Cedardale Green vs. the Weeping Willows

What a difference a few months makes. It was only last November that the Willows gave up a miserly three sets and swept all eight of our courts. On Friday we took five of the eight courts back with two of the sets lost going into the third set. Shawn and Liz rocked a huge win showcasing three aces and ten games won in a row! Lisa and Leslie won in three sets through pain, tattoos, and some unsolicited advice from their opponents on line calls. Isn't that helpful??!! Reminds me of a quip from a tennis camp pro...that may work in YOUR club but not here! Marybeth and Mary won in straight sets and Julie and Sam continue their winning streak counting five wins since their doubles debut. Congrats, ladies!!! Predominantly singles players, Linda and I brought home a decisive win in the third set playing against a pair who, from all indications, had designs on going pro. There is an unsubstantiated rumor floating that I was seen closing in off the baseline. Shocking, I tell you. Simply shocking! Kristine and Jeannie were up to their usual antics demonstrating that you can, in fact, burn as many calories playing doubles as you can playing singles. Susan and Ann gave it their all against the Jens while Betsey and Lisa demonstrated agility and power in their return to the upper four. All in all the we-don't-cook-anymore women of Cedardale Green have much to celebrate! Hello, Julie!!?? When's our George's make-up????

Practice with Jess and Co.

What does the Albuquerque drill remind YOU of??? The Friday night line up, of course! Still can't believe my crazy little rag doll of a pahhtnah didn't remember this one...

Cedardale Green vs. Andover

Tennis ink. Some days we give, some days we receive. Feeling generous today, Lisa Brennan gave a sweet tattoo to her opponent but took the court win with partner Betsey. And they weren't even close to being the sole victors. Earning SIX points, we landed another team win - a win that inches us ever-so-close to Winchester. Playing a tight match, Julie and Sam continue their winning debut while next door Kathy delivered her first ace of the run. Thanks to Kate Grondin for off-court cheering, and a special thanks to Kristine, Danielle, Susan, and Ann for cheering on Dorian and my post-game play. Who's better than you?? That, ladies, is what I call team spirit!

Non sequitur alert. I'll bet I speak for all of us in a shared desire and commitment to support local businesses, but I think it's time for a reality check.

You know you're in Andover when... instead of baskets of free deodorant and Biofreeze samples, there are kiosks with vendors selling Swarovski Crystal baubles (bracelets, brooches, necklaces, earrings) from 9:00 to 12:00.

You know you're in Andover when... you spot a perfect cammo tank for Jeannie at the clothing kiosk and the tag indicates that the size is "One Size fits All." Huh? Said perfect tank will also set you back $94.00. $94.00!!!

That is patently ridiculous.
Shawn, Liz, Kristine, Jeannie, Dorian, Danielle, Mary Beth, Lisa,Betsey, Sam, Julie, Susan, Anne, Leslie,and Lisa:
Wherever it takes you, enjoy the vacation week...

Cedardale Green vs. Cedardale White

All women know this. Most men don't. Having and keeping year-round lovely lady legs for tennis isn't easy!! It involves definite risk as well as time and cash flow. Take for example our Cap'n, whose personal comportment and gravitas is seldom in question. Cap'n Shawn suffered a three inch gash to her shin (see left) in a shaving accident just this week. And Dorian must start her better than bare pre-match routine two full hours before game time - hours of her life she will never get back! Many of us choose to embrace our Irish and Scandinavian heritage throughout the winter months (ahem), while others revel in their olive-toned Italian glow. Yet all of us appreciate a good self-tanner coupon from Sephora.

The good news is, though, that Shawn's injury didn't affect her game one iota (like we're even remotely surprised!!??). She and Liz racked up another win on Court One along with the ladies on five other courts : Betsey and Lisa, Leslie and Lisa, Julie and Sam, Danielle and Marybeth, in addition to Jeannie and Kristine giving us six points and the team win. Speaking of the cammo-twins, Kristine was ON FIRE this week. Jeannie who is known for advancing the net like a rhino on the Serengeti, was heard giving the doubles' mantra YOURS!!! over and over to her ringahh-of-a-pahhtnah, who ran 'em down and ripped 'em back with a forceful panache that we love to watch. Kathy landed a backside bullseye tattoo that made everyone (even the recipient, Maureen, laugh). Ask Dorian to for a sound imitation - it's pretty good! More than well done, everyone...

