Hi Canasta Lovers,
It's been a very long time since my last posting but it is Christmas Eve and I want to take this time to wish you all a happy holiday. I love this time of year. I love the sights, scents and songs of this season. Here in Paradise it hardly feels like winter but there are twinkling lights on all the palm trees and sudsy snow for the kiddies at Citiplace.
I am now in my second year of teaching our favorite game. What started out as a plan to keep myself busy has turned into a "labor of love." I have met so many wonderful women (and one man) through canasta. They are smart, warm and fun to be with. What impresses me most is the passion and excitement with which they approach life. I am especially impressed by some of my more seasoned (and I don't mean salty) students. I have been teaching women in their eighties and a few in their nineties, they come to lessons prepared to learn and have fun. They know, probably better than I do, what is in the pack and whether it is a good idea to pick it or not. Excitement spills over when a joker canasta or a pairs hand is made.
Playing canasta is a good way to keep our minds active and keeping our minds active is a good way to stay young. So forget the Botox and play canasta whenever you can!!!
Have a happy holiday season and a new year filled with all the good things in life. Stay in touch canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Reflections
Hi canasta goddesses,
Welcome to Fall! The kids and grandkids have gone back to school, "they" have already put their white shoes away, the "save the dates" are starting to arrive and we are planning for the season ahead. It is also the time of year when we reflect on what we have accomplished over the past year and what we still have to do.
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On reflection of the year past I'd like to think that one of my biggest accomplishments was starting to give canasta classes. Last fall I decided I needed something extra to do with my time and my mind. A few friends encouraged me to give teaching a try and I thank them for that. Planning lessons, writing up the canasta rules, creating a canasta glossary, even designing business cards and score pads was a new adventure for me.
I was quite nervous before my first lesson. Long ago I was an elem ed major and that helped me to make a lesson plan, but my knees were still knocking as I rang the doorbell. "I can do this," I told myself as I was shown into the den. I was lucky in that my first students knew the basics of the game but I did have to play two hands and teach at the same time. Thank you ladies for giving me a chance.
After that it got easier. I made up some ice breaker- brain teasers for the real newbies and I am proud to say that all my students were playing hands of canasta at their first lesson.
I met such lovely women last season and am looking forward to teaching them some strategy this year. I hope all you goddesses will refer me to friends who want to learn this fun game. I'm also planning to start coed and stag classes so you can have some couples dinner and canasta evenings with your friends.
Take some time to reflect on all the wonderful. positive things you did last year and to look forward to this new year with hope and optimism. I wish all of you canasta goddesses a sweet, happy and healthy New Year.
Love, Barbara
Welcome to Fall! The kids and grandkids have gone back to school, "they" have already put their white shoes away, the "save the dates" are starting to arrive and we are planning for the season ahead. It is also the time of year when we reflect on what we have accomplished over the past year and what we still have to do.
.
On reflection of the year past I'd like to think that one of my biggest accomplishments was starting to give canasta classes. Last fall I decided I needed something extra to do with my time and my mind. A few friends encouraged me to give teaching a try and I thank them for that. Planning lessons, writing up the canasta rules, creating a canasta glossary, even designing business cards and score pads was a new adventure for me.
I was quite nervous before my first lesson. Long ago I was an elem ed major and that helped me to make a lesson plan, but my knees were still knocking as I rang the doorbell. "I can do this," I told myself as I was shown into the den. I was lucky in that my first students knew the basics of the game but I did have to play two hands and teach at the same time. Thank you ladies for giving me a chance.
After that it got easier. I made up some ice breaker- brain teasers for the real newbies and I am proud to say that all my students were playing hands of canasta at their first lesson.
I met such lovely women last season and am looking forward to teaching them some strategy this year. I hope all you goddesses will refer me to friends who want to learn this fun game. I'm also planning to start coed and stag classes so you can have some couples dinner and canasta evenings with your friends.
Take some time to reflect on all the wonderful. positive things you did last year and to look forward to this new year with hope and optimism. I wish all of you canasta goddesses a sweet, happy and healthy New Year.
Love, Barbara
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Table Talk
Hi Canasta Lovers,
I don't think most canasta players realize how much the little comments, gestures and faces we all make can effect the way we play our favorite game. While playing last week, my RHO (right hand opponent) melded with kings, tens and sixes. Her partner made a face and groaned, "oh no, we don't match at all." On my turn next and I knew just what to throw, a king, a ten or a six. Too much table talk gave me an advantage I didn't expect.
