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Mal was ringing clubs to find out when they play social. Camperdown Bowling Club said "Today, in 20 minutes!" They assured us Lake Purrumbeet is only 15 minutes away so we raced out. They said they'd wait. We got there to a great welcome. We met David who introduced us around and everyone smiled. Many of the players weren't bowlers, they played Barefoot Bowls. Still, they bowled ok. There are two synthetic greens due for replacement. We played on the front green. Very sandy, not quite as bad as Colac City. It is two bowl triples. Two games of ten ends. There were two pairs who played with three bowls. Jean played with Pam and skip Brian against John, Jimmy and Herm. Jean put her first two bowls on the kitty. The boys thought they'd been duped. Brian's team got 5. Her team won convincingly. John and Jimmy bowl at Lismore. We've agreed to have a rollup there on Tuesday. Mal played second with Kelvin and Deb. against Patsy and Merve. Mal bowled well too. They won 12-8. Second game we played each other. Mal and Jean had a real competition. Mal's team won by 4 shots and won the day. He got a free drink at the bar. A welcome prize for Mal. We had great chats with Deb and her husband Gerald about bowls, beer and of course AFL. Camperdown - we didn't want to leave.

As organised with the boys on Sunday at Camperdown, we phoned John this morning to check we were on for a rollup. He said he was mowing and rolling today so we said we'd see him at Lismore Bowling Club around 1pm. When we arrived John was mowing. We met John and Jimmy. They are known around the place as the 'Bushrangers from Lismore'. They were there with their dogs Kol (Keg on legs) and Banjo, who just fathered 5 lovely puppies. The boys told us the club likely won't last long. They only have twelve or so members and John will be back at work soon so there will be nobody to maintain the green. The club has one old grass green. We were warned at Camperdown that you have to make sure you eat well so you can throw a bowl down. They weren't wrong. The wind was ferocious. Jean hardly got within 3 metres. Mal didn't do much better. Banjo followed Daddy everywhere. At one point he sat on the backhand in the middle of the green- we think to show John the grass to take. The boys were keen to protect the Lismore name against the Canberra blow-ins. We had a great game. Mal as skip did his best. We played ten ends. Going in to end nine it was five all. We scored one but sadly they won eight to six. Jimmy invited us to the local for a coldie. After he finished up at the club John joined us for a great chat about bowls and life in a country town. Lismore - held up by Bushrangers!

We went to the Colac Bulla factory. There was a sign to say they are refurbishing and one could buy goods from Coles. Where's the fun in that? So we went to Colac City Bowling Club for a rollup. The club has four greens - two grass and two synthetics. Both grass greens are ordinary. The bottom one will be replaced soon with synthetic. We asked the reception staff if we could have a rollup. They were concerned because the greens were being prepared for Pennants finals at 1pm. They told us to ask the guys. We got our bowls, went outside and met Roy. He explained that one grass green is out and that external players may turn up to practice. He suggested we roll up on the 'Old Synthetic ' up top. We did. It was awful. Covered with sand. We had to take a rink-and-a-half of forehand grass. It left a sand smear on our bowls. After four ends Jean said "I'm not rolling on this any more, it's scratching my bowls!" Mal said "Yeah, it's like bowling on concrete!" The bowls made a noise all along the green as they rolled. Roy asked us how we went. Jean said "Not keen on that synthetic!" He invited us to do a couple on the new one. He said "Hard to go wrong with this - it's true". Mal talked briefly with Trevor and Stewart about the fake owls. They said they were to keep birds away. Mal told them about the snakes they used at Geelong RSL to keep the bats away. (Trevor, Stewart and Mal) We rolled two ends on the front synthetic. Much better. Very true line. We didn't really keep score. Jean killed the last end and Mal drew shot with his last bowl. Colac City Bowling Club - make sure you bowl on the front green!

