"A Sleeping Mind Is A Dreamer"

Monday, February 01, 2010

Making Fun.....Laughter Helps

Well, we had a terrific time. Everyone was in a excellent mood and we kept each other going with jokes, one liners, and silly stories. Plus me and one of the gals won "taxable" jackpots.

That alone put a cherry on hubby's desert. He didn't mind waking up covered in 100 dollar bills for once. I thought that would make for a nice surprise, plus it reloaded his Blackjack pocket. Dangit! I wish I had taken my camera and got his picture. I woke him, holding his coffee, and when he sat up he saw his "new" blanket, he was delighted. I'm also glad I can still give him a thrill.........

Here's what I did different this trip. Hubby and the guys stay in the same casino the entire time just for tables, but all of us gals visit other casinos and it was at the third one where I got lucky! Put bill in, spin 6 times and bells and lights! Yea! Half hour later another gal does same thing on different slot and for nearly as much! By time we got back to our hotel/casino (2 a.m.) hubby had long gone up to our room and to sleep. It was a good time for "night owls" like me.

The only downside of so much walking, driving, and standing now has both my ankles and legs all spotty again with blood spots. So I'm applying the medicine twice aday for next few days.

Anyone who ever visits casinos knows that if you sit long enough at a machine, you can become engaged in conversation with your neighbor/s. At least to politely share ashtray or watch their chair while they go to the restroom. Some people look drunk, are drunk, or don't like to be near smokers, they remain strangers. Some folks are bored or lonely to start with and really enjoy talking while they "spin the wheels". I figure that's their idea of a "get acquainted" center.

I had the opportunity to visit with a retired Marine for half hour Saturday afternoon. He lives about 45 miles away and told me he comes to the casinos once or twice "a week"! I told him I was up from Houston with hubby and friends about once a month. I said I would be going to find hubby shortly so he could eat and take his diabetic meds. Hubby's health seemed to be the key that unlocked his heart.......

This elderly man then told me his wife had died from breast cancer two years ago. I expressed my condolences, but he continued, just pouring his heart out about what a wonderful woman she was and how miserable the medical world (doctors and hospitals) had made her entire treatment. The only kindness he remembers her receiving was from Hospice, when she was weeks from dying.

One of my g-friends sitting on my other side heard some of it, and when she said she was ready to change floors, he and I said "good luck and take care" to each other. It was the lowest point in my weekend. I'm more convinced now that some men do have harder time being widowed then women. Especially for men whose wives were the nurturing kind who had been taking care of all those mundane chores that kept their world turning then mixed with the loss of companionship in their twilight years really makes it instant misery.

Anyway, the opposite end of sitting next to a lonely but nice person was a old 'geezer' who sat down next to me and put in a hundred, and not winning on first spin, he began muttering "F--k" to the the machine. Not cussing loud enough for others to hear, just me.

So I put on my "don't speak to me" look and directed my full attention to my machine. I never have buddied around dirty profane talkers. A few 'pepper words' is one thing, but some words are like face slaps to me. Certain words simply hurt my ears. I understand some words are said for the shock value, or from fear, or anger, but cussing a slot machine? Wow! limited vocabulary, right?

Then he began slapping the glass and pounding on the poor "Spin Max" button, while still grumbling his favorite cuss word. That noise did catch the surrounding folks' attention. Fortunately he didn't win and left a few spins later. I've declared him a gambler with a problem and should phone that 800 number posted in all casinos. I also wager his mouth has been punched more then once.

I didn't drink a full cocktail at any casino we visited. They must have laid off all the barkeepers. The Bloody Marys were either mixed with too much hot sauce or with V-8. Yucky! So I sipped white wine, diet Cokes, and had coffee or ice tea with meals. Hubby did very well sticking to no fried foods and actually had small salads with his meals.

'Babe' is still getting 24 mpg on the highway and running like a top. She will get a fill-up when hubby take her in for a wash and wax later. And yes, incase you're thinking it, I have spoken directly to my car before, but I have never cussed or hit her......^!^

Time now to get busy doing laundry and stop rambling.

2 comments:

Call Me Grandma said...

Taxable jackpot...now that is a jackpot.

Call Me Grandma said...

You are right about it balancing out....But sometimes I think the casino is more balanced then we are. But it is fun.

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40 Miles East of Dallas, Texas, United States
"Buckle up, this is going to be a bumpy ride."

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