Good Morning Canasta Lovers
Although on the calendar February appears to be the shortest month of the year, here in Paradise it is so crammed full of events that you hardly know where to go first. You can start with a breakfast book club, move on to a champagne brunch, then a charity luncheon and fashion show, next a lovely English tea (are you tired yet?), home for a quick lie down and then off to an art gallery cocktail party and then dinner and dancing at a sumptuous black tie gala. And you will still be home, in your jammies in time for the eleven o'clock news.
Steve and I use to attend alot of these wonderful affairs, but over the years we've narrowed our attendance to just the ones that are important to us personally. This year in early February my canasta buddies and I , dressed to the nines, attended the Morse Life Luncheon and Card Party. My mother-in-law was a resident at Morse for a few years and she was treated with such care and dignity that I always support them if I can. The day starts off with boutiques lining the walls of the Grand Ballroom of The Mar-a-lago Club. There are fabulous handbags, beautiful pashminas, lots and lots of jewelry and anything you could wish for with your monogram on it. And that's before lunch. After lunch the tables are cleared and the games begin. What a great day, we can't wait for next year!
The following week I attended the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation Luncheon at the Breaker's. My gorgeous and accomplished sister-in-law Merrill was the co-chairman of the day. And what a day it was, a great silent auction, exciting table decor and a brilliant fashion show. However, most important was the message shared in the speeches that afternoon. "If you see something, say something!" It would not be rude to tell a friend or acquaintance you don't like the look of a spot on their face or body and that it would be a good idea to have a doctor look at it. It maybe nothing but you may save a life. And don't forget the SUNSCREEN!
My tablemate, at the luncheon, asked me a question concerning threes. It is the end of the game, at the turn card, the player (who has 4 sevens in her hand) picks a three, if she replaces the three she won't have enough turns to get rid of her sevens. Can she keep the three in her hand, take the 100 point penalty and discard her seven? What do you think?
The last luncheon I attended in February was a reunion of a large group of goddesses who got together a few years ago to play on Thursday afternoons. The day was hosted by my friend and first student, Lissy, She served a beautiful lunch and a special "reunion" cake. We all reunited and played our favorite game all afternoon. Thanks Lissy.
The days are getting longer here in paradise and the season will soon be winding down, but we, goddesses will keep playing canasta and enjoying each other all summer long.
Love to you all, goddesses,
Barbara
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Vive le Difference!
Bonjour Canasta Lovers,
Over the last month or so I have been lucky enough to be teaching beginner's canasta at a nearby country club. Usually these classes are made up completely of Canasta Goddesses, but this time, we had four Canasta Gods in the group. I started to notice the differences in the postures, attitudes and competitiveness between the madams and the messieurs. The goddesses sit up straight in their chairs with their eyes on the card table at all times, the gods kind of sit in a relaxed, reclining position with an arm thrown back over the chair and spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling. They miss nothing, though and are actually very adept card counters. I find the goddesses very serious and focused on the lesson. The gods seem to be focused on their lunch and handicap, but, at the same time, always know what is happening in front of them. The gods are much more competitive than the goddesses during the learning process. The gods are always the first to ask about scorekeeping and how to go out while leaving the other team in the dust. In the end it all evens out and everyone has a good time at the card table, but it just seems to me that the gods have a lot more fun getting there.
There has been quite a bit of feedback on the super pairs (seven pairs including two big jokers, two deuces, two aces and two sevens) debate. Most people seem to like the idea and many tables have already incorporated it into their table rules, usually adding a five hundred point bonus. Try it, it's fun.
Another, rather elegant question has been posed recently: Setting the stage; Your partner has picked the pack and has at least three sevens in her hand, you have only three wild cards in your hand and places to lay them off on the table. Since discarding a wild card is the discard of last resort do you have to go out and leave your partner holding the bag (of sevens). My sources say yes, and I agree, but I'd love to hear what you think.
Keep playing canasta, all you gods and goddesses and, as always, Vive Le Difference!
Love, Barbara
Over the last month or so I have been lucky enough to be teaching beginner's canasta at a nearby country club. Usually these classes are made up completely of Canasta Goddesses, but this time, we had four Canasta Gods in the group. I started to notice the differences in the postures, attitudes and competitiveness between the madams and the messieurs. The goddesses sit up straight in their chairs with their eyes on the card table at all times, the gods kind of sit in a relaxed, reclining position with an arm thrown back over the chair and spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling. They miss nothing, though and are actually very adept card counters. I find the goddesses very serious and focused on the lesson. The gods seem to be focused on their lunch and handicap, but, at the same time, always know what is happening in front of them. The gods are much more competitive than the goddesses during the learning process. The gods are always the first to ask about scorekeeping and how to go out while leaving the other team in the dust. In the end it all evens out and everyone has a good time at the card table, but it just seems to me that the gods have a lot more fun getting there.
There has been quite a bit of feedback on the super pairs (seven pairs including two big jokers, two deuces, two aces and two sevens) debate. Most people seem to like the idea and many tables have already incorporated it into their table rules, usually adding a five hundred point bonus. Try it, it's fun.
