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We're in Parkes for two nights. We'll have a game at Parkes today and rollup at Railway tomorrow. Jean's been in touch with Gary via Messenger and rang him this morning to get our names down. We met him and Col at the table. (Mal, Gary and Col) The club is nice. There are some great pictures on the wall. Of the greens Historical champions - men And ladies. There are also great pastel pictures of sports people like Ricky Ponting. Outside there's a good outdoor area. There are two grass greens. There used to be a third but it's now a Footsal court. We played on Green 2. It's pairs (and one triples game). Jean and 25 blokes. Jean and John... Against Rob and Alan. Mal played with Bernie. Against Simmo and Wally. Jean started to work it out. Her and John's red bowls. Then she started grouping with help from John. Though then Rob took shot! Mal said he didn't do good bowls but Jean watched him take kitty out with two touchers in the ditch. After ten ends Jean's game swapped partners. She played with Rob. Jean said "I played well but got flogged with both skips! I worked bloody hard in this game!" Rob said to Jean "Everyone in this club is over 80!" Mal won 19 to 14. Jean couldn't tell who won but said she got flagged. Mal said "This was so good! I love playing at country clubs!" Parkes Bowling and Sports Club - tough work but well worth the effort.

So Jean was at Orange City Bowling Club this morning to play with the ladies. While she was there she found out about Orange Ex-Services Country Club which we didn't have on our trip map. Jean immediately rang Mal and messaged him all the details. She said "Get in a taxi, come here and get your bowls out of the car and go there!" He did that. One of the Orange ladies Laurel rang her husband Jim and asked him to put Mal's name down. Mal said "You must put this in the blog. The taxi driver's name was Keith. When he dropped me off he said 'Say gidday to Elbows. He's an ex taxi driver.'" We met Elbows who told us he built a house in Wanniassa where we live and used to run the Shell station there. It's a nice cosy clubhouse. With a cool verandah that looks out over the bowls. There are two greens. One grass and one synthetic. Mal played triples with 41 blokes on the grass. Mal was skip for Tony and Ken Against skip Luke, Frank and Simon. Jean came late so watched the last few ends to get photos of Mal's good bowls. His teammate said "Watch out for the hump in the rink!" He didn't. 2nd last end he did one that was not great but in the count. He had good teammates. Though Luke then came in and took second. He finally did it for Jean on end eighteen of twenty, to bump out and take shot. Then on the second last end he took shot with bowl two then with his third bowl he knocked up their red. Last end his first bowl he went backhand and came in off the red for one. With his second bowl he came forehand and went in off the black for two. Luke came in and took out both his bowls for shot. Last bowl Mal drove the kitty into the ditch for two but lost 18 to 23. After starting out zip to 12. Jean chatted for a while with Phil. He came and introduced himself to Mal. He's known as 'The Barfly'. Mal showed him the Ipswich United Barflies shirt He introduced us and our bowls trip. Then presented us both with a badge. After we left, Luke Taylor Mal's opposing Skip drove to our caravan park to drop off a club shirt for Mal. Orange Ex-Services Country Club - look out for the hump Mal!

We popped in to Orange City Bowling Club just after we arrived Monday to find out about social bowls. It's Ladies tomorrow. We thought we'd have a quick rollup. We met Scott the Greenkeeper who set us up. We discovered there are three greens. Two grass and one synthetic up the end. We rolled up on Green 1 The Graham Bradley Green. It's quick but we did OK. Mal knocked Jean up two inches for shot then she took shot again. Jean kept getting four then Mal would take her out! We met Bill who's not a bowler. He was doing a course here. He was fascinated with our rollup. Jean came back on Tuesday and met Louie, Helen and Narelle out the front. There were lots of ladies there. They were very friendly. There was also Major/Minor Pairs on. It was three-bowl triples. Yvonne, Di and Jean Against Skip Ann, Moira and Laurel. We played on Green 2. Jean was so happy to finally see a green named after a woman. Jan Oakley State Champion! Jean started to get it on end four. Then she came in for shot on the very narrow side. Skip Ann was killing it. Often Di's team would have three and she'd come and take shot. Yvonne and Jean did really well with five until Laurel's blue bowls cut it back to three. Laurel told Jean about the Ex-Services Country Club where the men play today at 1pm. She called Mal who got a taxi here to get his bowls to go there. Di's team got up in the last two ends! 14 to 11. Orange City - whew, Jean only just won.

