Mom Time

Mother's Day provided a fine excuse for Conny, Leo and I to pile into a rental car to make a road trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to visit my Mom. I even took Friday off from work so we'd have a bit more time to spend.

And before anyone thinks we're one of those inconsiderate, self-absorbed couples who impose our dog on people when we travel, let it be known that my mother loves her grand-dog. I know she's sincere when she says this. If I peed on the rug, for instance, I wouldn't be invited back, so there's no doubt she loves the dog more than her own son. Not that I blame her.

Knowing my mother enjoys Bridge and plays every week, I thought she'd enjoy the game Wizard. It is a trick-taking game, like Hearts, but involving a special 60 card deck. The nice thing about Wizard is you can play it with 3 to 6 people. It's very addictive, and easy to learn, and involves some nifty strategies. We gave it to her a day early, so we'd have some time to play. It was a big hit.

We also brought along our game of Set to play as well. Conny and I have been playing this at home, and it's also pretty addictive. It's rather novel in that the game is all about perception and processing, and it's surprising who does well at it, and who struggles. Turns out Conny can pretty regularly kick my butt. (Want to try Set? Go here. Good explanation of how to play as well as a Java applet. The game is much more fun when played with others, mind you.)

Even with all this family merriment, Conny and I managed to sneak out for a few hours to Provincetown to go on a whale watch. Even though they confiscated my harpoon, thus ending any hope of a more "interactive" experience, we managed to have a great time. The weather and the cetaceans all cooperated to provide a memorable morning. There is something quite moving about seeing dozens of dolphins swimming through the surf as whales roll lazily about on the surface as they feed.

Though I think I may have annoyed some other watchers with one too many "Thar she blows!" Some people have no sense of humor.
posted 10:05 PM | link |