Another, rather elegant question has been posed recently: Setting the stage; Your partner has picked the pack and has at least three sevens in her hand, you have only three wild cards in your hand and places to lay them off on the table. Since discarding a wild card is the discard of last resort do you have to go out and leave your partner holding the bag (of sevens). My sources say yes, and I agree, but I'd love to hear what you think.
Keep playing canasta, all you gods and goddesses and, as always, Vive Le Difference!
Love, Barbara
Monday, December 28, 2015
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays Canasta Lovers!
I often find the week between Christmas and New Years is a good time for reviewing and reflecting over the past year. What have I accomplished? What do I still want to do? 2015 was a pretty good year for me professionally. Thanks to my daughter, Erin, and her friend Benae, my "Canasta Gal Empire" expanded to include a wonderful group of young women in Broward County, These girls are so busy with their families, their careers and different community activities that it is hard for them to plan a weekly game but they are having fun and preparing for their retirement years, when some day, they will join us at the card table.
This year I was invited to a teach a beginners group at a nearby country club. So many people signed up that I had to recruit by best buddy Leni to come and help me. I bought GIANT cards to teach with. One class we went over those sexy sevens, adorable aces, and terrific threes. The following week I built special hands from those gigantic cards. Want to mention that the SUPER PAIRS hand (the one including 2 deuces, 2 big jokers, 2 aces and 2 sevens) seems to be catching on in the card rooms of Paradise, Hooray! My lessons at the country club have included a table of gentlemen, and as I suspected they bring great card sense and lots of fun to their table. These men can now have their own games or play as couples with their wives.
Just last week I was asked to teach a refresher class to a group after a private luncheon in Boca Raton. As the girls all had a good knowledge of the game we concentrated on strategy. I found it interesting that the players often held off melding too long, wanting to pick the pack on their initial meld. I had to remind them that Canasta is a partnership game and if they melded their partner would have the chance to pick that pack.
Personally, I am continuing to shape my mind and my body. I like to walk about three miles in the morning either with Leni or alone with Pandora. This summer when it was way too hot to walk I started bicycling on a Styrofoam noodle in our pool, again accompanied by music on a waterproof, blue tooth head set. Thanks also to Casey, my terrific trainer for keeping in my best shape and up to date on all the pop culture I need to know.
Just recently I started a course in Jewish Studies at a local temple. I will be learning about the rituals and rhythms of Jewish life. Steve and I also joined a group called the World Affairs Council, wonderful lectures on a myriad of current event topics.
I hope that 2016 brings to all my friends and follower the time to do what you love and the ability to love what you do. Health, Happiness and Peace on Earth to all. Happy New year Canasta Gods and Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
I often find the week between Christmas and New Years is a good time for reviewing and reflecting over the past year. What have I accomplished? What do I still want to do? 2015 was a pretty good year for me professionally. Thanks to my daughter, Erin, and her friend Benae, my "Canasta Gal Empire" expanded to include a wonderful group of young women in Broward County, These girls are so busy with their families, their careers and different community activities that it is hard for them to plan a weekly game but they are having fun and preparing for their retirement years, when some day, they will join us at the card table.
This year I was invited to a teach a beginners group at a nearby country club. So many people signed up that I had to recruit by best buddy Leni to come and help me. I bought GIANT cards to teach with. One class we went over those sexy sevens, adorable aces, and terrific threes. The following week I built special hands from those gigantic cards. Want to mention that the SUPER PAIRS hand (the one including 2 deuces, 2 big jokers, 2 aces and 2 sevens) seems to be catching on in the card rooms of Paradise, Hooray! My lessons at the country club have included a table of gentlemen, and as I suspected they bring great card sense and lots of fun to their table. These men can now have their own games or play as couples with their wives.
Just last week I was asked to teach a refresher class to a group after a private luncheon in Boca Raton. As the girls all had a good knowledge of the game we concentrated on strategy. I found it interesting that the players often held off melding too long, wanting to pick the pack on their initial meld. I had to remind them that Canasta is a partnership game and if they melded their partner would have the chance to pick that pack.
Personally, I am continuing to shape my mind and my body. I like to walk about three miles in the morning either with Leni or alone with Pandora. This summer when it was way too hot to walk I started bicycling on a Styrofoam noodle in our pool, again accompanied by music on a waterproof, blue tooth head set. Thanks also to Casey, my terrific trainer for keeping in my best shape and up to date on all the pop culture I need to know.
Just recently I started a course in Jewish Studies at a local temple. I will be learning about the rituals and rhythms of Jewish life. Steve and I also joined a group called the World Affairs Council, wonderful lectures on a myriad of current event topics.
I hope that 2016 brings to all my friends and follower the time to do what you love and the ability to love what you do. Health, Happiness and Peace on Earth to all. Happy New year Canasta Gods and Goddesses.
Love, Barbara
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Canasta and Politics Don't Mix
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Time to welcome many of my friends and followers back to Paradise. We seem to be in the middle of a heat wave here in South Florida, in fact we have broken temperatures records over the last week. Can not wear those pretty new cashmere's yet. While we cool off in the air conditioned card rooms there are a few things I'd like to discuss.
