The Theme Song Ends...

Luck was a lady... this morning...

Turned out the last table I played at ended up the best, as I walked away with loads of twenties after an excellent stint of blackjack on the way to the car. Was just using a 7 for 5 coupon thing, ended up getting up to forty bucks, then decided to throw the rest all up for the last hand since the father was in a hurry, and low and behold got blackjack and walked away with a fat wallet. Always nice to end your tirp on a high note. That put me just about even on the trip, and given the room was free, and the father was picking up the food and gas bills, so everything worked out quite well.

Also headed out on Saturday to visit the grandparents, which became interesting since we took my grandfather's old rifles, shotguns, and various other weapons out to the shooting range in the middle of the desert (he lives in Boulder City, near Lake Mead and Hoover Dam about a half hour out of Vegas) and blew some stuff around. I'd never fired a gun in my life prior, so it took me a bit to get the hang of things, but it was surprisingly easier than I expected. The crowning moment was when we set a 7up can I'd just finished drinking about twenty five yards out and braced it with a rock, and I backed off a ways and fired off the first 7 shots of an 8 shot magazine, and managed to put them all clean through the can, incluidng one right through the middle of the red dot. :) The 7th shot knocked it over, so the silver bottom was facing me, so I managed to put the final shot through the bottom of it slightly off center, tearing a hole clean down the side of the can. The .22 I was firing for that clip ended up being my favorite, was quite fun. Also got a chance to blast a 12 gauge, and figure out the definition of the term "recoil." I avoided the 16 gauge after that, especially once the .22 pistol we had brought as well blew out my hearing for a good couple of minutes. That thing was LOUD. Hearing protection is always an intelligent thing to bring. So needless to say I got pretty comfortable with the concept of knowing how to shoot a gun, should the situation ever require it.

Interesting thing about driving around with my Dad in Vegas, is he's one of those ppl who just refuses to read signs or follow directions. There was not a SINGLE parking structure in which we didn't go the wrong way down an aisle, through a Do Not Enter sign, or end up having to back up a great distance to fix a mistake. That and of course the first available spot close to the elevator is never the one we take, as there's always supposedly a "closer one," which we spend several minutes circling trying to find. Then there's the freeway exploits, swerving around trying to find the "best lane." Nothing like a little extra stress on vacation. The concept of utter relaxation is lost on many people I guess.

Who knows, maybe one of these months they'll send me another thing for free rooms, and I'll get to go back. It's a very long drive from school though, would have to have an entourage along with me to keep it interesting. :) Believe it or not I have a friend or two who have never been there, boy are they in for a treat.

Alas, I go back to work tomorrow, it was a three day weekend for me, and it passed so quick. Luckily squeezed in a haircut today, it was gettin pretty ridiculous. I'm quite cheerful at the moment, hope working doesn't downgrade the mood.