Lady Captain Julie's Update

Dear Ladies,

Beware! Driving to the golf course is hazardous! As the approach to the Golf Club has been traffic free for a long time, pedestrians walking alongside the lake seem to have claimed squatters’ rights to the road! Drivers need to keep one eye on the footpath, and anticipate if a pedestrian is about to leap out two metres into the middle of the road to maintain social distancing. Of course, anyone using the journey as an eyesight test should pay particular attention!!!!!

I played golf twice last week- both days in perfect conditions. On Tuesday Henry and I met loads of ladies out on the course. Being courteous, I introduced him to those that he had not met. However, everyone seems to know all about him already!! We had a lovely stress free round and both played surprisingly well- I think that a really long break between games suits us!!! On Friday I played with Anne Knox and Katrina Bradford. Needless to say that those two don’t need card in their hand to turn things into a cut throat match! We played “skins” and I honestly hadn’t a clue what was going on for about the first nine holes- but apparently I had seven skins going into the back nine. They kept trying to change the rules and the format as we were going along – they are SO competitive!! I just was admiring the trees and the insects - has anyone noticed that there are loads more squirrels on the course? They must have been having a very amorous time, while we were stuck at home! Anyway, despite a very ancient degree in Psychology, Anne and Katrina managed to put me under such pressure, especially when putting (definitely not one of my favourite things) that I ended up being beaten on the last hole. I don’t think that I have the concentration for matches!!

Now that Henry is back playing golf with his friends, I now have the house to myself and I can clean, cook and have the garden perfect for his return. We now haven’t time to walk the roads as often but when we do he is still scouring the hedgerows for sloe bushes in anticipation of the 2020 vintage of sloe gin. The cattle in the paddock managed to jump into the garden on Sunday, breaking the fence and heading off up the road. Since my days in Moira young farmers’ Club, I never did like friesians – lucky everything was so dry, so any damage was minimal.

Lock down continues for several of our Ladies, while for everyone else, life is curtailed. Family weddings have been postponed and bedtime stories for grandchildren are done by video call. Neighbours get up to all sorts of DIY and keep fit outdoors and if anyone was watching Joy Stevenson cutting her lawn edges in a frenzied manner last Friday - I’ll tell you why. She was a granny in labour- a very anxious experience! Luckily, daughter Laura delivered a beautiful baby girl on Sunday morning - Eden Joy. Mrs Stevenson has so many babies named after her!!!!

We were all saddened to hear that Past Captain, Pat Carville, lost her sister last week and I would like to extend our sympathies to all her family circle. Our committee will meet by Zoom next Monday - hopefully we will be gearing up to organise some of our Silverware competitions in the not too distant future. Until then Fiona Rowan keeps us updated with weekend musicals and for anyone interested, the Frick collection in NY offers cocktails with the curator on Friday evenings. YouTube can take you for a journey on the Orient Express, head to New York on the Queen Mary 2 or simply stay at home and watch a reunion of the cast of Pretty Woman - my second favourite film! Some National Trust properties have reopened but booking is necessary. Places book up very quickly – it’s a bit like trying to get a time for golf!!!

Until then happy golfing and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Best Wishes

Lady Captain Julie