Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

OK, another Tom Tale, non-poker, so look away now if it's poker stuff you are looking for.

Tom had a little horse thing in the adjacent paddock/field yesterday - a  Shetland Pony apparently. About as tall & long as a Great Dane, but with a huge pot belly. (It never barked though).

Tom "takes in" horses that are unwell, or off-colour, & sort of rehabilitates them. There was one he had last year that would not eat, so Tom took it & sorted it out, after a few months it was in grand shape. "How's that sick horse?" I'd ask, & he'd say "it's not lifted it's head all day", which is apparently horse-person speak for it eats all day long.

The Shetland Pony had been a bit loopy in the head, it got easily spooked by humans, & somehow Tom has got the Pony well sorted now, it's tame, & friendly, & comes when called. It's sort of beige, or tan, colour, with a full mane.

The paddock it is in is sizeable, & is entirely grass, all different varieties. Now, I don't eat a lot of grass, but the grass looks pretty nice to me. But the Pony insisted, the whole time I was there, on poking it's head & neck through the fence rails to eat the grass in the adjacent paddock. What's all that about? "The grass is greener on the other side" seems very apt for Horsey things. I gather cows all just stand where they are & munch away, working their way across the pasture, but thats not for horses.

"Is the Pony in foal?" I asked. He's not sure, but Mrs Red & Tom both stated a desire for the foal to be, wel, a filly, because fillies (girlies) are more valuable, for breeding purposes. I believe Gypsies commonly trade unborn foals, they buy "the belly" I believe.

So why do Gypsies always seem to have a lot of horses? The answer is quite extraordinary, so bear with me. The value of a typical Gypsy-owned horse for practical purposes - for doing whatever horses do - is actually quite minimal, a few hundreds of pounds, variable. And yet, these horse change hands, inter-Gypsy, (almost always) for thousands of £££'s. Why so?

Well, a diversion is needed here. Gyspies don't do Bank Account they are strictly cash. And in this day & age, if, having accumulated a decent stash of cash - (as any working man might, though in our cases it's tied up in our Houses or in the Bank), they get asked by the Authorities or Police (a regular occurrence if you are a Gypsy) to explain where it came from, it's hard to explain. They wheel & deal, buy & sell, & they don't do invoices or receipts, it's all done on handshakes, "getleman's agreement" we'd call it. A handshake between Gypsies is better than any formal Contract, they don't suffer from "Nippers" or welchers. So with all the money-laundering precautions & Laws in place now, if you can't reasonably explain to a sceptical police officer where the cash came from, it's gonna get confinscated - end of story. That, incredibly, is the Law!

So that brings us back to the horses - they are, in fact, in Gypsy land, a currency, a tradeable commodity, just as Metal Futures, Coffee, Copper, even Gold, are traded. In City Institutions, Pension Funds invest free cash-flow in shares & commodities, & the more free cash-flow they have, the more the share prices or commodity prices increase - it's got nothing to do with traditional value, it's a supply & demand equation.

And so (I'm nearly there.....), Gypsies use Horses as a trading commodity, instead of keeping all their "wealth" in cash, which is hard to explain to the old bill. Easy!

NOW......with all the money-laundering precautions currently in place, more gyspies need more horses (as currency) so there's a kinda of boom in horse prices right now, & they trade for many times their practical value.

Sorry that was a bit long-winded, but it fascinated me. And anyway, it's my Diary, so there.

One question I forgot to was was why are so many gypsy horses "piebald"? Or am I just imagining that? Tom?

[RED-DOG]

One question I forgot to was was why are so many gypsy horses "piebald"? Or am I just imagining that? Tom?

During WW1, lots of Gypsy horses were, shall we say, "Requisitioned" to help with the war effort. Compensation was promised, but because the Gypsies were constantly moving around, and because they were terrified of any kind of authority figure, and because the powers that be could get away with it, no compensation was never received.

It didn't take the Gypsies long to realise that the army only took solid colours. Blacks, grays, bays, reds, and chestnuts were conscripted, piebald and skewbald were left behind.

Understandably perhaps, "Coloured" horses soon became a favorite with the Gypsies, and have now become a tradition.

