Golfing at Mosquito Plantation

This is Where Chubbs Lost His Hand!

From what I've heard, South Carolina has more golf courses per land than any other state, so while we are visiting Dan and Holly, Dan and I had to get at least one round in.  We played a course called Redbank Plantation, but as you can see by my post title, I think it should be renamed.  This is not to say that the course was bad (on the contrary), it is just to say that it has it's fill of mosquitoes.  The course cost $24 with cart and was a par 70.  It was very forgiving (I know I played at least one shot from a neighboring fairway), which is probably why I broke 90 for the second time this summer by shooting an 87.  Here is a list of other things I learned while golfing in SC:

1. Bug repellent is considered to be necessary golf gear.  Carry it in your bag at all times.
2. Pace of play is strictly enforced, not by the marshalls but by mosquitoes.  Address your ball and swing or suffer the consequences.
3. This golf course has hybrid mosquitoes.  They were huge and the bites itch worse the next day than they do on the day they happen.
4. A new hazard has been added called close to the swamp or long grass.  You guessed it, this is where the mosquitoes wait.
5. You can skip a ball across a lake.  No, I can't take credit for it.  Dan skipped the ball across the lake just off the tee at 18.  While I have witnessed and done this myself, it is always super cool to see over and over again.  
6. Alligators are on the course.  Can't say I saw one, but I did get this cool picture taken above. 

Thanks, Dan, for playing.  I'd play Mosquito Plantation again in a heart beat!

Breanne's First Orioles Game

I know this was almost a month ago, but I was able to take Breanne to her first Oriole game.  All parents out there know this is a big deal not so much as to go to a baseball game, but because you never know how long a 4 year old will last.  Things didn't start out too well, as the sky opened up at about 1:15.  The good news was we got tickets under cover, but the game started about 15 minutes late.  All in all, it could have been worse.

I did find myself thinking back to when I went to games with my parents as a child and I always remember having a hot dog.  Now, I love hot dogs, but there is something about a hot dog at a ballgame.  They just taste better.  Here Breanne is just before digging in!

However, if you ask Breanne what her favorite treat was, it was not the hot dog, but cotton candy.  The cotton candy man seemed to avoid our section, so we eventually had to go hunt down a vendor inside.  The bag was gone in 15 minutes tops. 

I know you are asking about the game, but remember I went with a 4 year old, so the game came second.  However, after giving up 3 runs in top of the first, Adam Jones and Vlad Guerrero hit back to back home runs in the bottom of the first.  Adam Jones ball actually landed in the section in front of us about 4 rows away which was pretty cool. 

While we the score would change the next couple of innings we discussed other things like the different music that was played, why cotton candy is so good, and why aren't allowed to bring animals to the game.  At the end of the 5th inning Breanne announced she was bored and ready to go.  Baltimore does a pretty good job of getting kids excited about baseball though.  We stopped by and got Breanne a certificate for her first time and, of course, I had to get a picture of her with it next to #8 (she also wanted her picture taken with the Babe Ruth statue, although she wanted to know why a guy had the name of Baby). 

I do have to make a special thank you to one of the workers.  After leaving the stadium (you can not re-enter) Breanne announced she had to use the potty.  We quickly returned to the gate and after a little begging on my part, we were allowed to re-enter to use the potty.  That guy has no idea how much he helped me out, but I owe him a big thank you. 

Despite Breanne saying she was bored at the end of the game, she melted my heart the next morning.  Right before I walked out the door for work, Breanne asked if we could go back to another game again soon.  Can't wait to take my little girl back again!