My lungs still hurt just a little bit from the intense amounts of second hand smoke I inhaled at the Texas Hold’em table. For about 3 hours non-stop I played Hold’em with just 70 dollars. Eventually I cashed out with $225.00. Earlier in the day I was playing a Wheel of Fortune slot machine and I hit a 500 dollar jackpot. It was nice winning that money because right before that I was down to my last 13 dollars out of the 200 dollars that I had already spent. I had planned on only gambling away $100, but then I went back to the ATM and got another $100 out and started losing that money right away.

When I left the Wheel of Fotune game I was up $400. When I left the poker table I was up $540.

On Friday when we arrived I checked in to my room. It was the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in at a hotel complete with 3 televisions and a small sectional couch. The bed was awesome, the bathroom large and the tub would have easily fit a large Asian family with ease.

After relaxing for a couple of hours we went to Jack Binion’s Steak House and feasted on crab cakes, peppercorn steaks, garlic bread, baked potatoes, creamed spinach and corn. For dessert we shared some cheesecake and some bread putting with cinnamon ice cream. The bread pudding was so amazing that I turned my nose up at the cheesecake and didn’t even try a bite.

Feeling like a beached whale I went up to my room and went right to bed.

The next morning Cody and I got up and had a nice workout and then we had breakfast and soon thereafter the gambling started.

Cody, Amy and Nita Miller and I all sat in a row of slot machines plunking away and trying to win big. I was the only one out of the three of us to hit big on the Wheel of Fortune game even though at various times I think we all hit $100 bucks only to quickly lose it.

On Saturday night we went to Jack Binion’s steak house again and I had the Filet Mignon and the King Crab legs. The King Crab was the best I’ve ever had, the filet was perfectly cooked and juicy, and the garlic mashed potatoes rounded out the meal nicely.

We had the bread pudding again for dessert and Nita got a creme brulee to go.

After dinner I went to bed but couldn’t sleep. At 1 a.m. I went back to the Casino to play some more poker. I was doing well at first but then the dealer got on a lucky streak and even my low straights weren’t beating his high straights or his flush. I finally stopped myself 3 hours later and with $200 less in my pocket.

I took another 40 bucks that I had and went back to the Wheel of Fortune game and quickly lost it, but I was still ahead by $300 and I decided I was going to go home with that money in my pocket.

Nita, Cody’s mom, got us free rooms and all of our meals were free except for the tip. Since I didn’t have to feed or entertain myself for an entire weekend I was actually up another $150 bucks as that is normally the amount I spend on a weekend if not more.

A big thanks to Nita and the Miller’s for always being so generous. I really had an awesome time with them.

I’m smiling, but I had just eaten so many cookies that I felt like I was about to explode!

I’m sitting at home after a 3 day trip to see a Kanakuk friend - Eric Holst. We only spent a summer together 9 years ago, but as anyone from Kanakuk can tell you that Kanakuk is a place that bonds people together forever no matter how far the distance or time.

I had read on Eric’s facebook post one morning that he was eating blueberry muffins and drinking Spunky Monkey Coffee. I left a comment that said something like, “I wish I was there…” without missing a beat, Eric responded with, “You should come down for a visit.”

That is really all it takes for me, within a few days we had it planned. I was to come down for the Minnesota State Fair on a weekend that everyone had off and so i did.

On Friday I arrived and dropped off my bags at their apartment at Bethel University and then promptly went to the State Fair. As soon as we got inside we stopped for a Pronto Pup which is like a corn dog but instead of corn meal they use flour. I devoured one quickly smothered in ketchup and mustard. We started to walk away and I said, “Um, guys, would you look down on me if I got another one of those right now?”  They laughed and said, “No Way!” The Pronto Pup is called “A banquet on a stick.” I laughed at that title at first, but after I had one I agreed. They were delicious.

Later that day I consumed a turkey leg, a malt, a chocolate covered pretzel, a large quantity of fries, a 32 ounce root beer, one fried green tomato, and at the end of the day we bought a bucket of warm chocolate chip cookies and then walked over to the stand where they have all-you-can-drink milk for just a buck. I got one glass, then went back and bought another glass so I would have two cups and then i got two more refills and so I overindulged with 5 glasses of milk and way too many cookies. It was heaven.

The next morning I couldn’t believe I was actually hungry.  When I woke up and went into the kitchen Eric was cooking eggs, bacon, and blueberry pancakes as well as some fresh brewed coffee. I was really surprised to see him so effortlessly cooking all of this food. I like to cook and I have never seen another man that enjoyed cooking as much, if not more, than I do.

After breakfast we went to a cool sculpture garden and walked around for a bit. We climbed on some sculptures even though there were signs that said, “Please do not climb on the sculptures” everywhere. Like big kids we played and then we went out for an AMAZING lunch of bacon cheeseburgers, fries and malts at a place called “The Convention Grill”.

After feasting at the grill we went to see the Minnehaha Waterfall and even waded into the creek. The water was really cold at first but after a while it became quite pleasant. On the way to Minnehaha Falls we drove by these beautiful homes that had so much character that I started to fall in love with Minnesota. However, Eric and Nikki said that the temperature in the winter averages around 16 degrees for 3 months straight and that alone will keep me from ever being a resident of the lovely state.

