Last Week’s Recap | Jan 2 – 8, 2012

MONDAY (Jan 2nd)
A regular from Staten Island reported that Tenafly was a bit far but he was glad he came the Monday after New Year’s Day. He was exhausted in the end, playing a regular from Croton-on-Hudson and 3 youngsters from Boonton, Edgewater and Tenafly. Similarly the Croton-on-Hudson player drove quite far, 2 Mondays in a row (previous Monday Dec 26th and this Monday Jan 2nd), and was nicely tired after a good workout with the same players.

A player from Closter felt ill during the holiday but better by Monday. He did a double, playing Monday and Tuesday. He had fun! Other players from NYC, Englewood Cliffs, North Bergen and Mahwah, said “We always have fun!”

TUESDAY
The dynamic duo from Englewood Cliffs is back after a long 2-week holiday break. Players from Bloomfield and Closter had fun playing them. One said to his partner “Every ball comes back with them.” Other players also had a great time.

THURSDAY
Players from Brooklyn, Hoboken and North Bergen played so hard that they needed a break after the first hour. The Brooklyn player went to refill his water bottle, while the North Bergen player sat on top of his vertical-standing racquet waiting and the 2 Hoboken players sat in the chair, all looking as if they were resting in between sets at the US Open and pondering on their strategy for the next set.

FRIDAY
A regular from Boonton asked how come all your Saturday people are here today? I said “Really?” As pointed out Saturday regulars from Cliffside Park, Englewood Cliffs, Hoboken, North Bergen…., I finally admitted “Oh you’re right.” The Cliffside Park player had to attend an Opera the next day, a rare Saturday he had to miss to attend the special event amongst other special events so he could attend tennis twice a week. Another regular from NYC, (professional) Poker Master learned that a Parsippany regular will be getting married this year. The married player said to the husband-to-be that a secret to a happy marriage is to know that the woman is always right. For every tennis party he attends, a young newly wed from Ridgefield showers his wife with gifts. Hm tennis can get expensive for young couples.

SATURDAY
It was a Girls Night Out! for 5 friends from NYC and Brooklyn. They all met earlier to have lunch or dinner and asked along their 5th and newcomer friend, who did not sign up, to join them. By chance there was still space at the party, so she decided to join for the night even though she played earlier in the day and had 2 open wounds on her palm! I was glad she did, for she and other new friends she met gelled quite well. A former regular from North Bergen, now coach for Wagner’s College Tennis Team on Staten Island, stopped by to say hello, a fairly usual routine. I introduced him, yelling and pointing to the 5th-newcomer friend across the other side of the club. He said “Who? Where?” She said “Nice to meet you” or something to that effect. They both played along really well. It turned out they knew each other. The Wagner’s coach said that in fact the newcomer’s parents live right next to the president of the college’s house. It’s more like I’m the newcomer to their group of this closely-knit group of friends. Other players from Bardonia, Boonton, Edgewater, Mahwah, Palisades Park, Parsippany, Secaucus and Wyckoff had a lot of fun playing with them.

A couple from Yonkers RSVP’d the night before saying that their plane arrives Saturday 6:30pm at JFK and they would like to attend. As I pulled up to the club at 7:30pm, they were getting out of their car. We could almost say that they traveled from the from Punta Cana just to play tennis.

A dedicated father from NYC finally got a little break and was able to attend at 10pm! tonight. He attended so many ice hockey games, choirs, ballets or dances that his son and daughter are active in, that he had to forgo tennis a few times during the holiday period. No wonder he’s always so happy and smiling from the moment he arrives to the moment he leaves. He’s one of many busy but happy people who appreciate the few hours they do something they love. Everyone around him instantly feel happy in his company and other people of his demeanor.

SUNDAY
It was a perfect party for a Sunday evening! A Saturday regular from Inwood, NY said I looked so relaxed, unlike Saturday nights when he sees me all frazzled with one of the busiest parties of the week.

A player from May’s Landing finally found time from all the holiday activities to resume his winter visits. In his usual way after tennis, he relaxed in a chair for a good 5 minutes just smiling and enjoying the moment before gets up to enjoy the refreshments and mingle with the rest of the crowd. I always wonder how a person who grew up in NYC can be so laid back as someone who grew up by the beach. I will never know, but am glad to have a laid back person for a laid back Sunday evening. Three regulars from NYC and a regular from Wyckoff enjoyed their matches with him.

Other players from NYC, (there were 5 players from NY this Sunday!), Hoboken, Jersey City, Mahwah, Randolph and Teaneck also had a fun time.