After a busy week at work, I have gone into the weekend being busy as well. I have had everything from having my hair done on Friday and ordering a new set of bowls, to lunching in town with my husband on Sunday.
I have worked in my greenhouse and I have played bowls. I have been out to a concert and then curled up on the couch to watch a very interesting programme based on a true story.
I think I need to go back to work tomorrow for a rest!!
The recurring theme of this post is bowls. Buying bowls and playing bowls. There are a number of reasons that I have decided that the time is right for me to start playing bowls. This is not my first foray into playing bowls. I last played approximately 36-37 years ago when my daughter was a baby. She used to come to bowls with me and was the darling of the club. Then I started working and I just haven’t had time to play bowls up till now.
I come from a bowling family, which I have probably said previously. There are at least six people in my family who have played bowls and I always thought I would get back to it one day. Now feels like a good time to do it. I have had my dodgy knee fixed and I feel that I am now up to the challenge of walking up and down the green for hours! It is surprisingly tiring. I said to my husband, “This is not a game for old people, it’s too knackering!” Then I remember that I could probably be considered an oldie by some!
So, Saturday saw me on the green again. Third time I have been down for a roll-up. I am thoroughly enjoying it. I get to meet new people and they are very welcoming. The season is winding down, so there are only a few more Saturdays left before it closes. In the gap between closing this season and starting a new one in September, I am looking at playing indoor bowls.
All of this is part of my plan to have a social network built up and so that I can get some enjoyable exercise. I have been open about my diagnosis from the start – as I am with everyone – and the people I have met have been very accepting. I figure if I start now and get to grips with how to play I will be better placed to adjust in the future if I need to tweak my style.
For years I have been custodian of my Dad’s old bowls and bowling bag. I have checked with family and no-one expressed a wish to have them. They are also too heavy for me, so that wasn’t an option for me to use them. So, rather than just letting them go to waste and gathering dust in my house, I have donated them to the club. I know that my Dad played for several years with Parkinson’s and he found a way to adapt his game as things changed for him. I’m sure he would be happy knowing that others get the chance to play bowls with his trusty set of bowls.
I am very much still learning this bowling lark. I have had lots of assurances from those I have played with that I am a good bowler. I must admit I did have some very good bowls on Saturday, but a few absolute shockers to balance things out and save me from thinking I am too good at this too soon!
Hopefully, those celestial bowlers from my family will be looking down and smiling – or grimacing at my duff shots – but at least there is someone carrying on the tradition.
So, I have ordered some beautiful new bowls. Of course, they have to be purple and also they have a logo that is a Viking boat – as a nod to my Danish heritage – so I can’t wait to get them and have a go.
Exciting!
My journey with Parkinsons 