Three tosses of the moon blocks

Took my mother to the temple on Saturday to ask whether she should sell the old house. She doesn't trust anything that isn't jiaobei: two red wooden crescents, flat on one side and round on the other.

You kneel, give the deity your name, your address and your question, then let them fall. One flat and one round side up is yes. Both round is no. Both flat means the gods are laughing, usually because you asked badly.

First toss: laughing. My mother had asked 'should I sell the house,' when the real question was 'is it all right to let go of your father's garden.' She asked again, properly this time.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Three in a row.

She cried a little, then insisted on buying sesame balls on the way home. That's how you know it went well.