Saturday’s dinner consisted of some grilled steaks, squash, sweet corn and watermelon. We ate outside on picnic tables that were near a beautiful lake.  After dinner we sat in the iving room and talked and then eventually watched the movie 21.

Sunday was a simple continental breakfast of toast with peanut butter and honey, fresh peaches and watermelon and some more great coffee.

We went to church and then for lunch we went to this wonderful gourmet pizza place and had delicious pizza and a piping hot artichoke dip. After lunch it was off to the Mall of America - the largest mall in the U.S.A and then finally back to the airport where it was time to return home.

The entire trip was a good time. Eric and Nikki have two cute kids that are 2.5 and almost 4 years of age. They were fun little chatterboxes that kept things lively and I couldn’t help but think that Wyatt was cute even when he was throwing a fit.

I told Eric that out of all my weekend excursions that this one had moved to the top of the list for “The Most Fun in a little over 48 hours award”.  I was serious, I mean, we packed so much fun, good conversation, and great food into such a short amount of time that they quickly moved to the top of the list.  Not that there really is a list, but if there was…

So on the way home to round out the great trip I spent the 90 bucks to upgrade to first class. No one was sitting beside me and the two hour flight home could not have been more enjoyable.

Thanks Eric and Nikki for a great weekend, i hope to come back someday soon! (After the freezing cold… for sure)

We started our trip in Plano which is very upscale suburbia, however, the closer we got to downtown the crazier the people got. One man sipped a beverage that smelled like straight gin, another looked shifty-eyed and carried a bag of who-knows-what, while another person loaded up their bike and took up lots of space. Soon I started to worry about my safety and I’m 6′ 5″ and 350 pounds!

So while I like the idea of public transportation, I don’t like the “Public” part when it involves weirdos.

On the upside, there were 3 police officers on the return trip home and so I felt much safer. The train was clean and the air-conditioner cool and if I really stop to think about it, if I just bring some mace I’ll probably be fine.

The only other downside to this public transit was the numerous stops and the time it took to drive the 12 miles to downtown. In my car I can speed to Mockingbird Station in about 12 minutes, it took us what seemed like 30 and so if time is money, then I don’t think I saved a lot of money, but I was going during work hours and so hey, a bad day on a bus is better than a day at work anytime!

Alison picked me up promptly at the airport. Apparently she didn’t know that I prefer to wait at least 30 minutes in the cold and she robbed me of this pleasure with her timeliness. I also love traffic, long lines, and people who drive slow in the fast lane - all of which are idiosyncracies of mine that I should have made her aware of.

Jackson was accompanying his mother and he looks like the spawn of Nordic angels with his blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. He’s loving and affectionate and as soon as he sees me he says, “Hi Uncle Eddo!” and smiles brightly - Disgusting. He has a face only a mother and the rest of the world could love. I prefer my nieces and nephews to be collicky and temperamental. I love a tantrum, to be hit in the head with toys, to be poked in the eye and kicked where it counts. Jackson with his sugary sweetness provided none of these delights. Instead he was exhaustingly pleasant to be around. What a bore.

Alison gave me a few options for lunch which upset me almost visably. I had hoped that she would have just provided me with a box of Saltine crackers and no water to go along with my ascetic dietary regimen that I had recently started. Instead she had provided a cold bottle of water upon my arrival and whisked me away to Costa Vida where we feasted on sweet barbecue pork burritos and zesty queso. I had to force down every delicious bite and act as if I was not offended by this display of kindness.

We met John for dinner at an almost vulgar restaurant called “Hacienda”. The tortillas were hand made and quite possibly the best I had ever tasted. I forced myself to eat three of them stuffed with chicken, cheese, grilled onions and guacamole. I was so upset that I barely spoke during the entire meal.

That night I had my own room with a bathroom and an extremely cushy bed. I had requested to sleep on the floor with nothing more than my hands to rest my head on. I pleaded for a bucket and perhaps some dried leaves for a bathroom but they insisted that I sleep on the bed and use these sumptuous bathroom facilities. It was barbaric.

They took me skiing and patiently waited for me and gave me tips on how to ski better. At no point did they laugh or poke fun of me when I had to stop repeatedly because I was exhausted. They never pushed me down the hill or just left me to fend for myself and this is what I prefer when skiing. I like being lost on the side of a cold mountain for days or being stranded at a lift that has already closed. At one point I thought John was going to push me out of the ski lift forcing me to fall 50 feet into snow covered rocks, but that was merely wishful thinking on my part. I left the ski slopes exhausted but without any injuries or broken bones. Yawn.

In the evenings we watched basketball and vegged out on comfortable couches. We played with Jackson and allowed him to entertain us with cuteness so cute you just wanted to smack his face. Try as I might I could not corrupt him. I did teach him to say things like, “Your MY SNOW!” and “I will destroy you!” much to his parents chagrin. I love the mind of a child, so moldable like play-doh, if I only had a few more days with him I could have taught to say, “Back up out my face BIOTCH!” , “I am about to bust you in the mouf!” “Do you want to keep that hand?” and other phrases that are very useful when you are on a playdate or during recess. I guess that will have to wait until my next trip.