LADIES’ DOUBLES TOURNAMENT, TTN LA CONNER, WA

Thursday, September 2 - For this tournament, the women chose partners and played with that partner for the entire tournament. The format for this tournament was Double Elimination. Players were guaranteed two matches, but when you had lost two times you were out of the tournament! I did not have a partner for this Tournament, so I spent the day taking pictures.

Here is some of the action:



Sandy and Irene





Cheryl and Phyllis

Jeannette and Marilyn

Barbara and Jackie

Nikki and mother Kathy

Carol and Ione

Judy and Julie

Joann and Jettye

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Joanne and Jettye, 2nd Place

Carol and Ione, 1st Place

Judy and Julie, 3rd Place

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS!!

MIXED DOUBLES TOURNAMENT, TTN LA CONNER, WA

Friday, September 3 – There were 24 teams represented in the Mixed Doubles Tournament. The format was Double Elimination. Players were guaranteed two matches, but when you had lost two times you were out of the tournament! Ken and I showed up for the tournament, but that’s about as far as we got!!


We played two matches and scored only one point in each match. We were definitely outclassed!! But we looked good!!! Outfits coordinated and everything!!


Here is some of the action!!

Friends Dave and Barbara whom we had met in Orlando.


JoAnn, whom we just met this year, played with our friend Mike who came to TT Chesapeake Bay a couple of years ago.

This is our friend Chuck with Martin's wife Barbara.

New friends, Carroll and his wife Charlene.

This is good friend Ron playing with his friend Vi. He said she was a good tennis player but had not played Pickleball!! They did OK!!

Good friends Judy and Martin. They are Pickleball partners -- not married.

Long time friends and great players, Jettye and Bob.

Irene, whom we met this year, and "professional" player, John from Casa Grande, AZ.

Nikki, the daughter of our dear Canadian friends Kathy and Bryan, played with her husband, Brad. We just met the two young people this year.

Another couple we met this year, Julie and Chuck.

And another couple that is new to us, Gloria and Dave (I think they are married.).

Long time good friends, Cheryl and Steve. Really good together. Steve was always very good. Cheryl has really gotten her game together!! They cleaned our clock!!!

Another good friend Marilyn is playing with Gordon whom we met this year.

I think we knew Ed before. He is playing with Faith.

Brad and Jackie. We watched Brad grow up for several years here at LaConner. He has become a really good player. His mother Jackie is the one who ran all the tournaments, etc. THANK YOU, JACKIE!!!

Ron and Phyllis are another couple who are new to us. Good players.

Charles (Jackie's husband) and his partner, Barbara.

Flash Gordon and wife Jeannette are previous friends of ours.

Good friend, Ione and grandson, Colby.

In the playoffs for the Silver and Gold are AJ and Sandy.

Also in the Playoffs are good friends, Carol and Wendell. They are not married but often play Pickleball together!

THE WINNERS ARE:

Carol and Wendell, Silver; Sandy and AJ, Gold; Jettye and Bob, Bronze!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS AND TO THE OVERALL WINNERS.

It was a week of great tournaments and fun. THANK YOU JACKIE AND ALL YOUR HELPERS!!!

THE SAGA OF THE REFRIGERATOR COOLING UNIT ENDS WITH SUCCESS!

August 25 – You may remember a couple of weeks ago we went to Camping World in Rogers MN concerning our refrigerator cooling unit that had stopped cooling. Arrangements were made at that time to have a new cooling unit shipped to Camping World in Burlington, WA because we were going to be in that area for several weeks. An appointment was made at Camping World for today, August 25.

In the meantime, as shown on our Blog, we spent some enjoyable time at the Omak Stampede and a week at Thousand Trails Mount Vernon.

We just want to advise that Camping World in Burlington did replace the refrigerator cooling unit and took care of a few other tweaks. We left there on Thursday and checked into Thousand Trails La Conner, WA where we hoped to see some of our long-time friends.

FUN AT TT LA`CONNER, WA – NATIVE AMERICAN CLAM BAKE

August 26 – We checked into TT La Conner just before lunch time. Among the first friends to greet us were Mike and Jeannette who were headed to the Family Center where the Swinomish Community was putting on a Clam Bake – come on over!!

[As an explanation, TT La Conner is unique in the fact that the preserve land is leased from the Swimomish Indian Tribal Community. They have fishing rights from our shores as well as other privileges.]

Ken quickly connected the electric and pushed the button to get TracVision and we joined the Clam Bake.

This is the great buffet line with baked salmon, huge prawns, potatoes, salad, fruits and UUUMMM Fry Bread.


In addition to the buffet there were numerous trays of clams and mussels on each table!

