Going into Henderson to shop we pass the old Roadhouse Casino. It’s been on Boulder Highway ever since I can remember - going back to the 50s. It is empty now. And soon will start to fall apart unless someone buys and restores it. It will be a shame if someone doesn’t. I love the sign -

And the building itself - I think it is Art Deco with its glass blocks and curved architecture. I looked it up on line and the Station Casino company wanted to restore it several years ago but the city of Henderson said the only way they could reopen it was to build a 200 room hotel to go along with the casino. The plans got dropped - so there it sits…slowly falling apart.

It rained - well dripped - here last night and the temps have dropped into the low 70s. Going to have a much lower electric bill this month. Finally.

The cleaning ladies came again on Tuesday, boy am I getting spoiled. They do such a good job. My biggest effort is staying out of their way.

I bought a couple of baby things to embroider using my sewing machine. But it took me an hour to get into embroidery designs that are on my computer. Couldn’t remember how to do that. Finally figured it out. But now I have to get the designs from the computer onto the card that goes into the machine and remember how to set up the machine. Should keep me occupied for a while.

Today we are going out to lunch with a couple from Canada that we met in Mazatlan. Be nice to see them again.

Started this yesterday and never finished it - oh well…

We met our friends and went out with them. Very enjoyable time. Good visiting and good food. Wish our time with them could have lasted longer.

Not long after we got home we had a bad rain storm. It only lasted a few minutes and the sun never quit shining but it was a doozy. One minute it was calm and dry - the next the wind and rain were coming in the open door. Knocked the chairs over on the patio and blew everything in the house around. The rugs, the place mats off the table and lots of dead pine needles from outside. Just poured for a few minutes. Then it was over. Weird.

Baked some banana bread today - pretty good and oven worked okay. Going to fix BBQ chicken, corn on cob, Bushes beans and biscuits for dinner tonight. I seem to be in a cooking mood.

We have made doctors appointments with a new to us doctor here in Vegas. A family doctor. Hope we like him. His reviews sound very good. But right now we just need someone who can renew our prescriptions for us. Their new patient paper work is 13 pages long! Mostly just PYA pages that need to be signed! 

Hobbies and sunsets and unjustified complaints.

Just random things to write about today. This is a necklace I'm working on. It is all pieces that will eventually be looped together. It's not difficult, but get boring after making a couple of the pieces, so it is taking me a while to get it done. 

 Some of the pieces, need a lot more.

When we shipped the stained glass pieces here from Indiana we put them in these wood crates. I've been wondering what to do with the crates as "they are too good to throw out!" Isn't everything? So when I was sitting on the patio I didn't have anyplace to set my coffee cup - AHA - so I had Bill drag one out of the shed. Works fine. I intend to paint it and spruce it up a little - maybe - in the future. But till then I have a little table. We just picked the pine cones out of the yard - again too neat to throw away. [now you know why we had so much stuff to ship]

I've mentioned that I tend to get up early - way too early - so I have lots of sunrise pictures. Every day it is different. These following pictures were from three different days. 

Speaking of the desert - last night was a full moon - beautiful - but didn't take any pictures as I forgot about it until it was up. I only remembered then because of the commotion going on outside. The coyotes were going crazy - lots of them yipping and howling out there. Because of the moon???? We were inside with the TV on and could hear them. 
I cooked an oven roast and potatoes and carrots the other night - seems like the adjustment we made to the oven is working out okay. It's with in about 10 degrees now. I can live with that. 
Bill is taking such good care of me it is driving me nuts - he won't let me do anything that will put any strain on me. Not even make the bed. Well on second thought that's okay. Makes me feel useless and crabby. Poor guy even when he's right he is wrong. 
We need to get out of here and do something. 

