Level 12

"Have you reached twelve yet?" is a recurring question when visiting Pop and Nana.  My father-in-law, my spouse and I have been WELDing off and on over the past few weeks (more here), hoping to defeat the broken tile mess that is level twelve. 

Well, Pop, I finally did it.  After "extracting" five hundred and thirty five words I reached and beat level twelve last night.  A little happy dance accompanied the cascade finale, I'm not ashamed to say.

Finally, a word game victory.  My spouse always trounces me at Scrabble, so allow me to gloat a little, at least until the Scrabble board comes out, which will probably be tonight. 

Update:  3 new levels, apocalypse swap and shake to undo (and more in an app update just today).  Oh boy, here we go again!

W.E.L.D.E.R.

The addiction is all my father-in-law's fault.  I shouldn't have listened to his offhand remark, something like, "You love word games, you should try this new app.  It's great!"  Waited for it to go on sale, purchased and installed the app, and now the Sprouts are saying with a grin, "Papa's addicted to his iPad again."  Although in Jo's case it's, "Papa's allergic to his iPad."

In my defense, I have to say that this time of year brings exhaustion.  Teaching is a tough gig, teaching grade sevens and eights (though I love teaching this age of kids) even more so.   It's been four months of pushing the students hard, helping them to develop skills and attitudes to be ready for high school.  Each working day stretches out just a little bit longer (for both my students and I).  It's dark when the family goes to work/school and when we come home. It's now time for a break (five sleeps to go!).
Anyway, point being that all I want to do when I get home from work right now is find a quiet corner and turn off my brain for awhile.

The mindless activity to which I am addicted is an app called W.E.L.D.E.R.  Odd acronym aside, this word game is just what I need to make the adjustment from a noisy, busy classroom to a noisy, busy home (at least until the Sprouts go to sleep).  My spouse now has the app, too, so you can find both of somewhere in the house swapping tiles, trying to get to the elusive level twelve (darn you, broken tiles!).  The Sprouts try to get in on the action, peering over shoulders, with Fi saying things like, "You should do a jump swap with the T, a reverse swap there and then do this and that swap..." (when did my eight year old daughter get smarter than I?).  Jo just says "Swap the J for an R or swap..." (which makes words like RIKTGI or DFBUMSD).

I suppose playing W.E.L.D.E.R is better than playing Angry Birds.  At least I am exercising my brain just a little (and my thumbs).  And, I'm down to one game a day.  I think I'm getting the addiction under control.  Wait, what's that?  Settlers of Catan is now an iPad app?  Hmmm.....