Archery

Yesterday was a bad mom day.   Kids were bickering, etc., and I was not able to get much done of "my list."   I'm sure many moms can relate.

For a moment, I thought there was hope.  Some days ago I ordered what I thought were three suction-cup bow and arrow sets for the kids. My middle daughter has really been after me about doing archery (I think it's all the Ranger's Apprentice books that we love, love, love here), but we haven't been able to find anything locally.  I actually just discovered several days ago that our local 4-H started archery this year, so we will do this next year.  So I thought the suction cup ones would at least be fun to play around with; the archery-interested daughter keeps leaving the web browser up with the suction cup set listed.

They arrived yesterday afternoon and I was so, so glad when I saw the box because I thought, wow, I can just send them outside and get some writing done, finally.  When we opened the box it was real bow and arrows.  

In fact, 

this youth archery set.  It says 4-7 years old (I think that was my confusion ordering it), but let me assure you the arrows are really real looking and they go "thunk" when they sink into the target (for now, several cardboard boxes).

So instead of writing, I spent yesterday afternoon 

1.  Writing a contract with my oldest daughter's help (who took archery at LL Bean when we were in Maine several summers back--archery is an abiding interest here-).  She is really concerned about safety, because the archery instructor was really adamant about that.

2. Making everyone sign the safety contract.

3.  Sitting outside supervising real archers.  At least they had fun and we were outside, even if it didn't stop the bickering.  I didn't get any writing done, nor did I attempt it.  I was trying to read a little bit, but kept having to stop every couple of words and say, "Remember, we shoot all our arrows and then all go and retrieve all our arrows."   Rules had to be made about retrieving arrows, righting the boxes when they fall over without other archers continuing to shoot, and changing the direction of the target so we don't shoot arrows into the alleyway behind our house, injuring any people or vehicles that might be passing by. Whew.

We did another hour and a half of archery this morning, but I'm finished for now.  Robin Hood, watch out!