Participation and Precipitation

Last night we were kept awake by the Goods train coming past at 11:30pm - Rattling, honking, creaking, straining, sounding like it was coming along our street and then honking at every road it went over. It woke up Small who was not impressed.

This morning we all got up, got changed, had breakfast and were out of the house before 9am. We drove to our destination with ten minutes to spare, waved at Cog's mum who was sitting in the car in the car park. She was actually beckoning to us to come over as we were in the wrong place because the notes sent out were wrong! We had to drive ten minutes away in a different direction. We got there in time for Small to play his first game, except that his first game should have happened at 9am and not 9:35, as stated on the same letter that was sent to us directing us to the wrong place. So we had to forfeit our first game which is a little unfair as it wasn't the players fault (or their parents).

His first game was actually due at 10:45. They practised and warmed up for well over an hour and we found out that the next two games would be 11:30 and 2:15. WHAT?!?!?!? There was a bit of a mix-up. Lots of other players had hockey games planned for the afternoon and parents had left their kids, it was a mess.

Huffle and I played football with Smallest until Small's first game, when we set up our chairs and watched the 25 minutes of non-stop play. Small's team was up the other end so we couldn't shout to him but Huffle shouted plenty at the goal end. We won 8-0 and they played well considering it was their first game and they were only put together a week ago.

At the end of each game they lined up and did high fives whilst saying "good game" except they didn't have enough time so they just said "game!"

Then we had a 45 minutes gap so we all went off to Tim Horton's and had a bagel and a hot chocolate. I have to say that the hot Chocolate is the worst I have ever tasted. It was like drinking syrup it was that sweet. I can't drink their coffee as it is awful too. Next time I go in I will ask for a hot water - surely they can't get that wrong. It is an offence to tell a Canadian you don't like Tim Horton's, but apart from their bagels I haven't ever had anything good there.

While we were in there it started to rain, heavily. Once back at the ground we got our umbrellas, chairs and waterproofs. The footballers did some running around the pitch, passing and exercising and then were back on again at 12:30. It was bucketing down and we were getting very wet and cold. We still played football with Smallest and then watched he second game. We attempted to sit on the wrong side of the pitch and got sent away as only the coaches were allowed that side. We got to talk to some of the parents and met some new ones. Some of the parents were very vocal on the side and actually shouted things even though it was obvious they knew nothing about the game. Huffle said they thought they should shout something so just shouted anything for the sake of it!

The next game was a bit tougher for them but they got a 1-1 draw. We skyped Grandad and he watched some of the game with Huffle commentating. The man next to Huffle didn't know the game well and kept asking questions regarding the throw-ins etc.

They were allowed substitutions throughout the game and the subs were allowed on and off. Small never got subbed and you could tell he wanted to. The next game was supposed to be at 2:15 but one of the teams forfeited because they had other commitments (again unfair as the schedule was originally wrong) so we got pushed into a 1:30 game which we took.

We stood around talking and kicking the ball around until the next game. The rain was coming down really heavily. We set up our chairs again and watched the final game. This time we won 5-0. Small looked exhausted. During the last game, there were a couple of injuries. All the players, on both sides, knelt down on the ground and stayed there until the injury had been dealt with. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? Apparently, this is what they do here. It is because they want the other players to rest and so they all kneel down. How ridiculous is that? Can they not rest standing up. Honestly!

They did their whooops, hurrahs and high fives and then went to get their medals. As Small came towards us I said "turn over that medal, it better not say what I think it does!" He turned it over and it said PARTICIPANT. I am sure I will never get used to this participation business. What happened to good old fashioned competitiveness?

We came home and the heating went on, soup and jacket potatoes were cooked and Small went in a hot bath with Epsom salts. Huffle went off to the beer store for beer and coke and Smallest went on his maths programme.

All nicely warm and fed, Small did his Maths with Smallest watching and then we watched the end of Spider-Man. Huffle and I played three games of table tennis and I was hammered convincingly (Huffle edit) The boys went to bed. Small has been invited to go on a morning hike with the Cubs tomorrow but he is going to see how he feels after a sleep. Poor thing has tired legs.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR YESTERDAY BOY WONDER

 

 

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