Let the Games Begin!

I grew up very Nazarene (protestant denomination). Those of you who may have also grown up very Nazarene know what I mean, those who did not grow up Nazarene probably have some other neurosis that you can relate to in your life.

Growing up Nazarene meant a lot of things to those of us who had the privilege. It sometimes seemed a life full of "don'ts". We didn't drink, go to movies, go to dances, where jeans to church...you get the picture! I will have to admit that some of my don'ts were self imposed. If I didn't particularly want to go to a dance because I didn't want to go with the person who asked, it some how seemed nicer (or more convenient) to just say I couldn't go because of my religion-- whatever the heck that meant. But I will have to say that my brother did go to some movies and he did go to dances so I'm sure had I wanted to go I would've been allowed. I digress.

Anyway... one of the don't's (besides the fact that I can't dance at all) that has seemed to stay prevalent in my life is the fact that my family did not play card games with traditional cards. We played Rook. Rook cards do not have the "sinful" playing card symbols that are attached to gambling and such, these cards are just colorful number cards. No matter that my family played with as much seriousness as any gambler might have when it came to winning.

We play all the cards games that you play with traditional cards such canasta, rummy, nertz, etc, it's just that we adjusted all the rules to play with Rook cards. My family actually played Rook with the Rook cards also but I never managed to learned to play that one.

So tonight we get to get together with some of our best friends to play cards, Book Rook (our name for canasta). Of course we'll have a sustaining meal to prepare us for the battle, and there will be polite dinner conversation and we may even remember that the kids are part of the meal but...when we leave the table to adjourn to the playing area it will all be about the strategies and about which couple goes home the winners. Let the games begin!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!