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So we arrived in Long Jetty from Umina on Sunday morning. We only have a few days here so wanted to make sure we got all the clubs done. Jean suggested we go to Diggers @ The Entrance for a rollup. We were glad we didn't waste too much time on it. It's an RSL club so it's a pretty good size. We looked out the window at the green. Mal said "It doesn't look like anyone's played on that for a while." Jean had been in touch via Messenger and was told the bowlers are there on Wednesday and Saturday. We didn't believe that. The green was terrible with patches and dirt. We asked the guy at reception if the green was open. He said it was but that nobody plays on it. We asked if we could have a rollup. He didn't know what that was. Initially he rang the Manager who said no - then we explained we just want a practice. He rang again and was told 'Yes'. There was a Bowls Office out there. We searched everywhere but found no mats and jacks. Luckily we have our own. There are a couple of little memorials in the garden. Not sure if they are bowlers or Diggers. Mal half-heartedly stepped up. Our first head was pretty average. Weight wasn't bad but we couldn't get grass. When Jean got to the other end she said "Two ends will do me I think!" Mal agreed. Second end wasn't much better but Jean got a bit closer. Diggers @ The Entrance - that's enough for us! THE GREENS The Greens The Entrance is close by Diggers so we thought we'd take a look. Jean's been in touch with them and they told her their greens are out - they play at Mingara. We wanted to see. The guy at our caravan park told us that their clubhouse burnt down a while ago. It looks like they are putting in Synthetic under cover. There's a second green that's out as well. Building of the new clubhouse seems well underway. The Greens - we'll definitely be back when it's all done.

It's Saturday - Pennant day. There's no social bowls on today so we decide to drive up to Gosford in the morning to get a rollup and maybe watch some Pennants. Bob showed us where to roll up. He told us though the club signed a five-year lease, the council thinks the club is under-utilised and wants to put units or a carpark here. Very sad for the only club in Gosford. Mal chatted with Terry. Terry told us the club has gone downhill from its glory days. The glory days were impressive. Rooster told us they won more Pennants than any other club in NSW. It's a fine display. Even more imposing close up. The trophies are also notable. Mal checked out the trophy case. There's a lovely grandfather clock. Gary (Jaffa) told us the Mariners soccer stadium next door helps to keep them afloat. There are two grass greens. We bowled on the front green. There's an odd-shaped synthetic under the stadium. Bob told us it is rubbish and will come out but is likely not to be replaced. Mal kicked off. He did ok. Jean was up and down. She got closish. It got hot so we gave up. Jean had the last laugh. The Gosford players got ready to play Pennants. They called the cards. It was the Fives and Sixes today. Gosford against Umina Beach and Munmorah. We wish them the best of luck and prosperity. Gosford - oh let's get back to the days of old!

Our last club around where we're staying in Umina is Avoca Beach. Jean spoke to someone on Messenger to find out they have Mixed on Friday arvo so we put our names down. We drove up. It's another big club. When we arrived our card was waiting. Butch asked Jean about her Magellan shirt. He was a member there for a long time. John and Peter looked after the money. There was a group of travelling bowlers from Mt Lewis in Western Sydney. They were Neville, Margaret, Warren, Shirley and Jack. Jack gave us his details for when we get there. There are three greens. Two are grass And there's one four-rink plastic synthetic . We played on the middle green. We played Pairs together Against Mark and Alice. We both found it tough going.Mal started out very well but went downhill. Jean struggled initially but put in a couple of good ones. Mal did another good bowl . The photos look better than our results. Jean said "I've had no grass, no weight at all today!" Mal wasn't much better. Dejectedly we came inside. What goes around comes around. They draw the winning margin. We got it! Rink 17. We share $400 with Mark and Alice. Then they drew the lucky bowler $10 each. We didn't win but were still happy. Jean had to put $2 in 'The Box of Shame' for wrong biases. Avoca Beach - sad bowls but happy winnings.

