Vegas, Baby!

 This morning I leave for Las Vegas for a four days. A little "Guy's Only" trip to celebrate a friend's retirement from the Army. What a weekend to go, though, with Halloween on Sunday - wonder how many 'weirdos' we will see?

Leaving today, I miss the chance to go to my alumni Homecoming game tonight, and a get-together some fellow bandmates from my years were putting together for tomorrow. I also miss the Youngest's Homecoming game, a band competition on Saturday (at my alma mater of all places) and should be back in time on Monday evening for the District exhibition of all the HS marching bands.

I am all packed and ready to go. Have a little spare cash for food/drink - I don't gamble really. 

Guess that is all I got until I get back.

PeacE

All Cramped Up

 I spent most of the weekend drinking. I know, my last post spoke of it being a sober Saturday night, and it truly was a non-alcoholic event. I drank water. I drank soda, I drank, I drank, I drank. For some reason, the past two days had my body craving anything cold and liquid. Sunday morning when I woke (around 10am) I woke feeling bloated, yet craving more cold liquid. I went through more soda than I should have (oh, the calories and sugar!) and I could not chill water fast enough to keep up with my thirst. I even brought it to the Wife's attention, and she could not figure out anything as to why I would suddenly go through this 'thirsty' phase.

So we finally made it bed last night around midnight, after me binge-watching almost the entire season 16 of NCIS. This morning I woke to lower leg cramps, and a distinct lack of that thirsty feeling. One would think all the water I drank would have eased the chances of leg cramps - but maybe I 'washed' out the vitamin(s) that help prevent them. I don't know, but I am sitting here with a chilled, flavored water next to me already this morning. I may try to go lay back down for an hour or two in a bit, since I don't have any work to do yet.

Middle Son stopped by this morning, and is running the Youngest off to school. I think I just heard them leave, and the Wife crawl back into bed. I'm gonna check my email (for work hopefully) then I am back to bed for a bit, too.

PeacE

Another Boring, and Sober, Saturday Night

 Another long, boring week has come to an end. Friday did end with an email from the Company though, with a brief 'questionnaire' to fill out regarding one's current availability for Projects. OF course, I had mine done within five minutes of receiving the link. I am so ready to get back to work. I went out that night to the VFW as my usual routine. By the end of the night, I might have another Santa gig for a nearby American Legion. They are supposed to call me and give me details of what they would want of me, before I commit to anything.

Saturday was spent not doing much. Middle Son came over to help out with mowing of the lawn, and helping move some heavier items around front for the bulk trash pick up that is due soon. Youngest Son helped out doing the trimming around front. I went up to the 99 Cent store to stock up on 2-liters of Mountain Dew and Pepsi, as they almost always have them there for $1. No Mtn Dew.... so got extra Pepsi, and a couple Shasta Lemon-Lime. They Wife had me get some packages of pasta. I threw in a few other minor items for lunches for me, and a couple snack items. So I'm stocked with stuff for the next couple weeks. Found some Tampico iced tea up there too! The Wife had found a Peach flavor one a few days back, and thought it was that store, and sure enough it was. I grabbed her a couple more quarts, and they had one lemon left, so I grabbed it to try (I hate peach tea). It's not bad! I like many of the other Tampico drinks available by the gallon at most stores, but ad never seen the tea.

Sat around most of the afternoon binging on episodes of 'Blue Bloods'. With supper the Wife and I watched the final episode of "Bull", and I headed to bed. That was about 9pm. Just after 12 I am awake again. Damn bladder. But I knew once I got up to go that sleep wasn't going to be coming back for awhile. So here I am at the computer, trying to find something to make me sleepy enough to go lay down and try to sleep again.

I'm leaving Friday for Las Vegas. A fried has retired from his many years of service in the Army, and is doing a Guys Only retirement party/ get-together. There are about 10 of us in total going, and 4 that are riding up from the Valley together. We are staying at a nice Casino further south on the strip, where one friend's family has been going for years, and gets many comps. The NPRC Rodeo championships are there that weekend, too, so rooms were a bit higher priced, but will still save some money on food and drinks thanks to connections. I know I won't lose much gambling, as I am not into it. I might end up in an Uber up the street to Madame Toussad's or something. I think I might have mentioned all that before some time. Coming home Monday. The Youngest has a Homecoming game, Competition on Saturday, and the district exposition on Monday evening, so I will miss two of the events.

