Goodbyes Are Sad
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Goodbyes suck.
When it comes time to say goodbye to a family member, there is nothing anybody can say that can make you feel better. I'm still in a horrendous mood. I'm the old cranky bastard that screams "get off my lawn" to the neighborhood kids. I was gonna be that guy eventually anyway, but when I'm in a bad mood, I am already that guy.
Thank you to everybody that commented and sent their condolences and best wishes. Burying your Grandma is extremely hard for anybody, much less a schmoe like me, but well wishes from people that I consider friends makes it a little more bearable. Don't get me wrong, I could NOT bear it, but it was sure nice to read all of your comments, Thanks again.
Prior to interruptus del lifos, I was hanging out with my friends, slinging cards, drinking a few beers and, in general, having a good time. Let me repeat that, I had a great freaking time hanging out, slinging chips, plugging penny slot machines and getting to know a few special people a little better.
If you've read their recaps of the weekend, you already know that we had a large time here in the flyover/koozie state. If you didn't know that Oklahoma was the koozie state, well, you don't pay close enough attention. You'll probably never buy a ticket here anyway, so whatever I could say wouldn't hit home with you and, if I can't hit home with you, well, you probably wouldn't have a good time here anyway.
We had a great group this year, along with my now-traditional co-hosts: MrsGCox25, my daughter Casey, Miss Maudie, Oossuuu, Turdchaser and IceBox. If you've never enjoyed a beer at the Crows Roost Bar or over on TurdChaser's porch, well, I'm sorry for you, because you are missing out.
My #1 girl, Kat, from the Great White North, is our annual "longest traveller" as well as "she who books her flight the earliest." She flew in on Wednesday morning and had a hankering for some wings and beer. Unfortunately for us, the local Buffalo Wild Wings was closed for renovation, so, we did what any sane person would do and drove another 50 yards or so, to Jason's Deli and devoured a monstrous Reuben Sandwich. I'm pretty sure that turned out alright.
After a short afternoon nap, we headed to Oossuuu's house and met his roommates for the first time. They laid out a great spread of hamburgers, hot dogs and all kinds of the "Official Beer of Okie-Vegas" - Keystone Light.
We had a nice little one table SNG(which I managed to chop 1st, btw) followed by a nice little cash game. (which I managed to donk off all my profit from the sng, tyvm.) After driving home, we crashed, not to be up and about until well after Noon.
On Thursday, we headed to Norman-town around 2:00 pm in the afternoon and straight to Riverwind Casino. After drinking one $4 beer and dropping a quick $40 in the poker slot machine, I was off, in search of a slot machine I might be able to win at and, oh boy, did I find those machines????? Penny slots my friends, penny slots. I ended up covering my early losses and 2 rounds of beers with my first try and later, I would pocket a cool $100 on those penny slot machines. BIG-time gamblers down here in the koozie state, you know?
After getting myself back to even, we headed to Ozzie's at the airport in Norman, for a meetup with Maudie, Oossuuu, Greg and chicken fried steaks, bigger than your head. Once done, I was miserable and, when we arrived at Maudies, for some kitchen table poker, I told Maudie, "a very small piece of pie, please," which, she managed to completely ignore and served me a monstrous piece, with some vanilla ice cream on top. Oh my, it's no wonder I'm as fat as I am.
We played a little nickel-dime-quarter kitchen table poker with games such as Guts, Drops, Mexican Sweat and ........ Omaha Hi. That's right, I doubled up my $10 buy-in with one hand of PLO. Unfortunately for Greg, Oossuuu's roommate, he ran into the tight-box that raises only with A-A and a couple of suits, flops top set and turns a boat. He unfortunately made Broadway on the river and was compelled to call my $3 shove on the end. Overall, one of the best nights of any of the 4 Okie-Vegases thus far.
The next morning, Friday, we rose, showered and awaited the arrival of Special K, fresh off a cross country flight that saw him connecting out of his home town, that had to be a bit weird for him. We followed his progress on Facebook and soon, got the call, he was in the vicinity.
After a quick man-hug, we loaded up and headed to Eischen's, Oklahoma's Oldest Bar, but also home of the best fried chicken in Oklahoma. Can I get a witness? They bring out wax paper, pitchers of beer, fresh pickles, white bread and fried okra and you eat with your hands. It is my kind of place, no doubt.
After lunch, we directed the visitors to the less-than-fabulous Lucky Star Casino in El Reno, OK, as Carrie, Casey and I made our way down to the lake to prepare for yet more arrivals. I would have liked to have played with my visitors, but the way things worked out, I'm glad I was already at the lake. They definitely had fun tilting the locals without me.
