We've Moved into the House of Cards

Several months ago we got a great offer to spend a month of the WSOP in a large house in an old section of Vegas. Our friends were generously doing all the leg work to arrange the stay for a handful of their friends playing in the WSOP. It's an amazing property. Big Spanish style house with curved archways, and all kinds of amenities suited for entertaining. There's a family room with a big screen TV, large ceilings with timber beams, a connecting rec room with a pool table and bar, a pool, jacuzzi, bbq station, beach volleyball court, and putting green out back.

Five or six guys and two-three women.

We moved in on Friday afternoon and John has already bein in the pool three times. He loves it and it's great for his back. We got lucky with the room set up in that we are on the couples' side of the house vs. the single men side of the house. And our bedroom (with own private bathroom) has a door that leads out to the pool. Lets keep talking about the POOL because it is truly heaven. Last night, five of us sat outside. They ate their dinner out there. John and Sarah sat with their legs in the water, and I laid on a lounge chair looking up at the sky till I fell asleep. There are white lights on the gate of the pool, palm trees silhouetted beneath a few stars, and planes that come in for landing not far off.

You think that living by an airport would be loud, but none of us ever heard them while we were sleeping. And, despite The Castle being one of my all time favorite movies, I've never thought of living near an airport. But the sight of the planes landing was absolutely dreamalicious for me. Steady, constant, and because I love travel -- a wonderful, and happy image for me to watch.

"John!" I said, quite possiblly interrupting conversation, "I think I just saved us some money!!!"

He perked up.

"I want to live by an airport! And I think the real estate is always cheaper by an airport!"

He went back to his conversation. I went back to sleep.

But I wasn't the first of us to burst out with a housing ephiphany. On Friday night he had done the same to me about the pool. "Jen, we HAVE to get a pool."

"OK, John. But I'm not sure if the houses in Charleston have pools. Do they?"

"Good point." he said.

And then I started wondering where the heck we'll live, because if I know anything, I'm 100% certain I don't want to spend the bulk of my life living by the Burbank airport, pool or no pool.

So, yes, now we live in the House of Cards, where everyone has their own online poker stations and sometimes leaves them to have a meal with the others or at least watch tv. I know and like three of the tenants. And I've just added one more to the like roster, but that might be it. Last night, we woke up to the sounds of female voices, loud chatty giggling female voices outside our window. I lay there hoping they didn't decide to go for a swim, while John got up to take a look. Some of the single guys had obviousy brought home dates.

"Why are they going outside?" John said.
"Maybe they're leaving," I offered.
"Can you get to the parking lot from back here?" John asked.
"Maybe," I said thinking positively.

It was quiet for a few minutes, and then the talking and laughing started up again. Clearly they'd found their way to the jacuzzi. We drifted off again till the next round of party sounds.

"Maybe they're leaving now?" I asked.
"Nope, it's morning," John said.
Man, were we the old folks of the group, or what?! But I will take my turn as we are going to seek permission to get a party going for my viewing on the 23rd. If we get to pull that off, I will remember not to complain about being woken up by a party, or laugh at the sight of Chanel and Gucci hand bags with dressy high heels in the kitchen. And I'll just have to hope it's not every night. See? I'm still such a prude.

Current: Las Vegas
Next: Going in the pool...sometime today!