Recirculating

Here almost a week went by and I haven't done a post.  "What's going on in your world Ron that you aren't posting everyday?"

Well folks, here is the answer: 

Scrabble

Yes, Scrabble is my new obsession.  

Specifically online Scrabble.  

Want to know who is primarily responsible for this new obsession of mine?  (Of course you do).  Take ONE big guess:

There's the culprit.  That retired Canadian police department fingerprint inspector, that part-time Sixties band bass player, that full-time movie extra, that vegan minimalist who lives in that ultra modern house (or "hoose" as he says it) in Toronto:  yep, that's him:

PAT

Pat, one of the few (probably) only people in the world who can put up with my many idiosyncrasies and still like me for the wonderful fellow that I am (hey, no need for modesty here, this is after all MY blog).  

When I visited Pat last year in Toronto, Canada he asked me to play a game (or two) of Scrabble with him.  I acceded thinking that I'm going to excel at this word game because I have read so much and like to write.  Oh how mistaken I was.  First game Pat skunked me.

Second game, skunked again.  Third game:

SKUNKED! 

Well, you get the idea.  Ole Ron wasn't a smart at he thought he was.  

The last time I played Scrabble was perhaps when I was in sixth grade.  I never progressed much past simple three and four letter words. I knew nothing about Scrabble strategy.  (Strategy?  You say "Strategy?" Yes, Virginia, there is a Scrabble strategy.) 

Well, long story short, after getting beat so many times by Pat I made it my mission to vastly improve my Scrabble playing skills.  

My last game with Pat I did win. "Crudites" was my winning bingo word; last play which left Pat's mouth agape and challenging my word - which he, of course, lost).  

The thrill of victory; ah so sweet!  Of course there was also the agony of defeat which wasn't so sweet.  

Please excuse me for going on into a long blog post so I'll try to tighten this up:  

I never like chess (it made my head hurt thinking of all those moves ahead).  

I never got involved in computer (mainly Facebook based) games because I just didn't have the time. 

Over the years I have turned down many an invitation from my Facebook friends to play their silly (I thought) games (like that "Farm Animals thing).  But now folks, in my quest to be the ABSOLUTE BEST at Scrabble, I'm playing multiple games with friends on Facebook.  I'm so obsessed I'm even playing with random strangers on Facebook.  Yes folks, I am now a Promiscuous Scrabble Player.  

So how am I doing?  Well, one thing I'm not losing every game like I was at the beginning.  And I'm getting better at making word more than three letters without giving my opponents opportunities to make the big score by playing triple word scores. 

So every morning I check my Scrabble boards on Facebook (about twenty now and moving up) to see how many are my turn.  

I am loving this interaction with friends like Dr. Spo who, of course, is terrific at Scrabble and Sean who is also a master at Scrabble.  

Sean recently informed the world he was closing his blog.  I have to admit that occasionally I have thought of ending my blog but I just can't do it.  I don't want to lose all the friends I've made through my blog.  Plus, I just like to write since I had my first pen pal when I was twelve years old.  

Maybe it's because I was and am lonely and always in a quest to make new friends. Or maybe it's just because I like to talk about myself, my lifelong quest to find out who I am.  Or maybe it's a combination of those two factors.  

Whatever, I will continue to write my blog posts, but maybe not as often as I have in the past.  Of course this obsession will eventually pass (they all do) and I will be back to my daily posts (or more, you know me when I'm hot on a topic).  

So bear with me folks.  I'm still here ruffling feathers and enjoying life to the fullest.  

  

  And of course looking forward to the day when I can skunk Pat and my friends on a regular basis.  Ah yes, life is good.

Oh, the photo at the top of this blog?  Drama this past week in getting this contraption installed.  In more normal times I would write about it but these aren't normal times.  

Bingo!

That's what I got playing my new obsession, online Scrabble.  

Oh yes, I have a new "obsession."  I'm not one for playing games, especially computer games and ESPECIALLY Facebook computer games.  

I've lost count of the times I've been invited to play games by some of my Facebook friends.  I always turn them down or ignore those requests because I just don't have enough time to play games.  Heck, I don't even have enough time to live my life as it is.

