Hi Canasta Lovers
It is holiday season once more in Paradise. The store windows are all aglitter with holiday decorations, the sounds of joyful music in all the stores, there are Christmas trees and poinsettia, Chanukah bushes and menorahs all up and down the streets of Palm Beach. For me it is such a happy time of year.
Today, as I am replacing my 2014 desk calendar with the new 2015 version I like to take a little time to look back over the past year to see what I have accomplished. I continued my second season of introducing our favorite game to beginners and to refreshing and strategizing with some more experienced players. I continue to meet and play with so many interesting and accomplished women. In between hands we often talk about their exotic travels, their love of the arts and the movies we've seen. Not to mention all those adorable and brilliant grandchildren.
Steve and I traveled up to Boston in February for a family Bar Mitzvah (Mazel Tov to Aaron). In the spring we flew out to fabulous Palm Desert to meet up with our fabulous friends Roni and Phil. This summer Leni, Steve and I flew to New York for our annual Canasta marathon at the only dude ranch in Amagansett (thanks, as always, Maralin and Rick).
Steve spent much of September and October battling a nasty case of vertigo, but thank G-d that's past now and we are again out and about, having fun in PB.
One of the nicest things to happen to us this year was reconnecting with our very old friends (the friendship, not the friends) Judi and Steve. We all met in college, dated, married, had children and lost touch for about thirty-five years. We found each other again on Facebook and picked up our friendship without missing a beat. Lucky for us they live in South Florida too.
Our children and grandchildren continue to thrive and we count our blessings everyday that they live so close and we can see them so often.
Okay, so what's up for 2015? I have already started three classes. The first, a beginner group who has successfully made it through two classes and are starting to understand those sexy sevens, crazy aces and tricky threes. The other two groups are returnees who are reviewing and polishing their skills after a very busy summer.
I want to wish all of you Canasta Goddesses and your dear ones a happy holiday season and a wonderful, healthy and prosperous New Year. Jingle, jingle.
With much love,
Barbara
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
"Stuff your sorries in a sack"
Hi Canasta Lovers,
One morning last week I watched a segment on Today dealing with how often women say, "I'm sorry!" As an example a young woman opens her boss' door and says I'm sorry, I have a question" What is she sorry about? Why not just say "Good morning, I have a question"? Another great example showed a woman sitting on a bus, a man sits down on the empty seat beside her and invades some of her space. The woman moves further away and says, "Sorry" What? What is she apologizing for?
Playing our favorite game that same afternoon I noticed how often "I'm sorry" was said at the Canasta table. If you meld with too many of the same cards as your opponent, why apologize? You and your partner should be happy that you melded. If, having no safe discard, you give the pack, don't apologize I'm sure you had no choice. If you pick a pack and get stuck with aces, don't say you are sorry, think of all the canastas you made and the threes you covered. If you lay down six sevens and your opponent goes out before your partner can close, you don't have to apologize, you were going for the gold!
As I often say, in the scope of our lives Canasta is just a game, albeit, a fantastic one and there is little room at the card table for apologies (unless you spill you coffee on your opponent's new white jeans.) So follow George Costanza's advice to Jerry Seinfeld in November, 1997 and "stuff your sorries in a sack, Mister."*
We are enjoying a cool day today here in Paradise. The roads and restaurants are getting crowded and season is almost upon us. If you or any of your friends are interested in learning Canasta or taking your game to the next level, give me a shout at 561-818-3131 or email me at canastagal8500@gmail and we will set something up. If you already have a group and would like to have some supervised play, I can do that for you too.
Stay in touch, you gorgeous goddesses.
Love, Barbara
*also said by Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, October, 1974.
One morning last week I watched a segment on Today dealing with how often women say, "I'm sorry!" As an example a young woman opens her boss' door and says I'm sorry, I have a question" What is she sorry about? Why not just say "Good morning, I have a question"? Another great example showed a woman sitting on a bus, a man sits down on the empty seat beside her and invades some of her space. The woman moves further away and says, "Sorry" What? What is she apologizing for?
Playing our favorite game that same afternoon I noticed how often "I'm sorry" was said at the Canasta table. If you meld with too many of the same cards as your opponent, why apologize? You and your partner should be happy that you melded. If, having no safe discard, you give the pack, don't apologize I'm sure you had no choice. If you pick a pack and get stuck with aces, don't say you are sorry, think of all the canastas you made and the threes you covered. If you lay down six sevens and your opponent goes out before your partner can close, you don't have to apologize, you were going for the gold!
As I often say, in the scope of our lives Canasta is just a game, albeit, a fantastic one and there is little room at the card table for apologies (unless you spill you coffee on your opponent's new white jeans.) So follow George Costanza's advice to Jerry Seinfeld in November, 1997 and "stuff your sorries in a sack, Mister."*
We are enjoying a cool day today here in Paradise. The roads and restaurants are getting crowded and season is almost upon us. If you or any of your friends are interested in learning Canasta or taking your game to the next level, give me a shout at 561-818-3131 or email me at canastagal8500@gmail and we will set something up. If you already have a group and would like to have some supervised play, I can do that for you too.
Stay in touch, you gorgeous goddesses.
Love, Barbara
*also said by Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, October, 1974.
Monday, September 22, 2014
When You're HOT You're HOT!
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Have you ever noticed how on some days you can lay down three big jokers and a deuce and on your partner's next turn she will close that canasta with the fourth big joker and two deuces? When that happens there is a good chance you're HOT!
Have you ever noticed that on other days you can lay down six wild cards on your first turn and you and your partner can wait the whole game and never see another wild card? When that happens, chances are you're NOT!
How about when you open your hand with 180 beautiful points? You are HOT! How about when you need 125 points and can't pick a clean three? You are NOT!
