Sunday 8th April 2012…Happy Easter!!!

This is two days posts into one blog!!!

So the drive this morning was a good one I went through Palm Springs which is the home of thousands on wind generators

and it was all Interstate driving till I reached the quaint town in the desert La Quinta!!!

Stella’s other daughter Caron has a condo here and I am allowed to park in the huge parking lot…so Ramona is happy again…no tickets tonight!!

I saw Caron by the pool and it is has been at least three years since I have seen her and then her sister Pauline who I met for the first time and of course the reason for this visit Pauline's beautiful 12 year old daughter Ashley!!!

With in two minutes Ash and I were like long best friends and playing Marco Polo in the pool… she is an incredible and gifted young lady!!!

Ashley is the tennis wunderkid and is here in California for three months undergoing intensive training and competitions and her first game is tomorrow morning at 8.30am!!

With her blue key chain she became an automatic Canadian Citizen.

The thrill for me was to go watch Ashley train and her and I took off running to the tennis facility…….it only took me 25 minutes to recuperate.  Here Ashley merely jumped rope a 1000 times!!!

Then the big thrill as I was allowed to hit some balls with her!!!

My expression is saying get that one back kiddo!!!!

Her expression

with a smile on her face is saying…is that all you have old man!!!!

It was such a joy and honor to be on the court with her and Stella seems pretty proud too!!!

I like this photo below of the three generations!!!!

Stella, Caron and Ashley!!!

After a shower we all had supper and a great conversation and I got a glimpse in a small way of what it means to be a child star, the parent of a child star and the dedication all round and the cost both in time and money!!!

Ashley is a very bright kid, extremely mature and I have not seen her real skills on the court yet but she is a fine young lady!!!

Well after that long work out I slept really well and by 7.45 am we all ready to head up to the courts, well Stella and Caron..Ashley and her Mum were already there!!!

So now it is Sunday afternoon and I am back sat outside the library and the morning was one for the memory banks.

Ashley’s first game was against a 14 year old girl who is ranked No.7 in the USA!!!!

Ashley lost the first set 6-3 but came on strong and won the second set by a score of 6- 2 and third set was just awesome to watch and Ashley prevailed for a huge upset to win 6-4!!!

It was a privilege for me to be here and watch I have seen some incredible live sporting events in  my life and this ranks right up there with them.  Just as important in my mind is not only Ashley’s tennis prowess but her demeanor, her attitude and her maturity…let me give you an example….after the first two sets they get a break of 10 minutes and Ashley spent a little while with her coach but as she walks back to the court she passed by me she came and gave me a hug and said….”Thanks for coming to watch me play”   For sure a Kleenex moment!!!!

So there is now a break till 2.45pm when she plays a doubles game and her next singles match is tomorrow afternoon cannot wait!!!

 

Happy Easter and Yashi Kochi!!!