Golf Balls

by Erik

Since our move into this golf course community Soren has become obsessed with golf.  In his reasoning, since he is good at it on Wii, he is good at it in real life.  When we go fish on the golf course lakes Soren wants to spend most of his time looking for golf tees and if he can find a ball, he is in heaven.  I noticed on a run this week that since there was a low snow pack one lake in particular was becoming dry.  Even better about this lake was that the green is located just beyond the lake.  This has exposed golf balls that have been under the water for few years.  You can see them out there like Easter eggs.

I decided to take Soren and Svea to look for the balls last night knowing they would have a blast.  I was not planning on getting in, but figured I would hold a bag and let them collect the balls. 

Things were going great until Svea walked a little to far out into some of the soft mud.  She sunk into the mud up to her knees and then fell over and her arms sunk upto her elbows.  She was screaming and crying.  I still did not want to get in, So I sent Soren to help her.  He made it within three feet of Svea and he sunk upto his knees.  Now I was forced to get in.  I tried to walk light, but sunk in as well.  The mud sucked my shoes off, but I was able to get the kids out.  I went back in and retrieved every one’s shoes.  Now we were all in so I helped collect golf balls.  The kids were loving it – muddy and looking for golf balls.  Every time you stepped in the mud there was 3 or 4 under your feet (like looking for quohogs at the salt marsh in Cape Cod – for family).

We washed off in the golf course sprinklers, went home and cleaned the balls.  Grand Total – 128 golf balls.  Ashley asked “What are you going to do with 128 golf balls?”  Talk about someone who misses the point – who cares what we are going to do with them?  The point is “WE HAVE 128 GOLF BALLS.”  The kids were ecstatic and we can chalk up another new experience.  Soren has already been asking to go get more – and we could, I only had one bag.

 

 

Peace, Quiet and Fish!

Erik’s Post

My old boss from Flood Control in Phoenix, Amir Motamedi, was in Tahoe vacationing this week. He took time out of his vacation schedule to have lunch with me and check out my new habitat.  Amir was the person who basically gave me the big break I needed out of school.  He hired me as a hydrologist even though I had no experience and was young.  Amir was also very patient with my limited knowledge, explained things so they were easy to understand and always put the pressure of deadlines on himself and always stood up for staff.  It was nice to spend an afternoon with him catching up.  Amir has taken me to lunch numerous times over the years.  It was nice to be in a position to take him out and treat him.  It was that first job that eventually lead to the job I have today and I am forever grateful to Amir for giving me that first chance (I repaid him by only staying for 2.5 years).  Minden was settled by Basque Sheppard's and the area still has Basque roots.  One of the famous restaurants is  JT Basque Bar and now I finally had the opportunity to try it.

I had the steak sandwich.  It was probably the best sandwich I have ever had.  When I cooked at the Oaks (a casual eatery in beautiful Ogden Canyon) we made steak sandwiches. We diced steak and mixed in mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and cheese.  This sandwich was a large steak on two pieces of bread.  I raved about it all day.  Best lunch in a long time an I will be back (still getting used to the slot machines in the lobby!).

In Phoenix for 5 years every Wednesday was scouts.  I was gone from my family from 6:45-9:00.  Well – I don’t have any calling right now (and judging from the 21 Elders at church on Sunday (after you take away the two that were in nursery and one in each primary class and the 11 that were in the YM program) not to mention the mammoth high priests group, it might be through the summer until I do have a calling.  I now take Thursdays and go fly fishing after work.  It takes 1/2 hour to get someplace worth fishing then another 30 minutes to 1 hour hike and I get in about 2 hours of fishing.  I work with a guy who loves to hike, but hates to fish so he tells me of all these streams he finds and then I go and fish them.

I found maybe the most peaceful place on the planet.  The hike is a killer – straight up, but then it opens into a beautiful alpine meadow.  You would not expect fish to be in the stream – its so small but it was full (the pics are poor quality because all I had was my phone, but you get the idea).

 

Every third cast was a fish.  Not the stocked rainbow trout you usually find, but colorful native brook trout.  Brook trout are by far the smallest trout (2 inches to 6 inches), but watching them take the fly and bringing them in was fun.  I seriously caught about 30 and released them all.  None had taken the hook too far, so they are all still happy in their stream.  The one on the end was the big fish of the day.  I did not see one other person.  It was me, the stream, fish, squirrels and chipmunks and a bunch of colorful song birds.  Wonderful!

I really felt as I hiked back to the car – that is how the day is supposed to go.  Delicious lunch with a good friend, productive day at work, and time be in a peaceful location to think and decompress.  What a good day.

July 4, 2012

Liv hit the 6 month mark this week.  It’s crazy how fast she is growing up.  We tried some rice cereal.  She wasn’t into it.  We’ll wait a little longer and try again.  She still doesn’t have any teeth, my latest teether.
Last Friday we drove out to the Lake after Erik got off work and had picnic sushi at Diver’s Cove.  It was a beautiful night and a great way to start the weekend.
 
Svea is our water baby, even though the water was freezing.
Even in my spring suit it was COLD!

Erik snorkeled.  He’s hard core.  I’m serious when I say it was COLD.

Liv ate sand.  Blech.

Svea’s hair has reached its lightest summer blonde, it is so cute!

Erik had to return to Phoenix to pick up our Sentra so he was gone all day on Saturday.  We may not be completely moved in but at least all of our stuff is here with us now.
Sunday afternoon we drove down to River Fork Ranch and walked what I think was the West Fork Trail along the Carson river.  The trail wasn’t very exciting but there were great views of Genoa and the Sierras.
For the 4th this year we ran around town shopping.  After a tiring day we decided to enjoy the fireworks at a high school in Carson City.  The kids had a blast (The baby not so much)!  See the kids wearing their “winter coats” in July?  Awesome.