By the time I was ten years old my parents had divorced. My mother who had full custody of my two sisters and myself needed physical activities for us to "burn off some of the extra energy" kids always seem to have. Needing support and an outlet to share her "single parent status," she joined a group called Parents Without Partners. I was too young to understand what all the issues of being divorced and single meant to a struggling single parent but I clearly remember some of the activities we participated in; visiting museums, airplane rides, amusement parks, pot luck suppers, and bowling. One of the BEST activities was bowling!
Single parents and their children would meet at a designated establishment introduce themselves and then (hopefully) engage in conversation and fun! I loved bowling! I don't remember if I was any good at it when I was young but as I grew older I got better. In high school I took bowling as a gym elective. Can you imagine getting credit for bowling? Well, I did and thanks to my teacher Ms. Jones, I improved! After high school, when I joined the "working class" I joined a bowling league on Friday nights that was called "Beauty and the Beast". I don't recall where that name came from. I remember becoming a member of the "200" club a number of times too and being awarded a "200 Club" pin. Yippee!
Well, I am happy to say...what goes around comes around. My youngest son is on a bowling league and while I was watching and cheering him from the back tables I noticed a "Sunday evening special" the bowling alley was promoting. Last night I took my two youngest sons to have some "major fun." Now, let me bring you up to date. I have not been bowling in at least twenty years but I did remember how much fun it was!
I paid our fees, got our bowling shoes and went to our lane. Put our names on the automated score board (yeah!) and we started.... I was up first (thank you boys!) I remembered my little stance and how to hold the ball, here I go.... oops, I only hit three pins. Well, hey, it wasn't a gutter ball! Next time up was not much better. My ball was simply too heavy, I elected to use a lighter weight ball (yes, that's right, the ones the little kids use) That would help wouldn't it? Jeremy was having his best game ever. Joe and I weren't doing so well. Game over, oh thank heavens....the next one will be better! Let's eat some pizza first.
Second game, we all vowed to do better. I started off hitting eight pins...wow! The boys did better too. It seems like we inspired each other, spare, strike, strike, etc....sounds like we did great huh? Well, we did. Jeremy bowled a 136, Joe bowled a 100 and I bowled a 134. We were celebrating with "high fives" and "great job!"
Third game the boys continued to improve and have fun. I was having fun too but kept getting splits! Oh well, who cared? It was just the three of us together having a great time. The boys and I were glad that for once, none of their friends joined in this activity. It was just our family making a great memory! We can't wait to do this again! It was a blast! Who knows next time maybe my older children will join us too!
5 comments:
I bowled in leagues for more years than I care to remember and only got a 200 pin once! This brought back memories for me of all the years our Saturday mornings were spent at the bowling alley when my kids were in leagues. The grandkids haven't joined a league - yet, but we often have bumper bowling birthday parties.
Thanks for the memory.
Apple, thank you. It was really a great memory too! Bowling is a blast. Thanks for the nice comment! pam
Aside from the bowling part of your story, I was impressed with how hard your mom worked as a single mother to find entertainment and activities for you kids. She sounds great!
What fun memories this conjurs up for me! I, too, took bowling in high school for credit! Couldn't believe it then ~ still can't. I was so excited and nervous every day because this upper classman whom I had a huge crush on actually worked in the bowling alley during my class time there. My most humiliating memory came when I confidently picked up that bowling ball (the lightest one they had) and promptly threw it behind me! I was mortified. But have laughed about it many times over the years.
A delightful story. Thanks for sharing your good times with your children and with us.
What a terrific story! It really is great when you and your kids can share an activity that interests everyone concerned.
Bowling isn't popular here in the UK but my family and I try to go bowling once a month and then we go for a meal afterwards,we always have a great time!
Thanks,regards,
Colin
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