This past Christmas, I struggled with what to get my nephew Bo. As an only grandchild of four doting grandparents, one doting aunt, and about one thousand additional doting Italian and Greek relatives, Bosco has just about every block, car, thingamabob, and whoseitwhatsit known to mankind. So what do you get the kid who has ev-er-y-thing?
My solution: dates with me, his favorite aunt! (okay, okay, only aunt)
I came up with about a dozen Bo-appropriate outings: eating pancakes, going to LEGOLand, sleeping over at Camp Crystal Lake for fun with his cousin Roo, getting his first tattoo (just kidding, Paula! [Greg, let me know when it's okay to do this]). And today was our bowling date--and it was Bo's very first time bowling!
Greg, Paula, Bo, and I headed over to Waveland Bowl, which is where my league (it's Greg and Paula's league, too) spend their wintery Monday nights. I'm missing my bowling chums this year (read about my amazing teammates here), so it was so nice to spend time at the lanes with three of my favorite Borks.
Now, I will preface this by saying that Bo did great--he bowled a 50, and that's terrific for his first time. But, his first roll wasn't exactly a success:
He recovered quickly with some moral support from mom and dad:
Mom, is this the heaviest? I want the heaviest, please.
Yep, that works.
Dad, you're in my way.
I get another roll? This is a great game!
My ball is not fast-moving. Let's sit down to watch it roll down the lane.
Auntie Laura, it's my turn! I have to bowl!
After our game (and yes, Greg won--he beat me by two stinking points. It's against his DNA to come in second), we spent some time in the arcade, got a balloon sword, and then went to Wendy's for Frosties and french fries: the lunch of bowling champions. On our way home, we had a silly face contest. Bo won.
Hi!
All right, we're done.
Our next date will be in March--our spring breaks line up, so we might go hang out at the park, the art studio, or, um, the tattoo parlor. Whatever.
About ten years ago, my brother, Greg, invited me to join one of the teams in his bowling league. One of his friend's teams was looking for another bowler for the Monday night cosmic bowling league at Waveland Bowl. It sounded like a hell of a lot of fun, and I said yes.
Since that first season I've been a member of X-Factor, a team that makes full fun and takes full advantage of the black lights, lasers, and big hair metal music videos during games. But this is the first year I've had to take a hiatus from bowling because of a very exciting development: I got cast as Sally Bowles in the school spring musical (we're doing Cabaret--I'll have more on this later).
Now, although I'm so excited (and terrified) to be in this play, it was bittersweet; it meant that I couldn't bowl this year because of rehearsal conflicts. So, this is my homage to bowling with my X-Factor fellows, who are a group of fun, goofy, and wonderful people. And I cannot wait to be back at the lanes with them next winter.
Me and Greg, when he tricked me into wearing a Spurs hat
Wigs! From left: Dan, me, Debbi, Stephanie, and Laura
And then the old wig switcheroo
Stephanie in an entirely new wig and America bowling arm band
Stephanie and Laura, thinking they might buy some socks out of the sock vending machine (which is a vending machine that should be everywhere, not just in bowling alleys!)
The early years: Zach and Smitty, who now lives in Australia with his lovely wife Liz (also a former teammate) and their new baby (who is probably right now practicing Smitty's signature spin)
Let's take a moment to appreciate Zach's bowling trousers
And my bowling head ornament
In addition to bowling, we were known to eat cheese fries, hot pretzels, and Frazzles (which were an ice cream Blizzard-type shake that were discontinued from Alley Dogs, probably because of the stomach aches they caused), and do a little Dance Dance Revolution.
I think Greg lost a bet. Really.
So, X-Factor, I hope you all bowl well this season. I will be dancing on Monday nights in your spirit, and hopefully eating enough cheese fries to keep me spiritually connected to you.
