Day Twenty-Two: Connect to Old Games

I have one coronavirus goal. I want to teach my kids how to play hearts. I remember learning how to play on a screened in porch in the middle of a summer storm with cousins, brothers and one uncle who I think must have drawn the short straw of entertaining us that day. I remember laughing and losing and maybe, very occasionally, winning a game or two.

We’ve played pretty much every board game we own by this point. In our house, that’s saying something. So I’m forcing my kids to go back in time with me, to when a pack of cards and a tattered copy of Hoyle’s card game rulebook were enough for an afternoon’s entertainment.

At the same time, I have to remember that we did our fair share of arguing, fighting and even crying over games lost. Perhaps that’s part of the charm of it, remembering how serious we used to take it all. Well, I have the excuse (honor? responsibility?) of introducing my own children to the joys of rummy, gin, crazy eights and perhaps even poker.

What games did you like to play when you were young? Can you make time for them today?