I guess when I stop and think about it, I’ve been playing cards all my life. Started with Go Fish and Old Maid. I taught myself various solitaire games as a kid and Dad taught us poker. The navy wives I had as neighbors in San Diego taught me canasta.  As a young married, we played pinochle and hearts several nights a week. Once I divorced, the girl friends came over to drink beer and play poker. Yep!  Those were the days I could stay awake past midnight.  I wonder if people still play cards anymore.

 A few years back, I got hooked on FreeCell solitaire but I got pretty good at winning so I lost interest and moved on. A few days ago (when I was bored) I found this solitaire card game on my computer--one that I’ve played now and again my entire life. This particular version, however, seldom lets you win, and it’s driving me nuts. I’m a little surprised that I’m dealing with this addiction but then again, I’m not.  You know that trance that sometimes comes over you when playing the slots?  Well, it’s kinda’ like that. Gamblers know what I mean.  I suppose it’s a form of OCD. Just one more deal and then I’ll quit.

 At any rate, I’m getting very little sewing done in the back room.  And I’m not reading as much as I used to, and housework is a stupid activity anyhow! Only bright note is that I’m so busy studying the cards I’m not getting up to fix a snack.  I sure wish that would last. I’d love to drop ten or twenty pounds and be able to tell people I did it while playing cards. Yeah, I know. That’s not going to happen – but I can dream.

My dad used to play solitaire A LOT. Seems like every time I dropped in, he was laying out that deck of cards on his kitchen table. He wasn’t very enthused about getting a computer but we hooked up an old one for him to play games on anyhow. He’d turn it off every time he left the room so he could save on electricity.  Eventually, though, he mastered the mouse and solitaire sucked him in. He’d sit in front of that monitor and play to his hearts’ content.  He’s been gone eight years now but I thought about him a lot this past Sunday on Father’s Day. And every time I’m opting “for just one more game” I think of Dad and how he probably did the exact same thing.