I haven't been doing so well in the past few months.
We have had several issues in life, and the depression has kept me in a sort of hibernation for my own protection. 2010 stole my parents. 2011 we lost DH's grandmother (the last living grandparent he had), and had our home burglarized (they stole the best of mom's jewelry, that I hadn't even had for a year!). 2012 we lost my grandmother (my last living grandparent). My Bro and Sis had a still-born son. Then we had a hail storm that damaged our roof and two cars. In the past two months, we have lost three church friends to age and illness. I have two girlfriends separating from their husbands.
I feel like there is a big backpack full of rocks and bricks and bowling balls on my shoulders. It holds me back, pulls me down, and generally makes my life miserable.
I am amazed at how well I have held up, if you want to know the truth of the matter. I don't know why I haven't just hit the loony bin door in a white coat that helps me hug myself. The bad has been offset by good, but honestly, I haven't noticed it much. Do you ever feel that way? I notice that when the bad comes, the enemy likes to lie to me, and tell me that no good will come of it. I had quit watching for good. I had quit watching for God in all things.
I have gotten back into walking several times a week with Roadrunner again, which helps my mood. We talk about all sorts of subjects and sweat away the stress. Lately, I have been wondering if I need iron or caffeine, as our walks tend to wipe me out for the rest of the day. Today, I did a lot of grocery shopping. I accomplish much, but feel like a failure when I walk in my door and see all the accumulation of junk and dirt and dirty things that I haven't the gumption to clean/sort/trash.
Apparently, I need to mind my own advice to others. "Don't be so hard on yourself." I am a strict taskmaster. And perfectionist. And procrastinator. And judge and jury at my own trial. I gave myself my own conviction. Guilty! And that is enough of that.
My lovely friend Court had her healthy baby girl. I have yet to visit, but I am hoping to do that soon. My lovely friend Desi had a beautiful baby girl, as well. Through all the mayhem in my life, God has sent me some sweet pictures to remind me that HE is still alive, and helps us to keep living, daily.
Several people have come to me at church, saying that they notice that I have lost weight. MEN have spoken these words to me. Therefore, the walking is working. I don't notice weight loss, because I don't stand on the scale often, and I stare at the reflection every day and criticize it. I had noticed that I have rearranged where stuff sits, and I had to buy new SMALLER jeans to fit the new shape. Officially, I have lost almost 25 lbs from my highest weight ever, which was three and a half years ago. Small changes, adding exercise, removing junk food (to an extent), eating less in general at almost every meal, and keeping a food journal have helped in the process.
I am by no means "healthy" yet. I still let the depression take over sometimes. I have also tried to remember that each day is a gift and I should be grateful for the many gifts I have been given, and I should share them with joy.
I have purchased a few things that have helped me on my journey. Journal. Magnetic jewelry (I got it because it was pretty, and don't notice good or bad effects from it). Supplements that help my insides function properly.
I have NOT purchased a few things that I dearly desired, simply because I have no need of them in my clutter piles. There are books, movies and music that have stayed on the shelves at stores. I am learning to ask myself the Fly Lady questions: Will this bless my home? Do I love it? Can it bless me more if it goes to another home? Is this valuable? Can it be used by someone else to bless their home? Using these questions and her patterns of cleaning, I have filled three trash carts in the past two weeks. I have donated clothing to the local Goodwill. Over the past few years, I have taken several car loads of clothing that we no longer wear to Goodwill, as well.
Some of what was stolen has been replaced. Most of it was personal and emotional, original and irreplaceable. I don't think I can ever get back the most valuable thing they took, my naive notion that I was safe here. My mind says, "It was only S.T.U.F.F." (Stuff That Undermines Family Fun), and I don't need it." but my heart says, "They stole my mom when they stole the Family Ring."
I have to learn to live in this world of evil, and I have more to learn from my parents about how to handle evil with Jesus. I miss them fiercely.
I will be okay. It is just going to take a while longer than I thought. I have decided that is good. As long as I am working to improve, I am moving in the correct direction.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Snake Eyes, I Lose; Lucky Seven, God Wins
So I wrote my post about a Garden... and started it overnight, like I do many of these posts. I scheduled it to post the next day, June 1, 2010.
You know, LIFE is a gamble. We roll the dice, and get surprises all the time. Having babies, finding THE ONE to spend it all with, death, taxes... all have a way of just showing up when you least expect them, and whether you want them or not.
The surprise for me for June 1 was that my Dad died.
Yes, four months after my Mom passed away.
Yes, I was, to say the least, devastated.
I am still fighting the depression. I am still struggling to understand it all. I am not in a good place these days. But... I went back and read the entry after Mom died. I really do know who my friends are. I really know they are still around. I really know that I have no clue what life will bring next, tomorrow, or eventually.
I really know that my parents were certain that I was going to be OK. Maybe not today, probably not tomorrow, but soon enough, and for a long time. They raised me to be strong, self-sufficient, and persevering. They raised me to care, so they knew this would not be easy.
Dad died of Stage 4 Renal (Kidney) Cancer... and heart failure due to the fluid building up around his heart and lungs. That fluid was more cancer, trying to take over. When they found him, collapsed in the hospital room, they tried to revive him. Three doctors tried CPR. His body had given up the fight... and I am pretty certain his spirit had lost the will to live. His "fight" died with Mom. Sis said that when she and Bro went to go identify his body (uh, really?), that he had a smile on his face... an amazingly happy smile, that they had not seen in months. I think he knew where he was going, and that Mom was waiting there for him.
I never had any doubt that if there is a heaven (like I believe there is) and if any human has any chance of going there (I believe that Jesus gives us that chance), then my parents were going there. Others have told me they thought the same. My parents believed, and used every moment to live out that belief. They shared their meager blessings with any in need, even when it meant not eating as much for dinner that night. Dad fixed stuff. He tinkered around and found new life in things like cars, refrigerators and washing machines. Mom taught children for many years, and only retired when her lack of health forced her to. They showed Jesus to everyone they came in contact with. Their lives were bold and unashamed, yet simple and sparing.
We had a Memorial Service for Dad on June 26. I made it very clear to the officiant that there was to be no preaching. Mom's memorial was too "come to Jesus" for my taste. I don't think she wanted a church service, she would have preferred a good old-fashioned "singing". So we modified Dad's service to be more fun, more stories about him, and less "churchy". There were scriptures read, and there were a few preachy thoughts, but they were balanced, and not a "final call" for those in attendance. It made his brother laugh, which made me very happy.
Dad was a simple man, but never stupid. He learned all he could about everything. He knew amazing amounts of trivia, but could still talk to a child. He knew much about the Bible and the church, and could discuss the most in-depth meat-and-potatoes subjects, but he also knew the milk basics. He had very little tolerance for the milquetoast mediocrity that so many people have these days. He had an amazing vocabulary, and often used my spelling words within a week of my getting them when I was a child. I learned from him, and not from school or even Sunday School, the meanings of words like "usurp", "delineate" and "propitiation".
