Is it supposed to look like that ?

Good morning and happy I don't know whatever grow in day it is , I've lost track . I'm out here on my deck drinking coffee , overlooking the pristine mountain views (for those of you just now following along ,we are no longer in Florida,we are in Bama. Yes ,I should change my Turfwidowfla name , but that requires effort )OK back to my original  train of thought ! I'm also staring at the wild outback that has become my backyard.  Wait ...what ? ..I'm married to a Golf Course Superintendent, my yard should be a xerox copy of Augusta National, complete with a real life replica of Amen Corner (remember we are now in the bible belt ) and a pond with water from Ray's Creek! Now back to reality , all those misconceptions 珞.  What I do have is a rough ,a perfectly (I'm sure it's Bermuda, 419 to be exact  )  emerald green in  color ,wild Australian outback with maybe with 5 or 6 sprouts of sedge rearing up from the earth . Am I slightly annoyed ? Just kinda . Do I fear for my life with each step I take ? Slightly . Am I being the nagging WOT ???? Not in the slightest.  Why ???..3 reasons here . 1. Being the most hilarious in my opinion,  we don't own a lawnmower right now . (You're dying ,I'm dying . I'm glad I'm making you laugh) 2. I have just most recently convinced my MOT, that a lawn service can be our most cherished alliance. This is HUGE ..it's been years in the making ! Normally the unspoken reasoning has been a sterile blade, a blade that is used only on our Virgin Mary turf. The unthinkable would happen if we cross-contaminated.  You know the trans-location of MTD (mowing transmitted diseases) God forbid someone else's turf  issues become "our issues " lastly number 3. Which I'm almost positive every WOT has heard her MOT say this more than enough . "I'm outside all day , I manage 2 million acres of turf on a daily basis , the last thing I want to do when I get home is mow the yard " Touche`...I get it , I think every WOT gets that point . Hence why don't push it . I normally just go and do it myself ,which I know my MOT is more than appreciative of.  I really don't mind doing it . It's great exercise and a wonderful sense of accomplishment especially when you've learned how to stripe it perfectly.  But I'm always about finding an easier way .. like spraying it out and xeriscaping. Happy wife ..happy MOT life .

Disclaimer ************ to ensure this entry doesn't piss off my MOT (ha ha ha ) he actually does take pride in his yard and always tries to have the best on the block  ,except the backyard while trying to raise the height to achieve the perfect plushness,or during a grown in ,or in July on a Tuesday 

Those aren't grey hairs ..those are sprigs!!!

And so it begins, the first day of "GROW IN"  This will be my life in a nutshell for the next 2 months. All I will do is  eat, sleep ,breathe , listen ,clean ,vacuum , and probably wash ,what will be bits and pieces of "Holly "  We must not forget to add in getting our KOT ready for the upcoming new school year , all the drama that goes along with that , plus getting her acclimated to her new life. I'll also need to remember ,TO REMEMBER , to update MOT of mandatory things he must be present for in our life . Maybe I should look into hiring a personal assistant ????!!!! Ha, I'm sure MOT would totally go for that ,especially if she was easy on the eyes !!!! I've had people tell me with this renovation, that the hard part is over ..ummm.. ???? NO !..My hell begins today . The "grow in" phase in my opinion is the worst ! The vibe in my home will solely depend upon what or how his entire maintence team is preforming under the pressure of "grow in zilla" masked as my MOT the (Grass Growing God) ,not to mention the mental strain of the  chatter, the discussions both good and bad comming from outside sources.  These "discussions " will most likely be about the progress or the lack there of .It's really funny during a project like this ,everyone instantly  has an arogmony degree and a psychic ability to determine how fast something should grow . I'll be the lucky one who gets to deal with the aftermat both good and bad  .I'm seriously considering leaving a sign on the door that says,YOU JUST LEFT "HER " SO LEAVE "HER"(don't think that would go over too well)  Luckily for me ,this isn't my first rodeo .  By now, I just make sure there is cold beer in the fridge , some type of edible substance on a plate in the microwave and a very caring expression on my face. While I'm listening very intently , In my mind I'm screaming  "shut up" I don't care ,for the love of god ,let me tell you about my day ....I'm mentally imagining  stabbing myself with your multi-tool, if I hear about 2-40dxyz, msma (I know msma has been labeled a restricted product and NO mot doesn't still use this ) , or how many inches the runners of your sprigs have reached to the sun's surface, in just 6 days!!!!!! But, I don't ...I just sit there like a good little WOT and engage. I have to sometimes remind myself that home is my MOT'S safe place and when he's here with us ,he needs to be able to decompress .That is something it's taken awhile for me to learn. Almost 16 yrs 😆 I do love hearing about his day though and seeing all of his hard work come to fruition ....most of the time ......💜

So, i'm not medicated yet..

