The 2005 Mah Jongg card has recently arrived.  It always comes around Passover.  Maybe it's our "Exodus" out of the house.

I started playing Mah Jongg thirty-five years ago with four other women.  We all had young children so we greatly looked forward to 8:30pm every Monday as our escape to gossip and to talk to real adults.  What did we discuss?  Our kids.  One of our Moms had a little baby so one of us would do the late night feeding for her.  We started at 8:30, stopped at 11:00, and had dessert.  Now, when we play, we start at 7:30pm and eat licorice and fruit.  We do, however, celebrate birthdays with ice cream cake; and engagements, weddings and new grandchildren with champagne.

Our discussions now are still about our children and about our super grandchildren.  We analyze (and criticize) how our grandchildren are being raised and often try to solve the problems of the world.  Nothing like Jewish grandmothers to solve "all" the problems.

We haven't played thirty-five consecutive years.  We stopped for about ten when we all went to work and fourteen years ago started again with our original group.

Why do we look forward to Monday nights and Mah Jongg?  It's a relaxing game (not requiring the intense concentration of bridge).  We play $4 pie (the most you can lose) and save $5 a week to treat our husbands to dinner or a show several times a year.  Funny story:  once someone won $7.  We said she could now buy a diamond tiara.  The following week, I bought one of those New Year's Eve tiaras.  The sequins are falling off, but we still pass it around to "big winners."

The Maj ladies have formed a special bond.  We've shared great times and been there for each other in bad times.  It's important at any age to have that special group.

Mah Jongg is a good way to meet people in a new community.  While you are learning the game, you can get to know each other.

Years ago, I guess we could say, our Maj ladies were an outlet.  Using today's vernacular, I'd have to say, it's always been a support group.

So, ladies, buy a Mah Jongg set, order your cards from the National Mah Jongg League and have fun.

Just remember what my mother used to say, "I wish for you, everything you wish for yourself."

Buddee

By the way, if you have any questions, or have ideas for something you’d like me to write about, email my daughter and she’ll tell me (I’d say to email me, but…well…let’s just say I’d won’t be giving advice on how to use a computer.)

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