Summer 2020: Day 57

Staycation, Day 2!

I slept in this morning and didn't get out for a run, but did take Ben to swim practice and went to Smith's to stock up on staycation supplies: bread, lunchmeat, chips, grapes, cherries, and generic Pop Tarts. After arriving home and putting the groceries away, Ben and I watched the end of "Galaxy Quest" and lounged for a little while before getting back outside.

I haven't golfed in a few years, so before attempting to again, I wanted to hit the driving range. Ben hasn't picked up a club, I would guess, since he was 8 or 9 -- and even then he didn't have as much experience golfing as his brother (which wasn't a lot, either, but I at least was able to get Michael out for a few rounds back in the day). We were excited to go to the driving range, despite 95-degree heat. I bought a big bucket of balls at Golf the Round in South Salt Lake, a little downwind from the sewage treatment plant.

What is appealing about the range here was the covered stalls (never mind the occasional stench), and the facility added technology that charts your shots on a touchscreen. We took our time with the bucket. Ben didn't do too badly -- the distance will eventually come, he needs to just work on keeping his feet still. I wasn't perfect either, and near the end, we were both tired. We did practice some putting (Ben really needs work with this ...), then got some ice cream and drinks and headed home.

I read in the sun with my feet in a bucket of cold water outside for an hour, then grilled burgers for dinner. Ben and I watched "Rocketman" before our second adventure of the day: seeing the comet NEOWISE, which won't return to Earth for more than 6,000 years.

All four of us saw the comet, driving to the old Saltair Location west of the city. The sunset was gorgeous, and the pinkish-orange sky over the lake had an apocalyptic feel to it when looking over the landscape through binoculars. We waited a little while before we could truly see the comet, and the biting bugs were out in force, but that was all worth it once we finally got a glimpse of the main attracting. Our binoculars weren't the best, but they still gave us a nice view of the comet -- which Michael managed to pick out on his own (Lori officially saw it first through the binoculars).

We are contemplating returning tomorrow night to see it again -- and bring the small telescope we have for a better view of it and Jupiter, which is in the opposite sky and really bright right now. I'm exhausted and have decided to water the lawn in the morning. I crossed two more things off the staycation list -- that's three in two days. Still, I can't guarantee I won't sleep late again tomorrow morning.

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