The Game of all Games

You know, I really don't like to exercise at all. It hurts my knees sometimes
and my joints pop. But I do like to be in shape. So, sometimes I just have to
prove to myself that I can still do things. Like climb a tree for instance or hike
a steep hill, or wrestle someone to the ground.

Yesterday my family got together... uncles, aunts, cousins..(they are the best)
and we play a game. The game of all games.  That's not really what it's called 
but we anticipate it every year. It's really fun and it gets your heart pumping for 
sure, and it's filled with wrestling and the like....
This is what you need:
2 buckets
2 12 inch dowels (on the thickish side. You don't want them to break.)
1 bandanna
1 person to call out numbers.


This is how you play:
line up all the people who want to play from tallest to shortest
Count off 1,2,1,2
All the 'ones' line up on one side and the 'twos' on the other, so
they are facing each other.  You should be lined up smallest to tallest
on one side and smallest to tallest on the other side only opposite of 
each other.
 Here is a sort of picture to illustrate.
o   @   O

O  @   o
We do this to make sure the people who are paired up are about the
same size so it will be fair.
Just make sure everyone is facing each other, then, give each
player a number in order.


So this is how is should look with the people, buckets, 
dowels and bandanna.


People:                                                                           1,2,3,4,5,6,7 


Bucket, dowel, bandanna, dowel, bucket :                0           1B1         0


People:                                                                           7,6,5,4,3,2,1,


Everyone needs to remember their number. 
There is a caller to call out number. So, let's say the caller yells "4".
Both of the number 4's from each line races to the center, grabs a dowel 
and picks up the bandanna with the dowel. 
You can only touch the bandanna with the dowel. No hands.
This is when it can get fun and the wrestling begins. 
So, you have the bandanna on your dowel. Now you need to run to your 
team's bucket and tap the top of the bucket with the dowel.
Realize that the other person is racing you, and grabbing you and doing everything 
possible to block your way and to get that bandanna for himself. 
This can end up in a full on wrestling match and it's stinking fun.


A couple of years ago I ended up wrestling a girl that my nephew's friend
 brought with him to our 24th of July celebration.  Oh, she was mad dog, 
and young and seemed athletic. I just turned 39 or 40 and was determined
to prove to myself I was strong enough. 
Our number was called, each of us grabbed the dowel and wrestled for that
bandanna. It was intense! We wrestled for that bandanna all over the place 
for, what seemed like forever. I was tuckered out.  We were on the ground 
she put her weight into me and was on top. I put my weight into her stuck my 
dowel on that bandanna and somehow my dowel flipped up and whacked me 
in the face, giving me a huge fat lip. Didn't care. I would not be beaten. 
I had to move fast now and got that bandanna back on my dowel and reached,
just barely tapping my dowel on my team's bucket.
Yes...I was strong enough.  Good enough for me.

I have no idea what she thought. We had never met her before, and she was a good
sport to play the game at all with a bunch of crazy strangers. 


With a big fat lip, I was happy. This is a good form of exercise. It's fun and 
gives you a heck of a work out. 


Yesterday I was paired up with my daughter. She beat the crap out of me. 
Dang it!


Hiking is really fun too. :)