Carpe Diem John, Carpe Diem

Shelley: This tournament (PNB Paribas Tennis Tournament 2016) was amazing. Because of you volunteering, I’ve had the opportunity to see world class players such as John McEnroe,

emotionally delicate Canadian, Eugenie Bouchard. (To put it more succinctly, she was coo coo bananas)

Eugenie Bouchard

Venus Williams return to the tournament after 16 years,

Venus Williams

World number 1, Serena Williams,

Serena Williams

and on the men’s side, crowd favourite, Rafael Nadal,

Rafael Nadal

men’s doubles team,  American, Jack Sock and our Canadian boy, Vasek Pospisol,

Me and Vasek Pospisol after I had told him that I’d cried like a baby after watching his bio on TV.

France’s Monfils, who never showed his true colours until late in his semi-final match against Milos Raonic. He posed between points for a photographer. What????

Gael Monfils

And last but not least, my Superman, Canada’s very own Milos Ranoic. Although marmalized by Djokovic in the final, I am 100% confident that Milos will eventually win a major.

Milos Ranoic smiling

John: Thank you for using my very own made up word, “Marmalized.”

Shelley: You’re welcome. Meeting so many interesting people was definitely a bonus. Like the orthopedic surgeon, who gave me a free consult on my broken leg rehab.

“Swimming, walking and stretching are exactly what you need to rehab your ankle, but definitely not running.”

Whoops.

And what were the odds that I would end up sitting next to Paul Junger Witt?

Paul Witt with Susan Harris, (ZIMBIO)

I had no idea who he was. Can’t believe I blurted out,

“If you’re from Hollywood, you must be famous. Are you? Because if you are, you need to tell me right now as I need to brag to my kids that I met someone famous.”

Co-producing “The Golden Girls,””Soap”, “The Partridge Family” and “Dead Poets Society” to name a few, definitely makes him famous.

I’m glad I shared with him that Matthew (our son) went to film school. You know, finding common ground and all that, but I wish I’d have gone for it by asking him if he would be interested in producing a show about our RV’ing adventures. Sigh. Next year I’ll seize the day.

John: Are you saying this tournament is a do over?

Shelley: Absolutely.

John: Great. I wonder who we’ll give the free passes to?

Shelley: Me.

John: Shelley, volunteers don’t need passes.

Shelley: No. No. No. You misunderstand. Next year will be the same as this year; you volunteer. I do not. I use your passes.

John: That hardly seems fair.

Shelley: True, but I don’t want you to worry about it. I honestly don’t mind being the one to have to hunt down “Mr. Paul Witt, the producer” and pitch our television series about the RVing Smiths while you usher.

John: Thank you?

Shelley: Not a problem. Next year is all about Carpe diem John, carpe diem.

And heeeeres Johnny hard at work ushering.

Shelley and John