Pumpkin’s serve is getting better slowly, but she’s getting there. This semester she seems to have a lot motivation to play. .. .. Everything takes practice and hard work to get it right.
Archive for Saga
Her g/f
Pumpkin’s partner Tiffany is a sophomore who loves to coach, or giving tips. I went down to watch with my camera in hand. Pumpkin told her .. that’s my Mom. Tif waved a hello, said “hi Mom ..” So cute. They were leading 2:0. Then Pumpkin served and lost the game with two doubles. The opposing team won their first serving game. It was 2:2. For a moment, I thought I was distracting them. Then Tif played a very smart serving game; Pumpkin’s forehands were really working .. .. their opponents began to falter. Next thing I knew they won the set 8:2 – first to reach the 8th game wins. Tif has a great serving motion .. .. Pumpkin began to bent her knees too.
After the match, I greeted Tif. She came over and gave me a very firm hand shake. Wow. I like a positive and firm hand shake. Shows your sincerity. I dislike the half assed limpy hand shake, especially from a man – pun intended. Tif seems a really nice girl, who knows what she wants and going after it. Her parents try to discourage her from playing tennis (more time on books) but she took a job and pays for herself. She also got accepted at pre-college division at Julliard for bassoon. A go getter.
They know each other from lacrosse but I think the partnership has made them closer. I’m grateful for her influence on Pumpkin. Choosing your friends is very important.
Sharon’s Dad said that one other area’s courts have been renovated already too. I got to check that one out too.
Is south of LIE a tad hickier or what: last time they played a team from the south and the coach brought a huge bag of junky snakes and they littered the wrappers all over the courts.
My kids got a raw deal ..
I played good tennis this glorious weekend, despite of my tender right wrist hurt while making my little tables. I know .. I know .. complaining shows character flaw and .. but I’ve been making ado with it and hopefully get over it soon. My buddies are pretty sick by now that every time we play, I have use of one part of body, could only play either forehand or backhand.
What the most masmezing time came on Saturday, was not that the four sets William and I won, (that too was great but I shouldn’t take any credit) but I played with Pumpkin afterward.
I went home after the morning game, had breakfast and went out again with her. As we were warming up, I noticed she has far better control by the mid court or near the net than before. We could rally for a long time, often 20 strokes or so. After an hour or so, she called it quit. We sat down, had water and then she asked,
“Have I improved?”
It might just be what it is, that she wanted to know if she has improved from the last time we played. But what immediately creep into my mind was what I told her when she first got into it.
Couple of years ago, she just got to know Sharon (but before they ever played) and asked how she measures up to the Ace. Being tactless, I replied in my most famous way,
“She’s much better player ..”
At the time, she showed nothing just took it in. I forgot the moment all together. Till this Saturday.
Lord, What did I do to my kid, I asked myself silently. I felt sick and wanted to kick myself. Should I answer it with bit more sensitivity? Absolutely. Was I able to answer it with pride and encouragement while convey the truth? Well, if I try little harder, I might, 20% chance .. .. On the brighter side of the equation – although I sometime feel sorry for my kids that they got a lousy deal from me .. but nevertheless, I love them very much, and very proud of them – that they’re experiencing the real life, starting right at home. Might not be too bad after all.
Hey, I got to make myself feel good, right? On the expense of my kids? That’s bad. Parents on both side of Pacific Ocean are busy driving their little ones to somewhere and do something, while Irene is busy with her own thing. Lousy and selfish mom.
10 minutes of tennis
Between the rains and men’s semis, I got to play with Pumpkin briefly today. It’s very humid and uncomfortable. Pumpkin said there is an upper class girl on the team who loves to give advice to others. Most looked at it as annoying but Pumpkin said she actually enjoys it. Finding a mentor at the right time isn’t always easy is how I look at it. Seize it when you can.
One day we went to shopping and ran into her English teacher, the previous year’s. The young teacher was very pleansant and lively, they almost hugged each other. .. She said the current one is trying to fail everyone .. tough love baby .. look at it from another angle.
New courts
I came home after some games and took a chance, asking if Pumpkin would like to play some tennis with me, halfheartedly. It’s 8:30pm. To my surprise, she said yes. She made the JV team and has practice every day for the past two weeks. And enjoying it.
Thank god one of the four cluster of courts at school had been renovated. They look very nice and inviting. Tennis any one? Tomorrow looks very rainy .. Serena will play Jelena Jankovic who .. lord .. wears make up while playing. Oh well .. a Williams in the final at least. It should have been an All Williams Final ..
12:5
Pumpkin’s lacrosse team finally won their first match. She scored 1 and Sharon the Ace Lee doubled it – way to go girls!
They annihilated us
Last Tue was Pumpkin’s Spring concert. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #3 was one of three pieces they played. OMG .. was great! In support of all the kids that night, I stayed till the end – Pumpkin’s orchestra was the second of the night.
Lacrosse season is on, she’s scored almost every game abut her team has been losing: new pair of goalies. The very first game they played, ended up 5:20! “They annihilated us” she said. The weather had been unpredictable, so far I haven’t attended a single game yet.