Our group enjoying the occasion!!
Ken, Me, Jetty, Marge (her husband is hidden), Jeannette and Mike who invited us.

The Tribal Chief and the young man who coordinated the food for the event.

The Swinomish Tribe recently opened an Interpretive Center on Lone Tree peninsular. After the Clam Bake, our group visited the Center.

On the walls were many flyers explaining the Swinomish heritage, their dependence on fishing, and in particular, Salmon. I found this flyer particularly interesting. It contains the statement: “The Skagit River is the only river in the lower 48 to have wild runs of all 5 Salmon species [Chinook, Coho, Pink, Chum and Sockeye].”

Beautiful scenery going to Lone Tree! Note the huge drift wood (tree trunks).

What a delightful Clam Bake it was!! Thanks Mike and Jeannette for inviting us!!

FUN AT TT LA CONNER, WA – HAPPY HOUR EVERY AFTERNOON!!

August 26, 28 – While we were enjoying the Clam Bake, we discovered there was a Pickleball Happy Hour at 4 PM near the courts. We quickly finished setting up and headed to the Happy Hour.

This was a great opportunity to renew ole acquaintances!! Everywhere we turned there was someone else from our past. Unfortunately, there are only a few pictures –most of them seem to be of our good friend Peter!! It was so good to see him again! He is so funny!!!

Steve, Peter, and Ken


And Peter showing some leg for the picture!! This one's for you, Toni!!

And Peter and Chuck comparing Italian noses!!

As part of the Happy Hour fun, there was a Ladder Golf Tournament run by new friend Doug.

First Picture: Martin tosses as Jetty watches.
Second Picture: Chuck tries his hand as Sandy hopes he misses.
Third Picture: Doug kept the score tally and after the games the winners crowd around him to grab for prizes!!

At Saturday’s Happy Hour we practiced Bocce Ball for a Tournament tomorrow afternoon.
First Picture: Ken pitches the ball while team mate Barbara watches. Bruce and Jetty are the opponents.
Second Picture: Its Bruce’s turn with Jetty’s encouragement.
Third Picture: Now it’s Jetty’s turn.
Fourth Picture: My turn!!

Canadian friend, Jackie, is running the Pickleball Tournament next week. Her parents are here for a visit.

I was able to get this family picture!! Brad, Mother, Jackie, Father Jack.

A great time was had by all!! It's great to be back at La Conner!!

WASHINGTON BLACKBERRIES!!

August 28 – Everywhere you look in northwest Washington there are Blackberries!! We even have Blackberries all around our camp site.

Note the different shaped leaves in the fourth picture. Barb, are these the Marion Berries you were telling us about??


Ken has been dreaming having Blackberry Pie, Blackberry Cobbler, or anything else Blackberry. So, yesterday afternoon we picked a bunch of berries. Today, it was a family project to bake a Blackberry Pie!! I prepared the berries and Ken did the crust!! We agreed it was one of the most beautiful pies we have ever made.

The pie was beautiful, and topped with ice cream, it was delicious; however, it was probably the juiciest pie anyone has ever made!! It definitely needed more thickening!! It’s a good thing we did not invite anyone to share it with us!! We will have to try again!!

MEXICAN DINNER AT EL CAZADOR,BURLINGTON, WA

August 23 – We drove into Burlington this afternoon to take advantage of the Senior special at El Cazador is Restaurant-- One-half off all day Monday”. El Cazador is a very nice Mexican restaurant.

We discovered that the Senior special applied only to the Combination dinners. That was OK because we found a couple of Combination dinners that appealed to us.

I wondered why there were so few clients. I mean, the meal was very good. I did have a bit of a problem paying $6.95 for two Bud Lights. But what really got me was being charged $1.25 for sour cream for my Tostado!! I always though sour cream came with a Tostado. Anyway, I guess that’s the reason for lack of clientele – the prices of their beer and condiments!! I think we won’t be going back!

RAN INTO MORE FRIENDS AT THE WAL-MART PARKING LOT!

August 23 – After dinner we went to Wal-Mart for more ICE!! As we drove into the parking lot, Ken recognized a Vector motor home parked there with a Jeep in tow that had a “Mobile Windshield Chip Repair” sign on the roof. It had to be Steve and Cheryl!!! We last saw them at TT St. Clair, MI in July 2007. We made a quick U-Turn and knocked on their door!!


It was so much fun reminiscing with them, talking about mutual friends, and wondering who was coming up to TT LaConner for the Pickleball Rally and Tournament!!

We all laughed about their camping overnight in the Wal-Mart “campground”, right under the NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING ALLOWED sign!!! Steve said they had checked with Wal-Mart and were assured the regulation is not enforced.

We’ll be looking for them when we get to LaConner on Wednesday afternoon.