Croquet Compulsion

I think they're addicted. Last week my kids put up the croquet set. Youngest son and I had played while we were at my sisters, and he was anxious to put our set up after we returned home. The sons mowed the yard in preparation for the wickets, trimmed the low hanging branches on the May Day tree so that they wouldn't interfere with the shots, and they've played every day since.

Having a daily game or two involves quite a bit of schedule coordination, but they've managed to squeeze in half an hour or more of croquet every day. Yesterday it rained during their only available time together. They put on their rain gear and played anyway. I'm sure the neighbors think they're nuts, and I might agree with them.

Youngest son won this particular round, after coming from way behind. Youngest daughter wins most often. I attribute her croquet skill to the peculiar hunched over stance with which she runs/waddles after her ball. No sizing up shots for her. She runs toward her ball in her stooped position and swings without a pause. She very rarely makes mistakes.

The sons have moments of brilliance, but they love taking risky shots, and that works against them. So do their yellow rain slickers. After all, who takes a yellow slickered croquet opponent seriously?