Over the Water - At Last!

Woke up at 8 a.m today in Leila's nursery - the room I usually now use in Peter's house until his son, Neil, clears out his room! Showered and had breakfast of tea and buttered toast. Met the lovely Leila (1 year and 3 weeks old) who resembles her grandmother (Peter's wife). Sara phoned me to tell me that Richard had booked the golf course (Paulton's) for 3.08 p.m. today and so I hurried along and set off back for Wiltshire at around 10 a.m. I stopped off at Rustington to bank the Help for Heroes money, to but an anniversary card for my sister (and Sara) and to have a cup of coffee. I eventually arrived back at Winterslow at 1 p.m. and joined Sara in the Lord Nelson's Arms (what a misnomer!) for a beer and a ploughman's lunch. I met some of Sara's regulars and had a chat with John Goulding who is a keen golfer and who suggested that I use a No. 3 Wood on the 15th at Paulton's (our horrible water hole). Richard called for me at 2.15 p.m. and we arrived in good time at Paulton's The weather was very windy and quite cool. I was delighted with my performance on the first hole which resulted in my first par ever on this course - a straight drive, second shot in the bunker - third shot out of the bunker but within four feet of the hole - fourth shot in the hole! Par! Feeling very confident I tackled the second hole - a very long par 5. Disaster! Let's just say I hit double figures! In fact it was pretty much downhill thereafter. However, I was determined to get over the water of the fifteenth. Taking John's advice I drove off with the No. 3 Wood - straight as a die but fell into the water about three feet from the far bank. Close but not quite there. Taking a second ball, I struck it a little harder - it landed pin high to the left of the green. Done it!! First time. Richard similarly lost his first ball in the water but using the No. 3 Wood landed to the right of the green near the copse. Next time we'll get over first time. I was quite exhausted by the time we finished this evening. Back in Winterslow, I took Tom to the Youth Club and then joined Richard in a very busy Lion's Head for a couple of pints before retrieving Tom from the Youth Club. The Lion's Head was thronging with people this evening and the restaurant was fully booked. I ended the evening watching a programme on the window washers of Shanghai! When Sara arrived back from babysitting duties at midnight I was nodding off. In fact, I fell deeply asleep tonight after only 5 minutes in bed.