Lesson 520: Bowled Over

Bowled over:

phrasal verb, transitive

to make someone feel shocked or surprised

synonyms--

shaken up

stunned

astonished

staggering

not bear thinking about

Eloise is a pretty positive gal,

but once in a super blue blood moon

do I lament a sporting event.

My hubby finished a respectable 10th place

in the Erie Times News Bowling Tournament.

10th is nothing to sneeze at

considering the tough competition.

He was bowling hot, though,

and we all thought this may be his year to finally get that win.

TJ Mitchell was the recipient of the crystal bowling pin.

He's a super nice guy

and a great competitor.

My hubby bowled his heart out and bowled really well.

It just seemed that nearly every competitor had the game of their life

when they were against him.

My friend Lauren Kelly captured this shot of Louie and Sam.

It is my very favorite of the tournament.

In the end,

the memories that are everlasting,

are those you build for your children.

As my fellas sat and thought about the 3 weekends of matches,

Sam was so proud of his Dad.

"Dad has lots of class, Mom," said Sam on the ride home,

reflecting back on his father's match play.

"He shook every one of their hands and said good job,

even though he got hosed."

Bowling alleys.

They are the most unique places.

Very welcoming

with their dark paneling,

crazy carpets,

and carpeted walls.

There is just something about Erie alleys

that mix old tradition with new oddities.

Here were the final standings of Erie's most revered tournament.

Can you pick out the two teens in the photo?

It was a historic year with two boys who only recently

removed their training wheels from their bicycles.

Congratulations Hayden and Killian!

You made this year's competition all the more interesting to watch.

Roll on, Louie.

I'm getting you a practice jersey that says 

Remove the Zero in 2019.

He's going from 

#10

to #1!

Own it!

If you are thinking about starting the sport yourself,

Eloise says Go for it!

It's a great sport for anyone--any age.

The equipment is getting more cool by the day.

Look at the names of these bowling balls.

If I ever do decide to join in on the fun,

I'm getting one of these.

Which should Eloise purchase?

I want one that matches my personality the most closely.

Those were my final three,

until I turned the corner

and found this poster hanging on the dark, paneled wall.

I think I need the IQ 30.

Every girl wants a new purse,

so if I get it,

I want this bag, too.

I wasn't just bowled over by the bowling--

the basketball got me tonight, too.

Sam's team started out strong,

scoring 20 points in the first half.

The second half they held us to only 4,

with a final score of 24-30 and a tournament loss.

I've titled this shot--

What the Heck Just Happened?

Last weekend, 

in between all the bowling,

I did get out in the sunshine for a nice walk.

There was a nice, thick frost

The woods were beautiful in the morning light.

I found a few minutes to stop and wonder at nature's grand design.

How does something like this

withstand the wind

while attached to such a tiny twig?

I emerged from the woods as daylight broke into its full splendor.

The sun felt so good on my face.

I thought I spotted a very rare bird sitting on the park bench along the pond.

Eloise dropped to her belly and slithered to a solid vantage point

for the perfect capture

of the perfect bird

on a perfect morning,

only to find.......

that it was a bag of dog poop.

Sigh.

Have a great weekend, Readers.

If you are bored and want to do something 

easy and fun--

try bowling.

It may be just the thing to help you ride out the rest of this winter.

Well, that,

and this winter humor joke.

14 degrees today with a negative 6 windchill.

Sometimes jokes are necessary simply for our survival.

Eloise