I like to play games! Check all that apply:
___ Board games
___Solitaire
___Sudoku
___Crossword puzzles
___Other (__________________)
I hate playing games! Check all that apply:
___Games are pointless, a waste of time.
___I never win.
___I’d rather talk to friends or family than play games with them.
___Other (______________)
My mother was a game girl. I wrote about her love of playing games on my blog.
I also wrote about physically active games I remember playing in grade school.
In late March, during the stay-at-home advisory, I pushed myself to tidy-up, dusting and sorting through stuff, things I don’t bother doing at this stage of life. In fact, I’d rather spend my time reading, writing or doing nothing but stare out the window, watching ducks drifting on the lake.
What I Found:
An ancient bridal shower book of games from Aunt Ruthie. I don’t remember playing these games.
I also found Baby shower games from the same era
In early May, after we had all gotten stir crazy, my Southern Ladies and I met at the Sweetwater Pavilion. We wore masks (mostly), and practiced social distancing (not so much)! Some of us wore lipstick under our masks. We are, after all, southern ladies!
Not quite the Bobbsey Twins, Helen and Brenda, Southern Lady Friends at Sweetwater Pavilion
Carolyn, ready to don her floral mask
Judy and Gail, trying to decipher each other’s masked words
We played a (loose) version of Bingo, complete with bingo roll cage and portable microphone system . . .
. . . The toilet paper was a prop, I guess!
Your observations about games welcome here!
Note: I don’t have an answer key for any of the shower games, so you are on your own (or, ask each other in comments!)
Coming next: A Tale of Toilet Paper, Ukraine Style
The bridal shower games reminded of Mad Libs. Do you remember those? I think they were popular in the late 70’s. I remember my best friend and I having fun with it. The bridal shower games are hilarious! Guess the waist line…LOL! I’m happy you got together with your friends, Marian.
I remember those, Jill. Used to love them!
I almost mentioned your name because I knew you would! LOL! They were fun.
Thanks for all this, Jill and Marie. Somehow, with multiple comments, my replies don’t stack up correctly here, even if I go into my dashboard. I don’t recall much about MadLibs, but I’ll provide the link for other readers: http://www.madlibs.com/
I loved playing Mad Libs!
I remember Mad Libs only because my younger brother was crazy about them! Shows you how much older I am than some of you.
🙂
Good morning, Marian! I’m glad you were able to get together with your friends. I haven’t seen any of mine in months, though we’ve chatted and sent texts. I would never make it as a southern lady–I can’t remember the last time I wore lipstick! 🤣 I bet you had fun and felt some nostalgia at looking at those items from the past. I’m not a game player, and every time I go to a shower I say, “I hope we don’t have to play those games.” Hahaha.
I know the feeling about shower games, Merril. We’d rather discuss (maybe) books or movies – ha!
Exactly.😀
I like them all. Peter and I do a crossword together everyday and play Crib a few times a week. As children we loved board games like Ludo and Snakes and Ladders. Used to play chess with Peter too, but then he joined a club and got too good for me! 😉
I applaud Peter and you, bonding over crosswords. Yes, I’ve heard of Crib, but not Ludo and Snakes and Ladders. I’m getting an education here – ha!
About chess, when my grandson was in early elementary school, he tried to teach me the ins and outs of the game, but he was so bored with my slow response he started playing checkers with a girl at the next table at the children’s museum as he waited for my next move.
Oh dear! Young people can be very impatient and not too subtle, I fear.
🙂
I was also raise on games and have some wonderful memories. So much better than TV. Uno was our favourite. Dad played that game with us, our children and their children. It is a game was associate with Dad. ( We didn’t even know that uno was one in Spanish at the time!) I also remember those bridal and baby shower games. So funny!! Nice face masks. I just got mine made by a friend’s daughter. Better than surgical masks!
I wonder if TV is as hideous in Spain as it is in the USA. Our PBS station is fine, also HGTV. Beyond that, very sketchy. Congrats on a your cute face mask, which I saw either on Facebook or on your blog. Thanks for all this, Darlene!
We watch British TV here so it is similar to PBS. But there is some awful stuff too. Growing up we didn´t get a TV until I was 11 or 12 so It has never been an important part of my life. Give me a book any day!
Those bridal games are a hoot. I’m charmed by them– and by your socializing while masked with lipstick. Priorities, eh?
I like to play games for the fun of it, never as a competitive thing. As for “Other (__________________)”, we live and breath Scrabble around here.
I wonder if you play Scrabble with Zen-Den. If so, it fits you as a cerebral couple, Ally Bean!
