Tennis, the loft, losses and gains

I love tennis - watching and playing, although it is some years since I picked up a racquet for a serious game. Wimbledon is a great passion and, a few years ao, I was lucky enough to be invited for a day of Centre Court magic - the Williams' sisters no less. Sitting today, watching the men's semi-finals I am tempted to search out my old racquets but then what? It is some years since the courts in our local park were grassed over. A few do remain - 3, I think but certainly not the run of courts where you could go to the park keeper's shed and pay for an hour or so of just knocking a ball back and forth over the net with the kids and have fun. No park keeper's shed anymore - no park keeper and no longer any kids around to drag along to the park - not that they ever needed any dragging.
The son came home last weekend with his delightful girlfriend and her son. We did talk about them taking up tennis again but I hadn't been thinking about myself at the time. I certainly couldn't run around as I used to but it is such an appealing sport and I used to be an OK, if basic, player. Some thought needed as to where and who with I think.
The aforementioned weekend visit had prompted a trip up into the loft to search for toys suitable for a 4 year old. A huge box of Lego was retrieved - some belonging to the son from many years ago and some belonging to me from even longer ago. Along with tennis I also love Lego - a great invention and something that would amuse the son, and me, for hours. I spied an old wooden castle/ fort up in the loft too but didn't bring that down this time - maybe for the next visit - it could be painted too - a project! I also came across a load of old crochet patterns belonging to my late great grandmother. I did want to post photos of these on this blog but still can't figure out how to do it again. Some gems - dates seem to have been 1950s and most seem to have been from Canada - maybe crochet was lbig over there in the 50s? Not many people I can ask about that nowadays.

It is a sad thought that there are so many questions that spring to mind that I would want to ask people who are no longer around. How many times have I said - I wish I had asked her/ him about that!! In the past month there has been the loss of the inspiration behind this blog. Someone close to me is no longer with us. The loss is painful but her pain was too great. The whole story may be one for a future blog when things are not so raw. As these things go, this one great loss is then put alongside the great gain of a lovely young woman and a 4 year old in my life. Life moves on.