SOLITAIRE

I suppose my Grandmother taught my Mother to play Solitaire, and then my Mother taught me.  Mom knew a slew of ways to play it.  Some of my fun times with her were when we played Double Solitaire – cut-throat all the way!

Needless to say, I had to google Solitaire for this piece, and I found out that the form of Solitaire I play is called Klondike, and that the British call Solitaire “Patience”.  I think I did remember that from some of my forays into my favorite fiction.  There wasn’t much to tell me anything about the history of the game.  I’ll have to keep investigating.

Part of my work-aid for my college tuition was to act as bell girl in one of the dorms.  Unless the school was officially closed, I had to be there to let in residents at any time the doors were locked for the day.  Once all my own final tests were taken I had to stay around until the last resident left for the year. What to do? I love reading and I did some of that – after all, I’d just done at marathon of reading for the tests – but mostly I played Solitaire.  I played Solitaire until I had blisters on my thumbs from so mush shuffling.

 I just love to play Solitaire. Over the years I’ve forgotten many of the varieties I knew, because I rarely played until recently, but I never forgot the traditional game layout. Now that I’m playing it again I’m safe from getting blisters, but I might get carpal tunnel syndrome: I found the Games program on my laptop. It’s been there for years but I never thought to activate it. My granddaughters asked me if I had any games on my laptop, and at that time I could honestly say no.  I’d better not let them know they’re installed now.  I don’t want them messin’ around with my PC.

Electronic Solitaire is a thing of beauty.  No shuffling, no lifting and moving cards, and no peeking! The program even scores the game and keeps track of my high scores.  When I first found the game on my laptop I had a run of playing the game in the late evening before bedtime.  I had to stop that. 

You know how you bring the happenings of the day into your dreams? I brought the cards into my dreams and couldn’t get out of the game. Sixes on sevens on eights, oh my!  One-eyed Jacks winking at me!  Whew!

I am an avid reader and I could be doing more reading, but there is something a bit challenging in the game.  My husband thinks it’s mindless and a waste of time. I just think of the quote from Bertrand Russell: “Time you enjoy wasting is not a waste of time.”  I tend now to sit down for a game or two – or three or more! - in the late afternoon. This tends to bring the games on towards dinner.

Just one more game! Dinner’s going to be late! Tant pis! Yes, too bad because – did I mention this already? - I just love to play Solitaire.