I know its been a while.  Yep I have lots to write, just a distinct lack of time to do it in.

For those of you who don’t know, I am a Ten Pin Bowler.  I used to be quite good, now I continue to do it for the social aspect and because it keeps me a little bit active – even when I don’t feel like doing anything.

When I was a junior of about 16 I suppose… Australia was home to the best Bowler in the world.  Cara Honeychurch.  I know most kids have idols like move starts or rock starts… my idol was Cara.  I watched here on cable TV at Ross’s house many times.  One day in… humm 1998 or 1999 I suppose.  Ross called me, told me to come over… didn’t say why, so my parents dropped me round.  In my coaches living room stood the very small statured Cara Honeychurch.  I immediately had nothing to say and felt like I had run about 10kms.  I got to bowl with the best bowler in the world that day… it was a day that I will never forget.

You would think as I grew up and older, I would have many, different idols for all the different areas of my life… yeah, not so much.  Cara is still on the top of my list.  She turned for pro-bowler into pro-business woman a few years back.  She now managers a family and a very intense job – she is the boss at TBA (Ten Pin Bowling Australia).  I admire that because right now I am juggling two jobs, an illness and a home life.

Last weekend she was on the Coast, at our new Robina AMF for the Qld State Team Roll-Offs.  After an unexpected cancellation that day – Stocker said “lets go to Robina”.  So off we went… and there she was…. my idol… Who is that lucky they get to meet their idol in life?  Who is that lucky they get to meet them twice?  When she was alone for 5 minutes I introduced myself, I don’t think she remembered me, but that didn’t really matter.  Ross interrupted by saying what I had told him – the day I met Cara was the best day of my life.  And it still pretty much is.  I instantly turned red.. my mouth went dry and someone stole the mussels out of my legs.  All of a sudden I was 16 again.

It was only 5 minutes – but I felt so lucky and special.  All Stocker could say was “I thought she’d be taller”, I suppose the way I go on about her made him imagine a taller stature.

I am not a particularly good bowler anymore… but the bowling people I have in my life, especially the Association girls make me feel good.  Since I have known them, they have always made me feel like I belong… I feel like I belong in that team even though I am perhaps the weakest link.  That sense of belonging is something I have really clung to over the last year… and its one of those things that has kept me going.  Not one of them looked at me any differently after they found out I was sick.  For that, and because they have never been anything other than who they are, they are all my idols too.  If the world had more up front, what you see is what you get, people like those girls – I can’t help thinking it would be a better place.

To all of my beautiful idols – I thank you for the part you have played in my life, particularly over the last year as I have been rediscovering who I am.

And one last thing….. go Gold Coast.