NJM #12 - Mahjong in These Foolish Things

Yesterday I wrote about how I hadn’t heard back from Maria regarding going to see that musician she loves. I know she’s been in a funk lately, so I’ve been worried about her.

Today, while on my morning walk with Martini, she sent a text back telling me she can’t make it - no explanation.

So I pushed. I asked her if she wanted me to come over or if she wanted to have coffee and talk. After more pushing, she eventually told me to come over…we could walk the dogs and then she asked me if I wanted her daughter to teach me to play mahjong. Her daughter is part of a big group here who get together every week to play. It’s a huge deal.

Now, I’ve seen mahjong being played in China before, but I’ve never played myself. And I’ve also heard a lot about groups getting together to play, but it’s never been something that I’ve been excited about doing, but Maria’s daughter, Abby is something to behold (long story - she’s a brilliant businesswoman, taking after her mother, and I find her fascinating for many, many reasons), so I said sure! Good way to hang with Maria and her daughter and I figured it’s time to finally learn how to play mahjong.

What an interesting game! It takes quite a bit of brain power to get the hang of it - especially with American Mahjong (it’s more involved than Chinese Mahjong). I need a lot more practice, but I would be down to actually go to a game or two just to keep my brain active. I can see why people love playing.

During our practice, Abby got a phone call that she had to take. It was from the project designer of the house she’s building. She is in the process of a several-year build on a mansion in town and I got an earful about that. I guess one of the reasons I love to visit with Abby is that it’s like being in a real life reality TV show. She’s building this gigantic mansion and goes on these elaborate vacations and throws extravagant parties and it’s like …WOW…I knew you when you were just a child and your mother was the one who was throwing these elegant parties and traveling the world.

Anyway, after hearing about all that and learning mahjong, Maria and I took the dogs for a good long walk. She and I both needed to get out in the fresh air and Maria shared with me some of the things going on in her life: she’s finally weaned herself off of a 20-year addiction to adderall and xanax.

EXCUSE ME??!

Yes, I didn’t realize that she was addicted. So it’s no wonder she’s been in a funk! And the thing is, she quit both of them cold turkey! So she’s been down and has gained a lot of weight and hasn’t had the motivation to do much of anything except care for her family (she’s the live-in granny nanny of her daughter’s three boys), eat and sleep.

I get it.

But now she’s ready to get back into the swing of things and she wants to work on taking the weight back off. She wants to do long dog walks with her granddog, Charlie, and Martini and me. I told her that yes, definitely I’ll walk with her and since I’ve gotten a little bloaty as well, I’ll definitely work on the food intake with her too.

So with the holidays coming, she’s invited me to a lot of family things because she knows that my family dynamics have changed since my brother’s family has moved into my parents house. I will no longer spend nights over there - it’s too chaotic. So my time with my family will actually be shorter and I’ll be around here and Maria’s family lives close by and they throw down during the holidays.

Stay tuned for possible reality TV situations, more walk and talks and maybe even mahjong stories?

And oh! I start my new job first thing tomorrow morning, so WORK stories to follow…

Now I must get my beauty rest!
Nite,
GS