a surprise visit

It’s 8am on Monday morning in Newcastle, due still glistening on the windowsill in my room, drunks waddling home after a good Sunday lunch. I hit my phone alarm and leap out of bed. Rarely has getting up been so anticipated, but today, I was going to Leamington.

I got to the airport a little drowsy but raring to go nevertheless. I checked in and headed through security. The obligatory trip to WHSmith was fruitful as ever, today I got FourFourTwo (complete with a 100 greatest players feature – Kaka won), and T3Home – essential for the more discerning balla. Eventually I got the call and went to the gate to be greeted only by a plump airport worker, in hope of a conversation I asked with a grin whether I was alone on the flight. “NO, there’s 8 in total.” was my reply. Oh lord, 8 people, is this a biplane I thought to myself. When the tardy had arrived we got the bus to the plane and I boarded a prop plane for the first time in about 7 years. It was far noisier than I remember and obviously the take off and landing were not for the faint hearted.

At the exit was a bright eyed and bushy tailed Dave Lu, complete with leftover Frankie and Bennies sandwiches. He whisked me to Leamington and Lauren’s new flat. Not without stopping at homebase to buy some gravel, compost, and heather for some reason.

At Lauren’s I popped my head through Tommo’s (Sarah’s) door to say hi, unfortunately Tommo was dead to the world, and without glasses I might as well have been Ghandi. A few hours passed and Flash and Tommo emerged, Flash particularly surprised to see me there. That afternoon we did some gardening (I’ll leave the details in anticipation of Dave’s timelapse photography) and went out for a meal at Café Rouge as Bistrot Pierre was shut. My meal was very nice, I had a selection of charcuterie meats, a sausage baguette for main, then a crepe for desert. The others however were not so lucky – ordering off the set menu. The French waitress failed to understand the order so we had to order a second timebefore anything had started. Flash, Dave, and Tommo all ordered a sticky toffee pudding, it in fact arrived cold with no custard or apology, needless to say – tipping was minimal.

The evening came around and we played a little cash game on the kitchen table before heading to TJs for a drink or two. We got to sleep around four and prepared for a busy Tuesday.

With talk of going to the zoo or drayton manor the night before – waking up at 1 wasn’t a great start. Still, we at least went to the driving range for a brief afternoon session, featuring Tommo destroying a £5 chip with a rented driver. By the evening it was time to head to the Isle the new casino in Coventry.

The casino was spacious and done out in reasonable taste somehow. The waitresses were wearing provocative clothes, and there was no rake. Unfortunately nausea, swollen glands, and a headache took over after the tournament so sitting about drinking water was the order of the day. The tournament went pretty badly for me, only played 2 hands before the first break and was fairly cold decked (unlike Rupert “I has quads” Elder). After the break I shoved on 4 limpers with AKd for about 7k (blinds 200-400), utg called – oh no. Ahhh, he was slowplaying the QTd, he hit 2pr and I was down to 3300. An orbit later and in fact the first hand I had Jambon and Brad on the table utg minraised to 1200, I stuck it in for 2400 total with AT, utg had QJ. gg. I will let Dave, Flash and Tommo keep you in the loop for cash games although I think the gist is – Tommo runs good at blackjack, Dave gets one outed in 7-stud then makes it back in 4O.

Small mention for the steakhouse beforehand – Farradays (sic?). My steak was pretty average and overpriced considering it wasn’t cooked especially well. But everyone elses was nice by the sounds and it was a nice place so I’m sure to be back to give them another chance – I’m kind like that.

I have unfortunately come down with pandemic flu by the looks of things so stay away from me, doctors have said that if my immune system was the same as normal humans I would be dead by now.

I’m going to bed.