In the next game one of the players, we'll call her Gabby, mumbled, "oh I have so many twos. Her partner took that to mean that she was holding a lot of deuces and so melded with her four jokers. Gabby's turn again and she had no wild cards to give her partner. What happened? Gabby's unsolicited remark meant she had a lot of pairs! Too much table talk cost that team 2000 points. I'm sure you all have lots of examples of how table talk can change a hand . Play smart don't do it!!!!
Paradise is moving north next week as Leni and I are off to the only dune ranch in Amagansett (see blog 3/2/13) to meet up with the rest of the Rho Kappas for a week of canasta, shopping, beaching and eating. On the way we will stop in Great Neck and see if we can't straighten out those Long Island Princesses. My friends and I raised our children right there and they are all hard working, sensitive, and polite individuals who recognize that their actions and attitudes have a direct bearing on the world around them. Off my soapbox....
and on to book reviews. I recently finished Khalid Hosseini's "And the Mountains Echoed," "The View from Penthouse B" by Eleanor Lippman and Jeanette Walls' "Silver Star". They are all character driven novels that I enjoyed and learned from. I hope you will too.
Stay in touch Canasta Goddesses,
Love, Barbara
I don't think most canasta players realize how much the little comments, gestures and faces we all make can effect the way we play our favorite game. While playing last week, my RHO (right hand opponent) melded with kings, tens and sixes. Her partner made a face and groaned, "oh no, we don't match at all." On my turn next and I knew just what to throw, a king, a ten or a six. Too much table talk gave me an advantage I didn't expect.
In the next game one of the players, we'll call her Gabby, mumbled, "oh I have so many twos. Her partner took that to mean that she was holding a lot of deuces and so melded with her four jokers. Gabby's turn again and she had no wild cards to give her partner. What happened? Gabby's unsolicited remark meant she had a lot of pairs! Too much table talk cost that team 2000 points. I'm sure you all have lots of examples of how table talk can change a hand . Play smart don't do it!!!!
Paradise is moving north next week as Leni and I are off to the only dune ranch in Amagansett (see blog 3/2/13) to meet up with the rest of the Rho Kappas for a week of canasta, shopping, beaching and eating. On the way we will stop in Great Neck and see if we can't straighten out those Long Island Princesses. My friends and I raised our children right there and they are all hard working, sensitive, and polite individuals who recognize that their actions and attitudes have a direct bearing on the world around them. Off my soapbox....
and on to book reviews. I recently finished Khalid Hosseini's "And the Mountains Echoed," "The View from Penthouse B" by Eleanor Lippman and Jeanette Walls' "Silver Star". They are all character driven novels that I enjoyed and learned from. I hope you will too.
Stay in touch Canasta Goddesses,
Love, Barbara
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Three Kings
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Sorry it has been such a long time between blogs but most of you Canasta Goddesses have left Paradise for cooler climes. I'm not sure why everyone leaves right after the spring holidays because May is one of the nicest months of the year here.
At any rate I did give a lesson last week and something blog-worthy came out of it. It happened toward the end of the first hand of the day; our opponents Leni and Dede had made a lovely joker canasta early in the hand and Leni had signaled sevens. Our team had 1500 points in threes covered by only one canasta. On the table in front of me were three kings among other random triples. In my hand were two kings, two sevens and a safe nine. We had passed the turn card and I really wanted to put the kings in fifth so my partner Goldi could close them. I did and discarded the safe nine. Goldi closed the kings at her turn and made a safe discard. My turn again and what do I pick? OMG a big Joker. I am in TROUBLE here. I had to throw a seven. My opponent, Leni had a good count and she made a seven canasta. My question to you canasta lovers out there is how many turns ahead do you think? If I had held back the kings, I would not have made a second canasta and would not have received 1500 points for my threes. I think I did the right thing. What do you think?
Since canasta has slowed down for the summer I've been doing quite a bit of reading. I just finished reading Paris, the Novel by Edward Rutherford. I really loved it. A long tome, it traces the history of five families living in Paris from the 1300's until the 1960's. If you like historical fiction you should love this book.
Keep in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Sorry it has been such a long time between blogs but most of you Canasta Goddesses have left Paradise for cooler climes. I'm not sure why everyone leaves right after the spring holidays because May is one of the nicest months of the year here.
