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Well this has been a tremendous find. One of the things I miss so much about the 'old' forum was your Vegas stories Tikay, so it's great to find them here. I read through all this visit's posts and it was a grim start but the last cash has righted the boat, now to power on and get some deep runs.
Good luck Sir!

Morning Paul, & thank you.

I've not been writing much from Vegas this year even though I love writing & (I think) I have such a bunch of fascinating stories. Fascinating to me, obviously, but not necessarily to others. I'm just not sure folks are that interested in Forum Diaries these days, especially by someone of my age. It's the WhatsApp age, everything has changed. A close friend of mine just wrote his autobiography (just for friends & family), & I've been mulling the idea of doing the same. I really have had THE most amazing life one way & another with some extraordinary twists & turns, & a whole bunch of "right time, right place".

Anyway, moving on, presumably you'll have tickets for Wimbledon which starts in a few weeks? Any views on likely winners?

You still playing much tennis?

Everything OK on the Country Estate & Private Zoo?  Mrs Tune OK?

Still working, or are you retired now?

You really do need to write an autobiography Tikay, from your postings over the years it would definitely be an excellent read.

No Wimbledon for me, I have been many times over the years and don't really miss going there to watch now. It's a much easier trip to go to Eastbourne for the tennis and I often go there to watch County Week, which is an excellent level of tennis. I'm still playing although it's now about trying to maintain a decent (ish) level, whilst the body starts to slow down. No tips for Wimbledon from me I'm afraid, I generally support the outsiders and the brits, so little chance of a winner.

Everything is fine at home, we have a new(ish) German Shepherd dog who we rescued last year and is a work in progress, and an old GSD who is the dog equivalent of my tennis, still tries to play with the youngsters despite being slower and weaker. Currently have about 20 ducks, two moorhen broods, two different herons visiting and swallows nesting in the stables. Down to just 4 cats now and two horses. Thankfully Beaula does most of the animal chores, it keeps her fit and happy, apparently.

I am currently still working, I was due to retire in January but was lied to by the company taking over my business so pulled out of that deal and had to sort another one out. I managed to do that and, in theory, we complete the sale at the end of this month, fingers crossed. I will be staying on for a few months to make sure all the clients are happy, although that will be in an unpaid capacity. At least from next month I should be free of all the mundane paperwork and FCA regulations.  

Anyway I'm off to Kent for a client meeting now, good luck with the poker today, I miss out PLO8 DYM evenings.

Your menagerie sounds idyllic.

The Herons - do they come for the fish in your ponds/lakes, the duck & moorhen chicks, or both?

Bloody love Herons, but they are mean buggers. Saw a video once of a Heron eating a rabbit. To be fair, it did drown it first, perhaps to help it slide down.

Bet you are looking forward to retirement? Been so good for me. Trouble is, it only lasts so long...

Those PLO8 nights we used to have? Wow, what fun they were. And then Churchy came along & ruined it all.


http://www.youtube.com/shorts/DJdsnMyVSQ4

The herons come for anything they can creep up on, it's quite upsetting watching them take ducklings and young moorhens but that's nature I'm afraid. They're one of the reasons I've never bothered putting koi in the ponds, having to watch a heron make a breakfast out of your prize (and expensive) koi must be depressing. I remember once seeing a video of an otter taking a heron, so karma is always there somewhere.

I am looking forward to retirement, one of the main reasons is that I don't like watching my clients get old or suffering from dementia and I'm slightly wary of still working if I get to that stage. I'd like to have a few good years first.

I know you hate bad beat stories but last night was, for me, a bad one and the saying is a problem shared is a problem halved so you're going to get it, like it or not! I'd freerolled into the Sky nightly main event (which was a mystery bounty hunter) and was lying 17th out of 20 with 18 paid. Smallest stack in early position shoves and big stack shoves to isolate, I have AK and know that I can't fold there. I sigh knowing that this is likely to be it and when the cards turn over I see the small stack has KQ and the big stack has A8 so I dominate BOTH of them. Of course the first card out on the flop is the 8 and that's it I'm out in 19th. The real sting in the tail was that the short stack's bounty was the second biggest in the tournament, you know just to rub it in. Currently hate poker, so off ttom play tennis. Have a good day!

Morning Paul.

Herons & Otters etc - correct, it's just nature doing it's thing, but crikey it's harsh. And it always seems to be the cute cuddly things that get eaten.

