Sunday, New Friends Near Dublin

Sunday I met city kids with ponies, played rounders and was completely welcomed by new friends.

I had arranged for a taxi to pick me up for services Sunday morning. I waited and waited, but they never showed up. Mary’s husband, my host at Greenacres Bed & Breakfast, knew where a Kingdom Hall is, so he dropped me off. I thought I would be very late. Our congregation met at 9:30. I had hoped to get there early enough to meet people, instead I thought I would be over an hour late. But, I wasn’t late at all. This congregation did not meet until 10:30.

Afterward, I met with the group going in Field Service. We were inviting people to attend a special talk the next Sunday. We visited people on a council-run housing estate. This is like low-cost housing here.

A kid wanted to show me his horse. He really did have a horse in the back garden of the house. The horse had to walk right through the house to get in and out of the back yard! It was a beautiful well cared for small horse living in the back garden of a townhouse. It was very affectionate.

The boy led his horse out to show me some tricks he could do. He was standing up on the horses back when other kids came out with their horses. Pretty ponies and small horses. Really! Living in low-cost housing in Dublin! This is a video by Magali Chapelan.

I had left my camera in the car, so I have no photos of this. I researched it and it is a big issue, with hundreds of ponies and horses living on council estates. They call them Urban Pony Kids.

Next, the Polish speaking congregation was meeting the English speaking congregation at the park and I was invited to join them. I am pretty sure it was Killinardan Park.

We played Rounders.

Rounders is kinda like baseball. But, not much.

I don’t think this is anything close to the real way you are supposed to play the game, but this is how we played:

We split into teams. Half went out onto the field. A ball was tossed underhand.

We first used a tennis ball and racket someone had, but the ball went way too far. Then we switched to a little ball similar to a baseball and a cricket bat.

The batter could run whether he hit the ball or not. If you did not hit the ball, someone waiting to bat could catch it and throw it as hard as they could. It rather seemed like Calvinball.

About half of us had never played the game or anything like it before. And most of them did not speak English. The first three batters ran to first base, but they just stayed there.

The next batter got everyone to run with them around the bases.  Everyone who runs all four bases counted as a rounder. If you ran just two, you got a half rounder.

Then a little Scottie dog ran off with the ball. We chased him around and got the ball back, but the Scottie joined the game, waiting for his chance again until his owner caught up with him.  I cannot remember laughing so much!

Someone invited us back to their house to grill out. We talked, ate and even sang Karaoke. Then someone drove me back to the B&B. It was a wonderful day!

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