Cricket

The boys have enjoyed another cricket session out in the sunshine and breezes today. They had a county player as a guest coach. The girls and I passed the hours in the play area again. I took a note book and Ia did some drawings of some of the wildflowers that we saw. Then she drew the playground equipment too. Still not many players turning up. The coach blames the people of the local area for not caring.
Last week the boys played their first cricket match. H took them along and to his surprise found himself umpiring. The coach spent the whole of their batting innings in the changing room helping the boys put on the pads etc. It was a quick succession of costume changes, as the wickets rapidly fell. R had a turn at batting first. J was to come out next, but getting the protective gear on took time, so he was delayed getting out of the pavilion. When he finally managed to waddle onto the pitch, Michelin man style, the opposing team cried foul, complaining that the same player had been sent out for a second time. Twins. The boys team was utterly thrashed, by boys mostly twice their size. But the memories live on as legends.
We’ve started a compost bin, which is home to lots of slugs and woodlice now. Of course the boys have exploited this opportunity to terrify their little sisters by carrying them down the garden and threatening to put them in the composter with the slugs. We really don’t mean to disturb the evening calm of the neighbourhood with high pitched screams, especially as the other nearby family of girly shriekers appears to have gone on holiday.
Nala is still being intimidated by the neighbour’s cats. They come up close and wait there until she shrinks, cowering away.
I’ve also been decorating. The boys tastefully chose ivory coloured paint for their room, after pre-moving ideas about black, car wallpaper etc, they were surprisingly sensible. So one room looks fresh and neat, in contrast to everywhere else. It is better to go out in the garden. So I did.