Ettalong is apparently the largest bowls club on 'The Peninsula'. We tried to play there on Tuesday night but a downpour flooded it . Unfortunately Thursday arvo is men only. Jean rang to put Mal's name down and said if they were short she would play. She was told in no uncertain terms "It's men only!" It's a really big clubhouse. It has everything! There's a great picture of the founding committee from 1964. We met Mick out the front and he showed us where to go for the bowls. Clarkey and JR the boss were in the office. Clarkey said the guy in the middle is a blow-in. Mal sat and chatted with Dave, Rusty, Frank and Woody. It's the only club around with four greens. They are all grass. They are The Ettalong Eagles! There's an impressive sign down by Green 1. It was triples today but Mal was in a game of Fours. It was John, Geoff, Alf and Mal. His opposition was John, (the other) Woody, Lynchie and Dave. Dave is an ex-member. He's now at Club Tweed. He gave us his details for when we get up there. There were nine rinks playing in all, on two greens. Mal played on Green 4. It seems to have two names. Mal played Lead. Jean had to get photos of his bowls before other players bowled. Good Lead bowls rarely stay put in Fours! Mal's bowl was put out by the opposing Second. Later Mal got a toucher but was beaten, again by the oppositionSecond, for shot. A bloke named Mick came up to Jean. He and Mal had been chatting. He said "I believe I knew your father." Mick and Royston were coppers together in Sydney in the 60's. The boys seemed to get on very well. They laughed and ribbed each other all game. Mal had lots of fun with them. Last end the opposition Third took the kitty back to Mal. Jean wasn't going to take a photo but Mal said "Well I put the bowl there!" Mal's team got flogged! They came inside for drinks and more ribbing. Ettalong - they nearly busted Mal's ribs from laughing!

We're staying at the NRMA caravan park in Umina. It's outrageously expensive but it's ten minutes walk from Club Umina. We went over on Sunday when we arrived and put our names down for Wednesday. In the carpark we met Gavin who showed us where to go. It's a pretty big club. So on Wednesday the Woy Woy bowlers get together in the morning for a game. Woy Woy closed down. Brian explained it all to us. He also told us he and his wife started and ran 'The Rocks Ghost Tours' in Sydney. There are two greens. There were three but the club built a gym on the third. We bowled on the right-hand green. There were seven of us. Jean heard from Brian at Everglades that they do Bowling Arm coaching here. Jean asked about it They decided six of us would play and Old Brian would coach Jean from the side. Big Brian told Jean that Old Brian is an ex-minister. "That's obvious!" She remarked. A very nice man. We just had one game of triples. It was Bruce, Mal and Big Brian. Against Gavin, Jean and Col. Brian told Jean she was bending her arm as she delivered. He corrected that and she did well first end with three shots. Mal of course had to do better! Apparently the Woy Woy story is a sad one about a developer who got on the committee and managed to score the land cheap. Many of the players went to Ettalong but a few came to Umina. Jean was over the moon about the positive impact of Brian's coaching. Mal started with a toucher then Jean took two. Mal was doing well but Jean pipped him with two then Gavin consolidated. Gavin showed Jean a book his uncle sent him from Northern in Scotland. We'd written our names down on the wrong sheet so we had our names down for the afternoon session as well. Mal wanted to play, Jean didn't. She wanted to do shopping, hang the washing out and let Jerome out. She went in and told Don and Steve to take her name off. After being behind 10 shots all game, Mal's team came up and won. Jean had stuff to do but stayed to take photos of Mal's team and opponents. It was Mark, Mal and Barbara Against Peter, Gary and John. Jean came back at 3:30. Mal was skipping and was up 27 to 6. Mark said "He's been bowling really well!" They won. He was close! They went inside for drinks and funny talk. Mark had a shirt from Lion Island Bowling Club. It's fictitious and uninhabited. Lion Island sits off Umina Beach. Mal said "I've had a great time today!" Two wins helped ! We loved Umina Beach club.

