ding....ding.....ding......

What a way to start my trip to the casino!!!

I began my day on a really good note as I sat down at a 25 cent machine, put in my two quarters and within a couple of spins found myself winning the "progressive" amount of $250.00!! Had I found my "lucky machine"? Well, I stuck with it and within a little while found myself winning another $150.00! So, I was able to put away part of my winnings and use the casino's money for the rest of the time.

One of our favorite penny machines to play was the "Deal, or No Deal" machine. It was set up just like the real game and was so much fun to play. Carol and I both did really well on these machines and had a great time. The only thing missing was Howie Mandell and the girls...!

We decided to meet at the luncheon buffet both days. We laugh at ourselves as we pile up our plates with the strangest combinations of food...but it is so tempting when it is put out there for the taking. What a spread! They have everything from Chinese food to a beef and ham carving stations, a salad bar, soup, fresh fruit, pizza, fried and baked chicken and fish, millions of veggies, and every carbohydrate that one could ever imagine. It is pretty incredible....and, then of course there is the dessert area where one finds themselves eating sweets that they wouldn't even think about at home. Yum. Luckily, Carol and I start each day with a walk outside in hopes of burning off some of these extraneous calories!

For dinner we dined at two of the restaurants in the casino and really enjoyed those meals. Of course, all of our food was "comped" (free) : )...the only thing that wasn't covered were the tips!

When we checked out our total bill for two night's stay with each of us in our own suite was $9. each. Not bad, eh?

One of the most fun parts of being in this Mississippi casino is doing a lot of people watching. You can see the most eclectic group of people there. Carol and I are both similar in that we get energized from the people around us, so we both end up talking to lots of fellow gamblers and/or the people who work in the casino. One can learn so much about people if you just take the time to listen to their story. I loved the elderly couple in line at the buffet who walked in holding hands. Her comment to us was that "...she kind of liked him and that they had been together 44 years." She continued to talk while he just grinned and didn't say much. That was probably the pattern in their whole marriage! They were cute. And then there was the casino host whose work schedule was from 4 in the morning until 12 noon...and the sweet little older ladies who clutch their purses as they slowly and methodically spin the slot machine wheels in anticipation of some big winnings...I always manage to find someone who plays the slots by rubbing their hand back and forth across the screen as the wheels spin hoping that the gambling 'gods' will look down and help them win. I must admit, I even tried that once myself. It didn't help.

Heading home yesterday we both had smiles on our faces as we had gotten our gambling "fix" . More importantly, against all odds, I even came home with more money than I had arrived with! Imagine that. : )

Carol and I have this trip down to a science now and are the perfect pair to do this kind of trip. It is something that the two of us have shared for years, and I am grateful to be able to experience this with her. I can just picture us well into our 80's still making these trips together!

Well, back to reality today as I get ready to get back to work as well as doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. ...

...and in the meantime, I'll be saving my quarters, nickels, and pennies for the next gambling girlie getaway...