What's goin on?

I apologize to my (few) readers for my recent inactivity.  I tried 3 or 4 times and actually have a couple of posts I started but I never got them finished.  I have just been working so much and am so tired from being in front of a computer screen all day that the action of typing a post, not to mention the thought involved in creating and editing it has been beyond my feeble mind.  Both times I fell asleep in front of the computer before I could finish more than half the posts.  Really I have been dragging around most nights like a zombie.  It's a wonder the PQ hasn't whacked me by now in fear that I may bite her in the night and zombify her.  And unlike some others who shall remain nameless, doing a post at work (as if I had time for that anyway) is not possible. 

But today I feel better.  I only have time for a short post but wanted to say "yes I am alive and eventually I will post some content, maybe even poker related"  Here is the latest news however.

I took yesterday (Friday) off to get myself a 4 day weekend with Monday's holiday.  I needed a little time.  It felt good to wake up yesterday and not have to go to work.  I actually slept until after sunrise.  What a concept.  Because Thursday night I actually slept in a home of my own.

Thursday the PQ and I closed on our house.  So the one we have rented for the past year we now own.  Got it at about the bottom of the market from what I can see.  Even including homeowners and mortgage insurance along with taxes we are still saving over $200 a month from renting.  So having the day off was a wonderful thing after closing the day before.  We decided to do some shopping on Friday.  Our first order of business was to find a new stove.  We have been looking at stoves online for the past few weeks or so because the stove here SUCKS.  The only good thing about it was the oven which cooks well and is self cleaning (and does that pretty well too).   We like the fridge and dishwasher just fine, we already replaced the microwave with one that is more than a popcorn cooker, but the stove is dead duck.  So we checked out the Sears Outlet after breakfast and saw a couple of decent ones at good prices.  Problem was they charged for delivery and didn't pick up the old ones.  We figured it would cost us around $150 for delivery and take away if we used them.

We eventually went by the Home Depot as my card there is completely empty.  Also we got the refund from the property management company of our extra rent for the rest of the month plus deposit.  Which was enough to buy a nice stove.  But we also looked at other things we are going to replace like the front screen door and the locks.  Needless to say we found a stove the PQ fell in love with and she said "I'm buying this one" and that was that.  It will be delivered in a few days and they install and pick up for free.  And I didn't charge it, she just paid for it out of the refund. 

Last night I wanted to play cards much to my daughters dismay.  She had planned on us going to the movies and I had to tell her that this was my day off and not hers to plan out for me.  Turned out for the better as my wife's sisters couldn't go Friday but might be able to go today.  Turns out they can't as we just called.  Anyway I went to play some cards.  Didn't want a tourney, just wanted to play some cards and maybe win a high hand jackpot.   The PQ didn't want to go but gave me her blessing telling me to win enough money for new flooring.

Most of the night did not go well.  Not much in the way of pocket pairs most of the night and all of my good cards flopped absolutely nothing almost every time.  It was pathetic because I did get hands like AK, AQ, AJ plus suited cards like 89, 10 9, J9, etc quite a bit.  Flops almost everytime were complete opposites.  Usually I'm looking at a lot of J4 Q2 offsuit etc.  But not last night.  Of course these decent hands were cost me money.  A couple of hands even hit much to my detriment.  I lost with 77 when I flopped  a set on a K 7 2 flop when the flop was all diamonds and this woman calls the preflop raise with J3 of diamonds only to get rewarded for it.  My set never improved and I gave her some cash.  Lost more when I limped with 84 of hearts and flopped a flush draw.  Made it on the turn and reraised but guy calls me with top pair and a K of hearts.  Of course the river was a heart.  Then 2 hands later I'm really steaming when the table donkey (who ended up giving away almost all his chips to everyone else but me) keeps calling with his 99 when I flop a set of 5s on a K52 flop.  He calls my flop, and turn bets and reraises the river when a 4th spade hits.  He had the 9 of spades, I had none but really dude?  A draw to the 9 of spades and you stay in all the way?? I just couldn't win for losing most of the night and by then I was steaming a bit.  Was about to call it a night when Steve came to deal.

