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Posts Tagged ‘tennis’

A Major Award

Posted in Everyday, tagged , , , , on December 4, 2017| 4 Comments »

As you may or may not know, Charlotte and I played on the same high school tennis team in, well, I don’t want to tell you what year.  At the end of the season the team would have a banquet, complete with awards of athletic letters.

For a number of years now, without the watchful eye of our high school coach (who’s probably rolling in his grave with our shenanigans), Charlotte and I have met to play tennis on a weekly basis in the spring, summer and fall seasons.  When it becomes too cold or too dark to play anymore, we get together for the “tennis banquet.”

This banquet involves the two of us finding a wonderful restaurant to share a great meal, a couple of drinks, and much talk about our intersecting lives as sisters.  Oh yeah, and we briefly talk about tennis.

Each year one of us receives an award.  It’s kind of a revolving trophy.  This year I received a most esteemed award.  I’m humbled.

 

It’s a major award!

We play tennis in our little below-the-knee yoga pants.  It seems that every time Charlotte and I get together we plea to the other not to look at our legs, as they may not have been recently shaven.  “Don’t make fun of my legs,” we cry.  I guess my legs were least likely to be made fun of as I received The Lady Schick Award.

 

I forgive my opponent for having less than smooth legs every time we play because, well, we play mid-week and I have much more time to groom than she does as I’m retired from my day job and she is not.  However, even given my time to groom I’ve shown up on many occasions with stubble, and I’m amazed and honored to be presented with such a fabulous award.

What a wonderful trophy!  My legs thank you, Charlotte, as do I.  It was a great banquet, and I’m looking forward to another season of chasing balls with you.

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The End of Tennis Season

Posted in Everyday, tagged , on November 5, 2015| 2 Comments »

As you may or may not know, Charlotte and I have the tradition of Tennis Tuesday during the spring, summer and fall months when we’re both in town and the weather is good.  We were both on the tennis team in high school and let me tell you, we looked smashing in those little tennis dresses.  We went for years without playing, but then we were inspired and decided to devote sunny Tuesday evenings to tennis ~ I’m sure our tennis coach is giggling in his grave.

We’re a sight to behold, but they say tennis is an ageless sport.  Charlotte says that because we both have grey hair we have an excuse to suck.  Hey, at least we’re out there trying to stay in shape and acquire the endorphins coveted by all athletes.

This week on Tuesday, November 3 the weather was perfect, sunny and sixty-eight degrees, for one last hurrah on the tennis court for Charlotte and me.  It was a little windy but nothing two grey-haired pros like us couldn’t handle.  I don’t know if we’ve ever played into November.

Alas, the wind will blow cold and the balls are flat.  The season is over.  Next for the tennis team long-timers is the end-of-season tennis banquet.  We get together for a delicious dinner and libations to celebrate our success.  There may even be a trophy presented.

 

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Tennis Tuesday Is Back

Posted in Everyday, tagged , on June 3, 2014| 2 Comments »

Better than Serena and Venus.

Have I told you? Tennis Tuesday is back in action. Charlotte and I are on the courts and batting that tennis ball around better than ever. Last year we found some courts that are seldom used by others and out of the public eye, for the most part. That isn’t to say our talents aren’t worth seeing. In fact, if tennis scouts were cruising around the Twin Cities of Minnesota and spotted us they’d for sure sign us on as the newest talents to hit the circuit.

Except we’re old. We wouldn’t technically be considered the “newest” talents in tennis – better yet the “undiscovered” talents. We’re so good we make Serena and Venus Williams look like beginners. For we are experienced and we have determination. And one of us even has a new joint, which make our playing more challenging than ever!

A couple of weeks ago some young men came to play in the court next to us. They had the power and placement of youth. But during one of our water breaks Charlotte said something to me that made all the difference in the world. She pointed out that we’re in a minority of women our age who don’t dye our hair. We’re out there volleying like no one’s business with our grey hair shining in the summer sun. She said to me, as we rehydrated and watched those young men playing, “our grey hair (aka our age) give us license to suck.”

It’s nice to have a license to suck, even though I don’t really believe we do. We’re out there , sucking or not. Tennis is a sport for all ages and Charlotte and I are getting our fill of endorphins wherever we can. Because we’re deserving of any neuropeptides we can get our hands on.