We're in Umina for a week. We don't have enough days to do all the clubs We're off to Ettalong tonight so will stop off at Everglades Country Club for a rollup. Like the other clubs we visited yesterday, it's a big club. We came in and met Brian the Treasurer. There was a triples social game we didn't know about happening. Brian told us there used to be three greens but when Covid hit they had to close one. Now it's an entertaining area. Now there are two grass greens. It was nice to see a dedication to a woman for the lighting. We rolled up on green two. Don told us it's pretty rough - and very slow. He was right! We had a lot of trouble. Brian said it's Tifdwarf which doesn't grow well on the Central Coast. They are pulling it up so haven't paid much attention to it lately. There are patches of couch and weeds in it. Mal had a go. We both got our weight right - despite it being very slow but had trouble with the grass. Especially Jean! Jean was having trouble with her bowling arm. Bowls were going out wide. Mal thought he'd take a video. She seems to be twisting it on her backswing. Mal was doing a little better. Mal didn't put sunscreen on so, even though it was overcast, he didn't want to stay out too long. Everglades - maybe we'll come back and try out the new grass!

We've been having a rest for a month while we visited our daughter Laura, Dwi and Zeke in Canberra then to Jean's sister Ros in Shellharbour. We arrived on the Central Coast yesterday and came for Men's bowls Monday morning at Davistown. It's a big clubhouse. There's an impressive Pennant display. With the beautiful Brisbane Waters next door. We arrived and met Gordon and Kevin in the office. They were one short so put Jean in. Mal chatted with Geoff, Michael and Ken before the game. Ken's best man was Gary Goodman from Mal's club. There are two lovely grass greens. We played on the left-hand green. There were Plovers having a lovely time on the green. It's three-bowl triples. We played each other. Michael, Jean and Warren. Against Geoff, Mal and Ken. There were six rinks of players. Jean and 35 blokes! We saw they've won some recognition. Jean was a bit rusty after such a long break. Third end though she took kitty for shot. Teammate Warren put in another two. They are 'The Mudcrabs'. It's Mudcrab region. Mal was having fun on grass. Jean was getting despondent until she finally got shot. Warren then scored a Resting toucher before Mal took kitty out to the boundary. Tit for tat, Warren had shot then Mal knocked Jean up before Warren consolidated for three. We went in for a break and refreshments at 11. Mal had a blast when we came back out. Jean was having trouble with her stick. Mal watched and said as she released she flicked it out. He suggested she release a little earlier. She tried. It worked. Mal's team won by 7. We both won though because they presented us with club badges for our hats. Davistown - treated us to a game on grass!

We've played at Queanbeyan RSL many times but not on this trip. We're home for a couple of weeks so decided to lob in on a Saturday for our last hoorah in Canberra for a while. It's a nice clubhouse. It has a friendly feel. It's a decent size with pokies and a brasserie. Bill looked after things in the office. There are three nice grass greens. Everyone in Canberra loves playing on them. There are two out the front. We put our names down last Saturday as a Nominated Pair but then Jean organised a Thermomix event which clashed. Mal rang his brother Michael who came to partner him. They played against Pat and Bill. They played on the back green. It's the Arthur 'Tas' Blyth Green. There were only six pairs playing but they all seemed content. Jean arrived on end 14 to witness some great bowls from both teams Mal and Michael were doing well but Pat kept taking them out. Mal asked "Why do I always get the club champion!?" Then they had five when Pat came in and took third shot. With his next bowl he then took shot. Mal was dejected but very impressed. They were down seven. Then Michael and Mal got a three and a six to put them two in front. In the end Bill and Pat won by a measure - one shot! Mal was happy. "We were getting hammered!" We came inside and Mal told John how impressed he was with the green. Mal said "How good was it to play with my brother! "