Dad used his knowledge of the medical field, that he gained in Vietnam, to help Mom. When she had toes removed, he learned how to dress her wounds. This meant that the nurse, who would have to visit other patients on a daily basis, could come just once a week to clean and measure and check the wounds. Dad was always very careful with Mom, and precise about her medications. He built his own graph to track her blood sugar and pressure levels, and what medicines he gave her.
I knew my Dad had preached a few times. He had notes from several of those lessons. I suppose I could ask the church for recordings, if I got brave enough to listen to them. One of the note papers had a kite design on the back. Dad was always doodling. He enjoyed kites, and designed his own box kite. He was pretty impressed with himself, until he found a book with a picture of his kite on the front of it. He hadn't known that others had designed this style of kite before him.
He also designed and printed his own targets for his shooting. Dad was an excellent marksman, and was always learning more about being a gunsmith. His hobby was to buy old military surplus, or antiques, and shine them up, and reload ammo for them. He had black powder rifles, and BB guns. He had rubber-band repeat shooters, and dart guns and even a crossbow. He built his own stocks for barrels he had, and taught my Bro and me how to use, clean and respect firearms. He was mindful of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and how it protected the First.
Mom had never met a stranger, they were all just friends she was not yet acquainted with. Dad had never enjoyed crowds, but tolerated them for Mom's sake. After she died, he was very quick to say, "I am done now. Goodnight." and leave. Abruptly. And I think that is how he ended his life, as well.
Bro and I followed through with Dad's wishes to be cremated, like Mom was. We decided that we never thought of them as separate, but together. Their marriage really was a unity. So, we had their ashes mixed together, and then split in half, so each of us could do what we wished with the remains. My portion of Mom and Dad still sit in the box in the pretty felt bag I got from the funeral home in NM. Sis bought a beautiful box to put the remains in... and I will move them... eventually. I have offered part of my half to Mom's two sisters, if they wish to scatter some of the ashes in some special place that means something to them.
All in all, this year has been horrible. And wonderful. Yes, I lost both my parents, rather unexpectedly. But I have found parts of myself that had formerly lay dormant inside. I am much stronger than I ever thought I could be. I have positive outlooks where once only depression lived. I have deeper friendships, and pals who are closer now. I have recently come out of the fog.
The sunshine hurts my eyes, but my skin is soaking up the vitamins. The important things and people in my life are more precious. The less important and downright unnecessary are gradually removing themselves from my space. I can move now (I joined Curves with a friend to add motion to my weeks), where all I did for months was sit and stew in my misery. I can breathe. There is still a weight on my shoulders, but it gets easier to lift every day.
It isn't easy. Mother's Day and Mom's Birthday (she would have been 65) came and went, and I was a mess. Father's Day and my parents' Anniversary (this would have been 40 years) came and went, and I pretended I wasn't a mess. But I was. I still have to face Dad's Birthday (he was going to be 63 this year), and hear all the comments about how I am "too young to face this". I have to think that they died too young, but they had full, rich lives filled with faith, family, and fun. I know people who lost their parents when they were teens... THAT is too young. I don't feel too young at 36. I wasn't ready, but I don't know that anyone can be really ready for this.
My big "regret", if I ever were to hold those, is that I never got the opportunity to give them grandchildren. Infertility sucks when you desperately want a child. Mom had pretty much decided that she would never get any grandchildren. I don't know which hurt more, knowing I couldn't give her what she wanted, or that she had resigned the wanting. Either way, if I ever do have any children now, they will never get to know my parents. And that will be a deficit for my kids, because my parents were awesome people.
From the day they met to the day they married: 4 months.
From the day she died to the day he died: 4 months.
I really believe this is no accident.
This weekend is one year since I squashed grapes, and blogged about it. I believe that it is no accident that I should feel the need to blog now. I got a bottle of the Chateau L'Feet, and pondered the spiritual applications of wine. I was thinking about God, and what it meant to share these thoughts with you. And I think that maybe this blogging thing can come back to me. Slowly. Don't go expecting a new entry every day, or even every week. But please keep checking in on me. I am working on making my life as much of a testimony as my parents gave.
My friend Laura Speaker shared that her family philosophy about death is this: When we go to the garden and pick flowers for our table, we pick the most beautiful, the most vibrant flowers. The ones that end up as our centerpiece are at their peak of bloom, color and scent. Why do we expect God to do any less? The best, brightest and most beautiful flowers in His creation are the ones he picks to come home first. They get to set the table for the rest of us. That table is going to be the most welcoming thing about Heaven.
When I go, I want to have a smile on my face in the last moments. I want people to sing a few songs, bring a few flowers and remember that I tried.
Oh, and make sure to pour a glass of wine. Cheers!
You know, LIFE is a gamble. We roll the dice, and get surprises all the time. Having babies, finding THE ONE to spend it all with, death, taxes... all have a way of just showing up when you least expect them, and whether you want them or not.
The surprise for me for June 1 was that my Dad died.
Yes, four months after my Mom passed away.
Yes, I was, to say the least, devastated.
I am still fighting the depression. I am still struggling to understand it all. I am not in a good place these days. But... I went back and read the entry after Mom died. I really do know who my friends are. I really know they are still around. I really know that I have no clue what life will bring next, tomorrow, or eventually.
I really know that my parents were certain that I was going to be OK. Maybe not today, probably not tomorrow, but soon enough, and for a long time. They raised me to be strong, self-sufficient, and persevering. They raised me to care, so they knew this would not be easy.
Dad died of Stage 4 Renal (Kidney) Cancer... and heart failure due to the fluid building up around his heart and lungs. That fluid was more cancer, trying to take over. When they found him, collapsed in the hospital room, they tried to revive him. Three doctors tried CPR. His body had given up the fight... and I am pretty certain his spirit had lost the will to live. His "fight" died with Mom. Sis said that when she and Bro went to go identify his body (uh, really?), that he had a smile on his face... an amazingly happy smile, that they had not seen in months. I think he knew where he was going, and that Mom was waiting there for him.
I never had any doubt that if there is a heaven (like I believe there is) and if any human has any chance of going there (I believe that Jesus gives us that chance), then my parents were going there. Others have told me they thought the same. My parents believed, and used every moment to live out that belief. They shared their meager blessings with any in need, even when it meant not eating as much for dinner that night. Dad fixed stuff. He tinkered around and found new life in things like cars, refrigerators and washing machines. Mom taught children for many years, and only retired when her lack of health forced her to. They showed Jesus to everyone they came in contact with. Their lives were bold and unashamed, yet simple and sparing.
