Wide World of Sports

Far Left CMB following the director around, angling for a good draw; bathrobe man; bathrobe man's friends react to CMB's shot.

As reported, the boys had tough draws in the table tennis tournament and did not last long. Charlie came running up to me: Aunt Ellie!!!!! Frederick has to play Sallly!!!! Sally, a vixen like 55 year old in black velour track, suit is apparently very good. Me, I can’t see the difference between anything below the Chinese people …ya got the Chinese, and then the rest of us. Somehow Frederick won. I was not there to see it, so I cannot offer commentary. Lord Chu Mus’s match was funny though. His opponent was a 20 something who had a hangover and was in his bathrobe. (post massage perhaps? ) anyway I heard him talking to his friends before. He was nervous. But then he shows up to a tournament of this caliber in a bathrobe. The match was pretty close. At one point Charlie channeled some Asian table tennis god and whipped a forehand winner ,and all his friend hooted and laughed. Getting beaten by a kid!!!! Well he was never the same after that.

Next round Frederick lost to someone who looked like a cross between Hannibal Lector and Dr. Mengele. Not that we are bitter about it.

Frederick is now blogging about the table tennis tournament.

Well, we got to the second round but then got our you know whats whipped. That’s about it.

In other sports news Thomas came in second (got a certificate!!!) in a golf contest. The children gathered round, but the air was heavy with the question of who actually won. They were discreet: Frederick looked at his feet and Charlie finally ended the silence with Good job uncle Thomas!!! Bit later they asked me what happened. Apparently some guy used a 6 iron to Thomas’ 9. When Charlie heard that, (the kid has never played golf) he seemed relieved. OH!!!!!! That’s what happened.

And for the sports wrap up…..

Almost lost some old lady at the gym. She messed up on the treadmill and was floating with her legs back behind her, bit like a sail. All the while though she was silent. Like she was just waiting for it to end on its own. And the worst part was her companion and others just stood there next to her. I was trying to get off of my treadmill, but was tangled in my ipod..and yelling loudly over my music: HELP HER!!!! God these people have no fast twitch muscles. No ability to react. As I say every year: the lifeboats will be ours for the taking.

Did I mention that Handsome Turk just smiled when I asked him if anyone had ever been murdered on the ship?

Toenails are now pink. Going to meet the Captain. Children love their butler. (Lord Chu Mu is especially good at finding uses for her: Hey Excuse me!!! Can you set up the X box!!!!????)

Today there was a wee bit of romance. A roving band of cousins (girls) approached our heros at their usual spot on the paddle tennis court and started to pelt balls at them. Charlie got into the spirit immediately (f is a bit slower to grasp protocol in these cases) and pelted one hard to the head. The girls were apparently “impressed” according to Charlie, with the speed with which the boys could catch the balls and throw them back. I do not have the heart to tell them of the world of faux compliments from roving bands of girls.

We love sitting aft in the evenings in the hot tub. It is like watching a movie: wild skies and seas, dolphins, rain, sun, wind, blue, black, gray; cool heads and warm bodies-and a moment so satisfying that not even coffee or champagne or conversation could improve it.

Busy day today. Sadly, only one formal night and one informal away from dreaded land.