THE Birthday (First Half)

There is no time to write a proper blog to do today justice. So I am doing a photo download of the first half of the day and will write a fully detailed blog and the second half tomorrow when I have more than ten minutes left in the day.

Sufficient it to say. This was the most fun day and night for the most wonderful birthday party for dear Boris. The assembled friends and family were each charming, fun, brilliant and tender hearted in their own ways.

We all owe a great debt to the best hostess on the planet, Michelle and her miss Money Penny – Tara Who planed every detail so perfectly that no human need went unfulfilled. Details to follow.

True Confessions

My blog the last three days has been very cagey. I wrote kind of innocuous stuff because I was having to keep a secret exactly where I was. Russ and I flew to London Tuesday night because we were coming to Scotland for a surprise birthday party for our friend Boris.

For a year we have been keeping this birthday party a secret. Boris’ wife Michelle has had a giant What’s App group where we have been talking about this trip for months. The planning and care that have gone into the making of this party are extraordinary. It would have been terrible if by chance Boris saw my blog that we were in London when they were also in the UK. So in the utmost of confidence I did not let on where we were. So to the people who asked me what restaurant I was writing about two days ago, it was in London, sorry. The Santa’s outside our car, were in London.

It was a good plan to come to London two days ahead of the party because now we are primed and ready for the birthday party of the century. We met up with a huge group of our fellow revelers at Heathrow. We flew to Aberdeen and were met by a lovely coach which drove us through the dark at 4:30 in the afternoon to the Fife Arms in Braemar, Scotland.

Using our What’s App connection we alerted them that we were just minutes from pulling up to the Inn. There were already a good group of friends who had arrived earlier surprising Boris, but he had no idea more people were coming. He was just inside the lobby with a fabulous surprised look on his face as each friend came in.

We quickly went to our rooms to freshen up and regather for cocktails and stories. Friends from Primary school, university, young working times to old working times and friends gathered along life’s journey along with the family he has made with Michelle and Elena and Benjamin are all here. People came from Seattle, Houston, North Carolina, Atlanta, Africa, France and all over the UK for the best surprise.

We had a big fondue dinner giving us a chance to sit and get to know each other even better. Then the drinking continued in another room. Michelle had rented out the whole inn so everyone here is a friend and is part of the party.

We retired about 11:00 to our fabulous little suite. We need to rest up for tomorrow when the celebration is going on all day and night. I can’t reveal the secrets, but suffice it to say it is the birthday party of the century.

Joy and Reassurance

I was riding in the back seat of a car today. The traffic was terrible and we weren’t moving. Nothing I could do about it since I was not driving. (If I were, you might know I could have done something about it.)

The inside of the car was warm And the outside was cold so the windows had fogged up with condensation. I went to swipe away the water on the windows and was met with a sea of Santa’s weaving between the cars stopped on the road. The joy these Santa’s brought was real.

I forgot all about the traffic and just felt the love of Christmas that was surrounding our car. Sometimes the holiday makes you crazy, but if you sit back and let it wash over you it can transport you back to that childhood feeling of excitement that Santa was coming. (As long as you had no fear about which list you are going to be on.)

That reminds me of my favorite Santa memory with Carter. She was probably about five and we were up at the farm so we decided to go to the Danville Mall to see Santa. When it was Carter’s turn she sat next to Santa and said, “I only have one question.” I leaned in, worried about that one question was. “Which list am I on?”

That Santa looked at me and I gave him the thumbs up. He reassured Carter that she was on the good list. She felt the Christmas joy right that minute. She didn’t ask for anything specific, just reassurance. I found this very funny at the time since she was such a good kid. Perhaps I should have realized that anxiety can show up young.

We all need joy and reassurance. The best way to get it is too spread it.

The Simple is the Best

Russ and I went to a little hole in the wall middle eastern Restaurant. We didn’t have reservations, but I did read some comments about it so we did a walk up and thankfully got the last two bar stools at the window.

From what I read online I knew I should order the Apple salad. It was the simplest of salads. Red apple slices, pomegranates, toasted pine nut, mint and green chilies. It had to have some lemon on it, this being a middle eastern restaurant. Normally if I saw this on a menu I would say, “nothing special, I can make that at home.” And I would skip over that item.

I am so happy that I read reviews and listened to what other diners said. This simple salad, was the most perfect of flavors. The mint was chopped into tiny flakes, the chilies were so small you might not have known they were there until you had that tiny kick. The pomegranate brightness with the silliness of the pine nuts all brought together in service of the perfect apple.