We're only in Colac for one night so we came late in the day for a rollup at Colac Central Bowling Club. We came in to ask if we could have a rollup and met Bertie, Roger and Gary. We told them about our trip and Roger proudly showed us his badge from the Division One Pennants win for Tuesday comp. While we were getting our bowls they must've told President Greg about us. Greg came and speak with Jean at the bar and invited her to speak to the members, who were here for the Friday night raffles, about our trip. Greg introduced us and Jean gave her talk. She congratulated the club on their Division One Pennant final win on Tuesday. We stayed for the raffles. Lots of people wished us well. June the Lady President stopped for a chat and Dennis talked with Mal about all things caravan. There is one synthetic green. It's an old style flat carpet. It was quite quick but the line was true. We had pretty good heads. The score was pretty even. The wind came up and our bowls went in the ditch. Greg raced out as we were leaving to give ud directions to Red Rock for a scenic view of the town. Colac Central - congratulations to awesome bowlers!

Jean's Thermomix broke down again so she had to take it all the way to Moorabbin for service. While we waited we decided to find a club to roll up at. Mentone was close so we popped in. The place was deserted. We took Jerome with us because we didn't know how long we'd be. The club has three greens. Two grass. One normal size and one 3-rink one that is overgrown. There is also a nice carpet synthetic. We rolled on that. Jean did surprisingly well, given it's synthetic. She got grass and weight well. Mal bowled ok too. He didn't take Jean's shot bowls out. Think he felt bad about Valentines Day. He's a sweetie. She told him he's allowed on occasion - just not every shot! It was pretty level. Jean would take the lead, then Mal. We decided to make it the last end when it was five all. Mal took shot. Jean drove and killed the end. We put the kitty on the T. Jean had shot but Mal had another bowl. It went in the ditch. Mentone - a rare win for Jean!

Mal kept on his quest to ring all the clubs to find out when they have social bowls. Yesterday Portarlington rang him back to say they play Wednesday. He got our names down. We were running late so rang to say we were on our way. When we arrived they were already out. We met Anne and Robbie in the office. They said "You're ok, you still have ten minutes." The club has two synthetics, with a lovely view of the ocean. We played on the quick one. The club was founded in 1920 which makes it 103 this year. We started with a minute's silence for a member who passed on Sunday. Very solemn. The flag was half mast. It was three-bowl triples. Two games of ten ends on five rinks. Jean played lead for skip Anne and Joan (Joan, Anne and Jean) against Keith, Tony, Ian and Rob. Triple played with three bowls (skip two) and four played with two. Despite it being a fast synthetic, the line was true. Jean got her first couple of bowls close. They won the first end. Lost by five. We went inside for a cuppa and raffles. Anne's husband had caught some fish and donated them. Jean said "I'm going to win the fish!" First draw was Tony, he chose the fish and gave them to Jean. What a lovely gesture. Mal played lead for skip Sue with John (John, [photobomb], Mal and Sue) against Ken, Ian and Mal. Jean often heard comments like "Great bowl Mal." Or, "Take out that bowl of Mal's." They won. Jean played game two against skip Margaret, Christina and lead Peter (Grumpy) from Yarrawonga. Grumpy gave us his number and told us to contact him when we get to Yarrawonga and he'll introduce us around. (Christina, Peter (Grumpy) and Margaret) Jean bowled better second game and often took shot. The team was behind the whole game and needed four on the last end to draw. Got it. Like many small bowling clubs they had great bar prices: $7.50 for a beer and a soft drink. Portarlington - goodbye and thanks for all the fish!

No games anywhere on Tuesday so decided to go for a rollup at Queenscliff which doesn't seem to have social bowls. It's actually QBT&C. Queenscliff Bowls, Tennis and Croquet Club. It was a nice drive out there from Barwon Heads. The club has three grass greens. That was a nice change. When we met there were some women in uniform having a drink. We met Secretary Di who told us they'd played today - dodging the rain. She took Jean to a tent thing at the entry where the mats and jacks are kept. The green was pretty slow so we did short ends. We had pretty tight heads mostly. Mal finished with thrèe. While we played, Di's husband arrived for a pairs championship. We went inside for a drink and Jean spent an hour booking caravan sites for the next week . That was tough. There seem to be events all over Geelong and Colac this weekend. Found an unpowered sote for a night in Colac then Lake Purrumbeet near Cobden. Queenscliff - nice to play on grass for a change.

