tikay missing inaction.....?

I'm not sure many of you will have noticed, but I've been AWOL from blonde for almost 3 weeks now. But I have had loads of "are you OK?" texts & e-mails from various, special, buds, & so I guess I had better explain myself.

It had not been my intention to go missing, but it just kinda happened, then one thing sorta led to another........

Anyway, I've not missed more than 2 or 3 days consecutively on blonde since we started in January 2005, the absences being confined to when I go away - it's often tricky to find the time to surf blonde when away fom home, without a user-friendly PC readily available. In fact, I believe I have spent more time on blonde Forum than almost anyone else, which is pretty sad I guess!

So, shortly prior to my Vienna trip, I had made a long-overdue attempt at getting caught up with my e-mails. Made decent progress for a few days, too. I had 4,600 unopened e-mails, though to be fair, loads of them were junk mail. How DO all these peeps know I need penis enlargement, or viagra? A woman would be handy before I get to the technical details........

Anyway, off we all trot to Vienna, & boy oh boy, did we have a good time. My life is one long holiday, but it WAS like a holiday. 5 of us, all very close mates, camped in an apartment, & a 24/7 cardroom round the corner, I was like a kid in a sweet factory. I busted out the Main Event late on day one after running my KK into Matey Boy's AA, & I was pretty miffed with myself. Miffed, because I had played AWFUL, really timid poker, & it was like a slap in the face to realise how weakly I had played.

Then I did a stupid thing - still steaming from my exit, I immediately sat down in a cash game. I LOVE playing cash, but never seem to find time to play it. I played cash at Brighton around Christmas, won about £1k - sat to Lord Wernick's left in an Omaha game, & thoroughly enjoyed it. Then followed 4 straight winning cash nights on the Ladbrokes Cruise, 2 winning sessions in Nottingham, so suddenly I think I may be able to cope with cash games. Anyway, I sit down at Vienna, steaming, on Thewy's table, & 8 long & most enjoyable hours later, I get up, €1,800 to the good. Whahoo! But it's 0700......

So, back to the apartment, & I decide to miss that day's comp & get caught up on blonde. The rest of them all go to Concorde, I stay in bed, get up, tidy the apartment, then discover that my lappie is at Concorde Card Casino, so I cant do any work. Eventually, I go to the Concorde, fully intent on having a "blonde-session", & my arrival is greeted with "fancy some cash action tikay?"... Hmmmm.....Another marathon session ensues, & I eventually finish €1,200 up. Luverly.......

Next day, I sort of got co-erced into playing the €500, & I start off like a bloody train. Really bold, aggressive poker, & I soon had plenny of chips, but I paid the price for trying to be lairy, when I called a raise with Q-6 suited & flopped trips on a QQ3 flop. All the chips go in, Matey Boy turns over KK, poor sod, but the river comes the K & I'm out. Cash game folllows, €1,900 profit this time, I've cracked it!

But no sleep again, & no blonde......

Next day, after awaking bleary eyed mid-evening (I'd played until 0700) & I am back in the cash game. There followed one of THE most humbling experiences I haver ever had at a poker table. I played from 10pm until 1.30pm the next day - over 15 hours - & never caught one hand, or one flop. I lost almost everything I'd won over the previous 3 nights. Lot of lessons learned THAT night......

The plan post-Vienna had been to go straight to Monte Carlo - life's tough, eh? - but my cat-sitter had been on the 'phone to tell me Charlie was not herself, so I decided to go home from Vienna & see what the score was. As some of you appear to have heard (judging by the numerous phone-calls, though I still don't know how folks found out) ) things were not good with Charlie, &, suffice to say, my head was a bit messed up for a few days.

But Jen was the Chip Mummy in Monte Carlo, & she called me up & implored me to get out there & forget about things at home, & I did not need much persuading, so off I went to Monte Carlo for 3 days, super time I had too, but again, no blonde time presented itself......

Flew home on Saturday, catch-up time loomed......

But the £300 Freeze was on at Walsall, & I could not resist, as I had not played since Vienna. Walsall it was.

Made Day Two, not great shape, but OK, about 12k I think, with blinds about 400-800 as I recall. Anyway, went back on Sunday, and very first hand I find QQ, whahoo, Oppo Boy had AA, & that's Day Two finished!

Off home then, but a mate calls me, "coming to Notts for the £50 tonight?". Of COURSE not, I say. So, I poll up to Notts, & would you believe go all the way to the Final, 3rd in that, for £1,200. Lucky Jim put THE most horrendous beat on me too, the bugger. But it was another late night, I got home at about 0500 for the second night running, & remember I'd come straight home fom Monte where I barely slept, too much fun going off, especially with Brian Wilson in full flow at the bar......

So, Monday it is, to do my blonde-catching up.....but first, lets keep on top of those e-mails. By way of tyrying to keep a handle on my e-mails, I've measured my e-mail activity today. I replied to 17 this morning, wrote 5 "fresh" ones, & the 17 replies generated 12 further replies. But at least I'm on top of the recent stuff. But one of them frightened the life out of me, & it was from a good friend.

It said, (words to this efect) "you ought to get on the Forum, folks think something odd has gone off 'cos of all the exciting blonde stuff happening & no sign of you, they wonder if there is a reason"......

Nope, no reason, other than the above.

EXCEPT......

More to follow later........!