The Tuesday Night Bowling Tradition

Traditions all have a genesis. I've eaten lefse at Christmas every year for my entire life.  For the last several years Matt and I have even played a part in ensuring that tradition carries by helping make the lefse with Matt's mom.  BUT, somewhere down in the roots of my family tree (and Matt's) someone started this whole lefse-is-a-holiday-treat thing.  I think that is so cool.  A simple idea can become a family bond and legacy, just like that.

This week marks the one year anniversary of a relatively new family traditions--Bowling Tuesdays.

We didn't set out to bowl once a week--or I certainly didn't anyway.  I think Ryan and Bek were looking for a fun, affordable date night--and invited Matt and me along to double.  ...and we enjoyed it so thoroughly that we after that first time we were all hooked.  It is such an enjoyable way to spend the evening together.  There is the friendly competition, lots of laughing and catching up, pitchers of beer and free Diet Pepsis, tunes on the jukebox, a growing camaraderie with the bowling alley staff (we're "regulars" now!), and even a little bit more physical activity in our lives.  That is winning on so many levels it is just unreal.

The game is only a fraction of the story though.  I would say that the bulk of  my satisfaction comes from sharing quality time with people I care about.  Matt and I would see Ryan (and usually Bek) every week during football season, but it was much more sporadic the rest of the year.  Bowling has changed that!  Now we have a standing weekly date and I just love it.  I look forward to Tuesdays so much.  Sometimes other folks join us, too--April and Bryant, Memo and Jess, Stephanie and Casey, Lacie and Matt, Sharon and Roger.  So, the tradition has a sort of ripple effect, too.  According to my records we've had 33 (!) different bowlers over the past year.

Ryan and I even both threw our birthday parties at the bowling alley.

I wrote this poem in the bowling alley back in February (between sips of light beer and Olympic figure skating performances) while waiting for the rest of my crew to join me for our highly anticipated weekly bout.

Tuesdays We Roll
Harold acts the gatekeeper
To my ugliest shoes
The ones with no traction,
But non-marking soles, too.
I know his name
--not CJs, apparently--
and wonder if he knows mine.
I do post it along side my score
Every week.
I know my average
97
Harold knows my shoe size
9 not 9 1/2
Happy Hour from 8-10.

I'm pleased to report that my average has gone up since then, too.  And down.  And then up again!  Ha!  And I bought some really schnazzy bowling shoes.  No more ugly ones for me!

My bowling shoes are so cool they look like regular shoes.

Nothing lasts forever, but like the lefse thing I hope this new tradition has some sticking power.