Quiet Day except for watching NASCAR

Slept in this morning till 15 to 5. Got up the last couple of days at 3 - 3:30 - boy does that make for a LONG day. I’ve already check everything I read on the web, into my second cup of coffee and it is still dark out. So glad the weather here has finally got to the perfect temperatures. We can keep the doors and windows open for lots of fresh air. We don’t have a screen for the sliding glass patio door but keep it open anyway. Another thing I like about the desert and Vegas - no bugs. If we left a door open in Indiana the house would be full of flies and other flying things. I love being able to look out over the desert to the distant mountains.

Did nothing exciting the last few days. Well one thing…I figured out with the help of the Internet how to lower the temperature of the oven. It was 75 degrees off too high. Could only lower it 30 degrees but that will help some. I thought today I’d cook an oven roast and potatoes and see how that works out. I have a feeling it is the sensor that has gone bad and will have to call a repair man for that. Cheaper than a new range.

So glad the hurricane didn’t do the amount of damage it could have. Thank goodness it went between the two bigger towns. I imagine it will be a few more days before all the damage is known.

Watched the race today - #18 will move on to the next set of three races. Glad for him. He’s had a rough year with the broken leg and foot. He had to work doubly hard to make it this far.

I have a roast in the oven - watching the temperature - it is still high but I think I’ve compensated for it so hope everything turns out okay. 

Bill's birthday today

Wow who would have thought that when I met the brash young soccer player from Argentina that some 50 years later we’d still be together.

He was 28 and I was 26 when we met - lots of water has passed under that bridge now. Today is Bill’s 79th birthday! Not going to make him a cake as he isn’t fond of cakes, but he does like pie crusts - just pie crust with butter, cinnamon, and sugar baked on it. So I’ll fix him a couple. [the frozen kind of course, does any one still have a rolling pin?]

Fixing them will mean trying to guess the temperature of the oven. I did download an owner’s manual from the internet but can only adjust the temperature 30° hotter or cooler - and this oven cooks 75 degrees too hot. Makes for interesting cooking. I think we’re going to have to call a repair man - probably the sensor is bad…

We are finally having perfect weather here. No wind, temperatures in the low 80s, nights into the mid 60s. Couldn’t ask for more.

We took a little outing yesterday, just went to the store for a few things. I sure wore out fast. Need to start walking now that it is nice out. Little by little build my endurance back up again. Start by walking around the park some and maybe work up to the trails behind us in The Wetlands.

We’re talking about going to Mazatlan earlier than we’d originally planned. Maybe in December - come back end of Jan. Checked the mileage yesterday - only 1200 miles from here. Instead of the 2200 it was from Indiana. I’ll just postpone the next surgery until we get back. But we want to wait until hurricane season is over - another one hitting the west coast of Mexico this week.

Started beading again, found a project I’d started a while ago. Going to try to finish it. It is a red, white and blue seed bead necklace. Took me awhile to get back in the rhythm of it. Lot of ripping out at first. Have also been looking at quilt patterns for our new great grand due in December.

Not much else going on. 

Memories of my youth

Up before sunrise again, glad I was, it was a nice one. Though I guess every sunrise is a nice one.

We’ve been putting carrots out in the back yard and every morning they are gone, but haven’t seen the bunnies feast on them yet. We’ve seen them running down the road during the day. They are small rabbits, not jack rabbits which surprised me.

So where are we in my saga? Been to the doctor’s office again. And am now on a pill - that might or might not help. What a surprise that was when I picked it up. We have pretty good insurance but this batch cost $50 for one month - WOW. And it might not help! Was reading the side effects - they are worse than the problem! So we’ll see what happens. So for the time being I'll learn to live with it. In January some time I'll be able to get it fixed - I hope. So now we might have to make different plans for what was going to be a January trip to Mexico.

Yesterday the house cleaners came again, our son is sending them over once a week. Wonderful son. They do an excellent job. But I feel weird just sitting here watching them work. Feel like I should be doing something. Going to be spoiled when I have to start doing it myself again. 

Made peanut butter cookies yesterday - using a mix - they sure don’t taste like the cookies I remember from my youth. Guess I should get out a cook book and make “real” ones. They were supposed to bake at 375 - so I set the oven at 300 - it heated to 375 - so they turned out perfect. I should call someone to calibrate it before I forget to change the settings and really burn something. .

