Unbelievably bad line calls

It’s the Thanksgiving Day, and I’m thankful for my family and friends and foes in my life, and an interesting life I lead so far.

I started my day with a warm up swim, then tennis, pickleball, and capped the morning with another short swim – static stretching. I know the verdict (if the static stretching after a game is good or suitable …) is out there, and swimming is certainly NOT static stretching, but I like to do it, to relax.

Tennis:

I’m still trying to correct my serve: to keep my left tossing arm high longer and eliminate waiter’s tray (why is waiter’s tray no good?)

Two double faults in my first serve game – I didn’t practice much in between matches – my bad. Bad line calls one after another; one of the opponents said he can bagel me. I replied, “not off me.” I thought I was going to have a relaxed game on a holiday, but it turned out not to be the case. So I reverted back to my waiter’s tray serve. We lost 4-5, 5-3, 4-5 (first to five and 1 point decides a game – no deuce).

Pickleball:

Played with a new group of players. The best player (3.5 – apparently there is a rating in pb? ) in the group teamed herself up with her husband who’s equally good, vs me and one guy who’s also a newbie. The couple has been playing for more than three years. I’d think they would split up to make the game more interesting, which is the way I would have done. Oh well. We lost 2-11.

 

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Box in – pottery

Boxing day: how to make a box, with the cover. Many classmates made 1/4″ clay ahead of the time, so it would be leather hard. I used Smokey’s leftover – thanks!

A few tools we used: cutter, beveler to cut 45° edges, and a wooden flat stick to smooth out the insider corners – not really but better than finger tip.

I also mapped out my lazy susan tray. We also discussed Sax ceramic glaze, which is truer to its color, as Amaro’s Potter’s Choice glaze.

Repair the crack: I used Amaco’s Bisque Fix ($28 for 4 oz can).

 

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Water volleyball


My first time playing this … don’t know how, except serving … thought I could just wing it … but didn’t work well. So my hands hurt.

Taking a lesson or two would be a good idea.

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Threesome … waiter’s tray

After a couple of rainy days, we’ve a blue clear skies. However, the 4th didn’t show up till I was about to leave.

We all played well. I’m pleased with myself.

The three of us played five rounds of Canadian. I won 3 singles and lost two. The two gentlemen didn’t win any singles. I made short video before the game: still trying to improve, with my toss and make sure my left arm is up …

 

Still working on my serve: I shared this video, soliciting for critics. The first comment mentioned grip, waiter’s tray, which is very prominent – this will be my next project – getting rid of this tray.

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Pickleball team tourney #2

We played our second game today, against the Crushers that had 4:4 from week 1. I played two matches

Needless to say, I played terribly. What’s happening? Afterward, I played with one of the opponent who said, “it’s so difficult to play with you. You need to come up. You’re playing tennis on the pickleball court.”

So right.

Oh Gosh.

  1. with Ava v. Nancy n Beth, 7-11
  2. with David v John n Beth, 9-11

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Girls night in bridge

A night of exciting bridge: all girls, and many interesting hands.

It’s the first time I bid 5 →

  1. Pass – my right hand; 1♣️ me; 1♦️; 2♣️
  2. 2♦️; 3♣️ me; 4♦️; pass
  3. pass; 5♣️ me

And I made it.

This hand, my right side opponent opened with 1♣️ – this is my suit as well: 6 clubs and total 14 hpc plus a singleton. I chanced it by bidding 1♠️ and made it.

Ira’s opinion:

You have two options: double 1C or pass. The double tells your partner you have opening points and the opponent took your bid, therefore your partner if possible make a bid; passing forces the left side opponent to bid or pass or lets your partner to bid. If everyone passes, you play 1C and most likely opponents will go down.

Below are some interesting hands

… more

  1. 3 3 3 4
  2. Long suit wins in NT
  3. A dream hand: 26 pts

 

 

 

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#7: push plate

Pottery lesson #7 (the first lesson after the six-week session): push plate. What’s the different from the slump mold? I thought I could find answer easily online but I haven’t. Will ask the teacher next time.

Push is the key here

We also picked up the finished projects that were made over the past few weeks. The piece I like the most: cylinder/vase that was made/formed during our second lesson on Oct 16.

 

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A doubles night

A night worth to remember: delicious Belgium chocolate, a lot of doubles and one redouble; many lousy hands – one high card (!) and one hand has four aces but more spaces … we did manage a slam unfortunately we didn’t bid for it.

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Tennis party at Hope & Coco’s

Charles Krug’s Generations 2016 is yummy.

The first party at someone’s – the hosts are gracious. It was fun.

It’s not shocking but amusing to watch the relationship between people and food. I hosted enough parties to know …

You would think that people who loves to eat, and eat like xxx would restrain themselves somehow … But many times it wouldn’t be the case. They forego the dessert plate – small, and pile up high with sweets in the large plate that used for main course. They leave used tableware and cups/glasses everywhere, as if they’ve maid at home who picks them up all the time.

 

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Five week pickleball tourney

Today starts the five-week long tournament, with six teams, each team has 7 players.

Bad line calls are prevalent. During our first game, there were two bad calls from my shot to the right side of the line. We lost to them 9-11.

The next game, there was a bad line call again. One of the spectators said it was good. One of the opponents said, it was their call. So the out stayed. A little moment later, my partner called their shot out, the same opponent said that we were event. It didn’t sit with me well. I let go the close calls, always thinking that 99% out is still 100% in. Oh well.

The standings

  Teams Nov 07 Nov 14 Nov 28 Dec 05 Dec 12 Total
 Day Dinkers Nov 7   6  1  5  4  5  21
 Fireballs  2  3  5  4  3  17
 Del Sol Blue Nov 28   0  2  3  5
 Mid Court Crisis Dec 12  4  6  4  4  5  23
 Crushers Nov 14   4  5  3  3  5  20
 Kitchen Crew Dec 5#1  8  7  4  4  3  26

Pickleball five weeks tourney

昨天开始五周长的皮克球比赛
这次是分几个队赛 双打
我们小队有8个人
俺打了三场 只赢了最后一场. 太多好球被对方叫出界 [吐][抓狂]
11-13: 二次
9-11: 一次
11-1

俺修养不够 会不高兴一阵儿[偷笑]
教练常说 好球被对方叫出界 是不可避免的. 完全知道 所以俺通常不叫近线球
… 游泳就不会有这种情况 [偷笑]
🏊🏊

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