Sunday- Pickleball, Dinner Out and Pickleball News from our Snowbird Friends

Like most mornings, this one started with pickleball, although on Sunday we don't start quite as early. I dropped Rich off at Pimlico and headed for Churchill Street Rec Center. The sun was intense this morning and the humidity was wicked. Totally drenched after a couple of hours, I went back to pick up Rich and we headed back to the villa for showers and 'brunch' and a nap!!

Sunday evening was dinner again with Mo and Jeanne and they introduced us to another of the many places to eat in The Villages. Tonight was Italian cuisine at Giovianni's Ristorante' , located in the Southern Trace Plaza just about in the center of The Villages. This is a small family owned restaurant that we understand draws a pretty good crowd most every night. That's quite understandable, given the great food and atmosphere. And,you can't beat the price. For less than $20 we had pasta with sausage, salad and the best garlic knots ever. Excellente'!

Following dinner we were invited over to their home for coffee and dessert! They did not forget the many many trips Rich made to the dessert bar at Homers and we laughed as they served a plentiful supply of eclairs. We had a great evening.

Just before leaving for dinner, Rich got a call from Gary Ball and this morning we got an e-mail from Johnnie and Barb McKinney.................Great to hear from all of them.....And they had GOOD NEWS!!

Barb and Johnnie McKinney (left), and Gary Ball and Vicki Sterner.

I pulled these pictures from our winter 2008-09 pictures in Sebring,Fl, but three of them are recent pickleball tournament winners.

Gary Ball and his wife reside in Monroe MI, during the winter, but we know them best from King's Point in Sun City Center where they spend the summer. Rich and Gary have partnered together in the Florida Senior Games. He and his partner Vicker Sterner, who came all the way from York, PA, took the Gold Medal in the consolation bracket in the 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament in Middletown , OH, July 31st and August 1st.

Johnnie and Barbara are USAPA Ambassadors who reside in Brownstown, MI in the winter, but to us they are Johnnie and Barb from Tanglewood in Sebring Fl, where they spend every summer. Johnnie and Gary took the Silver Medal in the men's doubles consolation bracket. Congrats to all of you.

Barbara..............wish you were here!!! You would love the line dancing.........Every night at the town center!!!!