I find that these HOT and NOT days happen often. How to deal with them? This is not a canasta teacher speaking now but a superstitious card player thinking aloud. When I feel I am having a HOT day I am a much more aggressive player. I will try for those joker canastas. I am much more apt to pick a huge pack with 6 sevens in it (hope my partner is also having a HOT day too). On a NOT day I don't even like to lay down four wild cards at the beginning of the hand. I will play a very conservative game, try to stay out of trouble and wait for Lady Luck to reappear. She will, if you have patience!
With summer ending (although it is hard to tell here in Paradise) and fall beginning tomorrow, it is time for many of us to start to focus on the Jewish High Holidays. I want to wish all of my friends and followers a very sweet, very healthy, and very prosperous New Year and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year.
See you soon Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Have you ever noticed how on some days you can lay down three big jokers and a deuce and on your partner's next turn she will close that canasta with the fourth big joker and two deuces? When that happens there is a good chance you're HOT!
Have you ever noticed that on other days you can lay down six wild cards on your first turn and you and your partner can wait the whole game and never see another wild card? When that happens, chances are you're NOT!
How about when you open your hand with 180 beautiful points? You are HOT! How about when you need 125 points and can't pick a clean three? You are NOT!
I find that these HOT and NOT days happen often. How to deal with them? This is not a canasta teacher speaking now but a superstitious card player thinking aloud. When I feel I am having a HOT day I am a much more aggressive player. I will try for those joker canastas. I am much more apt to pick a huge pack with 6 sevens in it (hope my partner is also having a HOT day too). On a NOT day I don't even like to lay down four wild cards at the beginning of the hand. I will play a very conservative game, try to stay out of trouble and wait for Lady Luck to reappear. She will, if you have patience!
With summer ending (although it is hard to tell here in Paradise) and fall beginning tomorrow, it is time for many of us to start to focus on the Jewish High Holidays. I want to wish all of my friends and followers a very sweet, very healthy, and very prosperous New Year and may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year.
See you soon Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Barbara and Leni's Great Hamptons Adventure
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Leni and I are just back from our great adventure to the only dune ranch in Amagansett, New York. As most of my followers know every summer the girls of Rho Kappa (our 40 year old canasta group) meet up at Maralin's wonderful house at the beach. After settling in and having a delicious lunch, the five of us picked teams and sat down at the card table to begin the Canasta Marathon of 2014. Unfortunately, the Canasta Gods were not sitting on this girl's shoulder this trip. I could barely make 125 points. If ever I did make it and melded with SIX wild cards, my partner could not close the canasta. Woe is me, it's a good thing I love my friends and love the game.
My New York friends play different table rules than we play in Paradise. The biggest difference is here in Paradise we play a five card base, in New York the girls play with a three card base (the way we learned all those years ago.) For those of you who don't know about the five card base, the rule is that after your initial meld you MUST have at least five of the same face cards showing before you can add a face card to your meld.
Example: King, king, king, king, sorry no wild cards allowed.
King, king, king, king, king, wild cards welcomed.
With the five card rule in place, it is much more difficult to "go out" because you cannot lay your wild cards off on existing melds, you also can not put you pairs down with a wild card unless it is your last pair and you are "going out."
As we are all getting just a little bit older and our memories are not what they use to be, a few of the girls like to look back in the discard pile ALOT. They had to be reminded that you can only look back once a hand, four cards at your turn.
What else did we do at the ranch? Lots and lots of talking, lots and lots of eating, including our old standby Bobby Vans for lobster on Tuesday night, Wednesday, it was the East Hampton Grill (yummy ribs). Max's delicious soft shelled crabs on the menu Thursday. Friday night, a fabulous clam bake at the ranch including a birthday celebration for the guys who all turned OMG seventy this year. Saturday night at Muse in Sag Harbor ended a week of great picks. Thank you Mar.
After all that eating I must mention our morning power walks into the town of Amagansett, then a few hours at the beach with a good book and canasta before and after dinner. I may live in Paradise but our week at the ranch is always heaven!
Stay cool, goddesses, Season will be here before you know it.
Love to all, Barbara
Leni and I are just back from our great adventure to the only dune ranch in Amagansett, New York. As most of my followers know every summer the girls of Rho Kappa (our 40 year old canasta group) meet up at Maralin's wonderful house at the beach. After settling in and having a delicious lunch, the five of us picked teams and sat down at the card table to begin the Canasta Marathon of 2014. Unfortunately, the Canasta Gods were not sitting on this girl's shoulder this trip. I could barely make 125 points. If ever I did make it and melded with SIX wild cards, my partner could not close the canasta. Woe is me, it's a good thing I love my friends and love the game.
My New York friends play different table rules than we play in Paradise. The biggest difference is here in Paradise we play a five card base, in New York the girls play with a three card base (the way we learned all those years ago.) For those of you who don't know about the five card base, the rule is that after your initial meld you MUST have at least five of the same face cards showing before you can add a face card to your meld.
Example: King, king, king, king, sorry no wild cards allowed.
King, king, king, king, king, wild cards welcomed.
With the five card rule in place, it is much more difficult to "go out" because you cannot lay your wild cards off on existing melds, you also can not put you pairs down with a wild card unless it is your last pair and you are "going out."
As we are all getting just a little bit older and our memories are not what they use to be, a few of the girls like to look back in the discard pile ALOT. They had to be reminded that you can only look back once a hand, four cards at your turn.
What else did we do at the ranch? Lots and lots of talking, lots and lots of eating, including our old standby Bobby Vans for lobster on Tuesday night, Wednesday, it was the East Hampton Grill (yummy ribs). Max's delicious soft shelled crabs on the menu Thursday. Friday night, a fabulous clam bake at the ranch including a birthday celebration for the guys who all turned OMG seventy this year. Saturday night at Muse in Sag Harbor ended a week of great picks. Thank you Mar.
After all that eating I must mention our morning power walks into the town of Amagansett, then a few hours at the beach with a good book and canasta before and after dinner. I may live in Paradise but our week at the ranch is always heaven!
Stay cool, goddesses, Season will be here before you know it.