At any rate I did give a lesson last week and something blog-worthy came out of it. It happened toward the end of the first hand of the day; our opponents Leni and Dede had made a lovely joker canasta early in the hand and Leni had signaled sevens. Our team had 1500 points in threes covered by only one canasta. On the table in front of me were three kings among other random triples. In my hand were two kings, two sevens and a safe nine. We had passed the turn card and I really wanted to put the kings in fifth so my partner Goldi could close them. I did and discarded the safe nine. Goldi closed the kings at her turn and made a safe discard. My turn again and what do I pick? OMG a big Joker. I am in TROUBLE here. I had to throw a seven. My opponent, Leni had a good count and she made a seven canasta. My question to you canasta lovers out there is how many turns ahead do you think? If I had held back the kings, I would not have made a second canasta and would not have received 1500 points for my threes. I think I did the right thing. What do you think?
Since canasta has slowed down for the summer I've been doing quite a bit of reading. I just finished reading Paris, the Novel by Edward Rutherford. I really loved it. A long tome, it traces the history of five families living in Paris from the 1300's until the 1960's. If you like historical fiction you should love this book.
Keep in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Friday, April 12, 2013
Lissy's Lesson
Hi Canasta Lovers,
One rainy day last summer as Paradise turned into Dante's Inferno, I taught my friend Lissy to play Canasta. Lissy is the kind of girl who is interested in everything and talks to everybody but she had never wanted to get involved with a card game. But it was a hot, steamy afternoon and with nothing else to do we decided to give it a shot.
Having no idea where to begin, I took a deep breath and dealt out four hands. We played everything open-handed. I told Lissy to set her hand up chronologically from low to high and I likewise set up the other three hands. Quite a lot of cards on the table. We started to play and as we picked and discarded I tried to explain: What is a meld? Where do the 125 points come from? What the heck is a clean triple?
By the time we got to aces and sevens I felt like I was teaching a new language rather than a card game. Hard to make a newbie see why sometimes you can put those three pretty queens down without a wild card but not those delicious twenty point aces. "And what's with the sevens" Lissy asked , "I have a pair why can't I take the pack now?" Well Lissy there are somethings you have to take on faith. It will all make sense soon.
By the end of the first hand of the first lesson we had 108 cards open on the table, it looked like a giant game of concentration! We did keep at it for a couple of hours, all the while Lissy saying that she didn't get it, she was never going to get it.
Well, of course, she got it. Now, a few months later, Lissy is a pro. She plays a couple of times a week and is invited into the very best games in Paradise!
That was my first attempt at teaching, I liked doing it so much that I thought teaching the game I love to friends and neighbors would be a fun thing to do. And so here I am meeting and having fun with so many future canasta goddesses.
By the way at yesterday's canasta game a question was raised about "going out" (not dating). We play that at the end of the game you can go out with two face cards and a wild card BUT what about three or four face cards with a wild card? I thought, for lack of any other info, it should be a table rule. Input please.
Live and love, Canasta Gal
One rainy day last summer as Paradise turned into Dante's Inferno, I taught my friend Lissy to play Canasta. Lissy is the kind of girl who is interested in everything and talks to everybody but she had never wanted to get involved with a card game. But it was a hot, steamy afternoon and with nothing else to do we decided to give it a shot.
Having no idea where to begin, I took a deep breath and dealt out four hands. We played everything open-handed. I told Lissy to set her hand up chronologically from low to high and I likewise set up the other three hands. Quite a lot of cards on the table. We started to play and as we picked and discarded I tried to explain: What is a meld? Where do the 125 points come from? What the heck is a clean triple?
By the time we got to aces and sevens I felt like I was teaching a new language rather than a card game. Hard to make a newbie see why sometimes you can put those three pretty queens down without a wild card but not those delicious twenty point aces. "And what's with the sevens" Lissy asked , "I have a pair why can't I take the pack now?" Well Lissy there are somethings you have to take on faith. It will all make sense soon.
By the end of the first hand of the first lesson we had 108 cards open on the table, it looked like a giant game of concentration! We did keep at it for a couple of hours, all the while Lissy saying that she didn't get it, she was never going to get it.
Well, of course, she got it. Now, a few months later, Lissy is a pro. She plays a couple of times a week and is invited into the very best games in Paradise!
That was my first attempt at teaching, I liked doing it so much that I thought teaching the game I love to friends and neighbors would be a fun thing to do. And so here I am meeting and having fun with so many future canasta goddesses.
