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bill_schubertPB this morning. Some drama. There are half a dozen fairly good players who don't want to play with people who are not so good. Then there is the majority in the middle and sometimes one or two players not so good. That is the in the group that signs up as 'Advanced'. Then there is an 'Intermediate' group that has lower level players. Some of the lower level players are not really trying to get better. They are just showing up, standing on the court and hitting the ball when it gets close to them. There needs to be a whole other group for them. There is but they don't show up for it because it is called 'Beginners' and most of these players have been playing for a while but just don't want to lose the weight and work at improving their game.
So the top level group tends to be cliqueish and have earned the grumbling about them from the others. I'm in the middle group but could, on a good day, hold my own with the higher level players. I like being challenged but like to win occasionally and hate being blown out.
It is a great social experiment carried out every day at PB. I try and frequently fail to rise above it. In the words of Ron White: "I have the right to remain silent, I just don't have the ability."
We are still in the overly warm embrace of summer. It is in the mid 90s every day and feels worse. No clouds, no rain, just unrelenting August sun. I was listening to a book about Montana during the depression and I don't think that helped. Dusty and hot and fires and pretty much like here.
I will gratefully clean and change the filter on my A/C during its quarterly maintenance. We would be so much worse off without it.
The battery in the Lexus died which does not at all surprise me. I'd bought a mobile jumper and so had no problem getting it going again. We took it to the guy that sold it to us. I could have easily changed out the battery myself. Turns out I definitely should have. He charged us way too much and, of course, I had to pay. He charged $70 to test the battery that I'd told him was dead. In a car that was in his shop a month ago. The whole thing cost about $300 more than it should have cost. A trip to Walmart and half an hour replacing the battery would have been worth it. He will know I'm not pleased and he's lost a lot of trust. But not much I can do. I went to him because the last place overcharged.
Meanwhile, and far more importantly, the dogs are both lizard hunters and have been enjoying the hot weather where the lizards are busy.
On top of the fence is a lizard. The two of them sat like this for a really long time. Maybe 15 minutes. Just looking and hoping the lizard would come down and play. Beaux has some dachshund in him and is really a hunter. Toby is not quite so serious but loves the chase.
Both continue to be adorable.
So the top level group tends to be cliqueish and have earned the grumbling about them from the others. I'm in the middle group but could, on a good day, hold my own with the higher level players. I like being challenged but like to win occasionally and hate being blown out.
It is a great social experiment carried out every day at PB. I try and frequently fail to rise above it. In the words of Ron White: "I have the right to remain silent, I just don't have the ability."
We are still in the overly warm embrace of summer. It is in the mid 90s every day and feels worse. No clouds, no rain, just unrelenting August sun. I was listening to a book about Montana during the depression and I don't think that helped. Dusty and hot and fires and pretty much like here.
I will gratefully clean and change the filter on my A/C during its quarterly maintenance. We would be so much worse off without it.
The battery in the Lexus died which does not at all surprise me. I'd bought a mobile jumper and so had no problem getting it going again. We took it to the guy that sold it to us. I could have easily changed out the battery myself. Turns out I definitely should have. He charged us way too much and, of course, I had to pay. He charged $70 to test the battery that I'd told him was dead. In a car that was in his shop a month ago. The whole thing cost about $300 more than it should have cost. A trip to Walmart and half an hour replacing the battery would have been worth it. He will know I'm not pleased and he's lost a lot of trust. But not much I can do. I went to him because the last place overcharged.
Meanwhile, and far more importantly, the dogs are both lizard hunters and have been enjoying the hot weather where the lizards are busy.
On top of the fence is a lizard. The two of them sat like this for a really long time. Maybe 15 minutes. Just looking and hoping the lizard would come down and play. Beaux has some dachshund in him and is really a hunter. Toby is not quite so serious but loves the chase.
Both continue to be adorable.
no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 17:28 (UTC)But that's just my thoughts. I feel mad for you.
no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 17:34 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 17:57 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 18:19 (UTC)That is the senior way to overcome a dominant, more athletic, opponent. Touch and feeling and focused position. Being in the right place at the right time. I'm a lot better at that but need to hit about a thousand approach drops before I'm good at that.
no subject
Date: 2026-09-17 16:57 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 20:26 (UTC)I'd never noticed before, but in that photo of the fearless hunters you can really see the dachshund in Beaux! Less so with Toby, but perhaps the fluff is disguising it.
no subject
Date: 2026-09-16 20:35 (UTC)And, yeah, I'd love to see Beaux's makeup. Surely a 'villiage' dog but I'm guessing lots of dachshund and basset.
Toby is nearly all poodle. Chunky poodle right now but poodle.