RMJ 156 July 21

MONDAY, JULY 21 ● off-day in St. Louis

I called Mom last night, and my timing was excellent.  I tend to lose track of family and friends during the season — especially this season — and I had forgotten that her trip to London with her friend June and granddaughter Lily was scheduled to depart Monday.

When I called, she wasn’t home. She called an hour later, having returned from dinner with Rick, Susan, and Lily. She sounded excited about the trip, and about our good fortune in Montreal.

Rick said that he has put the whammy on the Cardinals. Five of his sports-nut friends have autographed Astros baseballs displayed in little shrines on top of their televisions.

Mom sounded good: no tears this time. I think the trip will really revive her spirit. She hasn’t been so energetic since Dad died, but she still has a lot of life left in her. Lily will force her back into action.

When she gets back, Dad’s birthday will have passed. We are planning a cruise for Christmas. And I plan to invite her to Houston for Thanksgiving.

Rick has been great about spending time with her, but he needs to move on with his business, and he has been beginning to do so.

It’s almost like getting a pitcher in shape for the season: little by little, over time, the arm gets stronger and more accurate. We’ve come to a point now where Mom is almost ready for the long campaign.

 

The golf match today was a lot of fun. It was also an endurance test.  Normally it isn’t difficult to play 36 holes, riding in a golf cart. But when it is 99 degrees and humid, it is tough.

At one point, midday, the sweat was dripping down into my eyes, and I was having trouble seeing. A couple of times, I saw small, ghostlike images at the edge of my field of vision. I drank five sixteen-ounce bottles of Gatorade and who-knows-how-much water out on the course.

When we began, my shorts fit just fine. By time we finished, I could have pulled them off without unzipping them.  

Mike Cubbage celebrated his 47th birthday, firing seven birdies the second time around for a 71 — a career-best. I was erratic again, but I had a birdie the first time around and three the next time, shooting an 84 and an 81.

Broadcaster Vince Cotroneo really hit the ball well. He’s just learning the game, and he’s learning fast. Dave Labossiere started slowly, but he came on strong in the end. Ash did not have a good day, but he maintained his sense of humor throughout.

 

We went up on The Hill for an Italian dinner. It was as nice an off-day as you can have in St. Louis this time of the year.

 

When I returned to my room, I had messages from four radio stations, requesting radio interviews.