Wednesday 26 th October 2022…. Birthdays!!

 I like this post from a year ago today!!!

Tuesday 26 th October 2021......

Two birthday celebrations today......Carolyn my very special friend and tennis partner of over ten years was born this day...sadly Carolyn suddenly passed away almost two years ago, she was a remarkable and kind lady...

rest in peace Texas Belle!!

Also celebrating her birthday today is Ashley who is 22 years old!!

I have know Ashley’s Grandmother and Aunt for over twenty years and I first met Ashley when she was 12 years old, blonde and adorable and already a tennis superstar.

That day in Palm Springs her Mum, Pauline, asked me if I wanted to go down to the tennis courts and hit balls with Ashley.

Of course I jumped at the opportunity .....little did I know what I had just let myself in for!!!

The first surprise I had was that we had to run about 2 miles to the tennis facility .....Ashley waited for me to puff and pant my way to the courts.....then she smiles at me and tells me she has to skip rope before she goes on the court......I said no problem how many skips do you have to do......1000 she innocently told me.

So she pulls this skipping rope out of her tennis bag and starts to skip..she reminded me of Mohamed Ali....one foot ..two foot..cross over...she was finished before I got my breath back.

Next we go onto the courts.....now I have played all my life and consider myself a decent club player and know I can hit the ball hard and true....

So let me set the scene here.......there is me on one side of the court and at the other end this awesome athlete of a twelve year old, blonde, gorgeous and so shy...

We start to hit balls back and forth and I am doing well returning the balls and even getting a couple past her......

Been playing a few minutes when we both go to the net to pick up the balls and I casually say to Ashley that it must be an advantage playing left handed on the tennis circuit because of the spin generated.

I shall never forget what happened next...Ashley looks at me...smiles, shrugs and in a way only a 12 year old girl could......she tells me......wait for it.......it is really good.......

She says I am not left handed!!!!!!!!!!!

I look at her bemused and say but you are playing left handed...but even before the words had left my mouth I knew what she meant......she was playing left handed to take it easy on me!!

The Pearson stubbornness kicked in and I say ok go back and put the racket in your right hand I can handle it!!!

I should have known better, never got another ball back she was rocking the balls right and left past me......12 years old!!!!!!

Ten years later Ashley has completed five years of Pepperdine College and ranked the number one women’s college player in the USA...received a great education and has her whole life in front of her...but more importantly to me she is an amazing, dedicated and compassionate beautiful young woman....Happy Birthday!!

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Tuesday 25 th October 2022…life lessons!!

 Some things that need to be read!!

1. Question everything.
2. A happy wife, is a happy life.
3. Take responsibility for your life up to this point.
4. Believe in your ability to change your circumstances.
5. Trust your first instinct.
6. Want the good things in life, but don’t need the good things.
7. Don’t buy until you have the money in your account.
8. Never regret what has happened in the past, you can’t change it.
9. Always put your family first.
10. Don’t gossip.
11. If you haven’t used it in 6 months, give it to charity.
12. Make your peace with death when you are still healthy.
13. Believe in your own higher power, nobody else’s.
14. Practice the art of listening.
15. Help others without expecting anything in return.
16. Help yourself first, that way you have more capacity to help others.
17. Don’t get married under pressure.
18. Work for someone as a means to work for yourself.
19. Stay in touch with your family and friends.
20. Get angry with life when you feel the need, life can soak it up just fine.
21. Don’t compare your life to others, you are on a different path altogether.
22. Never settle for second best.
23. Prepare in advance for your own confidence.
24. Don’t give your power away by letting others dictate how you feel.
25. Stop trying to read everyone’s mind, it can’t be done.
26. Hug as much as you can.
27. Believe in the power of serendipity.
28. Get some sunshine every day.
29. Don’t spend half your life in bed, grab the life outside your head.
30. Study nature, it’s a gift waiting to be discovered.
31. Say ‘I Love You’ from the heart.
32. Cut down on your TV time.
33. Love your partner with everything you have, but don’t depend on them for anything.
34. Know your values in life and start living by them.
35. Learn to argue your point.
36. Always admit to your mistakes in life and look to rectify them.
37. Give everyone one chance.
38. Don’t tell everyone all your problems all the time, you just become a pain.
39. Never kill a spider.
40. Don’t be confined by rules, break them every once in a while.

Nice family photo whilst walking Frida this afternoon!!!

stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Monday 24 th October 2022….Hole in the road!!

 Tom’s Dad, Mark celebrated his birthday today, hope you had a great day!!

The story of the hole……

On Saturday evening when I came home I noticed right outside the garage door on the cobble street a little trickle of water was coming up from the cobbles and flowing down the street, it was a very small amount.

The next morning I saw it was still flowing so I called the water company and reported the leak, this was around 9.30am Sunday morning…

When I came home that evening nothing had changed and I went to bed….

Around 12.30 am this morning I hear voices and the sound of pick axes below my window and I got up and peeked outside and sure enough two guys were there with a pick axe digging up the road……

I managed to get to sleep and this morning at 8 am when I went out to walk to yoga, sorry I did not have my phone with me to take a picture, but there was a hole maybe three feet deep and about four feet in circumference right outside my garage door, no workmen anywhere and the hole was cordoned off with yellow tape.

Good job I was not needing the car as I could not get out…I was gone 70 minutes and when I came home the tape was gone and the hole was filled and the cobbles back in place and again no one in sight…..interesting way to do repairs!!!

I spent a nice hour on the roof relaxing…..

Then took Frida out and again saw this lovely horse outside the local market!!!

Another great English class tonight and everyone showed up and they are doing so well…

I like this…

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi

Sunday 23 rd October 2022…A day of rest!!

 A different kind of hike today found a really old little village out in the campo……

Some sunset photos from tonight…..

A shock whilst waiting at the traffic lights…seeing my car double!!!

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!

Saturday 22 nd October 2022….Lovely day!!

 my day started in the sunshine on the tennis courts with two hours of great tennis….

It then went and picked up my lovely young student Vanessa and we went for breakfast and our weekly chat, she is so smart and her English is very good and I always treat myself to a big breakfast!!

Then  I went and picked up the dogs and took them out into the country, so serene and they love being out there…

Now watching ladies tennis from Guadalajara, Mexico 🇲🇽!!

Stay safe and healthy!!

Yashi Kochi!