Hard to catch up

Remember back in the days of handwritten letters? I do. I was a big letter writer. When I lived in Japan, computers weren't yet commonplace. I was there from 1988-1991. A fax was still a big thrill.

Anyway, I saved all the letters I received during that time, and my mother, Katrina, and Carol all saved the letters I wrote to them. I had these big plans of writing a book based on all of them. I could still do it, but it would be dated in this time of emails.

Do you also remember having not written for a while? How hard it was to write about everything that had happened since your last letter? So you kinda gave up and even more time passed?

That's how I feel about this blog the past two weeks. Yes, I know posting pictures is a wussy way to post, but I just had too much to write about, so I avoided it all.

Isn't that always the way?

First off, I had the best time EVER in Vegas this time. And I've been at least 30 times; probably more. Of course, winning over $2000 didn't hurt. I only have won one other time, and that was also on a trip with Torn, also at the Rio, and it was $700. Most of the time I lose what I came with or break a little even.

What was so fun about this win was that I didn't realize I was playing a progressive machine. I mean, it was a penny machine for goodness' sake. Torn was sitting beside me, and I was rather mindlessly pushing the spin button. We were discussing where to eat lunch, and I got a bonus screen. If you've been to Vegas lately, you'll know that all the slot machines have this "bonus" screen deal. What I didn't know, was that this wasn't a regular bonus screen, but the progressive screen.

Next thing you know, both of us are looking at the machine, stuttering a little bit...'uh..I think... I just won... the big... uh.." and then the screaming commenced.

Of course, the screaming was just me. Torn had a smile as wide as his ears, and kept saying "Gahwd!" and hugging me.

We went to a show, which we have discussed doing for at least the last 10 years, but we never do, and we ended up staying an extra day. Four nights! I've never stayed in Vegas that long. Never. But wow. What a good time.

Oh yeah, they also kept comping us for our meals at the hotel. "Is $15 each good enough for lunch for you?" "I can give you free breakfast at our buffet."

Yes! And the rooms were free, and I even got Torn a free tee shirt from my "player's gold" card play points. Main Street Station is not the most fancy hotel in which you'll ever stay, but it was clean, and looked great inside the rooms, and all in all, veddy veddy good to me.

It's going to be hard to top this one.