What happened before

That catchy title was used in a book I read recently to get you up to speed on the first 2 books in the 3 part series.

If you have been following my blogs then the last one covered my Hockey trip to Tasmania and 2 weeks later a visit to my parents and a Mensa conference. At the stage I was still suffering from my knee operation. A week after getting home I saw the specialist again and he gave me some new drugs. A week after that I was playing golf again.

In the next 4 weeks I proceeded to drop 4 strokes including a win in Festive week. I should have broken 80 for the first time ever but had a brain freeze one the last and topped a ball into the pond. An 81 was still my equal best ever score. That put me on 13 and for a weekend on was on 12, which was my lowest handicap ever, before easing back to 13.

I finally played hockey again some 20 weeks after the operation and got through the first game with no apparent problems, although a few days later there was some soreness. The following week I couldn't run at all, so called on the sub after only a minute or so and retired from the game. I certainly don't want to ruin my golf by stuffing up my knee playing hockey, (although now its a few weeks later and  it is still a bit sore, so maybe I have already done the damage). I have also achieved everything I'm likely to in Hockey , including several premierships at the club level, a couple of gold medals in the state vets and once played for Australia.

Late last year we started talking about another work visit to the US and the initial vague "February or March" finally crystallised into 3 weeks in March. The timing was excellent as I later found out that my old golf club was having its competition in Thailand just after this period. I will be stopping over in Bangkok and the way home to join them.  Marie who went to the first one in 2006 is also going this year so I won't be the only female playing.

I am still in the final throes of arranging accommodation, car rental etc. but hopefully it will all be finalised in the next few days. I will be staying in a long stay motel (ie in a room with a small kitchen attached) as for the first trip in 2008 but possibly in a different Marriott hotel.