BTW- The Shetland's colour is "Palamino"

[tikay]

One question I forgot to was was why are so many gypsy horses "piebald"? Or am I just imagining that? Tom?

During WW1, lots of Gypsy horses were, shall we say, "Requisitioned" to help with the war effort. Compensation was promised, but because the Gypsies were constantly moving around, and because they were terrified of any kind of authority figure, and because the powers that be could get away with it, no compensation was never received.

It didn't take the Gypsies long to realise that the army only took solid colours. Blacks, grays, bays, reds, and chestnuts were conscripted, piebald and skewbald were left behind.

Understandably perhaps, "Coloured" horses soon became a favorite with the Gypsies, and have now become a tradition.

BTW- The Shetland's colour is "Palamino"

Thanks Tom - but I'm sure I must have got more wrong than that!

I guess "beige or tan" does sound a bit daft for a pony.

[tikay]

Back to Poker now, but not for long......

Stuck in Walsall until tomorrow, in my Hotel Room now, so decided to play the $100k Guaranteed on Laddies. A-A lost to 7-7, & K-K to A-J, & that was that. (Does that count as 50p or do I have to pay the full quid?).

But the Mansion jobbie was $150k Guaranteed tonight, & 1,072 registered, though that's still almost $50k of Overlay.

I created something of a record for myself, busted out first hand, though technically, according to the Lobby, I actually managed 1,070th place out of 1,072. QQ into AA, no Bad Beat there.

Hmm.......

[KingPoker]

As you know i love to donate....50p!

Im still refusing to play it but im sick of ppl outdrawing me with 74o!!



p.s. this thread cant be put in Best of Blonde for one obvious reason:-

coz that means it would have to end and IMO this thread should keep growing!!!!

[tikay]

Well, first up, some truly marvellous news - Thewy won the £300 Freezeout at Walsall, for £12,300 - how splendid!

He was up & down in true yoyo-mode, & three-handed he was chip-laggard, but he turned it round, job done.

When the last hand got "heavy", I saw both players stand up, & the two hands were on their backs, 7-6 v 6-2, & you can guses who had the 6-2 for two pair - typical!

He's had a thin time lately - by his standards. I think his only significant cashes were at The Broadway in February for £12k, The Broadway again in December for £7k, & Notts the previoius week in December for £11k. Since then, not much, though he had a minor cash in Vegas I seem to recall. But during that drought, he & Amanda did have another baby - Barny, who's worth a million cashes, really, so I guess it evens out.

Julian was the first (& almost only) player ever to swap a % with me, & it still continues to this day, even though our games are now at, well, slightly different levels, shall we say. Not many blokes would stick with me for all this time, & obviously, he's paid me ££thousands more than I've ever paid him. And so I got a nice pressie from him tonight, I'm blessed, I tell ya.

He's trying to talk me into playing the Luton GUKPT, and that's after me saying earlier today that I'm not sure I can go the pace in these big jobbies. I'm dithering now.

OK, in the morning, the Poker Week crew are filming at a Saddlery in Walsall. (Eh?). That'll be interesting, making a link between Poker & a saddlery......We try & find somewhere interesting to film near the Venue each week but it's not that easy in Walsall......

We all hook up at 10am - Compo comes up in the morning, then we'll get it done. Then it's home.

Tuesday I do the Sky Show, and again on Friday, and Sunday I'm down at Cardiff for their monthly £250, & Poker Week will be down there too.  We've booked the Millenium Stadium to do the location stuff. It's a football ground I think.

That apart, a quiet week in prospect, & I'm not sorry, I've not recovered from Vegas yet.

[tikay]

I'v got more stories from my visit to Tom's place, but I'm too tired tonight. But how about his for a bizarre poker day?

Live.

I returned in OK shape for Day Two at Walsall, determined, come what may, to Cash. I fell short, 21st (18 paid) when I played JJ badly. If I'd have called the 7k to see the flop instead of trying to get him off his AQ, I coulda Passed easy peasy. But Julian got me out of trouble, & my % came to a very tidy sum indeed. So I made a profit on the comp.

Online.

