and her name is not Laura (though I appreciate everyone’s belief in me).
When last we met, I’d won a round of Just Dance. I added my sticker to the board (an homage to the nascent dark side) and otherwise turned my back on the Stupid(ish) Scoreboard.
Ignoring the grid turned out to be pretty easy since we had so many wonderful, non-competition distractions. As mentioned in the past, we all pretty much go our separate ways during the days. Saturday morning, JoAnne, Jeannette and Mary planned to lunch at the casino on the property. Just before 2 pm, JoAnne texted that Jeannette won big on the $5 slots. Much happy dancing from Nora — along with the strict instructions to come back NOW!
They stayed and won a bit more but the news and excitement spread among us quickly.
Then Kat arrived with her magic fascinator and her thrilling news. (We knew she was pregnant, but waited until the first trimester was cleared to share.) If all goes according to schedule, Nana will share a birth month with the baby. As for names, everyone in the room had opinions. For some reason my suggestions of Cornelius or Aloysius were not welcomed with open arms.
Kat and Jason have plenty of time to decide, and in all probability we’ll only share the name when the Young Master arrives.
After painting on Sunday night, we had to get a couple more rounds of games on the record to help Kat and me catch up and to accommodate Pat’s early departure. Later, we realized that departure was not because of another trip but to flee the scoreboard results (they don’t lie).
Scrabble is either the apex or the nadir of the competition — depending on where you sit by Kat or Elaine or your particular talent in pulling all consonants or all vowels. I placed a respectable third in my first round and happily retired from the field.
In the end, it came down to Elaine and Kat (did anyone doubt this?). They played a Monday night death match semifinal with Nicole and JoAnne that lasted forever (ok maybe 2 hours). Since Kat left Tuesday they decided to rest their brains overnight and play the final match on Tuesday morning.
To summarize: Kat played well ahead until — and we can blame pregnancy brain — she left herself wide open for Elaine to put EQUIP on a triple word with triple letter for Q. While she played valiantly, Kat couldn’t overcome that and Elaine took the Scrabble prize.
Tuesday night, Elaine — defending champion btw — faced Sarah in Just Dance and JoAnne in bowling.
Their faces say everything about the dancing — plus Nora just danced for the heck of it.
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In the best of three, Elaine barely squeaked by.
After dinner, Elaine and Jo started the final round of bowling. Remember, friends, that Jo and I have shared Biggest Loser through the years. This year, she won the wild card round (through bowling) and made the finals in bowling.
Elaine was ahead through nine frames and it looked like we’d have an early coronation, but JoAnne bowled four strikes in a row to take that prize!
What to do? Elaine and JoAnne each had two wins, but there’s only one crown (and necklace that was the ultimate prize). I reminded Nora that tiebreakers in the past were the mega bowling on Wii — there are more pins to strike every frame. All agreed that was the way to name the winner.
Long story very short, JoAnne was on fire and won. And all was right with the world turned upside down.
Pat, btw, was biggest loser in absentia, but I fixed that with some tape and a tablet.
After that, we celebrated with Reverse Charades — because how else would one end a week of spa and games?
Thus ends another Spa Girl week. What did we learn this year? That the scoreboard is stupid if I let it be. Ignoring is a smart move on my part (ok, and so is a lot of sarcasm).
Everyone is a winner. Except Pat this year.
And from Ireland to Pennsylvania, sheep are the theme of my spring.
Laura
You’re a good sport. The games deal wouldn’t be my cup of tea. Love, love the sheep photos!
A new life! Most exciting news of all!!! All the best to Kat and hoping for a quick labor and a healthy and happy baby!!!
Think it is fantastic that all of you enjoy each other’s company and continue to do this!!!
Safe travels.
Aloysios, are you a Preston and Child fan? Love the Agent Pendergast series.
I am so terrible at playing games and knowing this about myself I also turn clumsy and my being terrible and clumsy I also get nervous and add that to the terrible, clumsy and nervous list embarrassment sets in. I am the Queen of two games. Gin Rummy and phase 10. Lady luck seems to be with me there but the rest.. umm no.
I am really happy to hear that you all had a great time. That’s got to be the best feeling that there is, to be among girlfriends.
It would be awesome if Kat had her baby on Nora’s birthday or mine. I am very excited about the new baby. I bet all of you are not excited.
Have a awesome time and I love the sheep photos. They are gorgeous. xxx Beth
That was supposed to say but very excited. You will have to excuse my phone. It types what ever it wants to, not what words I put in. 🙁
I am probably the least competitive person on the planet. Mostly because I know my fate is to lose most games of skill. Winning or losing aside, it sounds like you all had a roaring good time! I’m so glad!
l play Words With Friends with an 88-year-old friend in California, who could give Kat and Elaine a run for their money. She’s a wizard at finding multi-word solutions. She can kick butt in canasta, too! I don’t have enough of a competitive spirit, I just like playing the games. So glad you all had fun and many, many happy congrats to Kat & family on the upcoming happiness!
I am so glad that everyone had a good time. Laura, I am proud of you! You didn’t let the scoreboard psych you out. I’m not good at games, except Scrabble and Jeopardy. I guess my years of reading 4 books a week and doing crossword puzzles have built up my trivia and weird words knowledge (that’s what my daughter claims).
Nora is still the biggest winner, having her friends with her for a week and a new grandson coming. You cannot top that!
I’m glad that you all had a good time. Now you will all be well rested to face the onslaught of two book releases. All of the reviews you’ve been posting for Shelter in Place are driving me crazy! I can hardly wait to get my hands on it.
I hope Kat isn’t having morning sickness. If so, let’s hope it ends quickly.
You all seem to have the greatest time . . . may you have a very restful weekend, with much-deserved sleep and lots of adult beverages. Cheers!
Love the sheep! I believe all of you are winners because you have such good friends to share your time with.
I’m terrible at sports,and games, so you have my sympathy. Congrats, you weren’t last!
So glad you enjoyed Spa Girl week. I think ignoring the scoreboard was a good strategy. Sounds like another success overall for a friends get together. Your sheep photos are beautiful; you take the best pictures and they ALWAYS enhance the narrative.
Your Spa trip sounds like a blast glad you had so much fun.
Congratulations Kat and Jason. Hope you have a great pregnancy! Laura, glad you didn’t come in as biggest loser this year. Looks like a fun. I love Girl Time. See you at GNO!
On the scrabble board, what is purin, staw, gan and hae please? As an enthusiastic scrabble player, I haven’t come across these and neither my dictionary or the online one help…
We allowed use of the online scrabble dictionary this year. Purin= a Japanese pudding; staw = stall; gan = a Chinese dialect or simple past tense of gin (the verb, not the alcohol) and hae = have (Scot).
Laura
Girls week(end) sounds like it was fun as always. Congrats to Kat and Jason!
So, I guess the name Aurelius would be a no go too?
Little Aurie. I like the name and the philosopher the name comes from.
Congratulations to the new mom and the new nana!!