Celebrating Eric

We had our primary "celebration" for Eric's birthday this past weekend. I told him we could do whatever he wanted and that was...going to the driving range. WITH ME. That's the abnormal part, you see. As any of you who knows me well is fully aware of, I am athletically challenged. I have some major hand-eye coordination problems sometimes. But, it was his birthday, so to the driving range we went!

We walked nearly two miles (!) down to Chelsea Piers on Sunday afternoon. The walk itself was very nice, because we could walk along the Hudson River the whole way. Plus, it was like 2:00, so the sun was already low in the sky (grumble, grumble), so things looked very pretty.

I liked these boats docked on the Hudson

The golfing part really wasn't bad, I have to say. I enjoyed watching Eric for a while, and then he did try to teach me how to hit the ball. Don't ask me what clubs I hit - they all look the same to me. But I tried a couple different ones, I think. I definitely whiffed the ball a few times, and definitely had a few that I hit go off in crazy directions. But, I did manage to get a couple off the ground and going straight, so maybe there's hope for me yet!

Nice follow-through!

Action shot!

Look at that form. I'm a natural. Check me out, keeping my eye on the ball! Did you know that if you keep your eye on the ball, your chances of actually hitting it increase by, like, a lot?

Look! I hit it! And it's going straight!

The walk back home from Chelsea Piers was also very nice. The sun was setting as we were leaving and we got some great sunset views over the Hudson.

Pretty

Sunset sky

So that was Eric's main celebration. All in all, I would say it went pretty well, and I am not opposed to going back for more driving range fun someday. So, happy birthday, Eric!

Yesterday, on Eric's actually birthday, we were pretty low-key. I got him his favorite cinnamon rolls for breakfast and made him a cake while he was at work.

Please, admire my impeccable cake-decorating skills.

He also opened up his gifts from me: a new Gators sweatshirt (he's had the same one since college!), and a little putting green mat thing. You know, one of the ones that spits the ball back out at you after you hit it? Since we got back from Florida, Eric has been missing golf, so I was hoping this might help curb his golf cravings a bit between outings. I don't usually get him gifts he doesn't ask for (he's very hard to buy for), but I went out on a limb with this one and he liked it, so yay! Of course, Achilles assumed the mat was actually just another place for him to lay so he doesn't have to lay on the hard floor. Obviously, that was my other line of thinking when purchasing this gift - Achilles' comfort.

Eric's gifts all wrapped up

Achilles immediately assumed this position as soon as we rolled out the mat.

And that was our celebration! Eric, I hope you had a good birthday! You deserve it!