The house at The Gap was built about half way down the hill. Whenever the rains came, the sloping back yard would receive the full runoff of the up hill water as it made its way down to the creek at the bottom of the hill. On one of these occasions us kids were playing out in the rain and enjoying the rush of water as it flowed down the back yard. It was not long before us older kids discovered that you could ski for a short distance down the yard with the assistance of the water, the slippery grass and oozing mud. I think it may well have been Tom who was attempting the older kid’s skiing tricks but slipped onto his back and ended up travelling further on his rain-coat-covered-back than any of us had achieved in the upright position. Well that was it! Everyone went back inside to put on their mackintoshes (raincoats for you Aussies) over their by now soaking cloths. Mum just could not figure it out. But then she saw us – running at full pelt down the side of the house and at the right moment lifting our legs up and landing on the small of our back on the sloping back yard. If everything went well you could glide on your Macintosh for about 10 meters with the water, mud and grass being dispersed either side as you went. Mattel eventually went on to patent this Baskerville game and now sell it in all good toy stores.
