VACATION REPORT

Posted on August 14, 2011 by queen of comps

In order to write this report, I am taking a break from going through the mountains of paperwork I found when we returned last Thursday evening from our 23-day road trip.  If I waited until I was “caught up,” it would never get done – I rarely see the bottom of any Inbox, either on my desk or on my computer!

We were gone for 22 nights, but had to pay for a motel for only five of them.  Casinos provided six comped nights.  We used Choice frequent-stayer points for five.  And various relatives were nice enough to provide a cozy spare bedroom and comfortable bed for the other six nights. Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | 8 Comments

Finishing Last Post

Posted on August 9, 2011 by queen of comps

I hate working on strange computers!!

Anyway to finish the thought of the last entry:

After Brad and I met and started casino gambling, he has kept busy with advantage plays. We rarely play “just for fun” because we have about all the fun we can stand looking for and taking advantage of “good” plays!

Posted in Brad Stories, Comments | 1 Comment

Brad’s Other Gambling

Posted on August 9, 2011 by queen of comps

Writing from Albuquerque – just two days from home-sweet-home!

To respond to a recent comment:

Brad has always had a gambling advantage in his adult life when he was playing Tonk and poker since both are games of skill and he had innate “card sense” plus extensive experience. He studied horseracing and says he was more knowledgeable than the average player, but it probably wasn’t a positive-expectation bet for him. However, it was inexpensive entertainment that he loved. And as far as all the “games” at his workplace, that just made his job a great social experience instead of a boring routine. He was considered the great instigator of fun and was beloved by co-workers all over the plant.

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Brad’s Gambling Life – Part 14, The Early Indiana Years

Posted on August 5, 2011 by queen of comps

After Brad got out of the Air Force in 1952, he settled down back in his parents’ home in Connersville, IN, with a job at Philco, a major refrigerator manufacturing plant in town. Then came marriage and four children.  There wasn’t a lot of money during this time for gambling activities, but there were always low-stakes Tonk games when relatives and friends got together in their homes.  There were also poker games at the American Legion.   And Tonk games were still going strong at the cigar stores where Brad had played when he was a young teenager.  If Brad had any extra money on Friday paydays, Continue reading →

Posted in Brad Stories | 2 Comments

Brad Returns to the Fair of His Youth

Posted on July 31, 2011 by queen of comps

Despite 95-degree and very humid weather today, we tromped through the Fayette County Free Fair today.  This was the first free county fair in the country, established in 1903.  And if you read one of the early chapters in the series  here about  Brad’s Gambling Life, you might remember that this fair in his hometown of Connersville, IN, was a high point in Brad’s summers for many of his childhood and youth years. Continue reading →

Posted in Brad Stories | 1 Comment

Hammond Horseshoe Casino

Posted on July 28, 2011 by queen of comps

Just to answer some of your questions about our 7-Star visit here at the Shoe in Hammond, IN. 

No, it doesn’t have a hotel.  But they will put up out-of-town players in various hotels in the area, including downtown Chicago.  We are staying at a Marriott Courtyard about 20-25 minutes from the casino.

We will not have time on this trip to stop at too many casinos since our main purpose is to visit friends and relatives.  We did stay two nights at the Council Bluffs Harrah’s in Iowa, mainly to rest up from two long days of travel.  And we will be staying 4 nights here in Hammond.  But then we will be heading to the Indianapolis area where most of Brad’s family and some of our old friends live.  Plus we will be visiting the county fair in Connersville.  If you have been reading the Brad stories, you will recall that this was a very important summer event in his youth.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Running Away From Home

Posted on July 25, 2011 by queen of comps

I am writing this in the Captain’s Lounge at Harrah’s Council Bluffs. I’m using a strange computer so who knows how this will turn out.  Hopefully readable!

Last Wednesday we left Vegas to embark on the longest road trip we’ve taken in probably 10 years. Continue reading →

Posted in Non-Vegas Casinos, Travel | 7 Comments

Frugal Plum to Frugal Breeze

Posted on July 19, 2011 by queen of comps

Hello, Jean and Brad,

I just saw a bright red Mercedes convertible parked in the Palms garage and it had the license plate FRUGAL that I have seen for years on your PT Cruiser.  Hope I’m not being nosey, but did someone steal your plate or did you retire the Frugal Plum.  I can’t imagine the Frugal Gamblers paying money for this car. I bet you won it in a casino drawing?  Am I right?

A frugal fan Continue reading →

Posted in Brad Stories, It's Personal | 7 Comments

You Got Mail

Posted on July 14, 2011 by queen of comps

And do we ever receive a lot of casino mail!  After 27 years visiting casinos we seem to be on most all their lists, even those we haven’t darkened their door for many years.  Nothing like tough economic times to send them digging deep into their databases!  Although we now get quite a bit via e-mail, there is rarely a day that we don’t have a hard copy missive from a casino somewhere in the United States.

I have a file of current/pending mail offers, but I also have a box Continue reading →

Posted in Casino Promotions | 3 Comments

It’s Personal – Part 1

Posted on July 11, 2011 by queen of comps

I don’t comment on every statement made about me or answer every personal question I get in the Comments here on this blog, or on public Internet forums, or in personal e-mails.  But most are asked by well-meaning kind people who have no ill intentions.  They honestly want to know so they can use the information to make better decisions for themselves in similar situations or they are just curious but don’t feel bad if I don’t want to discuss the topic.

So today – and off and on in the future – I will tackle some personal subjects that have been brought up by friendly folks – and perhaps a few by some who don’t fit in that category. Continue reading →

Posted in Comments, It's Personal | 7 Comments