Over the last 24 hours I have taken part in nine different sports. Well, I say sports. Some might not quite meet the strict definition. Here is a list, with progress report for each one. (Warning: if you find me writing about my sporting achievements uninteresting then you find this dull at best.)

• Target bowls. This is where you bowl, on an indoor bowling green, and have to land the bowl on a target. I am surprisingly good at this. I might take up bowling in my latter years. Our team won and we will get a t-shirt (each) as a prize.
• Ten-pin bowling. I am not really that good at this, but neither was anyone else. I gave CW some coaching tips and she used them to beat me in the second game.
• Volleyball. As a church youth worker in a past life I have organised quite a few volleyball games. This was great fun as none of us were particularly skilled. I think my team lost.
• Badminton. I am inept at badminton, but then I have only played about twice. I lost both my games, even when employing tactics. But I was much better than the last time. If you want to beat me hit the shuttle behind me, as I have not mastered the art of running backwards with a bat.
• Air hockey. Yes, OK, may not be a sport. Good fun. Noisy.
• American billiards. This is essentially pool, but it sounds grander. I beat CW – but then I had the hill and the wind behind me.
• Golf driving range. It is very satisfying to thwack fifty golf balls high into the air. I managed to get them 100 metres or more. Is that good? But then I did have a good raquet (6 iron).
• Archery. I am very bad at this. Last out of seven people.
• Pistol shooting. I find shooting very stressful and don’t enjoy it much because I have to concentrate very hard on the different steps – making sure the safety catch is on and off at the right moments, putting the bullet in the right end of the gun, that kind of thing. It takes me longer to shoot my 10 shots than anyone else. I did OK though – 66 points out of 100 maximum (the target above was my practice go I think). CW is way better – she won the ladies category yesterday.

Here ends the report. All good fun, and I am fortunate to have the chance to do all of these activities. I will give some details about where you can play all of these sports at some point, but not today as my blogging time is ended and I have to go and put on a sensible shirt.

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