We’re thinking about starting up a new routine, one inspired by our recent house guests.

Over the holidays my father and stepmother stayed with us for a week. One night we got to talking about games, dominoes and card games, specifically. For as long as I can remember, my dad’s been playing dominoes with the same group of men. It’s serious business. Doug’s favorite card game is Euchre, and he said when he played with his family or friends back home, it was almost a contact sport. They got to exchanging stories about games that went on for hours and how much they enjoyed these gatherings. My dad said he’d learned how to play bridge while in college, and Doug played Canasta as a kid.

I’ve never experienced anything like that, and the only card games I’m skilled at are Solitaire, Go Fish and Uno. So I got to thinking: Maybe it’s time I learned to play a card game that requires a little more skill and see if we can persuade some of our friends to join us. I’m thinking maybe Rummy might be a good start. Of course, we could play board games too, but I kind of feel like we’re almost too old for board games. Seems like something you do with the kids (Candyland, Life) or even as young couples something you do with other young people (Cards Against Humanity, Scruples). But I could be wrong. I had a good time playing Exploding Kittens with my family last week.

The point is to find something the two of us can learn together and hopefully share with friends. We’re working on building communities, fostering friendships, and having a little bit of fun in the process. So deal me in. Let’s play.

Written for WordPress’s Finding Everyday Inspiration course. Day 4: A Story in a Single Image