Love to all, Barbara
Monday, July 14, 2014
Summer Lovin
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Here in Paradise we have to pay for our fabulous winters with the hot and rainy days of summer. In July and August after my morning walk on the lake trail I tend to stay inside after lunch, and what better way to pass a triple H (hazy, hot and humid) afternoon than sitting down with friends to play our favorite game? A few interesting things have come up around the card table recently that I would like to share with you.
First, the change I've been hoping for: the "one to hold and one to throw" rule seems to be phasing out. I have long felt that if you can pick a talon after your discard you will have at least one card with which to keep playing. While we are talking of talons I am finding that many really good players often forget to take their talon after melding with wild cards. I don't know why this happens so often but it does. Are we too busy patting ourselves on the back? Is it the adrenaline rush that comes from attempting a joker canasta? Could it be the distraction of the moans and groans of our opponents? Whatever the reason, it happens so often that we must really try to be more cognizant of it.
Next, in the middle of a hand last week, my team had already closed a canasta and was working on our second when one of my opponents realized she only had 12 cards, her partner counted hers and found she also was short. " It's a misdeal!" she cried. Well, nooooo, it's not. Each player is responsible for counting her own cards before play begins. If she does not, them's the breaks kids!!!
Finally, I have often wondered where the term "Whip Out" came from. When a special hand is made the team that makes it earns a dollar from the other team.. It is easy to score this with a check mark when you are playing with four people. It becomes a score keeping nightmare when playing with five or six. Last week I was at a table of five when one of the teams made Pairs! The two opponents that were playing the hand "whipped out" their dollars and paid off right on the spot! Now I know the origin of "Whip Out" and so do you.
Hope I learn as much this week. Keep playing Canasta Goddesses and stay cool.
Love, Barbara
Here in Paradise we have to pay for our fabulous winters with the hot and rainy days of summer. In July and August after my morning walk on the lake trail I tend to stay inside after lunch, and what better way to pass a triple H (hazy, hot and humid) afternoon than sitting down with friends to play our favorite game? A few interesting things have come up around the card table recently that I would like to share with you.
First, the change I've been hoping for: the "one to hold and one to throw" rule seems to be phasing out. I have long felt that if you can pick a talon after your discard you will have at least one card with which to keep playing. While we are talking of talons I am finding that many really good players often forget to take their talon after melding with wild cards. I don't know why this happens so often but it does. Are we too busy patting ourselves on the back? Is it the adrenaline rush that comes from attempting a joker canasta? Could it be the distraction of the moans and groans of our opponents? Whatever the reason, it happens so often that we must really try to be more cognizant of it.
Next, in the middle of a hand last week, my team had already closed a canasta and was working on our second when one of my opponents realized she only had 12 cards, her partner counted hers and found she also was short. " It's a misdeal!" she cried. Well, nooooo, it's not. Each player is responsible for counting her own cards before play begins. If she does not, them's the breaks kids!!!
Finally, I have often wondered where the term "Whip Out" came from. When a special hand is made the team that makes it earns a dollar from the other team.. It is easy to score this with a check mark when you are playing with four people. It becomes a score keeping nightmare when playing with five or six. Last week I was at a table of five when one of the teams made Pairs! The two opponents that were playing the hand "whipped out" their dollars and paid off right on the spot! Now I know the origin of "Whip Out" and so do you.
Hope I learn as much this week. Keep playing Canasta Goddesses and stay cool.
Love, Barbara
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Delicious
Hi Canasta Lovers,
As summertime comes to Paradise we all look for different ways to occupy our time. We still play our favorite game, of course, but not quite as often and with seemingly less intensity. It is a mellow time of year. Those of us in town still get together once or twice a week for lunch and cards and, naturally, I look forward to that.
As usual in the hot, humid, lazy days of summer I do a lot of reading. I've just finished a book I'd like to share with you. It is titled Delicious, written by former New York Times food critic and Gourmet Magazine editor Ruth Reichl. Delicious is absolutely yummy! It is a great summer read, it has something for everyone. Food descriptions that you can absolutely taste, a tantalizing search for letters written during WWII, an ugly ducking to swan makeover, and naturally a love story. While Delicious is not great literature it is a delightful read for a summer afternoon.
At the end of the book is a secret recipe for Billie's Gingerbread Cake. It sounds delicious and might make a great dessert for your next canasta luncheon. Let me know if you are baking and I'll come over for a taste!!!
Keep in touch Canasta Goddesses and I will write again soon.
Love, Barbara
As summertime comes to Paradise we all look for different ways to occupy our time. We still play our favorite game, of course, but not quite as often and with seemingly less intensity. It is a mellow time of year. Those of us in town still get together once or twice a week for lunch and cards and, naturally, I look forward to that.
As usual in the hot, humid, lazy days of summer I do a lot of reading. I've just finished a book I'd like to share with you. It is titled Delicious, written by former New York Times food critic and Gourmet Magazine editor Ruth Reichl. Delicious is absolutely yummy! It is a great summer read, it has something for everyone. Food descriptions that you can absolutely taste, a tantalizing search for letters written during WWII, an ugly ducking to swan makeover, and naturally a love story. While Delicious is not great literature it is a delightful read for a summer afternoon.
At the end of the book is a secret recipe for Billie's Gingerbread Cake. It sounds delicious and might make a great dessert for your next canasta luncheon. Let me know if you are baking and I'll come over for a taste!!!
Keep in touch Canasta Goddesses and I will write again soon.
Love, Barbara
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Nibs, The Original Canasta Goddess
Hi Canasta Lovers,
As Mother's day is just around the corner I thought it might be fun to tell you about the original canasta goddess, my mom, known far and wide as Nibs. My mother was a card player extraordinaire. She could play any card game but her favorite was Canasta. When I was growing up my mom played canasta almost every afternoon and most week night evenings. She had her own posse of friends who laughed together, cried together, raised their children together and supported each other on the winding road of life.
