My Friday Adventure

Last night I sat down early to write my 150 words in order to free up my evening to watch a TV show. Tonight, it’s super late as I start writing. In fact, technically, I’ve kinda missed Friday entirely. It’s already 12:10am as I write this sentence. But that’s okay, because, like last Friday, I spent the evening hanging out with friends playing board games!! 

Actually, that not entirely accurate. I spent most of the whole day hanging out with friends playing board games!! And even more time travelling about with board games as a goal. 

This morning, after dropping Ada to school, I packed my bags, kissed my wife and son good-bye and travelled far across land and water the far off shore of North Vancouver. Took me about 90 minutes by bus and SeaBus. I noted on my way that I believe this was the first time I have travelled on the SeaBus without children in at least seven years, possibly ever. Taking this rare opportunity, I sat at the back of the passenger ferry, rather than gazing out the front window. 

I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen in person since the pandemic began, and we got a lovely lunch, on his recommendation. The reason for our meeting was to swap games. I had a game he ordered, and he had one I ordered. With the swap done and nothing to rush away to, we played two board games and had a lovely chat and much laughter. 

Around 3pm we parted ways. I travelled once more on the Seabus, this time gazing out the far more enjoyable front window at Downtown Vancouver drawing ever closer.  I adventured onwards to my Friendly Local Game Store to add two more board games related items to my Bag of Holding. I chatted with the owners, but didn’t stay long! I had places to be and more games to acquire. 

I took the bus back through downtown, getting off before crossing the bridge and walked to visit a friend who had (you guessed it!) another board game for me! He took my arrival to be a good time to head out himself, and we walked and chatted together much of the way back towards the bus before separating and going our own ways, him to buy Christmas gifts (in November?!?), me to finally trek home. 

I returned to my domain around 5pm, ate dinner with my family, put the kiddos to bed, along with the nightly brushing of teeth and reading of the story books. Mud Puddle is the current hot piece of evening literature among 3 to 6 year olds. Some time around all this I managed to squeeze in an hour playing a very silly and fun drawing game with online friends on Twitch. And digital friends are real friends too.

By 8pm, I had the company of two more of my friends in my home. We talked about the news of the day, before playing two board games, neither of which I won. 

But victory was never the goal. Good company, laughter and friendship were my reward, and my day was filled with it. It is late, now just gone 12:40am. It is time for this adventurer to rest, and with a little luck, dream of board games.