I write this so I remember this combination. I hope that I can recreate it because it was just extraordinary.

I don’t recall the first time I had pomegranate, but it is quickly becoming one of my favorite flavors to add to my dishes.

When you read reviews and everyone raves about one item, get it. No matter how simple the dish sounds, there is a reason people write about. Sometimes the simplest thing is the best.

Things I Didn’t Know I Needed

I drove Russ’ car today. He has the limited edition of his little Rav-4. Not that he would ever get a car that was the “limited edition,” but that was the way the one on the lot came. It has two features that now I want.

The first is a video rear view mirror. The video option was not on when we test drove the car. Somehow Russ discovered it when he was playing with all the buttons. I wonder if our salesman even knew this car had it?

The video shows you a much larger and enhanced view of everything that is going on around the back of you. It is is also much brighter than the actual lighting outside.

The second feature that was very new to me was the heated steering wheel. Russ told me that it existed and he said, “that is something I will never use.” That was before we had a cold snap. He came in the house from work yesterday and said, “the heated steering wheel was the best thing ever. No gloves ever needed.” How quickly one adjusts to luxury.

When I drove the car today I too fell in love with the heated steering wheel. Since my car is only a year old I will not be getting a heated steering wheel anytime soon. I can dream.

The Official Start to Christmas

Thanksgiving was late this year, but Christmas started right on time with Needlepoint Christmas Exchange on December 1. For the last 11 years I have been part of a cherished group of stitchers who each stitch an ornament for another friend. We draw the names a year in advance and lovingly make a treasure for a fellow stitcher. You keep the secret all year about who you are stitching for and the giver is only revealed when the gift is opened.

This party always takes place on the first Monday in December, you can put it on your calendar for the next tens years as it never changes. For me it signals the true start to the Christmas season.

The group has changed some over the years as people move, age out or sadly pass away. But each member is never forgotten and their past contributions are still discussed with joy.

Kate has always been our faithful photographer. Amazingly this year she showed up without her phone, so she borrowed Nancy’s and still took all the pictures. One member of our group had a last minute conflict, and was missed, but will be back.

Nancy stitched my ornament this year, a customized Mah Jongg Joker tile with my monogram, in beads no less. I absolutely adore it and it is displayed in a place of honor.

After we have our exchange and eat lunch we have a little white elephant gift exchange, just to keep the fun going. The best thing that happens is the volunteering of washing the dishes, which I greatly appreciated. The kitchen was totally clean before the last five people departed.

Merry Christmas to you all dear stitching friends. I love that we kick off the season together.

Three Parties in Six Days

I started preparing for my third party that happens tomorrow. This will be my third party in six days. It is the annual Needlepoint ornament exchange, a favorite of the season. Russ and I are still eating the leftovers from the first party as well as Thanksgiving. I promised him I am only making enough for this party.

I prepped all the food I could do in advance today. Set the table, wrapped my ornament for my special person I stitched it for. I also wrapped the white elephant gift for the game we will play after lunch.

After all the prep it was time to clean the kitchen. I have to be very careful because yesterday I decided yesterday was the right time to cut out the 28 year old caulk from the granite counter in the kitchen and recaulk. I think I did a fine job, but the caulk takes some time to cure and turn clear so I don’t want to knock into it until it is fully cured.

My last job of today was to mop the kitchen floor. I have a Libman string mop that I have had a long time. Occasionally I change the mop head, but the broom stick has been with me almost as long as original caulk.

I went to wring the mop out after soaking it and it turns out the metal that held the mop head into the wringer had just disintegrated. I had to squeeze the mop out with my hand so I could still mop, but it was the last time that mop will see the light of day.

Now Russ knows what he can get me as an early Christmas present…a new old fashioned mop. Oh the excitement of actually needing something. I guess I won’t be moping after the party.

The Great Escape Artist

This morning Russ and I were up with the puppies. Carter and Claire were still asleep. I was cleaning the kitchen and Russ was easing in the sunroom. Carter texts Russ that they were going out to get Norman.

Get Norman? He had escaped the house without our knowledge and gone to a neighbor’s house. Thankfully he had a tag on and the neighbor called Carter.

Looks like Russ and I are not going to be very good grandparents If we can’t keep a grown dog in the house. There really no grandchildren on the way so we have time to learn to be more responsible.

We took the girls and Norman to the airport so they could fly home to Boston. While they were on the plane Carter Texted Russ. Norman escaped from his floor of the plane and went up to the cockpit. I found this this be very comforting. Even his mother’s couldn’t keep him corralled on a plane. Thankfully he could not open a door and escape the plane.

