Happy Belated 60th to Hannah

Twenty three years ago, on the second day of pre-K Carter comes out of her classroom dragging a tiny new friend. They approach me in the pre-school great room where I am waiting for pick up and Carter says, “We want to have a play date.”

I look down at this sweet tiny new dark haired friend and say, “Hi, What’s your name?” She answered in the shyest voice, “Campbell.”

“Well Campbell, can you show me who your mommy is?” That’s when I met my soon- to-be life-long friend, Hannah Hannan. Yes, that her name she willing took when she married Mick Hannan.

Campbell and Carter are still life-long Bff’s just as I am with Hannah. I am forever thankful that Carter and Campbell discovered each other on that first or second day of school. If they hadn’t I might not have had Hannah in my life all theses years.

Hannah just had a big birthday and I was away for the surprise dinner thrown by Mick. So tonight we went out to dinner to catch up and celebrate her birthday.

I count my lucky stars that I am lucky enough to know her. I figure we have a good twenty-five more years since I am older than she is. I hope I don’t miss anymore big birthdays!

Final Class before the Holiday Season

So much fun spending two days with the Charlotte girls. I hope I get a chance to spend time with them again. Class ended about 2;45 and everyone was so helpful taking everything to my car nd I set off for home.

If it wasn’t so late I would have liked to go home via Litchfield to see my parents old house and visit my father’s foot bridge, where we sprinkled his ashes, but time was not on my Side.

So I drove home the other direction. I realized I was close to the Buc-ee’s in Florence so I decided to make a stop there. I had always heard about the gas station on steroids but never been in one.

The parking was not as much of a nightmare as I had read. The place was packed, but mostly because people could not figure out how to check out. I don’t think it was as interesting a store as the hype gives it. I did buy a small container of beef brisket to eat as my dinner on the drive and I have to say it was quite tasty. Outside of that there was nothing I was drawn to.

I was home by 7:30 happy with my quick trip. I am done with classes for the holiday season. I only have private lessons now and those are an easy joy to do as they don’t involve travel, or dragging tiles around. Let the celebrating begin.

Friends of My Friends

There is nothing I like better than meeting friends of my friends. It’s like you can skip all the prerequisites and decide you like them already since they came recommended by someone else you already like.

Conversely when I meet a friend of someone I don’t care for, I can skip getting to know them. That doesn’t happen often since I like most people. But everyone once in a while someone I meet says, “Oh, you live in Durham, I’m good friends with (Insert the name of someone annoying) and I just say, “How nice for you.” Thank goodness I didn’t waste my time.

Today I made the drive down to DeBordieu. I have a lovely hostess, Pam who met me and helped me set up. We grabbed lunch and came back to her house to eat it. What a glorious day it is here.

Class started at 2:30 and we had a great group of women from Charlotte. I knew one person who had come to my classes before, but everyone else was new to me. Two are friends with my friend Ruth E. so I was very excited to meet them, as they came with a recommendation. They sat with me at dinner and were very entertaining. I feel like I have known them a very long time.

One friend, Ann Cramer has a book that is coming out tomorrow, Wishing Martha a Mary Christmas about the journey to find true joy at Christmas. I thought it was so nice of her to come to Mah Jongg camp right as she is about to have her first book published.

Kim, is the friend Ruth E. told me about, and as when I was greeting students as they came into class she said, “I’m Kim.” And before she could say more I said, “I’ve been waiting to meet you.” And Ruth E. was right. I liked her immensely.

Back to Pawleys, Almost

When I was in my early thirties I joined my Dad’s firm and worked with him for about six or seven years. Our clients were all over the world, but my Dad’s headquarters was in Litchfield Beach, SC. Not the easiest place to travel the world from, but our clients loved it if they had an excuse to come to that office. Even when we had a big office in London, the Brit’s would ask if they could come to SC for meetings.

I was usually on the road at client sights in Canada, the UK, Mexico or any number of other locations. Once in a while I would drive down to to Litchfield and work with my Dad at his office. I was good at making that drive as my parents lived there for 20 years.

Eventually my parents sold their house and my Dad closed his office to retire and moved to the farm. I no longer made that familiar drive. But tomorrow I am doing it again to teach a class at DeBordieu Beach. My Dad would love that I now spend my time teaching people Mah Jongg. He would love all the places I get to visit and all the friends I get to make.

They say you can’t go home again. But it will feel like I’m going home. I have spent my whole childhood life going to Pawley’s for summers. I spent thirties going to work and to visit my family. In my forties I took Carter to go visit her grandparents. Now in my sixties I go for a totally new reason. I still am always going back to Pawleys.

Thanksgiving Is Coming

The National Day of eating is almost upon us. Thanksgiving is probably the one day of the year when a majority of people In the country are eating a lot of the same foods. If they are lucky enough to have food.

I made a turkey breast three days ago because I just wanted turkey and couldn’t wait ten more days. It was quite easy and delicious. Turkey is a good healthy food if you don’t load it up with an unhealthy gravy. I will still be ready for turkey next Thursday so this pre-turkey eating won’t spoil a thing. I didn’t make stuffing and that is quite frankly my whole reason for Thanksgiving.

I was a a small gathering of friends today to celebrate a birthday. We got to talking about Thanksgiving. Apparently I am not alone in the stuffing love. One friend, who is a superior cook and healthy eater admitted to buying stovetop stuffing just to have for dinner in a pre-Thanksgiving romp. Another friend admitted the same thing. Nothing wrong with Stove top to satisfy that stuffing craving.

Slower Than Last Year

Maybe I am getting older, or maybe my slower decorating is because I have more time to do it. I don’t usually decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. But this year we are only getting Carter and Claire for Thanksgiving. So I am mashing the two holidays into one big Thanksmas.

It is not Christmas at our house without it fully being decorated. When I looked at the calendar and backed in the amount of time I need to decorate and wrap presents I had to start this weekend.

The getting “everything” out seemed to go well. I got a few rooms started yesterday and worked exclusively on the tree today. The tree went slowly because I kept taking breaks because my back hurt. Eventually I got it done, save one big issue.

I could not find either of my tree skirts. Not sure where they are, but I have not opened every container or box. I thought it was hanging up in one of the downstairs closets, but I could not find it. Russ looked in the linen closet and found two Christmas table cloths I had forgotten about. So that was a bonus.

The tree is done, sans skirt and getting the skirt on the decorated tree is going to be tricky, if I can find it. If I don’t I might just stuff white quilting batting around it so it looks like snow. Not that you can even see the stand as there are so many ornaments. It is a low priority part of decorating right now.

I have a busy day tomorrow, teaching and celebrating a friend’s birthday. I hope to get in a few more hours of decorating so I can at least vacuum the house and start to get the errant glitter up.

At least I know I will be decorated in time for Carter and Claire to come. It won’t feel exactly thanksgivingy, but that is more about the flavors than the sights and we certainly will be having plenty of sage and pecans to make it feel like Thanksgiving.

We also have to celebrate Carter’s birthday before they go home to Boston. So many celebrations. I can hardly wait.

The Save Your Marriage Task Rabbit

When I wrote in this blog a few weeks ago about needing help getting the Christmas’s boxes out my friend Kelly said, “hire task rabbit.” So while I was in the Bahamas I found Brandon and Torryn on the app. They arrived this morning at 8:30 and in forty minutes had gotten the tree up two flights of stairs, and all the boxes from the attic, putting them in the correct rooms.

Russ and I directed, but did virtually no lifting. Before 9:30, they were gone and Russ’ portion of putting up Christmas was done, except for putting empty boxes back in the attic. This was the best thing I have ever done. I will be calling them back when it’s time to put the stuff away, thus saving my marriage from a post holiday meltdown.