A friend of mine routinely shoots all sorts of animals & birds, he believes he is helping nature by protecting some species & killing others. I don't think Nature works like that though, leave it alone, it's self-regulating.

Retirement & potential dementia. You are so right, it is about the only thing that scares me. Problem is, if you do get it, how do you know? I sort of try to self-test regularly but it's a bit hit & miss, isn't it? I tend to think Poker might be a decent test actually.

Have you been existing on your morning sticky buns in starbys?

Not had a single one.

When we were in Hawaii they had delicious real cream vanilla puffs which were unbelievably good & I was on 2 a day. Now I somehow have no appetite for anything less. When you "move up" it's hard to go back down.

Made up for it with Haagen Dazs Choc Ices though, had one every night, usually around 1 or 2am after dinner.

PS - we don't have a Starby's in The Orleans, it's a "Java" which is slang for Coffee I believe. It's definitely a Starbucks in all but name though, and the cups & branding all have the Starby's name & logo of the green mermaid or whatever she is.

 

Has there been much chatter about the World Cup in the Cardrooms?

Morning boo bloke.

I spoke too soon when I said zero chatter.

I was in MGM Card Room last night, immediately adjacent the Sports Bar whilst USA were playing, and the cheering whooping & hollering was amazing, especially after each goal. Afterwards, there was a huge conga, with everyone chanting USA USA. Quite the atmo.

Enjoy the brits in action tomorrow Doobs. Should be Emma in QF, Katie is Semi, Oliva in the doubles final followed my Emma in 2nd SF

Suspect the doubles final is Sunday otherwise it will be just one game on Sunday.  Also think they start at 1.30, so there is only time for 3 games.  Hopefully will be Raducanu, Boulter, Raducanu.
.
Nottingham Open seems to have gone for the most embarrassing use of wildcards. Stojsavljevic, Xu, Dudeney and Klugman all have qualifying wildcards, despite at least two of them been in great form. So think they are almost certainly giving wildcards to Watson and Burrage.  I don't really mind Burrage has she was climbing before that injuries.  Watson has done nothing for years. Assume one of Jones and Dart isn't playing.

Always the possibility that they are giving them wildcards here as they have no spares for Wimbledon, but think that might be giving them too much credit.

Wildcards for Nottingham are Dart, Raducanu and Boulter.

Not sure where Watson goes from here.  Doesn't look promising for a main draw Wimbledon wild card.  Assume she will have to get some games in if she ever gets a wildcard in the future. 

Queens is pretty nice.  Boulter never really looked like coming back at ang stage.  This is pretty harsh on Raducanu.  Having to play 2 games in one day after an injury.  Wouldn't be backing her today.
 

[At least from next month I should be free of all the mundane paperwork and FCA regulations.]

I am currently still working, I was due to retire in January but was lied to by the company taking over my business so pulled out of that deal and had to sort another one out. I managed to do that and, in theory, we complete the sale at the end of this month, fingers crossed. I will be staying on for a few months to make sure all the clients are happy, although that will be in an unpaid capacity. At least from next month I should be free of all the mundane paperwork and FCA regulations. 

I don't think there has ever been an organisation I despise more than the FCA. You'll feel good not having to deal with all their pointless crap (I appreciate they do some good, but with an overwhelming amount of crap thrown in)

A problem shared results in twice the amount of people with a problem.

Well this has been a tremendous find. One of the things I miss so much about the 'old' forum was your Vegas stories Tikay, so it's great to find them here. I read through all this visit's posts and it was a grim start but the last cash has righted the boat, now to power on and get some deep runs.
Good luck Sir!

Morning Paul, & thank you.

I've not been writing much from Vegas this year even though I love writing & (I think) I have such a bunch of fascinating stories. Fascinating to me, obviously, but not necessarily to others. I'm just not sure folks are that interested in Forum Diaries these days, especially by someone of my age. It's the WhatsApp age, everything has changed. A close friend of mine just wrote his autobiography (just for friends & family), & I've been mulling the idea of doing the same. I really have had THE most amazing life one way & another with some extraordinary twists & turns, & a whole bunch of "right time, right place".

Anyway, moving on, presumably you'll have tickets for Wimbledon which starts in a few weeks? Any views on likely winners?

You still playing much tennis?

Everything OK on the Country Estate & Private Zoo?  Mrs Tune OK?

Still working, or are you retired now?

You really do need to write an autobiography Tikay, from your postings over the years it would definitely be an excellent read.