The Spring break tennis
Surprisingly I met a group of girls from Maryland at the Massanutten in Virginia. This resort at Shenandoah Valley is neither known for golfers nor tennis players. It used to have a 9-hole short course now expanded into 18 holes and an 18-hole. The short course was much nicer before the expansion, now inter-linked with roads. Golfers have to keep eyes on the coming and going cars! The short course was perfect for the area. Not sure what behind the thinking to expand. King played with Golfer, and he would have been much happier if the cours was 9-hole.
The Massanutten have 8 tennis courts, 4 for the owners and 4 for the visiting/exchanging guests. The courts are scattered around, in need of some TLC. The four for the visitors, 3 are being renovated, which leaves one for the entire vast valley. How charming. I didn’t know that they reserve 4 for the owners only till I played on it.
Pumpkin and I were playing on the court next to the MD girls. During our water break, one of the Maryland girls, Robyn came over asking if we’d like to play doubles. Sure. It was the very first time that Pumpkin and I played as partners. Oh the joy! My arm wasn’t painful any more, or I forgot. I haven’t been serving since January, now I have no problem [or no choice but] serving, :). Was it dream come true to play with Pumpkin? You bet. Despite we lost 6:2 easily, I loved every minutes of it!! This group of MD girls play on the same or adverary teams one time or another. Some are 3.5 and few are 4.0. They took turns to beat me, :))). Ree said she’ll probably do the MS ride with me this October! Lets go girls!!
What gets me high
I don’t like to run, so have no idea as what they’re talking about, but swimming gets me high, no any other sport could or would, tennis doesn’t even come close, so I know what they’re talking about. The feeling after a swimming is that you can take on the www, whole wide world, 🙂 !!
Yesterday I visited Dr. Kim. He’s in a relax mood and chatty. Talked about his recent trip to China. “For additional $200 [from Seoul], we could tour Beijing for 5 days, hotels and three meals and sightseeing included. How did they do that is beyond me.”
“How’s Mrs. Kim?”
“She’s fine. Thank you.” She used to dab in when the nurse/receptionist wasn’t around who’s a very pleasant tall lady.
“Still playing tennis?” We used to have chat on tennis all the time.
A chuckle, “no, she’s in golf now.” We all laughed.
“Do you still swim?” When he first learned that I was swimming during my first pregnancy, he was horrified, if not annoyed. “What? You’re swimming? Don’t anyone see a pregnant lady? They allowed you to swim?”
Relax, Dr. It’s good for you. Toward my third trimester, he predicted that my delivery would be easy,
“Although I have no scientific proof ..”
I swam almost every day till my labor started. That morning, I stayed home, instead at the pool, watched Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi in Wimbledon, while enduring the mild contraction. Pete went on to win his first championship there, followed by six more – Wondering what does Pete do with all those trophies for? Ladies can use theirs to line the dinner plates, :). One suggestion Pete: planting flowers. .. .. When it’s time to give birth later, Dr. Kim rushed in to the hospital, “hold on .. .. hold on .. let me put on my gloves.. ” It went so fast, I almost regret – could I at least see what the color of the wall paper in the waiting room was? The nurse first sent Golfer to register on another floor then had to page him in PA to come back, if he wanted to see the birth of his child. Dr. Kim wasn’t pleased, “where’s father?” One of the nurses explained, “we didn’t know she’ll be this fast .. is her first ..” Did I savor the experience? What experience?!?!
My second pregancy/delivery was the same, and he turned around to be a fan of swimming, at least for expectant mothers. During the subquent years, he would often ask if I still swim and how’s my swim, but never about the babies he delivered. Mrs. Kim would ask about kids.
Da Tsonga dude
Wow, the Jo-Wilfred Tsonga dude played an amazing match, dumped Nadal to reach the final in straight sets: 6:2, 6:3, 6:2. Before this Aussie Open, I’ve never heard of him. At the first glance, he reminded me of boxer Ali. Pumpkin is watching a lot, first time I’ve seen her so into watch tennis, omg, :). Tsonga plays bit unconventional, so is his physique, he’s h-u-g-e, teddy-bear without a care in the world! The racket looks like a serving spoon in his hand, :). He jumps around like a toddler! How about 地包天 Djokovic Joker beat out Federer for a change? Two pretty girls are heading to the final, Ana Ivanovic vs Maria Sharapova – need to buy earplugs!! The Williams’ sisters are out, 🙁 ..
The other day, the commentators were talking about challenge calls during Federer vs Blake match. They mentioned that Federe is opposing the instant challenge call .. but he’s using a lot during the match. And kind of late to invoke the challenge. Then Mary Carillo (her leaving ESPN in 2011) said, “Sharapova is that way too, late to request the challenge call .. but they’re not cheating, like looking up to their box to decide ..” Hello, is Mary gone mad or forgetful? Maria Sharapova looks to her father and coach all the time, they would give her signals .. .. it’s the controversy at the US Open. Short memory???