Yestbay arrived from the DFW metroplex shortly after our arrival at the lake and was greeted with the blast furnace that is western Oklahoma this time of year. We quickly got him settled and awaited the others.
After their arrival at the lake, we quickly organized a little SNG (which I also was lucky enough to chop) and played until the arrival of Tragedy and the Mrs, fresh from West Texas. We played some cash games, but soon enough, it was time to head down to the Crows Roost Bar and a visit with the locals.
Apparently, unbenownst to me or the others, my wife and Katitude had already headed that way and were enjoying multiple free cerveza due to somebody's ability to please the locals. I won't mention names, cough, but Kat was a big hit at the Crows Roost Bar.
We had a few beers before they turned the lights on and told us to GTFO! And then, we enjoyed a few more on the porch before finally calling it a night around 3:30 am.
Saturday, we headed to our favorite spot on the lake, JetBoat Cove! We arrived en masse and took over the entire area, drinking a few beers, and also meeting Sure Thing On A Blanket, fresh off a job interview. The reason we knew that were the scars on her knees. Funny shit, I promise. Funnier if you were there, but funny nonetheless.
After sending out the visitors for a quick tour of Fort Cobb Lake on the Redneck Yacht Club! My good friend KK stopped by in her party barge and took a full crew out on the water for a tour and some deep sea diving off the top of the boat. The videos are priceless, I promise.
After breaking things down, we headed back to the trailer. MrsGCox25 started on the mexican food and we started on the poker tournament. We played the first four levels outside, in the sweltering heat, before breaking for dinner. I was never the same.
I managed a double up when I couldn't lay down my Kings pre-flop (to a re-raise) and managed to flop top set. Tragedy couldn't get away from his Aces and my Kings held up to double me up.
Anyway, after folding for 16 hours straight, I got it in with J-10 s00ted, against...........wait for it............Greg's Aces. I flopped a pair, turned a gutter ball and bowed out gracefully in around 5th or 6th place.
Kat managed to take 3rd, Yestbay took 2nd and newcomer Greg, took the whole thing down. Nice tourney with good friends and overall, a good time was had by all. However, the good times were just starting.
We spent the rest of the night hanging out on the porch, doing dial-a-shots, telling lies and getting to know each other a little better. It was the best time of the whole weekend for me.
Sunday, we headed back to OKC after everybody hit the road and Kat and I met Maudie at Chili's for some lunch before her flight took off. After lunch, I dropped off Kat at the airport and made my way home for a long nap.
Overall, as good or better than the previous 3 imho. I've had a great time every year, this year, even moreso. We missed a few folks this year, but the ones that were here, will always be welcome and invited back to my house any time, I can promise you that.
Thanks to everybody that made the trip, I had a fantastic time.
Thanks to all my co-hosts, I love you all just like family.
Until next time, I fold. Can I get a witness???
G
***BTW, no links, because I'm a lazy bastard, but you can find everybody here in the links to the right.****
posted by GaryC @ 5:44 PM,
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Saying Goodbye
Sunday, July 12, 2009
As I drove away from the airport this afternoon, after saying goodbye, to Kat, for the last time this weekend, it kind of hit me.....right in the face.
This weekend, which was our 4th such Okie-Vegas gathering, was just as cool and just as much fun as any of the other three. I had an outstanding time and soon, I'll write another write-up or two. But, right now, I have to prepare to say goodbye to the matriarch of our family.
After an outstanding lunch on Friday, we ushered the visitors to the Lucky Star Casino and my wife and daughter and I drove on to the lake place to prepare. About 5 minutes after arriving at the lake, my cell phone rang. It was my Mom and I knew immediately that it was the call I didn't want to take.
Nanny was 96 years old and had lived by herself up until just two years ago. She was, by far, the toughest woman I've ever known. She survived the depression. She raised 7 kids almost completely by herself during tougher times than most of us have ever known. She survived being run over by a car in her 80's and was back in Tunica, plugging slot machines, less than a year later.
Alot of my youth was spent at Nanny's house, shoot, 41 of my 43 Christmas Eves on this earth have been spent at that little white house next to the church. She had an effect on everybody she met and we will all miss her very much. I don't know all the numbers exactly, but there are dozens of grand-kids, great grandkids and even a handful of great, great grand-kids, all shaped and influenced in some way by my Nanny.
I'll write up Okie-Vegas 4 one of these days, but for now, I say God Bless and Godspeed, Nanny. We love you, we'll always miss you and we'll never forget you.