The Wife may be returning to the workforce soon. She had a couple phone interviews last week, one which had her do a physical one as well. Unfortunately, that one turned her down. Have not heard from the other one. I have no idea how many other places she might have applied at, or have places in mind yet. But it is a start.

Nothing more to clear out of my head today.

PeacE

Memory and Memories

 If one were to ask the Wife, I have the worst memory of anyone she knows. Unless it comes down to stupid trivia facts no one wants to know, then I can't forget anything. And it is true. She'll tell me one thing one day, and the next, I won't recall being told at all. And that is when I am sober! Sure, I have memories and stories of things that have had happened. I am able to look at pictures and remember. Someone can start telling a story, and I'll remember that have heard it before.

Sometimes there are memories you don't want to remember. I logged into FB this morning, and one of it's "features" is of 'Memories of this Day' which is nothing more than posts you have made a year(s) previous on this day. Mine brought up the passing of one of my best friends. Yes, I have thought about him much over the past seven years, and it was always the good memories - I think the only bad one of is of his passing. So yay, happy Monday to me.

Not much in the mood for writing more today.

PeacE

Wasting Time

 Another week has come and gone. I am still waiting to hear from the Company about any work. I did receive an email from them around Wednesday, basically telling me I was terminated in the system. It is an automatic feature if one has not received a payslip within a two week period. Basically, after three weeks, you get terminated in the system, which cuts off access tot he virtual desktop we work from. This can be changed once you are assigned to a project, etc, etc. It happened once to me before, as I was just starting into a project and it cost a day of working while they figured out what happened.

The Daughter had a car accident the other day. Fortunately no one was hurt. Seems the brakes had locked up and failed to stop the vehicle. There was some front end damage, hood sort of crushed up, and definitely radiator damage. The car was a 2000, and more than likely is totaled. The other person is not hurt, and I have no idea what damage(s) to their vehicle was. The fault goes to my Daughter, and I don't even know if the police were called or if they just settled it between the two of them. Either way, their plan to purchase a newer vehicle just got stepped up quite a bit. Daughter had mentioned, she had been telling Doodad reasonings for why she has to be buckled in the car, over the past several weeks. One of the first things Doodad said after the accident, was something along the lines of 'And that's why I wear my seatbelt!'

I'm a little sore this morning. I came up with the brilliant plan to do something together as a family while the Youngest was on school break. So we went and played putt-putt golf. It had been ages since I had played, and I thought he might like it. The three of went up to the Castles 'n Coasters near out house (small amusement park at the local mall area) and payed $13 per person to play one round of golf. When did it get so expensive?? I thin when I was in high school it was like $2/round. Anyways, we played. It was fun watching Youngest get the idea of how to swing the club, force, angle, etc as the game went on. Afterwards we went to the only regular buffet I know in town, Golden Corral. On the ay home, I asked Youngest if he had "fun". Yeah, I guess I did was his reply. I'll chalk that up as one for Dad with a good idea. Maybe another time I will get out the golf clubs, and we go to a course to hit a bucket of balls to let him really swing.

Oldest Son texted me earlier this week, letting me know he has requested the day off for when we do the Santa Run. I told him I hope he doesn't have an early shift the day after it! I guess I am playing Santa for my brother's Army unit in early December. I have been tentatively asked to help out the VFW's motorcycle club for a Christmas run they do, delivering presents to certain kids at their homes. But I have not heard anything new for sure as of yet. Found out Tuesday they asked someone else to play Santa at the Post Christmas party. Wasn't sure how to feel about that one, so not too worried. I'd rather a couple hours in the suit than the whole night.

Welp, I guess I should get off here and try to get something done today.

PeacE

What to Do ....

 Here it is Tuesday, and again I am waiting to hear from the Company. Maybe today will be the day.

Youngest Son is off school this week (fall break). No special plans to do anything.

Been up since about 3:45 this morning. Not sure why, just am. So that means I spent the past 2+ hours sitting here watching Youtube videos, of stupid stuff. Why? Because I just didn't feel like watching a 45 minute Netflix show, yet I spent 2 hours watching shorter dumb videos. Sigh. And I am still not tired.

Nothing on the agenda today until later today. I have got a meeting to go to for the Aux.

This was pretty short.

