At some point I will write out my wife's entire saga - it has been long and difficult, at times rather hellish - but today at the end of September in 2024 - we were in a good enough place to knock the dust off the tables and bust out the blower to clean out the garage and set up for a fun night of low-stakes but big-fun mix game action!
Pepper Street is BACK BABY!!!
The invite list was tiny - intended to only be a single table with the regular players who play cash the most, but it still ended up being 12 players, including three special guests - one from across the country, that would be Noah P. who now resides in Jacksonville Florida (wife and kids back home and safe and dry from hurricane Helene) - Michele, she of San Francisco, staying nearby to look after her sister, and of course the one who travels the shortest distance to get here (down the street) my good neighbor Mike K. who in recent years has devoted himself to his kids rather than my much more important poker game. Ha.
Allen R., MC, Jason, Colin, Tony G, Lea Anne and Ian (who took the handful of pics here of the group as I was too busy dealing) rounded out the group and thankfully made no fuss about splitting into two different tables and indulging in ALL the games, including big pots in the wacky S.O.H.E. (Simultaneous Omaha and Hold-Em lol) and a surprising amount of Crazy Pineapple.
And really, it was like none of us ever left. It was just so great to see everyone and hang out and catch up, and also play as many hands as we could squeeze in!
I confess, having not played live for six months, my dealing was a bit rusty and my play wasn't much better. I ended up down $40, which all-told is really a win in my book. To be able to reconnect with all you lovely people, it really was the best!
Ian, who is not pictured because he took all the pictures, ended up being the big wiener of the night, stacking no less than two players and sitting on almost $500 in profit when all was said and done.
Others were up a bit, down a bit, and yes as mentioned - a handful of players left with dust and nice memories (save the hands they busted on). All in all another great night of teh pokerz.
I really can't express how much it meant to see each and every one of you who came out. This has been a very tough year for my family, and I'm grateful I could have a respite from our journey to indulge in my favorite pastime - slinging cards and hanging out with y'all.
If you didn't get an invite, let not your heart be troubled. I tried, at least initially, to just get one table and keep the numbers down. The next time we do this I will expand the list to include everyone else who has played cash in the recent past. It is very touch and go here at home of course, so I will have to wait and see that all is good before we can have another cash game.
And I know you're all thinking and asking - what about a tournament? Well, it may be awhile before the next one of those.
Bev has to endure another 10 weeks of chemo coming up soon, with probably as much time afterwards to recover. So realistically, that means we aren't likely to get going on a bigger monthly event until well into 2025. Boo!
But the good news is, God willing, we are in a very good place and in the home stretch now of this whole ordeal. Nothing is guaranteed with this affliction, and things could always go south, but I am optimistic that we are on a road to full recovery. I cannot thank you all enough for your love and support and comfort. Please keep Beverly in your prayers as we enter this last round of treatment.
IF, and it's a fairly big if, we play poker at Pepper Street again this year, it will very likely be a week from now - I am not going to know if the light is green until probably next Tuesday at the earliest. And I don't know if it will be Friday or Saturday night. If it does go again, it will again be mix game cash.
Until then, whether it's next week or next year, I'm wishing everyone the best - Peace and We Out!!!
