Decapitating cats, cardboard and croquet . . . . . . .

Hammer Time: The G is armed and dangerous....

The @homedad Guide to Stressful Situations* suggests that, as a general rule, it is best to keep small children and hammers apart.
Nowhere in the edition that I have does it mention mallets.
It's perhaps for the best given our latest pursuit.
You see, here at @homedad Towers, we have, in recent days, taken up a little light croquet.
You might think that November is an unusual time to embark on such a pursuit, but I do like to think that I'm a little bit renegade. Heck, I'm a stay-at-home dad after all.
It came last week, our rather spiffing croquet set, arriving from Garden Games Ltd, a red-faced van driver delivering all the components - mallets, balls, hoops, the lot - right to our front door.
"Wow!" said The G, taking the chance to put her favourite word to the test. That was just the reaction to the oversized cardboard box that it came in.
The carton's contents, even more impressive: Four wooden mallets, painted red, blue, yellow and black, four wooden balls in the same colours, six steel hoops and a winning post, all packaged up nice and neat in a zip-fastening canvas bag.
Sadly, it was raining, the unpredictable conditions proving a definite downside to starting a croquet campaign in late November.
Not to fear, for the cardboard box saved the day, The B delighted to discover he could fit The G inside and close the flaps, The G a little less thrilled at such a finding.
The weekend a little drier, into the garden at last, The B taking charge of organising the pitch, The G coming close to decapitating poor Cat Two, the sight of his nemesis brandishing a bright red wooden mallet doing nothing for his stress levels.

It was worth the wait, an enjoyable encounter, the action intense and the competition, well, competitive, although it must be said that, like all the best sporting occasions, the main protagonists paid little regard to the rules and regulations.
No matter, it seems croquet is here to stay, The B&G both relishing the next fixture.
Two observations that did occur to me during the match:
1) The B in particular, given a little practice, could become rather good at croquet.
2) I ought to cut the lawn.

This is a review of the Lawn Croquet Set by Garden Games Ltd. I have not been paid for this review. For details of the @homedad Review Guidelines or to learn more about submitting a product for review, please click here.
* Not available from all good bookshops.