I got up at 5:30 on Monday morning a couple of weeks ago so I could drive to visit my favorite family of four. While I knew David would be busily involved with his staff’s first day of school, I had a golf date with Brady and the opportunity to observe my equestrian granddaughter, Eva, during her Monday lesson. I learned a few things during my time with the two and their mother, Lindsay.
- Brady can hit a wedge the same distance I hit a six iron. At six feet the fifteen year old has a fluid swing.
- He it one drive 245 yards. He can rip it.
- His short game is improving. His putting is 100% better. He’s learned that a follow-through on the tee is much different than a follow-through on the green.
- He learned some golf terminology. He heard the words push, pull, draw, fade, slice, chili-dip and after hitting them all, he knows what they mean.
- He likes steak for lunch. The boy can eat!
- Eva looks comfortable in the saddle. The facility provides the horse as a part of the lesson and she has a couple of favorites.
- She has to saddle and bridle her horse before riding. She also puts everything away. A place for everything and everything in its place. That mantra has started to pay dividends at home.
- She washes and brushes the horse after her ride. Her horse, and one other I observed, pooped in the shower. Note to self: Be aware of your surroundings while washing down your horse.
- The trainers are working with Eva so that she can “show” their horses during upcoming competitions.
- She likes it. Engaging in something you’re passionate about is a good thing.
Brady has played golf for years. Eva’s attraction to horses is not new either. Both have shown an interest in these endeavors for several years, but they are taking them to new levels. Brady is considering playing high school golf this spring in lieu of baseball, and the boy loves baseball. I’ve been encouraging Eva to consider riding bareback as I once did, but she seems focused on dressage.
Brady has been working at a golf course since the courses in Michigan opened this spring. During our Monday round a young worker drove by Brady and me on a sand trap grooming machine. Brady pointed him out and said, “That’s the machine I drive when I groom the traps at my course. Let’s take a look at how he did.” As we examined the trap, Brady remarked, “Look at the edges, He did a poor job finishing. That would be unacceptable at my course.” The boy’s got standards.
Several years ago, when they still lived at their home in Jackson, I contemplated borrowing a pony from my friend, Cal, and dropping it in their stockade fenced backyard as a joke. I hoped David would arrive home to the pony infused yard and hit the panic button. I was concerned that the kids might arrive before their dad, fall in love with the pony, thus causing great heartache through my not fully developed attempt at humor. In the end, I dropped the idea. Who knew that feeble plan could influence a potential riding star several years after the fact.
As for Lindsay, she’s the family coordinator. They have a joint calendar to keep track of dates, locations, and times monitored by the head homemaker, corporate-executive, co-bread winner, loving wife, and mother. She’s been able to do it all while remaining in her PJ’s for the day. She started operating that way long before the rest of the world was required to work from home. She’s a modern day wonder woman.