June 22, 2005

My poor old nose and eyes have lost most of the swelling. They've gone back from the sick look to just the plain old everyday ugly. The only thing I did was go back to the nose mask and taping my mouth shut with duct tape. I don't know why the full mask caused a proble. Any way this seems better.

The poker table saga is still in the heavy throes of aggravation and the suspicion that we're going to end up screwed. After many e-mails, on June 18th they finally sent this:

(I apoligize I was just checking there website and they do have a terminal in columbia I will have it sent over there on monday should be able to get it then I am sorry did not realize st. louis was not hte closest., again I do apoligize did not realize till right now).

That created this message from us:

(Could you please give us the address of the terminal in Columbia, Missouri, where we can pick up the table and also the shipping number?)

We had to send that twice but finally got this message this morning.

(i did call and ask for it to be forwarded you have the tracking number on it it may help to call yourself and get the process sped up)

Now tell me, did we get an answer? We have never gotten any information as to the tracking number, tho Dory has asked more than once. I see a little extended delaying tactic. If they can keep it up long enough we'll have no recourse. The aggravation is coming awfully close to pissing Dory off. Some of you may not realize it but pity is a really good word to use for anyone that truly pisses Dory off!

Yesterday, I did finally succumb to the tantalizing brain deadening sounds of the ding-a-ling machines. Watching all the people hurriedly sticking money into the machines along with the sounds and all of the flashing lights conspired to turn me into a ding-a-ling or maybe just brought out the ding-a-ling that was already in me. I found quite a few hungry money receivers to feed. A couple times I was lucky enough to find a gambling machine but not often enough to overcome the feeding of the rotten money receivers. Only one of our four found a gambling machine or two that enabled her to make her way home with a good chunk more than she took in.

I had at least three memorable thrills during the day. One was getting a free buffet, the second was during our wait for the forth party to appear so we could leave, I borrowed a five dollar bill from Dory and took it straight to a dollar machine that had caught my eye as I had passed it on the way out. In less than two minutes I had a $50 credit in the machine. I took the chit pronto to the cashier and cashed out. Even after giving Dory half I was pretty perky for awhile. The third and greatest thrill of all was spotting our garage as we drove down our street to home.

Dory is heading to Jeff for a visit with her mom and getting the stitches taken out of her leg this morning. Me, a few minor jobs around the house in the expected 93 degree weather which is at 95% humidity at this time and then a good book for when lack of desire or the heat runs me into the house.

"How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it."-Marcus Aurelius