We play it together. He usually wins with long words, but occasionally I win by using a short word in just the right place. Ha!
Neat!
What a fun find, Marian! Growing up, I played games like Monopoly or Clue with my brothers or with friends. I love to play board games with friends. Some of the games are cooperative with everyone playing to win as a team. Others are last person standing. Before the stay at home order, we often played Phase 10 or games like Qwirkle.
I’ve noticed that game playing has been a coping mechanism for families. And there’s be a lot of dancing, judging by videos I’ve seen. I’m glad you are joining in here – and at the game table, L. Marie!
The first thing that caught my eye were the game instructions printed from an old mimeograph machine. It seems so long ago that those were used. But yet in my lifetime, so it was a long time ago. We have come so far with our technology, so have the games. I like the interactive games with people that require conversations, fun and laughter.
Thanks for the memories Marian.
You are often the game instigator in our group. I notice that the ones you dream up require thinking and cooperation, a good combo. Thanks, Carolyn, a Special Southern Friend.
I love playing fun games!
Good for you, Fiona. And thanks for chiming in here!
Marian — It was fun looking at those shower games, although I relate with what Merril wrote, “…every time I go to a shower I say, “I hope we don’t have to play those games.” My favorite game is backgammon.
I wonder if Sean McPherson plays games in Indelible–beyond the game of “Deceit,” of course. Thanks for offering your thoughts here, which match mine too. And, yes, I can imagine you and Len playing backgammon. 🙂
Reading this was so much fun. A great early start to my morning. You write the best posts, Marian! 🙂
I loved playing Hide and Go Seek as a kid. Also Tag. My cousin got the board game Operation, and we had hours of fun playing that. When I was very little, I also liked to play Dominoes, Pick Up Sticks, and Checkers. Later in my childhood, we played Scrabble, Monopoly, and Yahtzee. My dad wouldn’t allow any kind of card games, though, because he believed playing cards would lead to the sin of gambling. 🙂
These days, I typically play a few rounds of computer Solitaire before doing my daily writing. I once hit a streak where I won 10 games in a row, which felt magical. I remember that my shortest winning game ever was played in 80 seconds from start to finish, which gave me a time bonus of over 10,000 points. I keep trying to beat that time, but my typical winning games take at least 2 or 3 minutes.
I played my weirdest computer Solitaire game ever just 3 days ago on June 7, 2020. What happened was this: I was curled up on the sofa with our poodle snoozing in my lap. I felt very tired, because I’d only had about 4 hours of sleep the night before. With my head leaning back against the plush cushion, I dozed off in the middle of a game. While I was asleep, I had a frightening dream. Then I woke up and saw that the game I was playing had more than 2,000 seconds on the time counter, which translates to well over half an hour. I started to end the game, but decided to finish playing it just for fun.
Here’s the weird part: I won the game. My score was 666. And, although my time was 2,781 seconds, which translates to 46 minutes and 21 seconds, I got a time bonus of 245 points. Which brought my total score to: 911.
I took a picture of my computer screen because I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. Was I still dreaming? Nope, the photo is right here on my phone. Score: 666. Total score with time bonus: 911.
Coming on the heels of the nightmare I’d had while I was asleep — Eek!
In this weird world, nostalgia is a relief for both of us, me to write it and you to read and comment, which I appreciate. It appears that game-playing works for you as a pre-writing exercise, a new idea for me.
Thanks for all this, Linda Lee, including the “snoozing” Solitaire game story. “Wowzer!”
How fun. I used to play card games like canasta all the time but not so much anymore.
Janet, we all go through phases. I wonder whether blogging has replaced your yen for Canasta. Thanks!
The purple font looks like a mimeograph printout–glad to see the ink ages well.
Thanks for your observation. That ink is around 50 years old – imagine!
What fun! I’m not much of a game person, liking best crossword puzzles. And I haven’t seen a lot of friends for a long time except on Zoom. But it’s not the same. I have been enjoying calls to and from them as we try to catch up on what we’re all doing. On Friday a friend will be bringing me lunch and if the weather is good we’ll sit out on my screened in porch and simply enjoy being together, though socially distancing 6 feet apart.
I’ll hope and pray Charlottesville has good weather Friday, so you both can have a cozy, springtime lunch, catching up. Crossword puzzles help keep your mind sharp; lunches oil the gears of friendship. I haven’t seen these friends pictured in the post for over a month.
