Canasta

This morning I taught Caroline how to play Canasta, an old card game my grandparents taught me when I was a kid. It's a complicated game with many rules played with two decks of cards. The only people I knew who played the game were Jewish, so I always thought the game originated in Europe. I was wrong. It originated in South America. Interesting.

Anyway, I've been playing Canasta for as long as I could hold thirteen cards in my hands, which is as long as I can remember. Playing Canasta while visiting my grandparents is one of my fondest memories of childhood. I'm a good card player and I impressed my grandparents. I lived for things like that.

It also reminds me of fond memories of my friend Chris Mason. Chris and I would get together (in more recent times) to play Canasta. She's the only person outside of my family that I've ever met who knew how to play the game. She'd come over, bearing gifts of deli meat for my cat, Jack, and we'd play cards all afternoon. People don't do that kind of stuff anymore. Just get together and play cards. Maybe I'll organize a card playing night with my friends.

Anyway, Chris has since passed away from cancer. My only Canasta partner in town. I'm very excited that Caroline wants to learn. She's a good card player. I know once she gets the hang of it, she'll be a very worthy opponent. It doesn't hurt that I'm giving away some of my strategies along with the rules.

Something about Canasta just makes me feel at home. I hope we play with our children after dinner. Serve Canasta with coffee and vanilla ice cream.