Horse Hooky (229/365)

 
“I bet on a horse at ten-to-one.  It didn't come in until half-past five.”

Henny Youngman (British-born comedian and violinist famous for "one-liners", 1906–1998)

TIME:  1:04 PM
PLACE:  Fairmount Park Racetrack
SUBJECT:  Horse & jockey

Being the good mothers that we are, my sister and I took the kids to the racetrack this afternoon.  We consumed $1.00 hotdogs and 0.75 cent sodas; I bought a tip sheet and proceeded to lose each and every race where I placed a bet.  Heck, I couldn’t even pick the right window to place my bet ~ I always seemed to get in the one queue that had issues.  My sister did win once, on the first bet she made – she received a whole $2.40 on her $2.00 bet.  Oh yeah, we are the original high stakes gamblers.

Let The Big Wheel Roll (164/365)

 
Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much. [aloud] Everybody out at once!

Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Marcel Dalio,
Michael Curtiz-director, 1942)

TIME:  8:29 PM
PLACE:  St. Mary's Parish Picnic
SUBJECT:  The "Big Six" Wheel

According to the calendar, the official astronomical date for the first day of summer doesn't occur until June 21st.  However, I declare that the true start of summer began tonight with the first Catholic parish picnic.  About every 2-3 weeks from now until September, there will be one going on for you to attend if you so wish.  Tonight was our parish's picnic and we walked there to enjoy the beer, bingo and brats.  There was gambling (it's a Catholic picnic for heaven's sake!) with the Big Six wheel, a quilt/cash bingo and raffle tickets.   A cold beer stand is a given.  There were booths where you could take your chances to win a theme-filled baskets or a cake.  For the kids, there were several inflatables (a slide, obstacle course and bounce house) and a kid's game area.  As we were leaving, a band was beginning to play.  The best part this year was that they were selling margaritas on the rocks...very yummy!  

When I was single, before HandsomeHusband and the kids, my cousin Kathleen and I would make the rounds of the majority of the parish picnics.  We went for the cheap beer and the gambling.  We always made sure that we made it to our home parishes to meet and hang out with our friends from grade school.  Good times!

Hello. Is There Anybody In There? (114/365)

 
"Houses are not haunted. We are haunted, and regardless of the architecture with which we surround ourselves, our ghosts stay with us until we ourselves are ghosts."

Velocity, Dean Koontz (American, novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, b1945)

TIME: 8:26 PM
PLACE: Corner of North 2nd and Carr Street, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT: Windows

Yea for another date night!  I looked forward to this night all week long.  HandsomeHusband and I went to Lumiere Place in St. Louis and met up with a friend and her daughter.  We ate at the Burger Bar - mmmmmm, expensive burgers!  Then we each lost $20 in the evil gambling devices.  HH made his last about 20 minutes while mine flew away in less than 5.  We left soon after.  I'm not a big gambler - I'm an accountant for heaven's sake!  My mom had the gambling gene and she passed it to my sister instead of me.

As we crossed the street to get to the parking lot and our car, HH pointed out that these windows would make a good photo.  They do have character - spooky character!  I'm not sure if I captured the mood I wanted.  Night pictures are soooo difficult and I was getting confused on my camera settings.  <sarcasm on> Shocking, I know. <sarcasm off>