It’s game day at the Wildwood and my best game friend is over for what we call Trains…in this case Australian Rails, which I scored this week at 38% off.  My love affair with this game system started at the tender age of seventeen with the first edition of Empire Builder (that didn’t even have Mexico, just the United States and Canada, being pre-NAFTA).

She is really getting good and it is great to have the competition. Had we not settled on a time to stop and played to $250-million she would have been less than $10-million behind me, possibly less than $5-million.

Each one has an aspect of it that makes it a challenge. The original has lots of cities yet also lots of small paying trips.

Australian Rails is huge (like China, India, and Russia) but also has dry river basins and lakes that only have water during the rainy season. There are also a limited number of game cities primarily focused on the coasts and it requires you to be at least tricoastal to win.

China Rails is gigantic, made up of many different former nations that don’t always work well together, has super high mountains, and limits your resources severely.

India Rails is, of course, more than just India, is well spread out, full of mountains and rivers that drive up expenses, but has this fabulous quirk where you can pick up and deliver pilgrims to different parts of India proper for 2-million rupees without a demand card…just do it.

Russian Rails is again well spread out.  It begins in communist Russia, but when the proper card comes along Communism falls and borders appear with fees, calamities and bonuses change, and anything can happen with a turn of a card.

Nippon Rails is a totally different beast. It is small, the cities compact and limited in number. You make the same train trip over and over to make your new yen, rather than possibly building somewhere for a pick up and never returning. Frankly, it is bizarre.

Not only are the games fun, they teach you world geography while enjoying it. I own the first edition of EuroRails and want to pick up the latest since the geopolitics have changed so drastically.

I have not played Lunar Rails or Martian Rails. I used to think they were ridiculous, but both the moon and Mars have their own geography to be learned.

But, I digress. Somewhere along the way this day, I made steak, eggs, and cabbage for brunch, a new batch of beef jerky (using dried cranberries), began rending beef fat trimmed from a brisket, cooled my crock of chicken stock I started two days before in the slow cooker, and made Paleo deviled eggs as a game time snack.

I also prepped, and then Papa Satyr grilled, a lovely brisket the thin tip of which I removed and saved that I am going to try for my next batch of jerky.  I used my Ras el-Hanout mixed with chili powder and kosher salt as a dry rub and he grilled with indirect heat for six hours. Then finished in foil with direct heat. Fabulous.

Now, I make my hard-boiled eggs in advance so that I can just grab them and go, but I will start from the beginning for you in case you do not know how to hard-boil eggs. I buy my eggs in a 5-dozen egg package and can only fit 4-dozen in my egg holder in the refrigerator, so there you go.

Avocado Deviled Eggs (Basics, Hors d’oeuvres, Lunch, Snack) serves 3-6

• 6 eggs
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/3-cup Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
• 1 tbsp tomato juice from can
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp zest
• 1/2 tsp coconut palm sugar (or 1/8 tsp liquid stevia)
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1. Place six eggs in a pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Remove from heat and let sit ten minutes.
4. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let sit until it melts.
5. Crack fat bottom of egg and lightly roll on the counter. Peel. Repeat.
6. Halve eggs and scoop out egg yolks, reserving in medium bowl. Mash with fork.
7. Cut open avocado, remove out, and scrap flesh into yolk bowl. Mash again.
8. Add next eight ingredients.  Stir well.
9. Spoon or pipe filling into egg halves.
10. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Pretty tasty, I have to say. Here is my classic recipe for those with more traditional tastes…

Deviled Eggs (Basics, Hors d’oeuvres, Lunch, Snack) serves 3-6

• 6 eggs
• 1/3-cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp mustard, preferably whole grain
• 1 tbsp sweet relish, chopped sweet and sour pickles, or small capers
• 1/2 tsp celery seed, ground
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp coconut palm sugar (or 1/8 tsp liquid stevia)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 tsp paprika

1. Place six eggs in a pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Remove from heat and let sit ten minutes.
4. Transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water. Let sit until it melts.
5. Crack fat bottom of egg and lightly roll on the counter. Peel. Repeat.
6. Halve eggs and scoop out egg yolks, reserving in medium bowl. Mash with fork.
7. Add mayonnaise and mustard. Mash again.
8. Add next five ingredients. Stir well.
9. Spoon or pipe filling into egg halves.
10. Sprinkle paprika on top.

Sometimes I top with parsley (with relish or pickles) or tarragon (with capers) as well. They all work well.

After my friend left, I ran out for a few things (formula, ingredients for future posts, and salty chips), and saved 40% on my groceries using coupons, then I made ricotta cheese, stuffed cabbage leaves, and a tomato sauce.

Finally, I helped a tiny boy get to sleep when he was overtired from the excitement of the day, by holding him to my chest and linking hearts, calming my heart and breath, so that he matched my calming, and patted his bum which he finds soothing.
Now to bed.