Redundant, & stuck in Walsall for the evening, I went on an Online Binge. Busted early in the Laddies $100k, two beats, busted 1,070th of 1,072 in the Mansion no excuses, QQ into AA. So I tried the Laddies Second Chance, $50 + $50, $10k Guaranteed. Grinded along, no action, no progress, 100+ runners & I was in poor shape, half average, with 7k, when I had to get across to the Casino. So I rung Chili, & asked her to play the comp for me. 5 minutes later, she called me - she had turned my 7k (2 hours it took me to get them) into 39k already......She jockeyed me into 8th place & $500, so she'll get a nice "drink", & I'll have made a profit from my day Online.

I don't know why I bother playing.

[Nico29]

Just wanted to say in my first ever post on here how much ive enjoyed this diary. Returning myself from vegas ive had withdrawl symptons ever since. Reading this refreshingly honest account has made me feel like im back there all over again. Personally i loved the ceasars comps youve mentioned tikay-unlike you though i never had much success in them. As the structure got a little, how do i say...c ***shooty later on i made some silly moves near the bubble trying to accumulate a monster stack for the ft. Anyway enough of  my boring tales, thanks for a wonderful read and i hope you keep this going, you should def right a book.

[tikay]

Thank you Nico. I really write it for myself, for therapautic reasons, so to know that some folks do enjoy reading it is in fact a bonus. I've always wanted to do this, & now I'm giving it a go. I will move on to Trains soon.

[tikay]

Saddened to hear that Phil Drabble died today. He must have been very old, 90 or more.

Older readers (or viewers) would remember him from "One Man and His Dog" which ran on BBC2 for many years. Really, the show was about 2 things - the interaction between man & animal, & the countryside. It was astonishingly popular, & it's a sadness that today many viewers seem to prefer to watch twaddle & tripe such as Eastenders & Big Brother.

Phil lived in Abbots Bromley, which is my part of the Country, Staffordshire to be precise, to the west of Derbyshire. Abbots Bromley is west of Burton upon Trent, & sits in the middle of a triangle formed by Uttoxeter, Rugeley, & Stafford. It's stunningly beautiful, very typical English countryside at it's best. He used to have a nature reserve there, which I visited many times with the then girl on my arm, Barbara Moss, who lived in Little Heywood, another idyllic beauty spot.

He was a real man, not an entertainer, just a bloke, a good honest bloke, who got lucky to find himself in TV & all that came with it. His passion was animals, & he knew the countryside like few others. That in itself made him a a very rich man, though I mean spiritually not financially. He'll get an express check-in to Heaven.

[bookiebasher]

Reckon if you wrote about your travellles round scotland you could be the english version of bill bryson. Both you and Tom have

a naturall and relaxing way of writing that is absolutley fantastic...it flows effortlessley , thats how it seems from a readers point of view !!

How about you both take a couple of months off and do it together....a book that is !!

[tikay]

Reckon if you wrote about your travellles round scotland you could be the english version of bill bryson. Both you and Tom have

a naturall and relaxing way of writing that is absolutley fantastic...it flows effortlessley , thats how it seems from a readers point of view !!

How about you both take a couple of months off and do it together....a book that is !!

Well thank you Jim!

Althoiogh Bill Bryson is American by birth, he considers himself an Englishman, & has in fact lived here for over 30 years, up in Yorkshire. He's also got an OBE. He's such a lovely writer. If I could only recommend one book that everyone had to read, I'd say unhesitatingly "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Mr Bryson, it's a gasp-a-page thriller. Non-fiction, of course. Thewy gave me the book as a Christmas or Birthday pressie some years back - one of the best gifts I've ever had.

[bookiebasher]

Still sounds like a yank to me.

[pffa]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I spent a quite wonderful hour at Tom's (Red-Dog) place yesterday, & enjoyed a cuppa with he & Mrs Red. I was thoroughly hacked off with some blonde forum hoohah, & I just wanted a break from the hassle, so Tom was burdened by me. When the Forum kicks off, it gets much wider than often realised, because I'm usually pals with whoever is involved, so there's PM's & e-Mails, high-octane slanging matches over the 'phone & texts galore. I loathe every moment of these things, it's time stolen from my life. (This of course applies to all the Mods,as well, some of whom get more abuse than I do).

