Saturday was our Phins for Pins bowling night with the San Antonio Parrot Head chapter.  I had tons of fun, and my bowling is starting to improve.  Got a few strikes and spares the first game, and then everything went downhill from there as my arm got tired.  All in all though, I'm just happy to be able to bowl again.  I used to bowl in a league (some twenty-odd years ago) and loved it.  But when my muscle disorder robbed me of all my hand-strength and left me with arthritis-like symptoms, I gave away all of my bowling gear.

But, thanks to the internet, I discovered a retractable-handle bowling ball that I can bowl with.  It's taken me a few visits to the bowling alley to figure out how to use it, but it means that I'm finally able to go bowling with friends and do more than just keep score.  (Besides, most bowling alleys now have automated score-keepers.)  I haven't figured out how to put any spin on the ball -- but I am getting better at aiming it.  

If any of you have a loved one who was unable to bowl due to arthritis, you should let them know that there is an alternative.  They are available on several websites, and one company has even put out a YouTube video to promote them in hopes that some bowling alleys will actually buy some and make them available to their clientelle.