We had a Memorial Service for Dad on June 26. I made it very clear to the officiant that there was to be no preaching. Mom's memorial was too "come to Jesus" for my taste. I don't think she wanted a church service, she would have preferred a good old-fashioned "singing". So we modified Dad's service to be more fun, more stories about him, and less "churchy". There were scriptures read, and there were a few preachy thoughts, but they were balanced, and not a "final call" for those in attendance. It made his brother laugh, which made me very happy.
Dad was a simple man, but never stupid. He learned all he could about everything. He knew amazing amounts of trivia, but could still talk to a child. He knew much about the Bible and the church, and could discuss the most in-depth meat-and-potatoes subjects, but he also knew the milk basics. He had very little tolerance for the milquetoast mediocrity that so many people have these days. He had an amazing vocabulary, and often used my spelling words within a week of my getting them when I was a child. I learned from him, and not from school or even Sunday School, the meanings of words like "usurp", "delineate" and "propitiation".
Dad used his knowledge of the medical field, that he gained in Vietnam, to help Mom. When she had toes removed, he learned how to dress her wounds. This meant that the nurse, who would have to visit other patients on a daily basis, could come just once a week to clean and measure and check the wounds. Dad was always very careful with Mom, and precise about her medications. He built his own graph to track her blood sugar and pressure levels, and what medicines he gave her.
I knew my Dad had preached a few times. He had notes from several of those lessons. I suppose I could ask the church for recordings, if I got brave enough to listen to them. One of the note papers had a kite design on the back. Dad was always doodling. He enjoyed kites, and designed his own box kite. He was pretty impressed with himself, until he found a book with a picture of his kite on the front of it. He hadn't known that others had designed this style of kite before him.
He also designed and printed his own targets for his shooting. Dad was an excellent marksman, and was always learning more about being a gunsmith. His hobby was to buy old military surplus, or antiques, and shine them up, and reload ammo for them. He had black powder rifles, and BB guns. He had rubber-band repeat shooters, and dart guns and even a crossbow. He built his own stocks for barrels he had, and taught my Bro and me how to use, clean and respect firearms. He was mindful of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and how it protected the First.
Mom had never met a stranger, they were all just friends she was not yet acquainted with. Dad had never enjoyed crowds, but tolerated them for Mom's sake. After she died, he was very quick to say, "I am done now. Goodnight." and leave. Abruptly. And I think that is how he ended his life, as well.
Bro and I followed through with Dad's wishes to be cremated, like Mom was. We decided that we never thought of them as separate, but together. Their marriage really was a unity. So, we had their ashes mixed together, and then split in half, so each of us could do what we wished with the remains. My portion of Mom and Dad still sit in the box in the pretty felt bag I got from the funeral home in NM. Sis bought a beautiful box to put the remains in... and I will move them... eventually. I have offered part of my half to Mom's two sisters, if they wish to scatter some of the ashes in some special place that means something to them.
All in all, this year has been horrible. And wonderful. Yes, I lost both my parents, rather unexpectedly. But I have found parts of myself that had formerly lay dormant inside. I am much stronger than I ever thought I could be. I have positive outlooks where once only depression lived. I have deeper friendships, and pals who are closer now. I have recently come out of the fog.
The sunshine hurts my eyes, but my skin is soaking up the vitamins. The important things and people in my life are more precious. The less important and downright unnecessary are gradually removing themselves from my space. I can move now (I joined Curves with a friend to add motion to my weeks), where all I did for months was sit and stew in my misery. I can breathe. There is still a weight on my shoulders, but it gets easier to lift every day.
It isn't easy. Mother's Day and Mom's Birthday (she would have been 65) came and went, and I was a mess. Father's Day and my parents' Anniversary (this would have been 40 years) came and went, and I pretended I wasn't a mess. But I was. I still have to face Dad's Birthday (he was going to be 63 this year), and hear all the comments about how I am "too young to face this". I have to think that they died too young, but they had full, rich lives filled with faith, family, and fun. I know people who lost their parents when they were teens... THAT is too young. I don't feel too young at 36. I wasn't ready, but I don't know that anyone can be really ready for this.
My big "regret", if I ever were to hold those, is that I never got the opportunity to give them grandchildren. Infertility sucks when you desperately want a child. Mom had pretty much decided that she would never get any grandchildren. I don't know which hurt more, knowing I couldn't give her what she wanted, or that she had resigned the wanting. Either way, if I ever do have any children now, they will never get to know my parents. And that will be a deficit for my kids, because my parents were awesome people.
From the day they met to the day they married: 4 months.
From the day she died to the day he died: 4 months.
I really believe this is no accident.
This weekend is one year since I squashed grapes, and blogged about it. I believe that it is no accident that I should feel the need to blog now. I got a bottle of the Chateau L'Feet, and pondered the spiritual applications of wine. I was thinking about God, and what it meant to share these thoughts with you. And I think that maybe this blogging thing can come back to me. Slowly. Don't go expecting a new entry every day, or even every week. But please keep checking in on me. I am working on making my life as much of a testimony as my parents gave.
My friend Laura Speaker shared that her family philosophy about death is this: When we go to the garden and pick flowers for our table, we pick the most beautiful, the most vibrant flowers. The ones that end up as our centerpiece are at their peak of bloom, color and scent. Why do we expect God to do any less? The best, brightest and most beautiful flowers in His creation are the ones he picks to come home first. They get to set the table for the rest of us. That table is going to be the most welcoming thing about Heaven.
When I go, I want to have a smile on my face in the last moments. I want people to sing a few songs, bring a few flowers and remember that I tried.
Oh, and make sure to pour a glass of wine. Cheers!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Death, Life And A Little Bit Of Mediocrity
It has been a bad week to be famous.
A bad month (two), really.
There have been so many celebrities who have passed away recently:
Wayman Tisdale, 44. NBA star, and University of Oklahoma player before that. I hear he was an excellent musician.
Wayne Allwine, 62. The voice of Mickey Mouse for (very close to) my entire lifetime. His wife has been the voice of Minnie Mouse, too.
Millvina Dean, 97. The last survivor of the Titanic, she was just a baby in April 1912.
David Carradine, 72.
Ed McMahon, 86.
Farrah Fawcett, 62.
Michael Jackson, 50.
Gale Storm, 87. (I had to look her up, I am too young.)
Billy Mays, 50.
We joke that things come in threes. This is three sets of three. And this is not the definitive list, there have been other celebrity deaths since May. I am not going to make any pithy jokes today. The world has lost a lot of great talents recently. My childhood has taken a pretty hard hit.
On a more personal note, I found out this weekend that my Uncle has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. They caught it early, and it is a very treatable kind of cancer. He lives near and is familiar with M.D. Anderson, and my Aunt is a nurse. My mind keeps going back to Esther in the Bible... "for such a time as this". I know that God has prepared them for this trial. I would appreciate prayer on behalf of my family.
