The Magic Kingdom Of Bingo

It was that time again yesterday .... HOWDY DOODIE TIME!  Just kidding.  #not #itfeltlikeit

Sometimes I think I'm on an out-of-control kids show when I volunteer at the Magic Kingdom.  Everyone is running around screaming and pulling their hair out, including me.  You just have to laugh about it ... like when I won the Biffo Ball at Cartoon Town with Claribel the Clown.

I always had to go to Modesto with my mother when I was younger, since there were no babysitters back in the day.  She had one of the original television cooking shows, teaching people how to cook BEEF for dinner ... part of the Cattlemen's Association/Cowbells organization.

Immediately after her show was Claribel (not the original one) who made the kids laugh and gave out prizes.  They needed a couple of extra kids, so I got to stay.  Claribel never made anyone laugh and we never got to see ANY cartoons.  We just sat on these hard wooden benches until they said GO, whereupon we would clap and yell.  Claribel would pick one of us to tell a dumb joke ... we were maybe six years old ... and we would then get a prize.

I actually got picked, which was probably a setup.  I don't remember the joke I told other than it was pretty lame, but I definitely remember the prize.  I walked to the big barrel and picked out a Biffo Ball ... the big beach ball on a string.  That was a LOT more fun than Bingo ... but I digress .........

The night started out nice enough ... I even had a glass of wine to relax before the confrontation with the Moneychanger.  Amazingly, he came over and gave me a hug.  I guess he thought I needed it ... probably saw the Evil Witch of the Castle in my eyes.  I guess I need to tell him off more often.  With that out of the way, it was time to mingle with the peasants.

Everyone was surprisingly nice.  Okay that's not quite true.  One other volunteer who shall remain nameless came and made a big point of taking a dobber and saying he would return with the money ... he wasn't LYING ... and he wanted to be sure we knew he would be back ... with the MONEY.  Really?  Turns out he's friends with the $2 lady.  C'est la vie .... he brought the dollar back and we thanked him profusely.  There's one in every crowd.

The night breezed along while I counted cards and explained the entire process to many brand new players.  It's always good to have an influx of new peasants.  It means there's more money in the pots resulting in even louder BINGO'S.  A noisy house is a happy house, except when it's at our table and we can't hear.

The Castle Lawyer and I, professing to be on a low carb diet, sent the kitchen into an uproar last week when we ordered our hamburger with no bun, but extra lettuce.  Don't deviate from the norm, that's the rule.  They didn't know what to charge us.  THIS time we just ordered a regular hamburger, then threw the bun away.  You would be proud of me ... I actually DID that.  It's a waste, but better than disrupting the kitchen.  You don't want to upset the provider of vitals.

At long last it was time to close up.  The infernal machine balanced to within two dollars ... good enough for this group because no one really cares whether we balance or not.  Only the Castle Lawyer and I seem to think the cash box SHOULD match the tape.  I'm glad I'm not a fly on the wall when we both are gone, which will happen this summer.  I'd probably die from a heart attack.

In other good news, my income tax refunds were deposited in my bank account!!  THAT made me extremely happy since now I won't have to sleep on the floor at the Arizona house.   My first purchases will be a bed and a television.  I can't wait.  I'm packing every single nook and cranny in the rig and the jeep with things for the house.  I have plenty of stuff ... years ago I had an apartment in Monterey, and luckily kept everything when I moved out.

Tomorrow I'm driving three gals to the Ahwahnee Hotel (now known as the Majestic Hotel) in Yosemite for a Mothers day lunch and birthday celebration.  I'm having another birthday this year ... my second one.  No one said I can't have TWO in one year.  Hopefully I'll get some beautiful photos along the way to share with you.