I worked slowly today. Getting the needlepoint up and most of the living room decorated. I put the sunroom tree up and unpacked a few of the dining room decorations and the snowmen in the entry. The tree is up and the lights are working, but I didn’t put any ornaments on the tree yet. Starting two weeks early means I have no sense of urgency to get it all done in two days.

Russ did return about a dozen boxes to the attic as I emptied them. I would like to get it all done fairly quickly so that I don’t have boxes all over the house. Looking at my calendar just now I see I probably should have gotten more done today. Now I am just too tired. I guess tomorrow will be a big push.

The Little Brown Dog Missed Me

I was gone from home a whole week. A week in the life of the little brown dog is forever. Russ said she would wander around the house looking for me. She would stand a the top of the stairs and look down to the sweat shop. No, I wasn’t there. She would stand at the top of the other stairs and look down to my office. No I wasn’t there. She was sitting on my bed and waiting.

The little brown dog came to the airport to pick me up. Yes, I really was home. She snuggled me and snuggled me in the car.

Then we got home. Right up to bed. She snuggled so close to me. We slept and slept and then I got up, but she stayed asleep, right next to where I had been. I did errands, met Jan for lunch and came home and she snuggled me some more.

“Don’t leave me for so long,” she pleaded.

I hate breaking the little brown dog’s heart.

Let’s Get Home

My dedicated students were mad at me that I was not staying for the farewell lunch after the tournament today. I would have loved to stay, but I am flying home tonight and since I took American rather than Delta I had to get out a little earlier.

Thankfully my flight left Nassau, even early. It was not very full so I had a row to myself. I arrived in Charlotte at the moment when most flights were coming and going. The hallway of concourse B was a sea of moving bodies. I went to the center Atrium to look for a snack for dinner and on the way there it felt as if I was being propelled by the crowd.

I retuned to the end of Concourse B 30 minutes later and it was a different experience. I was practically alone, except for the two curriers pushing old people in wheel chairs so fast it felt like a NASCAR race as they passed me.

I am parked by the window charging my electronics. My suitcase is heavy and my back pack is heavier, with all my mah Jongg teaching materials. I am glad that my next gig is a driving affair. Sitting around the airport waiting is not my favorite thing.

At least I have a place to sit and electricity, but apparently I chose to sit in the section where the wheel chair jockeys wait and they are loud with their walkie talkies squawking and them gossiping over them. Maybe I won’t fully charge my devices. I just want get home.

Classes Over, Time to Party

Another Mah Jongg week at Lyford Cay is almost over. The class portion completed today with a big group of favorites in attendance. I adore these people.

Ruth E. hosted her traditional cocktail party, which is always the highlight of Mah Jongg week, and probably the season. She generously does all the work for this party with a couple of nice friends bringing an nibble. People came and stayed a long time tonight because it is so much fun at Ruth E.’s.

By the time I get to the cocktail party after teaching all week I need to sit down. Thankfully many friends come and sit with me and I get a chance to learn all about their very interesting lives. I especially adore when they tell me how much Mah Jongg has changed their lives for the better.

Tomorrow we have the mah Jongg tournament. This year I have special tables for beginners so they can practice without feeling intimidated by the experts. I love to see the progress. They have until February to play and then I come back again and do it all again.

It’s Cold

I hear that it’s very cold back in the lower 48. One of my students told me is snowed in Charlotte. Well, it is cold in the Bahamas today. By cold, I mean 70°. People here were wearing jackets and sweaters. Not me. Well, I didn’t bring a sweater. I could have used one.

Tomorrow it will be up to 74°. Thank goodness. I need those four more degrees. I have a warmer dress to wear tomorrow. I just didn’t expect It to get coo, here. It is usually so balmy. But a strong wind and a little less sun makes a big difference.

Lots Of Mah Jongg Controversy Today

Even though I was teaching two classes, which took up most of the day, I still was inundated with queries about the two new Mah Jongg card announcements. For those who are not up to speed, two competing tile manufacturers both announced they are creating their own new Mah Jongg cards that will compete with the National Mah Jongg League’s card.

This is not the first time that someone has come up with a different mah Jongg card. And the National Mah Jongg league has not done itself any service by not modernizing it’s customer service or by not producing a color blind friendly card. So some of this “alternative card” competition they brought on them selves. But… I am not supportive of dividing the mah Jongg world into many factions that play many different cards.

One of the beauties of having one card that is very prevalent is that you can travel all over and find people to play with who all play the same card. Learning to play a new card takes time and learning multiple cards in the same year just adds confusion.

It is hard enough for new players to learn to master one card. I would hate to make the game harder on new players.

I have not seen any of these new cards, so my opinion is purely about the idea of having many different cards. It is not about the quality of the hands on any of the cards. I also think that it is also just another way for tile manufacturers to make more money. If they sell you tiles, and mats and racks, well cards makes perfect sense, from a business point of view. Cards are cheep to make and so they are a very high profit margin item.

A a Mah Jongg professional I purposely do not represent any mah Jongg products because I want to be free to give my honest opinion on all things mah Jongg and not make any money representing something I might eventually think is not the best product in it’s category. For now I am sticking with the NMJL card because it is the one that has gotten us where we are today and they have stood the test of time.

I don’t suggest that most people try and play more than one kind of card. It will just mess up all your Mah Jongg. Do I hope this makes the NMJL get off it’s ass and modernize, “YES.” Larry and David Unger, if you need suggestions, I have them.

All Club’s Should Have A Cat

The staff and the members at Lyford are lovely. But one being is the friendliest, the club cat. I am not sure of her name, but she is a friendly black cat with a white chest and white socks.

This sweet kitty hangs out in the lobby. I can often find her on the sofa greeting all you come and go. She loves when I sit beside her and scratch behind her ears.

The worst thing about being away from home is missing my loved ones, including my fur baby. So having a stand-in fur baby is a lovely touch. She is a sweet one who always brings a smile to my face. Every club needs a fur welcoming committee.

My Kind Of Paradise

It’s Saturday so I had the day off. So what does one do when you are all alone in Paradise? I started the day with a beautiful walk on the beach. Followed by a yummy avocado toast at the pool terrace. The staff here are so kind. They remember my name and my iced tea order, with extra lemon!

I returned to my room where I sat on the sofa on my porch and worked on a big writing project I have been procrastinating on for months. I felt good about the headway I made, although I need about 150 more days like today to complete this work.

At 2:00 I had a big mah Jongg game in the library with so many friends. I promised not to be too hard on them. It was great fun to play long into the afternoon.

I returned to my room and took a long luxurious shower and got ready to go to Dixie and Jupe’s house for dinner. Ruth E. Picked me up in the not tricked out golf cart and off we tootled. Dixie welcomed us warmly and we relaxed on the porch overlooking the water and enjoyed cocktails before dinner.

What a dinner it was, fresh figs and prosciutto, followed by chicken Provençal, mashed potatoes and a green salad with artichokes. She topped the whole thing off with a pineapple sprinkled with a touch of brown sugar with a kiwi and strawberry medallion.

We talked late into the night and Ruth E. signaled it was time to go. I do adore Dixie and Jupe and always Ruth E.

When I returned to the club the party in the living room was going full bore with a band belting it out. I could have sat and listened to the music, but decided to retire instead. I scrolled through a bunch of Christmas decoration inspirations. I might be doing that tomorrow even thought I need to write. What a perfect day in paradise.

More Parties Than Work

The joy of coming to Lyford is that I get to spend time with friends, who are way more than students. I did have a class first thing this morning of the Under 40’s wives. It was a little loosey goosey getting set up this morning, but once I got the gang focused we had a grand old time.