I hosted a baby shower on Saturday. My friend Ferret came with her family to be showered with gifts... from Kansas. And we had a friend drive up from Dallas. Yes, if you do the math... she drove 4 hours each way to spend only 2 hours with us! We have dedicated friends. The new house is not clean, but things are strategically stacked. I have several weeks to get ready for the housewarming that the wonderful ladies at church are going to give us.
I have noticed that I complain a lot. I am sorry for that. Of what use is complaining? I am blessed. I have a roof over my head, I don't owe money each month to a landlord anymore. I have two cars, two cats, two bedrooms. I have food in the kitchen, and energy to cook it. I have a full sized washer and dryer. I have so much to be happy about, yet I allow myself to be convinced that I am not worthy, or appreciative. Satan sneaks in and lies to me, and I allow those lies to take over my attitude. That is such a sorry existence. I need to be reminded (as often as the Jews in the Bible, it seems) that God is always here, and that He continually provides me with everything I could want and more.
Thank someone today!
A bad month (two), really.
There have been so many celebrities who have passed away recently:
Wayman Tisdale, 44. NBA star, and University of Oklahoma player before that. I hear he was an excellent musician.
Wayne Allwine, 62. The voice of Mickey Mouse for (very close to) my entire lifetime. His wife has been the voice of Minnie Mouse, too.
Millvina Dean, 97. The last survivor of the Titanic, she was just a baby in April 1912.
David Carradine, 72.
Ed McMahon, 86.
Farrah Fawcett, 62.
Michael Jackson, 50.
Gale Storm, 87. (I had to look her up, I am too young.)
Billy Mays, 50.
We joke that things come in threes. This is three sets of three. And this is not the definitive list, there have been other celebrity deaths since May. I am not going to make any pithy jokes today. The world has lost a lot of great talents recently. My childhood has taken a pretty hard hit.
On a more personal note, I found out this weekend that my Uncle has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. They caught it early, and it is a very treatable kind of cancer. He lives near and is familiar with M.D. Anderson, and my Aunt is a nurse. My mind keeps going back to Esther in the Bible... "for such a time as this". I know that God has prepared them for this trial. I would appreciate prayer on behalf of my family.
I hosted a baby shower on Saturday. My friend Ferret came with her family to be showered with gifts... from Kansas. And we had a friend drive up from Dallas. Yes, if you do the math... she drove 4 hours each way to spend only 2 hours with us! We have dedicated friends. The new house is not clean, but things are strategically stacked. I have several weeks to get ready for the housewarming that the wonderful ladies at church are going to give us.
I have noticed that I complain a lot. I am sorry for that. Of what use is complaining? I am blessed. I have a roof over my head, I don't owe money each month to a landlord anymore. I have two cars, two cats, two bedrooms. I have food in the kitchen, and energy to cook it. I have a full sized washer and dryer. I have so much to be happy about, yet I allow myself to be convinced that I am not worthy, or appreciative. Satan sneaks in and lies to me, and I allow those lies to take over my attitude. That is such a sorry existence. I need to be reminded (as often as the Jews in the Bible, it seems) that God is always here, and that He continually provides me with everything I could want and more.
Thank someone today!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Road Trip To Sin City, Part 4
... and the last in this series, I hope. I had to add these fun and funny pictures. I am working on another post, a deep thoughtful one. So here is a break before the depth.
Bro and SIL at the dinner the night before the wedding. There wasn't really a rehearsal, and her family didn't come to this dinner. I don't know if they weren't there yet, or just tired. But our family and their friends came. Aren't they cute? Poor kids were both sick, but the good meal and hot tea helped a lot.
DH and me at the same dinner. Bro took the picture. The one I tried as a self portrait was a funny angle straight up my nose. I won't bore you with that.
This was a funny picture of SIL's mom. We were waiting impatiently for the Limo to show up at the Stratosphere, to take us to the wedding site. Everyone with cameras was taking pictures. SIL's Mom and I took pictures of each other taking pictures of each other. Then I tried to get a good picture of her. I got this first. She joked that this was more real. I have another picture that is nice, but this one makes me laugh. Our families are going to get along well.
This picture is for the pure funny of it. This is in the Paris, right beneath the Eiffel Tower. I gather from the stuff we could see, that it is Asian food, but the name... is fitting.
When we walked around the Miracle Mile shops, there were columns that had different words on them. Each column had a different word, and each word was in all different languages. "Desire" has Pig Latin.
There was "Love". We pondered what language had "HAHA" as it's word for love. My comment was, "They're joking, right?"
I know a guy named Fred. I didn't know the name meant "Peace".
"Peace" had the best words. This was the longest individual word we saw. It almost took the whole side of the column.
Bro got a kick out of this one. Goom-Jigi. I really need to find out what language that is!
This is one of the lions in the MGM Grand. This is the view up to her, from a walkway. The plexiglass is all scratched up, this is a very clear picture of our actual view. She moved her paws to cover her face for that guy trying to get a camera up her nose. It was so nonchalant, but full of personality. "No more pictures, today, dear."
Later, this same lion got up and gave the people a show. She urinated on the glass...and immediately about 10 cameras were up in the air, trying to get the picture, from underneath her in that walkway. I was not under the walkway by then. She had about 50 people laughing and taking more pictures. From this, I gather that big cats don't cover their excrement like domestic cats do. (I like my cats using the litter box!) When she was done, she went back and lay down in the exact same spot she was in before. Like nothing had changed.
Sisters. Better than by blood, we are sisters by choice. We each refer to the other's Mom as Mom Squared. Our Mothers act like sisters, too. I met Best BFF when I moved to Gallup, at the age of 6. She was 7, and would turn 8 before the first year was out. We have shared all sorts of adventures. Vegas was better than the Arizona State Fair! (My favorite vacations as a kid, once neither of us lived in Gallup anymore.)
This is the current state of construction of the new bypass bridge at the Hoover Dam. I guess the plan is that the dam can still be toured and stuff, but the majority of the traveling traffic is not going to go over it anymore. This bridge had a sign that they were hoping to be done by 2008. They missed. But it is tall and looks pretty impressive.
I found the place where steak sauce is from! A mountain road near Flagstaff, AZ.
So Mamma Mia knows that I was not telling stories, here is the proof. I tried to go to her Uncle's restaurant in Albuquerque.
They were, however, closed. The sign explained it was a private party. Entrance would be granted by Invitation Only. *Sigh* So I didn't get the *BEST* Mexican food in the state. They had just had a Grand Re-Opening, and I was told that the employees were probably all drunk anyway, so it wouldn't have been fun. It is on my list for the next time we go through. Maybe we can meet up with Looney Mom again. (Yes, I am hanging my head in shame. I am a terrible long-distance friend. I didn't call at all. Bad Chelf!)
