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What's all this racket?


Guest Don R

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On a somewhat related note, a church friend of mine who got me back into the sport of tennis years ago has contracted severe dimentia and/or altzheimer, but knows I'm also a dedicated fisherman. So he asked me to help refresh his memory of casting so he could spend some time drowning worms at the Skokie Lagoon.

 

Took my spinning rod and reel over to attempt to teach him the trade, but his lack of short- term memory precluded him remembering the simple process. So two days ago, I took over the same rod with a spincasting reel attached which proved to be successful, so I bought him a Shakespeare rod and spincasting reel at BPS.

 

After playing tennis on Tuesday, I stopped by his house with the new purchase. Went back to the elevated deck behind his house to coach him in casting his new rod and reel. Having placed a large washer on the end of the line to facilitate practice casting, he cast the washer a good 40 feet out into the lawn . . . just a short distance from a male robin. As he slowly began to retreive the washer in short spurts through the long uncut grass, the robin eyed the washer and hopped in the same direction. One more jerk prompted another hop. Another jerk . . . another hop . . . keenly aware of the washer in the grass. Three or four more jerks followed by three or four more hops. Finally, the robin took one final lurch, pecked at the washer as if to capture it, found it of an unacceptable tecture, and flew off.

 

With that, I advised my friend that this only proved him to be a natural born fisherman . . . but he only had to change the target for his intended prey. After a few laughs following the incident, we continued with the casting lesson.

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Two nights ago I made a cast with my spinner bait at dusk. An owl swooped down from a tree and flew right toward (is it 'toward' or 'towards'?) me! Evidently owls like shiny things. I called out to the owl "dude, dude, I'm right here!" and it finally banked when it was about 5' away. Not sure why I yelled 'dude'. In hindsight I suppose if I had just stopped reeling the spinner would have sank and the owl would've given up its attack. I'll remember that for next time!

 

 

"Toward" is preferred. "Towards" is acceptable, but used more in England. Keep it simple; just use "toward".

There is, however, no option with the conjugation of "sink". It's "would have sunk", not "would have sank".

"sink" = present tense: "It sinks"

"sank" = past tense: "It sank"

"sunk" = perfect tense: "It has sunk" and "lt would have (should have, could have) sunk"

 

I'm happy to answer any grammar questions.

Ron Grand, the Grammar Man

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I'll add a fun fish story to Don's thigh jumping fish. I was maybe 14 and we had taken a small family vacation to the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. No idea where we were at (the p's would know). Anyway we were at down at a beach and I saw what seemed to be a decent size fish continually breaking the surface about 50-75 yards out. Being young, fearless and just not knowing any better I decided to try to wade out and try to see what it was. I got kind of close and then it disappeared. I was standing there looking around getting a little frustrated as I was pretty close and then no more surfacing. For some reason I looked down and there was the fish right next to me. I moved with lightning speed and the next thing you know I had a 24 inch coho or some sort salmon species in my hands. I managed to get it to shore and my parents ended up cooking it. I don't remember if I ate any but it was pretty cool catching it. It's mouth was pretty tore up. I assume someone hooked and it got off but was pretty darn worn out which allowed me to catch it.

 

I also chased down a rather large black/blue racer that weekend. Man those things can move! I don't know what I would have done with it had I caught it but it was all about the hunt back then. I guess it still is...

 

Ron,

Grammar question for you. For some reason we started calling Jewel food store Jewels. As in "I need to go to the Jewels to get some milk". Any idea on how that might have come about? :lol:

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I'll add a fun fish story to Don's thigh jumping fish. I was maybe 14 and we had taken a small family vacation to the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. No idea where we were at (the p's would know). Anyway we were at down at a beach and I saw what seemed to be a decent size fish continually breaking the surface about 50-75 yards out. Being young, fearless and just not knowing any better I decided to try to wade out and try to see what it was. I got kind of close and then it disappeared. I was standing there looking around getting a little frustrated as I was pretty close and then no more surfacing. For some reason I looked down and there was the fish right next to me. I moved with lightning speed and the next thing you know I had a 24 inch coho or some sort salmon species in my hands. I managed to get it to shore and my parents ended up cooking it. I don't remember if I ate any but it was pretty cool catching it. It's mouth was pretty tore up. I assume someone hooked and it got off but was pretty darn worn out which allowed me to catch it.

 

I also chased down a rather large black/blue racer that weekend. Man those things can move! I don't know what I would have done with it had I caught it but it was all about the hunt back then. I guess it still is...

 

Ron,

Grammar question for you. For some reason we started calling Jewel food store Jewels. As in "I need to go to the Jewels to get some milk". Any idea on how that might have come about? :lol:

 

Kevin, if you're getting milk from jewels, maybe you should try a cow instead. The last time I checked, only bulls have jewels, and that's the udder truth.

 

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I have a friend who intentionally says "the Jewels" in an ironic fashion and now his kids say it with no irony intended.

 

 

 

Steve,

we should wack some yellow balls some time.

 

Don,

Are you going to start the smallie noodling league?

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Thanks Ron! ;)

 

Steve,

 

What brand of racket do you use? What is your friend's name?

 

Jim K,

 

I never liked the word 'sunk'. It sounds too much like 'skunk'.

 

Don . . . friend's name is Doug; and the brand of my tennis racket is Wilson Sledge Hammer. Care to take me on sometime? Then again, you're younger . . . so perhaps you could spot me a set or two.

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I have a friend who intentionally says "the Jewels" in an ironic fashion and now his kids say it with no irony intended.

 

 

 

Steve,

we should wack some yellow balls some time.

 

Don,

Are you going to start the smallie noodling league?

 

Nick . . . perhaps you, Don and I could find another interested tennis player for a foursome. September or October would be ideal since I'm already playing in a league 2-3 times a week.

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Thanks anyway. I know this sounds crazy but I'd rather fish for smallies.

 

Don...who is no longer a member of the ITPA. That's the Illinois Tennis Players Alliance for those not in the know.

 

What nights do you play each week Steve?

 

Sunday AM with the Wilmette Racketeers Tennis League, Monday PM and Thursday PM.

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