This week I gave my first supervised play lesson of the season. To begin I introduced a little warm-up exercise called "What Would You Do?" Together we go over possible opening hands and discuss the best play. One of my favorites starts out with 3 big Jokers, a deuce, three eights and assorted singletons, we discuss the possibility of melding with four wild cards. I am usually in favor of it at the beginning of the hand especially if you are having a "hot" day. Think twice about it if you are running cold. What do y'all think?
Next I want to remind all my followers that canasta, though a great game, is still only a game. If another player is not quite up to snuff, give her a chance to play and get better. I'm sure someone did the same for you.
In this year, leading up to the Presidential elections, I would like to suggest we leave our politics at home. Nothing good can come from discussing politics at the card table. You will never change anybody's mind and there will be a lot of hurt feelings and rancor along the way. Instead, talk about art, books, travel, golf, gardening or your brilliant grandchildren. Nobody ever gets tired of hearing about them.
One last item for today. It has been proposed that a new special hand be adopted; called "Super Pairs" it must include two big jokers, two deuces, two aces, two sevens and 3 other pairs. Great for those times that you have lots of points but can't pick that triple. I have sat like for a whole hand waiting for that three of a kind. Maybe tack on a 500 point bonus. Bring it up at your table and see what your friends are thinking. Would love to know if any tables adopt this new, cool hand.
Keep cool and keep in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love,
Barbara
Time to welcome many of my friends and followers back to Paradise. We seem to be in the middle of a heat wave here in South Florida, in fact we have broken temperatures records over the last week. Can not wear those pretty new cashmere's yet. While we cool off in the air conditioned card rooms there are a few things I'd like to discuss.
This week I gave my first supervised play lesson of the season. To begin I introduced a little warm-up exercise called "What Would You Do?" Together we go over possible opening hands and discuss the best play. One of my favorites starts out with 3 big Jokers, a deuce, three eights and assorted singletons, we discuss the possibility of melding with four wild cards. I am usually in favor of it at the beginning of the hand especially if you are having a "hot" day. Think twice about it if you are running cold. What do y'all think?
Next I want to remind all my followers that canasta, though a great game, is still only a game. If another player is not quite up to snuff, give her a chance to play and get better. I'm sure someone did the same for you.
In this year, leading up to the Presidential elections, I would like to suggest we leave our politics at home. Nothing good can come from discussing politics at the card table. You will never change anybody's mind and there will be a lot of hurt feelings and rancor along the way. Instead, talk about art, books, travel, golf, gardening or your brilliant grandchildren. Nobody ever gets tired of hearing about them.
One last item for today. It has been proposed that a new special hand be adopted; called "Super Pairs" it must include two big jokers, two deuces, two aces, two sevens and 3 other pairs. Great for those times that you have lots of points but can't pick that triple. I have sat like for a whole hand waiting for that three of a kind. Maybe tack on a 500 point bonus. Bring it up at your table and see what your friends are thinking. Would love to know if any tables adopt this new, cool hand.
Keep cool and keep in touch Canasta Goddesses.
Love,
Barbara
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Happy Labor Day
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Steve and I are back in Paradise after spending a wonderful Labor Day weekend in New York. Everyone up there thought they were right in the middle of a heat wave, but we Floridians were calm, COOL, and collected. We visited with family on the south shore and had a wonderful cousin's BBQ at Judy and Artie's house. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your hospitality. The primary reason for our trip, though, was to celebrate Sandy and Liza's wedding. A special bonus; Sandy coming down the aisle like Rocky to "Eye of the Tiger". Congratulation to the newlyweds and their families, especially our wonderful friends and hosts, Roni and Phil.
During cocktails at the wedding one of the guests (a canasta goddess, of course) approached me with an interesting question. A little background for your edification: this particular goddess plays a " three card base " so you "five card bases" must adjust your thinking along those lines. Ellen was playing in a game where she had six open wild cards melded in front of her, at her partners next turn her partner laid down two kings and a deuce (two face cards and a wild card are allowed in some base three games). So what happens next?
(A) She is not allowed to do that because you must close an open wild card canasta before making any other wild card play.
(B) As it is still her turn she can pick up the meld and put the deuce on the open wild cards to close it.
(C) What's down is down!
(D) Should she be penalized in some way? How?
(E) Other ideas?
Please send suggestions, Ellen and I are waiting to hear from you.
As the Jewish High Holidays are fast approaching I want to wish all my followers, their families and friends a sweet, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year and may there, finally, be Peace on Earth.
Love to all Canasta Goddesses,
Barbara
Steve and I are back in Paradise after spending a wonderful Labor Day weekend in New York. Everyone up there thought they were right in the middle of a heat wave, but we Floridians were calm, COOL, and collected. We visited with family on the south shore and had a wonderful cousin's BBQ at Judy and Artie's house. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your hospitality. The primary reason for our trip, though, was to celebrate Sandy and Liza's wedding. A special bonus; Sandy coming down the aisle like Rocky to "Eye of the Tiger". Congratulation to the newlyweds and their families, especially our wonderful friends and hosts, Roni and Phil.
