Last Summer

As the cold of winter reaches its height I'm daydreaming about the warmth of the summer and my solo expedition 2009. A train ride from North Carolina to Louisiana and Louisiana to California.

Games People Play

Ulcer Rummy is a variation of Rummy that my family has played for years. Although we are not very sure where it came from, it has been played as a family tradition at get-togethers as long as I can remember. As a young girl I was not often invited to play. That was okay, I decided, because "I didn't want to play that stupid game anyway". Our version was gambling. each family member who loved to play brought a bag of change with them every time they came over. I still remember the plastic bags filled with all sorts of change. I used to fill bags with washers pretending they were coins just so i could play. It never worked. And when they did let me play I had to borrow change from the family.

Over time I started to forget the rules. I was stubborn and decided Ulcer Rummy was boring. Now, a few months after my Grandmother died, I regained my interest. My sister saved a copy of the game - she was always a fan; had her own bag of change. I decided to post the rules for others who used to play versions of the game.