February 2012

Sorry it took so long to get around to doing the blog this month. By the time this gets published, it’ll be a whole month after our February game! Unfortunately, these things don’t write themselves & I had to find time to sit down, decipher my notes & compile my thoughts. So, gather up a beverage and/or snack and get cozy. Maybe do a few blinking exercises to get your eyes ready to read all the news that’s fit to print cuz here we go…

Everyone got comfy & went to Spanky’s house to celebrate some Pokeno love. Lori wore nerdy Spongebob pants paired w/ her hat & shirt from the November Mystery Box; Peg wore a black smoking jacket; I started out wearing my kimono, but after noticing the sleeves were knocking chips all over the place, I changed back into my jersey! Everyone was there by 5:30-6:00, but we didn’t start playing until 7:00 after business needed to be done & we had MUCH debate on the March party. After all that, we wound up having to postpone the game until April anyway! More on that in a minute... We dined on a variety of comfort foods: an incredibly delicious macaroni & cheese, crab soup, fruit w/ stove-top chocolate fondue, assorted snacks & cherry brownie bars. We also had a TON (approximate weight) of various chocolates. This led to way too much cacao consumption, which led to 8 hopped up ladies at the table. It got quite noisy & crazy there for a little bit. Then everyone started to crash from their sugar rush & half of the table left. We called the first cover all at 9:30 & the 2^nd about an hour later. The first cover all was an 8 way split! This is a new Pokeno record as it has NEVER happened in any of the previous Pokeno groups! Debi won the 2^nd cover all by herself. After the first group of ladies left, Debi was first to call. We were sitting there relaxing when Debi wondered out loud, “So, who’s calling?” Turns out, it was supposed to be Debi!

As usual, Phyllis did her “Thief of Hearts” game with the conversation hearts. Only, there was a twist this year. You could steal whenever you won center. This way, it was guaranteed only one person was going to win so there wouldn’t be any sudden death issues like last year. One of the hearts said “Flaming Hot Pants”. Kate swore it said “Flaming Hot Penis”! Spanky was on a roll winning centers all night. But, since she was exempt (it was her game) at the end of the night, I thieved the most hearts & won a lovely mini flower arrangement!

MYSTERY BOXES

Peg-a-la was the Mystery giver this month. For the 2^nd year in a row, Phyllis was the recipient. She was the first person to pick a card & she shrieked with delight. We debated whether the rest of us should even bother picking, but a tie is always a possibility. Well, nobody even came close to Phyllis’ ace! Not only did our hostess get the Mystery, but she got to call first too! Bonus! Peg had a poem/speech prepared which she read along with the box opening. So, Phyllis opened the first box, then there was another box, and another box, and another box, and another box, and another box, all work & no play makes Jack a dull boy, and another box, when Phyllis finally got to the center of the Tootsie Pop. Inside the last box was a heart with the word “love” on it. There was also a small box on the side (good gravy, not another box!!!) However, this one was the only one & it contained a roll of dimes! Spanky will be responsible for the next Mystery. I wonder if the hostess luck will continue. I guess we’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see…suspense!

WELCOME SPRING!

After some unforeseen scheduling conflicts, we will not be seeing each other during the month of March. We will gather together once more in April. Ease on down the turnpike to Patt’s house on SATURDAY, 4/14 @ 2:00. As of this printing we’re sticking w/ the “Irish” menu we planned for March. That would be ham, pineapple pudding, baby red potatoes, soda bread, macaroni salad, Irish potatoes & dessert. Please bring your favorite dish to be shared & enjoyed by one & all!

PUBLIC NOTICE!

Debi had the following consumer information to share with the group: At the January party, there was silver plastic ware set out for everyone to use. When Debi was cleaning up, she accidentally ran a few pieces of plastic through the dishwasher. Much to her shock & surprise, the silver was completely gone & the plastic was now clear! Now, if it comes off in the dishwasher, there’s a good chance the paint is coming off in your mouth/stomach as you’re using the utensils. Maybe we should steer clear of the silver plastics in the future. Thanks for the tip, Debi!

RANDOM FUNNIES

How Many? Early in the evening, Kate was watching her card diligently. That’s when she shouted out, “I got five!” For those of you who don’t speak Kate-ese, that meant she had a flush! After she properly called her flush she was allowed to take the pot.

Pass the Tissues & the Air Freshener! During Spanky’s call, she started sneezing. A sneeze or two turned into a full-blown sneezing attack. Seriously, at least a good 10 minutes here! She just couldn’t stop! She sneezed so hard she broke the tables! Then (even worse) she sneezed so hard she farted!!! Let’s hope she doesn’t make a habit of this, otherwise we might have to make a rule that she can’t call in the future…just kidding! That would be torture for all of us!

THIS IS THE END

Before I go, I’d like to share a final thought or two. I’ve noticed over the last few months (the exception being January), there’s been some kind of drama at every game. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have enough drama in my life & certainly don’t want any extra especially when I’m supposed to be having fun with my friends. I think everyone had a good time at the January party. It was relaxed, nobody freaked out & nobody got stupid. It was a good evening indeed! The whole point of going to all the trouble of planning/hosting a party is for everyone to get together & have a good time. All the other nonsense needs to stop…seriously. For a change, I’d like to go to a party & come home in a good mood. Some months, I'm completely (mentally) exhausted after. I'm sure some of you have felt the same. Everyone's so excited to get to the party in the days before, then we finally get together & by the end of the night, it gets messed up along the way. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for everyone to check the drama at the door & keep yourself in check during the evening for the good of the group. You may not know it at the time; but your mood and/or actions during the evening affect all of us. Not to mention the person who went to all the trouble to host the party that month! Don’t get me wrong, I know things can come up that might put you in a funk & maybe you need to get it off your chest with your friends. That’s fine; we’re here to help/listen/vent to. But, get it out & get on with it, please. I enjoy our group & I enjoy our games – most of the time. I'm gonna guess at least some of you agree. Pokeno should be a good time had by all (in moderation), not a miserable experience that makes any one of us wonder what we’re doing at the table. Going forward, can we try to make sure we all have fun, please? Until next time, may the foxiest bitch win!

