u/Dvae23

Mixed in some serve & volley and even chip & charge today. Just like in olden times. I guess nobody does this anymore? Still feels cool - if it works out. Chip & charge led to some improvisation at the net, as it often does. The drop volley was intended, honestly. The last point shows some defensive effort with my lighter body while my brother throws away his well-earned point.

Longer video: https://youtu.be/c4856S3IRjM

Die Mütze ist schon voller Haare vom langen Warten auf die Saison

Recently I saw a video posted here about beautiful drives in Iceland, so here is a compilation of mine from July 2025. I added screenshots from Google maps with the location before each part of the video. In the first one I was driving from Laugarvatn to the south coast. I don't remember where exactly this scenery was, so maybe someone knows. Next there's the approach to Sólheimajökull glacier. Then the drive towards Ólafsvík and back across the mountain range of Snæfellsnes. Finally Þingvellir, I drove towards the lakes.

As a German who is used to driving somewhat fast, I had an amazing time driving quite slowly in Iceland and soaking in the views. I was afraid of getting fined billions of Krona for speeding and having to work it off in a lava cave mining basalt for the rest of my life. So I always went very slowly, which didn't prevent a near crash (not on camera) with two sheep. That was on the gravel road to Viðgelmir, which is a lava cave. Hopefully I didn't slow down traffic too much.

I hit with my brother and my cousin today and the difference in timing and the bounce of the ball was tricky at times. Do you prefer hitting with the same player all or most of the time or do you prefer variety?

almost

Naina is very excited to see a fellow orange right outside the window. Her tail here is at its fluffiest yet. Disclaimer / empty promise: I will clean the windows when she has calmed down.

Not surprisingly it takes a little while to internalize that my body can move more after losing some 15kg by now. I'm also 51 now, so no rush please. Surprisingly it was the serve that felt most improved today. I managed to keep the left foot in place. It used to slide forward and for years I've had to set up 10cm behind the baseline to avoid a foot fault. Today my left foot stayed planted and it made for a more accurate serve. We managed some fun shots.

Naina enjoying her soft carpet. She gets scared momentarily by her tabby nemesis jumping off something in the background.

Not referring to softer strings, the 13kg were shed from my body through disciplined meal-skipping during the last 2 months or so. For the first time I could really feel the weight loss on the court. The resulting tennis wasn't really that different, but movement required less effort. After a long rally there was no worried look at the wristband, no need to play stationary tennis to recover. It's not a Wilson Defiler by the way, only my red Clash. And I like that one BH chip return I made against a really good serve by my brother. Who is coming off running the marathon in a triathlon relay last weekend, so hats off to him.

Glowing in the sun or showing her patented one-paw-out loaf, Naina always looks a bit sceptical

Nature has reclaimed this canal over time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Canal

A little bit of wind and clean contact is a thing of the past? Don't know how else to call this today than a tsitsipesque shank-fest.

It could be a very stressful French Open final for both players, who each might have the opportunity of a lifetime. So we took to the court before for some stress-free hitting and were rewarded. The Yannik Noah-esque elevation for the smash is my highlight. I also hit a couple of backhands very late but still somehow made them. Plus there's a very pretty volley and a very mean sideways slice.

Vielleicht kommen meine Rückenschmerzen auch manchmal daher.

My new red Wilson Clash is too gorgeous to throw on the ground, so I had to find another vent for my anger yesterday. Squeezed out my (probably) fastest serve in years from the old body. OK, mostly from the old arm. Temu Carlitos just walks over, he knows his Mpetshi Dvaerricard.

... scheint sich Nanni zu fragen

Yeah maybe he could have gotten to it. But he was tired and surprised, and so was I. Last shot of the day!

Aus irgendeinem Grund überkam mich der Drang, ein bekanntes Werk deutscher Dichtungsgeschichte zu Ehren meiner 2 Miezen zu verschandeln. Wer's wohl erkennt?

Bedecke meine Schüsseln, Dvae
Mit Trockenfutter
Und schaufle, Maulwurf gleich
Der Haufen häuft
Im Katzenklo, es riecht so schön
Musst mir mein Fell
Doch bürsten geh'n,
Und meinen Bauch,
Den du gern gekrault,
Und meinen Hals,
Um dessen Schnurren
Du mich beneidest.

Ich kenne nichts Ärmeres
Unter der Sonn' als euch Menschen!
Ihr nähret kümmerlich
Mit Futterdosen
Und Dosenöffnern
Meine Majestät
Und darbtet, wären
Nicht Hunde und Hamster
Anhängliche Toren.

Da ich ein Kätzchen war,
Schon wußte, dies Haus ist mein,
Kehrt' sich dein verirrtes Auge
Zur Mieze, ebenso sehr
Dein Ohr, zu hören mein Miauen,
Dein Herz ganz meins,
Dich, den Gelenkten, zu becharmen.

Wer half diir
Wider der Nager Übermut?
Wer rettete vom Kote dich,
Von Sauerei?
Hast du die Jagd denn selbst vollendet,
Eilig wütende Hatz?
Und wütetst, alt und lahm
Entkommen! Mausgestank!
Den Nagenden leer drohend?

Du mich ehren? Wen sonst?
Hat dich das Streicheln behindert
Je der Samtpfotigen?
Hast du das Schnurren gestillet
Je der Flauschigen?
Hat nicht mich zur Herrin geschmiedet
Die allmächtige Zeit
Und das ewige Schicksal,
Deine Herren und deine?

Wähntest du etwa,
Ich sollte dich leben lassen,
Das Miezlein spielen,
Weil nicht alle Kätzchenweltherrschaftsträume reiften?

Hier lieg ich, forme Katzen
Nach meinem Bilde,
Ein Geschlecht, das mir gleich sei,
Zu fressen, scheissen,
Schlafen und zu freuen sich,
Und dein nicht zu achten,
Wie ich!