You might wonder where I was the past few days.  Did you notice I haven't posted for awhile?  That's not me.  

Well, here is what happened:

• I got called into work early Monday.
• I was asked to work for a co-worker on Wednesday.
• Then I worked my regular shift on Thursday.
• I also had three days of physical therapy.
• And for the icing on the cake I had an ultra-sound at my cardiologist's office.

Yep, Ron's been a busy guy.  Plus, we're eyeball deep in a heat wave (high 80's and low 90's) with about 100% humidity.  

After all this activity I'm just about worn out.  In fact, I am worn out because I still don't have my full strength back.  But you know what I do have time for and relaxes me?  Playing on-line Scrabble.

Me beating my computer opponent but then I am playing "Beginner" - still it's good to win  EVERY TIME

Now I don't play with anyone except Pat (now no naughty thoughts please) and the computer.  

I like playing on my iPhone because I can pick up up at anytime at any location (usually when I'm in the bathroom library). 

Me playing against the computer and lo and behold, don't I see a BINGO word! Now to find a place for "Volley" on that crowded Scrabble board.

So where did this late in life obsession with Scrabble come from?  Well, my friend Pat likes to play Scrabble.  He plays almost every week with his friend Ed.  When I visited Pat last year I played with him and got soundly trounced except for one lucky night (our last night together) when I got a BINGO! on the last move and beat the pants off of him.  It was sweet and a perfect way to end my vacation sojourn in maple leaf country.

And when I play Scrabble on my iPhone I have a "Teacher" who tells me how I could do better but sometimes I actually match the Teacher - I love this Electronics Art software for Scrabble!

But since then, like when Pat visited here in Lower Slower recently, we played Scrabble and he soundly trounced me again.  So, being the competitive guy I am I have made it my mission to practice, practice and practice until I can give Pat a real challenge and wipe that smirky smile off of his face.  

Would you believe that Pat had THREE BINGOS! to beat me?  How can I compete against that kind of skill? Practice, practice, practice

So while the sun bakes outside I'm staying inside the cool climes of Casa Tipton-Kelly.  

Practice, practice, practice.

Scrabble

I like to play games.  Specifically board games.

Way back before Bill (BB), my first steady boyfriend was Jim Groh.  The year was 1963 (I know, I know; before some of you were born).  

Jim (my first boyfriend) cooking at my Coatesville, PA apartment - 1963 (only on of two photos I have of him)

I had a two room, furnished, efficiency apartment in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.  I had just started a new job at Lipsett Steel Products as an accounts payable (I paid the bills) clerk.  My salary was $80 a week.  My apartment rental was $65 a month, plus utilities.  

I was 21 years old.  I met Jim at the Westbury Bar in Philadelphia. He was 24 years old and worked as an office manager for Sears Roebuck.  

Jim lived in Philadelphia.  I lived in Coatesville; 37 miles to the west of Philadelphia. Neither one of us had a car.  

Jim would take a train out to Coatesville on Friday night to spend the weekend with me at my apartment.  Neither one of us had much money.  Actually, no money.  However, we enjoyed each other's company and for several months we had a good relationship.  

We would spend our weekends cooking and playing board games, mostly Monopoly.  We also cooked.  My speciality was Swiss Steak.  I don't remember but I think we also played Scrabble.

During my recent two week stay with my friend Pat in Toronto I renewed my board game playing when I ran out of money. Pat is a Scrabble aficionado, we played Scrabble.  Of course, since Pat is a Scrabble expert, I got my behind whipped every game except the really important one. . . . the last game.  Oh how sweet it was to get a bingo and pull ahead of Pat by a few points to win.  

Ever since then I've been wanting to play Scrabble but had no viable partners here in Lower Slower.  I could play with Bill but I'm afraid I would beat him every time.  I need competition.  Someone who could match me word for word.  Someone who I would LOVE to beat.  Well folks, my search has ended.

My good neighbor Barbara visited us tonight. I asked her if she played Scrabble.  Does Barbara play Scrabble?  YES!!

So, I ordered the Deluxe version of the Scrabble game tonight from Amazon.com.  Life is good folks!