I remember afternoons when I would walk into the family room (AKA the Den) and there would be the posse, Trudy, Louise, Martha, Roz and sometimes Gerry sitting in different stages of undress, those pesky flushes were starting. My mother used to tell a story about how she would be playing canasta late into the night and then walk into her bedroom backwards in hopes of my father thinking she was already at home. (This doesn't make too much sense to me, but it seemed to, to her.)
Once or twice a year the posse would go to a spa (AKA milk farm) for a couple of days. I can not imagine them doing early morning hiking or spinning, but massages and facials were certainly the order of the day. And of course, marathon canasta games into the wee hours. A little like Rho Kappa's annual trip to the ranch in Amagansett.
Things have not changed so much since Nibs and her friends ruled the Canasta table. We do have better air conditioning and so can keep our clothes on during flush- time. I wonder what the posse who opened with 50, 90, and 120 points respectively would make of our 125, 155, and 180 point requirement. But the most important things have remained the same. We still depend on the girlfriend connection for the love, common sense and positivity they bring to our lives. Besides a life long love of card games I have learned mnay life lessons from my mother and her posse, among them; how to treat other people, how to share laughter and dry tears, how to be a good support system for my family and friends.
With all these things in mind I want to wish all Canasta Goddesses, their mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters a wonderful and happy Mothers Day.
Much love, Barbara
As Mother's day is just around the corner I thought it might be fun to tell you about the original canasta goddess, my mom, known far and wide as Nibs. My mother was a card player extraordinaire. She could play any card game but her favorite was Canasta. When I was growing up my mom played canasta almost every afternoon and most week night evenings. She had her own posse of friends who laughed together, cried together, raised their children together and supported each other on the winding road of life.
I remember afternoons when I would walk into the family room (AKA the Den) and there would be the posse, Trudy, Louise, Martha, Roz and sometimes Gerry sitting in different stages of undress, those pesky flushes were starting. My mother used to tell a story about how she would be playing canasta late into the night and then walk into her bedroom backwards in hopes of my father thinking she was already at home. (This doesn't make too much sense to me, but it seemed to, to her.)
Once or twice a year the posse would go to a spa (AKA milk farm) for a couple of days. I can not imagine them doing early morning hiking or spinning, but massages and facials were certainly the order of the day. And of course, marathon canasta games into the wee hours. A little like Rho Kappa's annual trip to the ranch in Amagansett.
Things have not changed so much since Nibs and her friends ruled the Canasta table. We do have better air conditioning and so can keep our clothes on during flush- time. I wonder what the posse who opened with 50, 90, and 120 points respectively would make of our 125, 155, and 180 point requirement. But the most important things have remained the same. We still depend on the girlfriend connection for the love, common sense and positivity they bring to our lives. Besides a life long love of card games I have learned mnay life lessons from my mother and her posse, among them; how to treat other people, how to share laughter and dry tears, how to be a good support system for my family and friends.
With all these things in mind I want to wish all Canasta Goddesses, their mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters a wonderful and happy Mothers Day.
Much love, Barbara
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Setting the Canasta Table
Hi Canasta Lovers,
The time has come for this year's newbies to morph into full fledged canasta goddesses. The most important question they all ask at this most auspicious time is: "Where can I get the little thingies that holds the cards?" Soooo before the transition to Goddess is complete we will have to go on a little shopping trip. Grab a friend, cross the bridge and head down I95 to the Festival Flea Market on Sample Road. Take a little time to walk through the aisles, you will pass eyeglass booths, watch and jewelry booths, booths full of handbags, paper goods, cosmetics, visors and T-shirts. Eventually you will reach your destination: the games boutique. This marvelous little shop has everything you need to set your Canasta, Bridge or Mah Jong table. Here you will find the all important "Dual Deck Revolving Card Holder" aka "the tray." They also stock all kinds of playing cards. I like the Bicycle Cards best for teaching, they are large enough and not too hard to shuffle. There are lots of decorative cards here too. Talk about shuffling, they do sell a card shuffler for those of you who don't like to shuffle or have a little arthritis in your hand., Unfortunately, I do not find it to be a particularly effective helper as you must shuffle the cards multiple times and the cards still tend to come down in clumps.
What else will you need? Bridge Table Covers! Get back in your car and retrace your route back here to Paradise. You will find all colors and sizes of bridge table clothes just waiting for your monogram at Pioneer Linens on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach or at Lori Jayne Monogramming on South County Road. Lori Jayne will also make up personalized score pads for you. Many of the country clubs have great score pads with "special hand" scoring on them. Borrow a few sheets, take them to Lori Jayne and have your own individual score pads made up with your name on them. Beautifully wrapped playing cards are available at Mildred Hoyt and ,of course, you can never go wrong at Tiffany. The card sets make great gifts too.
For those of you who do not live in Paradise or have already left for the still chilly northern climes, I'm sure you can find all of this on line. Start with Amazon.com. I have bought some lovely monogrammed bridge table covers on line.
Now that your table is ready, invite your friends, sit down, deal the cards and have a wonderful afternoon playing our favorite game.
Wishing all Canasta Goddesses and your families a sweet Passover and a happy Easter. Keep in touch
Love, Barbara
The time has come for this year's newbies to morph into full fledged canasta goddesses. The most important question they all ask at this most auspicious time is: "Where can I get the little thingies that holds the cards?" Soooo before the transition to Goddess is complete we will have to go on a little shopping trip. Grab a friend, cross the bridge and head down I95 to the Festival Flea Market on Sample Road. Take a little time to walk through the aisles, you will pass eyeglass booths, watch and jewelry booths, booths full of handbags, paper goods, cosmetics, visors and T-shirts. Eventually you will reach your destination: the games boutique. This marvelous little shop has everything you need to set your Canasta, Bridge or Mah Jong table. Here you will find the all important "Dual Deck Revolving Card Holder" aka "the tray." They also stock all kinds of playing cards. I like the Bicycle Cards best for teaching, they are large enough and not too hard to shuffle. There are lots of decorative cards here too. Talk about shuffling, they do sell a card shuffler for those of you who don't like to shuffle or have a little arthritis in your hand., Unfortunately, I do not find it to be a particularly effective helper as you must shuffle the cards multiple times and the cards still tend to come down in clumps.
