Fun

A fun day, if a little rocky in spots.
I prepared for the "Casino and Vino" bus trip by lightening my purse, as I often do, slipping some cash, a credit card, and my Jersey driver license in an envelope, so I could leave my rather heavy wallet out. Met Carole and her friend, Jill--a very nice person, by the way--at the designated spot behind City Hall. Sat with a new acquaintance named Barbara and enjoyed talking to her. It took about an hour and a half to get to the Chumash Casino--past Solvang--but it was a brand new, comfortable small bus, and while Barbara and I got acquainted, it went very fast.
The snag took place when we got there. The deal was that if you hadn't been here before--of course, I hadn't--you registered, then got $95 via various promotions, to play with. I took out my I.D. and--aagh!--was told if I didn't have a California license to prove I lived in Ventura, I would get only five dollars. Well, after a great deal of screaming and begging and punching the wall--I'm exaggerating--and getting our tour guide and my three friends involved, an employee other than the first one took over. The sturm und drang finally smoothed over, I got credited with the ninety-five bucks.
Actually, I wasn't quite sure how to play the machines. I won eighty cents, but I don't know exactly how. I was taken aback by the number of penny machines, plus I had a pin number that I had put in wrong three times and was told I had to go back to "club" to change it. Hell, I decided I'd just cash in and be that much ahead. However, I found out you can only use the gift money only to play at the casino, so I'll have to go back, I guess.
Anyway, the four of us had a nice lunch, then got on the bus and were driven to a lovely winery very nearby and "tasted" five different wines. I liked all of them, even the reds, but was not about to buy any--the least expensive I saw was over twenty, so didn't. Anyway, the ride home was nice, as the sun had come out, the sky was a glorious blue, and we drove by the ocean, so beautiful it makes your heart ache.
We got back a bit after 6:00 and home a half hour after that. Nice, nice day, and such fun!