J-E-A-N-E-T-T-E . . . . . . . . W-I-N-S

That's right everyone, listen up, because I have set aside this particular posted space for a little bragging rights. Erik and I spent our two years of dating, at my parents' house playing Scrabble. He won all the time. I didn't let it bother me because I was in the market of making him mine. It worked. Letting him win all those games, finally paid off, and he proposed. We've spent the last (almost) 16 years playing games in the evenings. Our favorites being Scrabble, Boggle, Big Boggle, and Uno. There have been occassions, here and there, in the word games when I actually win. Doesn't happen very often, and more often than not I'm not the overall winner for all the rounds we play. We have some great friendly banter that goes on, and we don't give each other much slack (we challenge each other's words all the time). The dictionary is our friend! He just wins most of the time, and it's not that I'm not smart . . . he just knows some really funky words, and then he makes up some doosey ones too that often CAN be found in the dictionary, and then of course, there's the fact that we play at night (generally after my bedtime) and my motherly brain can't turn off enough to concentrate properly Truth be told, it's actually been a long time since we've sat down to play a game, so last night we took some time to play Scrabble. In Scrabble if you can use all of your tiles to make a word, you get an extra 50 points. I think that in all the times we've played that game, I've only ever used all of my tiles once. That's pretty pitiful odds, especially since Erik uses all of his tiles all of the time. Last night was no different. I was so excited that I had a 7 letter word on my little tile holder, but the man I'm married to, used the coveted spot on the board where I was going to lay out my word, to put his own 3 letter word. Yes, he could have put his word elsewhere, and I pointed that out to him. But no, he left it there. I finally had to dismantle my 7 letter wonder, and use it for 3 and 4 letter words instead. It was a sad time for me. Erik was fixed in his resolve though, and was not going to let my womanly guiles persuade him to just give me the extra 50 points anyway. He won. 264 to 216. Perhaps feeling a little compassion for my sadness, he offered to let me start the next game. I didn't want to, and I tried to get him to go first, but he obviously didn't like the tiles he had picked and was hoping that I would lay down some useful tiles. I, amazingly, had 6 letters, that if given enough time, I could maybe manipulate into a longer word, and had one odd-man-out tile that I didn't need. I was hoping that he would start and give me something to go on - then maybe I could actually use ALL of my tiles. But nope, he was determined that I - the loser- go first. Obnoxiously, I layed down my odd ball tile, the letter "I" in the center of the board. He laughed at my gall, and then I saw it! I could use that "I" to make a different word. Still laughing, he told me that I could use the letter "I" as my word if I wanted, but with fake irritation I snatched back my "I" tile, and announced, with much dejection (fake of course) that "No, I would make a different word, just for him." And then . . . I laid it out. S-U-L-K-I-E-R Count them. 7 letters, in deed. I got my points doubled because I had gone first, and then was given an extra 50 for using all of my letters. The shock was clearly evident on his face. The irony of the last game's near miss, and then having a 7 letter word right off the bat this game, was too funny. But that wasn't it! I went on to make two more words using all of my letters both times. L-O-V-I-N-G-L-Y and G-A-S-O-L-I-N-E. 3 words * 1 game * 150 extra points. It was a miracle! The game was nearing completion, and I had in my possession the possibility of laying out all my tiles again. I just needed an "S" strategically placed. But no dice. It didn't work out, and I finally had to dismantle the possible word. Erik began bragging that despite my amazing words, he now had more points than I. How could this happen? A stroke of luck like that, and I was still going to lose? But as I placed my final tile on the board, making a mere 4 point word, Erik exclaimed in disbelief. I had won! Erik's score? 342. My score? 343!!! To quote Erik, "UNBELIEVABLE!!!" Yes, I agree. It WAS unbelievable, but boy oh boy does victory taste sweet. Mmmm. Mmmmm! This kind of victory may not come for another 20 years, at which time I'll be 57 and he'll be almost 60. Therefore, being the good sport that he is, he agreed to pose for this picturesque moment - knowing full well that I would post it on the blog. Thanks dear. I love you! And although you are usually a WINNER in my book, last night, I'm proud to say, You were a great LOSER!!!