Ping pong, or table tennis, if you want to be official, is just a wonderful sport. However, I never saw this game as a hobby that I would enjoy. I didn't even realize it was as popular as it is. So how did I end up with a ping pong table on my patio? Well, that's a long story. However, it isn't very interesting, so I'll give you the short version...
Shortly after the pandemic started, my father became ill (uncontrolled diabetes). He knew he was diabetic for years, but he decided not to take care of himself. I was basically headed down the same path. In May of 2020, he passed away and I made the decision not to renew the lease on the condo I was renting. I moved back "home" to help my mother, and also to save money as the pandemic severely damaged my online business.
My parent's home and property had not been very well kept up, and so I began to work on some of the outlying issues. One of my first projects was the yard. I did a general cleanup, planted grass, and then painted the patio. We have a large patio that is covered, and so I wanted to set it up so that the whole family could enjoy it. We live in Arizona, and the weather is just perfect throughout the winter months.
Long story short, I was able to set the place up so that it's a great area to hang out in. One evening my brother and I were talking about making the patio an even better place to spend our free time. I suggested that maybe we could get a billiards table. My brother is not a huge pool fan, and so he suggested a ping pong or air hockey table.
The idea knocked around my head for a couple of months and when neither of us mentioned it anymore, I figured it had just gone by the wayside. That is until my mother asked me what I would like for Christmas. I don't know what made me think of it, but I quickly blurted out "a ping pong table." My mother thought it was a great idea, and it made it easy for her because she could just purchase one item and that would cover Christmas shopping for both of her sons.
The ping pong table arrived via Amazon delivery on December 4, 2021. I like to remember that date because it was the day in which I discovered an amazing sport that I am sure has now developed into a lifelong passion!