Category: Fun

It’s that time of year again… the temperature has finally dropped below 90, people break out their scarves and flannel, everything that can contain “pumpkin” spice suddenly does, and Halloween decorations abound. That can only mean one thing… the North Carolina State Fair! This year, in our new home (Biomedical Partnership Center) we’re right across the street from the fair, so a few of us decided to take advantage of the free entry at lunch policy that we’d heard so much about from our vet school brethren.

It was a beautiful North Carolina spring day. The sun was shining, it was a perfect 80 degrees, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. No one spoke, or even dared to breathe. It came down to this one stroke. If AJ could get a hole in one on the 18th hole (regarded by many experts to be the most difficult hole of the course), he would beat Matt and end his 2-year winning streak. He set up the ball. He planted his feet. He rocked back on his heels a bit. A bird chirped in the distance. AJ pulled back the putter and gently tapped the ball. It was good! The ball was going straight for the hole! But alas, the surface was not flat, as is the wont of mini golf courses the world over, and the ball quickly veered off course, rolling down the hill and, with it, the chance of unseating Matt. Everyone (other than Matt) groaned and swore to practice harder for next year.

Despite the very upsetting end to the day, we all had a great time at our annual mini golf competition. Matt won (again…) and AJ, as second place winner, got to pick the SnoBall flavors for Stephane C, the loser. Unfortunately for AJ, Stephanie didn’t find the orchid/spearmint flavor combination quite as gross as he had hoped.

Sleep with one eye open Matt. We’ll get you eventually!

Stats for Annual Mini Golf Competition:

The setting

Emily lines up a shot

Stephanie wasn’t nearly as grossed out by her loser’s Sno Cone as AJ had hoped

On Friday we held the second annual TORL mini golf extravaganza. Matt was the winner (again) and was handsomely rewarded with a mini glow-in-the-dark Death Star trophy. The loser had to have a Sno Cone flavor chosen by the winner. Matt bequeathed this honor to the runner up mini-golfer, Paul, who made Jay (our gracious loser) have a combination of orchid, spearmint, with a hint of citric acid for tartness. Note that orchid is so bad, that it has been described as “eating potpourri” and is not even on the menu. Special request only. Luckily Jay was a good sport about it. Though he tried to finish out of stubborn pride, he eventually yielded to his protesting taste buds about half way through.

The winner’s circle (of one):

Jay going in for the first bite:

Smiling through the pain. What a sport!