OUR CROQUET CLUB IN LOCKDOWN All the lawns look lush and perfect and the weather is quite magnificent, it’s the best season to play croquet, but this Autumn is rather different, for the Government has now decreed we must maintain our social distance and in this time of world pandemic practice discipline and persistence. The Club has been placed in lockdown, there’s not a member or ball in sight, all hoops and mallets now put away and our Clubhouse locked up tight. The President is sending out emails urging practice with a ping pong ball and trying to lift our flagging spirits by confessing that she misses us all, while our Committee is still meeting to ensure the Club’s future is bright, and working on a special action plan for the day we receive the green light. We’re told while the curve is flattening, we must all get used to these changes, stay indoors to check the viral spread, avoiding social contact and exchanges. How long will this anguish continue? No one can give us an accurate guide, but normality will eventually return and we’ll reach the PM’s “other side”, then the lawns will open up once more, we’ll again enjoy our wonderful view whilst peeling and roqueting those balls and running all hoops straight through! Sad for the social and playing time lost with no acceptable cause for lament, because unlike many of our fellow man we’ll have survived this dreadful event. David Snedden 2020