I went to Tauranga last weekend to play in the Auckland Regional Senior Doubles pétanque tournament. Being 60 doesn’t qualify me for many benefits, but it does make me a senior in pétanque.

Several of us stayed with Bruce and Linda, stalwarts of the pétanque scene. Their home and acreage was absolutely beautiful.

And their hospitality… we were fed like royalty on top of being put up in such an idyllic setting.

We came in second… my best finish ever in a regional event. But, you always want what you can’t have: second was of course good, but my partner and I both felt we should have, could have, won the final match too.