Halfway Through the Season.. A well-needed catch up!
Can you believe we’re halfway through the season!
Firstly, I would like to apologise for not having written a blog since pre-season! It’s been so chaotic that I actually feel like a big part of the problem (not that there's a big problem) in mine and T’s relationship, putting even more in the diary to see less of each other in cricket season, but here we are haha!
The whole page pretty much started with a blog and it is one of my absolute favourite things to do, is sit down and just type away. If you think about it, it’s almost like a bit of therapy for me. One of the best ways to get through/tackle something is talking about it to someone you trust, love or who gets it. And for me it’s my chance to empty my head and heart to you guys!..
who A. I trust, B. I love and C. who get it!
You tick every box and you’ve no idea how much you have and continue to help me!
Where do we start?!..
I actually don’t know where to catch up with you haha!
I’ll start with the fact I am sat in my window seat in the coffee shop in my village. It’s not my window seat but it has slowly become my residence every day since quitting my job and giving this my best shot! When I tell you that it is such a scary place to be (not the window seat) but the whole space of not being in full-time consistent employment, I mean it. But I also feel a sense of calm that everything is in my hands. For months I was up and working hours before and after my full-time job, in and around every other life commitment that I have or take on.. and well it wasn’t healthy and I was beginning to really struggle with it. I was trying to fulfil everything but actually fulfilling nothing, whereas now I can give my all to my absolute passion whether it pays me or not haha!.. maybe one day.
But the happiness I feel giving to our club fills me with more fulfilment than anything!
Living life in the fast lane
I would never have got through this season without you!
This season has been amazing for lots of reasons but also could have very easily been one of the hardest of my life.
New club. T pro-ing and captaining and then sub-proing. I mean, thankfully the new club has been my home club and finally I have been able to enjoy cricket with friends and cricket widows I know! Secondly it’s been on my doorstep and also has kept Tyler more local. But T has taken on two new roles this year and with that has come a lot of extra responsibility and pressure. And as we all know the commitments of the captain of the team take up even more time with selection, ground/wicket whatever, and oh those WhatsApp groups!!
Shout-out to all the captain CWs out there. None of CW life is for the faint-hearted but my God it’s been intense haha!
Also as Tyler has been the pro this year he is able to sub-pro on Saturdays so cricket has been every Saturday and Sunday all season bar one, which thanks to me didn’t align as I had plans mwah haha! No, I was actually gutted!!
Anyway this season has been full, full on with games!! We also haven’t had a Friday night for the last 8 weeks due to the T20 league and tomorrow is our first one without cricket in sight!
It has been a hard few weeks.
Last Monday we had to just have a stop and come together, air it out because I have also added to this. The Cricket Widow Club has created so many opportunities for me this summer which have been unbelievable and to tell you the truth I have felt like I have been gallivanting around. I have been to Glamorgan, London, Edgbaston, so it’s from both sides.
We always have this tough time every year when it’s 20/20 season. I think for us CWs we value that tiny slot so much and when it’s disrupted it’s hard because well actually there’s no other slot.
And the thing is I absolutely love 20/20 games. Friday nights at a packed club, sun’s out, few drinks, pizza vans, but that’s when you’re there, you’re in it, but it catches up with you and suddenly you realise you haven’t had any proper you time in 8 weeks. It’s not about the cricket. It’s about realising you’ve quietly put yourself on hold for two months. And quite frankly, well you didn’t sign up for this in the relationship whilst also knowing this time next week you’ll be fine and just to hang on in there.
One of my best friends isn’t a cricket widow but has grown to learn all about it probably from me chatting and following The CW Club, but these last 8 weeks she has just been amazing in being there for me. And I can’t tell you the importance of just talking. The weight lifts, nothing ever seems as bad as you think afterwards and if you have someone who you can be 100% yourself with and tell them anything, hold them close and just tell them how lucky you are to have them.
Which is also how I feel about the Cricket Widow Club.. to be able to have someone there to chat to whether it’s late at night, early in the morning, someone who has been in the club from the very start or one of you that has joined recently.. we have all experienced the highs and lows and the different stages and this shared feeling pours through in the warmth I feel from everyone, so thank you!
Cricketers.. what would we do without you!
I would also just like to shout out the cricketers who are on board with the CW Club!
With the launch of the National Cricket Widow Day this has become very, very apparent. The emails and messages of support off cricketers wanting to celebrate and thank their CWs has blown me away! Players chatting about what they are going to do on the day for the CWs more than the win they just had. More heart likes on the announcement in the 1st XI chat than the fact they bowled out the other team for 66 that afternoon.. and then them telling me about this reaction!! Honestly it means so much having you onboard and we chatted about cricketer green flags the other week and believe me cricketers like this are the biggest green flags going! We love ya!
Otley Run 2.0 Incoming!!
This week is also a big week as on Saturday it is the Cricket Widow Otley Run 2.0!! And I CANNOT wait!!
This event last year was one of my favourite days ever! The fact that 12 strangers came together and within minutes felt like they had known each other forever, well it’s a feeling that I cannot describe.
Last year’s Otley Run was the Cricket Widow Club’s first ever event and was a bit of a turning point for me. The most noticeable thing was the power of what people coming together can do. Communities are so important. Whatever community you are a part of is important. The Cricket Widow Club will mean nothing to 99% of the people but it is important to us 1%. And that’s why it matters. We need each other. And look what things can become when we come together.
This is why I have also launched the National Cricket Widow Day. This feeling can be created at clubs across the country and I really want to help clubs to do this because communities make people happier and what’s more important than happiness?!
Slight detour but yes the Otley Run is on Saturday and we have tripled our numbers from last year and that makes me very, very happy. The Cricket Widow Club is reaching more people who need it, yet you never knew you needed it until you found it!
As well as the Otley Run this year we have had the Cricket Widow Hike which makes me start to tear up talking about. I have always been emotional haha as you have probably noticed. I mean not everything sets me off.. and it’d probably surprise you with what does or doesn’t haha. But anything that is people finding their happiness, people putting effort/their all into something and well watching someone win a gold medal. Bloody sucker for that haha!
But The Cricket Widow Hike was simply amazing and I was so gutted once it was over making me learn that more than one is needed next year haha! Ambleside CC you were the best hosts and just showed the true spirit of a grassroots cricket club and how when you get it right there’s no place better than a village cricket club. I do have to mention that the CWs were the first ever sale of a full bottle of wine at Ambleside CC.. and we are proud of that!
It has been a crazy summer of firsts and I hope not lasts.. I have had lots of exciting opportunities which has spurred me on to ask for and shout about us lot more.
We are every bit as important as the 11 players on the pitch.. and I would just like to say whatever stage you are at in cricket, work, life etc, just keep going.
Keep striving for what you want. Keep being the difference. And keep loving what you do.
You absolutely will be making more of a difference than you will ever know and I am just reminding you of that.
Keep flying the Cricket Widow flag guys. I feel it from every corner of the country and I will continue to keep pushing for more for our little club!!
I love you so, so much and I wish more than anything that you all could make Saturday but we will have a drink for you!
Wherever you’re watching cricket this weekend, whether you’re loving every minute or counting down until September.. remember you’re not doing this season alone and we are always right here!
Enjoy the sunshine (and cricket) this weekend guys!!
Big hugs, Liv!!
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