Sunday: Hotel Room No. 5 in Indian Wells

Yes, folks, you are not going to believe this, but I'm back in Indian Wells. This time I'm at the IW Resort Hotel, which is where Marcos stayed this week.

It's a long story, but I missed my turn to get the I-10. I got into Palm Springs, stopped at a gas station and got directions. This was having stopped at another gas station to get gas and to get some tape to tape the lens into my eyeglasses (long story there). But I had the Steve Urkel looking going there.

Finally, I got on the I-10, and was feeling better about things, when it started raining cats and dogs. I wasn't happy about that, but then traffic slowed down to 10 miles an hour. I turned on traffic news and discovered a truck had overturned on the freeway, and had slowed down traffic for miles.

At that point, I knew it would be hours before I got home, and with my taped glasses, the visibility was horrible. So I called Lopy, and he suggested I should stay another night. I called my husband, he was less thrilled with the idea, but at this point I wasn't feeling well, I knew I'd be on the road for hours.

After a few calls, I got a room at the IW Resort Hotel, which is a Motel 6 hotel compared to the other two. It's definitely the worst out of the 5 hotel rooms I had this week, but it does have the advantage of free internet which works. *lol*

I finally got back here after driving a total of 70 miles, and ending up back in the place where I began. I met up with Lopy for a quick dinner, but I was frustrated that I was not able to get home, and I think I'm just tired from about 2 and a half weeks of hecticness, between work and tennis. And after I got back here, I learned the rain I had run into had turned into snow, and that was causing even more troubles. I knew if I had run into snow at that point, it would have put me over the edge.

Anyway, I'm going to get up at 5:30 a.m. and head back during daylight hours. The weather should be better hopefully, and I'll get home at a reasonable hour.

And Bob and I got to spend a bit more time together. In fact, we figured this would start a little gossip with you all. We contemplated running away to Miami for the Nasdaq, but figured that we better pace outselves a bit more.

I was planning on leaving on Friday, but only stayed because Rafa was still in the event. I told Lopy today that it was such a great week. I said the only thing that would have made it better is if he had won. And Lopy said, "I think that would have been too much for us. We already lived through two difficult matches; a Federer final may have done us in." And I think he's right. For some reason, it's easier watching him play on TV, although not as much fun.

One more thing. As you know Tennis Warehouse is our major sponsor. They are wonderful to us, and they treat our site as a business, as shown by the new Pro Shop. But some of the people who post there make fun of me for being an old lady obsessed with Rafa. Little do they realize I was one of the youngest people in IW this week. But this week I did some blogging for the TW MB of non-Rafa matches and gave them some info. Last night, I was in a hurry, but I posted my notes from Rafa's press conference. I failed to take out the cookie references and to how cute Rafa looked during the conference. They don't seem to understand I'm writing this stuff for Rafa fans and not for them.

So they made fun of me, and one guy rudely stated that I'm 60 years old and on my period, which is a dangerous combination. Aside from being totally inaccurate, it says more about their obessesion about making fun of people than about my Rafa obsession.

I started a site for 16-year-old player because I thought he was going to be great, and that his career should be chronicled. Of course, I know a lot of about him because, as Lopy said, anyone who writes a biography about someone has to do a lot of research about that person as part of the job. They become an "expert" on that person. In essence, I'm Rafa's biographer -- I am chronicling his career (along with Nathalia), and we are doing for the benefit of his fans.

Rafa knows me. His management knows me, and has been complimentary of the site. Rafa is always very nice to me when he sees me, and I am respectful of his privacy when I'm at a tournament he attends. He appreciates what we do on this site, as he should, and if people have a problem with that, it is their problem, not mine.

Personally, I think the people who attack me are jealous that they aren't going to events and having the same opportunities that I have. Again, that's their problem, not mine. They could do this with the right motivation. There's no secret to it. I work very hard to make the money to travel to events, just as I work hard to make a nice site for his fans to enjoy. That I get one or two "vacations" a year to enjoy my hobby at an event is a real bonus, and I'm entitled to that. Just as others may choose to spend their vacations playing golf or going to Club Med. This is "my thing," and if Rafa has no problem with my being their to report on his matches and practices and such, I have no idea why others are concerned. Or why they have to say extremely rude things about someone they don't know and will never know.

As for older ladies "swooning" over Rafa, I'm not the only one. I met many grandmother types who were there just to see Nadal. The the lady volunteers in the press office just love Nadal and were talking about how cute he is. I met one lady -- much older than myself -- who flew in from New York just to see Rafa. Rafa is adored by women of all ages. I'm not the only one who thinks he's "very special" both on and off the court.

As Peter Bodo said in his blog recently, one thing about doing a blog is that you can say what you want. And I thought it was high time that I addressed the speculation about why I do this site. I just love tennis, and doing this site is one way I can support the sport and promote a guy who is great for the sport. Nothing more, nothing less. If I didn't do it, someone else would. My age is irrelevant, except to the extent that I'm now old enough that I have the income and time to enjoy my hobby at times. I certainly couldn't have come to IW if my children were 2 and 6. And I didn't have the money to do this when I was 20. Indeed, at age 20 I wouldn't have had the money to pay for the server and keep our photo albums on line.

I also enjoy going to events to meet up with other "tennis" friends. As you all know, I spent a great deal of time with Sarah, Claire and Cynthia, as well as Bob. I also did a lot of socializing in the media room with people I've met before. It's a lot of fun.

And as for being a huge Rafa fan, I'm one of thousands. And I'm no more rabid about Nadal than many fans are about Federer. The only difference is that I put my money where my mouth is and do something constructive to support the guy. And I certainly wouldn't put all this time, money and energy into the site if I didn't think he, and certainly his fans, were worth it.

Thanks again for visiting our blog this week. As Bob says, it was our pleasure to bring these Rafa moments to all of you, and we look forward to doing it again soon.

Susan xoxo