Skittles At The Walkford

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Rain fell steadily all day today.

Shelly and Ron’s friends Pete and Maggie emigrated to Spain a year or two back. They have stayed with Jackie’s sister and brother-in-law for the last couple of weeks and are due to return home in two days time. The skittle alley in their local pub, The Walkford, was booked this afternoon for a gathering of all their friends, including us. Plentiful sandwiches, snacks, and cakes were provided and we could buy drinks from the bar. Which we did.

We also engaged in a skittles tournament in which the women beat the men, although Ron was the individual champion. Since the women’s prize was presented to Shelly, I think it was a fix. Mind you, Shelly did share out the chocolates. The final, killer, round was, appropriately won by Maggie, who received a bottle of wine to take back to Spain if it lasts that long.

Ron kept the score on the chalkboard; others took turns to do the sticking which is apparently the term for standing the skittles up again when they have been knocked down. Pete chose to take up his stance behind the pins. A glance at what the balls have done to the back board will reveal why he was at pains to keep his feet out of the way.

Back at home we were in need of no further sustenance.

53 comments

      1. Yes! 3 holes for the thumb & 2 fingers. When I was a kid my dad took us bowling & used his old college ball. He had gained some weight & the ball’s holes weren’t big enough. I can’t remember exactly what happened, but the picture in my head is of him horizontal in the air, arm extended, bowling ball still stuck on his hand.

  1. I never played Skittles, but is it legal for the women to have their feet over the white line? That’s a no-no in bowling.

  2. Looks great fun! I suppose someone needs to say that life isn’t all beer and skittles. And it may as well be me. Though, not having an original thought in my head, you’ve probably already had a comment to that effect, which has disappeared into the top of my PC monitor where I can’t see it … πŸ™‚

  3. No kidding! Those balls look like they pack a punch. Also, looks like you had a fabulous time!

  4. I’m no expert at all, honestly, first time hearing of it. Still I wouldn’t stand in that spot here the destroyed wall. Maybe if I were getting paid..maybe.

  5. Hi Derrick,
    I play walking football at Arnewood School with another 18 chaps. I am looking to book the skittle alley for us and our wives in late September, apparently I need to fill a form in. But I wondered if you played regularly, or in a league, and was therefore asking if you had a team that we could play against, for a laugh of course. Let me know if interested.
    Colin

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