What else will you need? Bridge Table Covers! Get back in your car and retrace your route back here to Paradise. You will find all colors and sizes of bridge table clothes just waiting for your monogram at Pioneer Linens on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach or at Lori Jayne Monogramming on South County Road. Lori Jayne will also make up personalized score pads for you. Many of the country clubs have great score pads with "special hand" scoring on them. Borrow a few sheets, take them to Lori Jayne and have your own individual score pads made up with your name on them. Beautifully wrapped playing cards are available at Mildred Hoyt and ,of course, you can never go wrong at Tiffany. The card sets make great gifts too.
For those of you who do not live in Paradise or have already left for the still chilly northern climes, I'm sure you can find all of this on line. Start with Amazon.com. I have bought some lovely monogrammed bridge table covers on line.
Now that your table is ready, invite your friends, sit down, deal the cards and have a wonderful afternoon playing our favorite game.
Wishing all Canasta Goddesses and your families a sweet Passover and a happy Easter. Keep in touch
Love, Barbara
Monday, March 31, 2014
three geneations
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Last week I had the pleasure and privilege of teaching our favorite game to three generations of the same family. I met with the grandma, to whom I had given a lesson or two previously, the mom and dad who had also taken a few lessons with me earlier in the season and the newbies, their daughter, a charming young woman and her adorable boyfriend. They all caught on so fast that by the end of the session one team had made a joker canasta and the other team was just one queen away from making pairs ! (We all know how that feels.) They must have started playing on their own that evening as I woke up the next morning to two e-mailed questions, both regarding where and when you can add wild cards to a meld and continued playing on Saturday because more questions came in by phone on Saturday afternoon. I am so happy they are enjoying their new game. Next week they are off on a ski vacation and told me they are packing lots of cards along with their skis, boots and gloves. Have a great time on the slopes and see you when you return!
I want to thank you all for the wonderful feedback I have received from so many of you, I love the questions and the comments. It is the dialogue I had hoped to have when I started this blog. Just one little issue, if those of you who respond by E-mail would respond on the blog instead then everyone could get in on the conversation. (You can respond anonymously.) There is a box for comments at the bottom of the page. For quick responses I do check my E-mail often.
For those of you here in Paradise keep enjoying our wonderful weather, and for those of you up north, stay warm, spring is on its way. For all canasta goddesses keep playing our favorite game and please, please keep in touch.
Love,
Barbara
Last week I had the pleasure and privilege of teaching our favorite game to three generations of the same family. I met with the grandma, to whom I had given a lesson or two previously, the mom and dad who had also taken a few lessons with me earlier in the season and the newbies, their daughter, a charming young woman and her adorable boyfriend. They all caught on so fast that by the end of the session one team had made a joker canasta and the other team was just one queen away from making pairs ! (We all know how that feels.) They must have started playing on their own that evening as I woke up the next morning to two e-mailed questions, both regarding where and when you can add wild cards to a meld and continued playing on Saturday because more questions came in by phone on Saturday afternoon. I am so happy they are enjoying their new game. Next week they are off on a ski vacation and told me they are packing lots of cards along with their skis, boots and gloves. Have a great time on the slopes and see you when you return!
I want to thank you all for the wonderful feedback I have received from so many of you, I love the questions and the comments. It is the dialogue I had hoped to have when I started this blog. Just one little issue, if those of you who respond by E-mail would respond on the blog instead then everyone could get in on the conversation. (You can respond anonymously.) There is a box for comments at the bottom of the page. For quick responses I do check my E-mail often.
For those of you here in Paradise keep enjoying our wonderful weather, and for those of you up north, stay warm, spring is on its way. For all canasta goddesses keep playing our favorite game and please, please keep in touch.
Love,
Barbara
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Be nice to the newbies!
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Most of my Goddesses-in-Training are about ready to go out into Paradise and start playing canasta with the "big girls." They all seem to be very leery of this next phase of their metamorphosis. When I ask "why?" The majority answer that they are afraid of being "yelled at." Now I don't personally know any of these "yellers" but I do believe they are out there somewhere in the suburbs of Paradise. If you know any of these "Yellers" please tell them that canasta, as much fun as it is, is still just a card game. Everyone who comes to the table should have no other plan than to have a nice, relaxing, fun afternoon in the card room.
I teach all my students that if they signal sevens they promise to keep them for the entire hand, that their partner is depending on them, however, if your newbie partner splits her sevens to save a juicy pack, don't yell at her, don't roll your eyes and don't sneer. I'll bet you a nickel that at sometime you have done the same thing.
If your newbie partner adds her cards to your melds either too early or too late, understand it takes some people a little longer to get their rhythm just right. Talking too much during the hand can also be irritating and in some cases gives away too much information. KINDLY tell your newbie partner that there is plenty of time for questions and discussion after the hand.
If while you are playing you find yourself becoming annoyed with your newbie partner, wait until the end of the hand and the tell her GENTLY and with GOOD HUMOR what you might have done in her place. If you give the newbies a little time and encouragement they will turn out to be fine friends and fine players.
Remember every one of us was a newbie once and it was only through playing with the "big girls" that we all became the Goddesses that we now are.
Love to all, Barbara
Most of my Goddesses-in-Training are about ready to go out into Paradise and start playing canasta with the "big girls." They all seem to be very leery of this next phase of their metamorphosis. When I ask "why?" The majority answer that they are afraid of being "yelled at." Now I don't personally know any of these "yellers" but I do believe they are out there somewhere in the suburbs of Paradise. If you know any of these "Yellers" please tell them that canasta, as much fun as it is, is still just a card game. Everyone who comes to the table should have no other plan than to have a nice, relaxing, fun afternoon in the card room.
I teach all my students that if they signal sevens they promise to keep them for the entire hand, that their partner is depending on them, however, if your newbie partner splits her sevens to save a juicy pack, don't yell at her, don't roll your eyes and don't sneer. I'll bet you a nickel that at sometime you have done the same thing.
