Just how did that happen?

We’ll discuss that Ducks tattoo I promised I’d get on my bottom 10 min out from the siren (bargaining with TheUniverse for teh win) at a later date.

And I don’t really want to go into too much detail regarding the difficulties in getting into our preferred Grand Final Viewing Venue (where Don and I had Such A Romance in 2006) – unfortunately, though ariiving quite early, we were unable to get in because of Extreme Queueing (even before opening time). We ended up at at pub I’d regularly pushed a tiny Joe/Frank past in the stroller when we walked Joan to school (before my horrific insane-inducing Suburban Experience) back in 1994/5. The pub ended up quite Ace! and all the better because the most excellent Heather (the local) joined us.

Anyhoo …

When Bessie and I arrived at SCG today, we got a good look at what has become of my beloved Noble Stand (under de-construction in 2012). Honestly, Noble really made the Ducks experience for me – so very 1960s RSL club – the members bonding, the ghastly snack-bar food, the hideous carpet, the after-match function compleat with horrid band & the Z-Grade player appearances, the decor, the stupid comments by officials, the belonging. Honestly, it felt like I was part of something and my game experience has been much the poorer since we moved to the other side of the ground.

Today, Bessie and I chilled in the Ladies Stand (we’d not been able to sit there previously because of Reasons) and waited for the playing group / football department (one apparently does not refer to the team as the team) to arrive.

Ducks!

While we waited, we shopped …

Way too much spent on merch! But how can one resist?

But I think this is the very best merch I have ever seen in my whole entire life and I am having a sleep before I commit to buying. But hey, think of the savings we’ve made by not travelling to Melbourne and gifting our Grand Final ticket allocation to Don’s colleague.