The Piles of Bananas

What comes to mind when you think of tennis tournaments?
For me, it will always be bananas.
Players eat tons of bananas.
We get boxes of bananas every day at the tournament.
But some get a little too ripe so
I brought a whole bunch back home today!

I’ve been hooked on oatmeal lately
so I tried out banana oatmeal.
It was really good.
Next time I think I’m going to add raisins.
I also made banana bread
which was surprisingly simple to make!
I can’t believe I haven’t made this before.
There will be more banana bread in my life after this.

Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups  flour
3/4 cup  sugar
1 tsp  baking soda
2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 tsp  salt
1/2 cup  butter
2 1/3 cups  bananas (smashed)
Directions:
1.
 Set oven to 175℃ and grease the loaf pan.
2.
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt
in a big bowl.
In another bowl, mix the butter and sugar.
Add eggs and banana, and mix well.
3.
Add together the banana mix and flour mix
and blend together until moist.
Pour into the loaf pan.
4.
Bake in oven for 60-65 minutes until
a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
5.
Once done, keep in the loaf pan for 10 minutes.
Then take out of loaf pan and cool on rack.
That’s it!
*You can use more bananas if you want.

*I got my loaf pan at the 100yen shop
so they were kind of little and using two loaf pans
worked perfectly for this recipe.
(via allrecipes.com)

The Other Tennis Tournament

Fall is the season for tennis.
At least for me.
This time is the All Japan Tennis Tournament.
These stairs were brutal when
we were working here all week in college.
We actually taped our knees.
But now that I only go on the weekends
I’m pretty much there for support.
Oh the memories…

Our days are filled with umpires,
bananas, and score machines.
And also a great views
from the top floor of the colosseum.

The Tennis Tournament Finals

Today is the final day of Rakuten Open.
Kei Nishikori vs Milos Raonic
And this is what’s going on behind the scenes.

We were all so proud when Kei-kun won the tournament!
He’s the first Japanese player to win this tournament
and he ended up being youngest player to win
an ATP tour tournament this year.

I say this year will be my last every year.
But who knows.
I might be back again next year.
It’s an addiction.

The Tennis Tournament

“Tennis is an addiction that once it has truly hooked a man will not let him go.”
– Russell Lynes
That quote is so true.
It’s fall and here I am again.
It’s an addiction.

This year Andy Murray is here again.
He won the tournament last year
so he’s the reigning champion.
The tournament this weekend went smoothly.
We got to go home around 7pm
because all the matches ended early.
Most ended in just two sets.
Thank you tennis players for crushing your opponent.