I cleaned up from class and went back to my room to freshen up before I rode a bike to Ruth E.’s for a mah Jongg party. Ricki of Nebraska was in for the weekend with three friends who I did not know, but they wanted to play some mah Jongg with me. Dixie and Helen came along and made it a perfect 8 some.

I was happy to get some time with Ricki as she is not going to be in class with week and may not be here in February. Not sure how I can teach without Nebraska in the house.

I had a little break between that party and the next one. Helen threw a lovely dinner party with a lovely group of friends. I learned more about the islands and boats. Knowledge that is wasted on me, but very interesting. I also learned that dogs can go in saunas, but I don’t think that is a great idea.

It is just so nice how many parties I get invited to here. You would never know this is a job.

Breaking all the Rules at Lyford

Back at Lyford Cay for a special Under 40 Mah Jongg class tomorrow and Mah Jongg week, next week. Ruth E. takes excellent care of me here. Picking me up from the airport, but with a twist. Her daughter and son-in-law are having the under 40 golf tournament so they have young guests staying with them.

Ruth E. told me about one cute couple who were also on my flights so she was going to give them a ride from the airport with me. Turned out we sat together on the first flight, but not the second one. So we were separated when it came to immigration. That was too bad. I got through quickly, they took another hour.

Ruth E. and I couldn’t figure out where they were and we didn’t have their number to call them. Eventually we found them. The place is just not that big to be separated by an hour when they were only four rows behind me on the same plane.

Eventually Ruth E. got me to the club where they had a lovely room waiting for me and I got a nice welcome from Helen the best club manager ever.

Since the young people have a big event tonight Ruth E. and I went to the yacht club for dinner. I was waiting for her to pick me up in one of her golf carts. I was sitting in the lobby and saw a tricked out car with disco flashing lights so I assumed it was someone else’s cart. Then it moved forward and I saw it was Ruth E.

I ran outside to get a better look at colorful wonder. It was the most un- Ruth E. thing ever, except she does love a disco party. She swore the kids made it like this and she needed the grandchildren to teach her how to turn off the flashing colored lights. So we boogied on down to the yacht club.

We broke all the rules and took my phone out and took a photo of ourselves there. It was fine since we were the only ones there at 6:45. The continentals all eat late. Us North Carolinians eat early so we can get back to our disco carts and party on home.

No Surprise

If you promise people your are going to lower prices on day one, you should at least try. So it should come as no surprise that Democrats all won last night. It’s the economy stupid!

While dear leader was Gatsbying it up, air traffic controllers are working without pay and mothers who qualify for SNAP are wondering how they are going to feed their children this month. This tone deaf “leader” is anything but. So it is no wonder his people lost everything.

Tearing down the East Wing to put up a ballroom, while unemployment is going up is the most Marie Antoinette thing someone could do. Just because you stop reporting the jobs numbers offically does not mean people don’t notice that hiring has stopped and Amazon is laying off 14,000.

Card board box sales are way down, indicating less manufacturing due to slower sales. Thanks in part to ridiculous tariffs.

But sure, Mike Johnson, you continue to think it is the right thing to do to close congress. Lets be sure to say that the Democrats are still at the house. You can’t make a deal if you are not holding any talks, so try. Not trying is not getting you anywhere.

So you wonder why you lost everything? People are tired of the lies and cruelty. 47 inherited the best economy and ruined it overnight. Spending billions to try and deport anyone you can get your hands on just to make some arbitrary daily number. All while the sycophants lay down for a man whose cognition is waning. Save yourselves, save the nation and do your jobs and do the right thing. Start by trying to be honest human beings. I predict the human part is going to be the hardest part for you.

Vote Because You Can

It’s Election Day. From the looks of it you would think that they allow little brown dogs to vote, and do it twice here in Durham. I promise that is not the case. She just snuggled with us and took off our voting stickers.

I went to vote after brunch with dear sweet Shelayne. It was almost 1:00 and I had to wait in line to get my ballot. There was a steady stream of voters coming in. Very impressive for an off year election when the only decisions to be made were for Mayor and three city council members.

Russ went at 6:00 and he too encountered a line. The poll workers told him it had been a very busy day and they were impressed with the turnout out given the low number of races.

I think people just want to show they are involved with democracy. We need to show the anti-democracy crowd that we won’t be intimidated or discouraged.

Tomorrow morning will be interesting to see what happens in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and California. I predict I will be happy.

I read a little new clip about people in Kentucky calling their voting officials complaining that their polls weren’t open, only to be told Kentucky did not have any elections this year. Those people have to be party only voters if they didn’t know that there were no people running.

It may be a low importance year right now, but that means that we are only one year away from mid-terms. Time to change up the shit show.

Holley’s Birthday

One year ago tonight I was standing in the dark on Chelsea Circle, singing “when You’re 64,” with the hundreds of other fans of Holley Broughton. We had sparklers in her honor and we all were loving on her in her big electric wheel chair. She had been suffering for a couple years with ALS. She had withered down to practically nothing physically, but spiritually was still massive.

It turned out that was the last time I actually saw her. I would bring food to her sweet family, but Holley was not in any shape to entertain visitors. Miraculously she hung on another six months.

It feels like I was just with her and it feels like she has been gone forever. Holley had more friends than anyone I ever knew. She never new a stranger and she was kind and generous to everyone she ever met.

So today on what would have been her 65th birthday I am thinking of Holley. 64 was just too young, but she packed so much life into those 64 years. No one will ever forget how she made them feel. She was pure joy. I still hear her saying , “Hi Honey” in my heart..

Being Loud May Be OK

This morning Russ and I ran the inquirers class at church. Really Russ ran it because I have been away working the last two Sundays and I will be away next Sunday. Thank goodness he is fully capable of doing that job without me.

So this was my first time to meet this group of folks. I spoke a little during the class and at the end one of them spoke up and said, “You are the voice of God.” And another, “I love when you lector. I recognized your voice immediately.”

I told them I was just the reader, not the actual voice of God. Although I do have a specific voice I use when I am reading what God says.

I told the class that I had to leave Russ to clean up as I was the lector today and I had a lot of “God’s Words,” to read.

At the end of the service I walked out with the four ministers and had a number of nice conversations with mainly older church members who all said the same this. “I love when you lector because I can hear you.”

I am loud. We have microphones, but I notice that I sometimes have trouble hearing what a quiet minister might be saying. I have a microphone, but everyone knows I don’t need it. I am my own back up AV system.

I need to let the ministers know that people are not hearing them because they so often comment on how well they can hear me. Maybe they are just hearing God.

Dinner Out

Trying to find one night when all four of us were free only needed to be done six weeks in advance, but it was totally worth it. So tonight we went out to dinner with our friends Dave and Sara. Six weeks ago when I took Shay over to their house to meet her new Cousin Dash we decided we needed a night out together. It was a feat coordinating 4 busy people’s calendars.

We made a reservation at Nerra, a new place located in the same place Krill used to occupy. It is a seafood forward spot. Thankfully Dave and Sara were all about sharing so I got to taste lots of different items.

It was all good, but true to form I think my favorite thing was the Brussels sprouts. Don’t get me wrong, the scallops, shrimp, Tuna Crudo were so good, but the sprouts were perfect.

It was just nice to have a night out with dear friends. The best part was I told Dave the story of how I ended up being the sex ed teacher in college, amazingly a story he had never heard before. He told me the story of how he ended up at Davidson, a story I had never heard. Just goes to show you can know someone 25 years and still surprise them.

Having a Right is Not the Same as Being Right

I went to start the dough for sticky buns for the inquirers class at church that Russ and I run on Sunday. I don’t know what made me decide to do this, but I thought I had all the ingredients. After warming the milk and adding the brown sugar I went to search for the yeast. I know I should get all my ingredients out first, but since this is a multi-day bake I did not. Turns out the yeast I knew was is the cupboard was four years past expiration. So off to the Harris Teeter I went.

