Poker Adventures in Louisiana

It's been a pretty good weekend even if it didn't start out that way. Lana heard about this poker tournament over at the Argosy that she really wanted to go to. So all week long she's jumping in every game she can. Sunday rolls around and we hit the road with Tracy. I'm actually excited. Even though I don't play as often as them or even take the game as seriously as them, I enjoy a good game. We're making awesome time despite getting a late start (five in the afternoon) when Lana figures she'll be cute and tell us she doesn't have her driver's license. So she goes to look for it when she realizes she really doesn't have it. So she tears into her purse searching, then I do. No luck. It occurs to her the last place she used it at was Bill's Crosby's Finer Foods. Bill's Crosby's Finer foods Dosha. ;) She gives them a ring and turns out they have it sitting in the customer service office. We're an hour away from our destination when have to turn around. Trust me it was a hurting blow but it gets worse.
To make a long story short, Micah and Kelly went out of his way to help us out. They drove over to the grocery store, picked it up and drove to meet us with the license. Nevermind they were also babysitting for us and feeding Sally for us while we were gone. He saved us about an hour of driving so it's all good and we get back on the road.
By the time we get there we're pretty excited and looking forward to the morning. Lana didn't even bitch about not having valet parking or a bell boy. At least not until the morning. Then we go to the casino and learn that we don't have a chance in hell of getting in on the tournament unless we're playing in their 3-6-12 game. Turns out they give first opportunity to sign up, before registry even opens up, to those already invested into a game of 3-6-12. To put it shortly, we're told to fuck off despite driving seven hours and renting an overrated room just to play. We almost packed our bags and left right there but exhaustion and hunger overrode our frustration long enough for us to calm down. After hunting down a Waffle House, and bitching we felt a little better and decided to try anyway in the morning after a few hours sleep. A fresh start.
Turns out we really didn't have a chance in hell getting in the game at the Argosy. They were booked solid an hour before registry even opened. Being the people we were, we got back the to the room fuming and hit the yellow pages. We called all the big casinos in the area and decided we were going to play some fucking cards before we left. Never tell three headstrong people they can't do something.
Coushatta's was our savior. Sort of.
We got there and beelined to the poker room. They were waiting for five more people to open a table of No Limit Texas Hold'em. So we waited for two more to sign up. And waited. And waited. Played some slots half heartedly. Ate. Then waited some more. We were at our breaking point. We jumped into a game of 3-6-12. We were there about an hour. Lana won three hundred in that time off her table. Actually it was only one twenty if you knock off the eighty I lost but it was fun and we were feeling much better.
So good in fact, Tracy decided we should try to get in on the tournament at Harrah's on the way back despite having called them earlier only to be told they run their games like the Argosy. It took us not even five minutes to sign up and get our seating though. We ended up sitting at the same table. I got knocked out pretty early but Lana and Tracy held on longer. I could tell Lana and Tracy were feeling pretty good on the way home. They dissected their plays menthodically, ruthlessly, with the passion only an obsessive compulsive could understand and love. It was like a well read bedtime nursery rhyme for me. I passed out in the back of the truck and slept most of the way back listening to them.
In other news, I'm pretty sure I got my bus. It's not the one in New Hampshire but it does sound like a much better deal. I talked to the owner a few times while we were on our poker road trip. Overhauled engine (96.3k miles), new exhaust, generator, brakes, clutch cable and fuel pump. It's only eighteen hours away and fifteen hundred cheaper. I'm overnighting him a check to hold all other potential sales until I can go take a look at it and take it home. I'm hoping as early as Wednesday. We're supposed to work it out today. Keep your fingers crossed for me!