Bingo Venues and How they affect the Fun of Bingo

 

 

BINGO BY FISH

Bingo Venues and How They Function

6/24/2024

I promised that I would discuss the Willards venue for Bingo but first, let us discuss just what a Bingo venue is and how it affects enjoyment of playing Bingo.

First, at least for Maryland and Delaware, and I suspect for most of the country, there are rules for playing Bingo.  For now, let’s us revue Bingo venues in the Delmarva area and we shall move on to one I consider the best of all in my area. 

A Bingo venue is comprised, usually, of tables upon which to sit, a desk set up for the caller, screens so that players can see the Bingo balls, a table that has volunteers selling Bingo cards and special packets and usually there is a place that serves food.

With a venue like this, Bingo players, often of the elder human variety, can show up and have a meal, buy the packages and specials, set up their Bingo-play surround on the tables and enjoy a four or five hour evening of socialization, eating, fun with playing Bingo and perhaps win some money.

Bingo venues have lots of nuances which we will cover at a later date.  For now know that the seating area to play the game is often equal to the amount of subscribers to play Bingo normally attend.  Check out the chairs for seating because in some you might want to bring a cushion.

The calling area and the screens where the players can see the balls being called are generally placed around the room and visible to all callers.  Just pick an area to sit that suits your line of sight.

The area where Bingo cards are purchased, along with the special cards, can be set up in all sort of ways.  How the volunteers normally behave has a great effect on your enjoyment of the game.  And yes I will have an example of volunteers so mean you think they might kill you.

But for the most part the volunteers are nice people who strive to serve you well.

Finally check out the food service.  Most venues have some sort of food service and by me, a night of Bingo includes a meal and snacks.  Also find out of a Bingo venue allows you to bring your own meals.  Some do not.

I will now give you an example of a Bingo venue that I consider the best around Delaware.

I speak of the Willards Lion Club.

By chance today I was having a few medical tests.  Some how the subject turned to where she lived and soon she mentioned that she lived in Willards.  I then told her that I love playing Bingo at the Willards Lions and she said her husband loved to play Bingo.  At some point she mentioned that while she worked in Delaware, at Beebe health center of Rt.24 in fact, that Willards wasn’t that far away. 

Which is my point.

BUT…but,but,but…Willards IS in Maryland.

At some point we’ll go over the different laws in Delaware and Maryland as regards Bingo which can be, at times very significant.

Willards is about a 44 minute drive from where I live in Sussex county Delaware to right over the Maryland state line.

The venue is very large and while the building itself is kind of in a very rural area, there are many attendees to these Bingo games.

Further, they have very good food served through out the game.  The volunteers are all very gracious and anxious to serve the attendees.

The Willards Lions Club is a great Bingo venue and a nice half hour drive far away from the summer tourists.

NEXT:

THE WORST BINGO VENUE IN SUSSEX COUNTY AND ONE WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS HATE THE BINGO PLAYERS

Prior Bingo Posts: 

 Introduction to Bingo by Fish

 https://patfish.blogspot.com/2024/06/we-begin-to-discuss-bingo.html 

Introduction to Bingo venues 

https://patfish.blogspot.com/2024/06/blog-post.html

We Begin to Discuss Bingo

 

BINGO BY FISH

Let us Begin....

6/21/2024

Of course Bingo is not one of the major past time of our lives.  Nor should it e. I expect that most of my folks reading this are interested in playing Bingo, to include the game itself, the chance to socialize for an evening, perhaps a meal that does not need to be prepared at home and, of course, the fun of the game.

So that there is no confusion, I live in Sussex county Delaware, am over 70, am not expert on Bingo but do play in different venues and have learned a thing for or two.

We will cover the game of Bingo as allowed by the laws of both Delaware and Maryland.  I will cover the different venues, both private clubs and by a part of a government bureaucracy. 

I have played Bingo in my life, but it wasn’t until after retirement that I became a Bingo aficionado.

And, ahem, most dedicated Bingo players are older and likely retired. 

I will also cover Bingo venues because Lord they are different.  You have volunteers here that work hard to earn money for their organization.  You have volunteers over here that are just plain mean or don’t know what they are doing.  And you have volunteers here that are mediocre.