We were supposed to go to Colac this week before heading north to Mildura but we have to wait around Geelong to pick our new mattress. We left Jean's cousin Jenny's house and came to Barwon Heads. The club is fifty years old. They are in the process of building new club rooms. They have to knock it all down but they want to leave the ladies toilets because they are very quaint. When we arrived we met Doug, Tony and George. Tony said he played Pennants at Belmont on Saturday and heard about us and our trip. The game was fours - two games of ten ends. Tony said they usually have a dozen or so players but today they had 32 so we came on the right day. That's eight teams on four rinks. Tony said the club has two teams in the Pennant finals on Saturday. The club has one synthetic green. It's a pile carpet. There is a little sculpture of a bowler made from bowls. Jean played with skip Joyce, Merve and Denis against Gary, Bruce, Peter and Jan. Jan said she's going to Yeppoon in July. Perhaps we'll see her there. Jean found the grass outrageous going backhand towards the club - more than twice usual grass but the same side going the other way - forehand - the grass was true. She said "This green does my head in!" It was good when someone moved the kitty. Joyce's team lost. Jean's second game was against Jackie, Doug, Judy and John. She managed the grass a lot better on a different rink. Joyce won convincingly with some excellent skip bowls. Mal played skip with George, John and Norm. First game was against Ray, Ken, Jan and Rob. He lost. He said Ray was just too good for him. Mal played the second game against James, Judy, Ean and Robert. At one point Jean asked him how he was going. He paused and said "One to 17." Jean said to skip James "That's good, he needs to be taken down a peg or two!" He replied "We call that the Barwon Heads welcome!" Jean asked Doug what was his overarching description of the club. He said "It's just a friendly little country-style club." Jean liked that. Barwon Heads - the country club.

Thursday Jean had to hang around for the guys to put in the new caravan air conditioner. Jean went out to Point Lonsdale during the week to find out about social bowls. She told Mal to ring at 9. He did and got his name down. (Mal just took random shots and didn't write names down so apologies if people are incorrectly named or not named in photos.) The club has two carpet greens. It ran about 14 seconds. Wind was not really noticeable. It was a nice cool breeze. The format was unusually fours. They played two games of ten ends. Mal's team was Daryl, Mal, Gerry and skip Ian. (Gerry, John, Ian, Trevor and Warren) First game was against Ken, Garth, Rob and Malcolm. (Mal said there were some great shots played. Both skips tended to favour the draw shot. He said "At no time did my skip ask Gerry to drive a bowl off. I saw the sense in it because he was a great draw bowler." After the first game they went inside for a cuppa and a chat. Second game was against Warren, John and skip Trevor. (Mal loved that sign) That's when they all started to make mischief. Gerry kicked one of Warren's bowls into the ditch and hid the other two under his jumper. Mal said "He looked around in disbelief and didn't know what to say. We were all trying not to laugh." (Garth) Mal liked that the whole lot of them were pretty funny. He also liked that they gave him a name tag and everyone took the trouble to introduce themselves. (Mal's skip Ian) Ken the bartender saw him in the line and served him ahead of others. They were all ok with that. "I felt like I was a long lost member of the club." Point Lonsdale - Mal feels like he belongs.