So I've  heard through the grape vine the masses have been on my mot's jock as to where this infamous wot has been .. well I'm right here .. trying to stay sane ..trying to sell my soul to sell our freaking house , and dealing woth the last week of dance for our spawn ..our kot..(kid of turf) not to mention EVERYTHING else ,the end of chapter 56786 in our life of turf . As I sit here on my front porch watching my MOT  (yay he's home ) hand water the front yard(don't think the irrigation system is good enough for his "special" grass) ..for a split second ..I'm letting myself feel normal for a hot minute . I'm  ignoring the fact  in 2 days he will be gone again and my daughter and I will be on our own yet again . But this time the light is shinning and the end is nearing . Soon we will begin chapter 56787 in the great state of AllllllaaaaBAMA..and I will have plenty of "material" to blog about as I'm sure after the euphoria of happiness and rainbows wears off my MOT will most certainly be on my shit list . That's all I have folks in the mean time just pray for my sanity..because in the reality of this crazy life turf related or not ..the sayings still stands true.. "if momma ain't happy none is "

 

see.. look at the way he's" holding" his hose..industry professional? trick of the trade??

 

This is NEVER ok to wear..but i'm reduced to be one of his "employee's" doing yard maintenance..but at least i'm repping my team.. GO PACK GO!

WOT'S need love too..

Early morning is my favorite time of the day . My daughter is still asleep and I have my coffee and my cat to keep me company . Notice I'm not mentioning my MOT because well , you all know where he is :)It's also my time to reflect and fill my soul with mindless social media stalking .(don't act like you don't enjoy it too )My feeds are filled with all sorts of characters ranging from family, friends to industry people. It's a colorful array of awesomeness. What I enjoy the most is seeing other MOT'S showcasing their hard work . The perfectly striped greens and those beautiful rolling fairways . It's truly a sight to see. But then I also know,the dark side of that beauty.  I also know that ,that MOT who is showcasing their hard work has a WOT at home probably pissed off because he was supposed to be home 2 hrs ago or a child who is missing their dad terribly. Being married to someone who is always preoccupied with dirt and grass is  very difficult. More than any "normal" wife can possibly understand . I often highlight how MOT'S are a different breed , but the reality is we as WOT'S are just as different . Our life pretty much revolves around a season . Growing or dormant.  Our sanity depends on our own strength and finding the will just to make it happen day to day alone . Some might say its,not fair ,but it's the life our destiny sought out for us . We just do it . It's almost become second nature for me to make decisions without consulting my MOT. At times it's a lonely road ,but also an empowering one . There are A LOT of WOT'S  out in the world ,and we all share this trait..STRENGTH!!!!! They are who they are, because, we are who we are ,an unspoken sisterhood where we love our MOT'S unconditionally but we don't need them to justify our own existence.  We just make it happen and quietly celebrate our own victories, that more often than not,go unnoticed or celebrated. These victories come from being a strong ,independent woman !! If your a WOT reading this entry today I'm celebrating you and telling you how wonderful you are and how great of a job your doing ,you're a freaking rock-star!!!!, and well if your a MOT reading this please please please tell your WOT today she's beautiful and you are not where you are in life without her , and her strength(it will only take about 5 mins and I can assure you nothing horrific is going to happen to your course in that time)..maybe get some flowers too :)

Always something ....

A day in my life 7:44 am..ring ring .(Mot calling)
ME-HELLO?
MOT-hi.. I just sent you a pic
ME-OK
MOT-SO I just ran into a member of XYZ golf club ,who is playing in the USGA tournament this weekend
ME-OK
MOT -Member of XYG golf club said my greens are as good as XYG golf club.  I'm speechless
ME-That's great babe . (Also secretly laughing because my MOT is NEVER speechless)
MOT-OK gotta go..I just spotted pythium.....

ME- OK BYE..

MOT-CLICK

Again I couldn't make it up if I wanted to . I'll never run out of things to blog about at my MOT'S expense.  

