What to Blog About?

I have renamed my computer the Thief of Time. I spend way too much time looking at things on the Internets. I have books to read and should really clean the office. Instead I read the liberal blogs and the Masonic Blogs and talk to my friends via e-mail and chats and all of a sudden I have no idea where the day has gone.

I was going to blog about Duplicity but I was afraid if I did I would spoil this excellent movie for those of you who have not seen it. Needless to say I enjoyed it when I went on Saturday.

I did not have anyplace to go on Sunday and I did not accomplish a thing. Today, however I did do something. I dug around and found my summer watch. In 1978 I took my mother and sister with me on a trip to Los Angeles for the National Education Association Meetings. There are a lot of stories that go along with this trip. Some are funny. This one is just kind of neat. We drove out the northern route. This took us through Winnemucca, Nevada where we stopped for breakfast. Now this trip was my treat. I was paying for everything but this morning I finished my breakfast and elected to go play the "slots." I am not a gambler. I will play cards for nickles, dimes and quarters but I seldom go to a Casino and when I do I use my "system." I put so much money on the line and when it is gone I quit. Usually it is less than $50 and more likely to be $25. - If I win I might keep playing until the winnings are gone also but this morning it was different. I planned to lose a whole $5.

I got some nickles and started to play the machine. I noticed that Mother had finished breakfast and was paying for our breakfast and so I switched to $1 coins. I got to where I had three left and I put them in the machine. I pulled the arm and fully expected to see the wheels turn and nothing to happen. I would have enjoyed losing the money. It would have been my entertainment.

Instead you can imagine my feeling when the lights started flashing and the bells clanging and the coins started falling out into the tray. OH MY GOD! I had hit the Jackpot. A blond lady of about 50 years of age dressed in a tight outfit came over to help me. She brought me a cup to put the coins in. I loaded them up and was ready to leave and she said, "Oh no Honey, let me fill up the machine you have more coming." She put more money in the slot closed the door and the lights started to flash and the bells to clang once more and thrill of thrills more money poured out into the tray.

I told my mother - "Hey Mom, I just hit the Jackpot!"

"Let's get the hell out of here." was her response. I kept the coins and turned in the tokens and we made our escape. I kept the money and chortled over the almost $300 I had won. I know it was not much but it was still exciting. We drove to San Francisco, down the coast highway with a stop at Big Sur (which is my favorite place in the world) on down to Los Angeles for the meetings. Then through Phoenix where we stopped to see Bill and Ann Cook (friends from the lake) and then on to New Mexico and back to Colorado and then home.

In New Mexico I went into a shop that sold Indian made Turquoise jewelry. There I picked out the watch band you see above. It is signed W Nez and it is sterling and I put my Sieko watch on it. The stones are from the Kingman mine and I love it. I don't wear it in the winter as the watch is set for Daylight Savings time and it is just a bother to change it. But in the summer I wear silver and put the gold watch away and so there you have the story of how I got my watch band. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by. ARTYAL, Hugs.

On another note. Harry's dad and mom got married in Montana last Thursday. David Letterman just announced his marriage to long time girlfriend and mother of his 5 1/2 year old son. Congratulations, I actually got tears in my eyes when he told about it. Now if everyone who wants to get married could - it would be a good thing.

He also announced that his Ball State Women's Basketball team is going to play in the NCAA tournament (At least I think it is the NCAA - I know absolutely nothing abut sports) - They will be playing Iowa State. Should be an interesting game. My friend Dom is a professor at Ball State currently entertaining me with his blog about his teaching sabbatical in Greece. He has lots of great pictures up.

Thanks again, Hugs again, Stay in out of the rain. j