Bizzaro Scrabble
To the tune of “Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire,” I ask Mara, “Why did you get your haircut?”
“I won a haircut.”
“In a poetry slam?”
“No, I said I WANT a haircut. I won dogs tags in a poetry slam.”
Mara’s daughter Kyla, sitting at the next table fixing her doll’s hair, asks, “Mom, did you take your turn?” But I hear ‘did you take a Xanax?’
“Why is Xanax spelled with an X and not a Z like Xerox, which should also be spelled with a Z?” I ask. Mara denies ever taking Xanax.
By this time “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” was playing on the Café Del Sol stereo from the fake Christmas song CD that Katy Reany made for Mara. The words are changed to “We Wish You Didn’t Live with Us,” but I hear “We Wish You a Merry Whip Ass.” 
It wasn’t just the lyrics of old favorite Christmas songs that were skewered. The game took a strange turn when I innocently played NASH without a G and it was only noticed a few turns later, too late to take it back. We decided that everyone could play one free fake word with the stipulation that we had to provide a convincing fake meaning for it.
So NASH, played next to JO which is an Australian boyfriend, became an English boyfriend. (I was thinking of Joni Mitchell’s one time boyfriend, Graham Nash.) NOOKY with a Y was played and RAINOIT was later changed to CRAINOIT to reach the triple letter score.
A wire of silver stars from the container of Christmas cookies Mara brought got made into a tiara and was passed around for wearing on the head.
Max asks his sister, Emma, something like “When is a door not a door?” and she answers, “When it’s a jar.” 
“Hey, what’s that word that comes before Caboodle?” someone else (I confess) wants to know. Mara recites her poem “I Will Be Devastated When They Quit Making Star Wars Stamps” while holding up a sheet of them that Max and his family gifted her with. She uses a Darth Vader stamp to pay her mortgage bill she says. Luke Skywalker and Yoda are for letters to people she likes.
Post Notes: I specifically lined Mara’s pose up in the second photo so that she would look like a red antennaed Martian. See a short video clip of some more Bizzaro Scrabble antics HERE. Click and scroll down HERE for more Scrabble photos.
December 28th, 2007 11:36 am
Truly bizarro, Colleen 🙂
Sounds like an excellent day was had by all.
Michele sent me here today, Colleen, to see how your Christmas went – sounds like it went really well.
cq
December 28th, 2007 11:41 am
do you play scrabble online too or just in person ??I love the game always have my friends too
December 28th, 2007 11:58 am
I don’t play online because I don’t want any more reasons to be on the computer, although friends have invited me to.
December 28th, 2007 8:23 pm
One of these years, mark my words, I WILL play Scrabble with you! Michele said I should.
December 28th, 2007 8:31 pm
Bizarro Scrabble? It sounds like a blast… Although with the people I associate with, there’s nothing strange about making up new words on the fly.
Michele sent me,
Mike
December 28th, 2007 8:41 pm
This is a fun post. Scrabble is always a different game depending on the players – love it. The photos are nifty, too!
December 29th, 2007 6:03 am
NOOKY….?? LOL, LOL….I love the way you played this Scrabble game with the ‘fake’ words….But Nooky isn’t a fake word,at least I don’t think it is….I know it is probably NOT in the Scrabble Dictionary…..LOL!
You all have such a good time, Colleen….It warms my heart and makes me wish I could be “Beam Me Up, Scottied” and sit in on a game one day, while having a Tuna Sandwich at Cafe Del Sol….! Well, it’s fun to think about!
December 29th, 2007 8:06 am
Isn’t it funny how conversations occur naturally while playing games like Scrabble? I enjoyed this brief glimpse into you family life as it brings back memories of my own family of origin. ‘Tis good to know such lively and joyful interactions still exist.
Hugs and blessings,
December 29th, 2007 9:34 am
Naomi, Well we knew what nooky was but thought it was spelled nookie, but I just looked it up and it’s spelled both ways but is considered slang and is not in the Scrabble dictionary. It is in the regular dictionary. I hope I don’t get any spammers tracking me down because of this word.
Storyteller, None of us here are family members except Max and Emma. Mara is my regular Scrabble partner and friend. We often play with Rosemary who couldn’t make it so she sent her two Scrabble playing kids as ambassadors.
December 29th, 2007 2:29 pm
This was fun! Mara’s hair looks nice!
December 30th, 2007 12:39 pm
I didn’t have time to comment on this when I first read it … you sang to the tune of “Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire”? Should I assume that sounds something like “CHESTNUTS Roasting on an Open Fire”? Maybe … just maybe … you know a song I don’t?
December 30th, 2007 12:43 pm
Hi Bonnie, If you look at the 7th paragraph I explain that Mara brought a Christmas CD in which the words to songs were being tampered with. Yes, it was Chipmunks roasting to the tune of Chestnuts roasting, to be more precise. You must have thought I was losing it.
December 30th, 2007 4:35 pm
Sounds like such fun! We got Super Scrabble (with twice the letter tiles) for Christmas and spent Christmas Eve playing a marathon game. Nothing too bizzaro, but a lot of fun! 🙂
December 30th, 2007 4:45 pm
(Sorry about the double comments. The first one didn’t show up initially–hence the second; then it did–hence this third!)
December 30th, 2007 11:08 pm
I want to play Bizzaro Scrabble… but I think margaritas should be involved. 🙂 I love “Jo” being an Australian boyfriend.
~S
January 7th, 2008 12:30 pm
Notes from Mara:
1. I do not just DENY having ever taken xanax. I have actually never taken it.
2. “Jo” is an actual word. “Nash” is not.
3. Margaritas should absolutely be involved next time.
4. “Chipmunks roasting on an open fire…
hot sauce dripping from their toes…