TENNIS, MUD AND LANDSLIDES

I’ve taken up tennis and please don’t ask me why. There I was quite happy slobbing about the place and this little thought pops up suggesting that I ought to do something to keep fit. Now I like walking and I ride several times a week, but I’ve never been one of those girls who’d be known as being sporty. I mean I run with the finesse of a baby elephant and have the grace and poise of a dying duck. So why I’ve taken up tennis is anybody’s guess.

But I have to admit I really enjoy it, even if my instructor makes Ghengis Khan look like a boy scout. The immortal phrase “we’ll just warm you up” just sends shivers down my spine as I run around like a headless chicken while he just stands there knocking the ball back to me as I stagger about vowing it’ll be my last. However, occasionally, just occasionally I’m beginning to place the ball and last lesson I actually made him run to my cries of yesssss!!! He was less impressed as he suggested that although I was fit (obviously short sighted as I was on my knees begging for mercy or at least oxygen) he’s suggested that we start playing matches….. “just to make it more competitive” he explained. Mmmm he’s deliberately avoiding the issue that he’s a million times better than me and that I already come off the court looking like an overripe strawberry….I put it down to the tennis skirt, he obviously thinks I appear more streamlined. Although, I do have to admit I’ve exchanged the frilly knickers for a pair of sensible lyrca shorts. I don’t think his heart could take it!!!

Mind you it has been an eventful couple of weeks with all the rain. I was up at the stables when the heavens opened yet again and I was caught in a flash flood. The horse was alright I’d just put him back to bed but I was left standing ankle deep in water at the bus stop without a coat when twelve burly workers came driving past. Now I know my mum said I wasn’t to accept lifts from strangers and definitely not twelve of them but the floodwaters were rising and I was in that van quicker than you could say “ahhhhhh I’m all wet, soggy and pathetic,” needless to say they dropped me off safe and sound.

On a downside the resulting floodwaters have undermined one of the Madeira walls in the garden and it collapsed the other day much to the anguish of my dad. I’ve never seen a man weep into a bobble hat before, but he did! Luckily it wasn’t the wall he’s just restored. So now whenever I look out the window I see this little bobble hat float past the bottom of the garden accompanied by the squeak of his Wellington boots (if only I had a catapult!) . But then again…….he might offer to do a bit of DIY in retribution.

So happy holidaying and if you see a man in a stripy bobble hat don’t ask him how his walls are doing.

Copyright Sam Gannon 2006

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 29th, 2006 at 3:19 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.