Nathan's Insights

Well last night was an experience!   I got very little sleep as I couldn’t find my ear plugs.   Now Jason recorded the noises (snoring doesn’t do it justice) which created some funny moments later in the day.   Apparently one of the children got scared during the night! Anyway with only a few hours sleep I rolled out of my top bunk around 8 am.   My first match wasn’t until 10.30 am so there was no rush for me today.

I started with a bye in the first round of the D grade singles.   My form in singles is like the Melbourne Football Club, one year very good the next terrible.   Two years ago (last time here) I made a semi-final so I expected I’m in for a bad year this time. In the end I actually did win my first match 8-4 which really takes the pressure off later matches.   I did get to watch a few of my clubmates in other matches and I noticed Glen Hay in particular look good.   It turns out we play each other in the next round later in the afternoon. Between matches I walk around the town, and very nice place that has suffered a lot in recent times, from missing children, to fires and lately the drought.   The river behind the courts is basically dry and doesn’t run.   This is my 8th year up here and the first time I’ve seen this.

The climate is changing my friends.   I remember standing on a 5,000 year old glacier in Canada that will be gone in 20 years.   Go to a cold climate and see what is happening. Anyway my match with Glen started well enough I got the first game (after Glen asked me to serve – no one does that).   For the next 50 minutes I felt I was in most points but I couldn’t win the games.   It was only at 1-7 down I thought I was going to lose.   Now at this point my hand started hurting.   I had the beginnings of a blister in my left palm; it was a little painful at this stage but nothing more.

Obviously playing Wednesday night, Thursday for practise and today my body wasn’t used to the matches.   I ended up losing 1-8 and stated Glen was one of the best players to have beaten my in singles, most people didn’t believe me since he is only a social player, we’ll see. Now Good Friday means fish and chips night and a few beers around the fire.

Well the Easter holiday begins for me now.   Last night I played for my mixed B Reserve 2 team and we had another good victory.   I moved past Andrew with a great positive score but I’m sure that will be very short lived.   My left knee is still a little sore from a few weeks back, not enough to cause problems but still it shouldn’t be like that.   Probably due to my recent increased weight 😦 I stayed up at Attwood so my brother Reagan and I could head off more easily in the morning.

I took both the Thursday and Tuesday off work for this 6 day adventure (given workloads not easy to do).   Going up the day before Good Friday is always a great idea.   We stopped off at Benalla for lunch.   We talked about winning the lottery and how a first class world trip would be great present to all our family 🙂 We get out to Myrtleford around 2.30 pm after a 3 hour drive (not counting lunch).   Walking into the camping grounds it seemed like I hadn’t missed the last year.

I do miss the excitement of travelling last year but this should be nice and relaxing.   In the bunk house I ended up sharing with my brother Reagan and brother-in-law Jason.   My nephew Andrew wisely finds somewhere else to sleep.   He knows Reagan’s snoring very well (so do I since I bought ear plugs!).

Very surprisingly the courts were available for players to practise on.   Usually this only happens late in the day.   It was great catching up with club members, now that I live in the city I really on get to see players from my own team who are usually related to me anyway.   Tony got a good fire going and we all talked about life, tennis and footy.   The good life.

Well my progress (such as it is) for the Easter Myrtleford Tennis Tournament continues.   I’m currently a member of the Wednesday night Mixed Tennis team in B Reserve 2.   After this week we now have 4 wins and 1 loss and I’m feeling like I’m hitting the ball very well.

The match prior to this one I played only 3 hours after being knocked out at a hospital so they could do a gastroscopy.   I played as I felt well and I need the practise.   We had an interesting ‘incident’ during last night’s match.

My partner Sue become very upset the opposition would not replay what turned out to be the 2nd last point of our set.   While Sue was I believe correct after the match she didn’t shake hands and swear about the other female player (but not at her, it was a private conversation).

An opposition male player got upset about this and threatened to report her for the language.   I think that would have been a first, a male reporting a female for bad language, all the time I was thinking you should come down to the Men’s Comp!!   Anyway we won on a close night.

Now if only I could lose the festival spirit weight I gained 🙂

Each and every year since 1998 every Easter I go up to Myrtleford to play in their local tennis tournament but far more importantly to relax and catch up with friends.   Last year was an exception as I was in South Africa making a new friend in Inge.

The four days spent up there are usually a highlight of the year.   The first night (Thursday) people start arriving and usually we have a quick hit on the courts and say hi to the locals (they somehow remember you each year).   The first night people from my tennis club usually build a fire at our campsite and enjoy the night catch up and drinking a few beers.   The fire outside at that time of the year is great, with the weather just starting to get cold. The Friday is Single Matches day (a few Doubles matches late in the day).

At night being Good Friday all the families get together and have a big Fish ‘n’ Chips night.   Kids running everywhere, parents/adults enjoying themselves as we tell stories of our close and heroic losses 🙂

Saturday is when we get serious (well not really) as we start to get into our Double matches.   Some of our group go bike riding or hiking.   That night will usually have a BBQ and watch the Footy.   The younger ones in the group head out to the town looking for some parties.  Jacqueline Damien is famous for this!!

Sunday is Easter.   Some years we have hidden Easter Eggs for the kids.  One year bunny feet somehow were found around the campsite.   Some years a few adults join in the Easter Egg hunt and are seen with chocolate mouths later 🙂   Sunday is also the day when the fun Mixed Doubles start and we has a group have a formal night out for dinner somewhere.   Usually this is the best day.

Monday is the end, all the finals are played and for most of us who go knocked out we still get one Mixed match.   Trophies are handed out late in the day and most of us head back home talking all the way home about great matches, great times and great friends.

The clean air, wonderful locals and timeout from life make for a beautiful time.   I’m looking forward to it again.   So many people to see, so many stories to tell.   This is life! BTW My teammates (aka those who carry me) this years are: ‘D’ Singles – Me (so and early exit) ‘D’ Doubles – My brother Reagan ‘C’ Doubles – My nephew Andrew and ‘D’ Mixed – My good friend Catherine Coutts Watch out for photos and stories this year now that I have blog!!!