The yummiest hot Chai latte away from Vintage. This was the second trip to Perennials, as it was so very good the first time. I bought two of those mugs, one for me and one for my friend. (He and his wife are also big fans of How I Met Your Mother.)
I hope you have enjoyed my vacation documentaries. I hope to have many more adventures, and share them with you.
Bro and SIL at the dinner the night before the wedding. There wasn't really a rehearsal, and her family didn't come to this dinner. I don't know if they weren't there yet, or just tired. But our family and their friends came. Aren't they cute? Poor kids were both sick, but the good meal and hot tea helped a lot.
DH and me at the same dinner. Bro took the picture. The one I tried as a self portrait was a funny angle straight up my nose. I won't bore you with that.
This was a funny picture of SIL's mom. We were waiting impatiently for the Limo to show up at the Stratosphere, to take us to the wedding site. Everyone with cameras was taking pictures. SIL's Mom and I took pictures of each other taking pictures of each other. Then I tried to get a good picture of her. I got this first. She joked that this was more real. I have another picture that is nice, but this one makes me laugh. Our families are going to get along well.
This picture is for the pure funny of it. This is in the Paris, right beneath the Eiffel Tower. I gather from the stuff we could see, that it is Asian food, but the name... is fitting.
When we walked around the Miracle Mile shops, there were columns that had different words on them. Each column had a different word, and each word was in all different languages. "Desire" has Pig Latin.
There was "Love". We pondered what language had "HAHA" as it's word for love. My comment was, "They're joking, right?"
I know a guy named Fred. I didn't know the name meant "Peace".
"Peace" had the best words. This was the longest individual word we saw. It almost took the whole side of the column.
Bro got a kick out of this one. Goom-Jigi. I really need to find out what language that is!
This is one of the lions in the MGM Grand. This is the view up to her, from a walkway. The plexiglass is all scratched up, this is a very clear picture of our actual view. She moved her paws to cover her face for that guy trying to get a camera up her nose. It was so nonchalant, but full of personality. "No more pictures, today, dear."
Later, this same lion got up and gave the people a show. She urinated on the glass...and immediately about 10 cameras were up in the air, trying to get the picture, from underneath her in that walkway. I was not under the walkway by then. She had about 50 people laughing and taking more pictures. From this, I gather that big cats don't cover their excrement like domestic cats do. (I like my cats using the litter box!) When she was done, she went back and lay down in the exact same spot she was in before. Like nothing had changed.
Sisters. Better than by blood, we are sisters by choice. We each refer to the other's Mom as Mom Squared. Our Mothers act like sisters, too. I met Best BFF when I moved to Gallup, at the age of 6. She was 7, and would turn 8 before the first year was out. We have shared all sorts of adventures. Vegas was better than the Arizona State Fair! (My favorite vacations as a kid, once neither of us lived in Gallup anymore.)
This is the current state of construction of the new bypass bridge at the Hoover Dam. I guess the plan is that the dam can still be toured and stuff, but the majority of the traveling traffic is not going to go over it anymore. This bridge had a sign that they were hoping to be done by 2008. They missed. But it is tall and looks pretty impressive.
I found the place where steak sauce is from! A mountain road near Flagstaff, AZ.
So Mamma Mia knows that I was not telling stories, here is the proof. I tried to go to her Uncle's restaurant in Albuquerque.
They were, however, closed. The sign explained it was a private party. Entrance would be granted by Invitation Only. *Sigh* So I didn't get the *BEST* Mexican food in the state. They had just had a Grand Re-Opening, and I was told that the employees were probably all drunk anyway, so it wouldn't have been fun. It is on my list for the next time we go through. Maybe we can meet up with Looney Mom again. (Yes, I am hanging my head in shame. I am a terrible long-distance friend. I didn't call at all. Bad Chelf!)
The yummiest hot Chai latte away from Vintage. This was the second trip to Perennials, as it was so very good the first time. I bought two of those mugs, one for me and one for my friend. (He and his wife are also big fans of How I Met Your Mother.)
I hope you have enjoyed my vacation documentaries. I hope to have many more adventures, and share them with you.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Road Trip To Sin City, Part 3
Word of the Post
Today's word is: vacation
/va*ca"tion/
noun: The act of vacating; leaving a void; intermission of employment, leisure time away from work devoted to rest; on holiday.
verb: To spend or take a vacation.
This was the most fun I have had hurting myself on a vacation.
~~~~~~~~~~
On the way to Vegas, we stopped to have a late lunch in Amarillo, TX. I love my new little car... and I think it is scary how so many larger cars on the road may not see me. Partially because the color could blend into the road, but mostly because other drivers are distracted or just not looking. When I pulled into this space, I got tickled over the visual of small vs. large that I had created. The intimidating Hummer I parked near.
I used to have all sort of posters and t-shirts for the Roadkill Cafe'. This trip, I found a physical store that called itself that! I took this picture as much for my mom and her love of Windmills, as my own little sick fascination. This is down the street from the gas station we stopped at in Seligman, AZ.
All during this trip, and a couple before it, I had been saying in conversation the lyrics of songs we were hearing on the radio or the CD we were listening to. Last April, I said something about crack filling, and then immediately heard "..fill in the cracks..." on the Chicago CD. We also have noticed things that are related to movies. Signs, places, and songs that relate to movies we have recently watched. Jeff noticed the contrails that looked like a logo, to a movie I have seen, but he has not (that I know of). Do you see it? (I will tell you the movie was Fantastic!)
This is another view of the Revolution Lounge. The letters were turned, any that had a bottom had seats in them. This is where I got the idea to put DH in one, and take a picture of him. I like the effect of the people walking past. Not the greatest picture, but fun.
This is the entry to Ceasar's, and those circular things are actually escalators! Like the moving sidewalks, this is one of the coolest things I have ever ridden.
For Roadrunner, this is an ad on a facade of New York New York. You can see part of the support for the "Brooklyn Bridge", which is where we were walking when I saw this.
Best BFF said this was the closest she had been to NYC since she was an infant. This is the closest I have been since 1992. We drove past NYC, and I got to see Lady Liberty through binoculars... and she still appeared only about 2 inches tall. This replica is awesome!
DH and myself in front of Lady Liberty... behind us is the castle of Excalibur. We didn't go in there. It looked cool, though. We rode an escalator up like the one you see behind us. It was scary. If one leans over too far, one sees the traffic one could fall directly into! Add that it is more than one house story level high, because it has to go over traffic with double decker Deuce buses going past... and that as such a small construct, it shakes. Ferret would have been passed out by the time she got to the top. I almost was, and I am not scared of heights. I am not usually scared of man-made structures, either.
