Beach House Diaries: Fun ... and Board Games

Beach housers know board games are more than a rainy-day diversion or after-dark boredom buster. Unlike, say, the Kennedys' Cape Cod-style football matches, they allow us to indulge our competitive spirit without risking bodily harm. Plus they induce waves of nostalgia because playing is such a traditional pastime. (Some of my own best memories are rooted in checker tournaments with an adored grandfather who always let me beat him.) Above all, board games create the perfect opportunity for family bonding. With that said, playing them at our place is a dicey proposition.