Scrambling

It was so cold today that two duck eggs were affixed to the birds’ watering station. I had to pry them off, and, of course, they broke.

I have been holed up in the basement for the better part of three days. It is the warmest place in the house. I go upstairs to feed the cats and myself, potty, tend the wood stove and sleep. The cold is gaining on the stove’s ability to keep the place tolerable, so the electric furnace has been called to duty. I cannot imagine a worse form of heat than forced air, expensive and inefficient.

Seeing how I was spending my days in the dungeon, I played a fair amount of poker, both at PA and Stars. I can’t say I had a very good time, especially when Sis showed up to play penny PLO and managed to outdraw me several times. Sometimes losing $5.00 feels like dropping $5K, and that was certainly the case last night.

I am going away tomorrow for a week, hooking up with the Dear Wife, my son and his wife, and my daughter in Chicago. Then onto my Dear Mom’s for a few days downstate. No poker, except for a scheduled game with a couple nephews and their dad. I need a break anyway.

In fact, I am thinking about curtailing for a bit, or at least limiting my play to a few hours a week instead of several hours every evening. I don’t really have the time to explain, or even well-thought-out reasons why, plus I have a lot to do before I leave, but I will say that it is not because of one night's bad run, and leave it by saying that I’m beginning to miss the pre-poker me. By stating it now, I am more or less promising myself that I will be working it out while away and write about what I determine from the navel-gazing.

Word is that the weather in the Midwest is worse than out here. Even though my mother doesn’t have a basement for me to retire to, DW has her ‘puter with her, and I’m taking my camera, so you might be hearing from me over the next week. If not, please come back after Christmas.

May yours be merry.