We win a badminton match

I played in a badminton match on Monday, with a new and enthusiastic (young) partner whom I shall call Ginger Graduate. That's a picture of him there, at the recent Christmas do. He used to play badminton for his university, and joined our club when we moved to the new venue, but this was the first match he'd played for us. It seems that grown-up league badminton is a bit different from the student experience, where they offer loud encouragement, sledging, and various other forms of vocal and physical gamesmanship intended to put off the opposition.

I had to take him aside, and confide to him that shouting "Keep it up, Jo" and "Fantastic shot, Nicky" were not the sort of thing that we are used to. We occasionally say "Oh, good shot," just loud enough for the closest players to hear, and perhaps clap quietly when really crucial points are won. While it's perfectly acceptable within the rules, his behaviour would meet with disapproval with most of the league teams, who are composed of ladies and gentlemen like myself, well past the flush of youth. We are fiercely competitive, but do not like to show it so overtly. We are very old-school British.

Anyway, I'm hoping that he becomes my regular partner, because we won the match, with GG and me winning two of our three games (and the third was very close). This should be put in perspective - the first season I played League matches with this club, we didn't win a single one. I barely won any games within the matches. The second season, I reckon we might have won maybe one or two matches, and with a change of partner I managed a few more games. I don't think we have risen above the bottom position in the League tables, ever. But that's fine, I really like the people and the club, and playing badminton is nearly always good fun whether we win or lose, as long as people are friendly.

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Today brings my second and last exam of this session, and I'm feeling a bit better about it than the other one. It's still going to be unpredictable, because the module is huge - it took two sessions a week last term - and there is a compulsory question in which they can ask absolutely anything. But in a few hours' time it will be over, and I can get on with having fun for two whole days before lectures start again, 9 a.m. Monday morning.

The plumbing brothers are due to turn up at home today as well, and I have left Mr A with a list and instructions to help him remember what needs doing, in order of priority. Mr A has been a boon over the revision period, especially in comparison to this time last year when he was stressed to the eyeballs in a failing business. He's been hoovering and cooking and shopping and washing up, being (mostly) considerate and looking after me. I've promised to treat us to a meal out tonight, and I'm looking forward to it already.

Now, must stop wasting time, and get on with reviewing my copious revision notes.