Best friends together – ten pin bowling and cycling

It’s such a shame when best friends end up at different schools but in a way does help them find their own way.

N had 2 different best friends from his 2 nurseries (not counting his cousin as well).  One is at the same school as him, a lucky appeal, and the two of them are inseparable.  His other best friend S, from his day nursery, he’d not seen since the summer holidays.  I wondered if they’d forget each other, but not so far.  They’ve not yet been back to holiday club at the nursery there, but they’ve sent each other pictures through the post, and Christmas cards.  And N still talks about S lots.

I get on well with his friend’s mum as well, so we tried to organise a meet up over the Christmas holidays.  With both of us working and the boys at school, it’s hard to find time to get together.  But a date was set, and N counted down until the day he’d be seeing his friend again.

We’d planned to head out to the country park for a run around (them, not us!), but it was so windy it wasn’t the best to be taking them out in.  So we changed to a bike ride and scoot around the park in town, with ten pin bowling.

N had never been bowling before and he wasn’t too sure about it.  But telling him he’d be able to sit on the racing arcade game ‘cars’ got him to agree.

Our bowling place isn’t the classiest of joints.  The lanes are ok – bright and clean, but the rest of the venue is dark, scruffy and run down.  Although I’m not sure it was that ‘new’ even when it was first built.  I’d only been a couple of months ago with work (scoring 4 strikes and still managed to come way down the rankings!), so I thought it’d be interesting to see if I did any better.  It was really busy because we’d gone for the midweek offer.  You can’t beat 2 adults, 2 kids bowling for £6!

Handily at our bowling venue you don’t need to wear bowling shoes, so there wasn’t the faff of trying to find shoes that fit the children.  N and S were determined to try and pick up the biggest bowling balls they could manage so it was interesting trying to remember to keep an eye on fingers, toes and what they were up to.

N was intrigued by the lanes but he soon grasped what he needed to do.  And we’d definitely not have wanted a second game because after 2 goes he was asking me if we were done.  After he’d got a strike using the ramp, he was a bit more interested, although I don’t think he’ll be shouting to go again any time soon.  Apart from being with his friend, he was more interested in blowing bubbles in his orange juice.

Amazingly for all his nonchalance, he got the highest score of the 4 of us.  Embarrassingly, I was beaten by everyone.  Mortifying losing to four year olds, especially with the lane barriers up.

After bowling we headed off to the park.  Of course, it had started raining a bit by then, but we decided we needed a walk.  The boys raced off ahead on bike and scooter.  It was lovely to see them enjoying the outdoors and each other’s company.

The playground was too wet to play on, but by the time we got there, they were more interested in checking out the mini bike/scooter circuit.  They were determined to give it a go even though the bumps were a bit too big for them.

A suggestion of a drink got them away and we worriedly let them ride along the canal path to the museum café.  They weren’t too keen to leave their vehicles outside (N wasn’t impressed on the way out to find his bike wet – tissues at the ready), but it was nice to have a sit down and breather before walking back to the cars.

Ok, we got a bit wet, but it was lovely to catch up for N and myself.  And a reason to get out of the house over Christmas.

Did you get together with friends over Christmas or was it all about family for you?