For Roadrunner's kids (mostly the little one), I saw this Nintendo PSP replica on the side of a building. It is more than a story high! It was an LCD billboard. Very cool for us gamer geeks!
The Kiss
It is a family joke that Dad really does not like getting dressed up. Ties are evil, we are certain. He might own two... one that stays tied up waiting to be put on, and this one that is clip-on. Bro wouldn't have cared if we were in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops, as long as we were there. I was surprised that Bro was in a suit, but he had to be. It was made for him, so not uncomfortable. But Dad still removes the tie when the need to show it is over. I asked him to move it, but New SIL said she thought it showed his character, so we had him put it back in the same place. Dad is surely a character.
The Siblings. DH, Me, Bro, New SIL, Her sis. Both of the families have decided that we are ALL family now. I can really get to liking this. Bro's MIL figures we all came with the package. She is not wrong; when blending families, every member is part of the experience.
I took this, to have a record of Mom's family ring. The large diamond is the solitaire from her wedding set, that fell out around their 20th anniversary. I found it (we were at the DMV when she noticed it was gone) and we had it reset. The small stones are for each family member's birth month, and the anniversary month. The stones are: February Amethyst, April Diamond, May Emerald, July Ruby and October Pink (to replace the Opal that is too soft to put with crystals). Also in the picture, a bracelet that one of Mom's friends gave her recently, a carnation (hers of the flowers that Bro and SIL gave all the women at the wedding), her watch, and the wedding band to hold the family ring in place.
The watch face has colored pencils or crayons for the hands, and colored numbers. She was a teacher before she retired, so that was special. The watch band was hand made by a friend of ours when we lived in Gallup. Turquoise, Coral and other colored stones, set in silver in a personalized new design that has Hopi, Anasazi and Navajo influences. Now that I think about it, that watch band is almost 25 years old!
Until I am struck by inspiration again...
Today's word is: vacation
/va*ca"tion/
noun: The act of vacating; leaving a void; intermission of employment, leisure time away from work devoted to rest; on holiday.
verb: To spend or take a vacation.
This was the most fun I have had hurting myself on a vacation.
~~~~~~~~~~
On the way to Vegas, we stopped to have a late lunch in Amarillo, TX. I love my new little car... and I think it is scary how so many larger cars on the road may not see me. Partially because the color could blend into the road, but mostly because other drivers are distracted or just not looking. When I pulled into this space, I got tickled over the visual of small vs. large that I had created. The intimidating Hummer I parked near.
I used to have all sort of posters and t-shirts for the Roadkill Cafe'. This trip, I found a physical store that called itself that! I took this picture as much for my mom and her love of Windmills, as my own little sick fascination. This is down the street from the gas station we stopped at in Seligman, AZ.
All during this trip, and a couple before it, I had been saying in conversation the lyrics of songs we were hearing on the radio or the CD we were listening to. Last April, I said something about crack filling, and then immediately heard "..fill in the cracks..." on the Chicago CD. We also have noticed things that are related to movies. Signs, places, and songs that relate to movies we have recently watched. Jeff noticed the contrails that looked like a logo, to a movie I have seen, but he has not (that I know of). Do you see it? (I will tell you the movie was Fantastic!)
This is another view of the Revolution Lounge. The letters were turned, any that had a bottom had seats in them. This is where I got the idea to put DH in one, and take a picture of him. I like the effect of the people walking past. Not the greatest picture, but fun.
This is the entry to Ceasar's, and those circular things are actually escalators! Like the moving sidewalks, this is one of the coolest things I have ever ridden.
For Roadrunner, this is an ad on a facade of New York New York. You can see part of the support for the "Brooklyn Bridge", which is where we were walking when I saw this.
Best BFF said this was the closest she had been to NYC since she was an infant. This is the closest I have been since 1992. We drove past NYC, and I got to see Lady Liberty through binoculars... and she still appeared only about 2 inches tall. This replica is awesome!
DH and myself in front of Lady Liberty... behind us is the castle of Excalibur. We didn't go in there. It looked cool, though. We rode an escalator up like the one you see behind us. It was scary. If one leans over too far, one sees the traffic one could fall directly into! Add that it is more than one house story level high, because it has to go over traffic with double decker Deuce buses going past... and that as such a small construct, it shakes. Ferret would have been passed out by the time she got to the top. I almost was, and I am not scared of heights. I am not usually scared of man-made structures, either.
For Roadrunner's kids (mostly the little one), I saw this Nintendo PSP replica on the side of a building. It is more than a story high! It was an LCD billboard. Very cool for us gamer geeks!
The Kiss
It is a family joke that Dad really does not like getting dressed up. Ties are evil, we are certain. He might own two... one that stays tied up waiting to be put on, and this one that is clip-on. Bro wouldn't have cared if we were in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops, as long as we were there. I was surprised that Bro was in a suit, but he had to be. It was made for him, so not uncomfortable. But Dad still removes the tie when the need to show it is over. I asked him to move it, but New SIL said she thought it showed his character, so we had him put it back in the same place. Dad is surely a character.
The Siblings. DH, Me, Bro, New SIL, Her sis. Both of the families have decided that we are ALL family now. I can really get to liking this. Bro's MIL figures we all came with the package. She is not wrong; when blending families, every member is part of the experience.
I took this, to have a record of Mom's family ring. The large diamond is the solitaire from her wedding set, that fell out around their 20th anniversary. I found it (we were at the DMV when she noticed it was gone) and we had it reset. The small stones are for each family member's birth month, and the anniversary month. The stones are: February Amethyst, April Diamond, May Emerald, July Ruby and October Pink (to replace the Opal that is too soft to put with crystals). Also in the picture, a bracelet that one of Mom's friends gave her recently, a carnation (hers of the flowers that Bro and SIL gave all the women at the wedding), her watch, and the wedding band to hold the family ring in place.
The watch face has colored pencils or crayons for the hands, and colored numbers. She was a teacher before she retired, so that was special. The watch band was hand made by a friend of ours when we lived in Gallup. Turquoise, Coral and other colored stones, set in silver in a personalized new design that has Hopi, Anasazi and Navajo influences. Now that I think about it, that watch band is almost 25 years old!
Until I am struck by inspiration again...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Road Trip To Sin City, Part 2
After the wedding, the family all went to lunch, which turned into dinner it was so late. The Venetian is smelly (perfume overload) but fun. This was the disappearing statue man outside of the restaurant. I came back a few minutes later, and he was gone.
Mom wanted to go see the Hawaiian Village Market that was farther away than she knew. We watched the fountains at the Bellagio again, from almost the same vantage point as the night before. If you look closely, you can see Mom in the wheelchair, and behind her on the ledge is Dad, and DH is to his right.
Wednesday, Mom and Dad decided to leave a day early, to get home to rest. We visited more with Best BFF and her hubby.
