The offers just kept on coming....either someone really, really likes me or there just aren't any people gambling in Reno. Whichever the reason, I got a sh*tload of offers to fly me and a guest back out to Reno for some more gambling fun.
Having already taken a very expensive luxury cruise in January, I was reluctant to spend any more money on travel this spring...but the enticement was there, and we had had so much fun this past fall, so finally Mike and I selected a long weekend to get away.
Things started off not too well. First of all, we were being flown on a different airline (not Southwest) and we had crappy seats on a crowded plane. But then that was cancelled out by the skycap not charging us for luggage so we were back to "even". Arriving in Reno I had hoped for a private transport to the hotel -- no such luck! I hopped on the first shuttle bus to the hotel with Mike staying behind to grab his golf bag and suitcase (smartly I had packed only a small carry-on!) and then catching the next shuttle. At the hotel, I got checked in immediately and was given a stunning corner suite. It's only a shame that the room is wasted on me since I spend so little time in it!
Mike had a horrendous ride on the shuttle to the hotel and was in a horrific mood when he finally arrived -- well, I did tell him he wouldn't need a FULL suitcase for a long weekend but it's not as if he ever listens to me anyway!
The casino was exactly the same as our last trip and we quickly found our way to our favorite machines. I had some small wins early on, after a series of losses. No royal flush jackpots -- but I was dealt four 4's with a deuce on a triple play double double bonus for $600 -- and more hands like that so I was playing.
Meanwhile, Mike was not planning on doing much gambling and, in fact, left the hotel to walk down to the bowling stadium to meet up with some friends soon after we arrived.
We decided to have an early dinner at the buffet -- courtesy of Harrah's -- and though we got to use the Diamond Express Line, the server forgot to give us linen rather than paper napkins and almost sat us in the "general populace" section. Oh, the horror!!! Strangely enough it was Mike who spoke up, before I did, to inform said hostess that we belonged in the OTHER section. He must not have gotten the memo: "we're big shots!" LOL
The next day dawned sunny and semi-mild and Mike headed off to Wolf Run for some golf. I didn't join him, electing instead to stay behind and seek fame and fortune at the video poker machines.
Later that day, we spent some time in the Diamond Lounge before dinner at a nice restaurant (again, courtesy of Harrah's) and then hung out at our favorite bar playing video poker. Again, still no royal flush but I still believe one is in my future. I am, however, making plenty of small wins so I have more than enough to play with and I end up playing a lot of dollar video poker at $5 a hand and triple play quarters at either $3.75 a hand or super times pay triple at $4.50 a hand. The royal flush eludes me and I head up to bed around 2am, snuggled next to Mike who has been there since 9 or so.
The ringing of the phone awakens me at 6am. Groggily I answer it, after having to roll waaaaaaaaaay across the huge empty bed (seriously this is living, but your bedroom would have to be at least 25 x 25 to put this thing in it). The first thing I hear is a woman with an accent saying, "we're calling about your husband..." Now, my heart starts beating a staccato triple time because at 6am it feels like the middle of the night and no good can ever come from a middle of the night phone call. Oh, my God, I'm thinking heart attack? mugging? arrest? what can it possibly be????
But she has gone on to tell me that my beloved has hit a jackpot and has no i.d.!!! Where is he, I croak out? Where else, but in the high roller room! That means he has been playing FIFTEEN DOLLARS a hand on the triple play machines there! I'm gonna kill him! And yet, I'm so happy that he has hit yet another royal flush this year -- except he made me give them my i.d. and tax info so now this is going to show up on my earnings for the year!
I'd love to say that we now had four grand to spend on a kitchenette for the Myrtle Beach house, or something else like, oh, groceries! gas! But, no, alas without my supervision he gambled it away over the next two days. Gotta love that guy!
