Am I Having Fun Yet?

This afternoon, my middle son John and I decided to ride out to the country club to hit some golf balls. I’m taking a day off to have a little fun and play in a fund raiser golf tournament on Monday in Houston. Since I haven’t hit a golf ball since last fall I figured I should at least go out and swing at a few.

I made two mistakes. The first was I didn’t loosen up before I started swinging. At my age that is definitely a no –no. Secondly I was hitting next to my son who can hit a golf ball a country mile. I couldn’t help but notice that he was hitting the ball completely off the driving range into the trees. I wasn’t even close to hitting it to the trees.

What did I do? Not wanting to be out done by my son, I decided to swing harder. And I felt the twinge in my lower back as soon as I did. And for you older folks’ edification I am typing this blog tonight on my laptop lying in the bed flat on my back. And there is pain involved.

I actually injured my back years ago lifting. There is a lot of awkward lifting at all hours of the night that takes place in the funeral business. I remember one night I was making a removal and I hurt my back and ended up lying on the floor next to the bed where the deceased was lying. I couldn’t move. Now there were two people in the room who couldn't move. Never hurt so bad in my life. And another time I was moving a casket and the same thing happened. An employee called my brother that afternoon to come to my rescue. It took him at least an hour to figure out how to get me off the floor and into the car and home. And I was in bed at home for a few days.

It doesn’t take much for it to flare up again. And it can put me down in an instant.

I didn’t hit the ground this afternoon but I am moving very gingerly and am having a hard time standing up straight. So I’m hoping for a miracle during the night because I have to catch a plane in the morning. And I’m lugging my golf clubs with me.

Am I having fun yet?