I woke this morning around 0500 after a horrible nightmare. I walked around for a bit and then went back to bed only to have an even worse nightmare. The odd thing is that I can't remember a single thing about the earlier one but I managed to reduce the later one to words and I can recall it even now. Instead of getting up at 0600 as I would usually have done once I was properly awake I lay for a while thinking about all the emails and blog posts (I've lots planned) and readings and so on I was going to do today having been involved in a tournament and up to 10 hours play a day for the last week or more.
For reasons I won't bore you with I wasn't able to do any of those things and so late this evening I am writing this before a relatively early night and an early start in the morning. I am off to Northland and my annual pilgrimage with Pauline. I will not be taking my laptop just my iPad and iPhone so there may not be any posts until next week after I get back.
I will leave you with a few photos from the tournament. They are strange folk these croquet people.
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Brilliant......I love seeing grown men drunk and rolling around. It should be an Olympic sport.
ReplyDeleteOh no Adrian how could you ever think that croquet people imbibe alcohol? Well not when playing! Well not actually on the lawns. Well not very often anyway. The real experts are the rugby chaps: they really know how to drink and roll around. Actually the toughest, most violent person I ever played 5-a-side against eventually changed sex and became a woman. Just thought I'd mention that.
DeleteStrange and dastardly sport indeed..... have a great trip :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Fi. All done and dusted now. Just got to do the posts to prove it.
DeleteOh maar wat is er mis mee een sport waarvan je genieten kunt.?
ReplyDeleteIk denk dat het een prachtige en plezierige sport, Nic.
DeleteStrange bedfellows indeed......smile.
ReplyDeleteWe'll miss you, but enjoy your tournament and return safely.
Er 'strange bedfellows' Virginia? I think not.
DeleteOne of these days I will find out what croquet is all about. All I know is what I learned from Alice in Wonderland, and I am sure that's not right!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your pilgrimage.
I can assure you Jenny that flamingos play no part in real croquet. There are different sorts of croquet too. I play Golf and Association. The pictures are from the end of an Association Match where the player is 'pegging out'.
DeleteThat lawn looks very green compared to other recent NZ views! (How does that man keep his trousers so white??) Good luck with your pilgrimage. Sounds almost abstemious, taking only two iThingys... ;) Bring home lots of photos!
ReplyDeleteOur greens are very green because we have no water use ban in Napier. I've brought home lots of photos Monica. I just have to do something with them now.
DeleteThese people may be strange but it looks like they have fun.
ReplyDeleteYes Red when you are pegging out (like the chap in the pictures) then it's fun because it means you've won the game (assuming you peg out successfully).
DeleteSorry to hear about your nightmares. I have bad dreams so rarely (maybe one in 10 years) that I remember them (or, rather, the feeling they leave me with) quite vividly.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the pilgrimage and come back safe and sound!
Thanks Meike. I had a really bountiful set of dreams and nightmares whilst I was away. One in 10 years! Bliss. I count myself lucky if I have only one in a night. Anyway I am back safe and sound, thanks.
DeleteDid that man move his ball? Is that allowed?
ReplyDeleteMarcel....who cares what barm pots do? It's like chess with balls. Don't question their motives or their tack ticks. They are nutters.
DeleteGraham setting hoops was the best but this comes a close second.
Ridding moss was just okay. I can see it got tangled in their balls and delightful though moss is it had to go.
This was almost as good as hoop setting......I loved it.
Allowed or not, doesn't matter, rolling around on the grass is what croquet is about.
I'd love to go and cheer. Be better than the Rugby it would or happen not.
Jings! Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed?
DeleteNowt wrong with rolling around on the grass, I seem to remember. I might even have seen one or two rugby players doing much the same.
Wowsers. Yes, you can move the ball in play around the ball from which you are taking croquet. Don't ask or I may explain and then you'd regret it.
DeleteI never played rugby but I agree that there's (or there never used to be when I was young) anything wrong with rolling around in the grass.
It's OK, thanks. That response is sufficiently detailed for my purposes, and may I say, commendably brief!
DeleteWishing you a super Northland trip and NO NIGHTMARES!
ReplyDeleteMorpheus didn't hear you Katherine. I wish he had. I still had a wonderful time, thanks.
DeleteI've never actually played crocuet but it sure looks fun. I wonder if I could get up again after the ground inspection. Have a great Easter.
ReplyDeleteIt's great fun Bill although in the US you play a slightly different form from the ones played internationally. I have to say that given the age of some croquet players and the number of hip and knee replacements involved I, too, am often surprised when people actually get up again.
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