Let the Games Begin!

When I was a child growing up games were a huge part of our family life. Daddy, mama, my sister and I played for hours. We played favorites like Aggravation, Sorry, Monopoly, and Mille Bornes often.

We lived briefly in San Jose, CA and my mom got together for huge game tournaments with my grandma and aunts. I remember them playing Royalty, Risk, Dominoes and Scrabble while they ate artichokes (don't ask me why it was always artichokes, but it always was!) and drank Tab cola. But mostly I remember the conversations...the laughter...the mock fighting over a word or point, in short, the camaraderie. Kathy and I played quietly with our dolls or read books and just enjoyed being in the same room with mama, grandma and the aunts.

When we moved here I was 15. One of the first things we did after arriving in Sacramento was go to the Wilson's house. There Bro. and Sis. Wilson and my parents played a never-ending game of Chinese checkers. We ate nachos and drank Coke and I remember again the laughter...the conversations...the sense of belonging.

As young people playing card games was something we did when everyone got together. I remember playing Rook at the Pope's house, Skip-bo, Uno and Phase 10.

Now my kids all love games...we play Mexican Train Dominoes, Scattergories, Skip-bo, Phase 10, and if dad is joining us, a cut-throat game of Monopoly. We eat popcorn and drink sweet tea and what I hope they remember most is the laughter...the conversations...the sense of belonging, in short, the camaraderie.