Thursday 21 November 2013

The Riotous Oldies

It’s 1030 pm.  This, you understand is New Zealand 10.30 pm.  All self respecting 60+s are in bed and asleep.  I’m in a motel unit with three croquet ladies.  The next but one unit is occupied by another 4 croquet ladies.  This is the Veterans Tournament so all are over 60 and anyone in their 60s is probably on the young side.  But these are fit people able to play for 8 and 9 hours a day on their feet concentrating and walking many many kilometres during the day.

And in the evening they ‘relax’.  A small libation may be taken…..many times. A large libation or two as well perhaps.

So picture the scene.  A group of six or so an hour after everyone’s usual bedtime sitting in a unit making enough noise to keep the rest of the smart motel awake.  Croquet person turns up from another motel.  It’s his first ever croquet tournament tomorrow.  He’s forgotten his handicap card (golfers will understand). He’s come to see what he should do.  As if anyone can sort the problem at this hour of the evening.  But... he’s taken a sleeping tablet and is half asleep already.  It’s decided that he should be taken back to his motel.  He’s a teetotal, good-living retired methodist minister and he’s being shepherded down the hight street by an extremely ‘happy’ gang of veteran ladies (some in their night attire). 

Who says the over-sixties are dull.

Oh and by the way I retained my Veteran's  Association Croquet Handicap Singles title.  So I'm happy too.

26 comments:

  1. Oh, well done, GB! My only experience of croquet convinced me that it is part great fun and part very vicious...am I right?

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    1. Frances you are absolutely correct: a game of no holds barred and no quarter give.

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  2. Now I really know why you go venturing off to many of these croquet tournaments, it's for all the "after-game" evening get-togethers.
    That sounded like lots of fun and I'm glad that you're having a good time and winning more titles as well....Great Job!!

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    1. Virginia you've sussed out my reasons!

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  3. Congratulations.
    Are you sure it was a sleeping tablet? We have a Methodist Minister who has been defrocked for buying crack cocaine.

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    1. Adrian I've read your comment out to everyone and had a near riot with mirth. NZ ladies and oldies easily upset? I don't think so.....

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  4. Now you're almost making me wonder on what merits you retained your title. (The only participant staying sober, off sleeping pills, and not wandering the streets at night in their dressing gown?) Just teasing... ;-) I'm sure it was well deserved, and all the more considering you hardly get any croquet practice during the six months you spend back in Britain! Well done!

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    1. Don't just Monica. You may have hit the nail right on the head.

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  5. Congratulations Graham! All that good sleep must have worked in your favour :-)
    Hmm... something very odd on your blog tonight: some apparently random words are underlined, and when I click on them (they look like a hyperlink), they lead me to a blank page. Not only in the text of your post, but also in other people's comments. In your text, the words "half asleep" appear in green colour and double-underlined, for example. (And no, I have not taken any libations tonight, neither big nor small!)

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    1. "For the record": I can't see any of those problems with your blog that Meike is reporting. (No words underlined etc.)

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    2. I have now found out that it is some stupid addon that was automatically installed to my browser (Firefox) with the last update. I have not yet found out how to get rid of it.

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    3. I think you were right Meike. There so many addons and extensions it's sometimes very hard to keep up.

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  6. Hehehe, I can just picture the ensemble leading the sleepy fellow back to his motel. It was a great visual, lol.

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    1. Lisa I'm glas that I didn't se it. I'd probably have been put off for life.

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  7. Congratulations on winning the title. Also congratulations on being able to keep up with 5 or 6 women. And while I'm at it congratulations on being able to stay up past your bed time!

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    1. Thanks Red. Staying up past my bedtime has been easy. Keeping up wit the girls has been a darn sight harder!

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  8. Congratulartiona, GB! I raise a glass (and my hat) to you! :) xoxox

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    1. Thanks Carol. It's a long time since a lady raised her hat to me!

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  9. I had a good little chuckle at your story. Good on you for holding on to your title GB.

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    1. Thanks Carol. I wish I'd played as well today.

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  10. Well done in retaining your title! I must say you're causing me to reshape my ideas of croquet players. I always imagined it very genteel preferably with the players dressed in crinolines and tails and top hats respectively. (Still, oh, well, I suppose you're not THAT old)

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    1. Jenny whilst croquet still retains it's amateur roots it is a very ruthless sport. I shall do a short blog post soon on the subject. And no, I never lived (in this life anyway) in the age of crinolines!

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    1. Whilst I am not sure that the sites you appear to be advertising are in any way offensive I don't consider this to be an appropriate vehicle for the sites.

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