A Few Days in Feilding: Interesting people, Scrabble and Saint Petersburg

I'm home.

One of the Good Things about going away to tournaments is that you meet some lovely people. Sometimes you also see new places although on the whole all I saw was one new croquet club (Feilding), a new (rather old) motel room and a bit of Feilding by night which is rather less than inspiring, presumably, than Feilding by day which, to be frank, does not strike one as the tiniest bit inspiring.

I did, however, have a wonderful time.

I arrived in Feilding early on Tuesday evening. A married couple from our own Club were already there. They very kindly took me under their wing. The evening started with a little relaxation and a Thai carry-out that was both delicious and contained more food than I suspect the average Somalian family has in a week. It was then announced that Tuesday was their Scrabble night. Now there are certain things in life I have never liked and managed to avoid with great success. Scrabble is one of those things. Board games is another.

However I decided that, in delightful company, even a game of Scrabble was better than reading even a good book in an indifferent motel room with nowhere even to go for a decent walk. I had a great time. I came third, of course, but next time.....

I seem to have arrived at a stage in life when not only am I doing new things but have discovered that it is a good idea to go back and have another try of some of the things one has previously tried and discarded.

The next night we went out for a meal and then played Saint Petersburg: a board game in which you acquire workers for income, build buildings for fame, and attract aristocrats to your city in order to gain the most fame at the end of the game. Ignorance is bliss. I chose the correct strategy and won. The next night we played again. I chose the incorrect strategy and lost. But next time......

Good Heavens! The next thing I will be attempting cryptic crosswords. Bye the way what is "Beef or game" in 6?"