7-10 split

Who uses it: Bowlers
What it means: Knocking down every bowling pin except the two at either end of the back row, at positions 7 and 10 of the pin pyramid. It's the hardest combination of pins to knock down.
How you can use it: To describe an especially tricky job.

Candlepin bowling, which is what we have here at the Lucky Strike in Gardiner (and throughout most of New England), is more like skeeball than like "real" bowling. I'm no good at it, though I did manage to beat Ashton in one game out of five last night.

We started our tour of Gardiner's night life at The Depot, a bar across the street from Gardiner Landing, and then played five games of candlepins at the Lucky Strike. Next stop was the Tilbury Tavern, where a cover band (Smoked Salmon) played classic rock, including an impressive version of the Allman Brothers' "Melissa," which you don't hear every day. From there we went to Kennebec Billiards, and Ashton beat me at pool -- though by that point, neither of us was exhibiting particularly good hand-eye coordination.

We ended the night at the Kennebec Brewing Company, and were home by 1:00 a.m. A rocking good time on the streets of Gardiner, and a round-trip (on foot, of course) of no more than two miles.

Today we may go to the Kennebec Ice Arena, because Ashton wants to try skating... and then we'll head back to Portland, mostly so he can catch his plane, but also because at that point we really will have done just about everything there is to do in Gardiner.