Best Black Friday Ever

For the last twenty plus years I have spent this day decorating for Christmas. But not this year! I decorated two weeks early because that was when I had the time.

Today I woke up and had the most lovely day with my family. I made five containers of turkey tetrazzini to get Russ through the year. Carter, Claire and I went to the Toms’ house and had a fabulous visit for a few hours with no guilt that I should be home working.

We watched the family dividing game between the Chicago Bears (Claire’s team) and the Philadelphia Eagles (Russ’ team). Congratulations to Claire on a big win.

We went to Bar Taco and had dinner with the Prebles so they could meet Claire and Claire could meet them. Then all the girls went to see Wicked for Good. When we arrived at our assigned seats we discovered we were next to the Pottenger girls and Amos. Such a great coincidence. The movie was not as good as the first one, but that was the same case as the first act of the musical was better than the second act. Nonetheless it was fun to go to the movies and be with the girls.

No shopping was done, except online for my share your Christmas people, so I did not have to brave any stores as well as I did not have to decorate. I think this is the way Black Friday is supposed to be. I am going to decorating for Christmas weeks in advance from now on. Why not? We need to have more sparkle in our lives and more fun on Thanksgiving weekend.

Love and a Full Belly

The turkey carcass is simmering in the stockpot as we watched Home Alone after a very Happy Thanksgiving. It was a perfect little holiday. Carter and Claire and I did the last minute cooking. With Claire’s superior chopping skills we made the most delicious salad of sliced raw Brussels spouts, pears, apples, roasted butternut squash, dried cherries, pomegranate, arugula and goat cheese. It was probably my favorite dish of the day.

My mother came and was delightful as she is a favorite of Carter and Claire’s. Her eyes are always bigger than her stomach, but we packed her up another five meals worth of food to take home.

I went back to my old faithful Alton Brown brined turkey and cooked a whole bird which was perfect. Claire and Carter declared my gravy was the best part of the meal. The secret was adding the mushroom Unami seasoning from Trader Joe’s.

The stuffing-off was not even a race, as Claire’s family recipe was a whole meal unto itself with the sausage and peppers. It was still nice to have the traditional to make the perfect bite of turkey, dressing, gravy and cranberry.

We had enough food for twenty, but were only five. But a happy five we were. I will be making turkey tetrazzini for Russ tomorrow so he will have frozen meals when I am gone. I will have to make homemade mushroom soup in the morning with the turkey stock that is all simmered.

The kitchen is clean and full of so many leftovers anyone can feed themselves at any time of the day or night.

We are grateful that we are all together and thankful for the love of friends and family. Hoping you too had a love filled day and went to bed full. Neither love, nor a full belly is a given these days. I take none of this for granted.

Cooking and Dogs

We spent the day like most of America cooking for the big show tomorrow. Claire made her family Stuffing recipe. It appears to be much more interesting than our standard stuffing, but we will have both nonetheless. Carter made her famous make ahead mashed potatoes. Carter made the gingered carrots. I made the salad dressing and maple and bourbon pecan pie. The turkey is brining and the stewed tomatoes are done.

All the while the two dogs were having the time of their lives. They went for a long tandem walk with Russ. Shay led the whole way. Norman likes to hang where Shay is, but Shay doesn’t really give a hoot.

Now Claire and Carter are out and Norman is hanging with us. No matter where Shay is Norman is there. Russ was working and lying on the guest room bed with both dogs. I came to our room and so did the dogs.

I could cook something else, but I think the best thing is for me to snuggle with these dogs. Between cooking and Dogs I will take dogs every time.

Holiday Begins

The first of my many Holiday Parties started tonight. Since Carter and Claire are here for their first holiday together I had my Cousins, Aunt and my mother over for a family dinner to meet Claire.

As we are also hosting Thanksgiving dinner I wanted to make an easy dinner that was far from Thanksgiving type food. Sarah had volunteered to bring a salad, which meant her husband Mark would do it. Leigh brought homemade desserts (more on those later), and drinks.

So I only had to make a dinner. I had something in mind, but when I went to Costco I wheeled by these very good looking frozen stir fry vegetables. I changed my menu on the spot and opted to make chicken stir fry for the meat eaters and veggie stir fry for the vegetarian. This was without a doubt the easiest meal I have ever made. I baked rice in the oven as I stir fried the food.

Leigh made the most beautiful homemade vanilla cupcakes that were more delicious than they were beautiful and she made a flourless chocolate torte with homemade raspberry sauce. At that point no one cared what I made for dinner because dessert was so spectacular.

