Busy Days at AJ

We are in the swing of activities now.

Last weekend was the beginning of a Bocce Ball tournement that Barb and I participated in. There were over 30 people who were competing and partners were assigned by the drawing of numbers. Barb and I both played on Friday and Saturday in what is called a double elimination. I am learning about sporting terms. Double elimination means that everyone plays two rounds for sure and you continue on with the competition as long as you keep winning. So you have to "not win" two games before you are out. Barb and her partner did not win two games so they are out. My partner and I won one and lost one. This morning we play another team who also lost one and won one. We are really enjoying bocce ball. It is similar to bowling only done on a sand court outside. The object is to roll your team's ball close to the "palimo(?)", which is a small white ball that is rolled out first. So it is a fun game and we are now athletes!

This week is the beginning of Chanukkah. There will be Chanukkah celebration in the clubhouse on Wednesday evening. We will light the Chanukkah candles, eat potato latkes and applesauce, and play music. This morning we need to be at the clubhouse to decorate it for Chanukkah.

Barb has many responsibilities as the chairperson of the cards and games committee. There are weekly scheduled card games, like Euchre, scrabble, Mexican Train. One day a week new games are taught; last Friday was Pinnocle. In addition, poker matches and tournements are scheduled three days a week. Loving cards as she does, she not only schedules the games, she plays them. Great fun for her!

Bailey is adjusting very well to the environment here and to our schedule. He is meeting other dogs and learning to play with them. For the first several days, when he saw another dog, he would tuck his tail and run. But now he is getting a bit more friendly and will go up and touch noses. There are so many people with dogs here that he has just had to learn to be comfortable with them. We took him to the dog run yesterday to play with two Westie Terriers. They wanted to run and play. Bailey was very intimitated at first. He would hide under Barb's chair. Of course, once Lucy and Blanche started ignoring him, he crept out and started sniffing them. Then they would turn and want to play; he would run back under the chair. Eventually he started to get comfortable. It was very amusing to watch the interaction. We will do this again next week.

Need to get ready for another busy day...........

Happy Chanukkah,
Barb and Linda