Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Pinochle

As a young child, I grew up playing Pinochle with my parents and twin sister. It is a card game I love. When I got married to a guy in the Navy, he knew how to play it also since they played it on the ship during down time. So as a young married couple with no children, we had Pinochle marathons with another couple "in same boat" so to speak.

We would start on a Friday night at one of our apartments and play Racehorse Pinochle all night. We took time to eat dinner first, provided by the host couple. Then we would go to the other couples' apartment in another part of town and eat breakfast there and play cards until lunch when we would go back to the original couple's place and eat lunch and play Pinochle 'til supper and then traveling to our last destination at the other home, play cards 'til midnight. Then, Sunday was our church day and day of rest. lol

Sleep? Shower? Are you kidding?

It was one of my fondest memories.

As a single Mom with three kids I had my own Pinochle team! Ü When the kids were quite small but in school, I taught them how to play Pinochle by cheating. . . YES, CHEATING.


We dealt out the cards to each and then I had them lay down their cards and I did likewise. Then I showed them what would count for score and what to take a chance on. Before long, they could play without showing their hands and I took turns being partners with each. They became masters at Pinochle when they were all still in grade school. It was one of the best memories I have of my whole family doing something together.

There have been a few times I got a team together since but not a regular thing. I really miss it. Now I live in a big complex that has a recreation room and we are going to start another Pinochle group soon. I already have one taker and put "sign up sheets" in the elevators. We plan to start next month soon as we get organized! I can hardly wait. Now where did I put my cards? Maybe it is time to buy a new deck?

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POSTSCRIPT: I was looking at Google for an image to include with this post since i have none presently and "lookie" what I found under my search for Racehorse Pinochle Cards:

Jenny McB
240 x 180 - 22k - jpg
jennymcb.blogspot.com

and a picture of her kitty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't that the strangest thing? Well, maybe not since she did write about playing cards in one of her recent blogs and that was one of my search words!

4 comments:

Love Bears All Things said...

I'm glad you've found interest in Pinochle. I have never played but do love playing both card and board games. I like the challenge and the companionship. You'll make some new friends in your building this way.
Mama Bear
Pina Colada is a drink starting with P.

Jenny McB said...

That is so weird...really weird. Pinochle sounds like fun with people. I have played it on line, but the computer does all the scoring.

Love Bears All Things said...

Paulie, I went back and read some of your older posts. I wanted to find out more about your move. You were talking of moving into a house with others but now you're in a building?
We have some more things in common: Strawberry Daiquiris without whipped cream, married in '67, son named Todd, Washing canning jars/small hands, penny candy, gardening when growing up
Mama Bear

Katney said...

I grew up playing pinochle, too. But we played double pinochle without the nines.

When I worked at the emplyment office there was a running game during break time. It was weird. Besides having to learn regular pinochle rules, I had to figure out the system. Since breakes were fifteen minutes long, the first people taking a break wtarrted the game, when they had to go back to work someone else would pick up. I can't even imagine the scoring any more.

I haven't played in years. And I've played bunco once only. It was fun, though.