We rang The Rylstone Club a week or so ago to get permission to park our van in the carpark. The Manager said "Yes but park at your own risk!" We did and walked over for a rollup. On our way here Jean discovered there's a bowls club in nearby Kandos. We met Di the bar lady who told us there are chairs and tables on the green there now. We'll check it out another day. The club is cute. It seems like a local hangout. With the weirdest toilet we've ever seen! When we were in Orange Bonnie from Mudgee read this blog and rang me to explain. It's for disabled people. Depending on which side the have a disability they use a different loo. We went outside and Dave was having a rollup. We introduced ourselves and he got a mat and jacks for us. We talked for ages about bowls, our trip and footy. He had lots of knowledge to share. The green was reeeaaally slow. It took all our muscles to get there. Mal got two shots. Jean took them out for two. Mal said "Well if that's the way you are going to play I'll stop drawing!" She wasn't deterred. Mal was bowling pretty well with a few errant bowls but he put them on when it mattered We didn't score because the boards were covered so who knows who won. Jean doesn't like to score though because Mal usually wins. There were some signs on the wall we didn't understand but they seemed a bit tongue-in-cheek. We came inside to support the club and have a drink and the biggest bowl of chips we've ever seen! Rylstone Club - a rollup with a mad keen bowler. Post Script: We visited the Kandos club on our way out. The green is let go and, yes there are chairs and tables on it.

Our last day in Bathurst we are going for a game to Majellan - Bathurst's second club. Mal's skip at Bathurst was from there and told us about Sunday afternoon social bowls. When we arrived we met Leonie and Jo at the table. Jean showed the girls her hat with the badges. Jo went on a search and found one. Jo told us the club is 100% voluntary except for a couple of bar staff. It has a nice outdoor area With a Barbecue at the end. One of the guys thought we might like a club shirt. "Jelly (Magellan) Bowlers Bathurst". When we saw Mt Panorama on the back we both had to get one. The club has two nice grass greens. We played on the front green. It's been North/South all winter and just got changed. It's quick. It's the Flanagan Green (could be a man or a woman). It's three-bowl triples - fifteen ends - but after each five ends we swap positions. It was Leonie, Liz and Jean. Against Jo, Kevin and Mick. Mal played with Steve and Ray. Against Heather, Sally and Noel. Jean started off well. She and Liz had two. Jean was dancing on the green with the US rock music. After the changeover Leonie and Jean got five. Jo cut it back to two then Liz came in with two more for four. They suggested Jean take a photo of the scoreboard on end thirteen. It was close! Jean's team won 15-13. Mal had the same - ten all. He won 12 to 10. Jean asked if he took any photos of his good bowls. He said "I didn't do any!" We came inside and all sat together for drinks. Majellan - such a happy bunch!

We didn't have Oberon on our map but the boys at Bathurst told us about it. We drove 30 minutes for a Saturday game. It's a big club - modern. The bowls clubhouse is a shed out the back. They've had problems in the past with unsupported management but all is good now. They're coming back! There's a cute barbecue area. We met Vice President Keith who took our money. He told us the Men’s club has about 20 members and 12 women. Most are at a tournament in Cowra today. Mal chatted with Pieter who's from South Africa. Jean asked about the format. Keith pointed to Doug and said "We're challenging you! Three-bowl pairs!" It was us Vs them. They had a transistor radio playing 2BS. Jean recalled when she lived in Gulgong she listened to 2BS-MG. The same songs were played. There's one synthetic three years old. It's that plastic type. Ours was the only game and three guys had a rollup. Jean got grass perfectly but struggled with weight. Then she worked it out. We were about twelve down. Mal called: "Put one straight down the middle!" She took.out Keith's bowl for one, then Mal consolidated . Then we got two fours and a five on the second last end. We got up 21 to 17. They got a five that made it 22 to 21. We lost! We bought drinks. Jean had a Chardonnay. The boys asked if we wanted another. Jean said "No! If I have another one I'll be anybody's!" Doug bought her another! Jean kept dreaming about their eventual good bowls. Alas, too late! Oberon - the boys made us very welcome.