My Harris Teeter sits down in a hollow so as you are approaching your car is at the top of a hill. From that vantage point you can see down into the parking lot, unless the sun is low, as it was this afternoon.

There was a car ahead of me who was going perfectly slow for a parking lot. A white man with grey hair walked out between two cars with his head down and without stopping and looking up was almost hit by the car in front of me. The man just kept walking, but the woman in the car in front of me of me sat frozen, obviously scared to death about what most happened.

She pulled into a spot and I pulled into the one next to her. We got out of our cars at the same time and I asked her if she was all right. She said, “I almost hit that man. I didn’t even see him.”

“I saw the whole thing. He was not looking up and just barreled out between those cars. I am sure that was scary.” I reassured her. She just put her hand to her heart and took a deep breath. We both walked carefully across the the parking lot, waving at the cars and looking both ways as we did.

I went straight to the baking aisle and came upon the grey haired man who was studying the powdered sugar like he didn’t know that confectioners sugar was the same thing as powered. Me, being me, went right up to him and said in my nicest tone (which we all know might not sound that nice), “I know you have the right of way as a pedestrian in the parking lot, but it is always a good idea to look up and wave at any moving cars to make sure they see you.”

“They have to stop for me. People drive too fast in the parking lot and they almost hit me all the time.”

“I’m sure no one wants to hit you, but if they don’t see you…”

He cut me off, “I am in the right.”

“Sure, but if you are dead it is hard to gloat about it.” And I walked away.

I thought about it a minute and maybe I was wrong. I’m not sure everyone doesn’t want to hit that guy.

Third Class, Good Class

If I have done my job right, by the time my students get to the third day of Mah Jongg class they can play the game, figure out which hands to play and do it all in a timely manner. It makes me so proud when they do that.

Today was the third day for two beginner classes I was teaching. I had 48 marvelous students I throughly enjoyed. In my afternoon class I had one student give me a gift. This is highly unusual and I told her so, but she said her love language was giving gifts, so I accepted. She also wrote a lovely note and that is the cherished part to me.

After class was over I went to sit in the gift shop attached to my teaching area because there are comfy chairs there. I had two hours between the afternoon and evening classes. Many of my students hung around the gift shop searching for Christmas gifts.

They said goodbye to me as they were leaving. One woman came up and pressed a $20 bill in my hand as she said goodbye. I looked at the money and asked what in the world it was for. She said a tip. I told her it was not necessary and she insisted so I did not argue with her. I don’t usually get tipped. It was very kind.

I am just happy that people leave excited and enthralled with the game. I can tell by the speed and quality of their playing when they get it. That is what makes the third day so fun.

Christmas is Coming

I’m teaching in Cary at Home for Entertaining this week. I have an afternoon class and and evening class so between them I have a two hour break. This is quite dangerous because they are getting ready for their Holiday open house on Saturday. Any chance I get I sneak into the dining room where they are pricing all the Christmas items.

So many fabulous Christmas items. If you know me you know I am a nut for Christmas decor. I have to really look carefully as I am not sure I have a square inch available for more Christmas decor, but how can I resist.

If you are a Holiday lover Home for Entertaining is having Big Holiday open house on Saturday from 10-5. They are located in downtown Cary in a beautiful home, turned shop. It is right off Harrison Ave at 119 West Park st.

I have heard about the Christmas cookies and yummy drinks they will be serving. While you are here you can not only pick up gifts from your loved ones, but you can also make a wish list for yourself. What is better than when anyone asks what do you want for the Holidays you can say, just call up Home for Entertaining and pick something off my wish list. Plus the wrapping here is over the top. Christmas made easy!

https://homeforentertaining.com/collections/events-classes/products/holiday-open-house-wish-list-event-november-1

Bad Things That Ruin Good Names

Have you met a child named Katrinia in the last ten years? I can’t think of one. After the devastation that Hurricane Katrinia caused who would want to be associated with a disaster?

Somehow the name karen has been co-opted to mean something awful or at least terribly annoying. I have so many friends named Karen and I love them all. Would I name a child Karen now? Probably not. Why saddle a child with a name that has come to mean something so negative.

Now we have Hurricane Melissa. The full extent of this high powered storm is yet to be known, but it was measured at the highest wind speed of any measured hurricane in history. Will it have lasting effects on our feeling for the name Melissa? The jury is still out on that. Maybe Melissa in the US can withstand the connection with a life altering storm, but I will bet no Jamaican is going to name a Baby girl Melissa this year..

This connection between bad things and their name seem to mainly effect females. Although Hurricane Andrew was fairly awful, and then so was Prince Andrew so perhaps a one-two punch with a boys name takes it down in popularity. But so often a boys name can weather the storm of bad publicity.

I hope they never use Dana for a hurricane name, but if they do it would be an early in the season storm and they tend to not be the worst storms. I can do my own damage and don’t need a storm to help me.

Seasons of a Life Long Friend

I first met Suzanne when we were freshman at Dickinson college. We both pledged Pi Phi and it was the start of a great life long friendship. When we were in college we would tell each other about a cute store we found or a good deal on a sweater. If she was coming into lunch when I was on the way out I might tell her to avoid the salad bar as I saw someone pick up something from it with their hands.

As we got a little older and were young professionals, her in NYC and me in Washington, DC, she might tell me about a good new lip stick or a deal on a hair brush. I might tell her about a new nail treatment.

We got a little older and I would tell her about a cute hotel that was good for vacation and she might tell me about a fabulous play. We got married and I told her a good jeweler and she told me a great antique store.

We had kids and she told me good Santa gifts and I told her fun summer activities for kids.

All the time she told me good books to read. I told her good shows to watch and we always shared great games to play.

But now, after 46 years of friendship we have finally gotten to the reason you have a life long friend. They know exactly what you need and when you need it. Suzanne showed me “the best gift her sister Gussy ever gave her,” a memory foam seat for your car.

She let me sit in hers this weekend and she was right. So today mine arrived. I guess you can say we have moved into the orthopedic season of our friendship.

Tides all Tied Up

The saddest day is the last day of Mah Jongg camp. So many new friendships were created. New games learned. New strategies explored. New passions discovered. And then it’s over and everyone has to return to the regular world.

Of course I love the game of Mah Jongg and teaching it, but what I love more is creating new communities and connections. This Mah Jongg camp I was blessed to get to know some of Suzanne’s New York friends better. Tracy, who is the owner of the Tides Inn is such a joy. She worked tirelessly to make sure everything about this weekend’s experience for all the guests exceeded expectations. It was wonderful to meet Tracy’s sister Kristin and meet her friend Beth who came from Colorado.

Susanne and Tracy who came from Florida enveloped my Walker’s friend LIz Brown Warters who showed up all by herself and surprised me. It made me so happy to see friends of mine become friends.

Even the dogs who came to Mah Jongg camp, Rocket and Gigi had the time of their lives as they were loved by all the participants.

I loved the whole NY contingency and am very happy that now Charlotte and Minali have entered the American Mah Jongg world.

Of course the big bonus for me was spending so much quality time with my dearest Suzanne and Gussy. Such love and support is unparalleled and they know how much I love them.

As the sadness of the ending was enveloping the guests, the excitement for the May class was helping alleviate the mood. I will be returning to the Tides Inn for Beginner and New Card plus Beyond Beginner classes May 5-7. The Inn is undergoing a major renovation and promises to be even more spectacular for the May classes. I can’t wait to return and spend an extra day or two there enjoying all the other fabulous activities they offer and seeing all my new friends I made this weekend. The best part is the Tides Inn is big enough to welcome lots more friends who want to join me.