Lastly, we tip our hats to our friends, the ladies of Cedardale White. Sharing a home-court advantage with you during inter club matches makes our Fridays, the match play, and the lunch to follow that much more fun. (Ashley - CWhite & MaryBeth - CGreen with some buffeters behind)

Cedardale vs. Woburn

Maybe the tennis gods are shining on us. Maybe we're starting to actually do what Vern tells us to do. Maybe Shawn's lucky socks are, well, lucky! Or maybe it's just clean livin', right Dorian? In any event, we RIPPED a huge team win on Friday taking six of the eight courts. Julie, alongside her new pahtnah, THE Sam Trapani of Georgetown, gave us some great tennis play and a game win to boot.

Dorian and I showed up in our matching inaugural leopard print half-zip pullovers and, while fighting off hoards of fashion papparazzi photogs, landed a two-set win. Props to Ann and Susan for putting up numbers against the Woburn partners who should be playing at least one level up. AND who's better than Lisa Brennan for showing up to cheer us on with an injured back????

Curt Schilling shoutouts to Liz who played with a foot injury and has the bloody sock (and winning stat) to prove it... Yikes! Indeed. Cedardale Green has earned a relaxing, chip-shot-filled team bye this week and evening out on the town next Tuesday. See you on the practice courts this Friday, ladies....

Calendar/Blackberry/IPhone Update

Thanks to our Party and Entertainment Director Julie Menenzes (why are they always named Julie???), we have a date to throw some protective tape around. Plan to meet on Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:00 at George's on Washington in Haverhill for libations (duh!) mixed with pro and player off-court conviviality. Secure your sitter, broker a deal, barter with your partner and leave hockey, hip replacement, cooking, kids, and work behind. Just come early, stay late, laugh and party with the women of A1 Cedardale Green....

Cedardale vs. Lynnfield

Wow. Clearly not the week for me to be out of town! Friday's match cannot and will not be written in narrative format. Suffice it to say that it's a bad time in my career path to field a slander lawsuit, and you know one would be comin' in like a train out of nowhere! SO, match play will be represented by a word list - a word list generated from some lively yet selectively censored team commentary. Here it is: Drama Queen, Roller Derby, Cat Fight, Hip Check, Wedgie (please, no more visual renderings are needed!), Protection Mode, Unitard, Cyclops, Dumbfounded, Dilly Dawdle, and (on a less descriptive and more directive note) Move On, F@##Y!! I think that just about sums it up...

Leggings with your tennis skirt?

Ok, Ladies. We need to know. Tennis fashion DO or DON'T even think about it??? Please cast your vote to the right.

Cedardale vs. Lexington

Ringing in the New Year following a four week hiatus that included three holidays, two snow storms, one formally declared State of Emergency icing, and a tri-state power outage are the women of Cedardale Green. We're up in the Northshore standings and ready to kick it large in 2009. Landing five game points and an overall team win against Lexington, Shawn and Liz reported clean calls and uber-sportsmanship on Court One. Jeannie and Kristine, our cammied-up duo, gave it 100% ripping full court play marked by phenomenal gets, body drops, net collisions, and tattoos. Partners Lisa and Betsey, Marybeth and Danielle, and Lisa and Leslie played brilliantly delivering a total of three game wins. Never-to-be-underestimated Julie and Patty, and Dorian and I put up what may well be our strongest numbers of the 08/09 run. Yup, 6-0, 6-0. Wink! Now, let's work to get the tennis desk not to banish us to that lousy lighting, fan rumbling, no-flashing-booth big bubble...

Cedardale vs. Northeast: This IS the Dawning of the...

December 5, 2008. Just in from Mystic Licari:

When the Moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then Venus will guide the Planets
And Cedardale Green guides the Stars...

Mystic Licari knows. She channels Miss Cleo and Nancy Reagan. "Only in America," right Vern? Ladies, from all indications it would appear that we ARE preparing for tennis ascension. Or a cookbook tour. The last message was a little blurry, which isn't really surprising given Cap'n's leanings toward the wacky tabacky, Grey Goose, and 1960s flashbacks. Either way, we've got the goods. Look, the week wasn't even close to a wash. We learned about Apache chieftains Cochise and Geronimo, how to make a transcendent all organic durum wheat (gluten free?) agave nectar pasta salad, how to fend off A1 Upper lunch-spread interlopers, AND Dorian and I ordered some really cool black leopard print jackets for our next match. Dorian maintains that we all must do our part in bringing sexy back, and no one, I mean no one, can disagree with that!!! So, whatever our individual or collective orb of influence is... let's find it. Personally, I'm a believer...