We don't play Croquet as much as we used to. Maybe we're not as good at cheating as we were.
Back in the day, we'd have serious Summer competitions with medals, prizes, and championship titles.
Above in 1993, the teams comprised of two boys (The Wimpos), two mothers (The Mumblers), and two fathers (The Grand Cru). The Grand Cru won The Cup; of course.
It's a frustrating game (especially here), with tantrums, outrageous cheating, and losers who do nothing but complain.
The Croquet Lawn is ready, but whether or not it'll get any use this year is still being debated. I don't know how we'd get the hoops in the rock-hard ground anyway.
We play croquet from time to time although the 'lawn' is a bit lumpy. I'm always amazed at how vicious the game can be, not genteel at all.
ReplyDeleteHere it's mostly chaotic!
DeleteI would put the croquet game out when we have a large amount of company. It was always fun to play. Then we had an incident where a young boy started swinging the mallet around and was running after the girls trying to hit them. We put out the game Corn Hole out now since bean bags are less dangerous.
ReplyDeleteSmall boys and Croquet don't really mix. It's too slow for them, and their minds turn to 'warfare'.
DeleteI guess The Grand Cru were the cheaters. :)
ReplyDeleteGreetings Maria x
The most sucessful cheaters!
DeleteAside from the cheating, it must of course be played on unlevel grass. The more humps and bumps the better.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what we have.
DeleteLove those team names.
ReplyDeleteI have played croquet once, at the home of some of my english cousins. Croquet on the lawn, surrounded by english climbing roses and a jug of warm beer from the local for 'afters'. All very genteel and english.
No tantrums and cheating on our teams.
Sounds perfect; even the warm beer.
DeleteA popular game here but I have never played it.
ReplyDeleteIt's all good fun, and very frustrating.
DeleteWe had a set at our house, but never played. I often wonder what it is like to play and imagine a bit like Monopoly in terms of dirty tricks.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly know who your 'friends' are when playing.
DeleteOr who your 'family' are too, I expect.
DeleteI have heard that in the world, Australia does rather well at croquet. Perhaps it was once very popular. My paternal tradesman grandfather rented a house in a posh suburb to please his intellectual university music teacher wife (known to us as The Bolter), and it came with a croquet lawn.
ReplyDeleteIt has the reputation of being a game that one's Great Aunt used to play, but it's good fun.
DeleteWe have a horse shoe tournament at the cabin. It's lots of fun and everyone plays and we write rules as needed. Croquet might be a good addition.
ReplyDeleteCan you cheat at Horseshoe Hurling?
DeleteYes, you measure distance so of course. If you are challenged you switch to inches.
DeleteDevious!
DeleteI have only played the game once, couldn't get the ball through a single hoop without cheating. Have never played it again as my Mother brought me up never to cheat. Shall have to try it again using your strategies.
ReplyDeleteRemember; only cheat when your opponents are looking the other way.
DeleteMy Mum was a real fiend at croquet. She probably learnt quite young as a canon's daughter, big lawns and houses.
ReplyDeleteShe'd bash everyone off into the bushes as soon as she got the slightest glimpse of a roquet.
It's a bit like walking chess but goodness me it taught me about angles! Never helped me learn to play snooker though.
I suspect the cheating is nudge , nudge ...blatantly move :)