During cocktails at the wedding one of the guests (a canasta goddess, of course) approached me with an interesting question. A little background for your edification: this particular goddess plays a " three card base " so you "five card bases" must adjust your thinking along those lines. Ellen was playing in a game where she had six open wild cards melded in front of her, at her partners next turn her partner laid down two kings and a deuce (two face cards and a wild card are allowed in some base three games). So what happens next?
(A) She is not allowed to do that because you must close an open wild card canasta before making any other wild card play.
(B) As it is still her turn she can pick up the meld and put the deuce on the open wild cards to close it.
(C) What's down is down!
(D) Should she be penalized in some way? How?
(E) Other ideas?
Please send suggestions, Ellen and I are waiting to hear from you.
As the Jewish High Holidays are fast approaching I want to wish all my followers, their families and friends a sweet, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May we all be inscribed in the Book of Life for another year and may there, finally, be Peace on Earth.
Love to all Canasta Goddesses,
Barbara
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
A Thing of Beauty
Hi Canasta Lovers,
Steve and I are just back from a terrific week in Amagansett (Leni, the very busy travel agent, had to leave early to finalize her client's summer plans.) Everyone had a wonderful time and we are already planning for next year. Our wonderful hostess, Maralin, makes all the reservations for our week at the ranch and once again this year she hit it out of the park. We all loved Café Max (yummy soft shells) in East Hampton along with Winston's and Highway Restaurant, all on Montauk Highway. The East Hampton Grill is a special favorite of ours, this year we all shared one piece of Key Lime Pie that I am still salivating over. And, of course, our annual Tuesday night lobster dinner at Bobby Vans in Bridgehampton never disappoints. Thank you Maralin and Rick for another fabulous week at your ranch.
Ok, I promised you all some interesting hands. Well, this was a pretty hard promise to keep. For the first time in our almost 25 summers at dune ranch most of the games were pretty ordinary. There were a few joker canastas but that was pretty much it until our last game on Saturday afternoon. Roni and I were partners, we needed 180 points. The other team had melded with 155 and I had a hand that was going nowhere. It was a great big juicy pack when Shelly* discarded the first ace of the hand. I saw my partner, the lovely Roni, reaching for the pack, OMG, what was she thinking? She said, "These games are so boring, I can't stand it!" Out of her hand came five deuces, one big joker and four aces. Okay so we have aces in sixth and wild cards in sixth. I was keeping my fingers crossed that our opponents could not go out. Hooray, it was my turn, I had one ace and one joker, BAM closed them both and finished the game with a big win and two "whip out checks" to boot. What a hand! It was a thing of beauty!
I hope all the goddesses are having a wonderful, happy, healthy summer. Fall is just around the corner and many of you will be winging your way back to the card rooms of Paradise. Keep in touch Canasta goddesses and love to all.
Barbara
*name changed to protect the discarder.
Steve and I are just back from a terrific week in Amagansett (Leni, the very busy travel agent, had to leave early to finalize her client's summer plans.) Everyone had a wonderful time and we are already planning for next year. Our wonderful hostess, Maralin, makes all the reservations for our week at the ranch and once again this year she hit it out of the park. We all loved Café Max (yummy soft shells) in East Hampton along with Winston's and Highway Restaurant, all on Montauk Highway. The East Hampton Grill is a special favorite of ours, this year we all shared one piece of Key Lime Pie that I am still salivating over. And, of course, our annual Tuesday night lobster dinner at Bobby Vans in Bridgehampton never disappoints. Thank you Maralin and Rick for another fabulous week at your ranch.
Ok, I promised you all some interesting hands. Well, this was a pretty hard promise to keep. For the first time in our almost 25 summers at dune ranch most of the games were pretty ordinary. There were a few joker canastas but that was pretty much it until our last game on Saturday afternoon. Roni and I were partners, we needed 180 points. The other team had melded with 155 and I had a hand that was going nowhere. It was a great big juicy pack when Shelly* discarded the first ace of the hand. I saw my partner, the lovely Roni, reaching for the pack, OMG, what was she thinking? She said, "These games are so boring, I can't stand it!" Out of her hand came five deuces, one big joker and four aces. Okay so we have aces in sixth and wild cards in sixth. I was keeping my fingers crossed that our opponents could not go out. Hooray, it was my turn, I had one ace and one joker, BAM closed them both and finished the game with a big win and two "whip out checks" to boot. What a hand! It was a thing of beauty!
I hope all the goddesses are having a wonderful, happy, healthy summer. Fall is just around the corner and many of you will be winging your way back to the card rooms of Paradise. Keep in touch Canasta goddesses and love to all.
Barbara
*name changed to protect the discarder.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
mid summer review
Hello Canasta Goddesses,
In just a few days Leni and I will be leaving Paradise for this summer's adventure at the only dune ranch in Ammagansett. It is the week we look forward to all year, What makes it so special you might ask? Our group, affectionately known as Rho Kappa, have been friends for over forty years. What does Rho Kappa do at the ranch? We get up, eat a delicious breakfast, talk, take a morning walk, talk, we play canasta, talk, we eat lunch, we talk, go to the beach, more talk, we play canasta, talk, we shop the Hamptons, talk, we go out to dinner, talk, more canasta, more talk. We go to bed with sore throats and sound of the ocean outside our windows. We get up early, rinse and repeat. Hope to have some interesting hands to tell you about when we return.
