Thursday 16 July 2020

Evening Croquet.


                              Image may contain: one or more people, tree, grass, outdoor and nature

It was Bastille Day. Cro, two sons, and one grandson, fight it out on the Croquet Lawn.

The long shadows heralded the end of the day. It was cool, we'd just eaten a delicious leg of Lamb, and consumed a certain amount of wine; it was perfect for a game or two of Pall Mall.

The girls watched from the pavilion and took photos, as we complained about cheating, the run of the ball, or who had played out of turn. Nothing was too insignificant for our accusations.

It's the perfect game for a summer evening.

Then yesterday we had dull skies and a few drops of rain. As someone once said "What a difference a day makes". It was, of course, St Swithin's Day, which also meant it was Wills's birthday.

36 comments:

  1. Looks like a pleasant evening. I sent an email about five hours ago wishing him a belated Happy Birthday. Still getting muddled with the days after Lockdown.

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    Replies
    1. I will pass on your good wishes when he gets up. I think he's going back to Amsterdam today.

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  2. Croquet is a perfect summer thing to do! -Jenn

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    Replies
    1. We've played quite a lot this year, everyone has been very keen.

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  3. Apparently and Australian female croquet team do rather well in world competitions, but most here would not know what croquet is. My father's father once rented a house with a croquet lawn but I doubt it was ever used for the purpose.

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    1. I don't expect they'd think much of our Croquet Lawn.... too many lumps and bumps.

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  4. Europe and U.K. are much further ahead than us in New Zealand. The "boys" can travel freely over the borders whereas we have managed 14 day isolation.

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    1. Kimbo has even been back to the UK since his arrival here. He was away for two days, flew back, and simply carried on. He's just bought a house in Old Harlow.

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    2. Very nice, near Wicken Bonhunt.

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    3. Almost back to Saffron Walden.

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  5. I remember playing croquet with some of my English relatives. A very gentlemanly sport. I don't recall any tiffs or horrors, any cheating.
    Yours was much more of a 'friendly' family game with great hilarity. Sounds like the perfect summer celebration. It is wonderful to have a gathering of the clan.

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    Replies
    1. Sadly it's coming to an end. We partied hard last night, and I think they all leave today.

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  6. My husbands birthday as well ..... we had a little bit of rain ... let’s hope the 40 days of rain doesn’t follow !
    All sounds idyllic .... the French version of leather on willow !!! XXXX

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    Replies
    1. We had a few spots of rain in the morning but the evening was beautiful. Back to the 30's C on Saturday.

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  7. It gives me the opportunity to relate that I was, in 2007 in my home country for six months, playing as a New Zealander because I wasn't a member of the Scottish Croquet Association, the Scottish Golf Croquet Champion.

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    Replies
    1. I don't think any of us would ever reach such giddying heights. Congratulations!

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  8. Replies
    1. Not if you'd heard some of the language.

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  9. Croquet is one of the most ruthless and competitive game I've ever had the misfortune to play, with cheating being an essential part of it.

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    Replies
    1. As you say, a bit of inventive play helps a lot. Not really 'cheating', more constructive placement.

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    2. Tasker - couldn't agree with you more. We describe it as a 'delightfully malicious' sport.

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  10. We had to leave our set behind in France but we used to have many lively games when the children were over. There was never anything civilised or gentlemanly about our games!

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like here. Croquet was designed to be 'lively'.

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    2. Sounds as though our English rellies were on their best behaviour for visitors from the colonies

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  11. Frustratingly you failed to mention the result of the croquet match. Consequently, we must assume either that you didn't win, you are exceedingly modest or that a surfeit of wine caused you to forget.

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    Replies
    1. If I had won (as I usually do), I would have told you. It's my bad knee!

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  12. What a lovely normal summer scene.

    I often put the croquet game out when we had multiple guests. Even though I am sports handicapped, I am not absolutely horrible at that. Ah, the good old days when I had parties and saw people.

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    Replies
    1. We've had a wonderful few weeks. They're off tonight, so we'll be all alone by morning.

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  13. Conditions look perfect for croquet - and surely it is a game made for cheating.

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    Replies
    1. It's only the others who cheat... I wouldn't dream of it.

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  14. Fun and the boys are growing up.

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  15. And that's exactly how the game is played! Or was in my childhood.

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    Replies
    1. Even in the photo it looks as if we were arguing.

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