Monday, June 25, 2012
59 years a tennis lover.
The year was 1953.
It was a hot June and I had chicken pox.
I was off school and confined to bed - people did take to their beds with illnesses in those days.
During the day I was allowed to rest and play in my parents' room, where there was a radio.
And there I fell in love with tennis and the tennis players.
It is interesting that at the tender age of 8 (nearly 9) I could fall for the male tennis players based upon the words of commentators on the radio. I was actually a bit disappointed when I finally saw Ken Rosewall, many years later!
For a few years, as a girl, I kept a Wimbledon scrap book and kept a full account of the matches as players were knocked out.
So, next year will be my diamond Jubilee as a Wimbledon fan.
I can look back over the years and recall faces and names.
I can look back as well to some tennis playing. I played some matches for the school.
But I was not a disciplined or willing school pupil.....one of my tennis memories is of bunking off school at lunch time to go and watch tennis for the afternoon.
We didn't have a TV at home and nor would I have been allowed to miss off school. But Min Langridge next door, didn't mind! I remember some happy afternoons with Min.
And so today I came back from our day in the shop and turned the TV on. At this point in the day the BBC were concentrating on the no hopers - the Brits! Except, Heather Watson proved to have lots of hope and determination and thoroughly beat a higher ranked opponent.
It has been a sunny day and tennis is played until quite late in the evening - a semblance of balmy summer is in the air.
I had hoped that a day of good weather would bring people into the shop. Yes, people did come - but sales were not remarkable.
We spent the day with Stephen, who had swapped with Monika.
Bill enjoys having another man about the place - and they both went off to the pub for a pint and a bite to eat.
It was a hot June and I had chicken pox.
I was off school and confined to bed - people did take to their beds with illnesses in those days.
During the day I was allowed to rest and play in my parents' room, where there was a radio.
And there I fell in love with tennis and the tennis players.
It is interesting that at the tender age of 8 (nearly 9) I could fall for the male tennis players based upon the words of commentators on the radio. I was actually a bit disappointed when I finally saw Ken Rosewall, many years later!
For a few years, as a girl, I kept a Wimbledon scrap book and kept a full account of the matches as players were knocked out.
So, next year will be my diamond Jubilee as a Wimbledon fan.
I can look back over the years and recall faces and names.
I can look back as well to some tennis playing. I played some matches for the school.
But I was not a disciplined or willing school pupil.....one of my tennis memories is of bunking off school at lunch time to go and watch tennis for the afternoon.
We didn't have a TV at home and nor would I have been allowed to miss off school. But Min Langridge next door, didn't mind! I remember some happy afternoons with Min.
And so today I came back from our day in the shop and turned the TV on. At this point in the day the BBC were concentrating on the no hopers - the Brits! Except, Heather Watson proved to have lots of hope and determination and thoroughly beat a higher ranked opponent.
It has been a sunny day and tennis is played until quite late in the evening - a semblance of balmy summer is in the air.
I had hoped that a day of good weather would bring people into the shop. Yes, people did come - but sales were not remarkable.
We spent the day with Stephen, who had swapped with Monika.
Bill enjoys having another man about the place - and they both went off to the pub for a pint and a bite to eat.
