Tennis comes to the homestead, on a shiny green table

Mommy got her dream yesterday:  a ping-pong table in the basement, as our family "gift to ourselves" for this Christmas (arriving just in time, no less, by the Russian Orthodox calendar, which is the one that matters to us).  She likes to bring wholesome Connecticut activities from her own childhood to our less structured nordic hangout, and this is a definite milestone.

Tonight, we had our first game:  Daniel and Ian vs. Daddy.  Attorney Ian and I spent some time working out the rules.  His rules of ping-pong are not like any I've heard before, but of course, they were the binding regulations for our match.  Daniel kept telling us to stop talking and play, as much out of character for himself as Ian's rule-setting was for Ian.

Outcome:  The boys won, 10 to 9.   Youth and exuberance will always beat old age and treachery.

(January 7-8, 2014)