Day Two in Mandeville, LA

On Saturday our age group for doubles was not scheduled to begin play until about 11:00am. We arrived early because both of us had agreed to be referees when not playing. Before getting started we got a chance to chat with a few friends that had not made it to the social the night before

Below Rich with Bob Huskey - who got stuck in traffic on his way from Opelika, Al.  We first met Bob when Rich partnered with him at the National Senior Games three years ago in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.  Also pictured is Kandy Aker and Mark Stemmerman from The Villages.

The tournament was scheduled for three days, Friday - doubles play, Saturday- mixed doubles, and Sunday - the singles  competition.   There was close to 200 players and we had 23 teams in our mixed doubles age group!

 Cindy and I played very well - but didn't medal. We played four matches and finished 2 and 2.  Our last match was the best against a team from California. It was neck and neck all the way - but we lost 21 to 20!!  We played well and had a great time and that's all that matters!

Rich and his partner Paul Coletta did much better.  They had some really tough competition especially from the team from Arkansas.  They played them first and lost, and then met up with them again in the medal rounds.  The second game was another tough round.   They came home with the Silver Medal!  

 


We look forward to this tournament each year - you get to meet new people from across the country and make new friends.  Then you look forward to seeing them again the next year.

The round robin format for a tournament is definitely not our favorite - especially when each match is only one game to 21 points.   The other thing is that they don't post results, so you never know where you stand - and you never know who took a medal unless you happen to run into them. With a couple of hundred people in the building, that doesn't always happen.  So I know that some of friends finished with a medal - but I'll have to wait to see the results when they are posted.  Below I did get a picture of Nancy and Marcia from Ft. Myers with their Gold Medal though.

Because I was playing in the tournament AND refereeing - I didn't get a chance to get as many pictures as I normally do.   But I managed to  catch one of Sharon Richard from Louisiana (far court) and Prissy (left).  In the bottom left is Kandy and Mark from The Villages, and bottom right I found Kathy Miller our Florida neighbor (far court left).

It was close to 7:00pm by the time we got back to our room.   We were both exhausted and hungry.  Even after the shower we didn't feel like heading back out .  Just behind the hotel is a little "plaza" with a gas station, Subway, Liquor Store... so we walked over and got a Sub, went next door and picked up a bottle of wine (and Rich got a candy bar!) and went back to our room to eat, catch the news and call it a night.

ONE more  thing!!!  We told a lot of you about our trip here last year and the store behind the hotel withe the DRIVE THROUGH -  A drive through where you can pick up your made to order Daiquiri - and drive off........ We have been told  that it's perfectly within the law -- JUST DON"T PUT THE STRAW IN!!!
And here is a picture to prove it...

And .... The Drive Through Window!!