Fun and games!

Well, the week started off so lovely, but dreary it has become once again. I hate the rain. You can take a girl out of the interior, but you can't take the interior out of the girl. That being said, there is lots to look forward to. I'm counting down until Saturday. We're almost there- how bad can it be right?

Saturday is Canasta Night. Yes, I know, despite being 30 years old, I sound like a card carrying member of the Kiwanis club when I talk about playing canasta. But believe me, it is super fun. We have very wonderful friends, Brian and Adriana. I first met them as I taught their daughter at my first school. It was a high school, and I was co-directing a production of Fiddler on the Roof. I needed a props master- someone who was crafty and clever. Instinct told me Adriana was the right choice. And boy, was I right! She's never short on good ideas, and clever plans to make things. And with the help of her equally crafty and clever hubby Brian, we had the best props ever for that show. Anyway, we got to know them very well. So well in fact, they are Elio's god parents. Somehow, and how on earth this happens I will never know, canasta came up in conversation. (I know, it really is shocking- who talks about canasta anyway?!)

Italian playing cards

I've always liked playing cards. This stems from my Nonno Giovanni who taught me to play good old Italian classics like Scoppa and Briscola. Playing with him, using those beautiful Trevigiane cards, was my favourite thing to do. He taught me the names of all the suits in Italian (Coppi, Bastoni, Dinari, Spade). It's been years since I've played those games, but I will sit my dad down to refresh my memory one of these days. Would be nice to pass these game on to my kids too.

Ethan and I first learned to play canasta from his parents. They in turn learned from their parents. I suppose when one lives on a farm in small town Saskatchewan, prior to fascinating technology and Facebook, people used to visit. Imagine that! And they'd play cards. We picked this up from them while Ethan and I were still dating, and have been playing ever since.The version we play is a hand and foot version (meaning you get a hand of cards and a foot of cards, both which need to be played). The game takes a good hour and half or so to play out. We picked this up from them while Ethan and I were still dating, and have been playing ever since.

Imagine our delight when we discovered that Brian and Adriana played too. Our versions of the game had ever so slight differences, but  the bones were the same. It is going on 5 or so years since we've met, usually monthly or so, to play canasta. Sometimes we do dinner first, other times, snacks and cards only. In any case, it is always fun. We always have a great time- no one is overly competitive (we play boys versus girls), although we keep track of who is leading. One particularly memorable canasta night, we decided to surprise our friends with a trophy. Ethan went down to the trophy store in search of the tackiest trophy he could find. He came home with the  Canasta Cup (a hideous little monstrosity featuring a hand holding playing cards). We were all excited when Brian and Adriana arrived, to present the prize. They looked at the thing and burst out laughing. Adriana promptly reached into her bag and pulled out an identical hideous little monstrosity. They had had the same brain wave too. It was pretty funny- guess great minds think alike. Inevitably during the course of a canasta night, (which is now branching into canasta/hearts night) something is said that is so funny that I end up sucking my drink up through my nose. And laughing that hard feels so good. Amazing that all this technology that we now have to keep us in touch sort of does the opposite. I love Facebook don't get me wrong, but it is isolating. Why leave the house to socialize when you can do it at home by yourself in your pajamas? Canasta night keeps us together. Love lifts us up where we belong. This is starting to get schmalzy. I know. I'll stop.

Suffice it to say, I highly recommend Canasta. And the snacks and drinks that it brings. Here's a little bonus recipe for you, introduced to us by Brian and Adriana. It's our favourite drink (particularly good in hot weather). But be careful, they sneak up on you. Let me say, none of these ingredients are things I like in isolation, but mix them together in a pitcher and I am in trouble.

Beergaritas
3 Corona
1 cup tequila
1 can frozen limeade concentrate

Mix together in a pitcher and serve cold (I like to float lime slices in them. Also, salt or sugar on the rim of the glass is nice too).



Off I go... kids are napping and I'm plotting my next trip to the fabric store.
Stay dry.
Happy Trails!