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'Sisters at the Snooker' (Episode 24)

Singing as the Darkness Lifts 19/02/2024 Episode 24

Podbean Link for those who like to listen

This morning the air seems to smell of egg nog. Inquisitive, I sniff again. Later, I realise the scent is lifted from my body and is from my shower gel. I wonder how many scents are mingling around me.

Alt Text for today’s photo tells us this is: “Two women taking a selfie”, but as me and my sister like to see it this is... “Sisters settling in for the semi-finals at the 2024 Welsh Open”.

This was my first time at the snooker and I remember learning most of what I know about it from watching it at my granddad’s house when I was young. It was in black and white in those days and frequently viewed without sound, but I remember the joy of a 147 break and the peaceful way my grandad watched it.

When we were walking to the venue, I said to Katie, “I’m really looking forward to seeing a 147.” And she replied, “That’s not gonna happen sis. It’s very, very rare. Although it would be amazing.” And then she laughed. But we did, in the second frame. A Google search later told me this was indeed rare.

Observing the concentration and skill of the game in a live setting was an immersive experience. Different for me from the immersion in a good book, film, theatre, dance etc where I feel pulled in and observing from within and yet the same impact of being taken out of the world for a while and into another dimension. When the players are completely in the moment of what they are doing and planning, it seems to radiate outwards and as a spectator I was concentrating fully too. There is a patience and stillness there that seems to ripple with the thought processes and skills. And such lessons in the need to refine skills in practice, and be present in the moment during matches and tournaments.

Seizing the moment and saying, “Yes please” when Katie asked me if I wanted to go when she saw the tickets in late August was a good choice of mine. And seeing her face when she got to say, “Good morning,” to Ronnie O’Sullivan (he made the first maximum break at the Welsh Open in 1999) early on Sunday morning was super cool. She had already joked that we would see him out running when we set off for our morning walk. “Oh my God, I can’t believe we just saw Ronnie!” she said.

It also felt good to be able to give my sister a copy of the newly launched Sidhe Press anthology, “To Light the Trails, Poems By Women in a Violent World” when we got back from our adventure. Having walked round the Orme on Sunday morning it felt like a treat to have feet up to open the envelope and discover exactly how the book looked and felt in real life. I am so delighted to have been able to see the process through from submissions to print copy and to have had my first guest editing experience. I have learned a lot and I love now seeing people with poems in the book sharing this on social media. Holding the words with care all the way through and now holding the whole book brings the experience full circle.

There were delicious pancakes this week and a rather intense interruption to sleep after cinema on Shrove Tuesday. I was in a deep sleep that might have been affected by watching ‘All Of Us Strangers’ when the smoke alarm went off. This was about half past midnight and we had eaten pancakes at tea time before heading out for the film so at first I did not put these two things together. However, it must have been particles in the air from the frying as there was nothing else amiss. I am not sure I have moved so quickly from bed to kitchen before. My heart was beating very fast because I really thought there was going to real smoke and a situation to deal with. Next time we have pancakes we will definitely be opening the window before, during and after the cooking.


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