We've been on a little holiday at home in Canberra for a while. We haven't done much bowls together though Mal has played alot at Tuggeranong. We went to Yass for our very first club visit on our trip way back in 2022. We had a rough time of it so we're re-writing the blog for Yass around Mal's Pennant match there on a Sunday. Out the front is a picture of a bowler. It's a nice little clubhouse. When we arrived we saw Wade, Helen and Patrick (the Tuggies Pennant Manager) have a chat about the rain. After having been asked recently in some clubs for $10 for a rollup Jean was pleased to see a sign that asked for a gold coin donation. The club has two attractive grass greens. Mal played on the top green. Jean was over the moon it's named after a woman. It's the Mary Wellisch Green. There are three grades in Yass today - Sixes, Seven A's and Seven B's. Crookwell was 7 A's. Queanbeyan was Sixes. There was a speaker that played country and 70's music. Mal subbed in as skip of a Seven B's side. His team was Mal, Jack, Rhonda and Ray. They played Yass Bowlo. The opposing team was Jodie, Paul, Shane and Wade. Jean surmised that since Mal has played in the Ones and Twos before, and that he told her he "Played like a man repossessed!" his last two social games - Mal would do well in the Sevens today. "That remains to be seen!" Jean remarked. It took end eighteen end for some brilliance. They were down 19 to 8. They had two but the blue bowl in front held them out for four. Mal put in two pearlers for four shots! Next end Tuggies was three down when Mal drew shot with his last bowl. The whole Tuggies team unfortunately lost by more than 30 shots! They were hoping for a win to put them in the Four. Everyone came inside for drinks And nice make-your-own sambos. Helen told Jean that a local Cancer charity 'Can Assist' caters for Pennants. Donations please! Rink nine scoffed them down. Was a tough match! Lots of Yass people were interested in our blog. Jean promised to send it to them. Yass - see you on the blog!

After our great game at Drouin we found out Longwarry has Barefoot Bowls on a Friday night. We don't usually like Barefoot but thought we would give it a go. We were pleasantly surprised! We stopped in Thursday arvo to check it out. We were very impressed with how close it is to the train station The ladies has some funny cartoons. We met Jason who Jean's been chatting with via Messenger Jean chatted with another couple about our trip. (Apologies, forgot their names). Jason told us the club was in trouble a couple of years ago. Warragul came in to help. They bought the land and agreed to put in a synthetic with a cover. It saved the club. There's still more work to do with a wall on the road and an updated clubhouse. The sign out the front is cute. We met one of the players (forgot his name). We had a rollup. Mal got shot but Jean was happy with her grass. Mal was pretty determined. There were some young blokes - non-bowlers -who came for a game. We had to explain lots! Mal's team was Against Jean's team was Against Jean was doing ok though most of them weren't bowlers so it's a little hollow. Jean was happy. We had such a good time with the new bowlers. We really enjoyed ourselves. Longwarry - such a blast!

We (particularly Mal) have played at Belconnen Bowling Club (Belco) many times but not yet on our trip. Because we're staying at Mal's daughter Laura's (in Holt) we decided to play Saturday bowls there. We dropped in Friday night to put our names down and met our mate Pete, the President. Pete's a good player. He's playing in the Fours semi-final today so not playing social. Mal reckons he's beaten Pete a few times but Pete is a number One Pennants winner. Jean reckons it's the other way around. Mal chatted with the guys inside. (Terry and Mal) Jean chatted with the boys outside. David is the unofficial 'Meet and Greet Officer'. One of the blokes gave us a Belco badge for Jean's hat. There are three grass greens. We played on the middle green. It's nominated pairs so we played together. Against Tom and Joan. A couple of ends in they had the mat. We were three down and Mal came in and drew two lovely shots. End six we were a couple ahead and Jean put two on it. We kept one. We were nine shots up on end 13. We put in three beauties. Then Tom came in with a pearler and cut us back to one. It was the third time he did that! Next end though, we got a six! On end 19 we were five down and Jean drew shot. In the end we won 26 to 10. They had lots of bad luck and Mal bowled exceptionally well. We came inside for drinks and celebrations/ commiserations. They spun the wheel. It was highest winning margin. We didn't get it. But we did find out Pete won his semi. Belconnen - a good win for us! POST SCRIPT: We came back in March and played with our daughter Rachel who's a new bowler.

Cooma Bowling Club is our last stop on our way from Victoria to Queensland via home. We thought we'd come for Friday night bowls. We came on Thursday after our unsatisfactory visits to Jindabyne and Adaminaby. The club was open but it was all dark inside. We walked in. There were a couple of blokes working on the poker machines. Mal chatted to them to ask about Friday night bowls. They said we were out of luck as both their greens were out. One was being top-dressed. The other was resting for a few weeks. We told them we'd come back! Cooma - our luck isn't with us at the moment!