We walked from the Stratosphere down to Circus Circus and played a few dollars at Slots of Fun. I had budgeted to play at least $20 each for each of three days; we had $120 in Blow Money. With all the little $1 and $0.25 and $0.05 slots we played in various casinos over three days... together we lost (played) only about $18. We both should have quit when we were $1 ahead on the nickel slots! Ah, well...it was fun. I can see how the addiction starts, but we had more interesting things to see and do in Vegas.
Best BFF and hubby then decided to go home, to see their girls before bedtime. We continued walking... down to Treasure Island again. We ate brunch at Denny's (figured it would be pretty standard) across the street from the Mirage, and then got the call from Bro and SIL that they wanted to hang out with us. Yay! This is a bronze statue of the faces of Sigfried and Roy... and probably the lion that ate Roy.
This is the Mirage, advertising the show that DH wanted to see. At first, I said we couldn't afford it. If it hadn't been for Uncle Sam this year, we wouldn't have been able to have a good time at all. So I tried, once we had a bit of money, to get tickets... and the show was on a rotation or something. It was not playing at all the week we were there. Bummer, Dude!
Do not despair, though. DH got his Beatles fix. Inside one of the hotels is the REVOLUTION, a Beatles Lounge!
Some of those letters had seats in them. The pictures I tried to take of DH sitting in them turned out horrible. So here is a sign for you.
We wandered all the way down to the M&M's store (They wanted $11.99 for ONE pound of M's! I figure they can keep them, and I will buy at Wal-Mart). We went to the Coca Cola store next door, and enjoyed "Tastes Around the World". This is a sample size of 16 drinks from all over. South Africa, Italy, Mexico, and others. I have but one warning for you... don't ever drink "Beverly" in Italy. That crap was nasty, bitter and had a terrible aftertaste. I hear they use it to cut their alcohol... and I can't imagine how bad their drinks become because of it. No wonder they prefer wine!
We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and watched the Bellagio Fountains show from above... twice.
We then wandered back down to Planet Hollywood where they had parked their car. Hey, who can beat free valet everywhere? You park for as long as you need, and then you tip the guy a couple bucks for bringing it back. Easy, if you are willing to drive in Vegas. I am not. Bro was... and SIL was worried about the other drivers and the survival of her car. They offered to give us a ride back to the Stratoshpere. While on the way, we all decided we were hungry. In that decision, dinner was proposed.
Sally, I had an In-N-Out Double Double.
IT WAS... there are not words. YUM! I know I was extremely hungry, but I honestly believe that was the best meal we had in Vegas. I won't say the whole trip, because we ate at some awesome places while on the journey there and back again... but IN Vegas, that was the best. And even at $6 for a burger, it was the cheapest, too. Fries and a drink came with that sweet little taste of Heaven. Even McDonald's for breakfast was more $$.
We had been inside New York New York on Monday... and we laughed at this: For all the millions of dollars spent to build these massive Hotel/Casino luxuries, to find an obvious typo made my day! I am not going to say anything more, you have to find it. I apologize for the lack of quality in this photo... I was probably still shaking from giggling.
Then there was this sign. I know I am pretty sheltered and naive. Really. But... this was a bit much to think about.
And one more little delight for the member of the Society for the Protection Of Good Grammar (SPOGG) in me. It was in the Planet Hollywood Miracle Mile of Shops. There seems to be no reason beyond laziness that the T is missing from Entertainment.
At a second glance, it seems that they could have put the T over the corner... or cut it off at the pass. The view just seems incomplete without an attempt at the issue. I know... I am a Language Snob. These little things are part of the grander picture for me. With all the extravagance in Vegas, certainly they could hire proofreaders for their signs?
Join us next time, when Chelf has NOT attempted to correct every mistake she sees....
Mom wanted to go see the Hawaiian Village Market that was farther away than she knew. We watched the fountains at the Bellagio again, from almost the same vantage point as the night before. If you look closely, you can see Mom in the wheelchair, and behind her on the ledge is Dad, and DH is to his right.
Wednesday, Mom and Dad decided to leave a day early, to get home to rest. We visited more with Best BFF and her hubby.
We walked from the Stratosphere down to Circus Circus and played a few dollars at Slots of Fun. I had budgeted to play at least $20 each for each of three days; we had $120 in Blow Money. With all the little $1 and $0.25 and $0.05 slots we played in various casinos over three days... together we lost (played) only about $18. We both should have quit when we were $1 ahead on the nickel slots! Ah, well...it was fun. I can see how the addiction starts, but we had more interesting things to see and do in Vegas.
Best BFF and hubby then decided to go home, to see their girls before bedtime. We continued walking... down to Treasure Island again. We ate brunch at Denny's (figured it would be pretty standard) across the street from the Mirage, and then got the call from Bro and SIL that they wanted to hang out with us. Yay! This is a bronze statue of the faces of Sigfried and Roy... and probably the lion that ate Roy.
This is the Mirage, advertising the show that DH wanted to see. At first, I said we couldn't afford it. If it hadn't been for Uncle Sam this year, we wouldn't have been able to have a good time at all. So I tried, once we had a bit of money, to get tickets... and the show was on a rotation or something. It was not playing at all the week we were there. Bummer, Dude!
Do not despair, though. DH got his Beatles fix. Inside one of the hotels is the REVOLUTION, a Beatles Lounge!
Some of those letters had seats in them. The pictures I tried to take of DH sitting in them turned out horrible. So here is a sign for you.
We wandered all the way down to the M&M's store (They wanted $11.99 for ONE pound of M's! I figure they can keep them, and I will buy at Wal-Mart). We went to the Coca Cola store next door, and enjoyed "Tastes Around the World". This is a sample size of 16 drinks from all over. South Africa, Italy, Mexico, and others. I have but one warning for you... don't ever drink "Beverly" in Italy. That crap was nasty, bitter and had a terrible aftertaste. I hear they use it to cut their alcohol... and I can't imagine how bad their drinks become because of it. No wonder they prefer wine!
We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and watched the Bellagio Fountains show from above... twice.
We then wandered back down to Planet Hollywood where they had parked their car. Hey, who can beat free valet everywhere? You park for as long as you need, and then you tip the guy a couple bucks for bringing it back. Easy, if you are willing to drive in Vegas. I am not. Bro was... and SIL was worried about the other drivers and the survival of her car. They offered to give us a ride back to the Stratoshpere. While on the way, we all decided we were hungry. In that decision, dinner was proposed.
Sally, I had an In-N-Out Double Double.
IT WAS... there are not words. YUM! I know I was extremely hungry, but I honestly believe that was the best meal we had in Vegas. I won't say the whole trip, because we ate at some awesome places while on the journey there and back again... but IN Vegas, that was the best. And even at $6 for a burger, it was the cheapest, too. Fries and a drink came with that sweet little taste of Heaven. Even McDonald's for breakfast was more $$.
