30 April 2017

Zero, nought, nothing

A-Z challenge - My memories of life on the farm in the nineteen fifties and sixties

Indoor games

In the game of Scrabble, the letter Z is one of the highest scoring letters worth 10 points. Mum loved to play Scrabble and so did I. It was a game we often played, recording the scores and keeping a tally of who had won the most games. If one was lucky enough to get a Z and use it with either a double letter score or a triple word score square, one was well on the way to victory. Scrabble is more challenging with multiple players and competition was fierce as we all aimed to better Mum. She kept the dictionary nearby to check up on any questionable word one wanted to use.

Noughts and Crosses was always an excellent time filler. On the backs of envelopes or scraps of paper, many games were quickly scribbled and contested.

Monopoly The aim of this board game was to collect as much money and as many properties, houses and hotels, as possible. Probably the lingering memory of Monopoly is the card from the Community and Chance chests which read GO TO GAOL: Go directly to gaol. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. In other words, you have nothing, zero, zilch, a negative result.

And that's it I have zero, nought, nothing left to add. Thanks to all those who have visited and commented either here or on Facebook. If you missed a post here’s a linked list.

A – Apricots and Almonds: all whistle now
B – Bulls in the paddock, baking and bicycling
C – Cars for carting
D – Drat that darn dog
E – Early childhood and Easter
F – Feathered foes and furry friends
G – Gates and grates
H – Harvest, hay and a Hills hoist
I –  Instruments and implements
J – Jelly jests
K – Knitting, kneeling and killing
L – Love, learning, luck and a little licorice
M –Making merry, mud and other muck
N – Nettles, nasties and netball
O – Oranges in the orchard and some offal
P – Plenty of peas
Q – Quinces and the Queen
R – Rabbits and the rain gauge
S – Sheep, sewing and saving
T – Tennis, tin kettling and a telephone
U – Udders and unders
V – Vegetables, verandas and the magic Vegemite jar
W –Waiting and washing
X – Some eXtras for X
Y – Youth
Z – Zero, nought, nothing - that's the lot for now.

10 comments:

  1. Was it a trusty Pocket Oxford Dictionary? Not a new-fangled Macquarie.
    I have enjoyed joining you this month, Carmel. I'm glad we bumped into each other's blogs and I look forward to reading more memoir in the future.

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  2. I haven't played Scrabble since the children left home. I have tried it on my phone as an app to play with friends but it isn't the same as sitting across from others and enjoying the competition and laughs. Have found you on the final day of the challenge so have bookmarked your blog to catch up with other posts over the next month or so. Take care and well done on completing the month on a high note. I enjoyed reading your contribution. :) Linda
    A-Z Theme: Values
    Letter Z: Z - It's a Mirage

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  3. Hi Carmel - it's been a great reminisce through your childhood memories ... not much different from mine - you on a farm though ... I had a garden ... but fascinating to see how much tied in - with the other side of the world. These were games we all played ... I think us kids played Monopoly ... while scrabble we definitely played and of course noughts and crosses ... clever theme - cheers Hilary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/z-is-for-zebra-zoo-and-zedland.html

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  4. I really enjoyed your A to Z. There were many similarities to my country childhood but many differences too. Now we can all have a rest. My husband is so relieved that I am not locked in the study every afternoon and evening.

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  5. Congratulations on finishing the A to Z Challenge and thanks for visiting/commenting on my blog! I've really enjoyed your posts about farm life -- particularly since your family's was a real working farm. Took me a minute here to figure out Noughts and Crosses was Tic Tac Toe :-) I'm doing my A to Z summary on May 5 (since I'm taking May off!). Looking forward to your A to Z Reflections post.

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  6. Well done for reaching Z :)

    I did manage to 'beat' myself at Noughts and Crosses once - I wasn't paying enough attention ;P

    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - Dragon Diaries

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  7. Congratulations on completing the challenge.

    I love Scrabble. I now play words with friends. I use the word "za" far too often. It would never have been allowed in Scrabble but is allowed in Words with friends and is very helpful.

    Best wishes
    Anne
    Z is for Zehlendorf
    ----------

    Anne Young

    Anne's family history


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  8. I have enjoyed every post, thank you, Carmel.

    I have included your blog in INTERESTING BLOGS in FRIDAY FOSSICKING at

    http://thatmomentintime-crissouli.blogspot.com/2017/05/friday-fossicking-may-5th-2017.html

    Thank you, Chris

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  9. We love scrabble at our house! At least some of us do. I don't do too well against most of my family of readers, but still enjoy the game. Thanks for a month of wonderful posts!

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