I love you,
Gary
posted by GaryC @ 4:43 PM,
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It Has Begun
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Presto is indeed "gold" for me against Oossuuu. Who knew?
posted by GaryC @ 10:07 AM,
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Let's Get Ready To......
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
......go on a much needed, well-deserved vacation.
Tomorrow night at approximately 4:29 pm officially, I am on vacation for 10+ days. I'll probably check out un-officially somewhere around Noon, but when I clock out tomorrow evening, I'm headed straight to the lake to enjoy some fishing and some fun in the sun.
If you know me, that means that I'll be roasted-red sunburned by the time you make it here for Okie-Vegas, which begins, by the way, next Wednesday when I pick Kat up at the airport. After a few emails and a few conversations over some cold beer, we've got our typical loose agenda and our guest list.
Hosting with me, as always, are Miss Maudie, Oossuuu and the lovely and talented, MrsGCox25, as well as Turdchaser and IceBox.
Kat is flying in from Canada. SpecialK is flying into DFW from the Carolinas and then driving up from Texas. Instant Tragedy and his crew are driving in from West Texas and last, but not least, Yestbay is driving up from the Dallas area. A smaller crew than the last couple of years, but about the size I expected this year, what with the economy in the shitter and the costs associated with travel. That's okay, we'll still have a big time, I can promise you that.
Here's the loose agenda, if you're interested:
Wednesday - I pick up Kat at the airport and we head to Bricktown, here in downtown OKC for some sightseeing and lunch. Once the heat wears us completely down, we'll head back to my house for a little relaxation before heading to Oossuuu's house Wednesday evening for a little pool party, hamburgers and poker. I hear he's arranged for a little 2-table $20 buy-in NLHE tournament right there on the premises with some of his home game buddies. Bets on who lays down the first hammer??? We're going to try to work in the Mookie Wednesday night, but without Buddy and Joanada here, I don't think we could ever top last year's broadcast anyway.
Thursday looks to be the day that Kat, Oossuuu and I get to sling some chips with the locals. We'll probably end up going to Riverwind down in Norman, just for convenience, since we are meeting Miss Maudie at Ozzie's for dinner and Chicken Fried Steak bigger than your head. Following that, we'll all need a nap, I mean, we'll head over to Maudie's house for a little desert and some nickel-dime-quarter dealer's choice poker at her place.
Friday will see the rest of the arrivals. Special K will be up some time after Noon and we plan on heading to Okarche, Oklahoma for fried chicken at Eischen's, the oldest bar in Oklahoma. It's really a restaraunt, although they do serve beer, but we'll load up there on food and need another nap, no, we'll head from there to El Reno and the fabulous Lucky Star Casino for a few hours of poker with the locals. Depending on what time Yestbay is going to be arriving that evening, we'll head to the lake from there in time to get things cooled down in the trailer and things unloaded from the vehicles.
That evening, after Yestbay arrives and Tragedy and his crew arrive, we're going to just hang out. We might play a little cash game at the trailer or we might just head down to the Crows Roost Bar and knock back a few cold ones.
Saturday is tournament day and, rather than drive all the way back to the city, we're going to stay at the lake and do it down there this year. MrsGCox25 has a mexican fiesta menu planned this year, with enchiladas, stuffed jalapenos, 7-layer dip and, of course, that world-famous OkieCaviar salsa that she debuted last year. I'm pretty sure a couple of folks made themselves sick on that last year, including me, but it's too good to pass up.
The plan is to play the tournament around 1:00pm-ish and have it over some time around 5:00 pm and then play cash games and hang out at the trailer for the rest of the evening. Of course, if anybody wants to get up and ride jet ski's on Saturday morning, we'll be ready for that too. We'll head back to the city around 11-ish on Sunday morning in order to get Kat to the airport on time and I guess everybody else will head home from the lake and it will all be over again, seemingly before it started. Time does fly when you're having fun.
I guess that's about all I know. If you couldn't make it this year, well, I understand completely and we'll be sure to hoist a cold on in your honor. If you are coming, I'm grateful and I can't wait to see you. If you thought about coming and just didn't pull the trigger, well, you're missing out. Make plans to be here next year, when, we're going to do our best to move the dates around either before or after the WSOP in hopes of accomodating a few more people. I'm looking at you, Reverend Al and F-Train.
Of course, dial-a-shots are welcome at any and all times, just be patient, we don't get great reception down there in the middle of nowhere.
Until next time, I fold.
G
posted by GaryC @ 3:32 PM,
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