So a visit to Tom was just the job, & I'll be boring you with stories about it for days. (You don't have to read it, after all).

So we are sat in his field, outside his caravan, totally quiet, no "human" noise whatsoever. heaven. I've endured "muzak" everywhere I go recently, Vegas hotels, The G-Casino in Luton, taxis, shops, trains, bloody everywhere. It's not that I object to music, it's that a) I prefer to choose what I listen to, when, & at what volume, & b), as I'm in possession of a mind, small though it may be, I hate & violently resist having anything imposed upon me.

So there we were, sat there in perfect peace, when I looked up & saw a huge bird, & Mrs Red says, all matter of fact, "oh, that's the heron". "Oh that's the heron". WHAT? I've only ever seen one Heron "in nature" before, it was a huge thrill for me. They are magnificent - grey, & very big. In flight, the legs are tucked together behind them, arrow straight, & the wings flap oh so gently. When they land, they land as softly as a butterfly, quite the opposite to the albatross, which lands via a sort of controilled crash & does two somersaults. Or swans, who have to land at speed, & graceful as swans are, their landings, on land or water, are far from graceful although very comic.







Any chance of getting reds address, he could open up his little peace of heaven to us all.   For some reason I keep reading this and it gives me an unreal sense of peace.

[tikay]

Bad day at the office.

The Poker week crew - Steve, Tim, Rhow, Me, Compo, assembled sharp at 10am this morning in Walsall - except Compo, who was stuck in traffic, as he'd had to drive up this morning. Which is why I, without a wife & family as Compo has, prefer to stay over the night before, "just in case". The M6 was closed in both directions after what Compo described as two sickeningly awful crashes. I always shudder at the thought that someone went to work one day & never came home, after a car crash or heart attack or whatever.

So, he arrived at about 10.30, & off we went to the planned location, the Saddlery. Mistake. There were technical problems there (of nobody's making), so we had to find another location.

Eventually, we settled on a park cum arboretum, & it had a splendid collection of very ancient & varied trees. I have a thing about trees, so be warned, they will feature soon.

Anyway, one problem followed another, & the 6 or 7 minutes of filming ended up taking until 2.30 this afternoon. But we get paid for the whole day, so can't complain.

Compo had a second-hand suit on, but it was very impressive & fashionable. (In the 1950's). I looked inside the jacket & the previous owner was George Melly.

We were short of a cameraman, too. Billy was unavailable, & his intended replacement was rushed into Hossie yesterday, burst ulcer. So Steve Meehan (blonde "wormster") took over 2nd camera duties. His camera was on a tripod, & the tripod had the camera mounted about 4 foot off the ground. Steve is not tall, let's just say he's more than 4'. So we tried to find a box for him to stand on. He stayed on in Vegas after us for a week's holiday in Delmar - horse-racing - & took a trip down to Tequila, in Mexico. Sounded fascinating, though Mexico is not really my idea of a fun venue. He came back on Saturday, is thoroughly jet-lagged, & when he woke up in his own bed yesterday, for the first time in over 3 weeks, he did not know what country he was in, or whether he was due to have a sh** shave or haircut.

I eventually got home at 5pm or so, & it's a nightmare night for me. I'd given myself a few days holiday from e-Mails, - mistake, there are pages & pages of them. Seemingly word has got out that I need Viagra, judging by how many peeps wanna sell them to me. And Diplomas! So that's tonight taken care of.

Simon Trumper rung me, & invited me to play in tonight's DTD "Hunt The Pro" jobbie at 8.30, which was very kind of the DTD boys. And I'll play the Laddies $30k. That apart, a quiet night in prospect.

Up early in the morning & head South to Feltham, for the show, & to catch up on some Sky work. And I hope to hook up with Des Duffy tomorrow or Wednesday, to sort out some APAT stuff. VERY exciting plans are ahead for APAT.

Oh, & I must finish telling the Tom stories from Saturday.

I am on holiday Wednesday & Thursday, so I need to find a nice Tourney somewhere both evenings. Any ideas?