Claire got the full experience of the outlaws when Russ, Peter and Mark took her aside to tell her what it was like to be married to a Carter. Claire was mostly interested in learning what Mark’s life as a judge was like.

The kids were all doing great, although we missed seeing Sam. My Aunt Janie who lives at Carol Woods was in great spirits as was my Mother who was just happy to come for dinner and see Carter and Claire.

It was an excellent start to the holiday party season. Especially since Mark and Peter cleared the plates and loaded the dishwasher, Russ took my mother home and Carter and Claire finished cleaning the kitchen.

I got off easy by making a dinner for 13 that took me all of 30 minutes to make. Tomorrow the real cooking starts.

Norman in the House

Big, big day here. Carter and Claire flew in from Boston and brought Norman with them. He was such a good boy. They got to the airport early and he visited the Delta club. He was already on a med to make his first flight easy. So the report was he chilled out at the club.

Then the flight was delayed. Thankfully not so long that is medication wore off. I got these photos of Norm on the plane where he was a very good boy. The only thing that freaked him out was the landing gear going down. Well, by then the flight was almost over.

I picked the three of them up and he jumped right in the back seat and greeted me with a big kiss. We drove by the good Chinese restaurant in Cary and got take out and headed home.

Shay was waiting to welcome Norman to her house. Norman had been so nice to Shay at two of his houses in Boston so it was only right that he come to see her in North Carolina.

Norman did a big perimeter search. He found a number of toys and balls and was very happy to discover the dog toy basket in the sunroom. The dogs played a little and Norman enjoyed his new kibble which his Mom’s had delivered here today.

Norman’s favorite thing is all the soft furniture he gets to sit on. Even the tables are soft (ie, the big ottomans). Shay, being an old lady, put herself to bed early, but Norman was still living it up with the big girls in the big room.

Such a joy to have everyone here for thanksgiving. Finally a dog who likes to fetch a ball and bring it back. No shady Shay, but you could learn something.

A Good Christmas Gift

I spent a magical four days at the historic Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia in October. It was the first Mah Jongg camp I was holding at the Inn. The Tides Inn is a special place. It is on the beautiful Rappahannock river. They have boat trips, a Spa, tennis, pickleball, a makers space for art and pottery, an in-house Waterman for outdoor activities. The two onsite restaurants are some of the best on the east cost.

So it seemed like the best resort for me to offer a New Card Mah Jongg class in May. TIdes is hosting May Mah Jongg camp May 4-7. I will be teaching beginner classes for mah Jongg virgins. For experienced Mah Jongg lovers I will hold a New card class followed up with two days of new card practice with strategies and tips.

I can not think of a better Christmas present for a mah Jongg lover. Right now the Tides is offering a special for the students who came to my first Mah Jongg camp there of a $150 resort credit to be used at the May Camp. But then they offered me the opportunity to let my friends get the same deal.

So May Mah Jongg camp at the Tides Inn is not available on their website until December 16. But if you use the link I have you can sign up early and make sure to get a spot, as well as getting the $150 resort credit.

Based on how much fun at I had at the first camp I can’t wait to host the next one. Come join me.

https://tidesinn.com/irvington-va-hotel-experiences/seasonal-events/3-day-mah-jongg-camp-copy/?utm_source=revinate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mah%20Jongg%202026%20-%20Resend-801814&NCK=8442306100

Merry Thanksmas

Since Carter and Claire are coming home for Thanksgiving on Monday I had to get the house ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Carter’s birthday, all of which we will celebrate when they are here.

Today was the last of the decorating. Every year I do one new big decoration That I make. This year it’s was a redo of the mantle. I got these white shell wreaths. They had a sad little blue bow hot glued on them. Probably why I was able to score three of them at a discount. Using an exacto knife I removed the bows. And added my own hot pink ones.

I took everything off the wall and mantle and put the wreaths up. Then I covered the mantle in magnolia and topped in off with rainbow strands in honor of Carter and Claire.

Since my friend Lane describes my very colorful living room as a Mexican Fiesta I think these bright and shinny balls go perfectly with the rest of the room.

There is not a free bit of space for any more decorations in the living Room. The nutcrackers seemed to have multiplied, even though my new one is in the big room nearer the tree.

I keep having ornaments jump off the tree. I don’t know if it is in protest for being up before thanksgiving, but I am all for this getting the decorating done so early. It is my favorite time of year. I might as well enjoy it longer.

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.