Monday, August 25, 2025

Dinking Out Loud

 Pickleball is having its moment,


but 

before you dive into the pickle jar...

you might wanna

"dink about it a while.”


The ball bounces both ways as to 

the game's pluses and minuses.




Along with it being a 

social and competitive activity…

pickleball does have some funny words like...  

"Dink." 

And what’s funnier than  the word “dink?"

Well, maybe….

"whippersnapper" ... 

which is funny until 

you play against a 

real live whippersnapper...

like I did one day.    

Not only did this young whippersnapper

beat me..

 he whipped me...

playing with 

"one hand in his pocket"

the entire time.

no joke

Alanis Morissette style.

 


 There are also lots of 

corny t-shirts with captions like:  

"Dink Positive,"

"Dink Responsibly,"  

“I’m kind of a big dill on the pickleball court.”  

They can be super cute and 

pickle your funny bone 

or 

super annoying, 

depending on your mood. 





My favorite saying is the #1 pickleball rule…

"Stay out of the Kitchen.”  

PaulA likes to reminds me that does not apply to our kitchen.

(such an over seasoned kitchen joke)


Anywhooo…..


The minuses are definitely 

the injuries…

which are registering Kaching 

with Ortho Drs 

ca$hing in everywhere. 


There was one day…I took a spill...  

pickle clean up on aisle 5…

nothing major…slightly bruised knee and ego..…

but it was just enough that I got A LOT of attention.  

Maybe I was looking for attention.  

I have to admit…everyone ran over and wanted to help me.  

Did I need ice? Are you sure you are okay?

You know like in the scene from "Jerry McGuire"

 where Cuba Gooding's character is on the ground 

a minute too long...

yep, that was this dink.


Oh yea…


And then there was a time I was partners with a man …

well, not a life partner.  

PaulA is my life partner and he’s the best...

(and smart not to play pickle and risk injury to his golf game)

This man was a rando pickleball partner 

during drop-in open play 

who happened to be a 

big ball hog. 

So Mr. Big Ball Hog... 

jumped in front of me for a shot  

and almost knocked me to the ground, 

As I started to teeter topple over...

he grabbed me so I wouldn’t fall.

At the time it seemed like a good save, 

but I ended up 

with an aggravated sternum..

inflammation and pain,

for 3 weeks.

(Kaching for my Ortho Dr.)


Here’s my advice:   

get a good partner…

in life and in pickle.


So to sums things up…

when you take the fun you get from a dinking game 

plus

the amount of time you "stay out of the kitchen"

 it equals

a dill-lightful game...

minus

the injuries.


As for the corny pickleball puns…

you gotta 


“Learn to dill with it.”









Monday, June 2, 2025

Happy Early Birthday Brianna

 Happy early birthday wishes 

to this sweet gem.



This year we will be in Ireland on Brianna’s Birthday…

and I didn’t want the day to pass 

without a special bday shoutout to my sweet Wish.



I’m sure Bri would have liked celebrating 

in the land of rainbows and reverie

but this time

we will have to do a wee bit of

celebrating for her…

maybe with 

a Guinness or 

a Jameson …

her choice.


Bri will have no problem tho

celebrating states-side with her family...


and as far as rainbows go...

she's seen a few here

(and in Ireland) 




and lucky enough, 

she has her very own

squishy pot of gold.  



I have always known that 

"Brianna" in Gaelic means 

"strong one"...

(of course, I chose it.)

but I recently learned that it also meant

noble, exhalted and high....

….and lo and behold

Highland 

is her last name. 

There you go now. 






And how fitting that she and her fam live in 

Dorchester…

(with it’s significant Irish heritage)

making Griffin

OFD…

Originally from Dorchester...


and most possible

 OFD...

Officially Future Dunkin'




All the Irish connections aside...

“Brianna” in Hebrew means 

“Daughter of God.”  


I know that when I look out over the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher…

should they be visible …

I will thank God 

for the breathtaking cherub

he sent us.


Our sweet wish arrived, 

as if she had always belonged with us-

and somehow, she knew 

we'd been waiting for her. 


As sure as the rain falls in Galway…

Brianna had my heart and soul.


                                                            
                                             (My very own squishy Wishy pot of gold.) 
                                                      



Anywhooo……


I’m remembering a St. Patrick's Day celebration 

when Brianna was in the 4th grade.  

I made Bri 

a skirt, vest and bandana

with rockin' shamrocks

on an old Singer sewing machine that belonged to my mom.  

       matchy, matchy
(givin' vibes from the Sound of Music...
DIY curtain clothes scene) 
                                                       

What a sweet Bri-Lass she was to wear the ensemble.

 to school.  



If you could bottle Brianna….

Brianna would be a 

bottle of your finest Jameson…

best served 

neat…

as  Brianna is the 

neatest.

sweetest.

And


muy-est

happy-est.





So let's raise a glass 

to our Sweet Wishy Lass...




and toast her 

with some Irish wisdom

via her Healy roots in 

Ennistymon, County Clare. 


Sweet Lass, may you...


"Always remember where you came from, 

for that’s where your roots drink strength."


And most importantly...


“Should you find yourself in a drinking game

and someone sings "Danny Boy" 

with real emotion...

drink up.


***And bonus...

should they dramatically collapse to their knees...

everyone takes a shot and 

calls their mother.


Slainte, Sweet Wisssssssh

we love you.