Holiday Miracles--my wife plays Agricola and Panic Station hits the table.

I don't get out to game that much, mostly because I am a grown up with four kids and a less-sympathetic spouse, so it blew my mind this week when some friends of hours invited us over to play Agricola and my wife accepted.  The kids were in school, but the university hadn't begun yet, so we were both free to play at lunch during the day.   We were pretty chatty, so it took about four hours, but my wife didn't complain afterwards other than to say "You owe me!"  

Then last night, the same week, I was able to go to our local game night, and people actually showed up.  A lot of people.  None of the old timers were there except for one, so it was mostly the new kids who have a stronger geek pop culture vibe (Penny Arcade references, actually play Munchkin, etc.) I played Flash Point for the first game, and although it was ok, it's not as much fun when you're playing with a couple of super analytical programmer types who have played the game before and are obviously biting their lower lip in an attempt to not point out the optimal move every turn.  I own the game, meeples, and expansion board, and am hoping that it will be more enjoyable with the kids than with ubergamers.

After that we played Panic Station using the revised rules.  Now *that* was a good time.  I spent part of the game stabbing a human player with my robot, thinking he was infected, and when I became infected the two surviving humans were ready to surrender but I encouraged them to stick it out.  They barely managed to burn the hive--it was a good game, and I'd buy it today except I'm not going to get six people together to play, realistically, and the lying and betrayal component would just lead to tears with my little girls.  Still, good preparation for jr. high.