We’re due on the boules pitch again on Monday (19th) so hope to see many of you there at 10.15am behind the library.    Open to all to give it a try.

As an aside, may I say thank you to all those who were able to respond to my plea for help to set up and put away tables at the last meeting.    It was a great help.    If you can continue to do so for future meetings it would be most welcome.

Ken

A cool morning, just right for a game of boules and seven of us thought so too.   A few minutes late in starting as players straggled in.   

There were just a couple of us of the masculine gender so we decided on mixed teams - A and B.     A team started the first end but with so many close calls only managed one point.  Team B then equalised and then won 3 more ends by one point each.   By the end of game 6 the score was 2 - 4 in B’s favour.

A team bounced back with a couple of 2s before B crept ahead in a whole series of single points and then a 2 but by the 18th end the As had taken the lead by one point, being 12 - 11, so all to play for.

But it was B team that triumphed by next scoring that all important 2 points making them today’s worthy winners.      One of the longest games we’ve  played. 

Low scoring on each individual end as opponent’s  boules landed so close to each other so many times causing much measuring throughout.     Skill or luck? You decide. 

More fun to be had in two weeks time (19th) so why not join us then?

Ken

 Although a very damp and unpromising morning today it still didn’t deter 7 enthusiastic people from their fortnightly fix of petanque.    Two teams, consisting of 4 ladies and 3 gents, were soon underway chasing the cochon (jack). 

Ladies took the first end by one point which the gents equalised on the next but couldn’t rest on their laurels as the ladies roared back by scoring 9 points over the following 6 ends.    There were several times when very close measuring came into play and the boules were bouncing and smashing all over the place.    There were some amazingly placed boules but whether by luck or judgment we can’t determine but I expect the individuals concerned would plump for the former.

Anyway, by the close of the 16th end we were on 12 points each.    A nail-biting situation with all to play for and concentration took over from general chatter.    Leadership of the final end changed several times but it was the gents who won that all important single point making them the over-all winners.    AND , by this time, the sun was shining brightly causing some discarding of coats and jackets.

Thanks again to those who played today.    Join us for the next scheduled game in two weeks ( 5th August) at 10.15am on the pitch behind the library.  It’s all very light-hearted.    Make a note of the date NOW as I may not be able to send a reminder as usual. 

Ken

It was raining this morning so at 9.45am I started ringing around the usual players to cancel today’s game.    Nobody answered my calls so left messages.    Nevertheless, we went to the pitch in case anybody turned up and was delighted to find 3 members waiting for us.    The rain had stopped so we decided to carry on.   

We made two teams of 3 ladies and 2 gents and commenced play with the ladies kicking off and gents took the first end with one point with the ladies retaliating  with a good 2 on end two before another male member joined us.  Gents then took the upper hand scoring 1, 1, 3 and 1 before the ladies managed a further 2 making the scores 4 to 9.   

Amazingly, the gents then scored a SIX giving them the magic 13 points to win and so we then had time for a second game. 

Ladies started again with each team scoring 1 point each.  Scores were repeated on ends 3 and 4 making 2 points all.  The following two ends were won by the ladies with 1 point in each but the gents caught up with 2 points which was then duplicated by the ladies.    On the final 3 ends the gents won with 2, 3 and 4 points respectively giving them the winning total of 13 for the second time.

The rain held back throughout so it was a worthwhile morning of play.    My thanks to all those optimistic members who came along to play today.    Why not join them when we next play on the 22nd?        Ken.

 A sunny and very warm day greeted our members on the pitch today.    Dividing into 2 obvious teams of 4, Ladies and Laddies, the Ladies started the game but lost the first 3 ends by 1, 2 and 3 respectively but gained 2 points on the 4th end.   

It was nice to have a quick chat with three other members who passed by during the morning, Frank, Ray and June. 

On the 5th end Laddies gained a further 2 points. Then the following 4 ends ping-ponged with two threes to Ladies and a 1 and a 3 to their opponents making a running total of

8 - 12 in favour of the Laddies. 

There had been several close calls and much measuring throughout but it was then time for that final end in which the Laddies scored just the 1 point to declare them the winners with the magic 13.

Another good morning spent with friends.  Why not come along in a fortnight (8th July) at 10.15am on the pitch behind the library?

Ken. 

 A spitty-spotty morning today so who will turn up to play?    Six enthusiastic players, that’s who.   

 So, two teams of three and the first to pitch was called Team A (naturally) who took the first end by one point.    Team B stepped up to the mark and scored an equaliser followed by a further 1 on the next. 

 After ten ends we were even with 7 points each, so all to play for.  The final four ends gave the first two to Team B scoring 2 twice but Team A came roaring through with two fantastic scores of 3 winning the game by 13 - 11.      Well done!

An enjoyable hour with friends to start our week with many laughs included as always and mostly at ourselves.  Come and join us if you can on Bank Holiday Monday (27th) at 10.15am on the pitch behind the library.

 Bright day but quite windy when we met yesterday but we were reasonably sheltered between the back of the library and the car park hedge.    Decided to have mixed teams this time so called ourselves A and B.

As early as the third boule being pitched there was a very close call and some tricky measurements had to be employed to determine whose boule was the closer to the cochon (jack).  Team B scored a 2 and a 3 before Team A managed to gain their first 2 but we reached the 10th end all square with 9 points apiece.  The final two ends were taken by Team A with a 3 and a 1 respectively which scored them the magic winning total of 13.        Well done!

The game took a little longer than usual - just over the hour - probably because a lot more measuring was involved and needed.  Some very exciting moments at times. 

Join us for more fun on Monday week (13th) at 10.15am in the same spot for some more oohs and aahs. 

Ken