Empress Ruth's 80th birthday surprise!

Empress Ruth, our role model for lively dedication and kindly disposition, celebrated her 80th birthday with family last week.

Empress Ruth celebrates!

A day or two after the Big Day, Empress Judy conspired to lure the Birthday Girl to her home for a surprise get-together with her Emerald Empire family.  As Empress Judy, Consort Bob, and Empress Ruth chatted on the Rosseth Royal Porch that spring-like February evening, the Empresses paraded, greeting cards in hand, from the neighboring home of Empress Kathy.  Ruth blew out the candle on her "cake"--actually a small round of brie, her favorite--and we toasted to her health and happiness.

Empresses Gail, Nancy, Brenda, Pat, Jeanne (back row); Empresses Judy, Kathy, Ruth, Nancy, Sue (front row).

Emerald Vs. Harbour Towne, redux

On February 7, the Empresses took on Harbour Towne in a home court rematch.  We mixed it up a little, so there's no telling exactly which team triumphed.  However, we had a lot of fun, and it looks like we'll be getting together to play again throughout the year.  Thank goodness some of the Empresses had leftovers from their Superbowl parties.  They made for swell post-play refreshments, as the snack bar closed for the evening.

Rendezvous for tennis friends, old and new

Fifteen Empresses met for a lovely luncheon at Famous Subs and Pizza on a Friday afternoon in January.   Empress Nancy coordinated the rendezvous, bringing together current and former female players of the Emerald Empire.  Some knew each other well, others were just getting acquainted.

Sharing pictures and stories, the group enjoyed memories of the good ol' days when there were dozens of doubles players.  The current crop of Empresses is smaller in number but equally as enthusiastic. A "get-acquainted bingo" game encouraged everyone to learn more about each other.  This revealed that no one there hits left-handed!

In honor of the event, Empress Gail created a tennis themed centerpiece.

Empress Gail created a centerpiece--or should we say "masterpiece"?

The gathering was so much fun that the Empresses resolved that it should be followed by another one soon, with the hope that the next event will include those who were unable to attend on this particular day.

"'Twas the day before Christmas...."

Four players appeared for Saturday morning mixed doubles on Christmas Eve Day 2011.  (Lucky Bob: the sole man on the court with three Empresses.) 

'Twas the day before Christmas

And there on the courts

Were four hardy souls

Engaged in their sport.

Though the weather was chill, 

Competition was hot:

They all knew the thrill

Of making that shot.

Is Empress Sue dreaming of a white Christmas?  A new racquet under the tree?  Or a beach at Hilton Head?

The players' red and green cars and attire, side by side, added a happy holiday air to the mostly empty parking lot.  Three Empresses pause before dashing away, all, to hang their stockings by the chimney with care.

And so 2011, the Year of the quick and nimble Rabbit, came to an end.  On to 2012, the Year of the Dragon.  Let us hope that, on the Courts of the Emerald Empire, it is not the Year of the Draggin'.

Party pals

The Empresses had warm weather for their first Wednesday women's doubles session of December. What a pleasure it was to not have to worry about earmuffs, gloves, tissues, and all the other usual accoutrements of winter play. Empress Kathy, tennis fashionista, was able to cavort in a stunning ensemble of sport tank and skirt in blue tones. We realized why a few of us had migrated from chillier regions. And one of us, Empress Lora, realized why she would like to migrate to a warmer region where temperatures would be in the 70s all the time. Of course we all discourage that thought, but no doubt visions of plumeria are still dancing in her head from her and her Consort's recent trip to Hawaii.

Unfortunately, the cool front moving in resulted in windy conditions, so some of our points were rather comical, with the ball carrying or stopping unpredictably, avoiding contact with an Empress racquet.  Nonetheless, with nine players in the rotation, we had lots of interesting games. We did miss Empress Pat and Empress Evelyn, though!

I should have realized that word of my birthday the previous day, and hence of my advancing age, had gotten around when, as my partner, Empress Lora kept offering to pick up the stray balls on our side of the court.  I think it had sunk in how really ancient I was becoming, and she feared for my health and safety--to say nothing of our chance at Victory!--if I were to bend over or stoop.  I had mentioned to Sue that my 57th birthday was upon me, in this context:  she asked if I'd decorated for the holidays yet, so I had to share my personal rule:  in our household, the Christmas Season doesn't officially begin until the Birthday Season is over at midnight on December 6th.

Little did I know that The Empresses of the Emerald Empire Holiday Potluck Luncheon on the 7th would serve to extend the birthday celebration.

How Empress Brenda managed to whack the ball for an hour and a half and then serenely, and sweat free, welcome us into her beautifully appointed home is beyond me.  Plus, she had been traveling abroad for weeks not so long ago! And still, so organized. She and Empress Lora were able to entertain us with tales of their travels.

What a feast we provided for ourselves.  Has any Empress been able to eat anything since then?

Who could resist Empress Kathy's Mexican dip?  You can tell we're trying to.