A few weeks ago, while playing, one of the girls asked what we thought of melding with just three big jokers. I said you'd have to be having a HOT, HOT day to take that chance. (see When You're Hot, You're Hot, posted 9/22/14) One of the girls thought the odds were pretty good because there are still nine wild cards left in the deck. The other two players said they would never do it. What would you do?
Last spring I donated a canasta lesson for four to my grandsons' charter school. Benae, my daughter Erin's friend, bought the lesson at a fundraising auction. The Broward Bunch, as the girls named themselves are lovely young women who are very busy with their families and careers, but took a few hours off to learn our favorite game. First they reminisced about watching their moms and grandmas play our favorite game when they were young (take it from me, they are still young). And there must be something about those young brains (not filled with as much junk, sorry... knowledge, as ours) because they caught on very quickly. They remembered to put down their threes, they remembered to take their talons, they took packs and made canastas. It was a great evening and we plan to do it again. Any readers who want to give their daughters or granddaughters lessons in our favorite game, contact me and we will set something up.
Hope all goddesses are having a happy, healthy summer, staying cool and dry and playing lots and lots of Canasta.
Much love, Barbara
In just a few days Leni and I will be leaving Paradise for this summer's adventure at the only dune ranch in Ammagansett. It is the week we look forward to all year, What makes it so special you might ask? Our group, affectionately known as Rho Kappa, have been friends for over forty years. What does Rho Kappa do at the ranch? We get up, eat a delicious breakfast, talk, take a morning walk, talk, we play canasta, talk, we eat lunch, we talk, go to the beach, more talk, we play canasta, talk, we shop the Hamptons, talk, we go out to dinner, talk, more canasta, more talk. We go to bed with sore throats and sound of the ocean outside our windows. We get up early, rinse and repeat. Hope to have some interesting hands to tell you about when we return.
A few weeks ago, while playing, one of the girls asked what we thought of melding with just three big jokers. I said you'd have to be having a HOT, HOT day to take that chance. (see When You're Hot, You're Hot, posted 9/22/14) One of the girls thought the odds were pretty good because there are still nine wild cards left in the deck. The other two players said they would never do it. What would you do?
Last spring I donated a canasta lesson for four to my grandsons' charter school. Benae, my daughter Erin's friend, bought the lesson at a fundraising auction. The Broward Bunch, as the girls named themselves are lovely young women who are very busy with their families and careers, but took a few hours off to learn our favorite game. First they reminisced about watching their moms and grandmas play our favorite game when they were young (take it from me, they are still young). And there must be something about those young brains (not filled with as much junk, sorry... knowledge, as ours) because they caught on very quickly. They remembered to put down their threes, they remembered to take their talons, they took packs and made canastas. It was a great evening and we plan to do it again. Any readers who want to give their daughters or granddaughters lessons in our favorite game, contact me and we will set something up.
Hope all goddesses are having a happy, healthy summer, staying cool and dry and playing lots and lots of Canasta.
Much love, Barbara
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
The shimmy!
Hi Canasta Goddesses,
Anyone who has ever taken a bridge lesson from the irreplaceable Roberta Salob will remember her standing up in front of a ballroom filled with beginner bridge players and shimmying to "Use up the honors from the short side first!" No matter how poor your bridge skills might be you will always use up the honors from the short side first. I have been trying to come up with a " Roberta-Worthy"
catch phrase for my canasta rookies, so try to imagine me shimmying to "Three, Five, Seven I am in Canasta Heaven!"
Why three, five seven? I'm sure your asking yourself. To me they are the most important numbers in our beloved game. Three? Threes are very valuable commodities. If you can collect and cover all eight of them you will be rewarded with 2000 points. Three is also the minimum number of cards you need in each individual meld.
Five as in five card base (the way we play here in Paradise). Five is the amount of face cards you must show before you can add a wild card to your meld.
Seven, ah sevens! Seven is the number of cards in every canasta. Sevens, if you can collect seven of them, your team will be rewarded with 2500 points. Sevens, if you try to collect all seven and cannot your team will be penalized that same 2500 points. If at the end of the hand you have more than two sevens (or aces) in your hand you will be penalized 1500 points.
So c'mon shimmy everybody, Three, Five, Seven I am in Canasta Heaven!
Well they have certainly turned up the heat here in Paradise. When it is this hot outside I do a lot of reading inside. I've recently come across a very prolific writer name John Lescroat. His newest book is called The Fall. If you like law procedural novels you might want to try one of his.
Lastly, my daughter mentioned that though I often write about my friends I never mention her. My daughter Erin is a wonderful young woman who makes me proud every single day. Next week she is going back to practicing law full time after a long mommy-break. I know it will be a wonderful and rewarding experience for her and her new firm. Good luck baby!
