Braunston, old friends and Yahtzee

Saturday started with a walk around the church and a visit to the lovely village shop and fabulous butcher. 

For one reason and another I spent a fair amount of time in these parts when I was a teenager and while here I had a very good, loyal friend. We shared a lot of sorrow and a lot of fun.  As we walked the path together there was always something very comforting to know the other was there. Always. Regardless.

Over the years, as ever, we parted and when I noticed my Easter trip would take me near where we met I decided I would look my friend up. Again.

We had many years to catch up on but as we sat having lunch it was clear the years hadn’t come between us.  Funny really. I looked across at her and thought just how special she was just as she looked across at me and said I was one in a million (in a good way).  There is something special about the bond we made in those days added to the security of the passage of time.

Just as my friends were leaving the coal boat arrived which pleased me no end as I was getting a bit neurotic about the contents (or not) of the diesel tank.

Then after a text from Oakfield promising pyramid tea bag tea I walked up to see them.  It was far too hot for any consumption of pyramids so I had a cold drink and a bit of a catch up. After that I walked on to see my friends Pete and Elizabeth on Bella.  I had just missed Pete taking a dip in the canal, great tragedy!  We had a lovely afternoon/evening together at Midland Chandlers and the pub followed by G&T and dinner on Bella. After supper we played Yahtzee…

Despite a game of it I am still puzzled about Yahtzee… apparently it is really simple and takes 5 seconds to learn. This does not bode well for my self respect for I was only just beginning to establish a few things by the end of the game (mostly not to be distracted).  Here are a few things that confused me:

Firstly: I was given a score card full of lines. Apparently you can score above and below THE line. It took me a while to work out which line.

Secondly: It is a game of chance, based on rules that require skill.

Thirdly: Secondly does not compute

Fourthly: After abandoning any thought about Secondly I found that getting wrapped up in the probability of scoring what you need (which is another matter altogether) by throwing 5 dice three times only holds one back.

Fifthly: Abandoning thought about the above points helps focus ones mind on the game.

The thing I did get was the dice. Normally one would have 5 dice with 6 sides each side numbered. Unsurprisingly on Bella things aren’t done what we might describe as ‘normally’ (this may be why I like them so much). The dice they used were more picture than number. They went something like this:

Ace = 1 which scored 3

nine = 2 which scored 6

ten = 3 which scored 9

jack = 4 which scored 12

queen = 5 which scored 15

king = 6 which scored 18

I considered this a nice pattern and rode on that for the entire game.  Apparently one always looses the first game. I take it that as I did lose I am now a threat to the Gray –King establishment so watch out people… I have turned champion over night.

 

Oh, and I fixed my puncture ( in the bicycle not me)