A few years ago, George and I started attending the annual Hearts Party at church that they hold around Valentine's Day. Since I was not a Heart player, I was slightly intimidated and wanted very much not to make a fool of myself. This feeling was accentuated by the fact that at the end of the evening, they crowed a King and Queen of Hearts, (people who had the lowest scores), and they announced the Joker...the person who had the highest score. They make these announcements of the winners in church and I desperately did not want to be announced the next morning at the church service as the "joker". I was so desperate, that it almost sorta ruined the fun for me.
I won't go into the long version here, but I played so well the second year that I attended, that I was the Queen of Hearts. It was incredibly lucky, since I am not an experienced Heart player. The third, fourth and fifth year of this event, the job of hosting this event has fallen to me by default. So, I made a few new rules: the evening would start earlier, at 7 p.m.; the evening would entail only three games instead of four, so we would be out of there long before 11:00 p.m., which was way too late for most of us; and there would be NO Joker. Woohoo. No one has to be recognized to the congregation as the worst card player of the evening. The person who had the highest score could leave merrily on their way knowing that their misfortune (or just stupid card playing) would not be announced to the whole congregation in the morning.
These were very good changes, and everyone likes them. Typically, about thirty people come, and this year it will be held on February 11th in the church fellowship hall. People bring delicious snacks and desserts, and we always have a really good time. George and I will set the tables and make up the score sheets and get out the Moon Hat the the person wears who "shoots the moon".
We are going out Saturday night to play Hearts at our friend's house. Pizza and cards. And a little much needed practice!
Have a great day!
