It was close, at a secondary school near our regular pitch, so we were able to get there pretty easily. The bad thing is that the cold has returned at it even snowed a little during the games.
He was really nervous about it and didn't want to play. I always hesitate in those moments with the kids. How much do you push?
With Johnny I just know that once he gets going he loves it. So I used a little bribery today. I said I'd clean his bathroom this weekend if he gave it a try.* I could tell that ever since the boys had had a chance to play "air hurling" where they could pick the ball up with their stick, run with it, and bat at it, that he felt a little intimidated. He can play the ground hurling about as well as any other kid, but there were a few kids who were really adept at picking the ball up with their stick. It's definitely a skill that takes practice and even though Johnny understands that its a little like lifting the puck in ice hockey, it is still not fun to be the kid who just can't do it yet (and even though he's definitely not the only one, I'm sure it felt like it).
We got there and he started out as keeper.
He did great and stopped all the goal attempts. The goalie in these games is the only guy who can actually hit the ball like a baseball to get it out of the net. This is pretty difficult to do, but he did it!
Ok so here's the best part. The next period (the games are only about 15 minutes long and they play a few games each time we meet for games -- every other week) he scored TWO goals!!!
In hurling there's no offsides so you can basically plant a forward by the goal. He got one goal because the opposing goalie tried to hit it out and didn't do a good job. The ball basically went to Johnny and he belted it in. The next time he was just in the right place at the right time. One of the coaches screamed out "Its a YANKEE DOODLE DANDY!"
Awesome.
Let's just say he was glad he played after all!
We had a low key day after that. It snowed and we were freezing after being out for an hour and a half and biking to and from.
After our "tea" at the friend of a friend of a friend's house on Friday combined with the snow, and the cold, we've started to break down and look for a used car. I found a used SUV that seats 7 for 1500 euro. We have about three weeks over the course of the five months here that we were planning on renting a car and heading out to see Ireland (Sheila's parents are coming in April for example). for 1500 euro we can more than make up for the costs of renting, plus we could expand our world just a little on a regular basis. The kids don't need rides to school and I don't need a ride to work, but Maggie needs to be able to meet friends easily in Dundrum, for example, and not have to worry about navigating an hour and a half bus ride. Johnny's been an incredible sport riding his bike in 30 degrees up to play hurling for an hour and then riding home, but it is just not something ANYONE wants to do on Monday night after school at 7 p.m. when it is dark and cold. Anyway, we are heading toward wimping out on that score. Also our the friend of a friend of a friend pointed out that our world would be enriched just a bit. I'd love to head into Wicklow and do a few hikes. There's no DART that goes there and its just a half hour away. I think it'd be more than worth it and we're talking with a family that's got one for sale at the moment.
I may have photos of a used van heading your way soon!
*I had to give it an extra scrub anyway since his cleans are a bit, well, let's call them not a "deep clean."
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