By the way at yesterday's canasta game a question was raised about "going out" (not dating). We play that at the end of the game you can go out with two face cards and a wild card BUT what about three or four face cards with a wild card? I thought, for lack of any other info, it should be a table rule. Input please.
Live and love, Canasta Gal
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Seventh Seven
Hi Canasta Lovers,
A funny thing happened on the way to 8500 points the other day. It was toward the end of the hand, after the turn card, Corky picked the pack with two sevens from her hand, she checked through the pack and sure enough there were seven of them. Wow, really good card counting Corky! Next, looking through her hand for a discard, what did she find? Aces, dead cards and Jokers. Poor Corky, she had nothing to throw on that empty tray. She had to pick up her beautiful seven canasta, put the useless dead cards back in the pack and then draw a card for her turn. So sad.
Of course, yours truly, who had discarded that seventh seven was given a lucky reprieve!!!
Keep in touch, Canasta Goddesses,
XXOO Barbara
A funny thing happened on the way to 8500 points the other day. It was toward the end of the hand, after the turn card, Corky picked the pack with two sevens from her hand, she checked through the pack and sure enough there were seven of them. Wow, really good card counting Corky! Next, looking through her hand for a discard, what did she find? Aces, dead cards and Jokers. Poor Corky, she had nothing to throw on that empty tray. She had to pick up her beautiful seven canasta, put the useless dead cards back in the pack and then draw a card for her turn. So sad.
Of course, yours truly, who had discarded that seventh seven was given a lucky reprieve!!!
Keep in touch, Canasta Goddesses,
XXOO Barbara
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Table Rules
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Here in Paradise the popularity of Canasta has exploded over the past few years. There are as many canasta games as there are Birkin bags and each game seems to have its own set of table rules.
It is most important when you are playing at a new table for the first time to check on the rules, otherwise you may find yourself trying to put a joker on a four card meld. People have been known to jump out of their seats after such a bold move,
I try to teach table rules that I consider logical and fair. Here are some of the table rules that I teach:
1. The empty tray rule- You may not throw an Ace, a Seven or a Dead Card into an empty tray. I have always played this rule because it was how I was taught. I understand not throwing in Aces or Sevens because of the penalty involved if you have more than two Aces or Sevens at the end of the hand. I do not, however, get the reason for not throwing a dead card, as there is no penalty. Would love to hear an explanation.
2. The one to hold rule- Many games insist that after your initial meld you must have one card to hold and one card to throw. I don't see the logic in this. I think if you have to discard your last card you will immediately pick up your talon and then have three or four cards in your hand with which to continue play. What do the canasta sages think?
3. The you may only ask your partner if you can go out once rule- I think this is a great rule. If your partner says "no" you must watch her discards carefully in order to know when it is "safe" to go out.
4. The you may only look back three cards rule- I like this because it teaches you to watch carefully what is thrown, which you should be doing anyway. But just in case your coffee spills or your phone rings and you miss something you can check back three cards (one time only) .
5. The special hands rule- If you are lucky enough to make a special hand, the play stops and you get the points you are entitled to. The other team is entitled to the points they have achieved to that point. If they closed a joker canasta, they should have their score, if they have two canasta they have earned their threes.
Agree? Disagree? Would love to hear what you Canasta Goddesses think! XXOO
Here in Paradise the popularity of Canasta has exploded over the past few years. There are as many canasta games as there are Birkin bags and each game seems to have its own set of table rules.
It is most important when you are playing at a new table for the first time to check on the rules, otherwise you may find yourself trying to put a joker on a four card meld. People have been known to jump out of their seats after such a bold move,
I try to teach table rules that I consider logical and fair. Here are some of the table rules that I teach:
1. The empty tray rule- You may not throw an Ace, a Seven or a Dead Card into an empty tray. I have always played this rule because it was how I was taught. I understand not throwing in Aces or Sevens because of the penalty involved if you have more than two Aces or Sevens at the end of the hand. I do not, however, get the reason for not throwing a dead card, as there is no penalty. Would love to hear an explanation.
2. The one to hold rule- Many games insist that after your initial meld you must have one card to hold and one card to throw. I don't see the logic in this. I think if you have to discard your last card you will immediately pick up your talon and then have three or four cards in your hand with which to continue play. What do the canasta sages think?
3. The you may only ask your partner if you can go out once rule- I think this is a great rule. If your partner says "no" you must watch her discards carefully in order to know when it is "safe" to go out.
