You could say I enjoy the odd game

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Hello my name is Erica and I like to gamble.

Some of you reading will hate everything to do with gambling but for me it’s my way to relax. I rarely drink, I gave up smoking well before I had my daughter so a game of poker, a flutter on the horses, a spin of the wheel (or reels) is my way to unwind.

I think gambling is like most other vices, if it’s kept under control then it’s a great pastime. The problems arise when addictive personalities and the need for money drives the gambling. I have my own rules whether I’m playing at an online casino or whether I’m at my local casino (yes, I’m a member and a semi-regular).

My rules are;

I never gamble when I’m in a bad mood.

I never gamble to win money.

I count my gambling money as money spent on entertainment. Money won is a bonus.

I never deposit or take more money than I can comfortably afford to lose.

I never set monetary limits on when I’ll walk away ie. “I’ll leave when I’ve won ?200″. I set time limits and I’ll leave at a certain time regardless of my financial position. This ensures that it doesn’t become about winning money but remains about the pleasure of playing.

My Gambling History

I started gambling about twenty years ago when I was 8. My grandad had this red nescafe coffee tin full to the brim of coppers. Every so often he’d pull the tin from his cupboard and a deck of cards from the drawer and we’d play ‘pontoon’, otherwise known as ’21′ or ‘blackjack’. In the beginning we’d both gamble with his money. As I got older and we progressed to ’3 card brag’ (3 card poker) I’d gamble with my own pocket money, a good lesson in managing your wins and losses!

It wasn’t just about gambling though. We’d play card games for fun and by the time I was 11 I was able to play a range of games like rummy, beanie, cribbage or ‘crib’ as my nan called it.

In my teens I liked the slot machines and for a while I lived across from a travelling fair where there was an arcade with tuppenny slots. At that time I had a part-time cleaning job and I’d often sneak out to the fair with my ?5 wage.

When I was old enough and we had the internet I signed up for online casinos and got into playing texas hold ‘em and internet roulette. The summer before I got married was a particularly lucrative one and let’s just say our wedding fund was helped along significantly

After I had Erin I went through my ‘poker phase’, I went through a stage of playing poker every day albeit for small stakes. I’ve had some wins and losses, my biggest win was over the new year of 2009 when I won enough to buy a new laptop.

Nowadays I don’t have as much time for gambling as I’m studying full time and running a business but I still enjoy the odd game of texas hold ‘em or 3 card poker. I had a Grand National day recently where I gambled on the horses all day and ocassionally I’ll play slots online.

Writing this post has put me right in the mood for a game of poker so I must dash

Photo by Flickr user Maorix

A conversation between Nana and Erin while I was away in Port Aventura.

Nana: What job does daddy do?

Erin: He drives buses [he's a bus driver]

Nana: What about me?

Erin: You look after children [she's a childminder]

Nana: …and what does Granny do?

Erin: …looks after old ladies [she's a careworker]

Nana: What does Mummy do?

Erin: She player ‘pokers’ at the dark castle [hmmm...think I need to put her straight on a few things]

Every five to six weeks Alex gets a long weekend, it usually comes at the end of a seven day run and is often followed by a six or seven day run afterward, so we like to make the most of it

Friday

We headed to IKEA, we started furnishing our livingroom last year when we bought our (first ever) brand new suite, a fancy schmancy corner one with pouffe and matching rocking, swivelling, recliner and we were supposed to get some nice new furniture and a few pictures or canvasses but we kinda got sidetracked into booking (and paying for) our holiday to Disneyworld, so the livingroom refurnish never quite happened. So as I was saying on Friday we finally decided to get ourselves organised and get this livingroom looking respectable. As we walked the half mile from the car park to the entrance (why is IKEA always so rammed?) it dawned on me that for the first time Erin was old enough for the creche. I gave her the choice of coming with us or going to have fun in the ball pool, playing with the other kids and watching cartoons. Of course she chose to go an play, I think Alex would have chosen to go to given the option, IKEA isn’t his favourite place.

We chose, collected, paid and paid again for delivery (?35 which I thought was a bit of a rip off), at least the creche only cost ?1 and she even came out with a handprint picture, so well impressed with that.

Friday night we had my sister in law and her fiance round for dinner, I made some curry and used Englishmum’s brownie recipe again, this time I assembled a sundae – crumbly brownie at the bottom, ice cream then a few chewier bits, more ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and a few fudge pieces on top, sorry no pictures they were gone too quick!

After dinner we had a small stakes game of poker which I won, it’s been a while

Saturday

We took Erin to the Dean and Modern Art Galleries, we’ve been before but she was a baby. The galleries are a great place to visit if you’re in Edinburgh, they house some great pieces and entry is free. Erin’s favourite was Damien Hirst’s Away From the Flock which is the famous frozen sheep in formaldehyde, and I’d agree with her that his stuff was definitely the most interesting, if a touch morbid, and I’m mostly thinking of the picture with him and a severed head here urgh.

It was my night to myself so I headed for the casino, my usual night off haunt, and before anyone gets on their high horse I don’t smoke and I don’t drink (unless I’m with the Disney 7) so gambling is my thing, well mostly tournament poker really. I started playing a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since. I do partake in the odd game of roulette and three card poker though, if funds allow. Unfortunately I didn’t win, but I didn’t lose all my budget either so a so-so night.

Sunday

Erin went to my sister-in-laws and we were supposed to be going to the driving range but the weather was typically Scottish so we headed for the casino, again, I got to the final table but didn’t cash. We grabbed a pizza and went home to watch Yes Man which I won’t say too much about as I’ll do a review soon.

Monday

We picked up Erin about 11.30am and went to the hairdressers, Erin and I had our hair cut and I cut Alex’ in the afternoon. Once Erin was in bed Alex built our book shelf which looks really nice, he has a few more bits to build this week so hopefully they go as smoothly