9/8 What a damn day

You know I was having company today. Well earlier, I was feeling some residual effects of the pain meds, so took a long nap. When I finally started cleaning the house, I didn't have much time to play around.

First Cookie destroyed my glasses. This was the only thing she's ever destroyed besides her own toys. I cried out loud. Both dogs came to comfort me. It wasn't fair, because I couldn't stay mad at her.

Then Quincy came inside totally muddied up from head to toe. It rained hard and she managed to find all the mud holes. So I threw her in my tub and bathed her. For the next few times I took her out on a leash so she wouldn't get in the mud.

When it was about 15 minutes before my friends were to arrive, I let Q out without thinking and damn, she did it again. Only this time the mud was even in her eyes. God, I was mad! She jumped in the empty tub without me telling her to. Usually she waits until the water starts running, but not this time. She knew.

Despite these problems I had fun playing cards with Genia and Caroline. I'm teaching them to play Texas Hold-em. It'll be awhile before they are ready for a tournament, but it was fun. I plan to play in a tournament at the Hard Rock Casino next Sunday at 3 PM. My first one at a casino. Should be fun.

9/7 Fun

Today was good. I left the dogs alone from 9-1, from 1:30-4:30, and from 6:30-9:30. And they both did so well. They made a mess of my bedroom--a total mess. But they just tore up their own toys, and nothing of mine. So I can't complain. Except I'll have to buy more toys. :)

Tonight I went to dinner with a friend and then to the Hard Rock Casino for a while, where I promptly lost all the money I'd set aside for gambling. Gone. Ah, well. There'll be another time.

Tomorrow night I'm having people over to teach them how to play Texas Hold'em. Then Sunday I have a BBQ to go to. But next Sunday I'm going to enter a poker tournament in the afternoon at Hard Rock. I'm excited about that.

7/27/ What fun

I worked from home this morning, and Gerri arrived around noon. It was absolutely wonderful to see her. And even though it's been 31 years since we've seen each other, it's been just like yesterday. She's still cute, funny, and klutzy, just like in college. What a joy!

We took a tour of some of the beautiful areas and some disaster areas. We went by our volunteer camps and also by my office. I introduced Gerri to everyone there. And was incredibly proud of the staff in the office. We're incredibly lucky to have them.

We took Q to the kennel, so I don't have to worry about her this weekend. I miss her already, but it's the smart thing to do.

Tonight we cut up tons of different vegetables and made a salad bar. Friends came over, we had beer and wine, ate the salad bar, and then played games--Catchphrase and Texas Poker. It's not Texas Hold'em but rather a game played with one card and one dollar. It's quite fun.

People just left.

Tomorrow Gerri and I are going traveling to Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis. Then tomorrow night we're going to a casino with Genia, Caroline, and Angie. It's for my birthday. I still have $200 from when we gambled before. So I said I'm giving each of my friends a $20 bill to gamble with.

It's my birthday party and I'll do what I want. Should be fun.

7/8 Lots of good stuff

Yesterday my friend Genia called and said, "Let's go to the Beau." That's the huge casino right at the end of I-110, with a great view. So Genia, Caroline, Cindy and I went and had a ball. In the beginning I complained because they just wanted to play the penny and nickel slots--not my thing. I said if I win big on the penny slots I'll just be pissed it wasn't on a dollar machine.

I sat down at a nickel slot and within 5 minutes won $400.

No more complaining about the cheap slots.

I put $300 of it away and proceeded to lose the other $100 but it took me four hours to do it. Not too bad.

We're going to take my friend Gerri there when she visits at the end of the month. (Hi, Gerri.)

Today Q and I went to the beach--a deserted spot where she could run until she dropped. We played fetch for quite a while and got in the water too. But it was quite hot in the sun so we only stayed for a little less than an hour. On the way home I stopped at Walmart and bought her a small plastic pool. She loves it, and it was a lot easier cleaning the sand off her this way, instead of carrying a 40-pound wiggling pack of puppy to the bathtub.

She's napping now after her big workout, and I think I'll join her soon.

It's been a good day. I'll end it by cleaning out my car after the sun goes down.