Probably one way we’ll define “normal” is being at ease with friends without masks or 6-feet of space. So glad you are experiencing better health, Joan. 🙂
Growing up we played Monopoly often, and my father taught me chess. Fish was a simple card game, as was Hearts. Crossword puzzles always kept us busy. Nowadays, word search and crossword puzzles still interest me. My husband and I play Triominos [developing an annual Thanksgiving Triominos Tournament tradition, 7 games in 4 days], cribbage [still a rank amateur], and chess. Good to keep those brain cells up and functioning!
Yes, keep those synapses firing with good gaming skills, Ginger. You have a lot to admire here, game-wise.
I believe my mother enjoyed Triominos too, and I’ve heard of Fish but not sure about Hearts. How lovely to have an annual Thanksgiving Triominos Tournament tradition. Thanks! :=)
My Mom played games with us as kids but she’s not a big fan. My Dad never did, until the last few years. He’s sneaky!
On our family vacation at a cottage the last 2 years, the boys and I got Hubby to play Risk. He’s not a game guy either. It takes most of the week, and sometimes causes fights. I think we need to take a year off to let tempers cool. lol
I love games. Maybe that’s why I latched onto video games. i can play alone, and I love my weekly Halo night with Big Guy, who lives over an hour away. We can chat while we play and for some topics, it’s less threatening. Just please…don’t ask me to play Monopoly! 😉
I believe Risk is a card game our kids played. I kept most of the board games when we moved, but the grands don’t play them anymore. The two oldest have learners’ permits, and so it goes.
When the family gathered at Grandma’s house at Christmas time, my husband and brothers-in-law got into fights over Monopoly. It seemed silly to get so wound up over a board game, but I guess it was a chance to let off steam – and play the “2 against 1” game.
I’m going to have to look up Halo. (Pause)
Back now with a link for me and other clueless readers: https://www.amazon.com/Genius-Products-Halo-Interactive-Strategy/dp/B001DDY6XA
Love the humor here, Jenn. Thanks!
While I would enjoy games (like reading books), I’m not a game person for two reasons: I’d rather talk to and just hang out with friends whenever we get together. Even when we stay for a week. And, secondly, I always feel like I have more important things to do than play games. Mark and I have carried a deck of cards, a cribbage board, and a backgammon game with us for a decade. The amount of times we actually played ANY of these can be counted on one hand.
As a kid, I played games all the time. Less distractions and work. 🙂
The thumbs up and thumbs down on games are playing a contest here on today’s blog post, Liesbet. I’m with you on the priority of games: Yes, I’d much rather hang out and talk than shuffle cards — ha!
This lockdown time is a perfect time for games! I’m going to pull out the chessboard and scrabble board. Why didn’t I think of that? And puzzles. For me it was lovely to meet up with 3 other women (first time in 73 days) this afternoon and play bridge!!! We’ve all been living isolated lives so we thought it would be ok. I had to do a bit of refreshing last night and this morning on the computer to relearn some basic rules. Last time played was probably about 2 years ago. Nice to put on lipstick too!
Thanks Marian, how lovely that you found these games from Aunt Ruthie! And the photos of you and your girlfriends are lovely! (never heard of shower games … i’m intrigued)
I’m certain you enjoyed that bridge game with the gals, after all those days of separation. I wonder if everyone wore lipstick – ha!
Doing puzzles together is also fun. You can have a proper chat even while fitting pieces together.
My Southern Lady friends have not seen each other since early May. We’ll probably define “normal” when we can get together without masks and social distancing. Always good to hear from you, Susan.
I’ve been playing games with little three-year-old Lydia. We are combining our family bubbles this week.It is is such a joy to play with the sprinkler and squirters, build blocks, and put puzzles together. Games are not my normal favorite activity. But I make a special dispensation for playing games with grandchildren.
You are making memories after all these days of separation. I’m so happy your in-person story of Lydia continues. I agree, activities we’d don’t normally enjoy are cast in a different light when we do them loved ones.
I can feel your joy of “bubble” splash through the screen, Shirley. Yay! 🙂
How nice that you got to see your friends, Marian. I’m laughing. Both sets of grandparents loved card games–not for gambling, but for fun. I played card and board games with my grandmas as a kid and with my sons as a parent. The truth is my sons loved playing games with Vic’s mom because she taught them how to play casino style poker and gave them poker chips. They liked playing with grandma, but neither caught the casino bug. My favorite “game” in recent years has been working on jigsaw puzzles with friends–complicated ones with beautiful designs. There’s been a pause because we aren’t seeing each other in close proximity, plus Disco the Pup would love to chew one of those pieces that get dropped on the floor. So my recent games are watching birds and raising Monarchs. Both bring me great delight, require persistence, and have elements of surprise. When Disco grows up, I’ll return to puzzles to entertain myself during snow storms.
