Love to ya in '007!

How did you ring in the New Year?

I love, love, love New Year's Eve/Day. I love the feeling of putting the old year and it's disasters and accomplishments to rest, and beginning the new one with the promise of new adventures.

Now, after the xmas boo-boos, I think Rod was looking to come off of that in a big way, so on Thursday when he text messaged me at work to ask me about a Masked Ball, I was immediately intrigued. For real? Like a real live dinner and masked ball in a Heritage Mansion that used to host these types of events in the 20's and 30's, being hosted by the University Women's Club of Vancouver. Rod truly lucked out, because when he called, he spoke to a lady who wasn't actually supposed to be at work, as they were closed, but she was there taking care of some details. $270 later, it was a done deal.

Our attention turned to the necessity of masks. Rod was very easy to take care of. Since 1992 or 1993, I've had this plastic 'Phantom of the Opera' mask meant to be a decoration. Done deal. We went down to The Party Bizarre on Saturday to find something for me, and we're good. We continued on to Moore's to pick up Rod's new sport coat (a delicious chocolate brown micro-fibre piece) and then on to the Mall for Rod to get a haircut. I determined that I would get a manicure and pedicure, and decided to go to the ProfessioNail salon because it was walk in. Dudes, worst manicure and pedicure ever. But I'll tell you why I didn't bother caring too much. I usually do my own home manicures and pedicures, and I'm good at them, but they are so time-consuming. I knew the place wouldn't be great, but I didn't care, I just didn't want to sit down and go through the whole process myself. At least they cleaned up my cuticles. The polish and shaping I handled myself when I got home because it was some seriously bad work. Now I know why I pay a small fortune to get it done at those snooty, upscale salons, and I won't apologize for it.

Sunday was a flurry of beautifying activity. Nails to be painted, legs to be mowed, eyebrows, skin, on and on and on. Make-up, hair, dressing myself AND Rod...so much responsibility! It didn't help that I had to take a one-hour break to stand around Shopper's drug mart waiting for copycat birth control pills. But come 6:15, it was time to unveil the work of art...



We arrived at the mansion, which is quite impressive, and I nervously noted that Rod and I were noticably younger than most of the other revellers. We staked out a standing table in one room, and were shortly joined by a group of three couples in need of a place to eat. The only problems I found with this beautiful house were the generic art and prints on the main floor (I hear the real art collection is upstairs), it was very chilly in the ballroom, and there were not enough sit down tables to accommodate the guests. As a result, the standing table Rod and I had taken while waiting for supper to begin turned out to be our supper table.

We spent some time talking to our tablemates, who were involved in Real Estate, and in the Lower Mainland, that spells money. The ladies chatted about trips to Italy and shopping at Gucci, and the men talked about their cuban-made cohibas and annual trips to the Grand Prix race in Montreal. Nice people, but wow, did I suddenly feel very poor! Ah well.

After a nice buffet dinner served in martini glasses, we were invited downstairs to the Ballroom to begin the party. In addition to the live band, a non-cash gaming casino and a scotch-tasting station were set up. After all that standing for supper, Rod and I grabbed the first love seat we could find and stayed there contemplating a dance or two. After a little while, Rod got up and wandered over to the Texas Hold'em table, while I stayed behind and chatted with a young brother and sister duo. They were leaving early, so we got up and wandered in to the gaming room to watch Rod play. He was the only guy at the tale besides the dealer who knew anything about Texas Hold'em, and he was not doing well. After a while, the lady beside him, who had a moderate stack of chips got tired of playing and invited me to sit down and play in her place, so I did.


And I stayed there, cleaning out one player after another all night. We stopped briefly to celebrate the stroke of midnight, but I just could do no wrong! My third hand into the game, I caught a massive break: I drew an ace, and decided to stay with it. Good thing too, cause there were two aces in the flop. And the turn turned up another ace. Count 'em...1+2+1...It was beautiful, and it was the start of my killer run. Rod on the other hand, lasted only one more hand before he was knocked out. Had it been for money, I would've walked out of there with $76,000, there was no doubt that once I got in there, I was the chip leader all night. It was insane :)

One can only hope that this auspicious start to the New Year is a sign of the good luck to come. With that, Best of Luck to everyone in '007!