ハワイで愛犬とセミリタイア生活写真日記

Happy Halloween

10/30 tennis match

We lost our first Mixed Double team match. Our team lost all 3 courts. They were good. Adam thinks we are not ready for this league. The other team players are so much better(one level above us) and we won't have any fun to get kill week after week.He was wrong. We had a fun time.Before the next match, I have to learn to return the power serves. I couldn't return the guy's fast and powerful serves.And sadly, I had so many double faults.Oddly, I was good at the net. My partner Dean and I, both were at the net most of the time. He covers the court very well and the best thing about him is that he is always calm. He is our team captain, and it's a captain' privilege to chose his partner. I hope he won't "damp" me for some "young chick".(ha,ha.. I think I'm second oldest woman in the team...)Anyway, its hour and half drive to their club. All highways. I didn't go over the speed limit 80MPH. ;-)I cannot believe that they didn't feed us after the match.I was waiting them to bring some hot food out on the table.They had some soda, beers, chips, store bought cookies, candies, grapes.They took three points from us, at least they could feed us well... 初めてのミックスダブルスの試合，負けました。チーム全滅でした。私のパートナー，頑張ってくれたけど　相手の方が一段上のレベルでした。でも内容の充実した良い試合でしたので　試合終了後　相手に「時間ギリギリまでもっとプレーしよう」と言われ　リラックスしたプレーを楽しむことができました。片道 高速を時速１３０キロで走って一時間半と　かなり離れた所にあるテニスクラブでしたが試合後　食事を出してくれなかったのは残念。スナックと飲み物だけ・・・USTAの夜の試合の場合　何処のクラブも普通は食事の用意をしてくれているのですよね。（最悪の場合でもピザかパサパサのサンドイッチとサラダとか・・・）カントリークラブなので　良い食事が出るだろうと思っていたのに・・・７時過ぎ お腹をすかせて家路につきました。

Dear deer....

Starting today, the time "fall back " to the standard time.Amy said it snowed in Boston yesterday.We miss the fall and heading to the winter so soon.I woke up by a sound of a gun shooting.Deer hunting season has been started.People say that deer meat taste better than chicken.I won't know...(I know how a turkey taste like. Watch out turkeys...)我が家の庭には林があるので数多くの鳥、鹿，野生の七面鳥，リス，ウサギ，スカンク，狐等が来ます。この時期になると 我が家の林の向こう側からディア・ハンターが発砲する音で目が醒めることがあります。林の向こうは【お隣さんの】３００エーカー（１２１ヘクタール＝３６万７千坪）の農地でリンゴ園や牧場もあります。近所の奥さんが　林の奥深く入って迷子になったことが有ります。私も【探検】したことが有りますが　獣道を一時間　歩いて行っても　全く動物の気配が無くて無気味でした。数人でハイキングをするには良いかも・・・鹿肉は　鶏肉より美味しいらしいですが試食したことありません。野生の七面鳥は　筋肉が発達していて　肉が固いらしいです。丸ごと油で揚げれば美味しく食べれるのだそうです。私はスーパーの肉売り場のお肉だけで充分・・・

Great tree art

How many animals can you find in this picture?Last night, we played doubles all the time at the clinic. No drills.The tie breaker format and every 10 minutes we changed the partner.It was hard to get into the rhythm.When I asked the question about the grip, the coaches were not helpful.Adam said "You always ask the questions you know the answers" 'Okay, if I knew the answer why bother asking you??'Greg said "There is no right or wrong answer"'Did I ask you about a philosophy question?'After the so called clinic, we sat and chatted.People like to relax before heading back to home.We talked about kids (what else?), swamp pump, winter sports.We said "good night" to them ~11:30PM.After a couple of beers/wines, seems like people couldn't get out from a chair.(I had a lemonade. If I had a drink, I needed someone to drag me out from there.)I wonder what time they left the club...凄いTreeArtですよね。何種類の動物を見つけられましたか？昨晩のテニスクリニックは　ダブルスをタイブレーカー形式で１０分ごとにパートナーを代えてしました。（この週一のテニス以外には何の運動もしないジョンには　二時間のクリニックはキツイらしい。でも無理にでも引っ張って行かないと一日中　家から一歩も出ないから・・・）今回　コーチはお喋りをしているだけで何のアドヴァイスもしてくれないのです。質問しても　まともな返事が戻ってこないので　苛々しました。普段は冗談を言い合う相手でもレッスンの時はもっと真剣に教えて欲しいですよね。(お金を出しているのはこちらなんですから・・・）ここのクラブはビールやワインが置いてあり　レッスンやプレー後、お酒を飲んでリラックスする人が多いです。私はシャルドネを飲みたいけど運転があるのでテニスクラブでお酒を飲んだ事はありませんが・・・金曜日の夜は　皆　ゆっくりしていて世間話に花開いて楽しいです。