Empresses Gail, Ruth, Sue, Brenda, and Nancy are ready to dig in.

Empress Ruth's simple yet succulent cucumber canapes were such a hit that the recipe was requested multiple times.  In fact, Empress Judy volunteered to be a point person for distributing copies of the in-demand recipes for all of the dishes the Empresses provided to supplement the Enticing Enchiladas d'Empress baked by the host.

The table was lovely, set with Spode Christmas Tree china and red-and-green patterned napkins (that weren't "all matchy-matchy," as they say in House Beautiful) for a festive yet casual note.  

The sole indication of Empress Brenda's exertions as both athlete and hostess is that here, she seems to be ready to nap on Empress Ruth's shoulder. Afternoon sangria'll do that to ya.  No matter:  we were all revived by tea served in a genuine English teapot commemorating the recent royal wedding.

Empress Gail contributed my birthday cake--complete with trick candles! (Empress Lora probably assumed I was still winded from tennis when they didn't go out.) With all that  fruit, we thought we could indulge somewhat healthfully in dessert--until we learned that it also contains a stick and a half of butter, Southern style.  No wonder it's so good. 

Did Empress Gail make a so-called dump cake since she thought I'd be down in the dumps over another birthday? Far from it, with the fun of this occasion.

What a talented, attractive bunch of Empresses: Lora, Jeanne, Judy, Kathy, Sue, Nancy, Ruth, Brenda, and Gail.
(And, they can party.)

The group portrait and the other pictures are courtesy of Empress Judy, who is nimble enough to take the group picture and be in it, as well!

Thanks to all of the Empresses, and happy holidays!

Empress Gail's birthday surprise

This afternoon, after a splendid morning of doubles and Canadian doubles ("I'll be the Canadian" said one of the players headed for the singles side in the threesome), the Empresses re-grouped at Morgan's (where else in New Bern do people go for group luncheons?) to surprise one of their number who was celebrating, this very day, her own significant number.  A milestone birthday.  Falling somewhere between the 21st and the 75th.  Although this particular celebrant doesn't seem self-conscious about her age--and well she should not, with her fabulous energy and looks--far be it from This Writer to reveal a lady's age. Especially a Southern lady.

Empress Gail's consort, Sir Bruce, delivered her on schedule, as diabolically arranged with Empress Brenda.  The Birthday Empress appeared surprised and delighted to see the Empresses of the Court assembled and ready to party down in her honor. (We wished Empress Evelyn could have joined us, and sent healing thoughts her way for speedy recovery from eye surgery.)

A highlight of the occasion was a booklet designed and compiled by Empress Judy, with contributions from other Empresses. Illustrated with amusing portrayals of the Birthday Empress amid other impressive participants in her favorite sport, the booklet explains "the rules of tennis"--some genuine, some tongue-in-cheek.

On her ?XXXXX?th birthday, Empress Gail (right) receives a hand-crafted booklet from Empress Judy.

All of the Empresses, as exemplars of health and fitness, resisted dessert, but could not resist a farewell with "the Empress wave."

Empresses Sue, Ruth, Lora, Judy, Pat, Gail, Nancy, Brenda, Jeanne.

Happy birthday, Empress Gail!

Raining on the Empress' Parade

Hurricane Irene did a number on the courts of the Emerald Empire.  We're missing a net on Court 4 due to the weather.  And the net on Court 1 is still jerry-rigged.  So to speak.  "Skip rigged" is more like it.

And now, for the first time in weeks and weeks--hurricane days excluded--we're contending with wet weather.  We did play on Wednesday, the 21st.  Remarkably, three Empresses showed up with matching outfits:  pink tops and black shorts.  Empress Gail thought that this combination could be the official colors of the Empresses. What would The Emerald's management say about that?  Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera--not even an iphone--to capture the miraculous fashion moment.

In the course of play, we came up with two timeless rules.

Rule 36:  Move with your partner.  No, this doesn't mean that if your partner decides to live in Boca Raton, you too have to try to sell your place in Greenbrier. It means that as a shot pulls your partner to one side of the court or the other, it makes sense for you to sashay in that direction too, to cover the middle.  Some players recommend that doubles partners move toward the net and toward the baseline together, also.

Rule 41: Don't celebrate too soon.  One of the Empresses--okay, it was the enthusiastic Empress Gail--turned her back to the net to cheer and congratulate her partner on their team's brilliant performance. Unfortunately, the point wasn't over.  As good as the celebratory team's shot had been, Empress Judy (I believe) managed, against all odds, to return it--and scored.  So, another version of this rule is Yogi Berra's:  "It ain't over til it's over."

I'm not sure whether any Empresses went to mixed doubles on Saturday. It was a soggy morning with bands of rain scooting across the area, so I figured it would be a wash out.  It was so dreary, I couldn't even make myself get to the Farmers Market instead.

Let's hope it's sunny and cool with low humidity all this week.  Oh, wait a minute, I forgot:  we live in North Carolina.  We won't have that kind of weather until February.