27 Comments
User's avatar
Mark Diacono's avatar

What a gorgeous read of family and Wimbledon Kāren! And because I have a reputation for being table to find anything online, I thought I'd go hunting and wonder is this the picture you mentioned?

https://media.gettyimages.com/id/613468200/fr/photo/the-romanian-tennis-player-ilie-natase-sitting-with-a-lines-man-to-the-amusement-of-the-crowd.jpg?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=uBIHGj8FXU0kiomf-2EmnVeiz2ekLhWV1f3gKod0LCY=

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Mark – you're brilliant! I tried searching for it but couldn't find it. This is definitely the moment, although I'm sure the one published in The Times was a picture taken from the front. Need to contact one of their archivists (if such people still exist) and see if I can track down the picture they published. THANK YOU

Expand full comment
Mark Diacono's avatar

I am almost entirely useless, but in a few inconsequential matters I am handy

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

laughing out loud... As IF!

Expand full comment
Ruth Goodman's avatar

I adored reading this- thank you so very much. I just loved the idea of your grandparents building a tennis court bigger than their house that they shared with others. Life lived like that seems to have waned. In the 70s we went on camping and caravanning holidays with a varied group of friends to quiet west Scotland beaches. We would all sit outside watching Wimbledon , on a black and white portable tv wired up to a car battery. Nastase was part of that time! Thank you again xx

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

I love that image of you all huddled round a b&w TV set wired to a car battery, while camping on the coast - tennis with a view. Fabulous!

Expand full comment
Jo Thompson's avatar

Oh my god I absolutely love this….

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

It’s the best, isn’t it?!

Expand full comment
Fiona Whittaker's avatar

Happy one year anniversary - it's been a year full of joyous things! I really enjoyed reading about your grandparents and your dad and the tennis connection - and I could smell that unwound tennis net and taste those cherries! Beautiful, evocative writing.

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Thank you for the ongoing support and encouragement!

Expand full comment
JP Clark's avatar

What a wonderful story Karen and congratulations on a year! X

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Thanks so much, JP. I'm hoping I can get permission from Getty to publish the image Mark found of the Nastase moment (the link is in the comments if you missed it). Priceless.

Expand full comment
Sound practice well-being's avatar

Loved the Wimbledon clips - thank you - and yes cherries trump strawberries any day of the week.

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

I love a good strawberry but 70% of the time they are disappointing, aren’t they? Bland, picked too early and flavourless. Raspberries and cherries are always a safer bet.

Expand full comment
Meredith Childress's avatar

I enjoyed your story about tennis. I've been watching tennis on TV for many years and Wimbledon is my favorite. I remember when ABC made an amazing introduction to the day and showed all kinds of interesting vignettes around the grounds. The music was stirring and the excitement was palpable. And I've had cherries this summer too. So delicious!

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

That programme sounds so interesting… I wonder if it’s still available somewhere? Or lost for ever in a dusty archive.

Expand full comment
Meredith Childress's avatar

That was probably in the 1990s so I would guess it's long gone! Sorry. Everything is so cut and dried these days.

Expand full comment
Jane Curran's avatar

K, this so made me smile! What great memories and a wonderful story. A delight x

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

So pleased you enjoyed it :)

Expand full comment
Lyn Nicholls's avatar

Ah I remember your Dad umpiring at Wimbledon!

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

The voice of authority!

Expand full comment
FFS's avatar

Happy anniversary! Always here for cherry content.

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Great to hear

Expand full comment
Claire Ruston's avatar

Well, this was a dose of pure loveliness.

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Thanks, Claire. Happy memories for a hot summer's day!

Expand full comment
Frances's avatar

Happy anniversary KB! xx

Expand full comment
Karen Barnes's avatar

Thanks, F x

Expand full comment