a profitable Mardi Gras

It may be a long post, because you know me,

I have to tell the whole tale.

Bear with me, it's a good one.

HOBL has been begging me to go on a guided

duck hunting trip. I wasn't crazy about the idea.

Asked him to take baby boy, but baby boy likes

the old fashioned hunting, the hard work kind

that causes you to work weeks on a blind

then sit in nasty weather while waiting all day

for a duck or two to fly over you.

HOBL used to like this but the older he gets

the more he just wants to have to fun of shooting

without all the work involved.

So, the only way he can convince me to go with him

is if he adds something into it for me.

He books a night in kinder, Louisiana to the

Indian reservation where they have one of the biggest casino's

in Louisiana.

On the way there I am a bit irritated

because I find out that he kind of lied to me,

told me we were going to Lake Charles.

I had visions of antique shopping, casino playing.

As we drive to this Indian reservation

there is nothing that looks like antique malls

only old trailers and empty lands.

I did get happy though when in the middle of nowhere,

there is the biggest casino I have ever seen.

I am pumped.

I explain to him that when we get to that casino

he is not to bother me to come back to the hotel

any time soon. We are going to eat together

and split up. He can take the shuttle back to the hotel

at whatever time he likes and I will come whenever I have

enough or run out of money, whatever comes first.

Remember, HOBL has fought the way of living in 2011

and does not own a cell phone.

Therefore, there is no way he can call me nor find me.

We eat a good buffet together and split.

I am in heaven, just playing my little penny slots.

I imagine 2 hours pass and I hear on the loud speaker,

"Lilly Riera to security to meet your party"

Number 1, I don't know where security is

and number 2, I told him not to worry about me.

I think he is calling me there to either convince

me to leave or to tell me he is leaving.

I am irritated again because I had already told

him not to worry about me.

I leave my slot machine just in case it is something serious.

As I search the outer corners of the casino

when trying to look for security,

it never entered my mind that maybe he had won

a little bit and wanted to tell me.

I walk for less than two minutes and there I see HOBL:

Well, I should say I saw his teeth and his favorite shirt

that the kids tease him about always wearing.

He is holding this large check.

As I approach, he states,

"LIL, I just won 9,600 dollars!"

"You bullshitting me!"

It still hasn't hit me just how much that is.

He is talking fast and loud,

that is how I can tell how excited he is.

He shows me a wad of hundred dollar bills.

I cannot believe it!

He is so excited and afraid of being robbed...

I am so excited for him,

it is not often you see HOBL this excited.

HOBL goes back to the room and after

I beg him for an extra hundred I continue to play

as I let the kids and sisters know via text and phone calls.

I think of exactly how lucky this winning was.

He had explained to me

that

He was playing quarter slots and aggravated because

he wasn't winning. He had decided he was going back to the hotel

thinking in his mind what a rip off casino's are.

He had a 20 left so as he was leaving he decided

to play four spins on the 5 dollar slots.

I always fuss him about his reading glasses because

he can't see without them and never has them when he needs them.

I won't be doing that anymore, because of his poor eyesight,

instead of playing one credit, he accidentally played two credits.

he takes the spin and thinks he broke the machine as lights

are going off and the machine is flashing, "Notify attendant"

he is aggravated. Then he realizes, 'Wait I won something"

the attendant asks him,

"Sir do you realize what you just won?"

NO is his answer and she says,

"You have just won $9,600 dollars!"

He cannot believe it!

A profitable mistake.

It was probably a good thing that I wasn't with

him as I probably would have passed out.

It was exciting, yet I should have known where the money

is going...

in the savings... how boring!

IT made his next day all the more sweeter

as now his guided duck hunting trip was FREE!

I thought I didn't want to go with him

but he talked me into going to film the hunt

and I gave in and so glad I did.

This is like hunting in your back yard almost

except you have to be a good shooter to

shoot these ducks in the air.

And HOBL is, I can brag on the fact that

shooting is one of those things that HOBL

excels at. To say he had a blast is an understatement.

I was happy to share it with him to see just how much fun

he had.

The owner, Shaun insisted we take a picture with his ducks

as well as with the big check the the casino gave to HOBL.

Where, you may ask does the money, the ducks and the

big check now lie?

The ducks are in the freezer, the money in the bank,

but the big check?

The big check is taped to the refrigerator

just like the old days when the children's report cards

were put there in a place of honor.

A fun Mardi Gras with the HOBL.

Now today will be recuperation.

A trip like this may put me down for a day or two

but

So glad we spent this time together!