I have been on a quest lately looking for “Salad Dressing” - no not the kind you pour over your salad but the white stuff that looks like mayonnaise but tastes different. Couldn’t remember who made it. Finally found it - Miracle Whip makes it but it is now called Miracle Whip Dressing - Original. Found it at Albertsons thanks to an older clerk who remembered what it was. Yummy - I like it better than mayonnaise on sandwiches. Have also rediscovered macaroni salad. It is strange how we slowly stop eating some foods that we always liked. Don’t know why…just drift away from them. I remember eating macaroni salad every summer when I was young. Another thing is ground bologna with ground dill pickles and salad dressing. Made such good sandwiches. I think I get a chunk of bologna and try to make some - I have a grinder. Will it taste as good as it did when I was a kid?

It rains in Vegas

Yes it does rain in Vegas. And thunder and lightening and hail. The one lone black cloud in this video is sitting just to the southwest of us. In the perfect place to block out our satellite TV signal 20 LAPS FROM THE END OF THE RACE! It did come back for the very end though. You can't see the hail - it was pretty tiny but you can hear it on the aluminum patio cover. 

This is out back. Even louder, I just missed getting a big clap of thunder. Here is some of the hail. Like I said tiny.

Just called the Doc's office and he wants me in there in an hour - as you can guess there is another Oh Oh going on. Don't think it is serious - just a complication to healing. I should have lived with the pain! 

Not doing much - watching TV and reading. Getting tired of both. 

Well CRAP - I thought things were going too good.

Today is the park's "yard sale" day. A couple of our neighbors have been selling quite a bit. I told Bill he better keep the garage door down or we'd have buyers wandering around too. 

Speaking of Bill - did I mention he has a new toy - he is learning to use an air brush to do decorative painting. Here he is learning to make water droplets. He has his laptop set up so he can go on line for lessons. 

He keeps eyeing Willie, the Jeep and mumbling something about Flames...And this is like every other new hobby - you get the original set up and then need so many more things. My being not up to snuff has kept him from doing much shopping. But I can see lots of trips to Michaels, JoAnns and Dick Blick in our future. But that's okay with me - I like to go to all three stores too. 

Did you hear the latest - If you live in the state of Nevada you can't use some of the fantasy betting sites on TV - Draft Fan for one. The Nevada gaming commission just laid down the law. For the sites to work here in Nevada they have to purchase a gaming license. According to the commission they are games of chance not skill. 

Rained here during the night and really brought the temps down. So nice. Should stay cool for the next week. 

I've had a set back with my surgery. In the last couple of days a problem has cropped up. One I didn't have BS before surgery. Called the doc's office and we are on a wait and see time table. Hopefully it is temporary and will clear up as soon as the insides are happier. If not it means another surgery in 3 months. This is what happened eight years ago when I had the very first surgery - that required four more to fix the problem I didn't have to begin with. Not a happy camper, but can't do anything but wait and see. The good side is I'm free of pain so guess I shouldn't complain...

Working on the jewelry web page still. Found a lot of pieces that weren't on it. So adding them. Mostly bracelets. 

Taking it easy again today. Between web sight and NASCAR I should be amused most of the day. Did go out and walk around the block this morning enjoying the weather. 

Desert Sunrise

Up early again this morning. Well worth it though as I got to see the sunrise over the desert. Lots of high black clouds and rain on the west end of town. We didn't get any here but lots of dark clouds to the south and west of us. 

