New Bed and Mowing
the girl
Tournament Day 2
wasn't as success as day one. They lost their first game out in three sets. Since it's bracket play, that put them immediately in the consolation bracket...
And the only picture from today: a 20+ year old picture from Slovakia on New Year's Day.
Tournament Day 1
We had our first of two tournaments during this spring break week today -- at least, the pool play was today. Our girls are the number 4 ranked team in the tournament, and they were the highest-ranked team in their pool. They faced off first with a team from Myrtle Beach and dispatched them quickly: 25-12, 25-9. The Myrtle Beach team, ranked 18th in the tournament, just didn't seem like they had their act together at all.
After a short break, they faced their second opponent, a team called Xcell, ranked 22. Our girls finished them off in straight sets as well. During the next break, the Myrtle Beach team played the second-highest-ranked team in our pool, a team from just north of Charlotte. They lost the first set 17-25 but won the second set 25-22. They dropped the third set 13-15, and I found myself thinking that if a team we beat 25-12, 25-9 took a set from the team from Charlotte, we shouldn't have too much trouble with them.
After another game, our girls faced off against them, the two undefeated teams in the pool. The first set was close for the first ten points each or so, but then our girls started pulling away and ended up winning 25-19.
The second set, our girls started falling apart a little, and then a lot. Soon, they were down 6-13. K was watching a stream of the game from home, and she went to the laundry room to do some work. Our girls decided to get some work done as well and went on a 10-1 run. From that amazing 16-14 comeback, they just kept plowing ahead, winning in the end 25-20. That means from 6-13 to the final 25-20 result, our girls went on a 19-7 run.
So they were the only undefeated team in the pool. They'll start tomorrow in the early afternoon.
And the shocker: I decided not to take a camera today and simply enjoy the moments.
Spring Sunday
Today was such lovely weather that we knew we had to head to our favorite park for a walk. The plan was to head out after lunch. It would just be K, E, and I because L was out all day, working and completing various obligations.
It's just the three of us more and more often, which is understandable: the Girl is about to finish her junior year of high school, and she's increasingly independent. She's always been independent, but with a car, a job, and social life, K and I sometimes worry that she might be a little too independent.
Just before lunch, though, plans changed: E's close friend invited him over for the afternoon.
"So I guess it's just the two of us," K said.
We're used to that, in theory, but we've been a four of us for so long that it's a distant memory more than anything else.
A distant memory that's becoming an ever-nearing future.
After the walk, K and I spend some time in the yard. She trimmed the roses and hedges; I mowed the lawn for the first time this year.
All in all, a perfect little Sunday.
Swinging 2010
Found a never-posted video.
Orlando Return
The girls spent the weekend in Orlando at the — guess! You’ll never guess — Sunshine Qualifier volleyball tournament, and K was sending me pictures the whole time, but I neglected to post them here.
“This might be the last time you’re here,” L told K when K was talking about all the food options there, “so enjoy it!”
Last time K is there? Well, I am taking her to Nationals in Orlando in June, but what about next year?
Truth be told, this might very well be the last club season for us. If L doesn’t get a volleyball-based scholarship, there will be very little motivation to spend the time and money next year. Does this mean she’s giving up on her dream? Not really—academic scholarships have always been more likely (the girl is ranked 11 in a class of 400+ students) and she’s never experienced anything other than success in school. I think her lowest grade of high school is a 94 or 95.
Atlanta VB
The Girl
That ain’t us
"Every single kid in this class been suspended at least once."
It was a fair claim, and honestly speaking, I knew the girl who said it might actually be right. At least for half a second, that's what I thought. A quiet voice beside me reminded me that that probably wasn't the case.
"I haven't."
The shy words came from one of the best students in the class, a hard work boy who never has any behavior problems. The two girls with whom I was speaking -- with whom I'd drifted so off topic from our classwork that I felt somewhat guilty continuing it and did so only because of a perceived need to explain some basic facts to some confused girls -- the two girls just looked at him. I jumped in.
"And in fact I can show you a whole class of students that have never been suspended." I had in mind my honors group, but times are changing, and being in an honors class no longer necessarily means perfect behavior, so they argued, tossing a couple of names at me. Knowing they were likely right, I persisted nonetheless in asserting that none of them had been suspended.
Finally, the girls turned to the fatalistic refrain of at-risk kids: "Well, that's them, not us."
"But it could be you," I suggested, and one would think I'd suggested that they could fly to the moons of Jupiter by their own power, such was the looks of disbelief.
"That ain't us!" they insisted.
First Tournament Back
The Girl played in her first tournament since her stomach issues today. Her team went 3-0, not dropping a single set.
And our Girl was on the court again, doing what she loves again.
It was good to see.