DH took me out to the local casino, Chances RimRock, for a late dinner last night. The food at the Cypress diningroom was great. We both had the chicken breast stuffed with almonds, pecans and cranberries. The assortment of vegetables were roasted to perfection and the mashed potatoes were almost as good as mine. Couldn't chat much while chewing so we watched Just for Laughs Gags on the TVs that usually show hockey/baseball/football etc. The show is filmed in Quebec, Canada's French speaking province. In order to increase the size of the viewing audience there is no talking; French or otherwise. The show was so hilarious, a couple of times I thought DH was going to choke on his supper. It was 9:10 when we ordered dessert and in spite of the vast numbers of empty tables and servers scurrying back and forth DH and I were well past joking about them having to make my apple pie from scratch and going to Italy to fetch the Vanilla Bean Gelato (which tasted just like regular vanilla ice cream to me) by the time it was served.



While waiting for our supremely slow service I people watched. I watched as they came in looked around for other regulars and quickly grabbed a seat at the nearest vacant gambling machine. I heard the occasional bells and whistles but never heard any ruckus or squeals of delight from any patrons who might have won. Indeed, there was no excitement. Most of the gamblers seemed to be bored and I expect my face looks much like theirs when I've been playing solitaire for more than five minutes. Also, I had changed from my jeans and t-shirt to dress pants and matching sweater for our date, but looking at those around me I was so overdressed I might as well have been wearing a ballgown. There were basically two groups of people. The first group appeared to be the little old ladies with short, grey, curly hair and walkers as well as a smattering of little, old, wizened men. I fleetingly wondered if they had been dropped off as a bus load on an outing from the old folks' home but doubted that as it was well past their bedtime. The second group had the distinctive look of Walmart customers; pants that didn't quite meet the tops of their sneakers, ill fitting, mismatched tops that were either too short and tight or too long and baggy. Come to think of it, the old folks dressed the same way. I kept thinking, "These poor people shouldn't be here. They can't afford to loose any money."

The interior decor of tall, artificial, fir trees and a massive, glowing, full moon on the wall would have given the impression of the great outdoors had it not been for the gambling machines glittering in the light of the fake street lamps.


All in all it was an interesting experience and if we're in no hurry to eat we just might go back some time.