(l to r) Paddy, Loren & Jules and our fenced off piste
The day was forecast to be drizzly, perhaps, in the morning, but very windy all day. Typical. It always either rains, or pours, on Carnival Day.
The car had been packed up the night before, so we set off early and arrived at the Kinecroft just before 9am to find Coach hard at work mowing our designated patch. A very good location - between the pub, The Coach and Horses, and the fairground and their refreshment stalls, right opposite the main arena. The main arena was to see the Carnival Parade when all the floats arrived, and then we were to be deafened by the Motor Cycle display, twice.
After L had finished mowing we put up the green barrier all round the pitch to keep people from walking across (they don't look where they are going, and with steel balls flying about - stray people on the piste were not wanted!). We put up the gazebo and spread out the table. Loren took the mower back home and went to have breakfast while G and T unpacked their breakfast and settled down to read the papers and wait for the first visitor to come and have a game. All the while the wind steadily picked up - it did not augur well for the day and it was impossible to read the paper.
At about 10.30 four people arrived to have a game, just as Loren got back. So Granma teamed up with Loren and Grampa Pix and his granddaughter teamed up. Daughter E and G played outside the roped off piste with the soft boules while T acted as 'umpire'. It turned out that playing on grass, albeit mowed very short, was a very different type of game. Demi-plombe was the way to go - deliver high and land hard was the key, otherwise the boules bounced all over the place, or rolled for long distances. But we soon got the hang of the new conditions and had a lot of fun.
Several people, walking through the Kinecroft, stopped to watch. After the Pixies had played P and his partner showed up, and we made a team of four. P turned out to be an absolute natural. He had never played before (except 2-ball bocce on the beach - he bought 2 bocce balls at a bootsale while on holiday) but was pointing like a pro! He and L won.
Three more members came in the afternoon to join in. At about 2.30 the carnival procession arrived accompanied by the Caledonian Pipe Band and very quickly the Kinecroft was full of people. The wind was dreadful, blustery with occasional severe gusts. One of which destroyed out gazebo! It was well anchored down, but one of the uprights just snapped. Despite that, games continued and 2 more members came ... and even drizzle did not stop play. We had a steady stream of visitors playing all afternoon. Only once was the cochonnet blown off course.
We signed up 2 players who will be coming to the Sports Park on Wednesday with a further 2 young girls very keen to join if they could - homework permitting. One of the new players wants to play in a tournament being held in Durban, South Africa, next year - he has never played before, so wants to learn everything and be a worthwhile player in time to take part. He says he will practice every day. We wish him success. And so, we finally took everything down at 5.00 as the wind picked up and the rain clouds rolled in, and went home, worn out, but very happy. A successful, enjoyable day. Thanks to everyone who took part.
More pics to follow
The car had been packed up the night before, so we set off early and arrived at the Kinecroft just before 9am to find Coach hard at work mowing our designated patch. A very good location - between the pub, The Coach and Horses, and the fairground and their refreshment stalls, right opposite the main arena. The main arena was to see the Carnival Parade when all the floats arrived, and then we were to be deafened by the Motor Cycle display, twice.
After L had finished mowing we put up the green barrier all round the pitch to keep people from walking across (they don't look where they are going, and with steel balls flying about - stray people on the piste were not wanted!). We put up the gazebo and spread out the table. Loren took the mower back home and went to have breakfast while G and T unpacked their breakfast and settled down to read the papers and wait for the first visitor to come and have a game. All the while the wind steadily picked up - it did not augur well for the day and it was impossible to read the paper.
At about 10.30 four people arrived to have a game, just as Loren got back. So Granma teamed up with Loren and Grampa Pix and his granddaughter teamed up. Daughter E and G played outside the roped off piste with the soft boules while T acted as 'umpire'. It turned out that playing on grass, albeit mowed very short, was a very different type of game. Demi-plombe was the way to go - deliver high and land hard was the key, otherwise the boules bounced all over the place, or rolled for long distances. But we soon got the hang of the new conditions and had a lot of fun.
Several people, walking through the Kinecroft, stopped to watch. After the Pixies had played P and his partner showed up, and we made a team of four. P turned out to be an absolute natural. He had never played before (except 2-ball bocce on the beach - he bought 2 bocce balls at a bootsale while on holiday) but was pointing like a pro! He and L won.
Three more members came in the afternoon to join in. At about 2.30 the carnival procession arrived accompanied by the Caledonian Pipe Band and very quickly the Kinecroft was full of people. The wind was dreadful, blustery with occasional severe gusts. One of which destroyed out gazebo! It was well anchored down, but one of the uprights just snapped. Despite that, games continued and 2 more members came ... and even drizzle did not stop play. We had a steady stream of visitors playing all afternoon. Only once was the cochonnet blown off course.
We signed up 2 players who will be coming to the Sports Park on Wednesday with a further 2 young girls very keen to join if they could - homework permitting. One of the new players wants to play in a tournament being held in Durban, South Africa, next year - he has never played before, so wants to learn everything and be a worthwhile player in time to take part. He says he will practice every day. We wish him success. And so, we finally took everything down at 5.00 as the wind picked up and the rain clouds rolled in, and went home, worn out, but very happy. A successful, enjoyable day. Thanks to everyone who took part.
More pics to follow
 Paddy delivers 'high' to land hard ... thus avoiding the bounce |  Loren watched the Caledonian Pipe Band leading the arriving floats |  One of the many floats |
