Once again, it was a great time. We got back home today, and in between chores I have to reply.
It was so great to see our friends from previous years and to make new ones. I finally get to put faces to names I see so often in these pages, some famously, some perhaps infamously.
I finally got to meet Novawagonmaster and Scolai. (He must have a special key for that last letter.) That guy can flat out bowl! Go lefties! I found out that Jason (Graille (sp?), I can't recall right now) and I are kindred spirits. Bigwillystyle is also a great guy and must be seen to be appreciated. I must have said "How does he do that?" a thousand times! I've got a great pic of him nodded out, too.
We spent a lot of time with our friends from previous years, Thongprincess, Alakazam and his wife Jo Ann, and Janderson (wow, what imagination on that screen name
) and the inimitable 10poundbear. Good to see that she's coming out of that shell.
And I'll not forget Max, nor his name next time! I was really happy to see JessN again this year, and we got to meet his wife, though I maybe heard her say 10 words. It seemed that this year he's drinking the Kool-Aid, but he's such a great guy you can't hold it against him. Nice Pete Weber glove, too. We couldn't ask for better company. SrKegler and Glenn and Linda were sorely missed.
Andy apparently has a bad memory for faces, at least out of an expected setting, and Toma and Nollster remain great guys, as always. Joe's appearance was well appreciated, and I saw that bunion, and I don't know how he bowled with it. If there's two things I hope for, it's to live as long and have that energy then! He was highly complimentary to me during the scotch doubles. He must have remembered how we bowled in previous years!
Crazyankee and wife, and Strider and wife are also great people, and though we don't avail ourselves of Strider's hospitality, since we're so tired after each day, and total wusses who go to bed early, we do appreciate the invitations. Maybe someday, if I get the right prescriptions! Hmm, perhaps that's how Dr. Joe and his wife manage to keep up with the Chaos Twins. We're still not sure how those blonde genes came to the fore, but cuter toddlers just aren't made. Just how many times can you go "Awwwww" in a weekend?
We didn't really get to spend any time with Lexlefty (easy for you to say) and a few others about whom I'm having a senior moment about right now, but feel free to take me to task for forgetting. Oh, and Dan was a good conversationalist at dinner, I can't forget him. I don't recall his screen name, if any.
As usual the entire staff was superb, and we don't feel as at home in our regular center as we do during the time we spend in Creekside. Susan has finally come out of her shell, and I almost wet myself when Cindy was doing the queen wave, with the royal pin scepter in the other hand. And despite a yeoman effort on my part, I couldn't drink them out of Yeungling.
And I'm not ashamed of my last place finish in the tournament. In previous years last place has won a ball, and unfortunately we were a little short of sponsors this year. Not that I was trying to come in last, mind you. I didn't do too bad on the long pattern, considering I was totally confused after playing 3rd and even 4th arrow the previous day, and lefties have a huge psychological with problem with anything inside of 10.
I bowled pretty well the rest of the weekend, and after listening to Ron during dinner, I did even better on Sunday. I didn't get the chance to work with him this year, but the opportunity to absorb his wisdom by osmosis was well worth the trip.
We always have a wonderful time each time we attend, and I feel sorry for the folks on here who don't feel they can attend, or whose circumstances prevent them from attending. The big blowhards and the jerks don't show up, even if they say they will,(gee, what a surprise!) and it's an incredibly fun time with fabulous people who just love bowling. And there's never a reason to say it's too far away. Thongprincess comes from CA and we drive 12 hours from south Florida. If we can do it, so can anyone. I'm certain I'll have further thoughts, but that's it for now.
All I need is a way to get around Jax without the nasty traffic or, this year, the monsoons both ways!
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