Balls-a-Flying

Ted and Bill Drawing Up a Game Plan

With two bocce ball sets and two side-by-side matches, balls were flying. Bruce, hobbled by injury, refereed. Ted and Bill were the ultimate champions, having taken a match each from Ron and Dolores and from Gunter and Jack. Leslie made up the entire fan club. Being an attorney, however, his allegiance shifted from toss to toss. What a guy!

Jigsaw Table - A Southern Exposure

The jigsaw puzzle is coming along nicely. Another week or so and we will be ready for a hard one! 

Holding Down the Conversation Pit

See you all next week!

Another Full House

We initiated three new members into the gang this morning. Rod came all the way from Downtown Abacoa and Ron and Nancy from New Jersey. (where else?) Ron has been retired all of two weeks. It was cold, in the low 50's, and Ron shows up in a polo shirt and short pants! Give him a year and he will be shopping Macy’s for a Perry Como sweater and warm fuzzy socks to go along with his sandals!

This is one tough jigsaw puzzle! The pieces are all the same small size, shape and colors. Nobody seems to know from where it came. There are a few dark rumors however. Even Donna with her master points in jigsawing abandoned the table for the conversation pit.

And Gunther, Rod and Charlie stepped right up to the challenge. Did they get anywhere? Nah, not so much. Give them credit for trying though.

It seems Ron has played bocce before. He and Bruce embarrassed Mark and Jack 11 – 3, after giving up the first three points. They then strung Rod and Charlie along to a 10 – 10 tie before putting them away with only seconds left on the clock. Bruce was mumbling something about playing for money next week.  Wild Bill, you ask? He kibitzed while resting on his laurels.

We will have two bocce ball sets with two matches going at once next week. The winners can play the winners and the losers can play the losers. Jack is excited about the possibility of vying for the ultimate looser designation.

Have a good week.  See you all next Monday!

Full House

We packed them in today. Gang members from all over Tuscany showed out. Pat was back in town and CJ and Charley came for the first time. Both will be back. Funny thing about Charlie, his name is really Morris. Why then Charlie? He worked for the MTA! 

Both Lyona and Adele made significant additions to the jigsaw puzzle, then tooted their own horns. Barbara, Ruthye and Sue completed the varsity jigsaw squad. Donna was still missing in action.

Gunther was on fire! He and Ted taught Charlie and Bruce a thing or two about bocce (11-4 trouncing). They then ran into Wild Bill who in spite of having to drag Jack along, squeaked out an 11 - 9 victory over the champs. Playoff next week!

Many goodies, two types of coffee and lotsa laughter. Ruthye gave us our "word for the day" - the technical name for the leaf blower. It was good to get Sue and Leslie back in the fold. Ruth Ann, we missed you. Nancy and Joe too.

See y'all next week!

Brrrrr! Winter finally arrived in Tuscany . . .

and the clubhouse gang showed out in their finest sweaters, jackets and (gasp) long pants.  

It was a frigid 58 degrees, much too cold to play bocce outdoors so we huddled inside. Some of us solved the financial problems of the day while the jigsaw-puzzle contingent sang a round or two of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah."  Who says retirees don't know how to have fun?

Stay warm. See you next Monday!