Three Beautiful Things 02-18-2026: Early Morning Snow -- Should We Stay or Should We Go?, Easy Drive to Airway Heights, Spinning Reels and Eating Lunch

1. Big day today. 

Ed, Jake, and I all laid modest wagers on the Seahawks and our plan was to go to the Spokane Tribe Casino today and pick up our winnings. 

Then play. 

When I woke up around 7:00 this morning, nearly the first thing I did was check if anyone had posted on the Facebook group called 4th of July Pass Info/Discussion. 

At this hour today, people who'd been on the pass strongly recommended other drivers to stay home.

They reported jack-knifed semis and blocked lanes. One guy described it as a sh*t show. I texted Ed and then he called me to say Jake wanted to keep our plans, 

Ed agreed. 

He thought things would improve soon. 

I trust their experience and knowledge and had no problem agreeing that, yes, we would go. 

2. Before talking with Ed, I checked the sidewalks in front Christy's house and mine. 

I decided I wanted to shovel them, so I told Ed that I'd arrive at his place once I shoveled our sidewalks and I knew I also needed to take care of Gibbs and Copper and remember to take my morning pills.

I got everything done, arrived at Ed's shortly before 9:00, and we piled into his pickup and drove to Rose Lake Junction where Jake awaited us at the gas station on down Highway 3. 

Indeed, by now, the freeway was free of snow. 

Any semis that had been jack-knifed were no longer in sight. 

We had an easy drive to the casino.

3. We arrived and immediately cashed in our winning tickets. 

I beelined straight to the coffee stand for a big latte and a thick slice of banana bread with nuts. 

I then hopscotched around the casino floor, masked and wearing vinyl gloves, and enjoyed playing games that were new to me and revisiting old favorites. I enjoyed the suspense, the ups and downs of winning and losing I almost always experience. 

Around 1:00 the three of us met in the sports bar area and, like the last time we visited this place, I enjoyed a smashburger with Swiss cheese and a salad's worth of tomato, lettuce, and onion piled on it. I also enjoyed my fries. 

We messed around for about a half an hour after lunch. 

I had fun childhood memories wash over me as I played the Casper the Friendly Ghost machine and even managed to hit a wheel spinning bonus. 

Fun time. 

Easy drive back to Rose Lake and on to the Silver Valley.

None of us had big winnings to brag about, but no one came out of the casino wearing a barrel either.