One more day of 4 a.m. pills - then hopefully no more sunrises for a while. At least until I catch up on my zzzzs. 
And today the temps are supposed to start going down. 
Went to doctor's yesterday. Everything is going along great don't have to go back for three months. But think I overdid it yesterday. After docs we went shopping. I feel so good I forget I need to take it easy. This old bod just doesn't spring back like it used to.
Been reading a new series [4] of books by Sue Henry. The main character is a 63 year old woman who travels with her wiener dog in a 30 foot Minnie Winnie. And of course she finds some kind of trouble and/or adventure where ever she goes. Light fun reading. Makes me want to go somewhere. One book was about Colorado and another about the area around Taos. That one was also about weaving rugs etc. Hum...sounds interesting. BUT...just finished another book about crocheting and went out and bought a How To Crochet book. Might give it a try. That's just what I need another hobby. Because you can't just stop at one crochet hook and one ball of yarn. I'm getting that "I want to do something creative" feeling. I will probably be making a quilt as we have another great grandchild on the way. But right now I want instant gratification. Maybe I should just cook an interesting meal. Would be cheaper. 
Does anyone know what kind of pine? tree this is. It is dropping long needles and pine cones all over our yard rocks. Guess I could get creative with the cones...

Everything sparkles around here.

It is so freaking hot out I can't hang on to the door knob for the screen door! Thought I wanted to take a short walk. Didn't take me long to change my mind. Even the car is too hot to go any where. By the time the car cools down it will be time to come home!
Do I sound crabby? Yep! Yesterday I was weepy and today crabby. No wonder Bill is hiding in the computer room and ignoring me. 
This time the antibiotics I'm having to take have to be taken on an empty stomach - no food one hour before or two hours after! I'm trying to take at 4 a.m. - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -10 p.m. You would think I could manage my meals in between those times. But when am I hungry why 10, 4 and 10. I usually wake up sometime around 4 a.m. so that made sense to me. This morning I woke up at 3:10 [too early]- then fell back to sleep until 4:45 - oh well close enough. Wasn't hungry when I got up then pretty soon it was 9:30 - well, nuts. 
I started to write this two days ago but it sounded so pathetic I stopped. 
It is now Wednesday about 15 to 6 in the a.m. - two more days and I won't have to wake up at 4 anymore - goody. Just can't get back to sleep. 
Today to to the doc's office to get all the   paraphernalia out. Can't wait. I am feeling really good, except for wearing out quickly. And the heat doesn't help. But starting tomorrow it is supposed to get cooler - reaching the mid 70's as highs for the weekend. I can't wait, Bill is looking for his long johns!
Yesterday was a great day. I think I mentioned that our son who lives here in Vegas owns a cleaning service. Around noon this truck pulled up out front.
Yipee! Mayberry's Maids -"We bring that small town service to your home."  

Two young women came in and got to work. They bring all their own cleaning supplies with them. [I'm going to call him to find out what they used on the granite counters in the kitchen 'cause they never looked so good] 

They cleaned this place from top to bottom - all the baseboards are now white. The top of the door jambs are clean! [I taught him that when he was young.] Not a speck of soap scum anywhere in the bathrooms. And get this - I love it. 

just a nice touch

wonder where they learned this?

So now all the cleaning that was supposed to be done by the parks ladies and all the stuff I said "I'd get to" is done is done - everything sparkles and smells so good. Thank you son! And ladies. 
While they were in here Bill was outside giving Willie, the Jeep, a spa day. Cleaned inside and out and all his tanks filled. He did the same thing to the car.

I think he wants to get everything done 'cause he has a new toy - an air brush painting thingy. 
And I just remembered we have a new great grandchild who will be here around Christmas so I'm looking at quilt patterns. Going to be "crafty" around here soon. 

Strange things in the desert.

Feeling so much better. So many things I do now without the pain I’ve lived with for a long time.

Just wanted to share a picture of what I came home to. So nice. 

I put this picture as my desktop on my PC so I won’t forget how pretty they are.

Just odds and ends to write about today. For those of you who followed Ms. Tioga and George just wanted to let you know he called us the other day. He is doing great and enjoying his life in So Calif. He’s keeping busy and might come to visit us later in the year.

I also got the last piece for my sewing machine cabinet. 

It is a clear lexicon piece that fits between the cabinet and the machine when the machine is in a lowered position. Fits perfect. Might use it tomorrow.

