What a dump!

That's what I said to B when we arrived at his alma mater in London in 2004.  He had insisted we stay at London House, where he had lived as a graduate student when at the LSE on a scholarship.  Did I mention he was a brain?  Is. 

Rose-coloured glasses had clouded his memory of the residence he had enjoyed in the sixties, but at my age, it wasn't quite up-to-snuff.  Never mind, I grinned and bore it. 

We were there because in 2003, watching Wimbledon on TV, I said, "Next year we are going."  He was overjoyed.  Who cares about the money, I said.  "You need to go to Wimbledon."  And in 2004 we did.  That was the first year Federer won where, in the final against Andy Roddick, the match wasn't even close.  Regardless of the Roddick serve, Federer had an answer to everything.  Watching him this evening, he still has it....I hope.  At 32 a tennis player is pretty much finished, but Roger is proving that in the early rounds he may still have it (?).  I must say, however, some of the shots he missed this match he would not have in '04.  The legs aren't there, regardless of the intense training. 

"Are you sitting down?" the Tennis Canada woman had said to me in 2004 when I picked up the phone.  "Yes," I replied.  "You drew the men's final," she announced.  Whaaaaat!!??  That meant we had been given the privilege of purchasing $100 million tickets to the men's final that year at Wimbledon.  What a thrill it was.  When we arrived at the hallowed venue I thought I should sample a Pims.  What a hideous drink, way too sweet.  But what impressed me about Wimbledon were the ushers.  No rent-a-cops here.  All were young men and women from the Army, Navy and Air Force.  A couple of young women near us had clearly elbowed a couple too many Pims.  What happened?  They were quietly escorted to an unmarked car by an usher and driven away.  Perfect.

What else impressed me?  The adequate number of women's washrooms.  Amazing!

Watching Roger this evening I marvelled at his absolutely breathtaking one-handed backhand.  It is a thing of beauty.  Don't you hate that two-fisted version?  Might as well be playing baseball.  Ugly.

Pretty much glued during this tournament.