January 2012

Happy New Year! We wound up celebrating a week later than we originally planned, but that’s what happens when people start dropping out like flies. There were lame excuses like having to go to a funeral/baby shower/banquet/emergency room instead. People & their “priorities”! Sheesh! By Saturday morning, we woke up to a layer of snow & ice, and were down to only 3 players w/ one coming late. That’s no way to have a party! So, we made an executive decision to postpone until the following week. Those who couldn’t make it the week before were thrilled to have a second chance to party. This party was noted to be “mellow” & drama-free. What a nice, relaxing way to start 2012! We dined on ham & cheese sandwiches, crab dip, pigs in blankets, pepperoni rolls, cheesecake, candy & a chocolate chip cheese ball.

It was a new year, so I dug out some new cards. Everyone really liked them as they’re large & easy to read. When Peg started to call; she realized the cards were in order. We decided that wasn’t a very good idea, so we passed the cards around the table for everyone to take turns shuffling them. Phyllis just happened to be cleaning her house the other day when she noticed an electric card shuffling machine! She remembered that someone (Debi) donated it & thought she’d bring it back to decide what to do with it. I distinctly remember when Debi first introduced this device, we took one look at the directions, decided it was too difficult at the time, put it back in the box & that’s where it stayed for the past year! This time around, Debi took it out of the box, turned it on & figured out how to use it within a minute! This was helpful as she mixed the cards up real good! We managed to get 2 rounds done this month. Patt & Peg won the first cover all & hostess luck paid off for Debi who won the final one all by herself! We wrapped up our night @ 10. As a side note, Patt & Debi were going to use their winnings to take to the beach the following weekend. Patt told me when she cashed in her dimes, she got $36 from us!

MYSTERY BOX

I was responsible for ringing in 2012 with the very first Mystery. Peg was the winner! Since it was the New Year & all that, there was a “time” theme to it. Inside the box was: a chalkboard paper doodle calendar, recipe calendar, owl clip-on watch, peacock clock, journal & pen, mini note book, 12 dimes & memory box. It’s funny that last year, Peg also won the January Mystery & someone told her to make it a “naughty & nice” theme. She ran away with that & Phyllis was the winner. I wonder if history will repeat itself in 2012. I guess we’ll just have to wait & see!

LOVIN’ IN THE WINTERTIME

As usual, our February party will have a Valentine’s/Love theme. We will be lovin’ it up @ Phyllis’ house on SATURDAY 2/25. Please get there between 5 & 6. This is a comfy party, so come in your comfiest outfit or PJ’s & bring a dish of your favorite comfort food to share. So far, we will be dining on macaroni & cheese, chicken pot pie & chocolate cherry bars.

SHOUT OUT

Happy, happy birthday to Patt! She turned the big six-oh earlier this month. She's not really 60, she's just 18 with 42 years experience! Since she loves to drive the long & winding roads in our area, her husband thought it would be really cool to give her a race car driving experience at a local racetrack! How awesome is that? This is the perfect opportunity to say, “I can’t drive 55” & not get in trouble for it!

RANDOM FUNNIES

The what? While Debi was calling, she meant to say, “6 of spades”. What actually came out was “sick of spades”! She had seen so many spades, she was sick of them! We all got a good chuckle out of this one!

Card Trouble! A few hands later, it was Patt’s turn to call. Remember earlier when I told you about the new cards? Well, that’s when Patt got confused. The cards only go one way & Patt had to be sure the card wasn’t upside down before she told us what it was! I had to keep a good eye on her to see if what she was calling was actually the right thing!

FRIENDLY REMINDER

Reminder #1 - Thanks to those of you who have been collecting stuff for my kids’ school. His class is well on their way to a pizza party! Please continue to help out his school by collecting Box Tops & Labels for Education. I’ve included a handy-dandy visual aid over there on the side so you can tell the difference between the two. Here’s a break-down of what you can find where.

You can find Box Tops on these products: Betty Crocker, Juicy Juice, General Mills Cereals, Green Giant, Pillsbury, Totino’s, Hamburger Helper, Old El Paso, Progressive, Land O’ Lakes, Yoplait yogurts, Bugles, Chex/Cheerios Mix, Fiber One, Fruit Roll Ups, Nature Valley Granola, Hanes, Avery Office Supplies, Ziploc, Cottonelle, Scott, Kleenex, Viva, Hefty & Brita.

You can find Labels here: Campbells, Pepperidge Farms, Post Cereals, V8, Swanson, Dannon, Glad, Prego, Emerald Nuts, Pop Secret, BIC.

Please help some kids by helping your fellow Pokeno sisters! Thank you for your continued assistance.

THIS IS THE END

A wise man once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop & look around once in a while, you could miss it!” In 2012, why not make a simple resolution (that you might actually keep)? Stop every so often to take a breath and to see what’s going on around you. Try to catch the beauty in the little things. You might just notice something you didn’t see before. Or, you could always just say, “fuck it” & take a nap instead! Until next time, may the foxiest bitch win!