A reader asked me about the picture at the top of the blog. They were wondering if that was a cross just to the left of the middle. To be truthful I’d never noticed it. So went outside, figured out where I was standing when I took the picture, and zoomed in. Nope it is just a cement power pole. 

But later on in the afternoon about the time I took the original picture the sunlight hits it just right and reflects off the wires adding the look of a cross arm.

While I was out back checking that out I saw something else weird in the desert - quite a ways from us - it was bobbing up and down above the brush. I could see dust flying around in the same area so maybe it was a machine or something. 

Whatever it was it was big tall.Still don’t know what it is/was. Haven’t seen it since.

Not talking about the NASCAR races this weekend - disappointing to say the least. Maybe next week will be better.

Tomorrow I have to get out of the house - maybe just for a ride or something…

Home and relaxing.

Saturday morning and all is well. I got home yesterday early afternoon. Surgery was Thursday and was more complicated than The Doctor expected. The procedure took much longer [over an hour longer] than expected and I guess had Bill really worried. But hopefully everything is repaired and back in place for the rest of my life. 
I feel good, no pain just discomfort mostly, I think from the hospital bed! Hard sucker. Excellent care at hospital - no complaints there. 
Today I feel wonky - still nervous and jumpy. But no reason to be. Guess I just worked myself up to a state that will take a while to come down from. When they were getting me ready my blood pressure was so high they were worried. Don't think they believed when I told them I've never had high blood pressure and NO I've never taken medication for high blood pressure. Yes I was sure. Little by little it settled down - thank goodness as the anesthesiologist was a little apprehensive at first. 
They did find a stone in my bladder - a stone? - which may have been the cause of all the infections. I knew I always described my pain as feeling like I was sitting on a rock - but really - a stone....
So now I'm home and enjoying being waited on. Came home to a beautiful bouquet of roses. Bill's so sweet. And he's arranged for one of our son's girls [he owns a maid service] to come over once a week to clean the house. Boy I could get used to that. When the doctor was telling me what I couldn't do for several weeks I told him I had already told Bill he had to lift the frying pans out of the cupboard. The Doctor looked at me kind of funny and I said "I've convinced him they are really heavy."     Everyone laughed and said go for it. 
It is still hot here 93 today and DOWN to 90 tomorrow - come on Vegas it is the middle of October already. Cool off!
So that's it. Lots of NASCAR on TV today to keep my mind occupied. 

Hungry and Thirsty

I am hungry and thirsty. And it is only 9:30. Don’t have to be at hospital until 11:30 and surgery isn’t till 1:30. Won’t be home until sometime tomorrow. Time is just dragging.

I forgot to mention on yesterday’s post. Not long after we got home from all the pre-op stuff with the question of “Has anyone threatened you lately?” I banged my forehead on the corner of the kitchen cupboard! Really BANGED it. Got a big lump, the size of my thumb - right in the center of the forehead. OMG - how am I going to explain that? Bill grabbed an ice pack and set me down on the couch with instructions not to take the ice off and not to move. Guess he is a pretty good doc. I have no lump and no bruise - just a very, very sore spot. Don’t think anyone will notice it.

Will write again when I can. 

Cooking and Cleaning

Yesterday was a busy day - it was supposed to rain but we didn’t see any. But it remained nice and cool. Even this morning we have all the doors open to let in fresh air. We still have to get screens for the windows - so keep them closed for now.

The traffic problems from the TV - they sure don’t know how to drive in the rain around here.

And a small rainbow above the homes across the street. A big one was trying to form up higher but never got bright.

Yesterday I had to go to the hospital for all the pre-op stuff. Figured we’d be there all day as I couldn’t make an appointment. We got there about 9:30 - had the car Valet parked! And went in. Filled out some paperwork then went to the Pre-Op waiting room. Only there a few minutes when my name was called for the EKG, came out of there and the nurse was waiting for me to take blood. While getting poked I hear my name called again. Bill said I was with the nurse so the lady [nurse] told Bill to bring me to her room when I got done. So down the hall and answered more questions about general health and one really weird one. “Has anybody threatened you in the last couple of weeks?” What? Of course not. Strange. Then she gave me instructions for the day of surgery and sent me off for chest Xray. Walked right in got that done and it was time to go home. Picked up the car from Valet - time elapsed not quite 1 hour.