Stay cool and in touch Canasta Goddesses,
Love, Barbara
Monday, April 27, 2015
A Written Down Rule
Hi Canasta Lovers,
I bumped into Lissy at Publix last week (Paradise is a very small town.) Lissy usually comes up with some pretty interesting card concerns to discuss and, as usual, she didn't disappoint. She related to me that she was playing at a table where one team needed 155 points to meld. Player A melded incorrectly with 150 points but showed three wild cards on her various melds before she had to pick up her cards. She was penalized the usual 10 points for her mistake. When her partner, Player B's turn came around she picked a card and then laid down six wild cards (two big jokers and four deuces). The other team said that she was cheating and that move was not allowed because she knew from her partner's mistake that she could complete the canasta. My initial thought was that is not illegal, who would not lay down 6 wild cards and worst case, she was making lemonade out of lemons.
It was an interesting enough issue, however, that I started asking random goddesses what they thought. The results were mixed, about half saying it was a legit move and the other half saying it shouldn't be allowed. One goddess told me it was a "written down rule!" " Written down where?" I asked. Nobody knows. My suggestion to break the tie would be to make it a table rule to be discussed before playing. BTW if it goes for joker canastas it should hold true for clean aces also.
What perplexed me even more, though, was thinking your opponents were cheating. I like to think that all the Canasta Goddesses here in Paradise and beyond are nice, honest girls who just want to get together for an afternoon of canasta and conversation. We do not play for big enough stakes or celebrity to sully our reputations at a card table.
Whew, now I will get down off my soapbox in time to wish all of my followers, their mothers, daughters, aunts and friends a very happy Mother's Day and a healthy summer season beyond.
With much love,
Barbara
I bumped into Lissy at Publix last week (Paradise is a very small town.) Lissy usually comes up with some pretty interesting card concerns to discuss and, as usual, she didn't disappoint. She related to me that she was playing at a table where one team needed 155 points to meld. Player A melded incorrectly with 150 points but showed three wild cards on her various melds before she had to pick up her cards. She was penalized the usual 10 points for her mistake. When her partner, Player B's turn came around she picked a card and then laid down six wild cards (two big jokers and four deuces). The other team said that she was cheating and that move was not allowed because she knew from her partner's mistake that she could complete the canasta. My initial thought was that is not illegal, who would not lay down 6 wild cards and worst case, she was making lemonade out of lemons.
It was an interesting enough issue, however, that I started asking random goddesses what they thought. The results were mixed, about half saying it was a legit move and the other half saying it shouldn't be allowed. One goddess told me it was a "written down rule!" " Written down where?" I asked. Nobody knows. My suggestion to break the tie would be to make it a table rule to be discussed before playing. BTW if it goes for joker canastas it should hold true for clean aces also.
What perplexed me even more, though, was thinking your opponents were cheating. I like to think that all the Canasta Goddesses here in Paradise and beyond are nice, honest girls who just want to get together for an afternoon of canasta and conversation. We do not play for big enough stakes or celebrity to sully our reputations at a card table.
Whew, now I will get down off my soapbox in time to wish all of my followers, their mothers, daughters, aunts and friends a very happy Mother's Day and a healthy summer season beyond.
With much love,
Barbara
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
No Good Deed....
Hi Canasta Lovers,
A few weeks ago I bumped into my first canasta student (see Lissy's Lesson 4/12/13) at the hair salon. As we both getting "beautified" we started talking about our favorite game. Lissy mentioned that she had taken on the thankless task of scorekeeping and suggested that I talk about the ins and outs, the ups and downs and the rights and wrongs of scorekeeping.
It is important, obviously, that the scorekeeper can add and subtract quickly. She should also have very acute hearing as many numbers are called out to her at the same time as cards are being shuffled and dealt, the previous hand is being heatedly dissected, phones are ringing and candies are being unwrapped.
It is also important that the scorekeeper is well acquainted with the table rules used by her particular group. It is important to know which special hands are acceptable and how much it is worth. Score pads can be made up with the value of the special hands, the value of the threes, etc. Is a regular pairs hand the same value as a pairs hand made with wild cards (AKA Palm Beach Pairs)?
The scorekeeper must also keep track of who the next dealer is. Many score pads have a column where you can write in the dealers initials ahead of time which is great if you are only playing with four players, it gets a little sticky with five or six players. For the scorekeeper playing with more than four players can become a scorekeeping nightmare, hence the Whip Out! If a special hand is made when playing with only four players a check mark is made on that team's side of the score pad, at the end of the game the check marks are added into the base score. When playing with five or six players you should bring lots of singles, that way only the players involved in that hand will "whip out" their dollars to pay the other team and the score keeper doesn't have to do anything but smile.
The scorekeeper must have a thick skin! Someone is always looking over your shoulder for a mistake or to make a correction. It is very annoying and unnerving. I like to equal out the scores after each hand, that way you don't carry a mistake for the whole game or God forbid the whole afternoon because when the girls are done playing they want to collect their winnings and go home. If scorekeeping becomes too much for your delicate sensibilities (and it can) the only thing to do is hand your pad and pen to another player and relax for the rest of the game. Then they, too, will learn that no good deed goes unpunished.
