Patriots Day

I don't know when this anniversary became Patriots Day but it did and is, apparently.  Guess I'm behind but it's super appropriate.

I trekked to Reno on Saturday morning - enjoyed a free play lollapalooza - I had a great time at Atlantis on Saturday evening, turning my free play into some winnings.  Spent time with a local and he gave me some pointers on playing Keno - he plays Keno most often and wins 'a lot'.  He was at a slot machine as something 'new' and I watched him turn $300 into $1200 - it was a nice evening.  He works a state job and plays 'a lot' but does well enough on Keno to keep playing.

I didn't come home a big winner and I did come home with less than I took up (so I put my winnings back and then some) but it was a nice weekend.  I took the back roads home to stop in Jackson - since I had free play there as well - and broke my rule of 'take care of yourself'.  I planned to stop to get something to eat in Minden - but Minden was gone in the blink of an eye - I thought I'd make a right into a shopping center where I saw a Starbucks but there was no right.  I would have had to know 1,000 feet BEFORE the Starbucks to turn in THERE because there was no other entrance.  And then I was on a highway with no way to turn around.  2.5 hours later, I was in Jackson - dehydrated and hungry.  With a headache.   The drive was beautiful - passed so many lakes!  It was a nice drive but still - got behind a guy pulling a trailer and he refused to use a turn out.  We were finally able to pass him when there was a passing lane (after many miles of following him, passing turn out after turn out).  The guy in front of me flipped him off as we (finally) passed.

The play went quickly so I bought a pre-made ham sandwich (disappointing as most pre-made sandwiches in a deli case are), a cookie and an iced tea.  Ate the meat and a bit of cheese from the sandwich, every morsel of the cookie and then hit the road.  1.5 hours later, I was home.

The headache didn't abate - and I ended up dragging myself downstairs at 5:45 this morning to report myself out today sick.  Went back to sleep until close to 9.  Feel so-so - still headachy and like a migraine hangover...but I will make it tomorrow - have to, because there's a Board meeting tomorrow and Cabinet all morning.

Enjoying the quiet of a day sitting with my best beloved listening to tunes on his iTunes account.  He just left to pick up R.'s kids at school because her car won't start and she has to pick them up at 1:30 today.  He will drive them home to Manteca and hopefully assist in getting her car started.

It's always something.

I have an appointment in Hayward on Saturday morning and then am trekking to Thunder Valley on Sunday to pick up a(nother) cruise offer.  We can't get enough of the cruise offers and they save us a ton of $ so it's worth the drive.  Then back to Jackson via (new) back roads for more free play there.

Sometimes my hobby feels like a job.  But it's a nice (problem) hobby to have.  The pretty drives, feeling blessed in my life - losing isn't fun, by any means but how blessed am I to be able to just have fun like that?

After this months trips, though, I will be saving up for our cruise in March - won't go to Reno much at all once winter weather hits so it will be easier to save up.

On Wednesday, J. is taking the Mariner to Modesto Ford - wrench light happened again last weekend (I drove the Camry to Reno this weekend) so we're taking it in for a 2nd opinion.  It was 108 that day and super duper hot - and I wasn't exactly going the speed limit - so maybe it just overheated 'on the natural'.  But I worry about driving long distances 'cuz I don't want to have issues on a mountain, curvy road with limited phone reception.

As always on this day, I think about where I was when the incidents of 9/11 started sixteen years ago. Remembering being home with J. (after arriving at work and realizing our country was being attacked - glad they let us go home) and watching the towers fall on the news.  Shortly after I said 'do you think they will fall?'.  And they did.

I will never forget.