Holly -34455678875432 ,

MOT-4556677875, 

WOT-7

*Disclaimer- XYZ Golf Club shall remain a secret..but you can check MOT'S course out @Huntsville CC Agronomy/Maintenance Facebook 

Being a princess is highly overrated..

16 years of being a WOT and well today I just got schooled . Just when I think I've been through every possible scenario that this crazy "turf life " has thrown at me ,BOOM..! In walks "bent grass" or "Princess" as I've now dubbed Holly's putting surfaces . I've been so spoiled in my MOT's career that I've never really had to deal with the tribulations of it . I've/we've have always lived in areas where "growing season " was year round and it really didn't matter if your greens were in full force menopause experiencing the dreaded hot flashes . For those of you reading my "crazy " and have no idea what bent grass is ,it's the devil herself  laughing at any WOT ,for actually thinking you might get a 5 minute lunch date with your MOT during the dogs days of summer . So I'm preparing myself for the "mourning phase" gone will be the hopes of any type of fun family summer time memories , I am  pretty much going to forget planning any spur of the moment getaways, and just seeing my MOT'S face in general . I'm sure I'll be able to suffer through it. 

 I've already bought a brand new pair of big girl panties to get me through . I am very thankful that our daughter is now 12 and has inherited my strong sense of being . I couldn't imagine how she'd react to being without her most precious human if she was any younger. So the next time you "think" you might have life figured out.. DON'T .. there will always be a "princess " in there to throw you a big fat curve ball.Always  remember you DO learn something new everyday ! Holly-25898545236985, Princess- 2365258, Me- 7

Special grass??

Today I feel like educating the masses about what my MOT really does . The majority of people I've come into contact with  look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them my hubs is a golf course superintendent.  Them -"O.. they actually have someone who gets paid to keep the grass green ? I thought all you had to do was have that special grass ,mow it ,then water it ". Me-tries really hard not to slap the stupid away. Then comes my next favorite question EVER..Them- "WOW! Does he know Tiger Woods?" Me-  trying harder this time not to slap the stupid away . As if "keeping the grass green" gives one access to a super secert society where you automatically  become bff with Tiger Woods . The fact is ladies and gents ,I could sit here for hours and describe the job description, but since this is a blog of "short " musing ,I'll consolidate. 
▪Educator
▪Mentor
▪Chemist
▪Keeper of peace
▪Disease control artist
▪Meteorologist
▪Environmental advocate
▪Scientist
▪Manager
▪Mind reader
▪Mechanic
▪Irrigation expert
▪Babysitter
▪Fertility guru
▪Grass whisper
▪Traffic controller
▪Maintenance Mafia Godfather 

▪Maker of Magic 

▪Root adjuster 

▪Earth mover
I'm sure I've left some out , but this is just a "taste". So I hope the next time you're out playing or driving by a course , this post comes to mind . Mostly importantly here, NO..!!!!! My MOT doesn't know Tiger Woods.. or I don't "think" he does :)

I'm not a fan

I bet you're wondering what I'm doing right now . I'm sitting here waiting for my MOT to finally arrive home . Yes,if you've been following along he was supposed to come home Monday.  Here it is Wednesday night and well , here I sit alone. Lucky me!!! I'll be waiting until sometime tomorrow afternoon  . I'm sure you want the ditty , but at this point does it really matter ?  I won't bore you with all the details . Holly totally won today . I did get the ..this will all be over soon bs line . Typical..Truth is I need my MOT here now . We need to come first . Today I'm deflated and not a very happy WOT..but there's always tomorrow ..fingers crossed..

You can't always get what you want...

Great news is I'm over my self reflecting pity party. Bad news is Holly has once again dug her roots into my mot's veins . This time she has recruited irritation  (irrigation). As I type this entry , my MOT should be on his way to Florida to see his FOT.(family of turf) but instead he's getting a new irrigation something . I shouldn't be annoyed ,considering this "new" is going to help holly flourish back to her natural beauty and make his life a little bit easier , but I/we are . This living apart stuff is for the birds . I know it will only be a short time longer but in the meantime it still stinks.. Then there's that fine line of guilt . Yes I am upset that my MOT won't be home tonight , but he's taking care of his responsibilities.  So I really don't have a  right to be mad at him and pick a fight about how taken for granted I feel ,how his career always comes first ,the fact i'm nursing a sick kid,packing ,cleaning etc . It's been almost a month since he's been home . What's two more days . In the grand scheme of things its THE fact he's coming home. He's choosing family over holly and that's what really matters. Holly 2565454698574, WOT 546

A Christmas miracle!!!!

