They call me "Straight Steve"

Hello again friends,

I thought i'd comment on what's been going on recently outside of work.

Very little....

I work 7 days a week, and i live in a camp outside of town. I am not allowed to drive due to company policy (and frankly i'd prefer not to even be on the roads - they are a death trap!), and Yuzhno ain't no Disneyland to visit. But, the times i have escaped from camp for an evening, its been to catch up with Fabian and Maryline.

Now funny enough, the every time i've seen them (with exceptio my birthday) recently, we've ended up playing poker. Now, i've never really played poker before, but since i've been playing a bit i do enjoy it. At least, without playing for money.

Last friday i joined Fabian and Maryline at the monthly "zima poker night" that is held at the pub within the Sakhalin Energy housing complex. It was a low-key affair, about 15 people played, and it was a friendly tournament of "texas hold-em" - i.e. no cash down. After a few hours of fierce bluffing, going all in, and near bankrupcy, i managed to somewhat unknowingly win the tournament. I say unknowingly, as two sequential hands in the final rounds i thought i had nothing and whilst bluffing my way through, i was called and in both cases I acutally had a straight...off which i made some large winnings.

So victory was mine, i was presented a bottle of champagne, and will be remember for centuries to come.

So thats it really, just a taste of my life outside of work. I tried to make it sound exciting, but not sure if you bought it?

Пака,

Comrade Steve