As I mentioned in yesterdays post, on Sunday I spent the day hanging out with my Grandpa and my parents at Pala. Pala, to my Grandpa, is the “real” happiest place on earth. Hanging out with Grandpa is fun. I really enjoy it. I never really got to hang out with him much before so it is really great to be able to now.
I have been with Grandpa at Pala a few times now and I am starting to know his schedule. He is old and he sticks to that schedule too. He gets up early. AND I MEAN EARLY!!! I bet he is up, dressed, and heading downstairs to hit the slots and get his coffee by 4:30am at the latest. He brings a flashlight with him so he can get up without disturbing anyone else in the room. Then he hangs out, plays slots, and has coffee until my mom comes down at a decent hour (by which I mean like 8ish) and brings him the paper. The hotel leaves the paper at the room in the morning at Pala. They have excellent service there. Then they have breakfast at the coffee shop. When I go to the coffee shop with him, he likes to remember the time, we were there and Catherine ate this huge waffle. It was almost as big as she is.
I know all his favorite slots and where he hangs out. Pala is not big though. I really like hanging out there and since we play penny slots, it takes me a long time to lose my money. Sometimes we even win.
Sunday when I was there, we were hanging out in the hotel room eating sandwiches. Grandpa likes tuna sandwiches. Me too. I ate a turkey one though. Anyway, he was telling me that he was going to Pala next month on the 13th with my Aunt Chris and my Uncle Dan and said I should come over and join them. It should be fun hanging out with Grandpa and Aunt Chris and Uncle Dan at Pala. We can check out the good slots and have a bite to eat. Then my Aunt Chris and Uncle Dan are seeing a concert that night. I think my mom said it was The Moody Blues. That should be good. I hope they put on as good of a show as The Wallflowers. That same week will also be when my friend Trish will be visiting. I am sure she will not mind a little hanging out with the old folks.
Well that is pretty much my dad's Pala routine except if he stayed in bed untill 4:30 that would be sleeping in. He goes down about 3am and plays until I come to find him and we go get some breakfast. He gives me the morning report on his slot action. He used to only play a few different machines but now he plays all different ones. Yesterday he acctually made it a point to play machines he had never tried. He found a couple of cool ones but then he went to the bathroom and forgot where that one was so he found a different one. He gets turned around a little sometimes, but Pala is a fairly small casino and he can not get too lost. He knows his way around, he finds his way to the pool when the girls were there and had lunch with us, he can get to the non-smoking section, he manages to find his favorite slots, like Uncle Sam and Jackpot party. Some of the staff know him by name, he generally wears a Nike jacket or a dodger or Red sox jacket so that makes him stand out in a sea of older folks, he is easy to find.
ReplyDeleteI am glad he is getting the chance to go in the middle of the week and he will be excited to show you guys around, I am sure. You are right Pala is his happy place, he can tell you all about his fave slots, he throws his hands in the air when he wins, he taps on the glass, he takes the ticket out and then puts it back, he is a pro. I am excited for him and I can not wait to hear his Pala stories when he gets back. I get to watch his dogs...lol I do not mind at all he deserves to enjoy life.
Yep, it will be good times. I will make myself a little video maybe. I could use a Moody Blues song and have a couple of new movie stars.
ReplyDeleteThe Moody blues, they have some really long songs too so you could make your self a Pala Saga. To Knights in White Satin........There is a lot to do at Pala, you can sun yourself out by the pool, they have a workout room, and if you want to use the steam room and sauna for the day I think it may be like ten bucks for hotel guests. You could do a day at the spa get a facial, have your toes done everything.....but that is a bit pricey. I get coupons for facials but they are not free, hey maybe I could go get the wrinkle removing treatment next time I am there....
ReplyDeleteKnights in White Satin??? Knights? On horses? Wouldn't the white satin get awfully dirty?
ReplyDeleteCome on......don't tell me you have never heard that song??? It is a rock and roll classic. But Moody Blue was an Elvis song.....if you recall she has a beagle named Moody blue...can you name all of Helens dogs???? I bet Catherine can.
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