Karen Andrews is an award-winning writer who lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children. Her blog, Miscellaneous Mum, investigates the interplay between parenting, creativity and staying true to your passions and self.
Grand Final traditions and celebrations: what will you be doing?
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I grew up in a sports-fixated home. I almost typed the verb ‘obsessed’ and that wouldn’t be far off the truth either. My father – an excellent cricketer – could be relied on to be found in front of the television whenever a significant match or event was happening: golf, cricket (World Series or Test), football, tennis and many others. This also happened at my grandparent’s house, where we would come together to watch a day-nighter, for example, and the kids would be put outside to play – or put to bed if we got too tired.
Rugby League was my preferred game, being from New South Wales. AFL was a curiosity, its rules foreign, the shorts so … short. Now I live in Victoria and am surrounded by fanatics of the game. I have to stop myself rolling my eyes at their antics because I’m aware there’s a little of that in me too: starting with my asking (and getting) an Illawarra Steelers jersey for Christmas when I was fourteen years old. Now I am a St George Illawarra Dragons supporter by default, after the Steelers merged in 1999 with the St George Dragons. Yes, I support them – but don’t ask me where they ended up on the table. I don’t suppose I’m all that interested anymore.
That’s why this weekend I’m off to spend the day with friends at a Grand Final barbeque – less to watch the game, but to enjoy their company and camaraderie; a few drinks and tasty food will be a wonderful bonus. We will be packing the kid’s pajamas, as these gatherings usually string out that long, and I will be putting my kids to bed as I was done at their age: happy, partied-out and surrounded by love.
For the record, I go for Collingwood these days. Let the mocking commence! I can take it.
