50's Farmer: Games People Play

“Oh, the games people play now, every night and every day now. . . .”

There are all kinds of card games, Pinochle, Canasta, many types of poker (some folks play five or six nights a week), and Hand-and-Foot. That’s a new one on me.

It’s a bit like Canasta, which I have forgotten how to play, and somewhat like Rummy. It takes multiple decks of cards. You have to have “books” of matched cards, no runs. The game I watched, they played partners, boys versus girls, four people per table. For most people, that is one night per week.

There’s the real biggie, BINGO! That’s Thursday nights (mostly ladies, I think). Then there are day games, like Bocce ball. I’m not sure how to play it. It looks like shuffleboard in the sand. (Nope, no shuffleboard, this isn’t a cruise ship.)

And there is Blongo balls. Golf balls with holes drilled through them and tied two to a cord are tossed at a frame with three horizontal cross members. You toss the corded balls at the frame, trying to wrap the cords around the cross members I’m not sure how it’s scored, but you get more points for wrapping around the lower sticks.

There is beanbag baseball. It’s like traditional beanbag toss, throwing the bags at a slanted board with holes drilled in it. The holes are labelled “HR” (homerun), “S" (single), “D” (double), “T” (triple) and “O” (out). The square at the bottom is for foul ball—you get another throw. You have two teams, each player gets three bags to throw. If none of the beanbags go into a hole, it is an out, just like baseball.

The game is set up like a miniature baseball diamond infield with a home plate and three bases. The board sits about where the pitcher’s mound would be. The thrower stands at home plate. It’s played like baseball, with each “batter” getting to advance to the appropriate base if she lands a beanbag in one of the openings.

There are other activities, not necessarily games, like Yoga, or line dancing (ooh) and water aerobics when the weather allows (it was 26 degrees Friday morning!).

A gym accommodates those who prefer a little more strenuous activity.

There are less-organized games, too. A pool room (with somewhat undersized tables) and a ping pong table get plenty of use. We are probably the only ones to use one of two horshoe pits.

No excuse for being bored or inactive here in the desert. I haven’t mentioned all the hobbies folks indulge in, such as quilting, sewing, wood carving, gourd decorating, and anything else you want to start.

The many activities attract people to the RV Park rather than owning or renting house or condo. You miss all the fun and games if you trade the comforts of a home for the confinements of an RV (although some of the RV’s are huge).

Roswell addendum: I took time out from game-playing to sort through photos.