Update on break week; fun Saturday

[cherydactyl]

It's been a busy "break" week in my household. My two kidlins and I kept ourselves busy with playdates, errands, some extra videos from the library, and a spot of sledding. The snow this week kept us from adventures further afield as I had planned...I didn't really want to go to Cranbrook during a snow advisory, for example.

Yesterday, I got to go walking with shekkara at the county farm park, which was a challenge due to the snow. Powdery and several inches deep, it made walking rather more of a slog. We didn't see any other walkers in the park itself, but we did see a number of cross-country skiers. A pair of walkers passed us on the sidewalk along Washtenaw when we took a loop around the park instead of through. I felt kind of funny about that...we need to pick up the pace a bit, I guess. There's still lots of time before the Freep Half Marathon in the fall. I am rather jealous of the cross-country skiers. I want some skis!!

Then I came home and had just enough time to shower, season the soup in the crock cooker, and clean up a little bit before our first gamer guest arrived for some 18XX action. I spent the first hour or so shooting the breeze with guests and preparing more food while I tried to herd us into playing 1861; I got my wish. The kids watched movies and played games and tried to get our guests to tickle them, mostly successfully. It amuses me greatly that I was still able to beat the competition, even though I was doing a fair amount of cooking and hostessing through the game. Women playing 18XX games are rather a rarity, so it gives me great satisfaction when I show I can play well. I've passed 'resigned' on this issue of hostessing and gone on to be able to say I enjoy being able to cook for people and still play well. I guess it's just what I get for playing a "man's game." :) 1861 is definitely my current favorite among 18XX games...I will have to look in to getting a copy when I have a little extra cash.

Unfortunately, it looks like illyaa may have gotten the nasty flu that's going around. It didn't show up until yesterday evening after our guests had left, in the form of a fever. My best guess is he got something from tammylc, because she's been battling infection after infection for several weeks, and he saw her briefly earlier this week. I fervently hope the rest of us can escape whatever ick he has. *crosses fingers* He's on the couch snoring gently as I write.

I helped older daughter S make breakfast this morning, then cleaned and sanitized the kitchen in an effort to kill any stray viruses. Take that!!! There's stew in the crock cooker for dinner later (beef, shallots, garlic, red potatoes, carrots, rosemary, black pepper, bay laurel, and the remainder of a bottle of wine I had left in the fridge). I plan to get out the the library with the kids today, and I hope to tackle my desk too, as the paper tigers have rather multiplied this week.

Comments

[shekkara.livejournal.com]

I was surprised to be passed, too. We were doing a steady pace. Perhaps that trek in the snow tired us more than we realized, or got us to temporarily redefine what we thought was quick. I feel fine today. Doesn't even feel like I did anything yester day, which I guess is good.

[bitter-lily.livejournal.com]

Let's make a deal: I'll comment on your 18xx posts if you comment on mine! It's great that you're able to do so well. I usually fail to foresee some critical move that either I should have made or someone else will consider obvious for them to make. ::sigh:: But I enjoy the games so much. And Train Gamer and the other guy who wins all the time have decided to make a concession to reduce what the other guy calls "the level of hatred and discontent." He's afraid of the whole table ganging up on him from the start of a game, simply because he usually does well. So I and the other not-so-good players in our usual group have a handicap now. Truthfully, I play because the games are fun.

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

:) Sounds good.

One thing I like about 1861 is that when a railroad fails it gets nationalized, but the owner is compensated at a reduced price for the acquisition. It let me get a 3-train for one of my other companies at a net cost of R50 to me...I paid 270 for the green minor, laid a bit of track, bought a 3-train with it, bought the 3-train into one of my yellow minor companies that went later in the OR, and relinquished the green minor to the Russian state railroad for a payout of 220 at the end of the OR. *big grin* It only works if you have the cash in hand to do it with, though I could have done it for less and had the company take out loans, come to think of it.

[bitter-lily.livejournal.com]

Oops! I forgot the ordinary comment: I hope Illyaa feels better soon, and the rest of your family isn't affected!

[pattimst3k.livejournal.com]

I hope everyone else stay healthy!! See you next week for our walk :)

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I hope your dinner party was a great success, and I'm sorry I missed it. See you next weekend. :)

[tlatoani.livejournal.com]

It was a blast. Seriously.

[pattimst3k.livejournal.com]

Hey thanks! I'm glad you could come! We'll make sure you both come out for Halloween. I want more of that cake!!!!!

[pattimst3k.livejournal.com]

We'll just make sure you come to our Halloween party :) I'm so glad we met in real life, Cheryl!

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

*wipes away a tear* Ah, you have touched me. Thank you. It's a date. :)

[dspitzle.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, I'm beginning to get a handle on the general 18XX thought process, but I'm really not yet seeing the big picture of "moving the train supply now would be bad for me"; as I commented Saturday, I tend to want to stay at the front of the tech curve, which really isn't all that worthwhile on its own merits. On the other hand, I have to wonder whether ditching the D company the first time I considered it might have been better than waiting, as getting the buyout money earlier could have been useful. Anyway, thanks for having me over again. The soup was great, but I'd be happy to contribute towards ordering food in if that would make your life easier for future sessions.

[cherydactyl.livejournal.com]

You're welcome to bring any food that you like; I used to get really peeved at illyaa because it seemed like I was doing all the food and making sure people had drinks, etc. etc. and not getting to really pay attention playing. I don't feel that way anymore...I enjoy being able to juggle it, and I enjoy making food that people like. I'm very, very glad you liked the soup...it was a 'make it up as I go along' kind of venture, as much of my cooking is. I'm actually quite proud of that skill. I just hope I didn't make anybody feel unwelcome by being busy/not quite ready for prime time for a short while.