From there we just went shopping for a while. Didn’t buy anything but did a lot of looking. Then to grocery store and home.

Later on I decided to make empanadas - I had picked up the dough from the Argentine market a week or so ago. I made the filling and Bill helped put it in the dough and form the empanadas. Brushed them with egg and put in oven. Glad I had tested the oven. Set it at 275° and it cooked great at 350°.

Eventually I’ll get it fixed or get a whole new unit.

Bill helping make the empanada - the filling is in the pan

ground beef, ground Italian sausage, onions, garlic, all colors of peppers, olives, hard cooked eggs and left over vegetables - this time corn. And Italian spices of course. 

A batch waiting to go into the oven

The done deal. We made 64 and have filling left so will make another trip to store for more dough. They freeze good.

This morning we went to the Alfa to get a few things. He looks so lonely just sitting there. The storage lot in here in the park and only a couple of blocks from us. And inexpensive.

And while Bill was out making noise in the garage I did some house cleaning. Vacuuming and mopping. Won’t be able to do that after I get home. So our son will be sending over some of his girls to clean for a few weeks. He owns a Maid Service here in Vegas. But I couldn’t let the girls think his Mom was a bad housekeeper.  

Thunder and Rain here in Vegas

Woke up to a rumble this morning - Oh thunder. Looked outside it was raining. [On reflection I think it was an airplane I heard as I haven’t heard anything since I got up.] But it is definitely raining. Not pouring just dripping. Make a liar of me - just thundered! Only supposed to reach 75 today with lows in the 60s tonight. In fact there might be snow on Mount Charleston. But can’t get too excited - by Friday back up in the mid 90s.

Funny what little things put glitches in everyday activities. Because we have a Verizon home phone we don’t get a phone book - actually does anybody get them any more? We did in Indiana but we had ATT there. So many things I go to look up - don’t have a book - have to go on-line. I still prefer the book. Showing my age.

Also showed it the other day at a car dealer. We went to look at new cars - they come with so much stuff - stuff we’d never use but you have to pay for. Most of the ones we looked at were in the high $30 - low $40K range. My gosh our first house cost a lot less than that. The paint job was $500 extra, the chrome wheels added more to the price, the Bluetooth and sirrus radio, big screen for back up camera…really I don’t want any of that. Oh but they come with the car. Well if they “come” with the car don’t charge me extra for them. I don’t remember the last time we had the radio on in the car. I sure don’t need Sirrus. And all the things that light up and make noises if another vehicle gets next to you. Hello - be a defensive and aware driver. If someone who just started driving with all these things gets into an old car - LOOK OUT! Am I getting unreasonable in my old age? We have decided we will keep our old and comfortable cars that don’t hiss and beep at us.

We’ve been missing some small things but think we’ve found them all now - they were in the basement compartments of the Alfa. Got a bunch of boxes out of it the other day. Just like Christmas.

The weather cleared in Delaware so I got to watch all my races over the weekend. Only seven more to go and the season will be over.

Discovered our oven cooks HOT, really HOT. Set at 300 - thermometer reads over 400! That needs to be fixed. Got directions from the Internet so will try it - otherwise will have to call Hotpoint dealer - oops - forgot don’t have a phonebook to look one up. I know, I know - look on-line.

Today will be spent mostly on computer getting a lot of business taken care of. Setting up accounts, checking budget and straightening out files. Things I’ve been putting off doing but want to have finished before Thursday.

