Tuesday 9 August 2011

On the Piste.... Again!!!

Bonjour tout les monde! You maybe forgiven for thinking that I am sitting on a tea chest whilst typing this.. Well a lot of things have happened since my last post.. some time ago (whoops!) but sorry to say that a house move is not one of them. Still sat here twiddling my thumbs and waiting for that elusive call to say.. someone would love to come and see your home! In the meantime life carries on and new pursuits have been practised... mainly that of the wonderful game of Boules.. or Petanque if you are particular about these things..

Having signed up, in a mad moment of impulse, for a Boules tournament to be held at the beginning of September .. I then had to gather a willing team of players from some eager but equally amateurish players. Bath is rather passionate about it's Boules tournaments and has held one here every summer for as many years as I can remember. Conveniently, there is a large Boules piste in one of the elegant squares in Bath. I have only ever been a spectator.. so to volunteer my non existent skills and experience of the game has been a sharp learning curve.. but an immensely enjoyable one at that!
A team was swiftly gathered under the name of Cowboys & Custard.. and every other day, weather permitting, we hone our skills (ha... hollow laughter ensues) on the local pistes as they are called.. with not a ski in sight!

To say that we are experts would be a long way from the truth.. but slowly and surely we are improving our technique.. i.e... keeping the balls on the piste rather than hurling them into oblivion!

Boules cannot be classified as a high impact sport.. but it is certainly a wonderful leisurely and sociable way to spend an hour or two.. followed by a spot of team bonding over a cup of tea and slice of cake or two... hardly a calorie burning exercise..

We still have three weeks to perfect our game and then we meet the big boys at the Biddestone Boules Tournament! A little nerve wracking as we will be playing some of the elite of the local Boules fraternity .. but it will be fun while it lasts. All that is left to do now .. is learn the rules!

10 comments:

KC'sCourt! said...

Tell me......are you playing Boules in Queens Square Bath?
Julie xxxxxxx

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Yes indeed we were Julie.. On any piste we can find!

OhSoVintage said...

Hi Michele, Hope you find a buyer for your home soon. My mother & stepfather put their house in Helston on the market 12 weeks ago but not one viewing. Did I ever reply to your comment about my linen press? You said it looked familiar. I wonder... I bought it from a man in Portsmouth if that's a clue. I keep going down to Cornwall (7 times since May) as mum had a stroke. She is now in Poldhu nursing home (was the hotel in our day). Beautiful setting and that view as you come round the corner and see the bay, totally unique.
Ruth x

THISNTHAT said...

Hi, Fingers crossed for your house sale. Meanwhile I hope that you have apres piste to enjoy!!
Lesley XX

Louise said...

Ooh, I would've thought vino would have gone with Boules better than tea and cake! Maybe best to lay off this tipple until after the tournament though! Glad to see you are finding time for some fun Michele, and good luck to team Cowboys & Custard. x

VintageWantsNotNeeds said...

Why do they call it on the piste is that because the French love their wine.
Good luck to your team with your tournement.

jen storer said...

Love it. I am transfixed. Keep us posted on your progress! jx

Karen said...

Thought you had been on a jolly to France when I saw your post. Looks like fun anyway to take your mind off
the lack of movement with the house. Hope you are having a good summer -been down to Dartmoor lately? Karen X

BusyLizzie said...

Thank you for your blog comment, you were very much missed in Portscatho. Good luck with the Boules.. we have the village croquet match this weekend.. could get violent!!! xxx

Lorraine Young Pottery said...

My father likes to tell me about how they play this game in Spain.
I adore your blog and am happy to say I have signed up as a follower!