technolog's tales of domestic bliss, DIY & other nonsense

[Fatcatstu]

Jack, may i just say,

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

and indeed lol.

[Pitchie]

It was great to meet you properly in Bolton Jack and what a great night Friday night was with everyone. Considering you made day 2, do you think you"ll be putting this type of pre match preparation into use in the future?/

Paul.

[technolog]

Well Paul, seeing as I have felt like **** up until today, been the butt of forum jokes & had embarrassing photos posted, the answer is almost certainly...YES!!!!!!!

By the way, I have to say what an absolute pleasure it was to make your acquaintance.

[technolog]

Right, now I"m back in the land of the living, I suppose a short trip report might be in order. I"m afraid it"ll have to be short as I don"t remember that much of it

I arrived at the Holiday Inn at about 5pm on the Friday and, setting the tone for the weekend, after a very rapid couple of pints, started to feel the effects. I was hoping the hard hours of training in Lloret de Mar but a brief 12 days previously would stand me in good stead. Alas no.

A shower and a few more pints at the HI bar [no, I wasn"t having a shower in the bar. My naked lobby antics were to come a few, short hours later] and we head for the bright lights and the Bolton glitterati.

Okay, to be honest, at this point things start getting a little hazy, so corrections and addendums are not only allowed but actively encouraged.

I know we spent a while at Wetherspoon"s The Spinning Mule where myself and another APATer were getting on famously with a couple of people of the lady persuasion. I remember a few scenes from the casino, which I believe I may have teleported to as I have no recollection of the journey.

Apparently, at some ungodly hour, we made our way back to the HI and this is where I made my great breakthrough and discovered a remedy for drunkeness.

I must have somehow made my way into my room (a minor miracle in itself). I"m guessing that I must have got up to go to the toilet. By the way, which idiot decided to put the bathroom door right next to the door to the hotel corridor?

I obviously made the fateful error of taking the corridor option and it was at this point, on hearing the "click" of the door locking behind me, that my eyes snapped open like roller blinds in a Tom & Jerry cartoon and my long-lost sobriety was at once, total and assured.

I must have stood there in stunned disbelief for several seconds, possibly minutes, as I came to terms with the stark reality and downright terror of the situation I found myself in. It didn"t take too long to realise that my options were limited. I had no phone, no clothes, no clue as to friends" rooms. No options.

It dawned on me that I would have to make my way to the hotel lobby and get a new key card.

F.

M.

L.

All I can say is that the seven, long months of dieting & exercising to lose 7 stones, 18 months previously were worth it a thousand-fold just for those few, short seconds of still-humiliating embarrassment.

And I"m sorry kinboshi, but the fact that the reception was staffed that night by a man is definitely proof that there is a God.

[AAroddersAA]

You don"t remember having chicken on the way back to the casino? Or my expert directions? Or me falling into a puddle, due to a very slipperly floor, which you all found funny - it was very harsh. I was on the floor and you were all laughing. I would never do a thing like that. Oh, wait a minute :-)))

Great weekend though, can"t wait for the next one.

[Laxie]

LMAOOOOOOO!!!!  More....MORE!!!  We want day 2 - NOW!

[technolog]

On the Saturday I was awoken from my slumbers by the APAT Forum team skipper, Mr AAroddersAA, at the unearthly hour of 12:45pm. For some reason he seemed slightly concerned that I might not make it

I grabbed a quick shower before joining Steve and the others in the HI bar where he gave me my prized APAT shirt (and may I say, very nice they were too).

We eventually made our way to the casino (for the second time on the trip apparently, but I had no idea where it was!) grabbing a life-saving helping of lard in the form of a healthy option breakfast cheeseburger.

We met up with our remaining team mates (Brendan Byrne, George Bedi, Ian Burnnett, James Edwards, Stuart Oliver & Paul Pitchford) and had a team photo taken. I must have looked a right state because they apparently refused to turn the lights on while it was taken

We got underway a couple of minutes late. I had a nice table with Dean Pearson to my immediate right. The only other people I knew were Susie Pearson (no relation) and Judi Edwards (who I"d never met but heard of).

I was playing as tight as ever, possibly more so as, having had a skinful the night before, I didn"t want to be seen to be letting my team mates down with an early exit. So many people wanted places on the team and I felt so honoured to be picked that I was determined to give a good account of myself.

I folded the best hand a couple of times early on. One of them to the eventual winner, Niall, when he showed a complete bluff , luckily I don"t do tilt. These setbacks saw me down to 6k chips - not a great start.

