A glorious mini event

“Only mad dogs, Englishmen (and pétanque enthusiasts) go out in the midday sun.”

Yesterday in Oakmont, Santa Rosa, the temperature hovered between 90 and 95 degrees, but that didn’t stop some oddballs from indulging in their favorite game.

Midday was so hot that boules inadvertently left in the sun became too hot to handle and had to be cooled off with water. Yet, under the aegis of Mister Pétanque (aka Jean-Michel) a dozen sunstruck enthusiasts persisted in their spirited enterprise.

The master of ceremonies, grand priest Jean-Michel, led his congregation in this annual ritual. As he does every year, he organized a mini-tournament, complete with food, drinks, and prizes.

The first game was played before lunch, and the second after, when everyone was suitably blitzed to continue playing.

Around noon, we all gathered around a long table (in the shade) to enjoy the food brought by the guests. Everything was excellent, particularly a great fresh fruit salad that was wolfed down by the assembled guests.

Various drinks flowed freely, and conversations flourished. As tradition dictated, Jean-Michel led us in a spirited rendition of La Marseillaise, after which we returned to the playing field for another round of boules.

The heat was intense, and I am quite sure that everyone sweated off a few pounds. When it was finally over, we all retreated and collapsed in the blessed coolness of the host’s living room.

The master of ceremonies then handed out prizes to the crowd’s applause. The results were somewhat unexpected and particularly appreciated by the winners.

Thank you, Jean-Michel, for organizing this event and sharing your home with your partners in crime.

1st place: Alain & John
2nd place: Antoine & Pia
3rd place: Eva & Bernard
4th place: Jean-Michel & Tamara

Alain

PS: please watch pictures in “full screen” for maximum effect.

LPM Select Doubles

When I came to the Marin pétanque field yesterday morning, an old famous quote jumped to my mind: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”.

Khan, D’Angelo, Chan

And yesterday, was one of the coldest summer days I ever spent in Marin. But I came prepared and probably had the last laugh.

After a few days of oppressive heat, the contrast was shocking, for it was darn cold. And it stayed that way for most of the day except, for an hour or two of timid sunshine in the afternoon. It reverted to polar conditions after 5:00 pm when I had the good sense to leave.

As Christine Cragg wrote to me later:

“The returning fog and dropping temperatures began affecting shooting on both sides, but with Sonoma at 12 (I believe) and Fresno at 11, Sonoma was out of boules, and Fresno managed two points to take the win.  By then the sun was gone, the fog was trying to move back in, and I think Chan and I were the only two people who weren’t shivering from the cold.”

Twenty-two teams came to fight and fight they did. As a spectator, I tried my best to take some interesting pictures, but I am not sure that I succeeded. There is nothing harder than to be interesting and amusing. Just ask Donald.
Since I left relatively early (around 5:00 pm) Christine took all the pictures of all the winners and forwarded them to me.

Concours

First place: Kham Chounlamany / Chan Xiong
Second place: Hans Kurz / Erin McTaggart
Third place: Kevin Evoy / Sandra Shirkey

Consolante

First place:  Richard Bell / Lynn Bell
Second place: Krystal Pulsipher / Suzie Lee

Alain

PS: For best results, always watch pictures in full screen.

People-watching therapy

In our complex society, nearly everyone could benefit from some people-watching therapy. However, treatment can be expensive and out of reach for many people. Faced with this challenge, you have two choices: endure the problem or find a way to lessen your discomfort. Opting for the latter doesn’t have to be costly, but it will require some training to get the full benefit from the treatment.

Americans, unfortunately, are not a contemplative breed. They often prefer action over reflection, sometimes with unfortunate results. Personally, I lean towards the philosophy of “look before you leap.”

When troubled by an event, you can either sink into desperation or seek a viable alternative to your problem. My way of coping with the blues is to sit at a café and watch the people strolling by. With the proper training, this can be highly entertaining and therapeutic—and far superior to any numbing television fare.

The art of people-watching consists of making quick, candid assessments of passersby. Articulating freely thoughts that one would never say in polite society but might share with a like-minded wicked friend.

For instance, here comes a partially bald, pot-bellied elderly man sporting a ponytail. I generally like ponytails, but on this fellow, it doesn’t look very smart. Bald men don’t wear ponytails; it is like fat people wearing bikinis. Nevertheless, it’s still a free country, so enjoy the freedom before a more rigid dress code is imposed on us.

Here, is a chubby girl wearing very short shorts. On a slender person, this might look graceful, but on her, it looks grotesque. Sorry, young lady, but it’s best to dress according to your body type rather than what might look good on Kim Kardashian.

A group of cyclists clad in shiny, tight-fitting uniforms suddenly appears. They all look elderly, past sixty, walking slightly stooped like geriatric patients. They look silly but somehow praiseworthy.

A young woman tightly wrapped in black yoga pants shows up. Nice buns, likely eliciting jealous looks from less fortunate women, but pleasing to the eye. Always be thankful for what the gods gifted you… and yes, if you’ve got it, you’re allowed to display your wares.

Suddenly, a sexy-looking middle-aged woman with alluring, swaying curves floats by. Praise the Lord! Candy for the eyes and balm for the soul. Stimulating and well worth a front-row seat and a cup of coffee.

In conclusion, I guarantee that a regular session of people-watching is more beneficial and less costly than a single seance with any shrink. For the sake of your sanity, keep looking and laughing at people whoever they are, and whatever they are. When you stop laughing, it is too late.

Alain