As for Thursday - several people have asked about the up coming surgery. It is related to the infections and pain I’ve been having the last couple of years. I waited until we were back in Vegas to have it done. The Doctor here is the one who did the two final surgeries on me for a related problem eight years ago. He had to correct problems two other doctors made in the process of three surgeries. That was a mess - five surgeries in 12 months, three different doctors and five different hospitals. So I am a little leery of going “under the knife.” I didn’t mention that the first doctor with the first surgery almost managed to kill me. He nicked a vein and I would have bled to death if the nurses hadn’t pulled another doctor out of another operation room to come help. As it was I got 8 units of blood. In the past…

So anyway best get busy doing something productive. 

Cactus, jewelry and sales. Oh My!

Just wanted to share some pictures from the Ethel M Chocolate cactus garden. I love the plants. So much life in the desert. 

 I want to plant some of these plants with the orange flowers around our yard. Maybe in the Spring. They bloom for a long time. 

 A tiny bit of color in the desert

 For those of you who have been to Baja a Boojum Tree. Doesn't seem to be doing too good here in Vegas. 

I took a lot of pictures but liked these the best. 
I continue to work diligently on my web page. Have discovered a lot of things that have to be fixed. How did it get so messed up? Links don't work, pages won't load...ugh! Going to finish up a few new additions today and then leave the real cleaning up for my recovery time. Won't be able to do anything but sit around then for a while. 
The park where we live is having a giant yard sale on the 17th - think we'll put some things out that we brought and aren't going to use.  And then the 5th of December there is a Craft and Bake sale. I've already reserved a table. Hopefully I'll be able to get rid of sell some stuff then. [jewelry, leather work,books]
Much to our surprise in September we sold 6 of our All The Way to Argentina books on Amazon. Our biggest sale month ever! 
Bill is watching a soccer game but I don't think I'll be watching much NASCAR for a few days. Horrible weather in Dover. Although there is a truck race tonight - from here in Vegas. 

Something to write about today

Today I have something to write about! First off the weather is great only in the high 80s today and getting cooler every day for a while. And this morning was the second morning we went walking around the park. Need to keep that up.
This is a little bunny sitting in the back yard. The back yard consists of rocks and three trees. Gotta love Las Vegas landscaping - no upkeep. 

Kind of different from what we had in Indiana. The animals were bigger there too. 

We had errands to run this morning - which didn't turn out the way we expected them to - but that's a different story. We were over in the Green Valley part of Henderson and saw these guys next to the highway. Took me a minute to realize they weren't real. So lifelike. 

And these guys were across the street. I love unexpectedly finding stuff like this. 

Bill hand an appointment with an eye doctor and when we got there they said they didn't accept our insurance - what? So good bye. Will find another one. On the way home we came upon the Ethel M Chocolate factory. We've been there before - especially around Christmas when they decorate their whole cactus garden. But decided to stop anyway. 

As we got there a tourist bus was leaving and another one didn't arrive until we were leaving. Yah! Just as you enter the tourist area. This in front of the cactus garden. 

Inside the factory, it was too busy today. But they were working on VALENTINE candy. All ready?

Some of the Valentine heart shaped candy - here it is tipped up and dumped out of the molds on to the conveyor belt on the left.

The candy moving down the line. Notice it separates into groups.

Oops what happened here? Only two candies in this section. 

Remind you of Lucy and Ethel? These ladies take the candy and put it in the Valentine boxes. 

Then of course we got a free sample and then into the sales room. Did I buy anything? What do you think. Yes I did. I got some "Spirit Chocolates" All different kinds of liquors in barrels. And as the cashier rung the sale up she put an ice pack in the bag with the candies to keep them from melting. How neat is that? The ice pack is the thing on the left. 

Quote "The Spirit Chocolates use crème beaters to individually blend rum, bourbon, amaretto, Irish Crème, coffee liqueur and orange liqueur into a creamy filling, then pour it into the decadent milk and dark chocolate shells for an intoxicatingly sweet chocolate treat." Unquote. Sounds good huh? I haven't had one yet. Waiting until after dinner. 
Took some pictures in the cactus garden but haven't sorted them yet. 
Usually today I would have spent watching NASCAR practice and qualifying - but it is in Dover, Del this week - and the track is under water. Doesn't look good for tomorrow or Sunday either.