Ping Pong
The Memsahib has claimed the television for the next two weeks as Wimbledon
is on. I will be rearranging the wine cellar (Some of the bottles seem to need help with breathing - mouth to mouth resuscitation may be needed)rather than watching spoilt kids wearing their hats backwards - no standards at all.
It is the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club but never a shot of the Croquet, now that is a game of skill and elegance combined with ruthlessness and revenge. Much more my cup of tea. For Hints of how to play and cheat at croquet see: Croquet World Online Magazine | Letters & Opinion
A sample:
The croquet player has one single object to keep in view - namely, to win the game; and in the following "Hints" we shall endeavour to give him the means. He is not to blame us if some of these appear unworthy ones. The same might be said of rifle practice, as compared with bravely tilting at an enemy with spear and shield upon an open field of battle. We are not living in the middle ages, and if it is now allowable in war to skulk and shirk about behind trees and walls and stones, and bring down a noble fellow with a murderous rifle shot, the unhandsome practices that we have recommended are not to be condemned upon the croquet lawn. The illusions of romance have been dissipated forever. There are no Quixotes no roaming about the world to protect distressed ladies, and with impunity we may overbear their gentle remonstrances, and take any advantage of them that we can, and we not acting up to the principles of this game if we do not do so.
In short, we counsel you, in accordance with the true character of croquet as a game of chicane, not to enter upon it as you might upon a game of billiards, cricket, or tennis, for a fair and friendly and gentlemanly contest of skill, but to regard it as one in which you are justified in shaping, in taking every mean advantage of your competitors.
There are those who think that if all unfair practices were discountenanced it would add very much to the enjoyment of a country life. We leave these honest people to their opinions. For ourselves, we are no moralists - we are no Castiglioni. We take the game as we find it, and, admitting a principle, we carry it out to its logical conclusion.