Tides Day 2, Bigger and Better

Day 2 of Mah Jongg Camp was even better than the first. By today people were making friends and having a big time. Tracy, Suzanne and Gussy decided to take a little sea plane excursion to Smith Island during our lunch break to buy Smith Island Cakes as an extra treat for our group dinner tonight.

They had quite an adventure visiting this tiny island of indigenous people who speak a different dialect. When they arrived at the island Willit met them with his skiff and taxied them to the store/bakery/restaurant/everything gathering place of the island. They purchased two 15 layer chocolate cakes and one peanut butter and carried them back in the boat to the seaplane. They were only slightly late from class from this little junket.

After classes were over we had a lovely cocktail party in the view room. Tracy gave a sweet talk about mah Jongg camp and how much she loved it and me and then introduced the tide naturalist. We learned how they are growing oysters and planting plants to protect the environment and clean the water. Tracy and her family are great stewards of this part of the world.

After cocktails we went to our dinner which was served family style. We had two salads and crab cakes, then country fried mushrooms, which were my favorite, fish, chicken, vegetables, rice and mashed potatoes. As if that was not enough we had sticky toffee pudding, peach cobbler, brownie balls, vanilla ice cream and both Smith island Cakes. I skipped all the deserts and had a bite of both cakes. The adventure made them taste even better.

After dinner about 24 people went back to the mah Jongg room to play a few games. Tracy beat me twice and Suzanne did once. Nothing is better than beating the teacher. I am very proud of them. What a day.

Day One of Tides Inn Mah Jongg Camp

Day one of Mah Jongg camp at the Tides Inn is in the books. There is no better place to learn to play or improve your play than at a fabulous resort. Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia is top drawer. Today was our first day of classes and the students did not disappoint.

I started the day with breakfast with my friend Gussy. We each ordered the crab avocado toast with poached eggs. We should have split it because it was so big, and oh so yummy. I could only eat half even and wish I could have saved the rest for lunch.

I had a giant group of beginners who showed up ready to learn. They were smart, sassy and so much fun. While teaching the beginners a woman came into class and I looked over at her and realized it was Liz Warters, a classmate of mine from Boarding school who I had not seen since we graduated in 1979. She had come to take the beyond beginner class and was early. Of course I interrupted class to give her hug and introduced her to the beginners.

Then before I knew it, it was time for another meal. I was still full from breakfast, but I went to the Fish Hawk to meet my friends for lunch. Suzanne, my bosom buddy, had gone out on a boat ride while I was teaching class so we showed up at lunch to see each other for the first time today. Turned out we were wearing practically matching outfits.

After a delicious Poke bowl, which again, I wish I could have saved for the next meal, I went to teach beyond beginner class. My favorite class to teach is beyond beginner and the students were engaged and delightful.

After class there was a cocktail party on the beach. That is my opportunity to get to know people and learn about where they were from. It never fails that their are many over lapping connections, people who grew up in towns next to me, or lived in the same neighborhood in Washington as I did, or are friends with friends of mine. The world is just so small.

Before we knew it, dinner rolled around. Another fabulous meal with a great group of women. It’s time to rest up to do it all again tomorrow. The only difference will be that now the students are used to me. If you have ever been in one of my classes, you know what I mean by that.

Resort Mah Jongg is really the way to go.

Not Enough Sleep

It never fails that when I have a big day I don’t sleep before it. I woke up this morning at 3:30 and could not go back to sleep. I had to drive to Irvington, VA. My plan was to leave at 10:00 AM, but since I was up and ready so early I just went ahead and left.

It’s a good three and a half hour drive. I was worried about staying awake so I called Suzanne who was also driving and we talked for a good two hours of our trip. That made it go by so much faster.

I arrived to a perfect sunny day on the river. The Tides Inn is just perfect. There were beautiful flowers and chocolate covered strawberries in my room along with a note from Tracy, my host, welcoming me to Mah Jongg weekend with me as teacher.

I was able to set up my class room for classes that start tomorrow. I ran into Susanne and Tracy from Florida who had just arrived. We sat outside and enjoyed the view and caught up.

Then my Suzanne and Gussy arrived. We went to their room before dinner with a huge gang from NY. By the time I ate my salad I was beginning to hit the 3AM wall. I had to say my good nights and come to bed.

56 students expect me to be on my top game tomorrow. I just need to sleep through the night.

This Is My Puppy

I read an article about a study that proved that dogs have favorite loveys, just like children. My lovey was a white baby blanket with a mother duck and three baby ducks. Sadly it was burned in the charcoal grill on the day I went to kindergarten. (don’t ask as that is only part of the story of my most traumatic day of my young life.)

Shay’s lovey is this small blue dog. It used to be a larger blue dog, but after destroying three of them we no longer could replace them as they were not made anymore. Perhaps her large blue dog union put their foot down after Shay systematically removed 12 legs.

Shay was quite despondent when her last large blue dog was regulated to the toy basket as flat blue furry carcasses without squeakers and limbs. Russ searched high and low and found these smaller blue dogs and Shay seemed to like them just as much. Russ brilliantly would always buy them in groups of two or four to ensure there was always a blue dog available.

When given a new dog Shay gently carries it around and uses it as a pillow to sleep on, sometimes for months on end, without doing a bit of harm to her beloved. Then, without known cause, Shay will decide it is time to unstitch a seam and remove the squeaker. Then a leg will go, perhaps a tail. She still likes the body as a pillow, but eventually she will remove all the stuffing so the pillow potential is gone.

Then, as if she knows all royals get whatever they want, she looks at Russ and gestures to the limp blue body saying, “It’s time for a new blue dog.” Miraculously one appears. She loves it, carries it around, sleeps on it, only to coddle it into submission. Poor blue dog never knows how long it has. Only Shay knows the answer.

Time is Fleeting

Three years ago today I got a call I was dreading. The week before my dear friend Stori had suffered a traumatic head injury while riding her horse. Her sister Lilea first altered me. I talked with John, Stori’s husband, it was not looking good, but with each subsequent day I hoped that meant she might recover. She did not.

Since Stori’s untimely passing I have also lost two other friends, exactly my age, who left us much too soon, Hugh and Holley.

I have known Stori since we were 16. We were best friends in boarding school and through all the years remained close despite the physical distance. I was friends with Hugh since we were 18. He was the comical leader of our very small tight knit group of college friends, who I am still stitched together with. I have known Holley since the first year we moved to Durham 32 years ago, although we are certain our paths passed while we both lived in Washington DC in our twenties.

I see these friends in my dreams, so vividly I awake with the feeling that they are still with me and always will be. You just don’t think that a life long friend will no longer be your life long friend. But they are.

I have had a friend stop being my friend and that is terrible. But when that happened I really did stop thinking about them the same way. The relationship was over. When you lose a friend to death, even when you know it was coming, as was the case for Holley, your relationship with them does not end.

So today I honor Stori’s life. She left a wonderful daughter Sam. Sadly her husband John passed less than two years after Stori, also from a fall. You just don’t know how much time you have with the people you love. Make all the time you do have count. Stori knew that I loved her. We saw each other and talked often enough that she was never in doubt of my affection and dedication to her. For that I am at peace. I know I’ll see her in my dreams.

Time to Plan for 2026

It is already time to start planning for new Mah Jongg card orientation classes in April and May. I already have a Wilmington, NC class scheduled for April 22 and just put the Tides Inn for May 5-7 on the calendar. I will not be doing a new card class at High Hampton, but instead will be at the Tides, in Irvington, VA. There is no better way to learn the new card than at a beautiful resort. It makes a great gift to ask your loved ones to give you. Plan ahead and don’t get locked out.

I’m going to Tides on Thursday for Mah Jongg camp weekend. I will post a bunch a photos so you can see what learning mah Jongg at the Tides looks like. Trust me, it’s nice.

