Chinese Checkers

One of my favorite things to do at my Granna and Poppa's house while growing up was to play Chinese Checkers. We'd finish dinner and dessert, clear the dishes and pull out the old checker board (it's from the forties I'm told!) I loved the feel of those big heavy marbles in my hand. I loved putting them in their spots and hopping them around the board. Mostly I loved the comraderie, joking, thinly veiled threats (all in the spirit of play of course) and the anticipation -- who would win?? Well, it was never me. But I loved being there with my family, playing, and smiling . . . AND the fact that we always got to stay up much later than our usual bedtime. The adults would get just as engrossed as us kids and time would fly right out the window. My Great Aunt Lee, James, Me, Poppa, and Great Uncle Bobby. I was seven (I think).
Well, imagine my happy nostalgia when after a wonderful supper -- with my grandparents, my dadrabbit, my visiting uncle Rick, my kids and my husband -- my Granna said we could pull out that old board and play. I was so excited that Aurelia was finally old enough to really play this game in the way that I have such good memories of! And yes, we did eat supper and dessert and do the dishes just like when I was a kid, and YES -- they did get to stay up MUCH later than their usual bedtime!

Uncle Rick with Oliver, Aurelia, (her GREAT) Granna, Dadrabbit, Jason and Ezra. Poppa was doing something else when I took this photo.
Granna helping Aurelia with her strategies.
Jason playing in Ezra's "name". He came in first. Aurelia in second, Grandy in third and Uncle Rick in fourth. I wasn't playing -- for the sake of time! They kind of look like twins!