KENO IN RENO

I've been out of town for a few days. It was a quick trip to Reno to check out a sailboat that was for sale.

Instead of making a even quicker trip by going and returning on the same day it was a good idea to spend some time playing.

Blackjack is a favorite.

Slots a no win in a tight economy for the clubs having already lost a bundle to Indian casinos in neighboring states have cranked down the wins on each machine to virtually nothing.

Playing Keno is like watching the grass grow.

Poker I have never fully understood and always lose.

Craps? Must be my low IQ or a glitch in my hard drive. .. too many moving parts in that game for me.

So I stick with Blackjack. I usually come home with more than I started with.

Nights were spent at the Grand Sierra Hotel in an 80 buck junior suite. The suite had been renovated recently so I figured what the hell, how many cooties could have multiplied in a short period of time.

Food and drink was expensive: The hotel's buffet was 20 bucks for an evening meal. Ham and eggs in the coffee shop 10 bucks. Ten bucks for Blue Saphire straight up. A large draft of Bud ran $3.50. Drinks while gambling are still "free". Loosen up the clients with unlimited booze and they spend more at the tables. Right?

Food and drink used to be one of the attractions in Reno. Cheap food. Inexpensive hotel rooms. Drop the rest of what's in your wallet on the casino tables. Those days are gone with the exception of dropping your hard earned cash somewhere in the casino.

On the 20th floor I had a commanding view of Reno to the North.

The bed was pretty cool complete with a mirror just to the left of the picture.
There was a LCD on the wall which came in handy for Sunday football games.
The bathroom had marble floor to ceiling. For those who spend an inordinate amount of time on the crapper a second LCD TV was hung in just the right direction.

The sailboat turned out to be a fixer. My goal is to sail and not to spend my days fixing a damn boat. Looks like I'd be better off buying a new boat.

Getting away was a good thing. The wife stayed home to tend the home fires, care for the dogs and for Gracie.

I thought about partying like a rock star. I asked the clerk when I checked in if that was okay. She said partying like a rock star was fine but I'd have to pay for any damages . . . as I initialed that part of the hotel registry which said I would definitely pay for any damages.

If I partied like a rock star there would have to be an entourage. . . only thing, I could only generate an entourage that got around on walkers or wheelchairs . . . an entourage that could only eat soft food (Sonny? Could you grind up that steak in a blender for me?) and stop frequently to put on a new set of Depends.

That would have been a rock star party to write about......