Ping pong weather

ping pong table in backyard. This photo is from last year. Unfortunately there is a mega mansion being built blocking this mountain view.
This is the view of our ping pong table from last Spring. This year, a McMansion is being built blocking part of the mountain view! What were they thinking!!!

The weather is perfect for ping pong. We had the ping pong table folded up and stored away because our weather was wild this winter with tons of rain, wind and even snow.

Every time I thought the winter weather was over, I’d ask hubby to get the ping pong table out. Guess what happened? It would rain. It would pour. There’d be thunder and lightening.

So we’re a little late in the season for ping pong. But we started playing over the weekend.

We’re competitive with each other but silly, too. My husband commented yesterday that he only has fun if he wins. I guess when I win, he doesn’t view it as that much fun. I have fun regardless. That’s how we’re wired. I didn’t play competitive sports growing up, while he ran track, played football and wrestled. I golfed and skied and was out for recreation.

As for silly, when we first got the table, we immediately ran to our offices (separately) and began viewing youtubes on tricky serves. We laughed when we found out we were up to the same antics.

When it’s my serve, I bend at the waist and mimic Michael Phelps on the blocks doing his routine where he flaps his arms up and down — but I have a paddle in one hand. My objective is to get my husband laughing so hard he can’t return my serve. It still works!

Michael Phelps on the blocks.

It feels good to add a moments of playtime throughout the day.

This is the home being built that cuts into our view. It’s in a separate neighborhood than ours that has golf courses. We’re on the other side of the wall.

What do you do for fun to break up your work each day?

Fun times in the neighborhood

The entrance to our neighborhood.

In spite of my solar craziness that I wrote about HERE, I had some fun last week.

A friend who does the neighborhood newsletter with me, invited me to go to the driving range. I got a new five wood for my birthday and was anxious to try it out. It was a warmish day with blue skies and a slight breeze.

This is our second trip to a driving range in two weeks. The first time, I was so nervous I could barely hit the ball. I’m not sure why? Maybe it’s because it’s been since my knee surgery that I’ve golfed and I doubted I still could. I wrote about my golf adventures growing up HERE including racing golf carts in the woods.

I calmed down on my second trip. I hit some good shots and that’s what brings golfers back to play. I was smiling the rest of the day. We’re going to play a round of golf in the near future.

Saturday, we played pickleball on the tennis court which is two blocks from our house. We had to measure and lay down vinyl lines to make the tennis court pickleball-sized. Our neighbors had never played before, but they learned from Youtube videos and picked it up quickly.

My husband and I have only played a few times, but we had fun hitting and chasing after balls. We’ll try to get out a few times a week. It is fun to play.

I guess that’s why I had fun this week. I played! Playing is joyful.

I found an article about the benefits of adult playtime. Here’s an excerpt:

Play helps:

Relieve stress. Play is fun and can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Improve brain function. Playing chess, completing puzzles, or pursuing other fun activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function. The social interaction of playing with family and friends can also help ward off stress and depression.

Stimulate the mind and boost creativity. Young children often learn best when they are playing—a principle that applies to adults, as well. You’ll learn a new task better when it’s fun and you’re in a relaxed and playful mood. Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and solve problems.

Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others. Play doesn’t have to include a specific activity; it can also be a state of mind. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up in stressful situations, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business relationships.

Keep you feeling young and energetic. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Play can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease, helping you function at your best.

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm

What are your thoughts about playing? What do you enjoy playing that makes you happy?