I will be contacting the clubs I normally teach at in the next week so they can secure their dates before I offer dates to new clubs. If your club is interested in holding new card orientation classes please contact me. It is the best three hours for mah Jongg learning you can do once you know how to play.

Students at my new card orientation classes get access to the over 80 power point slides revealing all the tips and tricks of the 2026 new card. But the real reason to come to that class is to get the 2026 decision tree to help you with your first couple of passes in the Charleston.

When I was in Houston this past week I ran into two students who told me that just got the 2025 decision tree from me and that it was saving them. Too bad they didn’t get it in April.

Generous Students

Today two things happened that have never happened before. First, one of my students from last week Venmo’d me a big tip as a way of thanks for teaching her Mah Jongg. She had been dealing with some big personal issues and told me that learning to play Mah Jongg came into her life at the right time.

I have witnessed great transformations in people’s lives because of mah Jongg. They gain new communities, new friends, more connectedness, improved brain function and general happiness. I was thrilled this women had such a good experience and it was so nice of her to let me know.

The second thing that happened is three of the women in my weekend class made me a fudge pie and brought it to class today with a beautiful big bow on it and the cutest card. I just met them yesterday. I ate lunch with them yesterday and got to know them as a very cute group of sister-in-law’s & friends. It was totally over the top to bake me a pie, and tell me it freezes well. It will come out during the holidays.

It was very sweet that these students show me extra love when they like class. I say it all the time, best job anywhere!

Racks are the Only Thing in Common

I had an all day class for beginners today. Six hours of learning with an hour break for lunch is a long day for beginner mah Jongg students. I prefer to dole out the learning in three hour increments per day.

I was so pleased with how well this big class did paying attention for all six hours. They asked good questions and I only had to reprimand a couple of them once.

At the end of the day one of the students asked me what I taught before I was a mah Jongg teacher. I was not trained as a teacher, technically I was never a real teacher. I was a consultant and taught executive stuff, but that was different and I told her that.

This nice woman was a real teacher and gave me an A+ as a teacher. She said I did an excellent job controlling the class and keeping them all on track and explaining things in a way that made sense. I really appreciate when a real teacher compliments me.

On my drive home I called a Russ to say I was an hour and twenty minutes away and told him about the compliment.

“You have been a teacher before,” he said. “You taught sex education in college.”

Well this fact totally left my mind. I do not consider the stand up routine on sex education I had to give to every student my senior year counted as teaching. I was paid by he counseling center to give these lectures, so it should be considered professional, but it was more of a public service announcement.

Telling boys that if they didn’t know a girl well enough to discuss birth control then he didn’t know her well enough to sleep with her was not exactly teaching. Telling them that if they didn’t know a girls last name, they didn’t know them well enough to sleep with them was just common sense.

The only part of teaching sex education that is anything like being a mah Jongg teacher is the discussion of racks. If you know, you know.

Lost Another Pointer

Any one who has taken a class from me knows about my stick. A long wooden dowel I use as a pointer. I love that wooden dowel. The first one I had cost .49¢. I must have had it for at least five years.

Then something happened to it. It just up and disappeared. I don’t think a student took it. I always promised students I wouldn’t hit them with the stick. I had a bad experience with a ballet teacher, Madame Kruger who used to hit me on the back of the knees with a yard stick when I was eight years old. One day I grabbed it out of her hands mid swing and hit her on the legs. I didn’t have to go back to ballet after that.

When the .49¢ stick disappeared I went back to the hardware store and had topay $3.99 for the same size stick. So sad. I had that one until this summer and now it has vanished.

During the $3.99 era I also had a retractable pointer that I used for airplane travel required classes. It was nice, but not as long and did not act as a cane like my wooden one did.

I lost my first retractable one this year too. I can’t figure out what happens to these things. So I ordered a new replacement and took it with me to Houston. Well I’ve gone off and left it there. That pointer only lasted one class. I think it only cost $5.89.

It not the money, but the frustration on losing my pointers. I got home tonight about 7:15 and have to turn around and leave at 7:00 in the morning for a class this weekend. I need my pointer and I won’t have time to replace it before class. I guess I’ll use a paint paddle until I can stop at a store and get a dowel. I am going to have to order an new retractable one too before I fly off to the Bahamas. Oh, isn’t it ridiculous?

Always a Party

We had two great classes today at the Bayou club in Houston. The beginners played full games and I am happy to report are fully capable of playing now. We had a fabulous lunch between classes where the beginners stayed and ate with the beyond beginners.

Then the beyond beginners came to class. It was a feisty group who were totally engaged. We had some tough hands, with lots of good lessons. Sadly it was their last class as I am only teaching beginner in the morning tomorrow.

After class I found out that tonight’s plans included going to a fabulous Party in the Park for the Menil Museum. Kari invited us as her guests. The evening was perfect to sit under the big live oak tree and stars and enjoy spicy gazpacho with shrimp.

I was lucky to see some young Houstonians, sisters, Maggie and Francis who I taught in the Bahamas. They couldn’t come to class this week due to those little things called jobs. But I was glad to get a chance to catch up.

Nancy and Butch Abendshein have been the most perfect hosts. I am so appreciative for their kindness. I just wish I could repay all these generous people for all they have done for me. It is always fun to come to Houston.

I’m Cold in Warm Houston

It’s warm here in Houston. 85° in mid October sounds warm to me. But I wouldn’t know it was actually warm. I spent the day inside a lovely club where it was quite cool. It was cool in my room that I slept in last night. And tonight we went to a different club for dinner and my hostess Nancy gave me a pashmina because she said it would be cold in the club.

It was freezing in the club, but thankfully we were able to sit outside where it was perfectly 72°. I was lucky enough to not sit next to the open window where the air conditioning was pouring out, cooling off the outside.

It appears that I am getting colder and colder these days. My lack of metabolism is one thing. I used to just always have cold hands, but now all my parts are cold. Even the parts that are the most covered up.

I figure if I can’t be warm in Houston there is no hope for me. I guess I am going to have to start carrying around extra layers. This goes against my “pack as little as possible” ethos.

The Hospitality of Houston

If it’s October I must be in Houston, thanks to Nancy Abendshein for inviting back again this year. She and her friend Kari Dagley have done a yeoman’s amount of work to organize these classes here. To top it all off Nancy is also hosting me at her house. I hope she will not regret this.

Tonight we started with a little Champagne reception at Kari’s store. It was lovely to get to meet some of the lovely women and gentleman who will be coming to class tomorrow.

After the cocktails we went to a fun place for dinner called Rosie Cannonballs in Montrose. The temperature was perfect to sit outside. As Nancy, Kari and Cindy were telling stories about people and places here it seemed as if they all had a relation to Timmons lane. From now I am calling Kari, Kari Timmons.

We stayed out too late laughing and now I need to try and sleep so I can teach all day tomorrow. I am certain I will not get enough rest due to the the extra amount of hospitality from everyone I meet in Houston.

Anne Lamont with Kate Bowler, Live

Weeks ago my friend Sara invited me and Lynn to go to see Anne Lamont be interviewed by Kate Bowler at the Carolina theater. I was thrilled it was for tonight since it was my one day at home before I’m off for days and days.

Sara picked us up and we went to Pizzeria Toro for a quick dinner with the dozens and dozens of other women who were also there before the show. So wonderful to have that time to catch up before we walked around the corner and took our seats. We saw a number of other church women from Westminster there too. No surprise since Anne Lamont is a frozen chosen too.

Kate Bowler is a very good host. She opened the show with an excellent monologue and spilled the beans about a new book she has coming out in April, Joyful Anyway.

Anne Lamont was a joy. One thing that struck me was she said, “We think we are hungry for what we are not getting, but we are really hungry for what we are not giving.”