If your newbie partner adds her cards to your melds either too early or too late, understand it takes some people a little longer to get their rhythm just right. Talking too much during the hand can also be irritating and in some cases gives away too much information. KINDLY tell your newbie partner that there is plenty of time for questions and discussion after the hand.
If while you are playing you find yourself becoming annoyed with your newbie partner, wait until the end of the hand and the tell her GENTLY and with GOOD HUMOR what you might have done in her place. If you give the newbies a little time and encouragement they will turn out to be fine friends and fine players.
Remember every one of us was a newbie once and it was only through playing with the "big girls" that we all became the Goddesses that we now are.
Love to all, Barbara
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Establishing Table Rules
Hi Canasta Lovers,
I have a lot of requests lately to discuss table rules. There are as many table rules as there are tables to play at. If you have been asked to play in a game that is not your regular game, it is very important to ask their table rules and to be able to implement them into your game. Some of the rules you might ask about include:
1. What type of Special Hands are allowed? Pairs, Pairs (with wild cards, sevens and aces), Garbage (one of everything), Kongs and Pongs (three, three, four, four), Three sets of four with two deuces and/or four sets of three with two deuces? Are there any others? If a special hand is made is opposing team entitled to their points? Can you be thrown your specialty card? Do you have one turn after your partner melds to make your special hand?
2. A card to hold AND a card to throw or just a card to throw (as long as a talon is available)?
3. Can you remind your partner to take her Talon ?
4. Threes If you forget to pick for your threes can you do so later? If the final card is a three, do you add it to your threes and the game ends, or does it go into your hand? If it goes into to your hand, what is the point value? If it goes into your hand are you allowed a discard?
5. Can you Pick the Pack on your initial meld?
6. Going Out? Can a team "go out" if a wild card, seven or ace canasta is unfinished? Must a partner ask her partner if it is OK to "go out" before any card is played? Can you ask your partner about "going out" more than once?
7. How many times can you look back ? How many cards can you look back ?
8. Base Five ? Must you have a base of five cards before you may add a wild card?
These are probably the most common table rules. (Not that there is anything "common" about Canasta.) There are probably many, many more. If you know of other table rules please let me know so that I can add them to this list. We all want to be prepared for whatever awaits us in the card room.
FYI one of the beginner classes we have been following have become graduate Canasta Goddesses. and ventured forth to play in that Canasta Paradise known as the Palm Beaches. The other class is continuing on with supervised play and learning a lot of defense, strategy and even a little trickery. Watch out for them if they come to your table! Another beginner class started two weeks ago, strangers when they met they have found so many cross ties to each other that it boggles the mind. We will be checking on them as time goes by.
Keep playing Canasta Goddess,
Love, Barbara
I have a lot of requests lately to discuss table rules. There are as many table rules as there are tables to play at. If you have been asked to play in a game that is not your regular game, it is very important to ask their table rules and to be able to implement them into your game. Some of the rules you might ask about include:
1. What type of Special Hands are allowed? Pairs, Pairs (with wild cards, sevens and aces), Garbage (one of everything), Kongs and Pongs (three, three, four, four), Three sets of four with two deuces and/or four sets of three with two deuces? Are there any others? If a special hand is made is opposing team entitled to their points? Can you be thrown your specialty card? Do you have one turn after your partner melds to make your special hand?
2. A card to hold AND a card to throw or just a card to throw (as long as a talon is available)?
3. Can you remind your partner to take her Talon ?
4. Threes If you forget to pick for your threes can you do so later? If the final card is a three, do you add it to your threes and the game ends, or does it go into your hand? If it goes into to your hand, what is the point value? If it goes into your hand are you allowed a discard?
5. Can you Pick the Pack on your initial meld?
6. Going Out? Can a team "go out" if a wild card, seven or ace canasta is unfinished? Must a partner ask her partner if it is OK to "go out" before any card is played? Can you ask your partner about "going out" more than once?
7. How many times can you look back ? How many cards can you look back ?
8. Base Five ? Must you have a base of five cards before you may add a wild card?
These are probably the most common table rules. (Not that there is anything "common" about Canasta.) There are probably many, many more. If you know of other table rules please let me know so that I can add them to this list. We all want to be prepared for whatever awaits us in the card room.
FYI one of the beginner classes we have been following have become graduate Canasta Goddesses. and ventured forth to play in that Canasta Paradise known as the Palm Beaches. The other class is continuing on with supervised play and learning a lot of defense, strategy and even a little trickery. Watch out for them if they come to your table! Another beginner class started two weeks ago, strangers when they met they have found so many cross ties to each other that it boggles the mind. We will be checking on them as time goes by.
Keep playing Canasta Goddess,
Love, Barbara
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Card Luncheon
Hi Canasta Lovers
A new phenomenon has surfaced here in paradise over the last few seasons, "The Lunch and Card Party!" It is a wonderful way to spend time with your old friends and to make new ones, have a lovely lunch and play our favorite game. Everybody gets dressed up to so it is a fashion show as well. Yesterday was the annual MorseLife's Luncheon and Card Party at the Mar-a-Lago Club. The doors open about ten thirty am. The perimeter of the club's huge, gilded, grand ballroom is lined with boutiques crammed with everything a Goddess could want. Their is chic clothing, handbags of every imaginable material and design, beautiful monogrammed sweaters and shawls, and lots and lots of jewelry. Yesterday there were so many pearl and leather necklaces that one wonders if there are any pearls left at the bottom of the sea. After a lunch of sliced chicken, salad and a trio of sweet desserts, the waiters cleared the tables and the cards are dealt. How can you not love that?
I do not often go to charity luncheons anymore, but I always try to support MorseLife. My mother-in-law lived there for five years until she passed away. I don't think anyone really wants to live in a long term care facility but Morse is very different. My mother-in-law was treated with great affection, care and respect everyday that she was there. My husband and I will always be grateful for that.
