It’s been a bit of a struggle to keep up with the 52 Ancestors Challenge over the last few weeks. A combination of real life and lack of inspiration have been conspiring against me, but I’m proud that I’ve kept up my participation in the challenge. We’re over a third of a year into it and I’m still going strong.
This week’s theme is “Social”. One social aspect of our extended family is part of the inspiration for the title of this blog, A Deck of Ancestors. The 52 weeks theme fits in with the idea of a deck of cards and the fact my family is crazy for cards.
When I was little, it seemed that there was always a game of cards going on whenever we visited family. The game that captivated me the most was cribbage, with its rapid game play, unique board and scoring system, and arcane language and what seemed to be strange incantations: “fifteen two, fifteen four, fifteen six…“. Even now, when all my siblings and I are at my folks for Christmas or special occasions, it does not take long for a card game to break out, which usually lasts late into the night. Sooner or later, significant others and spouses are assimilated into the tradition.
My maternal grandfather taught me how to play when I was six or seven. Heaven forbid if you didn’t follow all his customs in the way you shuffled, cut cards, or played the game. The last time I visited him before he passed away, we spent most of the day playing cribbage. It is a wonderful memory that I still cherish.
In addition to cards, board games were a huge part of our family life when I was a kid. My siblings and I often would receive a board game for Christmas or our birthdays. Games are also a huge part of our home with our kids. I still have a few of the games I had as a kid, plus we have a great selection of more current games.
Not long ago, I also taught our eldest cribbage. Of course, the time I get one of the best hands of my life was our first actual game together. He was too inexperienced to appreciate what I had, and it’s not all that fun getting a hand like that against a kid playing for the first time.
A Deck of Ancestors 