It is the time of the year to wish all my Jewish followers a sweet Passover and all my Christian followers a Happy and Blessed Easter., and to all Canasta Goddesses, their families and friends I wish Peace on Earth.
Much love to all, Barbara
A few weeks ago I bumped into my first canasta student (see Lissy's Lesson 4/12/13) at the hair salon. As we both getting "beautified" we started talking about our favorite game. Lissy mentioned that she had taken on the thankless task of scorekeeping and suggested that I talk about the ins and outs, the ups and downs and the rights and wrongs of scorekeeping.
It is important, obviously, that the scorekeeper can add and subtract quickly. She should also have very acute hearing as many numbers are called out to her at the same time as cards are being shuffled and dealt, the previous hand is being heatedly dissected, phones are ringing and candies are being unwrapped.
It is also important that the scorekeeper is well acquainted with the table rules used by her particular group. It is important to know which special hands are acceptable and how much it is worth. Score pads can be made up with the value of the special hands, the value of the threes, etc. Is a regular pairs hand the same value as a pairs hand made with wild cards (AKA Palm Beach Pairs)?
The scorekeeper must also keep track of who the next dealer is. Many score pads have a column where you can write in the dealers initials ahead of time which is great if you are only playing with four players, it gets a little sticky with five or six players. For the scorekeeper playing with more than four players can become a scorekeeping nightmare, hence the Whip Out! If a special hand is made when playing with only four players a check mark is made on that team's side of the score pad, at the end of the game the check marks are added into the base score. When playing with five or six players you should bring lots of singles, that way only the players involved in that hand will "whip out" their dollars to pay the other team and the score keeper doesn't have to do anything but smile.
The scorekeeper must have a thick skin! Someone is always looking over your shoulder for a mistake or to make a correction. It is very annoying and unnerving. I like to equal out the scores after each hand, that way you don't carry a mistake for the whole game or God forbid the whole afternoon because when the girls are done playing they want to collect their winnings and go home. If scorekeeping becomes too much for your delicate sensibilities (and it can) the only thing to do is hand your pad and pen to another player and relax for the rest of the game. Then they, too, will learn that no good deed goes unpunished.
It is the time of the year to wish all my Jewish followers a sweet Passover and all my Christian followers a Happy and Blessed Easter., and to all Canasta Goddesses, their families and friends I wish Peace on Earth.
Much love to all, Barbara
Friday, February 20, 2015
The Stars Aligned
Hi Canasta Lovers,
It is chilly here in paradise today. Record breaking cold temperatures in south Florida according to my favorite weatherman, Al Roker. I'm not complaining, goddesses, the sun is shining, the temperature will warm up into the sixties and unlike our friends up north we have no need for shovels, snow blowers, boots or gloves.
Last time I wrote I promised an interesting hand. Well, the stars aligned for this beginner group last week. Nicki and Mickey were the lucky partners playing against Katie and Suzy*. It was the second hand of the lesson and Nicki and Mickey had already amassed 2025 points. Early in the hand Nicki tried for a wild card canasta, laying down three big jokers and two deuces. Mickey's turn, she closes it up with a fourth big joker and another deuce. 2500 beautiful points! Across the table Katie and Suzy were struggling to open with 125. In order to keep more points in her hand Suzy split her sevens (my students will tell you how I feel about that move). Play goes on, the pack gets bigger and bigger. Nicki and Mickey are still sitting with their big joker canasta and 1100 points in threes. They are watching the other teams discards very carefully. They know where seven sevens are and are salivating for the pack. Turn card...opponent Suzy throws her third ace into the discard pile and Mickey takes that big, juicy seven laden, virgin pack with her pair of aces. Wow !!! The aces and sevens cancel each other out but they covered the five threes with three clean canastas (1500 points) and over seven hundred points in count. One hand, a very classy 5800 points!!! The next hand was a little anticlimactic, Nicki and Mickey only made a regular wild card canasta, a final score after three hands of 10,355 points. After I regained my voice I told them to get in their car and hurry down to the Hard Rock Casino. That kind of luck doesn't come around every day.
Classes are continuing with two new groups, learning to play our favorite game. Hope something as interesting and fun happens for them.
Stay warm canasta Goddesses, it will hit eighty degrees again before you can shout PAIRS!
Sending love to all,
Barbara
*Don't try to figure out who's who. I change the names to protect the innocent!
It is chilly here in paradise today. Record breaking cold temperatures in south Florida according to my favorite weatherman, Al Roker. I'm not complaining, goddesses, the sun is shining, the temperature will warm up into the sixties and unlike our friends up north we have no need for shovels, snow blowers, boots or gloves.
