bucket list

Well now, first of all, I would like to say that my partner, Laurie Crumley, carried our team this year. Thanks to her booming drives we did prevail...:)

I do hope that next year we can convince many more of you to join us in a week of fun, foolishness, and fabulous golf.

Speaking again of golf, one item on my bucket list is to some day shoot in the 80's at the Meadows...that may never happen. Another item on my bucket list was to get a speeding ticket. That wonderful aspiration can now officially be crossed off my list. Yes, it is true! Me who had never in his life ever gotten caught was in fact nailed coming home from Graeagle this year. Hey! I was only doing 71 in a 55. I think there is a "Crumley" law that says that is o.k.

Needless to say my wife and brother Kenny enjoyed the experience with me. I could just feel them holding back the smiles. Love to all and Mom please forgive me for I have sinned.

Tommy

Family Golf in Graeagle

I'm pretty sure that in the next couple days there will be actual first-hand accounts of this past week and the Wednesday round. I just wanted to pass along a bit of information that I'd come across.

In keeping with the weather up there this past week, the four were treated to some mid-round wind, showers, thunder and lightning. Kind of like Mother Nature's fireworks.

It seems that Tom and Laurie won the match with Kevin and Ken. I'm sure if you listened to the rustling of Graeagle Meadows pines in the early evening, you no doubt would have heard something that sounded awfully like "too many strokes." Funny how even the trees around the course and the old campsite have learned to speak Crumley...I don't know whether actual money actually changed hands.

I'm also told that Kevin had low gross for the round. Congrats to Kevin. Now, some weeks ago, I -- being an impartial observer -- selected Number 11 for the long drive competition. And it seems that Laurie won! She was all the way down at the bottom of the hill. Nice going, Laurie. (I have to say, my Momma used to outdrive me all the time on #1 and sometimes on #2...and she liked to ride up to the top on #6 for the view, which you'll recognize in the picture above.)

So, summing up...Tom and Laurie were the winning team, Kevin was low gross, and Laurie won long drive...and Kenneth...Kenneth???....Kenneth...um...oh, that's right -- he's still walking around with a dollar of my money from Thanksgiving...(nope, I haven't forgotten...another thing Momma used to tell me is that I had the memory of an elephant.)

Commitment 2010

# 6 tee.

How far is the pond on #2?

I'm sure next week there will be many photographs from this year's small but dedicated band of reunion-ers. Even though I don't have pictures -- much less video!; you'd think if we had a blog, we'd have video! -- several of you must wonder how the intrepid crew spent their first evening after dinner. Picturesquely ensconced in Condo 57 (http://www.graeaglevacationhomes.com/plan.gif) , overlooking the first and second fairways of Graeagle Meadows Golf Course, our intrepid reunion leader wondered how far it was to the pond alongside #2 green. Our eagle-eyed relatives settled on something in the neighborhood of 150 yards. Now, it was cousin Kenneth who, on his second swing with his 7-iron, found the far back side of the pond...but that's not what this story is about. No, it's about intrepid reunion leader, who so wonderfully exhibits the spirit of Graeagle vacations .

Having previously loosened up with a couple of glasses of wine and two or three before dinner drinks, intrepid reunion leader gathered up a half a dozen balls. The first ball, struck solidly by the divot that was struck solidly by the his golf club, clearly found it's way very near the middle of #1 fairway.

Be not dismayed, cousins. "Determined" is our cousin's (brother's, nephew's) middle name. (Well, "Thomas" is on his birth certificate, but I'm told that he was standing, hands on his hips in front of the truck before 630 Monday morning, determined to make an early getaway for Graeagle)...

Unfortunately, reporting gets a bit hazy here. Well, it was dusk and getting perhaps a tad difficult to see. But I'm told -- reliably -- and all present agree -- that it was obviously metal that struck the second ball. There seems to be some question about which part of the metal struck the ball. Judging from the direction of the ball, somewhere crosswise, off into the "woods" along #1, the consensus seems to be it was the toe of the club.

Done, but unbowed, fearless cousin (brother, nephew) proclaimed that was enough for him, and turned back to the condo. But not before proclaiming, however, that this proved he needed more strokes.

And this, family, is the spirit of a Graeagle vacation...to share the love of family, hit little white balls in various directions, step again into the Feather, and see the good in all of God's ways. If only in spirit.

Graeagle redux

Nothing to bring back memories like a round at Graeagle Meadows; unless it is the sight of John Tom walking away from the sixth tee with what for all the world sure looks like a Taylor driver in his hand. Which only makes me realize how long it's been. Keep a good thought, boys; there will be some very special folks looking down on you.

2010 Graeagle Family Reunion

We're off again on Monday, July 5th to head up to Graeagle for as Tom says, "a fix", to inhale the fresh pine air. I'm catching a ride with Tom and Mary, again, to save on fuel and frankly I don't have a vehicle that I'd trust to go that far, and back. Tom and Mary will be at the Graeagle Meadows condos along with Kevin and Laurie, while I'll be staying at the Ripple Resort of Ill Repute. (just kiddin' about Ross's place). I've got to run down to CVS, (formally Longs Drugs) today to pick up my fishin' license.

Mr. Ripple has told me over the past few weeks that there's been plenty of water in the Creeks and the Feather, but it won't last long. Ross said there's still some good trout to be caught in the Feather. I might try to check out upper Graeagle Creek.

Tom's set up a golf match at the Meadows, (Graeagle Meadows), between Me and Kevin vs. Tom and Laurie. Of course, Tom's team is expecting strokes. You're the best older brother I've ever had Tom----how's that for "strokes"?

While it's a far cry from the reunions of the past when there'd be twenty, thirty, or fifty of us up there in "God's Country", it's nice to see the tradition live on. Maybe next year we can get a few more up there when the economy gets better along with our pocketbooks. Maybe even the Professor from SD might grace us with his presence, (and a $3 dollar lesson). :)