American Pie on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada

American Pie on the Canopy

May 15, 2011

There is a wonderfully amazing light show on the canopy over Fremont Street in Las Vegas with a different show on the hour from 8 PM to midnight.  What is even more impressive is these shows change quite often so unless you purposely watch the same one during a visit, it will likely be the only time you see that show.  We watched the American Pie light show the first night we were there.  As with all the light shows that are part of the Fremont Street Experience, this one was impressive to say the least!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Vacation

We recently returned home safe and sound from our spring vacation that spanned from May 8 to 25 with a short 18 hr interval in between the two legs of our vacation.  The first part was spent in Las Vegas and the second at our vacation home in Florida.  Surprisingly it was less expensive to break up the trip than to do one trip with respect to flying.

It was a much needed vacation for both of us.  We went all out in Las Vegas so were exhausted and the brief stop at home didn't help but it was really a great time well spent with some of the best friends you could ever ask for.  Our luck was good there so we came home with a bit more than we went with.  Karma was on our side though.   The payoff was well worth it.  Our time spent at our vacation home was a bit laid back, sleeping late, sipping coffee and taking it easy.  A couple of our kids visited so the major attraction was Epcot at Disney World but other than that we really slowed down to the speed of life.  We managed to spend a couple of nights worth of entertainment with our musical friends (Ken Brady, et al) as well.  Both nights were incredible!

It seemed like we were in the airports and on planes a lot.  Flying to Las Vegas and the return trip was uneventful as was the flight to Tampa.  The return flight from Tampa wasn't a direct flight so we knew and were prepared for what was supposed to be a brief stop in Atlantic City without us deplanning.  When the pilot announced we were deplanning we knew that meant a delay.  The delay was due to the horrid storms going through where we would be landing.  The internet service in Atlantic City airport was about the closest thing to being out so we amused ourselves in a cute little restaurant.  Back on the plane three and a half hours later during which time I did not lose my cool once I edited a few pictures.  The pilot warned of bad turbulance but surprisingly the landing was rather decent given the adverse weather conditions. 

We are happy to be home but are already talking about our next vacation.  We are hoping to get down to our vacation home for a week during the summer but if not the fall plans are already in the works.  Our plans this year is to spend a total of three months at our vacation home so we still have a ways to go.  Vacations are wonderful breaks in the normal routine.  We are now at the age where longer vacations in warmer climates are a bit more appealing.  That's a good thing :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Gallery Row at Crystals in Las Vegas

Gallery Row at Crystals in Las Vegas

May 15, 2011

Las Vegas is all about the glitter, glamour and glitz of eye candy.  The new buildings constantly replacing older buildings are impressive to say the least.  They shimmer and shine in the sun with clouds creating the illusion of a changing facade.  They are massive buildings too.  Gallery Row at Crystals on Las Vegas Boulevard has a wonderfully impressive facade, beckoning visitors in to indulge in more eye candy.  Isn't it gorgeous?

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Buddha at the Aria Resort & Casino at City Center in Las Vegas

Buddha at Aria Resort & Casino

May 15, 2011

Many of the casinos on Las Vegas Boulevard aka the strip have gorgeous statues and fountains that visitors use to bring them a bit of good luck.  This buddha statue sits in the lobby of the Aria Resort & Casino.  It is sectioned off to prevent people from climbing on him for good luck and photo opportunities.  Not to be discouraged, visitors have taken to tossing coins at the buddha to bring good luck.  We each tossed a coin because when in Las Vegas a little extra good luck and karma is always appreciated.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

A Brief Break

We arrived home late last night from the last leg of our spring vacation that was spent partly in Las Vegas and the remainder at our vacation home in Florida.  We knew the return leg would involve a brief stopover in Atlantic City because we could not get a direct flight.  What we didn't expect was a three and a half hour delay for the connecting flight due to the extreme storms that were going through the area that would affect landing in Detroit.  On the heels of the devastation in Joplin, Missouri I for one did not mind the delay.  Our hearts go out to those in Joplin dealing with the tragic loss.  I'd rather arrive late but safe and sound. 

It was 93ºF when we left Florida arriving to 57ºF in Detroit.  We had to put the gas fireplace on to take off the chill in the house and we are back into winterwear.  My gosh the weather over the past few years just keeps getting worse, more violent and unpredictable.  I am exhausted today, happy to be home but tired.  Now it's time to get back into my normal routine, catch up on three weeks of Coronation Street and focus on getting the house sold.  It was wonderful to get away but good to be home.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - Looking Down

Looking Down

May 15, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your blessing Sunday - 100 Years

Yesterday I posted about the sad news of my husband's Grandma passing.  She celebrated 100 years of life back in February.  I can't imagine what 100 years' of memories would be.  She lived  through two world wars, immigrated with her husband and kids from Holland to Canada then along with some of the kids immigrated to the US fracturing the family into the Canadians and the Americans, raised a family of thirteen, buried several of her kids and yet beyond everything never once wavered in her faith.  She remained a devote Catholic until the day she died.  She was an inspiration to all who knew her.  Honestly she could give you lessens in living frugally, her home not about things and acquisitions but rather about family, love and her faith. It saddens me to write about her passing but it was a life well lived with a wonderful legacy left for those behind.  I feel very, very blessed to have met and loved such a wonderful person.  A 100 years well lived!  How amazing is that?

