Here we go again

Last night was the opening ceremony of the Spanish Nationals Bowls Championships.
Today we start playing & it will be a long 2 weeks as I am also organising.
Temperatures well into the 30s so lots of water will be needed.

Champion of Champions Final

After this mornings final I am now offically the Ladies Singles Costa Blanca Champion of Champions. I am so chuffed to achieve this, especially as I have been spending 9 hours a day organising the event too.



Champion of Champions

This week I have been running & playing in the Costa Blanca Champion of Champions. All the San Luis entrants got through their first round matches only to fall at the second hurdle, except little old me in the Ladies Singles.

After a very scrappy game in the first round in which I played in my terminology crap but managed to win, I have won my other matches comfortably to get to the final. This will take place on Saturday morning, as my possible opponents still have to play their semi final.

Will update after the Final.

Weightwatchers

Two weeks ago I signed up for Weightwatchers as both Allen & I wanted to lose weight.
The first week I lost 2,1kg & Allen lost 1kg. After weigh in this week Allen has now lost 2kg in total while I have lost 3.8kg (over 1/2 stone for those who work in old weights).
We are both happy with our progress & I am hoping that I can lose my 10% by the time we go to UK early June.
Will keep you upto date with our progress.

We Are The Champions

This weekend was the conclusion of our Club competitions which have been running throughout the winter season.
I was fortunate enough to get to 3 finals, 2 of them with Allen.

Yesterday morning we played the first of them, the Rinks with Joe Johnson & Alan Barton. We showed what a team can do if they play as a team. We scored 2 shots on the first end & after that were never ahead in the match. We scored a single shot on the 18th end to draw & force an extra end. When Allen, Joe & Alan had finished bowling we were holding game but Mal Hughes killed the end making us replay it. Once again after the three lads had finished we held shot, neither Mal nor I did anything with our first bowl but Mal took the shot with his final bowl. One bowl left to play & I had a tickle off my first bowl to turn it onto the jack & win the game.

A quick break for lunch then Allen & I were back in action playing Mixed pairs against Mike & Sheila Cox. Once again we won the first end then let them get away from us. With the score at 13-4 to them it looked as though the writing was on the wall but a 5 on the next end put us back into it & we got going. We only dropped 1 more shot on the final end & won 21-14.

This morning I played the Ladies Singles against Margaret Morrison. What a game we had. First Margaret went ahead then I did. Margaret pulled level then I went ahead again. She evened the score at 17. A couple of ends later & she led 19 to 18. She now needed 2 while I needed 3. I then played my best end of the match & with just Margarets last bowl remaining held 4 within inches of the jack. She played weight & hit the head but the jack went the wrong way for her & I held the 3 shots for game.

Three finals & 3 wins.

I am especially pleased because of the amount of time I have had off from bowling this winter with health problems.

Snow in Spain

Today the highest temperature has been 9C & I understand it was down to -2C overnight. Have spent most of the day in the house with heaters on to keep us warm. But according to the pensions office in UK the ex pats are not entitled to receive their winter fuel allowance as they live in a hot country. Anyone think we should send them this picture to prove we do need to pay for heating.

This is Alicante, only 30 minutes drive away with snow on the mountains behind.







More Wedding Items

Having completed the previous wedding order I thought that would be it. Then I was approached by a couple who are getting married In Gibraltar & then having a reception back at their bowls club. Their only remit was that it had to be black & white theme.

I decided to do the table settings as easel cards. Decorating with black & white daisies & black butterflies with gems.

I then used the same back sections on the table plan which was done on black and decorated in reverse to the settings with white & black daisies and white butterflies.

Delivery tomorrow so fingers crossed that they like them.

Just 2 More Sleeps

Back in April when I booked my short break to UK for the Craft Show it seemed like ages away. But time has flown & on Thursday I will be flying out from nice warm Spain to ?? But I wont be spending much time outside so wont need to worry. I am staying in a hotel at Birmingham Airport & will get to & from NEC via the fly train shuttle.
On Friday, I will be joined by Lynda, my dear sister & my lovely niece Chloe. There are 3 shows in one so will probably cover what they want to see on Friday & then do all the cardmaking stuff on Saturday. Am armed with my bank card & plenty of sterling.
On Saturday evening Lynda is coming back to Birmingham so we can go out to eat, and will then stay at the hotel with me. I have to be at check in at 5.25am so Lynda will wend her way back to Gloucester and be home by the time I take off.

Valencians Success

The San Luis ladies had some success in the Ladies Singles. Val Sherry had a close game with Ann Eagle, who knocked Sheila out, but narrowly lost. Mel Highland, in her words, didnt play her best and succumbed to the in form Maggie Furness. Yours truly played against Barbara Pilling from El Cid & won fairly comfortably despite knocking 3 of her woods in for scoring shots!
I now play.......... Ann Eagle in the Semi Final. Hopefully I can be the San Luis lady who defeats her. I did beat her in the Nationals singles but that was over set play & this is standard 21 shots up.

Valencian Championships

Before today there wasnt much to sing about in the Valencians for San Luis apart from Keith Roberts & Phil Morrachan getting to the semi final of the Mens Pairs.
Today has been a different story, we now have 2 Mens Fours teams in the semi final but they unfortunately have to play each other, but that guarantees us a finalist. Allen, Dane Howard, Mike Cox & Colin Highland will play Joe Johnson, Rod Wright, Trevor Vanner & Ray Robson.
In the Ladies Singles we had 4 entries. Sheila Cox had a brilliant game this morning scoring a four on the final end to beat Ann Holland, who had beaten her previous opponent 21-0. Unfortunately, Sheila got off to a slow start in this afternoons match against Spanish squad member Ann Eagle and never recovered, losing 21-14.
The other three ladies all progressed to the quarter finals, where Val Sherry will play against Ann Eagle, Mel Highland having beaten Sabrina Marks will play Maggie Furness & I will play Barbara Pilling. All these will be played tomorrow at 10am. Fingers crossed we can all get to the semi final.