The end of the year that is!! And with that, we are nearing the end of our practices for 2010. For me, the end of my first year back at marching after approx 45 years of abstinence. What a waste of 45 years – lol. I have loved getting back into this sport that I so enjoyed as a child and into my teen years. Yes, my sister was right. She had been trying to encourage me to get back into it for the last 15 or so years and although I made casual enquiries two or three times in the last 10 years, it was only after joining her at this year nationals at Christchurch that I realised what I was missing out on.
Thank you to my intrepid team leader who made the choice to contact me after I’d left my details with her. Out of several other ladies I was one of two chosen to take the vacant spots that had arisen.
Since then I’ve had a steep learning curve trying to remember their plan, but with a lot of patience and encouragement we’ve come to the point where we can all march through from beginning to end and no mistakes. Okay, there are some areas we still need to sharpen up on. Getting our knees up!! Sharpening up on our salute!! Raising those arms at the back!! But the basics are there at last.
I missed out on marching at the South Island event due to previous plans that took me out of the country. I still have that nerve-racking day of marching in public to face, when we march in the National Leisure Marching event in New Plymouth next March. Bring it on!! LOL
So how will I cope over the holidays with no practices to attend? Unfortunately we’ve had several wet Saturdays, so I’ve already had to cope with no-practice days. It wasn’t fun, but at least I know we’ll be back into it again mid-January.
Oh well, two more to go so I’d better make the most of them. It will be a bit like having withdrawal symptoms I suspect.