No Wimbledon for me, I have been many times over the years and don't really miss going there to watch now. It's a much easier trip to go to Eastbourne for the tennis and I often go there to watch County Week, which is an excellent level of tennis. I'm still playing although it's now about trying to maintain a decent (ish) level, whilst the body starts to slow down. No tips for Wimbledon from me I'm afraid, I generally support the outsiders and the brits, so little chance of a winner.

Everything is fine at home, we have a new(ish) German Shepherd dog who we rescued last year and is a work in progress, and an old GSD who is the dog equivalent of my tennis, still tries to play with the youngsters despite being slower and weaker. Currently have about 20 ducks, two moorhen broods, two different herons visiting and swallows nesting in the stables. Down to just 4 cats now and two horses. Thankfully Beaula does most of the animal chores, it keeps her fit and happy, apparently.

I am currently still working, I was due to retire in January but was lied to by the company taking over my business so pulled out of that deal and had to sort another one out. I managed to do that and, in theory, we complete the sale at the end of this month, fingers crossed. I will be staying on for a few months to make sure all the clients are happy, although that will be in an unpaid capacity. At least from next month I should be free of all the mundane paperwork and FCA regulations.  

Anyway I'm off to Kent for a client meeting now, good luck with the poker today, I miss out PLO8 DYM evenings.

Your menagerie sounds idyllic.

The Herons - do they come for the fish in your ponds/lakes, the duck & moorhen chicks, or both?

Bloody love Herons, but they are mean buggers. Saw a video once of a Heron eating a rabbit. To be fair, it did drown it first, perhaps to help it slide down.

Bet you are looking forward to retirement? Been so good for me. Trouble is, it only lasts so long...

Those PLO8 nights we used to have? Wow, what fun they were. And then Churchy came along & ruined it all.


http://www.youtube.com/shorts/DJdsnMyVSQ4

The herons come for anything they can creep up on, it's quite upsetting watching them take ducklings and young moorhens but that's nature I'm afraid. They're one of the reasons I've never bothered putting koi in the ponds, having to watch a heron make a breakfast out of your prize (and expensive) koi must be depressing. I remember once seeing a video of an otter taking a heron, so karma is always there somewhere.

I am looking forward to retirement, one of the main reasons is that I don't like watching my clients get old or suffering from dementia and I'm slightly wary of still working if I get to that stage. I'd like to have a few good years first.

I know you hate bad beat stories but last night was, for me, a bad one and the saying is a problem shared is a problem halved so you're going to get it, like it or not! I'd freerolled into the Sky nightly main event (which was a mystery bounty hunter) and was lying 17th out of 20 with 18 paid. Smallest stack in early position shoves and big stack shoves to isolate, I have AK and know that I can't fold there. I sigh knowing that this is likely to be it and when the cards turn over I see the small stack has KQ and the big stack has A8 so I dominate BOTH of them. Of course the first card out on the flop is the 8 and that's it I'm out in 19th. The real sting in the tail was that the short stack's bounty was the second biggest in the tournament, you know just to rub it in. Currently hate poker, so off ttom play tennis. Have a good day!

Has there been much chatter about the World Cup in the Cardrooms?

Almost zero.

It's hard to get revved up with so many games, spread over such a huge distance, with ridic ticket prices. Fans can't even take a bottle of water or pack of crisps into the Stadia, they have to buy them inside. And sandwiches can cost a bunch in the USA as I learned last night.

Credit to FIFA, nobody thought they could get a more corrupt President than Blatter, then along comes Infantino.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.


It is shocking that drinks are not allowed to be bought into Stadia.
Agree that there are too many teams,it.s become farcical.

Have you been existing on your morning sticky buns in starbys?

Enjoy the brits in action tomorrow Doobs. Should be Emma in QF, Katie is Semi, Oliva in the doubles final followed my Emma in 2nd SF

Suspect the doubles final is Sunday otherwise it will be just one game on Sunday.  Also think they start at 1.30, so there is only time for 3 games.  Hopefully will be Raducanu, Boulter, Raducanu.
.
Nottingham Open seems to have gone for the most embarrassing use of wildcards. Stojsavljevic, Xu, Dudeney and Klugman all have qualifying wildcards, despite at least two of them been in great form. So think they are almost certainly giving wildcards to Watson and Burrage.  I don't really mind Burrage has she was climbing before that injuries.  Watson has done nothing for years. Assume one of Jones and Dart isn't playing.

Always the possibility that they are giving them wildcards here as they have no spares for Wimbledon, but think that might be giving them too much credit.