We had been inside New York New York on Monday... and we laughed at this: For all the millions of dollars spent to build these massive Hotel/Casino luxuries, to find an obvious typo made my day! I am not going to say anything more, you have to find it. I apologize for the lack of quality in this photo... I was probably still shaking from giggling.
Then there was this sign. I know I am pretty sheltered and naive. Really. But... this was a bit much to think about.
And one more little delight for the member of the Society for the Protection Of Good Grammar (SPOGG) in me. It was in the Planet Hollywood Miracle Mile of Shops. There seems to be no reason beyond laziness that the T is missing from Entertainment.
At a second glance, it seems that they could have put the T over the corner... or cut it off at the pass. The view just seems incomplete without an attempt at the issue. I know... I am a Language Snob. These little things are part of the grander picture for me. With all the extravagance in Vegas, certainly they could hire proofreaders for their signs?
Join us next time, when Chelf has NOT attempted to correct every mistake she sees....
Road Trip To Sin City, Part 1
We went to Las Vegas, NV for my brother's wedding. We decided that if we had to drive two days to get there and two days to get back, we might as well make a whole vacation out of it.
On Saturday, we drove from Oklahoma City, OK to Albuquerque, NM and spent the night at Chez Jenna, in the Mom Room. We visited for only a few moments (let her dog, Charlie Brown, come and stare at me like he does with Mom) and then went to bed. We arose fairly early on Sunday. Several months ago, I had seen an interview on TV with Neil Patrick Harris, and he said his parents owned a restaurant in Albuquerque. It is a wonderful little Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch spot called Perennials. We found it, and enjoyed the most wonderful breakfast. We both had the Fiesta Bowl which was hash browns covered by a meat of your choice, eggs cooked your way, and chile of your choice (Red or Green). I loved it so much, I bought a mug with their logo on it. I recommend that you eat there if you can. They are a very nice neighborhood sort of place; no big bragging on their famous son, nothing at all in fact to attach him to their business.
We then went to Gallup, NM to meet my parents. From there, we were a short caravan to Vegas. (My parents drive a Dodge Caravan, so yes, the pun was intended.) There was snow on the ground in Flagstaff, AZ. (This was Devil Dog Road... had to have a picture of that for the Devil Dog dessert DH loves from Vintage Timeless Coffee.)
We stopped in Winslow, AZ, and let DH stand on a corner. I am sure that is not a new concept, but it was fun for us.
We didn't forget Winona, AZ (get your kicks on Rt. 66!).
We spent three days and four nights there. I have never before been to Las Vegas. It is huge, and growing all the time. It is fantastic and busy. We stayed at the Stratosphere, at the very north end of "The Strip". DH referred to it as the giant thumb tack... it can be seen from Henderson when you get close to Vegas... and it is a perfect landmark for finding your way. All that, and I never really got a good picture of it. My good pictures were from the top of it, looking down. Imagine that!
We spent Monday walking from Treasure Island (somewhere in the middle)...
...all the way south to the MGM Grand (the far south end).
We were sore and blistered, but had a fun time with Best BFF and her hubby.
Tuesday was the Wedding.
It was beautiful! Short, sweet, to the point, and no Elvis Impersonators in sight! I made sure as my first question to Bro that there would be none. He said that there wouldn't be any "within a MILE!" and then amended to say that he couldn't be sure how many Impersonators would be within a real one mile radius of the chapel, but there would be no Elvis in the building for his wedding. The officiant on staff at the chapel. Bro said he did a great job for not knowing anything about them.
Mom looked great!
The ducks were beating them to the punch! (I hear they were male ducks, so maybe they were fighting over a girl? I don't know.)
Lots of pictures being taken.
New Family. Bro and SIL with their new In Laws.
Sisters. This is Mom (in the middle) and her two sisters. In age order from right to left, and height order from left to right.
New couple.
They each asked their sisters to be witnesses on the official paperwork!
His sister... that would be me.
Her sister.
To be continued....
On Saturday, we drove from Oklahoma City, OK to Albuquerque, NM and spent the night at Chez Jenna, in the Mom Room. We visited for only a few moments (let her dog, Charlie Brown, come and stare at me like he does with Mom) and then went to bed. We arose fairly early on Sunday. Several months ago, I had seen an interview on TV with Neil Patrick Harris, and he said his parents owned a restaurant in Albuquerque. It is a wonderful little Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch spot called Perennials. We found it, and enjoyed the most wonderful breakfast. We both had the Fiesta Bowl which was hash browns covered by a meat of your choice, eggs cooked your way, and chile of your choice (Red or Green). I loved it so much, I bought a mug with their logo on it. I recommend that you eat there if you can. They are a very nice neighborhood sort of place; no big bragging on their famous son, nothing at all in fact to attach him to their business.
We then went to Gallup, NM to meet my parents. From there, we were a short caravan to Vegas. (My parents drive a Dodge Caravan, so yes, the pun was intended.) There was snow on the ground in Flagstaff, AZ. (This was Devil Dog Road... had to have a picture of that for the Devil Dog dessert DH loves from Vintage Timeless Coffee.)
We stopped in Winslow, AZ, and let DH stand on a corner. I am sure that is not a new concept, but it was fun for us.
We didn't forget Winona, AZ (get your kicks on Rt. 66!).
We spent three days and four nights there. I have never before been to Las Vegas. It is huge, and growing all the time. It is fantastic and busy. We stayed at the Stratosphere, at the very north end of "The Strip". DH referred to it as the giant thumb tack... it can be seen from Henderson when you get close to Vegas... and it is a perfect landmark for finding your way. All that, and I never really got a good picture of it. My good pictures were from the top of it, looking down. Imagine that!
We spent Monday walking from Treasure Island (somewhere in the middle)...
...all the way south to the MGM Grand (the far south end).
We were sore and blistered, but had a fun time with Best BFF and her hubby.
Tuesday was the Wedding.
It was beautiful! Short, sweet, to the point, and no Elvis Impersonators in sight! I made sure as my first question to Bro that there would be none. He said that there wouldn't be any "within a MILE!" and then amended to say that he couldn't be sure how many Impersonators would be within a real one mile radius of the chapel, but there would be no Elvis in the building for his wedding. The officiant on staff at the chapel. Bro said he did a great job for not knowing anything about them.
Mom looked great!
The ducks were beating them to the punch! (I hear they were male ducks, so maybe they were fighting over a girl? I don't know.)
Lots of pictures being taken.
New Family. Bro and SIL with their new In Laws.
Sisters. This is Mom (in the middle) and her two sisters. In age order from right to left, and height order from left to right.
New couple.
They each asked their sisters to be witnesses on the official paperwork!
His sister... that would be me.
Her sister.
To be continued....
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