I hope that this Live event will be broadcast as a podcast because Anne read a poem that might have been called “gate A4,” by another writer whose name escapes me now and I would like to reread it. She also sung the praises of a writer named Maggie Smith, not the dame. It all went by too fast and I couldn’t take notes sitting in they dark theater without annoying other people with the light of my phone. I am so used to watching, listening, or reading something and being able to stop it and rewind and rewatch it, relisten to it or reread it. Doing it live is just harder these days. It means I just have to reread some Anne Lamont as well as Kate’s books.

Change of Plans

We were supposed to stay in Boston until the 8:00 PM flight tonight. The nor’Easter made us change our plans. Normally I would take my chances, but I have to fly to Houston Tuesday for three days of classes with people who have been planning these two classes for months.

I didn’t bring my Mah Jongg teaching equipment to Boston so I couldn’t go straight from Boston to Houston. My fall is too jammed packed for things to go wrong so we cut short our visit.

I am glad we did because we got home without issue. I have looked at the 5;30 flight and it was delay two hours and right now our original flight is delayed over an hour and sometimes that means it just ends up not going at all when it’s late at night. Who knows how long the crew has left on the clock by the end of the day.

Travel is just not easy, but is sure is busy right now. Every seat on every flight is full. We were lucky we were able to change. The good thing is Shay is happy to have us home and I got two loads of laundry done. One less job to do tomorrow when packing for Houston. Of course totally different clothes for Houston than I took to Boston. Thankfully no coats.

When I get home to Houston Friday I don’t have to repack as my next class is Saturday and Sunday in Rocky Mount. That is just driving. I did hear that there are four seats available for the beginner class at Benvenue Country club and non-members can sign up now if you want. I rarely do weekend classes so if you know someone who wants to learn here is the information.

Registration for next weekend’s

Mah-Jongg Lessons

has been extended!

Here are the details:

Dana Lange, Mah-Jongg expert and teacher extraordinaire, will once again be at the club

October 18 and 19 to teach a beginner class.

This weekend class is PERFECT for those that work during the week. Saturday will consist of two,

three-hour sessions with a lunch break in between,

and the final session will be Sunday afternoon.

We WILL allow nonmember guests for these classes, even though nonmembers are not allowed to participate in the club-sponsored

Mah-Jongg group play on Tuesday afternoons

and Wednesday mornings.

We are looking to add club sponsored play

one evening each week and some weekends.

The class includes the following:
* Three sessions — Saturday morning from 9:00 until 12:00, and Saturday afternoon from 1:00 until 4:00, and Sunday afternoon from 1:00 until 4:00
(attendance required for the first session in order to participate in sessions two and three)
* Self-service nonalcoholic beverages and simple snacks available during each session
* Lunch between the first and second sessions on Saturday
* All materials needed to learn and play

Cost:
$160 for members
$180 for nonmember guests

Please make your reservations no later than

Monday, October 13.  A minimum of 20 people is required, and a maximum of 24 people are allowed.

Sign up one time only on Saturday for the entire,

three-session, two-day class.

If you have a nonmember friend or family member

that would like to learn, please have them contact

Mark Brown to register.  You do not need to be

present with your guest, and the club will charge 

your guest directly.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mark Brown if you need assistance signing up or if you have questions.

Mark’s contact information:
(252) 443-2141 ext. 106
mark@benvenuecountryclub.com

Gorgeous Fall Boston Day

You would never know there is a nor’easter coming to Boston tomorrow. It was a perfectly gorgeous day today. We packed as much in as we could today because we moved our flight home up 10 hours.

We met Carter and Claire in Cambridge this morning and went on this two hour architectural boat tour. We had been on the Chicago version and loved it. This was a very cool boat with a great guide, but it was more about history and the history of modern, post-modern and contemporary architecture as well as some random American history thrown in. You must always have an American history lesson anytime you are in Boston.

It was a nice way to spend the morning together. After we drove over to Beacon Hill because Carter still has a beacon hill parking permit. We had lunch outside and enjoyed the sunshine.

Claire went home after lunch to let Norman out. Russ walked the length of Boston and Carter and I went shopping. It was great to have Carter as a stylist and bag carrier. We did some speed shopping on Charles st. Then walked through the Boston Public Gardens to Newbury st. which was packed. We hit two more stores and I said that was more shopping than I had done in a year and gave up.

I went back to the hotel and cleaned up and Carter went home. Russ was concerned about my suitcase capacity after the shopping, but I assured him I had calculated everything.

We walked to the restaurant In the seaport we were meeting the girls at. It was more of a bar inside so it was too loud for us. We decided to brave the cold and eat outside. I was the only one who was cold, but it was a great dinner.

Since it was still early the girls came back to the hotel with us for a drink. It was a big fun day. I cherish these times so much. This was the best birthday present. I think I will ask for this again next year.

Belated Birthday by Five Months

When Russ asked me what I wanted for my Birthday in May I said, “A weekend to visit Carter and Claire.” This is that weekend.”

He got us seats on each side of the aisle since we both like aisle seats. There was a woman waiting at the gate who looked a little familiar and when she got on the plane we looked at each other and said, “I know you.”

“I’m your mah Jongg teacher.” So Irene and I spent the whole flight talking and it was great. At one point we switched seats because both our necks were hurting from turning one way.

We arrived and are staying in the seaport so we dropped our bags at our hotel and walked up to Ocean Prime for lunch. It may be a chain, but it is always good. The best part about it is that when Russ was asking questions the waiter was answering “yes,” before he even got the question out. We love a place where the answer is always “Yes.”

We did a little clothes shopping for me before we walked back to the hotel to freshen up before going to Carter and Claire’s for drinks before dinner. They have done such a cute job on their house. I gave them an early Christmas present of custom made Roman shades and I was so pleased with how they turned out. I really like that they are remote controlled!

Norman, their dog was very happy to see Russ, despite the way Russ was holding. I think Norman just wanted some cheese.

We went to dinner at a bar in the nicest part of their neighborhood. They were having a little Octoberfest so just as the waitress was walking away after taking our order Russ through out to her that he want the pretzel. Nothing makes him happier.

Nothing makes me happier than being with my best girls. We have a big day tomorrow. This is the best birthday present I can ever think of.

Apres Mahj

Last morning in Tallahassee with that fun group. We had morning class that went by in a blink. Sweet Susanne gave me the most perfect “apes Mahj” hat. After class Debbie drove me to the airport and we solved all the world’s problems in one short drive. We decided if mothers just ran the world things would go a lot smoother.

I had two fast flights, both on time and got home at 6 for a quick 13 hours. As I turn around and am back at the airport tomorrow morning to go to Boston to see Carter and Claire. At least it is a direct flight.

So I have unpacked from warm weather and repacked for cool weather. I just need to get seven hours of sleep, please lord..

The World’s Best Job

I shouldn’t say this because I don’t need more competition, but being a mah Jongg teacher is the world’s best job.

This week I am in Tallahassee, Florida thanks to the invitation of Susanne. I met Susanne and her great friend Brandy at my High Hampton’s class in April. Susanne is mah Jongg crazy and thought her friends at home would enjoy my beyond beginner class. It is my favorite class to teach because it is helping people learn how to think, not just learn rules.

Susanne invited me and Brandy’s dear Mom Debbie volunteered her guest house. So I quickly made friends with Debbie and have the absolute best time with these ladies.

Today 24 friends showed up at Susanne’s beautiful house and we had a full day of class. We took a break for a yummy lunch, not that we needed to after the giant continental breakfast spread that was out during the morning part of class. The one thing I will say is no one is going hungry at class.