4. The you may only look back three cards rule- I like this because it teaches you to watch carefully what is thrown, which you should be doing anyway. But just in case your coffee spills or your phone rings and you miss something you can check back three cards (one time only) .
5. The special hands rule- If you are lucky enough to make a special hand, the play stops and you get the points you are entitled to. The other team is entitled to the points they have achieved to that point. If they closed a joker canasta, they should have their score, if they have two canasta they have earned their threes.
Agree? Disagree? Would love to hear what you Canasta Goddesses think! XXOO
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Hi Canasta Lovers,
I had hoped to get a dialogue started, but haven't received enough feedback or questions yet, so I will have to talk a little about ME.
A long,long time ago, when the earth was new, a group of young mothers got together on a Tuesday night to play Backgammon (it was all the rage at the time). The same core group, give or take a couple of moves and divorces, are still playing together. We went from playing Backgammon to playing Rummy Kub (also very popular in its time). After a few years, Mrs.S (The mom and mom-in-law of two of our charter members) taught us how to play canasta. I had strong recollections of my own mom playing canasta with her friends, day and night, while I was growing up.
Well our little group loved the game so much that we played all through our kids' elementary, middle, high school and college years. We played through births, bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, graduations, weddings and the births of our grandchildren, We played through wars and gas lines. We played through hurricanes, blizzards and ice storms, We kept each other sane through successes and distresses, births and deaths. Tuesday nights were sacred! You just didn't make other plans! In fact, our group despite some more moves (including mine down here to Paradise) and another divorce or two, are still playing every summer at the only dude ranch in Ammagansett.
We started out needing only 90 points to open (how easy that seems now). We didn't know about pairs, garbage or kongs and pongs, we just loved canasta and each other. In the close to forty years we have been playing our favorite game, we've left no subject left untouched. It was our very own consciousness raising group. I have lots of anecdotes to share as we go forward. Our canasta group, affectionately known as Rho Kappa, formed the basis for friendships and camaraderie that could never be outgrown or replaced.
This blog is dedicated with much love to the girls of Rho Kappa! XXOO Barbara
I had hoped to get a dialogue started, but haven't received enough feedback or questions yet, so I will have to talk a little about ME.
A long,long time ago, when the earth was new, a group of young mothers got together on a Tuesday night to play Backgammon (it was all the rage at the time). The same core group, give or take a couple of moves and divorces, are still playing together. We went from playing Backgammon to playing Rummy Kub (also very popular in its time). After a few years, Mrs.S (The mom and mom-in-law of two of our charter members) taught us how to play canasta. I had strong recollections of my own mom playing canasta with her friends, day and night, while I was growing up.
Well our little group loved the game so much that we played all through our kids' elementary, middle, high school and college years. We played through births, bar and bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens, graduations, weddings and the births of our grandchildren, We played through wars and gas lines. We played through hurricanes, blizzards and ice storms, We kept each other sane through successes and distresses, births and deaths. Tuesday nights were sacred! You just didn't make other plans! In fact, our group despite some more moves (including mine down here to Paradise) and another divorce or two, are still playing every summer at the only dude ranch in Ammagansett.
We started out needing only 90 points to open (how easy that seems now). We didn't know about pairs, garbage or kongs and pongs, we just loved canasta and each other. In the close to forty years we have been playing our favorite game, we've left no subject left untouched. It was our very own consciousness raising group. I have lots of anecdotes to share as we go forward. Our canasta group, affectionately known as Rho Kappa, formed the basis for friendships and camaraderie that could never be outgrown or replaced.
This blog is dedicated with much love to the girls of Rho Kappa! XXOO Barbara
Monday, February 25, 2013
Hi Canasta Lovers
Hi Canasta Lovers!
I've met so many wonderful people playing and teaching canasta in Palm Beach County, I thought we should have a space to talk about our favorite game. I'd love to hear from all of you lovers out there about table rule questions, special hands, card table ettiquette and anything else of interest.
Remembering to take your talon seems to be difficult for new players (as well as some seasoned ones), Does anybody have any ideas for my students?
I've met so many wonderful people playing and teaching canasta in Palm Beach County, I thought we should have a space to talk about our favorite game. I'd love to hear from all of you lovers out there about table rule questions, special hands, card table ettiquette and anything else of interest.
Remembering to take your talon seems to be difficult for new players (as well as some seasoned ones), Does anybody have any ideas for my students?
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