Las Vegas Days

Well friends, I'm back. It was a wonderful pre-winter interlude, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Or so they say!!! It was a delightful trip. The weather was fantastic most of the time. It did rain on Thanksgiving Day, but we weren't unhappy. They so badly need rain. Their normal rainfall is 4.5 inches of rain per year and this year they are at about 1.2. At least they were before Thanksgiving. I think it rained about 1/2 inch that day.

They are so unused to rain that that amount of rainfall causes flooding. That just boggles my mind, but many roads were flooded.

Even though Brian and Gretchen had to work while we were there, we managed to get a lot of play time in too. Tuesday we went to the Springs Preserve. This is the site of the original spring on which Las Vegas was founded. Today, it is a site that not only educates about the history of Las Vegas, but also teaches the importance of conservation of water and other resources. Gretchen, being a very ardent conservationist, volunteers at the preserve. Of course, that made her a perfect tour guide.

Brian, Gretchen and Jim as the tour begins.

All the buildings are constructed so that they can catch and store rain water, one of the most precious commodities in the desert.

The temperatures in Las Vegas are still in the 60's and 70's so, as you can see, the flora is still thriving.

The bunnies and grey fox are indigenous to the desert. I can't tell you how many shots it took me to get a decent pic of the bunnies. The grey fox is in a den and easier to photograph.

Of course, the children had to play.

Wednesday found us busily preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner. Gretchen had to work, but Brian {who is the Thanksgiving chef} spent a good part of the day in the kitchen.

Jim is a very good prep cook. Lest you think I contributed nothing to the dinner, let me say that I made the stuffing. It was passable, but not my best effort.

Brian's apple pie. Isn't that a masterpiece? Oh yes, I also made a pumpkin crisp, but it wasn't quite as beautiful as this.

The turkey - also ala Brian.

Gretchen's beautiful table. I did make the name cards.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful day. Of course, I had to watch the Macy's parade. That is one of my traditions. Because Brian had to work in the evening, we ate early. Our friend, Bonnie, joined us. It was so good to see her. We had a wonderful dinner and a delightful time of fellowship. Who could ask for more???

Friday morning, we took a long walk to help counter the effects of the amount of food we consumed on Thanksgiving. Although we thought we would never eat again, of course, we did. Both Gretchen and Brian worked on Friday. Jim and I took Gretchen to work and kept her car. We went to a movie in the evening. Pam's recommendation: Skip Quantom of Solace.

Saturday was decorating day. Jim and Brian went to the storage facility and brought all the Christmas decorations home. I took Gretchen to work and relaxed while they worked.

It was really nice on the patio, just relaxing and drinking my coffee.

Sunday was another absolutely gorgeous day. We went to church. It is always nice to worship with our children. Gretchen is singing with the Praise Band now and it was nice to hear her sing. After church Jim took us out to lunch and then we dropped Gretchen off at work. We did a little shopping at Lush. I could have spent mucho $$$, but did control myself.

We decided to see another movie. Pam's recommendation: Australia is worth the price of the ticket just for the beautiful scenery. The story was predictable and long, but still fairly entertaining.

The last day of a visit is always a little sad for me. I hate the thought of leaving the kids, plus I dread the flight home. That being said, the day sped by. We took a long walk again. Gretchen and I walked side by side and had a good chance for a farewell talk. I really miss my girls. After the kids left for work, we took a little nap. The evening sped by as we had to pack and prepare for our leave taking.

In spite of my dread, the flight home was smooth. Gretchen took us to the airport at "Zero past Dark" {her words}. We kissed her goodbye until February and boarded our plane for New York. I'm sad/happy all at the same time. It was a wonderful visit. Brian and Gretchen are happy and safe. I'll see them again in about ten weeks. It's okay.

I'll close with pictures of my grand-cats. This is especially for Nancy. They are odd little kitties.

This is Fiona, a very snooty cat.

I actually think Lani might like me. She just has a funny way of showing it.

Hey, thanks for sticking with me through this longggg post.

~Hippo Hugs~