Picture this: my bridge adventure kicked off just before the world turned upside down with Covid. I was finally getting the hang of face-to-face games, and then, bam! We were all whisked away to the land of online bridge. Talk about a plot twist!

During that time, my growth was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I took a few lessons online, but let’s be real—I couldn’t exactly flex my newfound skills sitting in my living room in my pajamas. My biggest challenge was the partner situation! Without a regular partner, it felt like I was trying to dance the tango alone—always adjusting and never quite in sync. Not exactly the best recipe for improvement, huh?

But then, enter Sara, my fabulous current partner!  Once we teamed up, my game took off!  I became completely bridge-obsessed. I managed to convince Sara to dive into the open games with me, even though we were packing a mere handful of points—hey, a brave adventurer takes risks, right? With each game, I marveled at our opponents’ bidding strategies, thinking, “How on earth did they come up with that?!”

Oh, and the cherry on top? The seasoned players in the open games were so generous—they’d share tips about what we could have bid or how we could’ve played it better. Their wisdom transformed me from a timid turtle into a more aggressive bidder (watch out world!). Plus, as time went on, my dear friend, Tom—the gold life master—decided to take me under his wing. Lucky me, right?

A huge shout-out to everyone in the Cherry Hill open games who’ve been my bridge fairy godmothers and godfathers—you know who you are!

Now, I’m thrilled to say I’ve got even more mentors from the top players over at the Delaware club. A special thanks to Pam for her ceaseless nudges to join in. So, here’s to bridge, growth, and a whole lot of fun along the way!  Can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next!