billy and it did not take long for him to get to know Kyle and I, so the good-natured ribbing and trash-talk was flying fast and furious with some hysterically funny comments and reminiscing.

James uses a steam shovel in place of a club to dig a deep hole in the tee box.

After that, we repaired to Kyle's house for dinner and to watch the Rangers knock the evil Yankees out of the post season.


Will Drew hit the ball or whiff completely? The Magic 8 Ball says....please try your question again later.


While waiting for the game to start, we got in a game of 2-on-2 basketball. It was like old times..except pretty evenly matched. In the old days, it was pretty one-sided.

We are all older, in much worse shape, but still had a great time throwing up some pretty crazy shots, just having fun.

It was great. I mean, I love all my friends and family, no question about that. But it filled a part of my life I have missed in recent years.

I have always loved athletic competition...playing baseball, basketball, tennis, golf. But as my friends from my youth and I have aged and gone in different directions, we have changed (rightfully) our focus.

Gone are the days I could call a few people and muster up a three-on-three games of basketball with the classic "offense calls the fouls, someone announce the score after every basket, play to 21, win by 2" that is the sum and total of the rules.

It is not good, it is not bad, it just IS. That is the reality of life today. I am happy with my life. I have a wonderful life, a great family, tremendous friends.

But there is part of me that longs for the old days.

And we got in some serious conversations as well. Kyle and Billy have both lost their Dads in recent years, I lost Mom a few years ago...Billy, as a preacher, sometimes performs weddings and funerals.

For the first time I was able to tell Billy, in person, how much pride his Dad had in him.

Also able to tell Kyle how the way his Dad treated people was a major contributing factor in the Goose and I marrying.

A lot of seriousness, a lot more goofiness. This was a day that reminded me of those halcyon days of yore called childhood, the type I sorta wish would last forever...and my aching bones wish would never return.

I am OLD