Pieces of Eight

Another very important part of my community was in action today. Wallingford Cricket Club has just completed it's eighth win this season. Last year we managed just five from eighteen. We have three games left. We aren't going to win the division, but we may get as high as fourth. Last year we were third to last, of eighteen.

It was a feel good game. Unless you were from Oxford, in which case you were righteously smote. Beating Oxford feels a bit like beating your bigger brother. As much as I love the city, when it comes to cricket, my loyalty is a very fickle beast. Especially as they weren't the nicest bunch of people. I didn't bowl myself this week (I recognise that last week may have been a fluke) but did contribute 25 with my bat. Someone else used my bat to whack 38. I need three more runs to make 250 for the season.

At the risk of sounding too positive, I really like the guys I play cricket with. I get to tell them what to do, and they do it. A good way to be liked by me... But that aside they play their cricket with a sense of enjoyment. And that is something to be treasured.

It's a funny thing, but I feel so damn happy with the world at the minute. At the minute. It's a British expression I have picked up. British expressions aside, there must be something in the water, the air, or the beer, because I don't do this normally. Some of the time I just feel like groovin'. I am sure that a certain amount is due to making at least some of my peace with God, but I can't explain the rest.