When we came through this way a few weeks ago, we didn't stop at Wallerawang because we didn't realise it had a bowls club. The boys at Bathurst told us about it. We added it to our map and drove the 40 minutes from Bathurst for a rollup. It's a nice little modern club. Jean found a funny poem about bowls. There's a lovely garden out the side with a waterfall. The club has historic pictures of Wallerawang. The staff were very nice and helped us out with information about social bowls. They served drinks professionally. When we arrived, Denice and Bruce were having a rollup. We chatted for ages about our trip, their planned trip to Norfolk for bowls and bowlers we knew. Denise said she'd heard about us when we went to her club - Portland. Bruce bowls here at Wallerawang. The club has one reasonably new synthetic green. It's the NR 'Dick' Bulkeley Green. It's the carpet kind that Jean likes. We didn't roll up for very long as it got quite warm. We also didn't keep score - though Jean thinks Mal won. We also forgot to take photos until the last end when Jean gave up and Mal bowled all the bowls down. We like to support the clubs we visit so we came inside for drinks and a bowl of chips. Jean remarked that it would be a nice place to play if we're back this way. Wallerawang - perhaps we'll come back for a game when we play at Lithgow next year.

After our lovely time at Bathurst yesterday we decided to go to the tiny town of Millthorpe for a game. Jean's been in touch via Messenger and put our names down. The guys were all sitting on the verandah with their beers when we arrived. We met Barry at the table and paid our $5. The club has two grass greens. We played on the front green. It's a bit worse for wear. Ray told us they've killed it off to get rid of the moss. There are owls to protect the green. All the seats are donated. Jean played lead with Ray for skip Col the Greenkeeper. (Ray, Jean and Col) Mal was opposing lead with Grahame and skip Peter. (Mal, Peter and Grahame) There were three games of three-bowl triples. Jean and seventeen blokes. Mal started off really well on the fast grassless green. Jean got three on end three and Ray put in a fourth. We had none at the back though. Went down one. Col's team was one to 7 then got six to even the score. Jean and Ray did the deed then Col came in to score the team another five to be up by four. On end twelve Jean finally worked the weight out with help from Ray for four. Ray told us we came on a good day. Apparently they put in a bit of money over the year to pay for a twice yearly lunch. Today was the day. A cook comes to prepare it. We stopped half way. We tried to offer some money for lunch but were asked "Did you pay money for bowls? Then you've paid!" The boys told Mal the footy legend Mortimer family lives in Millthorpe. He was stoked. Jean was doing ok. Grahame said "Good bowling Jean." Jean said "Not good enough!" Mal had it - again! Col's team won 24 to 14 after two fives and a six. We came inside. Jean wondered, since their Pennants stickers are red, if they had red shirts (for Jean to wear on Tuesday - red day}. They did so she bought one. So we played $5 each and got a great game of bowls, a decent lunch and, to top it all, everyone got a meat tray. Millthorpe - bloody good deal for $5.

We've been in Bathurst a couple of days. We arrived on Monday so no bowls and had a day off yesterday (Mal's still not 100%) . Jean went to visit The Greens on William in Bathurst and got the juice. Mal rang this morning to get our names down. We walked the ten minutes to the club. It's a beautiful old-fashioned club. With verandah all around. Very unusually it has four greens. Two out front And two out the back. Green 3 is being renovated. We came inside and met Ray (Shorty) at the table. Neville and Mal chatted and Mal asked about club shirts. Norman and Ian sorted Mal out with yet another shirt with Parramatta colours. They are The Grizzly Bears. We played on Green 4. So did the ducks. They have volunteer greenkeepers. It's three-bowl triples. Jean was lead with Ian and skip Dennis (Dennis, Jean and Ian) Against Allan, Bruce and Paul. Mal played with Neville and skip Alby. (Alby, Mal and Neville) Against Jack, Bob and Ian. Jean was doing her best but Paul kept coming inside her bowls. Mal was doing much better. He worked out the weight. And again. Jean finally got in there with lots of help from Ian's red bowls. They ended up with one in the end. Jean started to work out the weight. She got a toucher. Mal was killing it! Jean wasn't counting but Paul told her she'd had four touchers in the game. Jean lost 12 to 23. Mal won 27 to 20. We came inside for drinks with the boys. Jean asked Neville about badges. He searched and he found one for her. Bathurst City Bowling Club - a friendly bunch of blokes!