Some venues are well-arranged and organized, some are a mess, often they don’t know the rules.

And you have Bingo callers and the venue meals and this will be my target.

Next Discussion…A Maryland Bingo venue…Willards!

The Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse and the Memories I Have.

 4/4/2024

The Day It Was Born; The Night It Died

It was 1977.  I was 7.5 months pregnant.  It was the month of March.  The new Francis Scott Key Bridge was scheduled to open.  I was excited.  Myself and my two male riders were happy to use the new bridge and FINALLY be done with that awful Harbor Tunnel we had drive for the prior eight years.

I insert here that obviously I was familiar with traveling under or over some kind of water, and also, for quite a few years lived ON, the Chesapeake Bay.  We all are in Merryland and we get used to it.

But the entry to the new bridge was not yet open that day so we had to drive down, get this, Patapsco Avenue, to get to the new FSK bridge.  There I am, big belly with the  only time I carried a child.  I was driving that day, my turn, and damn was it all so new to me that a dog ran in front of my car and I hit it.

I got so upset, and the cops somehow came, I didn't know how to navigate this avenue and sobbed that the dog might be dead.  My two riders told me to get in the back, they explained to the cops that they would drive...yada, yada.  Damn, no way could I drive over this brand new bridge after almost killing a dog but one of my riders took over.  The dog was fine, btw.

So that baby was born and she is now 46 years old.  The night this bridge fell down, which after hitting the dog I drove over daily for seven years, that "baby"  was sleeping in the bedroom down the hall in the house we now share as adults.

I was drowsy as I awoke, as I do , around 5 am.  Not hardly bushy and bright-eyed, I watched Fox and Friends in early morn as I do.  Eyes blinked sleepily as I watched images of a bridge somewhere totally collapsing until I heard someone on Fox say the Francis Scott Key Bridge had collapsed.

At which point I screamed at the horror and surprise of it.  

I called my daughter, who evidently likes to sleep later than 5 in the am.  It took a while, but she got up and tuned into Fox.  Then she phone HER daughter, my granddaughter obviously, who was already up as was most of Baltimore by this time.

So okay, I did not give birth on the Francis Scott Key Bridge but once I had a VW Rabbit with a hood that flew up in the air as I crossed the FSK bridge.  I drove it halfway by looking through the vent holes.

I did not fall in love on the bridge or meet my soul mate.  And yet, like so many of us around these parts, we all knew that on some level we were looking at a bit of history.

But there is also, now, a future that we can give a peek to and consider how we should now do this different.

Bearing in  mind that I am not scientist or builder.  I am, like most Americans, filled with common sense so allow me to share it those with none.  Also known as politicians.

Take a look at the picture provided.  Notice that the ship that collided with the bridge, is bigger than the tallest building in Baltimore.  This, of course, icould we lay them side by side and even if it were possible.

I'd been hearing right along that when the bridge was built the ships were less than half the size than they are now.  I ponder that, darn, suppose a ship was towing the Empire State Building under the bridge, suppose it gets to the point where logic goes out the window.

No protection around the bridge's legs and braces was built because it was never considered about how big these things could get over the years.  The population grows, more trade is conducted world-wide.  Such as the FSK bridge just weren't built for this hustle and bustle of a future.

No, I don't believe this was planned intentionally, a terrorist attack.  But like I say, I am no expert.

I watch the tape endlessly as the FSK bridge collapses like a toy and I remember how scared I was driving in the wind with my view only there through the motor vents on the hood.  That bridge seemed so DAMN BIG to me.

So it's back to the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel for a while because I have family in Merryland, some business at times.

I leave with this prediction....this bridge will be up and fixed within TWO YEARS.  Fixed and working and better.

Because that same technology that may have effectively caused its demise, this same technology will allow it to be build amazingly fast, better and safer.

===============================================================

TIME FOR A SMILE

Lefty's Alley and Eats...An amazing Lewes, Delaware place of entertainment

Grab your friends and redefine what it means to have fun!
Lefty’s Alley & Eats is an award-winning restaurant that elevates dining,
events and entertainment with style like no other.

https://www.iloveleftys.com/

The Francis Scott Key Bridge has fallen down but granddaughter, who lives within a few miles of this bridge, was scheduled for many days to visit us in Delaware for Easter.  This required granddaughter and her boyfriend to plan the way around.  Living in Merryland pretty much requires locals to learn to traverse the Chesapeake Bay/Patapsco River/Inner Harbor.  But their effort to get here did work and I wanted very much to entertain them over the Easter holidays, but holidays with questionable weather, daylight hours and now a bridge missing.

