Scott Diamond

Well we just arrived home from our week long vacation and it was one to remember. We did so much I am going to have to tell you all about it in a series of blogs.

Last Monday evening we packed up and headed to Laughlin. We stayed in a Motel in Needles Monday night and early Tuesday we headed to Camp Moabi to launch the boat onto the Colorado River.

We stopped at The Topock marina and had breakfast which we do every year. It is a great place to eat any meal and the waitress who has been there for 19 years awaits are return every year.

After the usual great breakfast we headed down to Havasu lake where we parked in the channel and the girls played in the water for several hours. they collected rocks with different shapes to take to the Hotel later in the evening and paint. They enjoy doing this and it is something they do wherever we go.

As we left the trim on the boat would not go down and we slowly made our way towards Camp Moabi. We stopped a boat that tows broken down boats and he called a mechanic, Mike Diedrich who for a 125.00 fixed the problem in 45 minutes and we were back on our way to Laughlin. Mike saved us about $300.00 and is one hell of a guy.

We got into Laughlin about 6:00pm and bathed and I headed down to check out the Poker Room. I was told there was a Tournament getting ready to start over at the River palms casino so I headed over there to play. I had won one there last year and they usually get about 45-50 players. It is an $80.00 buy in with an extra $5.00 for 2000 more chips. There were almost 90 players which was a great turnout and I played my "A" game until we were down to 11 people. Only eight were going to get paid and first place was close to $1900.00.

I was second in chips and in the small blind with A-2 spades. Blinds were 1000-2000 and I had about 28,000 in chips.The chip leader limped in under the gun and I put in another 1000 chip to see the flop of A-A-2. I thought to myself ,COOOOOL...I bet out 4000 chips and the BB folded and the limper who was the chip leader went all in. Of course I called and I thought no way he had an Ace but when I called him he turned over A-8. He was shocked I had a full house and I was even more shocked he had an Ace. Of course the 8 came on the turn and I was on my way back to the Tropicana Poker Room to play the 2.00-6.00 Limit game there.

I had a good run making about $300.00 as I played until 5:00 am. We had to get up at 7:00 to go to the lake and the Boat had no problems and the Girls had a great day. I caught up on some sleep while at the lake and after eating a great Italian dinner at the Tropicana I again went to the Poker Room and played for about 4 hours making another 160.00 So far my winnings had paid for our gas on this trip. Between the Boat and my Expedition we used alot of gas.

Another deputy who I have known for years and is the Godfather to my Daughter Jasmine came out on Thursday and we headed to Cotton Wood Cove for the day. My girls saw there first catfish as we had a couple of fishing poles set up and I was going to cook it for dinner but my wife tossed it back in the Lake.(softy)

We set up some beer cans on the hill and had a dollar bet for every can we hit with the BB gun while sitting in the Boat. If you have ever been to the lake and know how the Boat rocks back and forth from the wakes,this was no easy task. Shawn finally gave up after I was to far ahead for him to catch up and I had him cook us all dinner and we called it even.

We went back to the Hotel and ate In an Out Burgers and I took the Girls to see WALLE. We went to bed early and instead of the lake on Friday, I took the girls to get their nails polished and do some shopping at Wal-Mart. This is what they wanted to do. It was 120 degrees in the shade and we were all a little tired from being in the Sun all week.

We then went and saw The Hulk and got ready to watch the AMAZING Firework Show..This show is the BEST. It is the main reason we go to Laughlin for the 4th every year and it would be worth just driving there to see it.

Tuesday I will tell you about heading to Vegas and Playing 2 Tournaments and networking for my Charity at the WSOP.. Till then...Be safe...Take Care..