You are fortunate that neither Anthony nor David caught the casino bug. Gambling can wreak havoc on family life as Cliff experienced in his younger years.
I’m observing that your crazy “Disco” dog is actually helping to keep you sane and grounded these days. Funny how pets can do that. After a week of daily rain the only birds I watch are ducks on the lake. No Monarchs until the rain and low pressure leave NE Florida.
Here’s to puppies and puzzles, Elaine. Thanks for letting me know what’s happening near the Finger Lakes these days. 🙂
I love baby showers for the games. We are a game family. My best is scrabble I play everyday I’m in first place now. I love dominos cards use to play hand and foot with mom dad and the Wengers. We’re very competitive I grow up with 7 brothers and sisters we played games every chance we got. We still play games with the grandchildren. I had a friend that thought I was mean because I’d beat the kids in scrabble. I told her how do you think they’d get better if I don’t beat them. Lol she tried to teach me rook when I asked how do we win she we don’t it just fun. I quit my fun is to win. Lol nice post.
I’ll take your side when it comes to game playing with children or grandchildren. Games mimic real life: You win and you lose sometimes. Beating the kids in Scrabble gives them something to aspire to: “I wanna beat “Grandma” in Scrabble” someday!” I don’t think you’re mean in showing them that, Gloria.
As you know, Mom also liked game shows: The Price is Right (Bob Barker, not the new guy!), Wheel of Fortune and even Jeopardy. She liked seeing contestants win and jump up and down with joy. Oh, how I miss her!
I feel like a loser, not enjoying card games or board games or “shower” games or… you get the picture. But my mom and dad LOVED playing bridge, and the sound of people disagreeing over their partner’s choice (three of hearts? WHAT??) is what my brother and I went to sleep to weekly. Thus, I vowed to never play card or board games. B U T, once I had children, my mom became a most beloved grandmother because she played any kind of game with my kids every time she saw them: Go Fish, Uno, Gin Rummy, etc. So… now that I’m a grandmother, I pretend I like games. I can’t tell you how many games of Monopoly I’ve played, and “War,” and Scrabble and Uno and Connect and… I could go on and on. So, my grandchildren will always think that their Madre LOVES to play games. 🙂
Well, Pam, this may come as a surprise, but I generally don’t like to play games either, but I did so with the grands. Now that they are beyond that, I don’t have to pretend – ha!
What we do for love!
“It’s all a game,” and LOVE is the motivator. 🙂
Indeed!
My parents loved to play a board game called “aggravation” also called “Mensch aergere dich nicht” in German. They taught it to their grandkids and we now play it with our grandkids. At our extended family Christmas we all bring our game and each table has a team. The winner of each team gets a prize. As kids we loved to play monopoly, and one of our granddaughters always wants to play it with us when she comes over. Hardy and I enjoy playing Scrabble and keep a running score. I also play a version of it on the internet.
Well, Elfrieda, now I learned something else new about you. And, I can picture family teams at tables playing Aggravation. I wonder if that scene could become a blog post for you around Christmas time. It would grab my interest, that’s for sure!
I admire you and Hardy keeping a running score in Scrabble. My husband would rather listen to his audio books or eat popcorn together watching a movie. You have motivated me to get out the Scrabble board, put it on the table, and see what happens. Ha!
Let me know! Now there’s a blog post idea for you!
😀
Oh my, guess the waistline! Eeek. I have four children, but I never had bridal showers, so I missed out on that one! We love games at our house, board games and especially card games. Uno is lots of fun. We have a game called Monopoly Deal which is really fun, too. As a girl, my family and I played Hearts a lot. Great post, Marian!
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Barbara. Uno is one game that allows for conversation. Sort of a “no-brainer” type of game, which I like. 🙂
We also like a card game called Skip-Bo – it’s relaxing and mostly luck, but fun 🙂
My mom liked Skip-Bo too. Funny, she thought game-playing was more fun as she got older, I guess because it was a way to engage with friends after my daddy died.
My daughter organized a zoom meeting for our whole family where we all played Scatergories online. She chose that because our 6 year olds could get the hang of it and the adults enjoyed it greatly, especially interacting with the children. The 18 month old was kind of left out … Sometimes when we all are in a zoom meeting, conversation lags once we’ve caught up and reported in. So this was fun. She organizes some socializers that they’ve done online for her work, too, at Ohio State U. Game wise, I can’t get the hang of Sudoku but my husband enjoys it and I’m sure it does good things for the brain–just not mine. Fun post!
