Thursday, September 26, 2013

Purple Passion



I have never been a football fanatic. Growing up with a Dad who lived and breathed the game I was happy to barrack along for his team but never had anywhere near his level of enthusiasm. Last Saturday night though, with Paul out in the city watching the preliminary final at a pub with mates, I told the girls we were watching a football game after tea and would be cheering for ‘Pop’s team’.

For a good part of the first half, we sat on the living room couch together, Sophie parroting back my ‘come on Freo!’ every time I uttered the phrase and pumping her little fist in the air. With every goal, the three of us would leap to our feet, hold hands and do our ‘happy dance’, chanting ‘Freo! Freo!’…the girls giggling away caught up in the fun of it all.

For the final quarter, with the girls tucked up in bed  (Grace joined me for the countdown after she crept out for a sip of water), I continued to watch on anxiously. I cheered just as much for my Dad as for The Dockers themselves...  And when that final siren sounded, my eyes welled with tears, firstly with happiness at Dad’s team having made the Grand Final but also for that exciting moment I knew he would have loved to have witnessed himself.

Over the past week, we have embraced the festivities and created purple decorations to hang in our living room. On Saturday, the girls are planning to dress in purple (albeit purple fairy dresses) and we will have a little party here at lunch time with friends so we can all watch the match together.

While Sophie is too young, I hope that some day, perhaps Grace will have a vague recollection of the time her Mummy embraced all things Fremantle, danced around with her in the living room and cheered with all her heart for ‘Pop’s team’…

10 comments:

  1. We'll be wearing purple and cheering right along with you Amanda!!!
    I found some old Freo tattoos today...making the Doc wear one to the GF tomorrow!!
    x

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  2. What a sweet time for you all, good on you! I love the atmosphere and comradery the footy seems to bring, but can't stand the actual game. In any code. Boofs, mate, boofs. x

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  3. That is so sweet I think their Pop would adore their purple fairy dresses :) Im an Eagles fan myself but of course I want to support our WA team and really hope the Dockers win. Im throwing a grand final party as well have the purple balloons ready to blow up ... if I have the energy after cleaning the house and cooking all the food! Enjoy your weekend x

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  4. Oh, Amanda, that just made me cry!!!! You're a beautiful mama and a beautiful daughter xxxx

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  5. GO FREO!!! I really hope they win Amanda. I'll be watching and cheering!
    Lesley
    xx

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  6. Gorgeous post Amanda - I can just imagine how you were feeling last Saturday night - I too felt that same way, albeit in 2010 with the Black & White chant of Collingwood - my Dad would have been ecstatic!!! I think we can gain comfort in that perhaps they are watching over their beloved teams in these exciting weeks of September!!! Here's to 2 gorgeous little purple fairies tomorrow - may they be spreading magic Freo dust throughout the afternoon... Enjoy your get together, Christine x (P.S I will be cheering for the Purple too!)

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    1. Hi Christine, lovely to see you stop by!! I did our weekly Saturday morning Fremantle Markets visit early this morning with two purple fairies in tow :) I thought to myself how my Dad would be smiling, looking down at his two granddaughters dressed like that, cheering for his team :)

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  7. What a wonderful moment for all of you to share together, it sounds like you had lots of fun:) Love those fairy dresses Miss 9 had a purple one just like the one Sophie is wearing I think she wore it for 5 years (she got it when she was 2). We still have it in a box of things to keep for when she is older it was her absolute favourite dress up:) Wishing you all a fantastic weekend, I hope your Dad's team wins on Saturday:) xxx

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  8. Beautiful Post Amanda. As our team didn't make the final (sob sob) I'm more than happy to cheer Freo on tomorrow and will be thinking of you at the same time. Have a fantastic time tomorrow and fingers crossed! Mel x

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