i've posted this before. sometimes, it doesn't matter how much experience or how good you are at "finding." Some days, you're just brain dead, or over tired, or something. . .

At the last Grateful Letterboxers event, there were 6? 7? of us on top of a hill, with a lil turtle shell on it. We knew the box in question was planted within 3' of said turtle shell. The 6-7 of us had a collective total of around 10,000 finds. Yes, you read that correctly. The 6-7 of us had already found probably 300-400 boxes between us that day. Could we find this lil box?

no.

We phoned a friend.

Lundy came up the hill, reached SIX INCHES from said turtle and handed it to Mrs. V. *sheesh*

Some days are like that. . .

~tigs(always keep the phone a friend option)

I never found at least two of those turtle-y carves. It was a long, fun day. I'm grateful for it.

I'm glad you still like your friend despite her letter boxing disability.

I agree with FloridaFour and tiggermama.
Don't write off your friend as a letterboxer. Most have moments where they cannot see a box and the next day they find a box others cannot find.

It may have been the light. Maybe it was 10 feet from where it was supposed to be. Maybe there was an alligator on top of it. Maybe it had an invisibility cloak on it.

One day, maybe your friend will find a box that you were not able to see.

maybe they need to take up tennis.

No no!! not tennis!! not the dreaded tennis!! anything but that!!

or the even more dreaded. . .

. . .

. . .

golf. . .

~tigs(raised in a family with a bag of sticks)

Ah, golf. I manage a golf retail store : ) Have been in this business for 24 years. Scratch golfer who basically quit the game 3 years ago. Played 3x in 3 years. No more tournaments, no more ranking top 10 in WNY. But the extra time to letterbox, delightful. I blinked and my daughter was already 6, enjoying more time with her too!!

turkey feathers
Whos dad was a golf course superintendent for 43 years

I don't judge. I even like smart as... :-)

We have planted boxes together, including one on Sanibel Island, Florida.

I *love* that box!!! The fact that it's planted in one of my favorite places in the world (Ding Darling) makes it one of my favorite finds! :^)

BIG THANKS to Rockun who saved this box during one of her trips yo the island.
This box is so rewarding, it gets the most visits and best comments than even my large series that was a lot of work. I guess it is a combination of such a beautiful location and people on vacation .

OMG Tiggermama...almost the same thoughts I had! Tennis!! Aaagh!! I stink at it. Golf and baseball are probably the only things I stink worse at. Hit a small object with a stick...no can do!

My husband's fave sport is tennis, and he HATES it that I never play with him. He bought a ball machine just to practice with.

When I feel bummed at letterboxing, I just take my camera with me or a bird book or something and try to focus on all the cool things I see on my hike, and then run back and try to get some cardio out of it.

ask my sister about tennis and golf. i dare you.

*snort giggle*

~tigs

We have a tennis court at our condo.... Maybe she will play with my husband? LOL!

Once.again, I credit all my success to lundy's excellent help!

...I don't bother to record "did not finds" unless I am SURE I was at the right spot, because I get so embarrassed when someone finds it the next day.

Why? Either you found it or you didn't. If you did, log a find. If you didn't, log a DNF. Nuthin' to be embarrassed about.

I amaze myself at how GREAT I am and how fast I found that "hard to find" cache or box.

I can usually find the easy ones and have difficulty finding the difficult ones. However, there is this one family (three generations) of cachers that is usually reverse, I find their difficult ones easily and their easy ones take me a few trips.

However, there is one of their difficult ones that I just can't find. After my second try I was told right where it is and where to look, but I haven't been able to find it.

There's also an easy one (1.5 difficulty out of 5) that I just can't find. Others found it before and after so it is still there, but I have been there three or four times with no luck. There are just some that certain people just don't see. Ugh!

(always keep the phone a friend option)

Have you ever tried "50/50" or "ask the muggles"? ;-)

Nooooooooo, not the dreaded golf!

At work we once went to drive some balls. I have the swing of Happy Gilmore but not the talent. I could probably score 40 on a golf course, on each hole. But people won't let me use their clubs because my swings tend to clear down to the dirt.

tf, our dad was a scratch golfer. So was our grandfather. I thinks grandmother's handicap was. . . 12? Something like that. I was bad. Definitely not living up to the family reputation.

*shudder*

~tigs(now having flashbacks/nightmares)

Sanibel Island.... Loooooove.

Definitely not living up to the family reputation.

i so feel your pain girl.
My mother owned a golf course. My brother is a Greens Superintendent on Torry Pines Golf Course. My Dad starts his day on the driving range. i HATE golf.

deniserows
a preference for chasing down tupperware in the forest

OOOHHHHH Your brother works at Torrey Pines Golf Course?????? JEALOUS!!!!!!!

Bungalow Boxer
(who stayed at the Lodge at Torrey Pines overlooking the 18th green during her honeymoon......)

i HATE golf.

i knew i liked you!!

Torry Pines notwithstanding (yes, i've been there; did i mention true golfing family? also been to St. Andrew's) i am pretty sure i won't voluntarily pick up a club again unless i'm using it to fish tupperware out of a dead tree. . .

~tigs(who now knows the true reason for carrying a 9 iron)

also been to St. Andrew's

Me too! With my boyfriend who was a Golf Pro. (years ago) We met Fischer as in Body by Fischer for cars and played 9 holes with him.
My mother has a putter collection. She was also part of Arnies Army. Ha True golf geeks know what i'm talking about.

deniserows
a birdie

I've played pool at Jack Nicklaus's house and said "hi" to Vince Gill as he passed by in a golf cart. Does that get me any points with the golf geeks?

said "hi" to Vince Gill as he passed by in a golf cart. Does that get me any points

It does with the country music fans.

...i am pretty sure i won't voluntarily pick up a club again unless i'm using it to fish tupperware out of a dead tree. . .

I know a certain letterboxer who has an interesting adaptation for golf clubs.

Perhaps someone can start up a repurposing venture?

interesting adaptation

NO SNAKES!!

~tigs

Dual purpose - for snakes AND tricky letterbox locations.

I knew a woman who didn't care all that much for golf, but occasionally got dragged out to play by her husband when he couldn't scrounge up anyone else to play with. But while he had never known the joy of hitting a hole-in-one, she had done it several times! She just got lucky, obviously, but she got lucky a lot, enough that he didn't want to bring her along any more!

Could be useful for letter boxes, they come in several sizes, and they make ones that are retractable. Personally I'd never use them on my pet reptiles!