Day 230

This weekend, I am playing in my first sand volleyball tournament since I was in college.

For the record, that was a long time ago...

I'm also playing quads (only 4 people on the court instead of 6) and with my husband (divorce alert). But it's for a great cause and great people so I figured what the hell.

Friends of ours are also playing in the tournament, and so we decided to get together yesterday and practice, since most of us had never played quads before. It was a great afternoon for it- not too sunny and we literally had our choice of courts to practice on.

Three hours later, I called uncle. All eight of us are the competitive type, so 3 games turned into 6, then 9. "Just one more" was the theme of the day. Eventually, we all slogged to our vehicles and went home to try and wash the sand out of every nook and cranny we have. And I mean every nook and cranny....

I went to bed first last night, but my husband joined me soon after. We laid there for a second, and I  halfheartedly threw a leg over his. "That's all I got, honey. Sorry".

"That's more than I can muster babe", he replied. We both smiled into the dark and immediately fell into an exhausted sleep.

This morning, we both rolled out of bed with a few moans and groans. My knees were especially screaming at me- squatting for three hours and falling on them numerous times to reach a ball had taken it's toll. We both pushed through and went to work, but I got a text about 9:30- "Very sore today".

"We are getting old", I replied.

"I know. We are grandparents now, remember?"

Thanks honey. I feel much better now.

Tonight I played on my normal Monday night team. When I arrived, I went to the court we were scheduled to play on and started watching the end of the current game being played. Out there was a team who's youngest player must have been in their upper fifties. Most of them had athletic tape or braces around every joint. Literally. But damn it they played pretty darn well. They couldn't chase crazy balls or drop to the ground, but their skills were solid and dead on. Even when they lost they had smiles on their faces and conversed pleasantly with the other team.

Suddenly, my knees didn't hurt so much any more.

I went out and played my hardest, but to be honest I was reaching pretty deep by the last game. We, of course, did not get to play the older team. We played a bunch of twenty-year olds who showed no mercy. And even though we technically lost 2 out of 3 games, I took pride in the fact that they were VERY close games and we definitely had them sweating. There were a few times I had to smile when we would block a spike or return a hard hit ball and they would just look surprised about it. That's right, folks, This Gigi still has a little giddy-up.

Tonight's pic represents the fact that age is what you make of it. You can choose to stay home and watch the world go by when you feel old and tired, or you can tape up your joints with athletic tape and keep on going, having fun and surprising others with your gumption and abilities.

Now I'm off to eat some Advil and put these weary bones to bed!