Good morning and happy “two’s day” to you all…..

A unique day that will never be repeated in our lifetime…..or ever in fact….that it is readable from the front to back (and vice versa) and upside down too…..okay, okay, only on an antiquated calculator screen!!…I thought that was pretty natty too….

We have been having good news on the Corona front, with the relaxation of the regulations, the cancelling of the curfew being a great positive…and while for some reason the State of Disaster hasn’t been abolished yet, I am sure that this will not be renewed in the foreseeable future…That is fantastic news for all our sports….as it appears that the playing of our sports and with the addition of spectators, it will not be restrictive as we have experienced over the past two years…

As we near the end of summer, we are moving inexorably to our busiest time of the year….not my favourite weather time….but busy in that all of our winter sports are going to start being played….soccer has already got up and brushed themselves off and have been busy with the Top 8 competition….and will embark on their League fixtures at the beginning of March….all the best to them…..rugby has also gained momentum, after playing only one league match in the last two COVID shut down years….and are readying themselves for another busy season….hockey 5’s are currently being played, which will make way for traditional field hockey shortly…I am sure that all the hockey people are champing at the bit to get back on the fields… Baseball also are starting their practices so that they are ready for the winter season….Our road running kings are also prepping themselves up for their goal…which has been moved a little later in the year, Comrades has been moved to August….so their whole schedule has moved along….even our own marathon is being hosted in early July to still be one of the last qualifiers for the big race….Interestingly, I have also seen that the social section is in practice to ready themselves up for a busy winter of armchair critics lying ahead….I have made the necessary arrangements for more stock of their favourite brew to be ordered…..we have also had some positive news, that our bridge section will be starting to use the hall for their weekly matches from the first week in March….I am sure that they are only too happy to be breaking the shackles of the internet and now meeting face to face once again….a huge welcome back to everyone…..it will be marvellous to see you all and to have you back here at your home away from home…

Our winter junior sports will also be starting up shortly, with junior soccer registration being held at the Club, this Saturday 26 February between 08h00 and 14h00 in the Ladies bar. Next Saturday, 5 March, the process will be repeated….we are hoping for a massive response, as the last two years have been frustrating….with sports being played behind “closed doors” with the ruling bodies not allowing spectators…..Junior Hockey are also having their registrations soon, these will be held in the beer garden next Saturday, 5 March, from 08h00 to about 12h00……Junior rugby has not scheduled a date for their start up, but with matches and tournaments expected to start in May, I am sure that the process will begin in April 2022. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page, website, or watch this space for more information.We are currently still busy with our cricket season, the rain being the biggest problem with trying to complete the league commitments… and as if the rain isn’t enough of an obstacle for our league and practice schedules, our grounds staff have also had to assume responsibility of cutting and also maintaining our fields as well…. a massive thank you to Brian and his staff, for manfully taking on the additional task with ease and conducting them with aplomb. The fields are looking fantastic, better to me than they have in many a year….Softball and Junior Baseball are enjoying a busy season too….and have hosted a few weekends of baseball at our grounds…well done to Shaun and his team for all the effort put in to make a success of these weekend fixtures….

Over the last two months, we have been a couple of postponements of our night market, but despite these we have already hosted two this year, where we confused the weather gods by moving the dates to the second Friday of the month…

Music has also returned to the North on Friday nights…last weekend we had the popular husband and wife team, Plus2….they got everyone they could onto the dance floor with some great numbers to jive to….while the break has ensured that they worked on some classic numbers and they definitely had us tapping our feet for the whole evening….this week I organised a “newbie”….I met and listened to him when I was down in Mozambique over the New Year….and he knocked my socks off….playing some old classics with his inimitable style….and included some ready good new music….he calls himself Born2Fire and I recommend that you come through see him…hopefully we will see you there..

Our joker draw is still running and the joker remains elusive….with the jackpot now standing at R20114… 19weeks of activity means that the chances of the Jester being found are improving each week….please come along and join us in our normal Friday fun evenings…. It is wonderful having the junior cricketers along at practice and the shouts of “Howzat” or the clip of the leather on willow is always lovely to listen to….

Last week we hosted a new school that didn’t have adequate grounds to host their athletics….they brought it across to the North….my gracious thanks to Sonia from our junior Athletics for the hard graft in the measurements and marking of the track….it is a welcome addition for the junior athletes that they can practice around a track now….
We are hosting a wine tasting evening on Thursday 24 February in the Ladies Bar…. this promises to be a great evening, with the wines on offer coming from the Ken Forrester stable (is that the right word? Probably not…. maybe vineyard is better) but please join us for the evening…..the cost involved is to cover the snacks provided….all the wines are sponsored….so come along for a great evening of tasting and some invaluable information about how those little grapes progress from the vine to the bottle to our table….
The Night market will continue next Friday 4 March…..keep the date open…it promises another super evening….
Easterns hockey are holding a fun day held at the Astro on 12 March…which promises to be a great day…the bar will be the Coach and manned by our staff…. Please diarise this….
Do not forget that this is our anniversary year…we are celebrating our 50th year of existence….I can remember like yesterday playing cricket on the main field in 1975…I still battle to say it was 47 years ago……we have some really great beer glasses on sale…please ask at the Scimitar for more details….there are limited stocks….so please get them while they are available….there will be some exciting events planned to celebrate…please keep an eye on our social media platforms for more information….
Cheers for now…. have a great week and see you soon at the North….

Rod