As a resident of Lewes I have been familiar with Lefty's as I have lived in Delaware now for over 21 years.  But I thought....inside....bowling....a big arcade....food.  THIS WAS JUST THE THING!

Worrying about my plan to go the Saturday before Easter and just how busy that might be, I went online and darn if I didn't discover the ability to reserve duckpin bowling aisles online!  Lefty's also has ten pin bowling and they too can be reserved.

Understanding, as I learned, that you must pay for the lanes you reserve, upon reservation, including the cost of bowling shoes if needed.  Should you have to cancel the reservation, within 48 hours, Lefty's will give tickets good for future date rather than a monetary refund. "Cause that's just the way we do it!" so they explain on the web site.

While I intend to summarize that Lefty's is indeed well-run and efficient, be aware it is not cheap.  With the cost of reserving duck pin lanes for three hours, and shoes, it cost me about $130.00.  The lanes were great, the bowling was fun.  Reservists got generously sized benches and booths.

The arcade was fairly amazing and totally current.  Much of the attempt to get free tickets involved claw machine type set-ups.  One can easily put a set amount of play money on Lefty's arcade card, using their own credit cards.

Lefty's does serve food, again, not cheap.  It cost me $82.00 for a meal that was very good, included one alcoholic drink, was eaten comfortably at a table to avoid the bowling hassle.

We did win enough arcade tickets to get a gift.  Lefty's has nice arcade gifts but be aware it take upwards of 5000 tickets to be redeemed to get some battery-operated gadget.  

At any rate, kids got home by going over the DELAWARE Memorial bridge of all things, we had a great time at Lefty's.

They were busy, but run well.  I thought they were worth the money for entertaining holiday visitors.

Shooting at Chiefs' Celebration, Last Week's Televised Political Soap Opera; True Test of Biden Mental soon to Come

 

 

Kansas City Chiefs win the Superbowl;  Youths attack Super Bowl Celebrants in Parade

It’s very unclear what happened at that shooting the day of the Kansas City Chiefs’ celebrations.  One woman was killed, as of last report .  Almost 20 children and young people were shot.

The Kansas City Chiefs won over my beloved Ravens.  But I rather like Taylor and the Kelce thing so we shall see.

A MOST COMPLICATED POLITICAL STORY FILLS CABLE NEWS LAST WEEK

It was a complicated cast of characters that played out across our news cable channels last week.  Pictured here are Fani Willis who obtained an indictment against former President Trump for something called “election racketeering” and Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor.

This is about Stacey Abrams, who declared herself the victor in the Georgia election that led to this action against Trump, because how dare he question Stacey Abrams?

Turns out that Willis, the DA, was lovers with Wade, the prosecutor for the Trump case.  The Trump lawyers sought an arraignment against these two and we sit, us peons, out here in la-la land and listen to these holier-than-thou….well let me shut up.

It was a judicial soap opera.

Here is a copy of a FreeRepublic post by Kabar, who always has the answer:

The state court judge appointed to preside in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump once worked for Fani T. Willis, the current Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney who obtained the indictment.

Judge Scott F. McAfee, 34, is “brand-new on the bench,” according to Law360. He became a judge in February after his December 2022 appointment to fill a vacancy by Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. McAffee is the newest judge on the 19-member Fulton County superior court.

McAfee had worked under Willis when she led the complex trial division of the Fulton County district attorney’s office. McAfee was later promoted to the major case division, where he prosecuted murder cases. Willis became district attorney after McAfee no longer worked at the district attorney’s office.

We end this week’s Blog post with a note that ole Joe Biden isn’t doing too well in this upcoming presidential election.  Seems Americans are getting more and more convinced that President Biden is becoming increasingly a bit slow with his mind.

The state of the Union speech is March 7 this year.  THAT will have America watching with shrewd eye.

We should wish him luck.