Do you remember what it's like to be a kid on Christmas eve ? The anticipation of what your going to "get" since the holiday season has sprung among us ? Laying in bed for what feels like an eternity , because you know in a few short hours all the energy you've expelled is finally going to come to fruition, not to mention all the good loot your going to acquire?  Golf course superintendents can .  Although this career path  is a very stressful one,  the  rewards are worth it! Could you possibly imagine waking up with that same level of Christmas morning  euphoria everyday? Rushing to the  tree (the golf course) and seeking out your "Christmas morning " surprises? OK this might be overzealous in comparison, but I do believe there is truth here . Think about this,the time spent seems like a life time in some cases, researching, planing and learning how to produce  that perfect result. The same way a child perfectly plans out a Christmas list. The outcome?? GIFTS!!!! Sometimes good and sometimes bad... Ha! The instant jubilation  every single morning would be contagious! Could you phantom that ?  Being able to receive "presents"  wrapped up in perfectly manicured complexes and fairways , decadently placed bows of dew drops on rolling mounds with majestic ribbons of  rainbows filtering through irrigation showers greeting you as a gift every morning ? For many Mot's THIS is what its all about .Not the game of golf itself , or the compliments of how fast the greens are rolling . It's about the anticipation of "Christmas morning " the result of a previous days hard work and nature's way of saying  " atta boy" . I'm sure anyone who shares this lifestyle with me would be hard pressed to disagree . Me personally, I think it's pretty awesome to have a "Christmas morning" every day.

I've got nothing....

So I've been trying to write the last couple of days so I can keep up with this whole blog thing I've got going on . BUT..yes another BUT.. I've got nothing . My life right now consists of a mad dash to get our house on the market, realizing that when you've had a home for 9 years the 3 of you are hoarders and feeling like a desperate teenager to speak to my  husband constantly.  Not to mention, all the added stress of house hunting , being a single parent ,dealing  with our daughter's school projects ,dance activities and just being 12 in general. Truth is .. I'm tried.  I'm exhausted.  I'm not myself and I'm in a funk . I'm trying to find "me" time all the while, trying to hold everything together . I seriously have a new appreciation for any single parent . I just have no idea how  they do it . The bright side for me in all of this , I know deep in the back of my "crazy" this is just a season . A season that only has a month or 2 left , then I'll be back to being annoyed that my MOT is home 2 hrs later than he told me . So in the mean time I'm searching for anything that will give me strength to push on .. ooo look there's wine ...:)

Xoxo

My brain thinks way to much ...

So i'm sitting here reflecting on today's events.The world lost an icon today.. A person whom I never met, but I cant help but feel a connection to. This person was a childhood musical hero of mine as well to a many others. After i heard the news of his untimely passing, i submersed myself in this his music for hours reliving each and every memory, every single word,  feeling and lyric to every word of his songs. Life is just to damn short and when you least expect it, your world can change in a New York minute. RIP Prince!!!
Death.. death is such a crazy thing!!! I often wonder who has it really worse the person who actually died or the people that they leave behind ..? Deep thoughts I know, but it got me really thinking about this today. Being a ripe age of 39 I have never really contemplated the actual sting of losing someone so close to your heart. I have been very fortunate in my life to have only lost that one person , my world (my grandfather) at a very young age , so I wouldn't  actually have to deal with the adult aspect of losing someone who was my heart and soul. It got me thinking about losing my husband ( yes very morbid , I know) but honestly what would i do ? Yes I claim to be a turf widow already  (which basically I am just married to a warm body and a paycheck) but atleast he comes home every night and we exchange  some sort of pleasantries etc , But honestly ..WHAT WOULD I DO? I feel like being married to a, MOT,  I have given up myself. I have given up my dreams and hopes. My chance to have something outside of being a WOT.. (dont get me wrong , I have his undying support in whatever I chose to do) but I always look at the bigger pics and feel if I chased that raindow , our child would suffer . Call it momny guilt ..call it whatever you want, but the struggle  is so real !!!I do understand that a lot of other WOTS have careers,  have their own things,etc outside of this insane life that we have chosen for ourselves,  but honestly for me, it just wasn't in the cards . More like it's impossible !!! I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home and be a,mom and wife , (and I love every minute of it !!!!)but what if when I'm 80 and my MOT is gone and I look back on my life will I be truly satisfied with the choices that I made ? Can I forgive all of the missed dinners, parties, birthdays , school functions etc because I chose to support my husband's passion for a game of golf and a, blade of grass ?? To let my own dreams and goals be  swept under the rug , because we have this amazing child who needs me? When I actually sit and look at the bigger picture , my above statements just sound stupid and petty . But I'm just being real . I am sure there are 5000 other wots who struggle with is identity crisis as well.  It's not fun living in yr husband's shadow or having  to give up your normal for a seed and a grain  of fertilizer , or better yet for someone to go and play a game . My wish truly for anyone who plays golf is,to actually be  educated and  realize those greens you putt on ..that fairway you drive or that tee you  take divots out of ..has the blood sweat and tears of a husband who is missed at home or has a crazy wife who is struggling..