If I met your daughter and family, I think I’d recognize them from your description. She’s a great organizer of family fun. The 18-month-old can’t enter in completely yet, but rest assured he feels the joy of getting together even though digital.
One of my sisters plays Sudoku every single day. You and I probably can’t get the hang of it because we’re more tuned to words, not numbers. So, I think. Thanks, Melodie!
Fun! 🙂
That’s the idea, Bette. Thank you! 😀
I love games, played them As a child and again with my sons when they were young. Board games, card games, Mandela, dead pan. My first husband loved certain card games too, and they were a nice way to relax together without having to actually talk to each other. (Hmmm; foreshadowing if this were a novel). But Woody hates games. I never knew anyone before him who felt that way. What a surprise! We were probably into our second or third year together before I discovered this pathology. Alas; there appears to be no cure.
You’re in fine form, Janet, using those big words: “foreshadowing” and “pathology.” Better get out my dictionary – ha!
Woody appears to be the scholarly type, which doesn’t necessarily rule out game playing, but maybe he’d rather do research or write a review. :-/
Great to hear from you: I hope this means you got internet back, a new modem. Here’s to smooth sailing the rest of the week.
I like games and puzzles, but best early in the day when my mind is fresh. Anyone playing against me at night is likely to win!
It was fun to see the shower games. That takes me back . . .
We must have similar bio-rhythms, Arlene. I’m not much good at games or any other “brain” activity after 7:00 p.m. I’m glad you enjoyed the stroll through memory lane too! 🙂
I enjoyed this post Marian. Those games for showers were hilarious. Maybe someone should reinvent them, lol. I love games. especially card games. I grew up in a family of card players on my mother’s side. I was playing poker at 8 lol. But I love puzzles and board games too. Anything that involves luck or strategy I’m in. 🙂
Oh, my word, Debby! Poker at 8!
It’s a wonder you didn’t end up at Gamblers Anonymous in later life. Instead, you became a writer and published author, both involving luck and strategy, sort of the same skills for gaming – lol!
Such a fun read, Marian, even the comments. Like a stroll down memory lane. Growing up, my family played all sorts of card games. I don’t remember when, but someone gave one of us a Monopoly game, but it never got the attention Rook, Uno, Old Maids, etc. received. Thanks for turning us toward some fun in the midst of all that we’re living through currently.
Sherrey, you are the first one to mention Old Maids. I didn’t like the name because I thought then that I was destined to be one. God had a different (and better) plan for my life, it turns out Ha!
Like you, I read comments on other blogs, yours included, because I often learn something new.
Thank you! Stay safe in Meyer Woods. 🙂
This week’s blog I have found difficult to answer , hence the late delivery. The reason is because I (((( HATE))))) games of any sort . Which makes me a really bad sport ( which of course I am ) I also hate cleaning and I have to do that tomorrow. I have just checked the weather and it’s going to be good . So cleaning might just have to wait .
I’d much rather do my morning exercise with Arthur and gardening which I love , never happier …I’m rubbish at it but I enjoy it just the same . I’m like you Marian writing and staring out at the ducks ( in my case seagulls we don’t have any ducks ) Do you think 🤔 lockdown is sending me quite mad …😂😂😂you’d be right . I still hate games .
Cherryx
Here’s clue: I HATE games too, which you may have detected in comments. I posted this blog because I found some corny games in a old, old stash. I shared them because I know some folks are playing games in the lockdown. Not liking games is another thing we have in common. 😀
No, I don’t think the lockdown is sending you mad, dear Cherry. It would be odd, if you didn’t feel wonky, to tell the truth.
Here are some HUGS!) to carry you through! ((( ))) xox
(((((HUGS)))) back 😃xx
I almost never play game, but Solitaire
Tanza, solitaire sounds like a good calming game for these strange times. Thanks for visiting today!
I came across this post quite by chance.. Games were an integral part of my childhood.. Old Maid I had forgotten until I saw it mentioned here.. Hubby still plays games especially with Lily.. She loves the ones against a timer.. and beating grandad… Haha.. She has that competitive streak.. Me I have grown out of them.. Except for Backgammon… and 💄 not for a very long time everything melts here.. sigh… Be well and stay safe, Marian 😊
Carol, I’m glad you found this “by chance,” a good phrase for games. We gathered in the pavilion safely with masks at the beginning of the pandemic. Thanks for chiming in here. I wish you health and safety too. 🙂