We arrived at Katoomba Tourist Park yesterday after our lovely game at Hazelbrook. Last night Mal rang John at Springwood club to find out the game is at 9:30. We. Left at 7:45 to get us there around 8:30. Then we met Maureen who was setting up the rinks. Saturday is run by the ladies. Maureen told us the club doesn't open until 9am and we have to pay our $10 at reception. We hung out in the car. The club has two nice-looking grass greens and a paid greenkeeper. It's a pretty big club. It was just 5° so the bowlers all sat inside in the warm beforehand. We played on the top green. It's the Bob Russell Green. Jean remarked that in our whole trip we've never seen a club name a green after a woman. We met Lyn at the front door. She came and introduced us to Anne at the table. (Mal, Anne and Lyn) It was Nancy, Jean and Heather (Jean, Heather and Nancy) Against Anne, Ken and Barbara. (Anne, Barbara and Ken) Mal is very bad at remembering the names of people he played with and against. Here is his team. Here is his opposition. He thinks the skips name is Michael and maybe Steve. He said the lady's name started with a 'K'. There were six games of two-bowl triples. Twenty ends. Jean started off well. Then, on a long end and, unusually, Jean put two on it. On the other hand, Mal struggled. He called Jean over "I got one!" They won 21 to 14. Mal said "I feel like one of the boys here. It would be a good club to join!" He did ok! Jean's team had a big win.30 to 12. Jean felt she played very well. She came inside and sat and chatted with all the ladies. Jean got $30 for the winning Second. The ladies found Jean a badge for her hat. The Lyrebird is their mascot. Norman Lindsay designed it. Springwood - a nice club to join

So we had information that today is Men's at Hazelbrook Bowling Club. Jean rang to confirm and got Mal's name down. Simon rang us back later in the day yesterday to apologise and say he's trying to get more people on the green. He added Jean's name for nominated pairs. The club is really pretty. There are nice flower beds. It's surrounded by bushland. In front And behind. The boys told Jean "It's a hidden gem!" They were right. We got there at 11 and parked the caravan for a stopover. We met Greenkeeper Nick who's a Canberra boy. He told us the club opens at 12 so we hung out in the caravan and watched Star TrekVoyager. There are two greens but Nick told us the lower one is used for Croquet. We came back at 12 and met Todd, Horatio and Andrew. Lots of other blokes turned up and Jean chatted with them and told them about our trip. They had a sign out today to say today's prize was for highest score. It was Jean and fifteen blokes. Us... Against ian and Terry. There were four pairs games with great Aussie and British Rock music playing in the background. Jean took shot then Terry put in a beauty. Mal was bowling really, really well. So was Jean. At one stage we had them 18 to two. We were in there for the overall highest score. At one point we had five then Terry cut us back to one. Even though it was horrendously windy we all managed a caterpillar with our grass. Todd called the results. Though we won 23 to 13, we were pipped by 1 shot for the winning meat tray - still, Jean won a raffle prize. Hazelbrook Club - all the boys made us feel so welcome!

Penrith Bowling and Recreation Club is the third on our Blue Mountains run. We rang yesterday to put our names down and got up early to miss peak hour traffic. We arrived super early and it was all locked up. We found Craig the Greenkeeper who asked his workmate David to open the gates for us. The club has three nice-looking grass greens. W met Greg and club President Anne in the office. It's the 'Don Davis Memorial Mayhem Room' Barbara, Sandra and Sherylyn set up the morning tea. It's a nice little clubhouse. Mal chatted with Alec about Pennants and shirts! Jean sat with the ladies. They gave us nice bookmarks. They have lots of people turn up. They fill two greens. Dizzy who's the Men’s organiser went looking for some souvenirs for us. He gave us scorecards, pens, cloths and badges. Jean skipped for Tania (though it was 2-4-2). Against skip Sherylyn and partner (Jean forgot her name) Mal played with Mick Against John and he thinks it was Aldo but knew him as Grasshopper. Jean played some cracker bowls but because it was pairs was too distracted to take photos of the best ones. Mal said his opponent Grasshopper had the same bowls as him. Same colour and everything. He said " Every time he put one on the kitty, I had to try to take it off!" Jean and Tania had a great game. Tania's only been bowling a couple of years but when she needed to put one of her Fruit Tingle bowls in she did! Jean and Tania won (Jean forgot the margin) it was like 20 to 14. Mal also won, by five. He said "Talk about a battle and a half!" He really liked the blokes he played with. We came inside for drinks and had a pleasant chat. Penrith - we talked, we joked and we laughed.