I managed to grind my way back up without any major clashes until fairly late on the Saturday. I think there were 3 of us left in the team, me, Ian & James. I had 10-12BBs and it folded round to me on the button. I"ve got 10 6os , however, I"ve been playing tight and I should get credit for a decent hand. So I shove . Rob Swindells calls with AJ and it looks like I could be on my way. However, much to my surprise, I bink a 6 right on the flop and poor old Rob is holed beneath the waterline, going out soon after. Unlucky mate, felt bad for you

I continue to grind but any real hopes we had of winning evapourate when James gets sidelined before the points. Ian and I manage to get us on the scoreboard, but I"m playing for myself when Ian gets unlucky and knocked out scoring 6 points in 45th place.

We finish about 1am and I"m handily placed, mid-field on 58.4k. I was pleased for myself and somewhat relieved to have put in a good performance for the team. It wasn"t nice knowing that the team weren"t going to be able to repeat last year"s result but I had fantastic team mates and with just a touch more luck, we could have stormed it. Never mind.

So I hit the bar. I didn"t go mad, somwhat chastened after events of the preceding evening . We still manage to not get back to the HI until 4:45am and much to my surprise and extreme pleasure, we find a kebab shop right next door to the hotel.

My kebab and I return to my room where I make short work of it and settle down to bed, but not before I"ve made sure the bathroom door is left open and the light is on

[duke3016]

LMAOOOOOOO!!!!  More....MORE!!!  We want day 2 3 - NOW!

sigh boring -- Day 3 please  

only joking nice prose as usual.

[technolog]

[technolog]

I wake up Monday morning, sort of dazed, sort of shellshocked. It"s 11.15, already past the 11am check-out time. I get my stuff together and clear off. Did I imagine the smiling faces on reception looking in my direction?

I really shouldn"t have been driving but, barring spending another day in Bolton, I don"t think I had much choice and anyway, I was in no shape for rational decisions. It wasn"t a question of whether I was over the limit, it was how many times

Anyway, I wend my (very) merry way along the gorgeous Woodhead Pass, over the Pennines, then on down the M1 and back to Leicestershire.

It was an absolutely fantastic weekend. I think looking back over the last 4 years or so, it"s probably the best poker weekend I"ve had, for a whole host of reasons. I may not have won any money, and the team crashed & burned. But I had the company of some really wonderful people and had a great time.

I think this picture pretty much says it all - I love it!

[technolog]

FML. RSQmastery awaits. It"s been nice knowing yer.

[duke3016]

FML. RSQmastery awaits. It"s been nice knowing yer.

Was a little bored with it to be honest - but my enthusiasm has been renewed

[Curlarge]

I must have somehow made my way into my room (a minor miracle in itself). I"m guessing that I must have got up to go to the toilet. By the way, which idiot decided to put the bathroom door right next to the door to the hotel corridor?

I obviously made the fateful error of taking the corridor option and it was at this point, on hearing the "click" of the door locking behind me, that my eyes snapped open like roller blinds in a Tom & Jerry cartoon and my long-lost sobriety was at once, total and assured.

I must have stood there in stunned disbelief for several seconds, possibly minutes, as I came to terms with the stark reality and downright terror of the situation I found myself in. It didn"t take too long to realise that my options were limited. I had no phone, no clothes, no clue as to friends" rooms. No options.

It dawned on me that I would have to make my way to the hotel lobby and get a new key card.

F.

M.

L.

All I can say is that the seven, long months of dieting & exercising to lose 7 stones, 18 months previously were worth it a thousand-fold just for those few, short seconds of still-humiliating embarrassment.

And I"m sorry kinboshi, but the fact that the reception was staffed that night by a man is definitely proof that there is a God.

Hmmm......just to make you feel a little better Jack, I did exactly the same thing in Newquay in 2002. The person in the next room had had room service so I had a napkin (plenty big enough) to hide my modesty, but with the principle difference being your weight loss and my lack of it ...., I"ll never forget the look on the night porters face, nuff said.

[Laxie]

FML. RSQmastery awaits. It"s been nice knowing yer.

Was a little bored with it to be honest - but my enthusiasm has been renewed

I was robbed...ROBBED I tell ya.  Prepare for ZERO mercy on reveal night Mr.!!!

[KarmaDope]

FML. RSQmastery awaits. It"s been nice knowing yer.

Was a little bored with it to be honest - but my enthusiasm has been renewed

I was robbed...ROBBED I tell ya.  Prepare for ZERO mercy on reveal night Mr.!!!

Or you could just, you know, introduce APATers to it...