Tag Archives: oms

MAH JONGG WITH THE OMs and MORE!

Yesterday was my turn to host the OMs but I I decided to expand out the group for this luncheon as I was celebrating – I received my first royalty check from the American Bar Association for the other book that I wrote last year:

Advice for the Lawlorn  

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So, in addition to four of the six OMs (K is still on her cruise in the Mediterranean and X was busy), I invited D, G, and G2. We had a great day…

Everyone received a little favor – these fabulous mugs – and when they removed their napkins they saw the saying inside the mug that certainly rang true with us all…

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IMG_2704Lunch was so much fun for me to make – all recipes will be posted tomorrow…we started with Spanish Pea Soup along with Tuna Tapenade and Tuna Tapenade (sorry for the blurry photo) –

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IMG_2696– followed by Caesar Club Sandwiches and Smoked Salmon and Egg Salad Tartines.

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And then we broke up into two tables and started our day of Mah Jongg…I am not going to show all of the hands we played but here are some of the highlights. G2 was the big winner for a total of four Mah Jongg’s but I was happy with my three wins. The good news is that everyone won at least one game today.

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After a few hours of game play I brought out dessert: Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate Sauce (sorry – I forgot to take photos). And, of course, there was licorice and – much to my delight – I found Bridge Mix at a store and, of course, had to buy it for today!

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Even Lizzie had a great time today – look at that smile on her face!

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MAH JONGG WEDNESDAY…SORT OF…

The OMs (Original Mahjettes) didn’t meet this Wednesday as several of us went to a holiday luncheon (which was fabulous and such fun!). However, after the festivities, and practically in a sugar coma from the amazing dessert table, seven of us retreated up to a private meeting room  where there were two card tables and two Mah Jongg sets waiting for us. We got down to business right away…but first my dear friend Martha popped in with three copies of Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game for me to sign for her mother’s friends – that was an honor for me!

S1 at “table one” was the first of the day to declare Mah Jongg with this beautiful 2468 hand made up of 22 44 666 888 DDDD.

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I was over at “table two” and quickly followed Sanna with a Mah Jongg with my own 2468 hand of 222 444 6666 8888.

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Then J over at the other table announced a nice win with a CONSECUTIVE RUN hand that we all know and love – 11 22 333 444 5555.

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My turn again with a winning Mah Jongg hand from the 13579 section of the card:                             555 7777 777 9999.

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Back to the other table and G declared Mah Jongg with this beautiful CONSECUTIVE RUN hand of FFFF 1111 2222 DD.

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And now back to my table and K pulled off the win of the day (IMHO). She really is a pro at playing QUINTS hands and here is her winning hand: FFFF NNNNN 11111. Brava, K!!! And look at all those Jokers!

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S1 took the next win with one of my favorite hands, LIKE NUMBERS: FFFF 1111 11 1111.

IMG_2588Meanwhile, back at my table, G2 had a really nice win with a great WINDS AND DRAGONS hand made up of EE 22 WWW 222 2222.

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S1 took her third win with a fancy 2014 hand of FF 2014 1111 4444.

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And, to my surprise, I had my third win of the day with the good old CONSECUTIVE RUN hand made up of 666 7777 888 9999.

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At that point I had to leave (although the rest of the group played on) as I had a 4 PM meeting with the amazing Charlotte Tarr from Naples, Florida. Charlotte is the incredible woman who has arranged multiple speaking/book signing engagements for me in Naples at the end of January. Perhaps some of you will be in Florida at that time? Let me know. I will also be speaking in Boca Raton during the first week in February and am working on something else in Miami during that week. When everything is all finalized, I will post it all.

MAH JONGG WEDNESDAY!

K hosted today and it was also S2’s birthday. We started out with a delicious lunch of salmon and K’s famous avocado, tomato, and blue cheese salad. IMG_2399 Continue reading →

I AM SO VERY LUCKY…

Ever since I started playing Mah Jongg, I have met the most wonderful people. Of course, if you are a reader of this blog then you know how much I love my Wednesday Mah Jongg group, the OMs (Original Mahjettes). But as soon as I started writing this blog – almost a year ago! – I have met (whether in person or over the Internet) so many more truly incredible people…people I feel as if I have known for years and with the hope that our friendship will continue for years to come.

One of those people is a woman by the name of Joy Hamilton. On Friday I received a very special gift from Joy, one that I will always cherish. First there was a lovely note that meant the world to me:

Dear Ann, Please accept this small gift as a thank-you for your fabulous blog. I hope it proves to be a Lucky Bamboo pusher for you during your Mah Jongg games. Wishing you all the best with your new book! Your Mah Jongg friend, Joy Hamilton.

After I dried the tears from my eyes (seriously! This really touched me!!) I opened the package and it was the beautiful bamboo pusher (or helping hand, as some people call them) that had been made by Joy’s husband. I am so honored by this special gift and the thoughtful woman who sent it to me. Here it is:

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I wish you could see this in person because this picture does not do it justice. It is really a work of art and, as I said in the heading of this posting, I am so lucky…lucky to have all of you out there supporting this blog and sending me your kind words and thoughts, not to mention this fabulous gift!

Ann xxo

A NEW BFF – THANKS TO MAH JONGG!

I have repeatedly said that Mah Jongg people are the best people and today I was proven right once again. The woman I call the “incomparable Mah Jongg teacher, Johni Levene” was in town and we met for lunch (along with her fabulous husband, David). Three hours later we parted company, only to make plans to see one another again on Wednesday, hopefully for Johni to join the OMs for our Mah Jongg Wednesday game.  Ever meet someone and just click? Isn’t that the best feeling ever?10568870_10154491717345187_1082078754084071440_n

And here’s Johni with her darling husband, David:

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What a cute couple, right?!!!

YOUR OPINIONS WANTED…

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I’ve received a couple of messages from Georgelle in Naples, Florida, and she would like your opinions – please send them to me. Here’s the situation:

I discarded a North, called it a Soap, which is what I meant it to be when I discarded.  That was because I simply wasn’t paying attention and picked up the wrong tile.  I had a North and a Soap sitting on my rack together.  I actually picked up a North and threw it calling it a Soap.    One of my opponents saw the North, said that’s not a Soap.  The gals said I had to discard the North — even though I called it a Soap.  Thus the lady Mah Jongg’d with the North tile — which I didn’t intend to throw, but did it stupidly. 
I paid for myself and the other two players.  Was that necessary?  

Thanks from our whole group — most of whom have been playing for twenty or thirty years.  Me — only about four years, but never did such a stupid thing.  Just was talking and not paying attention.
Thanks for your help.

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