So after six hours the official class was over, but anyone who could stay did for more mah jongg playing. Debbie did a great job of beating me twice. We changed tables and played some more. Finally it got down to Susanne, and her best friend from Vero Tracy and me playing, just one more game. Everyone had a chance to beat the teacher!

We were late to dinner with Brandy and Debbie because of just one more game. It was a very fun dinner, but finally by 8:30 we hit the wall. We had to go home to rest because we are doing it again tomorrow morning. Brandy texted everyone to say get to class early. I have a flight at 1:49 and we need to get in as much learning as possible.

Why is this the best job? You just get to make new friends every week and play a game.

New Friends, New City

I flew to Tallahassee this morning. Not the easiest place to get to even though it is the capital of Florida. I had made two friends at one of my High Hampton’s classes, Susanne and Brandy, who live here. Susanne invited me to come teach and has gone all out for this class.

She picked me up at the airport and we went to lunch before going to her house to do the tech set up. She had cleared out her living room and set up tables and chairs and had everything I needed for the class. She is now the proud owner of a giant magnetic white board. And her AV guy came and we put a new giant TV above the fireplace so I have full screen capabilities.

She also bought 6 new standard mah Jongg sets so everyone would have the exact same tiles. We had to open them up to set up the games. While I was doing that I came across the strangest thing. One set came with five 9 cracks and three 8 cracks. It was a good thing I was setting up the tiles because any regular person could have totally missed that. I am not exactly sure how that happened, but we put a piece of tape on the extra 9 and wrote “8” on it. I guess Chinese quality control is not what it used to be.

After the set up Susanne drove me to Brandy’s mother’s house where I am staying in her guest house. It is the most perfect serene little two bed room house. Debra, Brandy’s mom, was not home when I got here and Susanne let me in and made sure I was all set up.

I was tired and felt a little dirty from flying so I decided to take a shower before dinner. I got undressed and went to turn on the shower. I turned all the handles and no water came out. I ran the water in the sink and it worked fine, so I thought it wasn’t a water issue. I looked all around the bath room for some kind of switch. I couldn’t find anything.

So I went to the other bathroom on the other side of the living room. That shower had a different handle set up. I tried that and no water came out. So I went back to my first shower. Standing naked in the shower with my reading glasses on I studied the faucet. I pushed things I thought could be buttons, but were actually screw covers. Nothing worked.

I texted Susanne. She texted Debra, who was home by now. Remember, I have not met her yet. So she came and knocked on the door. I threw On my night gown and went to the door. She could not have been nicer. She showed me that you have to pull the handle out to get the water started. Never in my life…

We got a big kick out of my ignorance. I did take a lovely shower and then took a little nap before Debra got me to go to dinner. We had the most fun with Susanne, Brandy and Susanne’s best friend from Vero Beach.

It’s going to be a fun few days in Tallahassee. I love making new friends in a new city.

Trying on Clothes is a Lot of Work

I am not a hoarder. Except for expensive clothes that no longer fit me. Or used to not fit me. I have multiple closets I call my closests of dreams. They are full of clothes that I used to be able to fit that I still like. Thankfully I have kept them. Turns out I fit into lots of them now.

I have lost a bunch of weight and have been cycling down through my closets of dreams. The closets are not well organized by size. They generally have like sizes together, but suits and jackets are in a different closet from dresses, and blouses are throughout. Pants, well they are every where.

Before I went to Maine I did a big try on of my primary closet and tried to take things out that were too big. Now I need to do that again, but it is such a boring job.

As I am anticipating cooler weather I went today to try some things on from secondary and tertiary closests. They mostly hold things I have not been able to fit in for years. Since I tend to wear the most classic of styles it turns out most of the good things I have kept are still wearable, if I dusted them off. I also have most styles of jeans and they seem to be fine. Thankfully I never liked low rise jeans.

I found a beautiful coat Russ bought me in Paris probably a decade ago and I am looking forward to wearing it again when it gets cold enough. My issue is I also have a number of warm climate trips in November, January and February so I still need to keep a summer wardrobe I fit into. This means trying on all kinds of clothes.

One would think trying on smaller sized clothes that fit would be a joy. It’s nothing but boring to me. I have not bought new clothes because I don’t want to invest in anything that I hopefully won’t be able to wear in two months. So to the closets of dreams I must go. I should have started this job last week. Now I am going to Florida tomorrow with just my same old summer clothes. Thankfully these people don’t know me so it won’t matter that I am wearing the same things over and over again.

Come to think of it, even the people who know me see me in the same old items over and over again since I have them in many sizes. I guess as my size changes, but my style stays the same, I look the same. Really doesn’t matter. As a more than middle aged woman no one is looking at me anyway. Thank goodness, because I might be wearing some very old clothes. They are all blue and white anyway.

Protect the Precious

This fall I have a half dozen classes that involve travel. These days I have quite a few props I bring to my classes. The large format Mah Jongg tiles I painted are my most valuable tool. I have large format mah Jongg cards printed on giant magnets that I can put up on a white board. They are so big they have to travel in a tube. There are my magnets for the tile cards and my retractable pointer. I need my I-pad and in some cases also my computer, along with all the needed cables.

All these things are very precious to me and so they must go as carry on. I also bring my carry-on suitcase as I very rarely check a bag.

I needed to find a back pack that could act as my personal item on planes. All summer I searched the internet and read reviews. Finally I settled on the bag from Wandrd that is used by travel vloggers who carry lots of camera equipment.

So this week will be my first flight with my new system. I pray that it all goes smoothly. I am most looking forward to having all my heavy stuff in a pack that I carry on my back or roll on my suitcase. There is no way out of bringing this heavy stuff. It must be protected.

Saturday Drudgery

Some Saturdays are made for errands. Russ and I went to early voting at the new Board of a elections. It was fast and easy and very big since it is in the old grocery store building on MLK by the DMV. Not big races, but all elections are important these days. Since it was just the primary, we will be back to vote next month in the final election.

From there we went to our grocery store to get our vaccines. I had already gotten flu, but needed Covid and pneumonia. Russ got all three. We had to wait a little bit as there were 4 people in front of us. It was not a problem. I have a lot of travel coming up and would like to be vaccinated before all those flights.

Getting those vaccines all at the same time wiped us out a little. I took a nap as soon as I got home. I didn’t mean to, just passed out with Shay snuggled up beside me. Then I woke up and Shay went to snuggle with Russ and he passed out. You would think it was Shay who had the vaccinations.

I saw a great sign today. Vaccinations make adults. Trust science.

When we got home from our errands we had a box from goldbelly on the front porch. Russ’ team sent him crab cakes for his birthday. Yay, dinner was taken care of. It also came with a cute crab t-shirt. Thanks CMG people.

Kindness and Good Manners

It’s nice to know that in these times some manners still remain. Russ and I hosted 36 mostly new or newish members of our church for a dinner at our house Sunday. As very old members of the church we did not know most of these people well. They ranged in age from “on walkers” to “having little ones just learning how to walk.”

Not all of them have always been Presbyterians as they come to our church from many different back grounds. But I will say they all have very good manners as is no surprise for Presbyterians. A good number brought us a hostess gift. This was totally unnecessary, but very polite.

Then in the last two days we have received a whole bunch of hand written thank you notes in the mail. To me this is a big deal as I am often very late on mailing someone a thank you note. First you have to write it and then the hard part, you have to find a stamp or these days, stamps, that equal the going rate. If you know what the going rate is.

The country may be coming apart at the seams, but I am ever thankful for the sanctuary of our little church and the family it creates. We are a very progressive group. I find it awful what Christian Nationals have co-opted religion and work against what Jesus actually stood for.

I am not letting those kind of people change what I follow according to the motto of our little Presbyterian Church. Micah 6:8 “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” And to apparently to write thank you notes.