Manganese, a lot of people don't even know what that is...

I'm sure everyone in the entire world has seen the movie caddyshack.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about , you might want to ask yourself ,where have you  been for the last 36 years ? ..WOW ! Am I making anyone feel old yet? But what's it really like being married to a real life Carl Spackler? The word interesting comes to mind . Truth be told being married to a "green's keeper " is a pretty exciting thing . I'm human and I will have my days or posts portraying my MOT as a complete turd,but in reality those are just my ramblings. I truly am blessed to be a WOT. My MOT is my best friend and the best father anyone could possibly ask for.  In the 16 yrs of our life together I have learned so much about a world that I didn't even know existed. My MOT has taught me about dedication ,passion,and it never being ok being second best . My eyes have been opened to what it truly feels like to reap  the rewards of the fruits of your labor . Yes I know more about fertilizer, soil , turf diseases and mowing practices  than your average girl ,but that is not a bad thing . My hopes for this blog is to educate the masses on the turf world from a wife's perspective . I truly hope all who stumble across "my crazy" love reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it .. 

The next time you find yourself on the course with your sticks,  seek out the Superintendent..hug him and just say thanks, a little love goes a long way...❤⛳

Desperate for darkness

ME-So I should probably prepare myself for being a single mom on mothers day too ?
HIM-What date is it?
Yes ladies and gentlemen this is a real life text exchange between myself and my MOT.  A form of communication that has replaced any type of actual verbal correspondence between the two of us during GGH. (Grass growing hours). If the sun is up the grass is growing . The grass doesn't care if it's Mother's Day, your birthday , Christmas , your dog just died , you are in labor etc . It doesn't care about any of it! Grass to a mot is the equivalent of a "fix" to a drug addict.  Her luscious color, the smell of her freshly cut blades , the sight of her perfectly striped lines , all of this will put a mot's  endorphins into overdrive . Just when they think they can sit back , relax (perhaps enjoy some down time with their family ), that naughty little minx throws in a curve ball and decides not so fast ..you can't leave me  ...look..I now have Pythium !!! What are you going to do about it ???..Nevermind it's your only daughter's first birthday or it's Mother's Day .What does the mot do ????. He grabs his cart and drives to his chemical room to check what he has on hand to spray . His second move ??.He doesn't have anything on hand , so he grabs his phone and calls one of his 50,000 sales reps (that get to spend more time with your mot than you do) . His third move and or phone call ???  Well I'm not going to lead you on here .. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE YOU , THE WOT.! Infact , you'll be his last phone call . The call that he makes on his way home , 3 to 4 hrs later than original said arrival . I'm sure there have been many  times that phone call has been delayed. Reason being ? They fear for their lives . They know they are the most hated individual on the planet . I think we as wots just get to a point where we just don't care anymore . What's the use of getting upset , it's just wasted energy. No matter how mad we get for their actions , the end result will always,be the same ..."SHE" will always,get the last word  . 16 years I have been with my MOT,  I have felt every emotion known to man . Loneliness, abandonment, unimportant,disappointed,just to name a few . Getting mad these days is just pointless.  It doesn't solve anything . It just is what it is . You learn to deal and accept that you and your kid(s) will always take the back burner ..no exceptions..it's just the way it is..

Signed-
Desperately seeking dark time 