My New Vice, Dinner for Two, Blowing out

by Duf Anything and Everything

Yesterday my latest and greatest pickleball paddle arrived, the Diadem Vice.  I bought another Diadem paddle a couple months ago, the Warrior which is nice.  Kerri has been using that paddle and doing quite well with it.  I ordered the Vice the week or two before I left for PA.  In the meantime I have been using my Ben John’s Joola Hyperion which I also like.  Unfortunately the top right corner has a crack from a brief loss of control awhile back where I may or may not have smashed the paddle into the hard surface in frustration. It still  plays ok as far as I can tell.

The Vice uses a core material and construction that is not yet approved for tournament play.  Supposedly it offers a unique combination of power and control so I am very interested in seeing how it feels when we play today.  Of course I do realize that I am an average pickleball player at best, no paddle is going to dramatically elevate my game. Yet, it is fun trying out different higher end paddles to contrast and compare them, even at a 3.0 level. (only pickleball players will get that)

Last night Kerri again prepared dinner, despite the rumor that she doesn’t cook.  I got to help more this time, cleaning the shrimp before she made shrimp scampi.  She also donated one of her bottles of red wine to the cause which I appreciated.  I am finding that I actually am enjoying drinking red wine, at least with her. It takes less volume to get me feeling warm and relaxed than beer, which is a good thing.  Afterward we chilled and watched the Patriots/Bills game. Kerri is a Patriots fan….. yes, I know. It was a nice way to spend a Thursday evening, we both seem really to enjoy the others company.

I need to get hopping on some Christmas shopping soon.  With me being gone 5 days right before Christmas I feel like I need to have my ducks pretty lined up before I leave on the 17th. It feels like 31 days of December will be gone in a blink of my eye.  I need to pay similar focus to getting some things knocked out around the house this weekend in addition to putting the S22 back together, which is going to be a challenge.  Kerri and I will be hanging out as well.  We seem to be able to have fun in pretty much any environment.  I joked with her that even when we dumped heavy construction debris at the county landfill the other day it had a fun element to it, weird, but true.