I don't want to forget to mention the progress of my two beginner classes. This week we talked about special hands: pairs, garbage, kongs and pongs etc. Everyone was intrigued and wanted to make a special hand. ("I have two pairs, why can't I try it?") but, alas, it did not happen. However we did have a" big" joker canasta in the afternoon class. Next Monday (if I don't get snowed in in Boston) we will continue with more strategy: keeping the mystery in your hand! BTW Mazel Tov to Aaron on his Bar Mitzvah.
Stay in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
A new phenomenon has surfaced here in paradise over the last few seasons, "The Lunch and Card Party!" It is a wonderful way to spend time with your old friends and to make new ones, have a lovely lunch and play our favorite game. Everybody gets dressed up to so it is a fashion show as well. Yesterday was the annual MorseLife's Luncheon and Card Party at the Mar-a-Lago Club. The doors open about ten thirty am. The perimeter of the club's huge, gilded, grand ballroom is lined with boutiques crammed with everything a Goddess could want. Their is chic clothing, handbags of every imaginable material and design, beautiful monogrammed sweaters and shawls, and lots and lots of jewelry. Yesterday there were so many pearl and leather necklaces that one wonders if there are any pearls left at the bottom of the sea. After a lunch of sliced chicken, salad and a trio of sweet desserts, the waiters cleared the tables and the cards are dealt. How can you not love that?
I do not often go to charity luncheons anymore, but I always try to support MorseLife. My mother-in-law lived there for five years until she passed away. I don't think anyone really wants to live in a long term care facility but Morse is very different. My mother-in-law was treated with great affection, care and respect everyday that she was there. My husband and I will always be grateful for that.
I don't want to forget to mention the progress of my two beginner classes. This week we talked about special hands: pairs, garbage, kongs and pongs etc. Everyone was intrigued and wanted to make a special hand. ("I have two pairs, why can't I try it?") but, alas, it did not happen. However we did have a" big" joker canasta in the afternoon class. Next Monday (if I don't get snowed in in Boston) we will continue with more strategy: keeping the mystery in your hand! BTW Mazel Tov to Aaron on his Bar Mitzvah.
Stay in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Beginner's Canasta Lessson III
Hi Canasta Lovers,
What a great time we had Monday at our third beginner's canasta lesson. I started both lessons with demonstrations of what to do and what not to do when your partner melds. Let's say your partner meld with two kings and a big joker, three eights, and three fours with a deuce. (Very nice all requirements have been met.) What should you do with the two kings, two eights and one four that you are holding? Would you lay everything down or would you hold back in hope that you might be able to pick up that big, beautiful, juicy pack? We had a lively give and take and everyone seemed to understand the concept of keeping control of your hand by not immediately laying everything down or by not adding your singleton to a triple (hopefully you'll double up.) After a little more discussion ("I still think canasta is as hard as Bridge") the cards were dealt and we began to play.
Near the end of the last hand of the day beginner Susie wanted to take the pack with her two sevens. She had a count of six but the other two sevens could have been anywhere. I usually advise against picking a pack like that if you are not sure, but Susie was adamant. (I thought there might be a lesson here...who knew? So Susie picked the pack, laid down her six sevens and discarded a five. Her partner Sally, was holding two wild cards and that one important seven. Looked like everything was going to work out for the girls, but alas, Sally picked another wild card. Because Sally had nothing in fifth position to put her jokers on, she had to put that sweet seven in the discard tray. Goodbye lovely seven canasta, goodbye 3500 wonderful points. What a shame! What a good lesson!
Next week we will talk about special hands and add a little strategy to the mix. Maybe one of the girls will make pairs. That would be exciting. "Newbies" no more, they will soon be ready to join the ranks of Canasta Goddesses, playing their favorite game with friends, old and new.
Wishing all goddesses lots and lots of joker canastas.
Love, Barbara
What a great time we had Monday at our third beginner's canasta lesson. I started both lessons with demonstrations of what to do and what not to do when your partner melds. Let's say your partner meld with two kings and a big joker, three eights, and three fours with a deuce. (Very nice all requirements have been met.) What should you do with the two kings, two eights and one four that you are holding? Would you lay everything down or would you hold back in hope that you might be able to pick up that big, beautiful, juicy pack? We had a lively give and take and everyone seemed to understand the concept of keeping control of your hand by not immediately laying everything down or by not adding your singleton to a triple (hopefully you'll double up.) After a little more discussion ("I still think canasta is as hard as Bridge") the cards were dealt and we began to play.
Near the end of the last hand of the day beginner Susie wanted to take the pack with her two sevens. She had a count of six but the other two sevens could have been anywhere. I usually advise against picking a pack like that if you are not sure, but Susie was adamant. (I thought there might be a lesson here...who knew? So Susie picked the pack, laid down her six sevens and discarded a five. Her partner Sally, was holding two wild cards and that one important seven. Looked like everything was going to work out for the girls, but alas, Sally picked another wild card. Because Sally had nothing in fifth position to put her jokers on, she had to put that sweet seven in the discard tray. Goodbye lovely seven canasta, goodbye 3500 wonderful points. What a shame! What a good lesson!
Next week we will talk about special hands and add a little strategy to the mix. Maybe one of the girls will make pairs. That would be exciting. "Newbies" no more, they will soon be ready to join the ranks of Canasta Goddesses, playing their favorite game with friends, old and new.
Wishing all goddesses lots and lots of joker canastas.
Love, Barbara
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Beginners Part Deux
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Yesterday was the second lesson of my two beginner groups. The girls all walked in looking as confused as they did when they left last Monday, all these strange rules bouncing around in their brains. With no time to lose we attacked the Tricky Threes, the Sexy Sevens and the Crazy Aces. I demonstrated how the threes can enhance you hand or damage your score. Moving on to those ("I just don't get them") Sexy Sevens, we discussed how important it is to watch the discards for seven signals, how important it is to keep those two sevens if you signaled them, how you can safely discard your sevens in if your partner has signaled them? Finally we moved on to those Crazy Aces. Why can you use them with wild cards on your initial meld, but not later on? Why can't I lay down those three pretty aces in the middle of the hand? Why are we penalized for holding more than two sevens or aces when the game ends?
