A load of ‘Bull’ in Lockdown

None of us would have expected a pandemic to turn our lives upside down. Most of us have to confess, we whinged before COVID-19 so one full lockdown completed and a second upon us - things look bleak!

However, we should definitely take from 2020 what we can; learn new things and keep strong.

To stay healthy and maintain our wellbeing, we are being advised to learn new skills: develop yourself, consider your growth strategy, maybe learn an instrument or a language, reading, what about exercising more or yoga! Everyone I speak to seems to be taking up cycling. Riding 50km here, 100km the next day. My thoughts are that if you want to go that kind of distance - get a car! My cycling extends to a gentle dawdle at Center Parcs. Then they go and tell me the cycling is all indoors on a ’Turbo Trainer’ or something that shouts at you every five minutes called Peloton - plus everyone connects virtually using Zoom to see each other in their conservatories (or some other room in the house designated as the gym) just sweating - nice!

Sadly, a little too refined or energetic for me. So I have to confess, and tell you about one thing I tried, to the despair of my two kids and wife. It was darts. Yep, I’ve said it - darts!

I bought a new dartboard and got some decent darts. The plan was to see if I could hit a 180 or finish the big fish (for any non darts enthusiasts this is the highest possible finishing shot to win -known as an out shot - 170). I have to say, it’s been enjoyable. Especially helpful during ‘lockdown 1.0’ as it gave me an opportunity to escape the home office desk and at least stretch my legs. Ok, maybe 7ft & 9.25 inches, the length of the oche (length from board to throwing toe line) is not much of stretching your legs but times it by many, and it becomes a few steps on the Apple Watch read out!!!

The family would likely disagree. “Do you have to do this in here” my son says as he sits at his PS4; with me firing darts close-by and the occasional one ‘bouncing out’ landing not too far from the prized PlayStation or worse still; his collection of mini F1 cars!!! “Come and have a go too", I’d say to him. To be honest, he’s just being stubborn as it really annoys him when he does challenge me to ‘101’. I step up treble 17 - bull!!! He throws his darts down “that’s why I never challenge you”! Oops! “Try and be less competitive dear....” tends to be my wife’s reaction.

As for my daughter, it’s a simple ‘door slam’ exclaiming “I hate that thudding sound” as she spares us a few moments to look up from the FaceTime chat!!

“If only I could fit this in the garage, with room to throw” I say under my breath.

My wife stays fairly quiet, as long as she doesn’t hear the sound of a stray dart 'torpedoing' into the plaster board wall after a failed attempt at double 20 (known as double top) or if things are going badly - double 1!

“Errr, is that the wall again” the checking call. “Sorry, slipped in my hand” is my stock reply.

The thing is, darts is actually pretty good fun and quite a challenge to maintain consistency - it certainly takes your mind off work or other aspects of life that could be put on the back burner... Maybe I need more beer whilst playing, to improve the consistency, that seems to be the standard approach in most pubs. Sorry to mention ‘pub’ - never fear - we will be able to frequent these establishments again, once we get that vaccine sorted and COVID-19 beaten.

Back to the darts. I’ve managed the 180s and the big fish but the competitive streak keeps you wanting more. This is what frustrates my family so much. Now it’s war on the board and I have to win!

Nine darter - here I come!!!