Each month a group of ladies gather to play Bunco (a dice game).

Last night was Aunt Pink’s turn to be hostess, and I was invited to attend as a “sub.” Aunt Pink is the mother of my dear friend, Ann. Sometimes I call her “Mom,” because she makes me feel so much like a part of their family.

Most folks outside the family call her “Aunt Pink.” Her great grandchildren call her “Grand Pink.” Two of them live next door to her, and get to visit her often — and get to enjoy one of her delicious fried pies each time she gets the skillet out. That was our treat last night — apricot, apple, or cherry — all home made and wonderful. In days past, she has been known to make, fry, and sell hundreds at a time — up to eleven different fillings.

Her theme last night was “Red, White, and Blue” — a memorial for 9/11. She printed special score cards from her computer! Even the M&M’s in each bowl on the Bunco tables were red, white, and blue. She had everything decorated with these colors and even had a “Welcome” sign on her front porch with a vase of roses. She, of course, gave credit for much of the work to her helpers — Amy, Brad, Ann, Freda, and Barbara.

Bunco is a fun game that I learned through this group’s invites for the past couple of years. To hear someone describe it, you’d never believe it is any fun — you throw 3 dice trying to get a six. Each time you get a six, you get one point, and you get another throw. If you throw all sixes, you have a “Bunco.” BUT, when a Bunco occurs, any one at the table can cover the dice and thus add that count to their score. If all three dice are close together, it’s fairly easy to cover them all, but usually they are spread out and we are all scrambling trying to cover each one. It is fun, and you move to another table with a different partner after each game, so the visitation is spread out.

We all had a very good time at Aunt Pink’s, and she was gracious to send home two fried pies home with me for Terry. They are both “gone” now!

Next Tuesday I’ll pick Aunt Pink up at her home and we’ll go to our monthly investment club meeting. She is a very active member of that club as well — makes quarterly stock study reports on her assigned stock, Home Depot. She keeps track of it using her computer!

Thank you, Aunt Pink, for a fun Bunco night and for being such an inspiration to all of us! Happy Grandparents Day!