One week to go!

Down the bowls club early this morning, all excited. No, not Opening Day, but the spring clean to get everything ready for the big day next Saturday.

Here I am running a mower over the green. One machine raked, I followed up with a rotary machine, cutting and picking up dead grass. Finally the 'proper' mower finished things off. Then I mowed the grass surrounding the green. Meanwhile there were about ten others tidying the shrubbery and cleaning the clubhouse. Did look tidy when all done.

Meanwhile my brothers were enjoying Scone Bowls Club Open Day. Yes, a whole week earlier than ours! This is even more significant since they're coming marauding over the border at the end of April to spend the weekend. And of course they'll be aiming to thrash me at anything and everything. Bowls is top of the menu. We're having a doubles match on the Saturday morning, me and Geoff reforming our 2013 bowls doubles runners up combo. Will give them a chance to get used to the green before the BIG MATCH on Sunday afternoon. A chance for me to establish McKinnie pole position after the last tussle described under 'The standard is set'.

Heard it mentioned half way through the morning that some players pop down to the green and have a practise before Opening Day. Asked the A team captain if that was so, to get an emphatic 'No' answer. So that squashes that idea!

Was a bit sad to hear one of the A team players had suffered a heart attack. Good news is he's OK. But heard at the last indoor bowls match another A team player is having an operation and will be out of action for six months. And three of the grounds team of four have all been to hospital this week for one thing or another. Suppose it's the kind of sad news that greets most bowls club members as they start a new outdoor season.