The thing that is keeping me happy these days is my new set of "Chinese Checkers". Ain't it pwetty !! I bought it a couple of weeks back from this quaint little shop in Wanchai which housed all sorts of pre-dominantly Chinese games...Mahjong, Chinese Checkers etc. I saw a similar set in the museum shop at the Forbidden City (Beijing), but it cost a bomb. So when I saw this set with its shiny colorful marbles...I was in love. And it cost a pittance, so all the more reason for me lusting after it. I took it home and unveiled it to CC, who was sufficiently excited. Little did the poor soul know what was to come. So initially it started just as fun and then as is with all such things, it has become an obsession. I just wait all day long for CC to come home, at which point I take out the set and start arranging the marbles, completely ignoring CC's groans and grunts about "Not AGAIN!!". I force him to play atleast 3- 5 games with me, before letting him off after his groaning and grunting reduce to pleading. You see, I love this game so much, because my winning rate at it is almost 99%. And I think CC hates it so much, because he hardly ever wins against me. Admittedly, there are very few games at which I am able to beat CC (Scrabble prolly, but CC will deny it vehemently), so when I have finally found a game where I can feel that rush too, where I can be smug too, I ain't letting it go, not yet, anyway, even if my husband has taken to retching (symbolically ) every time I pull out the set. *evil laughter fills the air with the sound of marbles being placed on the checkers board*