I made the mistake of whining to Jerry’s sister today that it’s cold here in New York. She immediately asked, “How cold might that be?” And I then was reminded that she lives in South Dakota. So, complaining about 40F (4C) does not garner much — any — sympathy. In South Dakota, 40F in December feels like a spring day. OK, so we’re a couple of wimps. It was COLD here in New York today! Forty degrees Fahrenheit. And there was wind.
AT AQUEDUCT RACETRACK
This afternoon, Jerry, my mother, and I drove over to Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. A casino has been built on part of the property and it opened in October. The casino stands on the plot of land that had been used for years for the Aqueduct Racetrack weekly flea market — where I bought my $1 set of steak knives more than 30 years ago. You might remember those steak knives from one of my “cooking” posts. The set of four knives were worth possibly the entire dollar I paid for them… and not a penny more. They could not cut through shrimp. The flea market is no more.
The casino was surprisingly nice. Not badly designed. Not overwhelmingly glitzy or tacky. The staff were exceptionally pleasant and welcoming. And there were some beautiful free-standing mosaic walls here and there with New York themes, such as Broadway shows. I’m sorry to say I have no photos of those mosaics or anything else I saw today. I remembered my camera. I forgot the battery.
Jerry’s job was to win enough money today to pay for our week here in New York. He did not. It’s a good thing we have return tickets already in hand.
I can't help but notice how mild the weather has been considering the time of year. In Ireland, we are usually freezing our asses of by now. But I swear to god their was a warm breeze the other day and it was 13 degrees outside.
Global Warming at work?
It's always a good idea to have your return trip paid for when travelling to a casino. Trust me, I know.
Mind of Mine:
Global warming is definitely do some strange things. Hard to believe that with all the science to prove it, there are still doubters.
Archguy:
Uh oh. Remind me to never introduce you to Jerry. You could be a dangerous combination!
Hello Mitch:
Anything above zero sounds positively balmy to us in chilly Budapest!! So sorry that you did not win the price of the plane tickets, but at least it sounds as if you did not lose your shirts. Then, you would have felt the COLD!!!
Happy weekend!
Your comments regarding the "temperature-related inclemency" of the prevailing atmospheric conditions aroused my curiosity. I have sent a small, well-insulated maid outside to check whether we have one too.
She is expected back indoors any time, provided that the rope tied around her waist doesn't break. If conditions prove suitable I shall ring for a small brass monkey and for something fresh and festive, possibly underwear related or with a suitably aerodynamic gusset, to fly from the flagpole.
I hope you don't resort to whoring yourself out for cash. The economy is pretty bad these days.
m.
J&L:
We hope to never see zero this winter. And, yes, fortunately we had checked our coats and had enough to money to get them out of hock on our way out the door.
The Owl Wood:
I hope the "small well-insulated maid" has returned safely. My mother is small, but not very well-insulated; we'll have to see if there are any maids available.
Mark:
No worries about that being my new career. I can't seem to earn more than bus fare.
Playing the State lottery is gambling enough for me, and all is done by bank, taking and adding the money. All though lately it's only taking 🙁
Isn't it always the way with batteries…dead or forgotten…not fair….so nothing was won on the tables…oh well…don't want to feed that addiction too much!
Peter:
There is the Navidad lottery in Spain that I must play, but I've got to get someone to help me buy the ticket. I have no idea what options there are or anything else. I used to randomly buy lottery tickets in the states. It was always "only taking"!
sophie… ^5:
Jerry hasn't been able to gamble in 5 months, so what joy for him… win or lose.
You are so right. I remembered the battery today. It's dying! Luckily it survived the day, but the camera gets really slow when the battery is low.
Now there's a 'day out' with Dad! To the Casino! Thanks Mitch for this idea……hey Ron…
Jim:
This is a Jerry's-family tradition. I'm glad we don't have any casinos nearby in Sevilla. The novelty is wonderful.