Saturday was great.
The repair man finally fixed my oven. I guess that third time lucky, as I surmised the other day.
Anyway, as any red-blooded male knows, Saturday afternoon is all about Sports. I am slowly getting to understand the game that over here is known as Footy. Let me tell you about what I’ve figured out.
The AFL (Footy League here) is celebrating their 150th year this year. In true Australian style, the counting isn’t really accurate. 15 years ago they were celebrating their 100th year anniversary. Then the sports officials decided to start counting the game from a different point. I guess you could make special anniversaries every few years by changing the starting point all the time.
Anyway here are the rules (there actually are some) that I’ve figured out so far. 18 people have to line up against each other, and then an umpire (wearing a butcher’s overcoat) bounces the ball in the middle, and then everyone just jumps on each other. Eventually the ball emerges and then it is kicked or punched (the ball, the other players and the umpire – it doesn’t seem to make any difference) until it is through the middle of the goals.
Again in true Aussie style, there are 4 goal posts, instead of the two we would think of, because the ball is notoriously hard to kick, or punch (there is no throwing???) the ball in a straight line. And then at the end of the game the score is tallied up something like 10-12-72. I don’t understand either. I haven’t got the nerve to ask anyone now I’ve been here for a while.
Anyway, I watched the one of the local teams play on TV, and then confused, I started flicking through the TV channels, and found the real Football. It is FA Cup Final Day, so I settled into watching that.
That is my idea of a perfect day. (Almost)
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