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Official Address United States Croquet Association
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West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
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Date: 3/12/2025
Subject: Weekly Croquet Break - Winter Linoleum
From: United States Croquet Association



WEEKLY CROQUET BREAK
provided as a USCA member benefit

March 12, 2025

WINTER LINOLEUM

by

Brian Brittain

Brittai, Brian
Like you, my body aches, without moving my mallet. 
Obsessed with swing, gone still in Toronto’s winter,
it gathers dusty cobwebs, from an improvised hook,
in the upper lefthand corner of the garage. 
Parking my Subaru, I look up,
see it listlessly hanging impotently.
We share a sadness, a powerlessness,
as my forlorn gaze turns away,
to carefully crunch over grey, brown snow,
on my way to the front door.
I feel empty,
but for a bag of milk, eggs, and unsliced oatmeal artisan bread.

However, one day, desperate,
Mike and I lowered our mallets to bash balls in his frozen backyard court. 
We giggled as they bounced over winter’s linoleum-like sward. 
Every shot a jump shot, only slowed, in their tumble,
by sticky snow, looking like the beginnings of a snowman, too wide for the wicket.  

One game each.  Too cold to play the rubber.  Can’t wait for Spring.  


SNOW BY BRIAN
Brittain, Brian03102025
BIO

When Brian needs to decompress from his craft and practice of Executive Development work, he relaxes into either writing poems, long open water swims, or playing croquet.  He got his start at the Hillsboro club in Florida, when his back wouldn't permit any more tennis and his wife Elizabeth pushed him, kicking and screaming, into a croquet training week.  He spends most of his time in Toronto, with Elizabeth and hopes to participate in Golf Croquet tournaments that bring him to warmer climates, after the summer croquet season closes down in Toronto.

Brian.brittain@brittainconsulting.ca
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The views and opinions expressed in the Weekly Croquet Break are those of the article authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the United States Croquet Association.
 
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