Great Day Off.....panning for gold :)

Today am enjoying a really great day off.  Got up this morning and drove up into the foothills of the Sierra and visited a place where we got to go in an old gold mine, and then learned how to pan for gold.  Got to bring back the tiny amount that I found and  put in a little glass vial as a memento.  It was fun.  It wasn't gambling.  I walked some trails and enjoyed the sunshine in 78 F weather.  Had lunch at a quaint little place in a little mountain town near Yosemite...had some lovely sauteed portobello mushrooms....  Did get a sunburn on my arms from driving with the top down, though....but it was worth it :)  Came home, took a great nap, and woke up feeling better than I have in weeks....amazing what a day off will do for a person!  LOL Had to drive by my old favorite casino on the way there and back....first time I've been by there since quit gambling on 1-1-08.  Wish I could say I wasn't tempted....and actually wasn't too much.   I did catch myself finding excuses to go in....hmmm good buffet.....bathroom stop.....need to get that profit and loss statement from last year.....but decided all that was just crap I was coming up with for an excuse to go in and what....tempt myself???? Safely drove on by and so so so glad I didn't stop.  Instead I had a fun, stimulating, but restful day....and don't hate myself.  Well worth just driving on by and not playing stupid games with the monster. Love to all my friends......xoxoxo