Company Christmas Party

This morning I should be writing about how great our company Christmas party was last night. Not to mention giving the first ski report of the season as the party was to be hosted at the Sunday River Ski Resort. We had rooms booked, dinner and the usual open bar. Ahh but it was not to be as the Grinch stole Christmas. Last Thursday as we watched our companies stock dip even closer to zero, the announcement was made "All Christmas Parties are to be cancelled". So, I don't know how much it cost to cancel the party but none the less the plug was pulled at the last minute. It was the right thing to do because if we filed Ch. 11 bankruptcy in the next month or so, they (the ski resort) would most have likely gotten stiffed on the bill.

So, rather than spend the night at a xmas party after skiing the day away. I spent the day sanding and staining the legs of the new dining room table. Then, so the night wasn't a total loss we went to a friends house for Chinese and a robust game of spades.

Now I am a competitive card player and I don't like to lose. Having spent many a day at sea with nothing better to do than play cards I have logged more than a few hours at the card table. Not poker or any money games just spades, hearts and cribbage mostly. So I think I know how to play the game. This creates problems and partner games like spade are the worst.

I find myself constantly trying to coach my partner. Not table talk during the play but after each hand I may comment on how things could have played differently or how to have bid a certain hand. This is often mistaken for criticism and can irritate my partner. I know this and yet I don't seem to be able to stop after all I am just trying to help them become a better player. Why would someone not want to become better? My comment of "you should have trumped with a higher card on that queen because that suit had already played twice and you should know you are not the only one going trump" is usually met with a blank stare or the question "what queen" as my partner has long since forgotten the hand played.

Now that brings up another point. Should H. have to be my partner? After all she chose to marry me so shouldn't she have to suffer through this constant "help"? Should the person who just happen to draw a high or low card close to mine be the subject of my constant "improvement advise"? Well last night H. didn't have the privilege of having me as a partner. Our friends pure unsuspecting wife was thrown into the hot seat by choosing too low of a card from the deck. Yes I proved that you can win the game and still have a bad time doing it. We won, but I am not sure she realized it. After all of my "help" I think she felt she had done nothing correct all night and may never play again. Sorry! On the plus side, I didn't have to go home with her and we did win!!

No, I think we all had fun. Maybe? I hope? Did I mention we won?