A Blast from the Past--A Blast of 39 Years

Way, way back in 1969 I signed my first teaching contract.  In addition to having a classroom of 4th graders I agreed to be the assist football coach and assist basketball ball coach.  Henry Brenner was the football coach and basketball coach.  I had LIMITED signing skills and Henry was deaf.  For the next 8 years I worked with Henry.  The football team was cancelled in the fall of 1970 but I continued helping with basketball.  I coached the grade team and took over MANY jobs for Henry with the HS team.  Driving the team bus, being the score keeper, calling in scores were a few of the things I did.  During that time we had Steve Blehm who still holds the record in North Dakota for points scored in HS basketball.  In one district tournament game he scored 85 points which included 34 free throws, pulled down 30+ rebounds and of course was the deciding factor in winning the game.
We moved from Devils Lake in the fall of 1977 and I had not seen Henry since.  He and his wife Jo-Ann now spend winters in Naples.  Terry and I enjoyed dinner with them last Tuesday.  Henry retired in 1992 but he still keeps up with many of the staff and students from the past.  It was great fun to catch up and see Henry and Jo-Ann again.  I don't think I have ever seen such a diverse couple. He is deaf, she is hearing, she is Catholic, he is Jewish and as one can see she is blond and he is dark!  They now spend most of their time in Fargo ND even though they are both from Rhode Island and drove back there every summer for many years.  Henry was a very gifted athletic in his young days on the east coast.
One more tennis match in league and then we are finished for the season.  It has been a season that started with high hopes and is finishing with much disappointments.  Really it is hard to know WHY one can be disappointed when you can get out on the court and play in nice warm weather BUT I did have expectations and hopes of finishing in the top half of the league and from where we are now I can hardly see the top half!  BUT we are not on the bottom.  I did not expect that 3 of my top 4 players would miss 16 of 27 matches or 59%.  It is difficult to win like that. Another factor is experience.  Our team is rated a 2.5 team which is really supposed to be players who are learning the game yet.  Well many players we are matched up against perhaps are on that level but are old now and can not move that well.  However, if you have played tennis for 20+ years you can make a lot more shots than someone who is learning the game.  THAT IS MY STORY AND I AM STICKING TO IT!!!
Our cool winter weather has disappeared and we are now playing and biking in temps that are in the 80's. Terry and I played a bit yesterday afternoon and it was hot on the court.
I have been able to read several books this winter which has been fun.  I just finished The Nightingale which was a good read about WWII.
I woke up at 4 am this morning but if I wake up at the same time tomorrow it will be 5 am, how about that.  I do remember some funny stories about the time change.
It is too early for FP, I may lie down on the couch and see if I can catch some zz's yet.