Friday morning wake-up

Friday, Aug. 28 8 a.m.

Last night was relaxing and fun. First person we see (at the hotel registration desk) is Brad. He gives me a big bear hug and lifts me off the floor in the process. He lives in Maryland, so we see him periodically throughout the year, but it's still good to see an old friend. (He was at our wedding in 2006). We confirm plans to meet at Senior Miguel's at 5:30 p.m.

We check in, hang up clothes ... WHY are there never enough hangers in hotel rooms? Do I have more clothes than the average woman? Rad gets one hanger, I take the rest.

Nap time. Then shower time. Then dinner.

Shadow Lane invades Senor Miguel's. Brad says there were more than 30 people there. We completely take over, there's five or six tables of us eventually; all sense of propriety is out the window. Strangers at our table introduce themselves. After dinner I walk around to the other tables shaking hands. "Hi, good to see you, thanks for coming," I say, like I'm at my own party. Always a wise ass. The handshaking is quickly abandoned for hugs, at least for the people I know.

The male brat trio has arrived (JP, R. and G.); the New York contingency, some of it, is off to one side. Colorado is in the house, M&K; we have people from Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, probably many other states. We are all trying to catch up, exchanging room numbers and phone numbers, trying to firm up play times.

Later, T.&S. host a room party, a nice welcoming shindig. I go off to play privately with B., then come back to T.&S.'s room for more play. Paul canes me over the bed. Later we freshen up and go up to Seattle T.'s suite for more socializing. I don't play, just talk for about half an hour, meet more old and new friends). It is getting VERY late, by New York time, so we finally go back to our room and sleep.

We always get up early, usually before 6, so we are up at 7 this morning and now we're about to get breakfast. D. (of D. and G.) and I are going for pedicures later, I have plans to play with Brad and M. later. Paul seems to have no shortage of partners, so he'll be very busy. I may gamble. I may swim. I may sit at the coffee bar, just read my paperback and wait and see who comes along from our group.