Yay us!

What are you doing to get your endorphins these days?

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Sisterly Bonding

Posted in Everyday, tagged , , , , on October 3, 2013| 4 Comments »

The leaves are starting to turn where I live. The midwest will soon be a blaze of oranges, golds, and reds. The golds have already popped on the parkway I travel every day.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and I don’t think I’m alone in that feeling. The hot, sticky summer turns into a cooler, drier autumn, which makes being outside much more pleasant for me. One of the things I do outdoors during the summer and fall is play tennis with Charlotte once a week.

We meet at the P & C tennis courts, easy to get to from both of our houses.  I like playing in the fall because quite frankly I think I’m getting too old to be exerting that much energy in the extremely hot temperatures summer can bring.  Plus, playing in the fall season reminds me of when Charlotte and I both used to play on the high school tennis team, which was a fall sport.

Oh yes, Charlotte and I both look like this, running and leaping like stags.

Our high school tennis coach died not too long ago, but I bet he’d be very proud to see that Charlotte and I are still playing. I’m impressed with Charlotte being able to play so well with her brand new hip! After last night it seems apparent that I might have to get some brand new knees. With our bionics we’d probably play better than we did in high school.

After our tennis date I went home and a storm rolled in. I soaked in a warm bath feeling the endorphins of the evening’s exercise putting a smile on my face.

When the cooler temperatures become downright cold, or when it becomes too dark outside to see a fluorescent green tennis ball, Charlotte and I will pack away our racquets until next summer. For now we’re going to continue to play during these autumn days, enjoying the cooler, colorful evenings and sisterly bonding.

Note to Charlotte:  Sorry about that last phrase, “sisterly bonding.”  It sounds really sappy, but technically that’s what it is.  Plus those people reading this blog post will think we’re like sisters portrayed in a movie; you know those kind who hug each other all the time?  Blog readers really dig that stuff.

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Many Words Wednesday

Posted in Events, Everyday, tagged , , , on September 18, 2013| 5 Comments »

There’s a little break in my Wordless Wednesday tradition today.  In fact, I’m writing this on Tuesday night because, well, I just have to.

Things went fairly well at the Dancing Dragonfly Winery last weekend.  For a first time event and considering the fact that it started to rain pretty heavily on Saturday evening it was, as a whole, a good experience.  I made a little money too!  As you might know, I have another winery show coming up this coming weekend (Chateau St. Croix) and I’m doing my best to get restocked to full capacity this week.  I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to do it.

This evening I took a little time out to play some tennis with Charlotte, which was a very good thing because as it turns out I was completely depleted of endorphins.  The minute I pulled into the parking lot of the courts I saw a mist of rain on my windshield.  What?!  No way!  We decided to play anyway, at least until the balls were in danger of getting too wet.  Turns out we got in about forty-two minutes of play before the mist turned into actual rain.  I got some endorphins, which was a very good thing.  I hope Charlotte did too.

But there’s the issue of my hair.  I’m about a month past due on my quarterly hair cut, but had an appointment for tomorrow (Wednesday).  I found out tonight (Tuesday) that my stylist just went into the hospital with a nasty case of an infection and bursitis riddled arm.  I’m really sorry for her and hope she gets better, but I can’t help feeling very sorry for myself too.  I mean, my hair.  It’s enormous.  I was hoping for a very cute cut in time for the show this coming weekend (I made do last weekend because she couldn’t get me in last week) but it looks like that’s not going to happen.  Unless I go to someone else.

How horrible would that be?  I’ve been putting my hair in the hands of this woman for over twenty years.  I feel like I’d be cheating on her.  But my hair.  It’s enormous.  I can’t emphasize that enough.  Tomorrow I’ll know more regarding her condition and will have to make a decision then.  She may be back to work soon, but there’s the thing about her sculpting my hair while feeling less than 100%.  Would she be able to work her usual magic, or will my locks suffer?  The stress of the situation is nearly unbearable.

I’m trying to relax, listening to my twinkle bell station on Pandora, and sorting everything out through writing.  So much for Wordless Wednesday.

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