Basketball widows

BASKETBALL - the sport and love of most Filipinos.....a makeshift ring on every street, a court in every barangay....
My husband is an ex-pro player who now just plays twice a week to maintain fitness but still gets asked to play for various teams or leagues. Just last week we were in the bank and the guard on duty said he recognised his face from playing on TV .....10 years ago!

When we were newly engaged we had lunch with Lordy Tugade, a famous player in the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) and old best friend of my husband. It was funny to eat in a restaurant and have fans visit our table for Lordy's autograph - A whole different world that I just knew nothing about but I did enjoy watching the live games in Manila.

I ashamedly confess that in 6 years of marriage I still haven't been to watch any of my husbands games. Not because I don't want to, but sitting on the sidelines with small kids is a big distraction for them, him and a nightmare for me - I attempted it once and ended up riding home in a taxi with the twins screaming their heads off.....maybe when they are old enough to sit still long enough I'll be brave enough to try again.

In England football is the dominant sport and wives joke that they lose their husbands to the screening of big matches and become abandoned 'widows '....I'm not 2nd to basketball at all but family activities often fit around games and conversations regularly revolve around the theme. I've now learned the 'lingo', can name players in the NBA apart from the famous Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and even shoot hoops with our boys - which I'm actually quite proud of.....3 points for Mummy!