PeacE

Another Two Weeks Wasted

 I spent some time this morning, working on the wording in an email I was sending to the Company. It has once again been two weeks since I have heard from the recruiters there, and at the time, it was along the lines of "We have many new projects coming together and will notify you when one is available". I hate being told bullshit, but what can I do about it? I could quit,  try to find other work, or maybe similar with another company. With the Wife still out of work, I need to have a more consistent work period, and this work two weeks, off three, is not a good one.

So I spent time wording a sensible email to the recruiters, and once again, brought to their attention that they are wasting a valuable resource (me) in just having me sitting here to the side waiting for something to come along. Last time I did this, lo and behold, I had an email the next day assigning me to a project. So will try this tactic again. Maybe if nothing by mid-week next I'll try it again. Maybe the squeaky wheel theory will help. It obviously won't hinder it any.

This brings us to today. Friday. Karaoke at the VFW tonight, and my brother is planning on being there. Seeing how it is just afternoon now, I will probably head that way in a couple hours. I have been up there several days this week, not working and all. I like the quietness and being able to read, plus enjoy a beer, at lower prices than at the regular pub.

No plans for the weekend that I am aware of. Yee haw.

PeacE

It's Poker Night!

 As it happens every Thursday evening, the VFW has Poker Night tonight. It's not a bad little thing, and gets some of the younger members in to play. I think it is like a $5 buy-in, with 1 extra buy-in at $5 before the break, and 1-$10 buy-in after break. Or something like that. I don't know, because, well, I don't play. But I always tell the Wife it is Poker Night, so I can get out of the house. She doesn't directly ask me how I play/played, and I don't offer.

I have never been much of a gambler, and I have no idea where that comes from. Maybe my younger years, I don't know. The Wife and I were given a trip to Las Vegas several years (like 15 years or more) from the company I worked for at the time. They had booked us a room at the Mirage for Fri-Sun, paid for the airline flight, and gave me $500 for "spending cash". By the time we were leaving Vegas, we had spent the $500, and I pulled $40 out to pay for parking when we got back to Phoenix. That $500 paid all our meals, the Star Trek exhibit at the Hilton, and a few penny and nickel slots. Had to do the slots just to say I pulled a handle on one in Vegas. Oh, and we did Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, too!

There are several casinos around the Valley. I have only been to one of them and that was more than 20 years ago - when it was the only one, and wayyyyy out on the east side of town. Since then I think they have added like 6 or more around the metropolitan area. I just have no desire to play slots. I consider myself 'decent' at poker, but really am not good with blackjack. Craps - I've tried it, but just not my thing either. I don't mind doing a little roulette. I think I pretty much have tried most gambling things a casino would have over the years with 12-hour turn-arounds to Laughlin. Just not my thing.

The Wife and I tried a new breakfast place today. It is a little more East of us than I like to drive for food, but she insisted. Was called the Original Breakfast House, and the food was okay. Staff was great, and the prices per serving size seemed good. I guess they had been there for years (I never heard of them, but that doesn't mean much) and had a California surf/Hawaii theme going on. Lots of people going in/out and on a weekday morning around 9am. 

Anyways, I'm tired of ramblin' on about nothing.

PeacE

It Was Worth It

 Yesterday, we took a drive up north. The Youngest had a band competition in Prescott in the eary evening, the school's first this year, and we had decided to attend. The Oldest and Middle Sons also joined us for the afternoon, which was fun. It was nice to hear them snickering back and forth in the back seat as we drove north, and I had a chance to talk to both for awhile before the the even started. The Oldest one is hard to get time with, due to his work schedule and his other commitments. We got back late in the evening, but the time together was fun. The Band only made 2nd place, which I thought was not bad for the first competition in two years.

And because Prescot is built in a small valley, everything is built on a "hill", meaning that the high school the event was at, had lots if ups & downs in the parking lot, to the football field. Event he bleachers, slabs of concrete versus regular metal seating, were small, that sitting down I felt like my knees were at my throat. Getting up and sitting down were fun, with my knees problems. Today I feel the exertions in my leg muscles, around the abdomen, and in the lower back.

Headed up to the pub here in about an hour. I need to return a Kindle a friend had handed me a couple days ago, asking for me to load him up a couple books if I could find them for him. He is bartending today, and the Redskins are playing at 10am. Might as well hang up there for the game and do some reading as well.

PeacE