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Today, did start out great. It was clear and sunny (see the photos below) and we had a lovely breakfast in the fabulous breakfast room at the Woodside B & B. There was even a menu! The garden wraps all the way around the house, which gives plenty of room for the two spaniels to run and stay healthy and for the grandkids when they come over. For us, it was just nice to look at green grass and flowers growing.

We were invited to leave by 10 am so that the house can be vacant and the owners can do their own thing for the day. So off we went to the great and wonderful Dunbar Golf Club. We’ve played there three times before and remember it well, well…pretty well. Now, the clubhouse has changed. It used to be down on the water in a quaint old fisherman’s house, all white with a flag on top, now about to be razed to the ground. Now, almost open is the great and glorious new clubhouse— not at all like a fisherman’s house, now a splendid metal and glass structure, sure to keep out the rain and cold. We stopped in to the temporary show that is functioning until the new one opens, any minute from the looks of it! And it wall be splendid if not quite as charming as the old one. We learned all about the remapping of the course, which surprisingly did not involve any alteration other than renumbering. Good job, designers!

We were paired with two Scotsmen about the ages of our kids, both excellent players. We did our best to keep up. I did a great job on the way “out” with the wind at our back, and fought like crazy on the way back “in.” But what a sparkling day and terrific companions…not only were they good players (with the occasional lost ball), but they were conversational and truly interested in our trip and world views. They walked along with John a lot, chatting as they went which always helps a golf game.

Afterward, we invited them to have a drink with us. Since we were all driving and Scotland is so strict about drinking and driving, we all had sodas, chips and soup. Perfect. Then Wayne, one of the fellows, invited us to play his course on Sunday. We’ve never played Ladybank Golf Club before, but now have an invitation. We’ll see him again on Sunday, it looks lie. Good people, good connection.