Steve is a good dealer and a nice guy.  He lost about 90 lbs and is still losing more as he is just big now rather than quite big.  But sitting in the 10 seat it was easy to see he was quite a bit smaller than he used to be.  Talking to him got me back to under control and he actually dealt me a few winners.  Almost dealt me a jackpot hand when I flopped a set of 9s and made a full house when the Kings paired on the river.  He looked in the burn cards and there was my fourth 9.  Not great but made some chips back.  Made some more when I rivered a flush on a straight and flush draw (and straight flush draw) and by the time his down was over I was feeling much better but getting tired.  I was thinking about leaving then and taking my losses but decided to stay a little longer.  Good thing. 

Rex was the next dealer and he did me right.  Early in his down I got pocket queens.  I saw a flop of QJ9 on it.  Decided to be a little tricky and wait to maybe see a jackpot hand so I checked  then called the bet by the table donkey.   Turn was another 9 which made me very happy.  I hoped the donkey was sitting on K10 for the straight.  This time I bet out with my boat and got 2 callers but the donkey folded.  River was perfect when the Q of clubs hit.  I turned to the dealer and quietly said "thank you" as both opponents checked.  I just checked and flipped over the quads.  Bingo!!   The floor comes over and verifies my hand.  The floor thought the high hand was a straight flush when he came to the table but checked and was told no one had hit quads or better yet.  So then I have 40 minutes to wait and see if my hand holds up as the high hand for that hour.  That was a long 40 minutes, especially since I wanted to go home by then but well worth the wait and at just after midnight the high hand was announced as 4 queens with a jack kicker.  $500 for me - would have been $100 if someone had beaten me out.  I tipped the dealer $10 when the hand hit and pulled out $25 more when I got paid off later as he had moved on but apparently he had been sent home so I'm carrying the chip around with me to give to him tonight.  Walked out of the building with almost 600.  After the movie today we are going back to poker room for just a little while.  I also got entry Friday into a drawing for 10K tonight.  Sure there are plenty of others in the drawing but hey if I'm running good, I want to be there for this.  Can you say new flooring??

The drawing is at 10pm and you have 5 minutes to claim the prize.  The last time they had this drawing, the first 2 people weren't there.  How badly would that suck to win 10K and not be there to claim it?  Of course I keep putting in this OT at work and I won't need to win a drawing for new flooring.  Or my life insurance payout will buy it.  Either way the wife gets her new flooring so she's happy.  And isn't that what I'm supposed to do?  After 27 years plus I'm still figuring that part out.  Boy was she happy after we closed.  I have really never wanted to be a homeowner but she has for quite some time.  Now we are (along with Liberty Savings Bank FSB) and she couldn't be happier. 

Well enough for today.  I will complete one of these other posts this weekend with any luck and update what else has been going on.  NO WORK ALL WEEKEND.  I am taking 4 full days away from the place.  Will take a couple of more days off in July around my birthday.  Then 2 full weeks in August while we go on a little cross country travel that we usually take around my birthday.  So time to wrap it up as we are heading to the see the Avengers in a little bit.  The daughter really really likes (lusts for) Thor.  She was heartbroken to find out he was married.  Also heartbroken to find out Sean Rodriguez of the Rays was married as well.  She'll have to get over it but I must say with her tastes she had better marry a wealthy guy.  Still there's plenty of them out there.  Evan Longoria isn't married yet.  I wonder if Josh Freeman or David Price is married?  Gonna have to contact the Rays and Bucs and see what's available.  Unfortunately she isn't interested in Steven Stamkos.  So boys and girls I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend and remember those who have given their lives for our liberty.  And stay lucky you nuts, as lucky as me.