Almost Halloween

Last night I was on the phone with my mom 'till 2AM. The girls, young or old, can talk on the phone a long time ;-)She told me that my sister is buying the Roof Top Solar Electric Systems which cost closes to 50K.Supposedly, their pay back is 15 years.I'm not sure that is a good investment.(How long the unit last? How about the maintenance cost?)The Solar Electric System is a great idea.However it's too pricey for us now.Besides unlike my sisters, we won't stay in same house next 15 years.I want to move to somewhere, only snow around the Christmas time, no heavy rains, no tornados, no hurricanes, no earthquakes...Do you know where it is?もうすぐ　ハロウィンです。玄関前に　簡単なハロウィンの飾り付けをしました。去年は近所数件の親付き添いの小さな子供達しか来ませんでした。此処は家と家が離れすぎているので一軒一軒回るのは大変。去年ケイはタウンハウスに住んでいる友人達とタウンハウスを回りました。一棟に20軒ほど入っているので　あっという間に持って行った袋(ピロケース・枕カヴァー）に一杯のキャンディが集まりました。(多分　総１０～１２棟ぐらい有ると思いますがケイは３棟　回ったらしいです。）今年はどうするのかな？

Duke the Rug

Look at Duke !! He can be flat as a rug.We think he is double-jointed.He is so funny.Talking about joints... Most of my joint problems are gone.(Thanks to the pills.)However, I felt pain in my left knee when I was playing tennis yesterday.Like an old car, it needs a longer warm-up in winter. (It was cold at the club.)Oh, last night ABC world news said that a scientist found "something" to help us live longer and healthier.When Kay heard this, she had a deep sigh...I know what she thinks, she will never gets rid of us.Dukeは敷物みたいにペッタンコになるのが好きです。此れを初めて見た時は吃驚。昔　飼っていた犬達もレスキュー団体から預かっていた犬達もこんなポーズを取った事無かったので関節に異常が有るのかと心配していたけど　ウェッブで他のコッカプーも同じポーズをすると知ってやっと安心。本当に面白いですよね～。

The Sun is out !!

Kay's bus comes at 6:55AM. It's so dark in the morning...This Sunday, it will "fall back" to standard time. Those apples on the trees are on higher brunches.( Deer ate all others.)I cannot reach them even with a ladder.I'm sure that deer will use the horns to hit the trunk to drop apples.Our apples are very tart. But very good for pie and baking..Somehow, the heat makes the apples sweet.Deer are eating most of them.　Duke had a few...Maybe turkeys are eating the apples on the ground.I don't see any dropped apple on the ground last few days.Apple stuffed turkey !!! Yum, yum... (Don't worry, we are not going put them on our table. Kay still cannot use her archery to hunt them down.)最近，日が短くなってきて　ケイは　朝　暗いうちに家を出て，暗くなってから帰ってきます。この日曜日で夏時間はお終いです。（今より　一時間遅くなります。）　庭のリンゴの木(４本)はまだ実を付けていて　鹿と野生の七面鳥の餌になっています。鹿が届く低い枝のリンゴはもう全て無くなり(私が梯子に乗っても届かないほど）高い枝にしか残っていません。そのうち鹿が角で幹を揺すって上の方のリンゴを落とすと思います。家のリンゴは酸っぱくて美味しくありません。でも焼くと甘味が出てくるので　パイや焼きリンゴにしたら食べれます。今週　雪が降るらしいです。秋を素通りして冬に突入？

No more rain please!!!

We got The "Super Storm of 2005" .How lucky are we?So, Lisa, still it's hot in Hawaii? Oh yes, we do miss Hawaii(and you!!).How about Seattle, Jenny?? Are you getting your share of rain?I think Amy is happy to report that she got The "Super Storm of 2005" just like us, right?

High Five

Can you see Duke's high five?Today Kay had the last tennis match for this season. Kay played 2nd doubles.They didn't win... Kay gave up playing before the match was over. Her team lost all the courts.Maybe next year they will play better.They had the pizza after the match.It was so cold outside.Someone said it will snow tomorrow.Oh, yeah, SNOW !!!!! "Do you want to know what I'm thinking?"

Another raining day

Kay and I got some "bugs".I slept through the whole day.Tonight we had a pizza and watched DVD "Batman begins".Kay said Christian Bale looks like Tom Cruise.(maybe around his eyes....)We didn't like the master bedroom furniture in this movie. Good thing they burned them ;-)The movie was not bad. Kay was torturing Duke during the movie. Poor Duke...

Sudoku

It's raining again.Our rain is nothing do with Hurricane Wilma.Hurricane Wilma hit Cancun, I guess we are not going back to Cancun soon.Kay and I are hooked to Sudoku now.It's fun, but it's very addictive.http://www.websudoku.com/Now Duke can "Sit", "Down", "Roll over", "Shake hand", "Jump over","Go under", "Let go"He fetches, too.We are working on "High five".

Duke the Rabbit

Today I took him to the Vet.He needed to get the pills for prevent worms.He was so good at the waiting room.There were a miniature poodle, two pitbull mix and a cat in the cage.Miniature Poodle(female) had the stomach upsetting from the ham.(Sorry, Duke. No ham for you...)She was barking at Duke, he ignored her 100%.I think she was not his type. ;-)One pitbull mix was so shy, he didn't want to come in. He tried hide under the chair.The other pitbull mix was obnoxious.He came to Duke, and they sniffed each other. That was normal dog's "hello".However this obnoxious dog started growled at Duke's nose.Duke looked at me and quietly sat beside me.I am so proud of him :-)Anyway, he is gaining weight little too much.(He is overweight!)now 15lb 8oz.Like the owner, like the dog???