Jean went online last week to put our names down because we'd been told it was hard to get a game with so many members. We've been in Torquay a few days. Jean's cousin Jenny has driven us past a few times. Jean dropped in just to make sure. Our names were up top. Jean walked in the door and Gary said "You must be Jean. You are travelling around?" We arrived and met Helen, Gary and Jim in the office. They were doing the draw. Before the game, Mal had a nice chat with Jim and Frank. Jim told us about when the Bunnings roof came off on the wind, went across the highway and landed on two houses. Frank told us about their 'Shark of the Week' trophy. It's given to Pennant player each week for doing something (usually dumb). All the seats are donated by club members. The club has two greens. One grass green, a bit patchy, and a nice eight-rink synthetic. They plan to build a new synthetic green adjacent to the park. We played on the grass - was just a bit slow. Ran well. Check out the view! Mal loved it. We met Brett who told us the club has 1,000 members. They were Australian club of the year a few years ago. They had a movie 'Blinder' made here with Steve Bisley who played a game with Brett's bowls. We played two-bowl triples. Two games of 13 ends. 10 points for a win and one point each end won. Mal skipped on rink 11. Jean led on rink 12 for Steve and skip Gary against Rob, Bob and Terry. Jean got bowls closish but the opposition got them closer. She often had bowls behind which Gary used well. Mal played with Keith and Hazel against John, Ryan and Roma they lost and played game two against Jean's team. Jean thought they were going to have to do a nudie run. At one point they had five shots (when they needed a full count) Mal came in and drew shot. Jean didn't want to admit she was cross and proud at the same time. Mal won. Afterwards we met Don, the oldest player in the club at 97. Torquay - thanks for the view!

We took the weekend off to hang out with Jean's cousin Jenny. On Sunday Jean rang Anglesea to put our names down for Monday. We drove 25 minutes there hoping they got the message. When we arrived we met Bronwyn and Dot who organised things. Jean rang the club again on our way and Dot asked what position we like to play. She put us in the same team. Jean led and Mal skipped. It was unusually fours. Two games of ten ends. There were only four teams, so just two rinks. We played with Carmel (second) and Rick (third). (Carmel, Jean, Mal and Rick) Our first opposition was Sue, Jim, Stuart and skip Roma. (Sue, Stuart, James and Roma) The club has two synthetic greens. They call one "the horrible green' we played on the good one. Jean felt a bit flat, probably because we've had a few days off. She put a couple of good bowls down but (as usual on synthetic) struggled a bit with weight. Mal saved our bacon a few times but it wasn't enough. He found it hard to get both line and weight which is unusual for him. We lost by 6. We went inside for a cup of tea, a biscuit and a chat. Then we went back out for the second game against Max, John, Bronwyn and skip Merle. (Merle, Bronwyn, Max and John) Jean and Rick did two pearlers and Jean said "That's it for me, I've done my good bowls for the game." She was right. Mal didn't do much better but the team did ok as a whole, we only lost by two. The club members seemed to be good friends with each other which was nice. We met President Ben with whom Jean had had Messenger chats months ago about social bowls. We stayed for the raffle and jackpot draw. We didn't win but it was a bit of fun. Anglesea - would've been good to have something in the head!

Mal was given instructions to ring all the clubs we'll visit in Victoria over the next month to find out when they play social bowls. Yesterday he rang Ocean Grove and found out they play today. He put our names down. We arrived at ten for an eleven o'clock start (early due to expected heat). When we arrived we met Barry and Peter in the office. Barry asked if we could say a few words about our trip during presentation. Jean relished the idea - Mal, not so much! The club has two grass greens and one synthetic across the road. The grass surface looked a bit iffy after the immaculate greens we played on at Belmont yesterday. It wasn't too bad. A bit slow, took 1/3 usual grass. One of the members was putting out the numbers and boundary pegs while we waited. We played two games of two-bowl triples with ten ends - 30 players on five rinks. Mal and Jean both played second. Mal played with Mike and Noel (Mal, Mike and Noel) against Adele, Dave and Graham. Mal put down some great bowls. Jean played with Ken and Yvonne (Jean, Yvonne and Ken) against Brendan, John and John. Tall John with the the striped red shirt is the club President. In the first game Jean played really well and often had shot. Ken's team won by 14 shots. Second game Jean's team played Bob, Mozzy (Maureen) and Graeme. It was 32.5 when we started. They ring the bell at 34. Called at 6 ends. Ken's team all dropped the ball a little. They lost by 5 which made 9 up overall. It was enough to win the consolation prize - our $10 back! Mal's team played Barry, Grant and Dan. They lost by a few shots. It was so lovely and cool inside. After Jean gave her speech they gave us a stubbie holder, cloth and pen. Ocean Grove - a fine game despite the sweat!