I've mentioned in previous blogs about growing up at the Farm. This was a place in Lead Hill, Arkansas on Bull Shoals Lake. My Gramps & Ma owned 100 + acres on the lake. During summer vacation or long weekend breaks you could find the entire Kennedy Clan down at the Farm. As you can imagine, the memories I have from this place are endless but one fond memory I have was after the sun would go down, and after dinner. All kids would be clean, and set up in front of the T.V. with a movie on, but in the room over or the dining room all of the grown ups would be gathered around playing cards. The game of choice was Canasta. I remember several times walking in from watching the movie and just listening and watching my family in action. I would hear hooting and hollering, laughing and cheering, jeering and sneering, any competitive remark you would typically hear was heard around this table. It was like a foreign language. I had no idea what the comments, "mully grubs" "black three" "pulling a Cindy" or many other things my family would say during this game meant. I was fascinated by how much fun they were having, and also how competitive they would become.
I'll never forget how excited I was when my mom and dad sat my brother and I down at our family kitchen table, and told us we would be learning the game of Canasta as a family, and then we could play down at the Farm. Keithie and I learned all the ins and outs, and tried to develop as many strategies as we knew how and then we were ready! My mom suggested we teacher Cara and Jake how to play as well, so we did. This was our first game without any supervision. It went better than expected and then we were entered into the family tournament. This was my welcoming into the "playing cards world." Now, don't get me wrong, I had played the traditional card games that kids play when growing up, but I felt like this was an "adult" game and I had finally been considered "able" to play!
It wasn't too long after our initiation of Canasta that we were teaching other people how to play, and it became a main thing in our house. One night we went to visit with my Grandma Josephine who is on the other side of the family and she had played Canasta, but had a variation called Hand and Foot. We learned how to play this game, and soon started the cycle of teaching people this game as well.
On Sunday night, my brother, Hannah, and Jon all went over to my Grandma's house and she introduced us to another variation called, Hand, Knee, and Foot. We were quick to learn this game and brought it home to teach mom and dad. It's interesting how the tables turn. Instead of them being excited to teach us a game, we were the ones excited to teach them a new game. We played two hands, and plan to play the final two hands tomorrow evening. I couldn't find a site to teach you how to play Hand, Knee, and Foot, but found a site to teach you Hand & Foot. If you are luck enough I will teach you!
Hand & Foot Directions
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