We put these lessons into practice as we dealt the first hand. Don't forget to replace your threes! We played on, everyone was very conscious of who was discarding those Sexy Sevens and how many were in the pack.
I am happy to say those confused faces disappeared by the end of the first hand. Everyone seemed to develop a rhythm to their play. One team made a joker canasta (always exciting). Everyone was very protective of their sevens, but those crazy Aces still need a little work. The time flew by and all the girls are looking forward to next week's lesson.
Next week we will talk about holding some cards back, not laying everything down at once. New players and even some seasoned ones are often too fast to meld and to empty their hands. I like to hold on to a few cards in case of emergencies. What do you think?
Thanks Canasta Goddesses, I appreciate all the feed back last week and hope to hear from more of you this week.
Love, Barbara
Yesterday was the second lesson of my two beginner groups. The girls all walked in looking as confused as they did when they left last Monday, all these strange rules bouncing around in their brains. With no time to lose we attacked the Tricky Threes, the Sexy Sevens and the Crazy Aces. I demonstrated how the threes can enhance you hand or damage your score. Moving on to those ("I just don't get them") Sexy Sevens, we discussed how important it is to watch the discards for seven signals, how important it is to keep those two sevens if you signaled them, how you can safely discard your sevens in if your partner has signaled them? Finally we moved on to those Crazy Aces. Why can you use them with wild cards on your initial meld, but not later on? Why can't I lay down those three pretty aces in the middle of the hand? Why are we penalized for holding more than two sevens or aces when the game ends?
We put these lessons into practice as we dealt the first hand. Don't forget to replace your threes! We played on, everyone was very conscious of who was discarding those Sexy Sevens and how many were in the pack.
I am happy to say those confused faces disappeared by the end of the first hand. Everyone seemed to develop a rhythm to their play. One team made a joker canasta (always exciting). Everyone was very protective of their sevens, but those crazy Aces still need a little work. The time flew by and all the girls are looking forward to next week's lesson.
Next week we will talk about holding some cards back, not laying everything down at once. New players and even some seasoned ones are often too fast to meld and to empty their hands. I like to hold on to a few cards in case of emergencies. What do you think?
Thanks Canasta Goddesses, I appreciate all the feed back last week and hope to hear from more of you this week.
Love, Barbara
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Beginners
Hi Canasta Lovers,
I started off the new year yesterday with two beginner classes. I thought it might be an interesting exercise to follow their progress over the next few weeks. Maybe you Canasta Goddesses can help me over the rough spots ("I will never understand those SEVENS!")
I start out each beginner class with a short history of Canasta. Did you know the game of Canasta originated in Uruguay? The word canasta means basket in Spanish. Canasta is the name of the basket or tray that we keep our draw cards and discards in. We then discuss what a canasta is and how we go about melding, which brings us to how to count our points. I have a little quiz sheet that teaches how to count the points in your hand and what makes them usable.
Example: "I have an ace, YOU said it is worth 20 points."
"Yes ma'am, but you need another ace and a wild card to use it."
"I don't get it."
"You will!"
First hurdle jumped.
And now we deal. I tell the girls to arrange their hand in numerical order. Suits are not important in Canasta (unless you are wearing a pretty new one.) I have found that most beginners like to play the first few hands open. However when so many cards are on the table confusion ensues. What is in your hand? Where are my melds? Yesterday I had the bright idea of putting masking tape on the tablecloth creating an outer ring where we lay down our hands for all to see, and the inside of the ring is where we meld and work on making our canastas. It seemed to work out pretty well.
Time to deal with those pesky "clean triples" What are they? "What if I never get one?" Stuff happens! At this point all my students say, "I thought this was supposed to be easy, this is as hard as Bridge." I explain that all the new rules that have been put into place makes canasta a little harder to learn but still so much fun to play.
Next week we will tackle sevens and aces, If two are good why aren't three better? Inevitably some one will make pairs or a joker canasta (remarkable how often that happens to newbies.) Excitement prevails! Follow us as we move these rookies along the road to the kingdom of canasta goddesses.
Love, Barbara
I started off the new year yesterday with two beginner classes. I thought it might be an interesting exercise to follow their progress over the next few weeks. Maybe you Canasta Goddesses can help me over the rough spots ("I will never understand those SEVENS!")
I start out each beginner class with a short history of Canasta. Did you know the game of Canasta originated in Uruguay? The word canasta means basket in Spanish. Canasta is the name of the basket or tray that we keep our draw cards and discards in. We then discuss what a canasta is and how we go about melding, which brings us to how to count our points. I have a little quiz sheet that teaches how to count the points in your hand and what makes them usable.
Example: "I have an ace, YOU said it is worth 20 points."
"Yes ma'am, but you need another ace and a wild card to use it."
"I don't get it."
"You will!"
First hurdle jumped.
And now we deal. I tell the girls to arrange their hand in numerical order. Suits are not important in Canasta (unless you are wearing a pretty new one.) I have found that most beginners like to play the first few hands open. However when so many cards are on the table confusion ensues. What is in your hand? Where are my melds? Yesterday I had the bright idea of putting masking tape on the tablecloth creating an outer ring where we lay down our hands for all to see, and the inside of the ring is where we meld and work on making our canastas. It seemed to work out pretty well.
Time to deal with those pesky "clean triples" What are they? "What if I never get one?" Stuff happens! At this point all my students say, "I thought this was supposed to be easy, this is as hard as Bridge." I explain that all the new rules that have been put into place makes canasta a little harder to learn but still so much fun to play.
Next week we will tackle sevens and aces, If two are good why aren't three better? Inevitably some one will make pairs or a joker canasta (remarkable how often that happens to newbies.) Excitement prevails! Follow us as we move these rookies along the road to the kingdom of canasta goddesses.
Love, Barbara
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