Toronto - The Last Day

Pat's neighbor's cat who always greets us with a "Meow" on our way down to Udupi Palace and another "Meow" on the way back.  I asked him/her if I could take a photo.  This was the response I got "Oh, go ahead if you must."

Well folks, in a few hours my gracious (and patient) host will take me to Buffalo, New York for my 5:45 PM plane departure to Philadelphia, PA.  I am so looking forward to going home and seeing Bill again but I am sad to be leaving Toronto and all the wonderful experiences I've had and the nice folks I've met.

Last night my host and I took the three block walk down his street to India Town and had our last meal (the "Last Supper?") at Udupi Palace, a wonderful all vegetarian Indian restaurant.  Pat had a tomato based, mixed vegetable, spicy curry dish with rice.  I had a mixed vegetable dish cooked in coconut milk and this wonderful puffy bread (can't stop eating it) whose name I forgot and can't pronounce anyway.  We both had a sweet lime soda sprinkled with the owner's unique blend of Indian spices.  Last night I could hear the Song of Scheherazade playing in the background. Oh I know Scheherazade isn't Indian but it's close.
  

Last night's dinner was exotic folks. Enchanting and mesmerizing. It would have been perfect if it wasn't for that one Screaming Kid. Oh yes, we had to endure yet another Screaming Kid, this one included a broken plate which he threw to the floor in a fit after not being paid enough attention to.  But what's dinner without the Screaming Kid?  

Arriving back to my host's home, I challenged him to yet another game of Scrabble.  I had yet to win.  He's been beating me like a red-headed step child.  

First game, he trounced me . . . . good.  Hey, I like Pat but now I'm starting to get a little seriously annoyed when he uses words like "EF" (for "F") and "ZEA" for what I don't know.  What really frustrates me is how I seem to feed him opportunities for double and triple word scores and bingos. Bingos are where the player uses all seven of his letters.  He gets an extra fifty points.  The other night I was winning up until the near end and Mr. Smug Face gets another bingo.

Well folks, I guess you know where this is going.  Our last game last night.  Mr. Cheshire Cat Grin is leading.  I'm getting good scores but he's getting better ones.  Then he gets yet another bingo!  I refuse to give up hope.  REFUSE.  I work the old brain.  I'm using brain cells that haven't been used in a long time.  In fact I think I used brain cells that have never been used because my head started to hurt. My hair even hurt.

Then, after struggling and going over and over the board I saw my opportunity.  There, in the corner was a triple word box.  I had a blank.  I could make a word out of all seven of my Scrabble tiles.  I can't believe it.  I look at the opening again.  Yes, yes . . . . . YES!

My turn arrives.  I lick my lips.  He sees I'm going to lay a Big One.  He still has his "Oh here he goes again with a made up word" smile.  I place my tiles.  Then I sit back.  He looks at the word that I placed:

C R U D I T E 

He gives me his Sylvester Cat I Ate the Canary smile and asks "That's a word?"  The corners of my mouth curl slightly into a smile and I challenge him "Look it up.  Go ahead."  

He looks at me again and then lifts his hand to the keyboard of the computer and enters C R U D I T E.

Crudités are traditional French appetizers consisting of sliced or whole raw vegetables^[1] which are sometimes dipped in a vinaigrette or other dipping sauce. Crudités often include celery sticks, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, and asparagus spears; sometimes olives, depending on local custom.

"Crudités" (plural) derives similarly as English "crude", in that both are ultimately from Latin "crūdus", meaning "raw", later "crūditās", meaning "undigested food", then French "crudité" (singular), for "uncooked food".^[1]

A celery and carrot crudite platter

"What happened?"

He looks back at me again, slowly realizing he LOST. 

"Well, I'll be a tick on a hound's butt - you won!"

Ah yes, victory is mine.  Final score 361 (me) to 336 (the loser).  

"Congratulations Ron!"

Prior to my blowout bingo word he was leading 318 to my 271.

The vanquished

Ah, victory is sweet.  I slept well last night.

Now for the trip home to Delaware. 

Thank you to my most gracious host, Patrick.