Memorial Weekend

As I sit in Julie’s kitchen on this Memorial Weekend Saturday, sipping bubbly and listening to music, I ask her, “What stood out to you yesterday at bridge?”

“John and Joanne were particularly nice,” she mused.

“Yes, but what about bridge?” I persisted.

“There weren’t many C players,” she noted.

“But what’s something interesting that happened?” I continued to ask.

“Well, I think that one hand really can make six because you made it. A lot of people didn’t make six, but if they played it like you did they would have made it.”

This brings up a point that I have been wanting to make, which is that I do believe my play is improving. My Wednesday partner made encouraging remarks to this effect, and an opponent earlier in the week said that he couldn’t believe I had made a particular contract. So that is good news.

Along with the play, Julie and I are improving our bidding. We added support doubles to our arsenal and were able to use this bid for the first time last night. Julie opened a minor, her LHO passed, I bid a heart, and fourth seat bid a spade. Julie doubled. For just a moment I was perplexed. I thought, she’s telling me that she has the unbid suits…the only unbid suit is clubs…why would she double to tell me that?? AHA! I confidently said “alert” and rebid my hearts, since I had 5 of them. We were able to get to the right contract and make it. Next: reverses!

As we continue to sip our bubbly, Julie turns to a topic that is weighing heavily on her mind. Julie writes…

In addition to all the bridge talk we have been having, Margaret has been able to confirm that singlehood is really, really a pleasant place to reside. Phil and I have been discussing who put my clothes in the dryer when I specifically told said husband, as I left for bridge, not to do anything with said clothes that were in the washing machine. Since Phil said he didn’t do it, I told Phil we’re going to have get ADT because obviously the house is being broken into. I know this blog is about bridge, but I am thinking there are some couples out there who can relate to the additional stories about wedded bliss. I could go on, but I won’t. I will leave the additional story—about sending a husband to the store for a very specific item—for another time.