This past weekend my good friend Dilys came to visit us. Dilys is another friend I met through Fielding. She started working there two years before I resigned and we got along immediately. Shortly after she started her job her profile was posted in Fielding’s Focus Magazine and when I read she had previously been employed at Claremont McKenna, where Adrienne went to college, I contacted her and over time a friendship formed that remains strong to this day and I have no doubt will remain so well into the future. One of the things I like about Dilys is her knowledge of other cultures. She grew up in South Africa and has traveled the world extensively. When I look at the people I am closest to they all have one thing in common: world travel and experiences in foreign lands, either by visitation or by actual living there. I always say that seeing the world and experiencing the richness in diversity it has to offer opens your mind and gives you a unique perspective on life. I truly believe that if every person had the chance to travel to and live in foreign countries extensively the world would be a better place!
Just in time for Dilys’s visit the temperatures rose and the smell of summer filled the air, and with the start of Daylight Savings Time, we got to enjoy the extra hour of daylight in the balmy evenings. Dilys arrived Saturday afternoon and after much catching up over wine, pasta, and caprese salad we finally watched “The Hurt Locker”. I can certainly understand why Kathryn Bigelow won the Oscar for Best Director but I also realize that this movie only touches on the reality our brave men and women in uniform face daily in war torn Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t need to experience the front lines personally to know that the reality an Army Bomb Squat Unit in combat faces is unimaginable to us civilians and that the men disposing of explosive devices are probably lucky enough if the bomb does not go off in their face let alone have time to put on a safety suit. But, having seen it I am glad this movie won Best Picture.
On Sunday we did what we do best: relax and read by the pool and we even went in for our first dip of the year. It is still cold and can only be enjoyed in moderation but soon enough it will be as warm as a bathtub and we will wish back the days of an ice bath. Since we had the extra daylight we went on a late afternoon/early evening hike. Unfortunately we found out only when we got to the trail head that the “Bump and Grind” (our favorite hike) is now closed to dogs because Big Horn Sheep have moved in and made it a sanctuary. It was a bummer but we hiked the Earl Henderson Trail instead which turned out to be perfect. This is my favorite time of year for hiking. The late afternoons are just the right temperature and the light is incredible, not to mention the feeling that summer is near. Of course “summer” also means that our hiking days are numbered.
The highlight of the long weekend came on Monday when Dilys and I went to Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open!
I used to play tennis as a teenager and young adult and my grandpa and I used to watch all the tennis greats on their way to their Grand Slam titles. When I moved to the States running definitely took a priority but I still love the sport and always like to watch a good game. We went to the courts where the players warm up before their actual matches and whom do we run into but the ranking Number 3 player in the world, Rafael Nadal, who is not only an amazing tennis player but really easy to look at as well. See for yourself:
We then ventured forth to Center Court…
…and watched the first game: Philip Kohlschreiber vs. Novak Djokovic
We then went on to watch a women’s double, which is always a lot of fun: Black/Huber vs. Amanmuradova/Kustova
After a very fast game we went back to Center Court for the day’s highlight: Rafael Nadal vs. Mario Ancic…
… a game that ended in a 6:2 6:2 win for Rafa and was one of the most amazing games I have seen! WOW!
We ended this amazing day on a good note with a long and leisurely Mexican dinner at our house with one of our neighbors.
A perfect ending to a perfect weekend!
Today’s Running Tip: Play Tennis!
Tennis is a great alternative to running and one of the best full body work outs you can get. In addition to excellent aerobic activity tennis requires alertness and technical thinking, something runners often lack as they go into their zone.
