Accidents happen.  Somehow I managed to get a pen mark across the side of my brand new leather handbag. I don’t know how or when, I just know it was there and didn’t want to live with it.  So what do you do?  You go to Bingo of course!  A bingo hall is filled with woman that have a life time of wisdom.  You can find the answer to anything.  All you have to do is ask. Within a few minutes you can find out the solution to any problem.

So here is what I found out.

Use a Q-tip to apply a little antibacterial hand gel to the stain. Let it sit for about 15 seconds and then wipe the stain away with a clean cloth.  Who knew?

The alcohol in the hand sanitizer dissolves the ink’s oils which makes the stain come right off.  Plus the moisturizing properties in the gel won’t dry out the leather.

And yes, they’re always glad you came.

When the rest of my world becomes overwhelming and I just want to go to a cheerful place where everyone smiles when I walk in the door, this Bingo Babe heads to Bingo Palace.

To this day, when I walk toward the building where my passion for bingo began, I get butterflies in my stomach and have to resist the feeling to skip through the door like a child arriving at a party. The Bingo Palace is like my second home.  I know I will be welcomed “with a big smile” and the stress of the world will vanish when I go inside.

Playing bingo is like belonging to a big friendly club.  Once you learn the basics of the game, you can walk into any bingo hall, in Any Town, USA and almost be guaranteed to meet new friends. For me, it all began here, in a little southern town.

I have since played bingo all over the world, but Bingo Palace has always been my home base so to speak, and tonight along with the excitement of being with old friends, I feel lucky!

After the usual greeting and a quick update on family and friends, I make my way to my favorite seat as the smell of fresh coffee and something wonderful cooking in the kitchen fills my head.

I pass Jackie systematically taping all her papers together.  She stops chatting with her table of friends long enough to flash me a big smile and say hello.  Now this girl can play some bingo.  She is a true example of a player who has developed “Bingo eye”.  She can play and keep up with as many cards as she can reach.  She always arrives early enough to get herself organized, and as you can see by the photo, it has already paid off.

Pretty, yet quiet and unassuming, Amy has turned bingo into a true art. She organizes her playing field (a trait I assume by now you know I admire) and carefully plans how she will spend her bingo bucks to her best advantage.   Being the mother of five beautiful children, Amy relishes her time out of the house, yet considers and strategizes her game like a second job.  I guess when you keep a husband and five kids organized, taping together some papers and focusing on the task of looking for a number which leads to a bingo pattern has to be very relaxing.  She is an absolute joy to share a table with and goes out of her way to spread good luck to everyone around her.

Then there’s Miss Mary…Bless her heart… She always arrives looking like she just stepped out of a band box.  Tonight she had on her red, white and blue sparkly bingo finest.  Of course bingo earrings and a jingly bingo charm bracelet to match. But all that glitter was not nearly as beautiful as the big smile on her face when she raised her bingo hand on a stick to get the handsome, sweet and attentive Bucky’s attention that she had a bingo.  It’s always fun to stop by her table and look over the ever changing collection of bingo lucky charms.  One of my favorite outfits Miss Mary wears is her Betty Boop ensemble.   I’m here to tell ya’… right down to the cushion she sits on, she has everything imaginable with Betty Boop on it.
Mary…You are adorable!

So if you ever find your way to Palatka, Florida, stop and enjoy some bingo at “Gerrylin’s Bingo Palace” located at 201 St. Johns Avenue, phone 386-328-5822.

Linda, Sarah, Troy and Betty will be there to greet you with a big smile and make sure to answer all your questions.  There are 10 to 13 – $250 jackpots (depending on which night of the week it is) along with the regular scheduled games.  You can play high tech with Game Tech computers and they offer very nice computer and paper combos. There is a separate glassed in non-smoking room, clean well decorated restrooms and as they like to say “the friendliest and cheapest bingo in Florida!”

On Wednesday, Friday and Saturday the doors open at noon.  Blazing Quarters (one of my favorite games) begins at 3:30; Silent Speed games begin at 5:30; Early Birds at 6:00 and pack games at 6:30.

Sunday… the doors still open at noon but the Blazing Quarters games begin at 2:00; Silent Speed games begin at 4:30; Early Birds at 5:00 and pack games at 5:30.

Look around and see if I’m there. I’m usually the one wondering around chatting up a storm and looking for the next great bingo story to write, or stuffing my face with one of Sonya’s fabulous brownies….and oh yes, before I forget, if it’s your birthday (or better yet, your Mom’s birthday) you (or Mom) will get a birthday balloon tied to a new dauber and every time the ‘House Bingo Birthday Ball’ comes out, they will pay the birthday person a buck!

Hope to see ya there… and GOOD LUCK!

We made the move from Blogger.com to a brand new bingo palace! A Bingo Babe facelift!

New digs and a fresh new attitude!

This fabulous Bodacious Bingo Babe is back and better than ever!  After a year, due to circumstances totally beyond my control, this Bingo Babe is once again rocking and rolling!  I’m sure you know by now, this blog is a wonderfully informative collection of humorous stories, jokes, great advice, recipes, and an abundance of relevant information for all bingo players.

Are you new to The Bingo Babe Experience?

Who, you may ask, is The Bingo Babe?  

Well she’s everywhere, in every BINGO HALL around the globe!

You’ve seen her!

You know her!

She’s the ‘everywoman‘ of BINGO!

How do you thank good friends for years of great stories and evenings spent merrily playing BINGO, talking about children, husbands, and lives little tragedies…not to mention the abundance of wisdom and moral support we share?

My wish for you?

To have the opportunity to win a huge jackpot and not have to split it with anyone!

BINGO!

Just to say the word, and yelling it is better, makes me feel tingly all over!

There is nothing I can think of that I enjoy more than a night out with my friends playing Bingo.

I know I am not the only one out there who feels the same way, so I thought it would be fun to put together this little blog to talk about our passion, ask questions, give answers, and find out what everyone else thinks! 

So join me, join us, as we call out in one collective shout…

…BINGO!!!

The Bodacious Bingo Babe
Everywhere, USA