Games…Sigh

Favorite game to play as a child? As an adult?

We were a game-playing family when I was growing up; I think in the 50s and 60s just about everyone was.

When I was really young we lived in an apartment and I must have played games in the playground, as it was a ‘family-friendly complex’ and there were children everywhere. I spent a lot of time with others and was reserved, but not yet too shy, yet I don’t remember playing games exactly, although my parents hosted card games at our place. (Now that I think of it, I should probably post a story about one of them on a Free Week.)

When I was four, we moved to a house and that was rather my social downfall, but I was smart and picked up on a lot. And boy, did we play games. Mostly Candyland, Parcheesi and Monopoly…and cards. My mother’s family were huge Pinochle players, however, I never learned that one. What I did learn were standard-deck games and by the time I started school at the age of 7,I could play a great game of Rummy,(3 types), Casino and frankly, I can’t tell you how many kinds of Poker, as I have forgotten most of them.

(Have any of you ever played “Spit in the Ocean”?)

I could pull into an inside straight.

I also was very good, am very good, at Black Jack. My brother used to say that he couldn’t wait until we were both old enough to go to Las Vegas.

We never did.

Being off the playground young, I never did many outdoor activities and got out of most when I was in school. I felt awkward when I tried to fit in and play them, (“Chinese jump rope”, for instance, with rubber bands linked to go around two girls’ ankles…did anyone else do that one?)

Our family did play croquet, and I enjoyed that. It lasted a few years. My siblings were older and fell in with their friends and it died away. I learned to play chess and play it pretty well. I beat my brother’s friend who was on the high school chess team when I was about 9. I checkmated him. He stared at the board for minutes, with an occasional, “How did she do that?” coming out. To be honest, I doubt that he was at his most attentive, not expecting this quiet little girl to be real competition, but he should have seen how I had been playing.

(Never underestimate your opponent.)

When my nieces came along we went back to board games. Family Feud was a big one. One niece was very outspoken when she was very young and I have a tape somewhere of her off-the-wall answers during one game. I taught the girls Parcheesi,(the other one was deadly at it!), Casino and other card games like Uno. We adults played “Password”, which I enjoyed greatly.

My sister, her boyfriend and my mother, then my father, got hooked on Yatzee. I played; I wasn’t thrilled. I had reading to do.

Unfortunately, I married a man who I found does not like to play games, with the exception of complicated war board games, (Risk, etc.). I am bored by those board games. All the stats and who goes where, etc. are not for me, even though I played a Civil War game with my brother, and generally beat him.
My brother and I played a lot of Electronic Football, remember those? Some of those games showed up at a thrift store last Spring and if my brother had been doing any better, I would have picked one up for him. I remember also playing a baseball game where you had to use cards; I beat him a lot there, too, come to think of it!

My husband and I played a few games of chess early in our marriage.  We also had a “Jeopardy” game which we tried out, but he really doesn’t care to play competitive games. During a major ice storm’s several-day blackout, I got him to play Scrabble by candlelight.
The Scrabble box was out on the table last June for a few days. I asked what was going on, fearing that he was giving it away. He said that he had intended to play a game with me for my birthday, a few days previously. I guess the thought counts; I put it back on the shelf.

I’d almost been hoping for another major blackout, but I doubt the game would be played.

I taught my grandchildren 500 Rummy, Casino and chess. Two were interested and can beat me, in fact, they double-teamed me a couple of years ago,(I have pictures, which of course,I cannot find right now) All played Monopoly well, but we just don’t spend a lot of time together anymore. My grandson wanted to learn poker and I taught him a few years back and we learned Texas Hold ’Em together when it was all the rage.

 My grandson lives here most of the time now, but he is working, has friends and other family, and when he is here he has big games via the computer with far-off friends, plus, he and his grandfather have for years been into some fantasy games with the  countless stats and strategies,

like the old war games.

I get an occasional game of rummy, or chess, in.

I still have tons of board games. All of the grandkids played “Operation” and we did puzzles. I played a Spiderman game until I was ready to scream with my grandson when he was little. There are a couple of Harry Potter puzzle games and a “Scene It” of the movies, at which my grandson used to beat me.

My husband bought a James Bond version and we started one game…

 about 4 years ago.

 “Password” sits there on the game shelves, (unused, except for one time with a couple of the kids.)

I play a few games on the PC and my phone. The phone one at night sitting in bed, if I am not reading. They are mostly cryptograms and other word games, but some others at times. I play some card games on the computer, alone, usually while I am waiting for something. I just don’t take the time to play with others. My schedule is erratic and I usually get interrupted anyway.

 I am very into the day’s Wordle and then I play the version on Facebook most mornings.
In fact, I will post this now, so I can get them done before I get into my work for the day.

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