WaM BAM!

Well it's Monday, and I'm less tired than Sunday.

First and foremost - a HUGE thank-you to Mookie and Mrs. Mookie for opening up their home and lives for a weekend. It was a great time.

My flight got in a bit late on Friday, and that put me right in the middle of Austin rush hour. Almost 2 hours later I was pulling into the Big O's driveway, where I was met by Mookie, Don, and CK. Let me say, that driveway would be a deal-breaker on a house in Canada. Steep, long, and icy (obviously not a problem in Texas) does not a good combination make.

Of course, with my delayed driving, we essentially turned around and went back the way I came for dinner. ScottMC, April, and Robin(? - I think), joined us for some fine BBQ. Dry county = BYOB and they made sure we had time to drink it as the seaters forgot we existed apparently. Once we sat down, the restaurant was almost empty. No worries though, as there was still plenty of meat to be had. 2 or 3 helpings of brisket, ribs, and sausage, and some blackberry cobbler later, we groaned our way out and made it an early night for golf the next day.

Up at the crack of 8 (actually, I woke up at 7:30 after a particularly angering dream), we were on the road before 9 and heading towards Lago Vista. Being the offical photographer, I got my own cart to zip around in (eventually). I'd have taken a few swings on the range, but my damned left-handed golfing handicaps me when everyone's a righty. The only lefty showed up at tee-time.

Nobody likes reading about golf, so I'll spare any exciting stories about CK's ability to get into her zen state and "practice swing" 3 times before duffing into the drink. Although I may relate how the 16th hole became topless golf someday... except it would excite Mr. April too much. Also, I may be lying.

We did get chastised at least 3 or 4 times for "playing a bit slow." Even I got an "I'm not blaming you, but y'alls pace is a bit slow, so make sure you ain't slowing things down with yer pictures." Even though *I* was waiting for people to catch up to me. They were finally told to talk the fat woman in the group before us if they wanted things to speed up. It seems they can't chastise their fat members and left us alone from that point forward.

Sun and windburned, we all returned for BBQ at Casa de los Babys... or the Mookie home. It involved a lot of burgers, dogs, beans, salad, chips, and adult beverages. All of it good.

Casa Noble is the tequila. It is damn fine.

According to Mrs. Mookie, the Big O game usually has the rugrats running around. With 3 tables of "grown-ups" playing, and an adorable perma-puppy running around, I can't imagine how much fuller it must feel with kidlets bouncing around the room. This is the part where I talk poker.

$50 buy-in, rebuys for the 1st hour. I'm playing a decent game, with an okay-sized pot won with my pocket aces (whoda thunk?). Then the hour runs out, but we sneak in one last hand. I see 57c, and decide the play. Flop gives me the inside straight draw with a diamond draw on the board. I see a free card and it completes my straight and puts a spade draw on the board. I check, and my HU opponent bets 3k. I re-raise to 9k and she thinks and calls. The river brings a third diamond and I mentally curse. I put out a 5k blocker bet and she min-raises to 10k. I say, "made your flush, huh?" and reluctantly call. This was my biggest mistake of the night.

She of course DID make her flush and took the pot. I looked to down to see less than 10k in front of me. FUCK! I should have pushed and rebought for the 20k. Now I was short-stacked and never recovered. That's what I get for overestimating my stack size.

The cash game started hours later (people kept leaving), and I was already getting tired. I decided to donate my $100 buy-in to those less-fortunate at the table. I played loose, weak, and losing poker. By the end, I was just looking for the right spot to donate my last chips, because I didn't want $7.50 of your funny American money. :)

At some time, I collapsed in bed and slept until 11 the next a.m.. I knock at my door and a "breakfast is about to be served" got me up and changed quickly for what looked like a pig's worth of bacon and more than a couple eggs. Did I mention I gained 4-5lbs over the weekend?

Clan Mookie returned to the homestead and gave me a taste of what 6 kids is like. It re-affirmed my desire for 2 or 3 tops. How Mookie and the Missus do it is beyond me... but the kids seemed well-behaved and adorable, so that has got to help.

I had to leave around 1:30, which, in my estimation, was far too soon. CK came along for the ride to the airport, despite it adding an hour or two for her to wait in the terminal for her flight. We said goodbye before finding our respective ticket counters. Mine was a bit of a challenge as Air Canada shares space with Northwest, but only indicates this via a couple small signs. After my interminable wait at security, I reunited with the BWoP for a beer before hoofing it to my gate to see if I had a seat. The trade-off of employee passes is that sometimes you get bumped off a flight... but other times you get business class. This was one of the latter cases as I was handed a boarding pass with "Executive Class" written along the top. Woohoo! A meal, my own seat, and leg room!

There will be pictures somewhere eventually. I need to to filter through 550 shots first.

Thanks again to the Mookie family for all their hospitality. It was truly appreciated. Next time I'll do brunch... I just need some advance warning :).

So now I'm home. The temperature is climbing to 20 C (68 F), the sun is out, and I've got a few pounds to lose before a bachelor party in Niagara this weekend. It will involved Brazilian BBQ at this place, that this guy recommended a couple weeks back. My body will force me to turn vegetarian soon. I will fight it every step of the way.

MATH tonight - I have no clue if I'll be there, but I'll try.