Gambling was fun and I even came out a winner! However, trying to sleep in the hotel room, especially when I was trying to sleep, was a nightmare, but I’ll write all about the trip when we get back and settled in.

Later...

Changed my mind and decided I’d write some more during this incredibly long and boring trip. At least the scenery’s beautiful. There are all different kinds of cacti. Soap Yuccas, Ocotillo, Saguaros, Prickly Pears, etc.

OK, I shall try my best, as legibly as I can, to update now.

We stopped at McDonald’s in Kingman for a bite to eat, then arrived in Laughlin close to 10 AM.

I bought Ma a cute kitchen magnet with an Indian design, feathers and beads, as a way of saying thanks for financing our trip. She was very generous and gave us a few hundred dollars.

I didn’t buy myself anything, but I gave Tom extra gambling money and paid for the gas and some malt balls for him on our way back.

It’s nice to say that I’m returning home with $150 and now I no longer have to worry about buying something for Tom’s birthday and for him for our anniversary. I know he’d be satisfied enough if I were to make him something or draw something for him, but I can do that for him anytime. I can’t always buy him stuff, though.

I may get him shorts, socks, a bathing suit or more boxers. That way he’d have 9 pairs of boxers, instead of 6. Any money left over, I’ll spend on myself. I have enough journals for a while, so who knows what I’ll get?

I think I’ll break for more of the munchies we got before we left Phoenix.

Later...

I wish it were cloudy and overcast out there now since I forgot to take sunglasses.

Actually, I did buy myself something. A lighter with a pretty cactus on it.

There are lots of Joshua trees right now where we’re driving. We should hit Wickenburg in about 20 minutes, so we can pee and get some fries or something.

Anyway, we tried a casino first that I think was the Gold River and I instantly had a bum luck vibe in there. Sure enough, I lost about $40 there, but Tom broke even.

Then we went to the Pioneer casino where I began to hold my own, too.

Then we settled at the Ramada Express and got a room there at 11:30 AM. It was an ugly room with a king-size bed on the 14th floor (really the 13th floor). I had the best luck gambling at this place, though, hitting all 7s 4 different times, and I also won $80 and $125 too, along the way. I’d constantly hit 40 quarters and 160, 80, 15, etc.

Later...

Less than an hour to go! I’m sick of being on the road!

So, besides gambling yesterday, we ate at a Denny’s-like place. I got a delicious T-bone steak and he got a hamburger.

It was about 3 PM when I first tried to go to sleep and oh my God! People were slamming and banging their doors and I’ll never again sleep in a hotel unless my schedule’s such that I’m sleeping at night. I ended up being up for a good 20 hours, only to wake up a few times when he’d snore or move our blanket. I finally got up just after 1 AM and he did, too.

The bed wasn’t as hard at this hotel, but they’re all still much harder than I like.

We were too tired to do any screwing after only 3-5 hours of sleep, but we will after we’ve caught up on our sleep at home.

The thermostat in the room was fucked up. You either had to have the room freezing or heated.

So I lost at the Gold River and broke even at the Ramada before trying to sleep but now I’d win and be compensated for the lack of sleep.

Prior to gambling and winning in the wee hours of the morning, we stopped back at that restaurant. He got another hamburger and I got beef skewers.

There, I also got my much-needed coffee, since I could not get the water hot enough for it in the hotel room.

There wasn’t any stationery in the room, so I’ll tell everyone about our trip in the usual letters that I send.

I still haven’t heard from Shelly, so if I haven’t heard from her by early next week, I’ll call her and see what’s up. Maybe she tried calling while we were gone, and I can only imagine how many times Andy’s called!

I hope all’s OK with the animals. They must be pretty hungry and I’m looking forward to seeing Bunny, Piggy, Gizzy and the birds, too.

Well, you could say this is the most I’ve ever written while on vacation.