Last time I wrote I promised an interesting hand. Well, the stars aligned for this beginner group last week. Nicki and Mickey were the lucky partners playing against Katie and Suzy*. It was the second hand of the lesson and Nicki and Mickey had already amassed 2025 points. Early in the hand Nicki tried for a wild card canasta, laying down three big jokers and two deuces. Mickey's turn, she closes it up with a fourth big joker and another deuce. 2500 beautiful points! Across the table Katie and Suzy were struggling to open with 125. In order to keep more points in her hand Suzy split her sevens (my students will tell you how I feel about that move). Play goes on, the pack gets bigger and bigger. Nicki and Mickey are still sitting with their big joker canasta and 1100 points in threes. They are watching the other teams discards very carefully. They know where seven sevens are and are salivating for the pack. Turn card...opponent Suzy throws her third ace into the discard pile and Mickey takes that big, juicy seven laden, virgin pack with her pair of aces. Wow !!! The aces and sevens cancel each other out but they covered the five threes with three clean canastas (1500 points) and over seven hundred points in count. One hand, a very classy 5800 points!!! The next hand was a little anticlimactic, Nicki and Mickey only made a regular wild card canasta, a final score after three hands of 10,355 points. After I regained my voice I told them to get in their car and hurry down to the Hard Rock Casino. That kind of luck doesn't come around every day.
Classes are continuing with two new groups, learning to play our favorite game. Hope something as interesting and fun happens for them.
Stay warm canasta Goddesses, it will hit eighty degrees again before you can shout PAIRS!
Sending love to all,
Barbara
*Don't try to figure out who's who. I change the names to protect the innocent!
Friday, January 30, 2015
Resolutions and Rewards
Hi Canasta Lovers,
We have just about made it through January, 2015. By now most of our New Year's resolutions have either been forgotten or fulfilled. Mine was to write my blog more often, now I'm trying to get it in under the wire.
In the weeks since my last observations I have been very busy teaching our favorite game to three tables of newbies. It is so interesting to watch the expressions on the faces of these beginners. They usually come in thinking "this is going to be a breeze" (after all, it's not bridge!) Well, we start by learning how to count our USABLE points (Yes I know those adorable aces are worth twenty points each BUT you need a wild card in order to USE them.) Uh oh, a little confusion starts to show on their faces. Next we go on to melding, 125 points and a clean triple, confusion deepens. We play the first hand open, I walk around the table helping each player count her points, point out the clean triples and hope someone is able to meld. With all 108 cards laying face up on the table panic ensues. We usually play two more closed hands and then call it a day. The newbies go home with a booklet of notes, rules and quizzes.
The second week we talk about the tricky threes, the adorable aces and those sexy sevens. We start to play and as I walk around the table I can see the players are arranging their hands with more confidence, anxious to begin to play. One of the nicest parts for me is watching these four women who were strangers the week before get to know each other and start to cheer each other on. Partnership is a beautiful thing! The following week after a lesson on special hands and more supervised play, the women make plans to play on their own. When they come back for the fourth lesson, after an afternoon of playing on their own, it is easy for me to see what is written on their faces. THEY GET IT!!!
After the fourth session all of the newbies are ready to join the ranks of Canasta Goddesses. Many of these new Goddesses find their way to the card rooms of Paradise and play canasta happily ever after. Many others continue with supervised play, honing their skills, as we delve deeper into strategy and timing. Everyone seems to enjoy this and it is very rewarding to me.
Next time I hope to have some interesting hands to talk about. Let me know if you've played one recently.
Goddesses, if you are not into football this weekend, play Canasta instead.
Love, Barbara
We have just about made it through January, 2015. By now most of our New Year's resolutions have either been forgotten or fulfilled. Mine was to write my blog more often, now I'm trying to get it in under the wire.
In the weeks since my last observations I have been very busy teaching our favorite game to three tables of newbies. It is so interesting to watch the expressions on the faces of these beginners. They usually come in thinking "this is going to be a breeze" (after all, it's not bridge!) Well, we start by learning how to count our USABLE points (Yes I know those adorable aces are worth twenty points each BUT you need a wild card in order to USE them.) Uh oh, a little confusion starts to show on their faces. Next we go on to melding, 125 points and a clean triple, confusion deepens. We play the first hand open, I walk around the table helping each player count her points, point out the clean triples and hope someone is able to meld. With all 108 cards laying face up on the table panic ensues. We usually play two more closed hands and then call it a day. The newbies go home with a booklet of notes, rules and quizzes.
The second week we talk about the tricky threes, the adorable aces and those sexy sevens. We start to play and as I walk around the table I can see the players are arranging their hands with more confidence, anxious to begin to play. One of the nicest parts for me is watching these four women who were strangers the week before get to know each other and start to cheer each other on. Partnership is a beautiful thing! The following week after a lesson on special hands and more supervised play, the women make plans to play on their own. When they come back for the fourth lesson, after an afternoon of playing on their own, it is easy for me to see what is written on their faces. THEY GET IT!!!
After the fourth session all of the newbies are ready to join the ranks of Canasta Goddesses. Many of these new Goddesses find their way to the card rooms of Paradise and play canasta happily ever after. Many others continue with supervised play, honing their skills, as we delve deeper into strategy and timing. Everyone seems to enjoy this and it is very rewarding to me.
Next time I hope to have some interesting hands to talk about. Let me know if you've played one recently.
Goddesses, if you are not into football this weekend, play Canasta instead.
Love, Barbara
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Jingle, jingle!
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
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
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
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