Last night, my neighbors, Kathy and Lawrence, took me as their guest to play Skittles. Skittles is an old European target sport, a variety of bowling, from which Ten-pin bowling
, Duckpin bowling
, and Candlepin bowling in the United States, and Five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom the game remains a very popular pub sport in England and Wales, though it tends to be found in particular regions, not nationwide. It is perhaps most common in the south west, which is where I live.We played in a place called The Clarence House. It's just off of the High Street in Portishead. It's a members-only club that used to be a club for utility workers in Portishead. Portish
ead used to have to power plants, I guess. They have been gone since the 80's and Portishead continues to turn itself into a residence and recreational community instead of an industrial. This my neighbor, Kathy, in the green top.
ead used to have to power plants, I guess. They have been gone since the 80's and Portishead continues to turn itself into a residence and recreational community instead of an industrial. This my neighbor, Kathy, in the green top.The group that got together are the individuals that belong to their community allotment. Apparently, the allotment has a new governance structure in place where they are holding members accountable to use their plots or move them on as they have a waiting list to join. In some areas of
the country, the wait lists for an allotment are 10 years, or more. It's viewed as a privilege.
the country, the wait lists for an allotment are 10 years, or more. It's viewed as a privilege. Okay, back to Skittles. You get to throw three rubber balls. I guess in some places, the balls are wood. Imagine the noise of a wooden ball 
hitting a wooden alley! This is my neighbor Lawrence to the left.
hitting a wooden alley! This is my neighbor Lawrence to the left.Anyway, there are nine pins at the end of the alley. The pins are set up by fellow players who take managing the end of the alley. You bowl a total of six frames. At the end of the fifth frame, you total your score and bowl the last frame. It is simple match, no additional points, so the highest possible score is 54.
I scored a 37, 
which was the highest score for the ladies and one short of tying for the overall highest score! I won a five pound gift certificate to a gard
en centre!
which was the highest score for the ladies and one short of tying for the overall highest score! I won a five pound gift certificate to a gard
en centre!