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Sad News

Death never comes at an opportune time for those left behind.  See life gets in the way and those dealing with the death have to disrupt their schedules or plans, find babysitters and make travel arrangements.  If they are anything like us they may even have to buy funeral clothes.  We got the news of the passing of my husband's Grandma today.  This is really a funeral there are no excuses for not attending so it means we will be doing a bit of juggling but it is important for us to be there.  See my husband is the oldest grandchild, son of her oldest son who passed away a few years ago.  He is the keeper of his father's family so he has that responsibility.  It's more than responsibility though.  Her and Grandpa fully supported us when we decided to marry as teenagers.  They were the epitome of marital strength celebrating their 70^th Wedding Anniversary.  He passed away shortly after that celebration.  She celebrated her 100^th birthday in February.  We were unable to attend.  Sadly we will be make one final trip to celebrate a life well lived.  And what a life it was!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Can You Canoe?

Canoe Sculpture Outside the Aria

May 15, 2011

It is amazing what recycled otherwise useless items that would end up in a landfill can be used for.  One of the most impressive uses it the creation of a sculpture that in some ways becomes a social statement.  There is a wonderfully amazing sculpture outside of the Aria Casino in Las Vegas created from canoes.  In a desert location the presence of canoes is rather an oxymoron and yet it fits well with the general theme of Las Vegas being a city that shouldn't be.  The sculpture portraits so many underlying messages though.  I think it is quite fitting in the grand scheme of Las Vegas echoing some of the past and present concerns.  What a wonderful way to use items that would have ended up in a landfill!  The contrast between the old, used of the canoes and new, shiny of the casino is quite impressive.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Las Vegas a City Without a History

The Cosmopolitan

May 15, 2011

Las Vegas has to be one of the most amazing cities there ever was.  It is a city that should not be.  Ecologically it is a disaster.  It is a city without a history.  Well it does have a history, rich and colourful but any buildings depicting that history have been torn down to make room for newer, taller, bigger, glitzier casinos and motels.  The only thing remaining from some of these old casinos is with any luck the original neon signs that are slowly being restored for display along Fremont Street.  We have not been in Las Vegas during a casino implosion but we have seen several casinos go.

We stayed at Bob Stupak's Vegas World during our first visit to Las Vegas.  Shortly after it was demolished for the new Stratosphere.  I think it was the next trip we were able to visit the Sands Casino, home of The Rat Pack, for the last time.  It was imploded the same year to make way for the very impressive Bellagio Casino.  We had a routine were we always stopped at the Klondike casino, a cheap dive that most would be scared to sit on the seats, but it was always our first stop in Las Vegas.  They had 10 cent roulette, $1 blackjack and food that likely could show you views of Las Vegas you really didn't want to see.  The drinks were cheap but really drinks in Las Vegas are free if you are gambling anyway.  I think there were about 30 slot machines and that's it.  Yet is was our tradition to stop there.  The last trip we arrived to find the Klondike gone, without leaving so much as a sign, just an empty lot.  Gosh we miss that place!  We were there the year Frank Sinatra died and oh my gosh what a sight to see the strip go dark in his honour!  I think that was the last year for the Holiday Inn casino and the Westward Ho casino.  This year we were saddened to hear the Sahara Casino was slated to close on May 16.  We made one final trip there but it was almost as good as closed by then.  The guys didn't get a chance to ride the rollercoaster, the floor was practically bare, the shops were marked down to 50% off and the atmosphere was dismal.  I moseyed up to the bar to get a drink in a souvenir glass.  The next time we visit the Saraha Casino will likely be nothing more than an empty lot with the starts of a new casino being erected.

So it goes with Las Vegas.  The only place the history exists is in pictures and memories the media and tourists have.  It is a shame though because Las Vegas has such a rich history.  Oh sure there are a few small museums dedicated to the history of Las Vegas but historical buildings are gone, always being replaced for the new.  In some ways this is part of the attraction of Las Vegas!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - The Shark Tank

The Shark Tank at Golden Nugget

May 15, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Airport Security

We have had the great pleasure of flying recently.  That means if you are really interested you can see me nakkid if you hack into the airport security.  I'm told the images are short lived and I should not be glowing in the dark.  Since I'm sleeping in the dark I doubt I will notice any glowing anyway but so far I have grown fangs or anything strange although I have noticed a few more grey hairs and wrinkles.  I'm not sure if they are due to the x-ray machine or not but suspect they are because I was firm and fit before walking through that scanner ;)  I'm not kidding after raising kids and a long term marriage I still looked like a 19 year old.  Ok and if you buy that one I have a bridge for sale.  I swear I have full title on it!

Anyway, airport security has tightened up and that's a good thing in my books.  What I don't understand is some folks simply don't want to comply with airport security.  It boggles my mind!  The TSA says all liquids under 3 oz need to be in a clear plastic zipper bag otherwise discard it.  Which part of 3 oz don't these people understand and when they have to dump the item they complain to high heaven and yet the rules are clearly spelled out.  Then there are the idiots who can't understand the simple command "seat belts on when seated". Apparently that is some skin off their nose so they just don't have to wear their seat belts.  These very same people will use electronic devices when they aren't supposed to because they are 'special'.  The rules just don't apply to them.  I honestly would like to slap these folks and I'm not kidding.  They show a lack of respect for the airline and their inconsiderate actions takes the attention from the safety of the aircraft over to their self-centred nonsense.  Here's a flipping clue - if you don't want to conform to the rules of flying DON'T FLY!  Do everyone a favour and find another mode of transportation.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

The Pigeon on Fremont Street

The Pigeon on Fremont Street

May 9, 2011

Walking down Fremont Street under the canopy in Las Vegas, I marveled at how much things had changed since our last visit.  The Plaza at the end of Fremont Street was closed and under construction.  A ride had been added near the other end allowing those brave enough to be suspended from a cable to ride along a portion of the canopy above the crowds.  Neonopolis on the east end of the canopy is virtually a ghost town.  All the little shops are closed up, the courtyard empty with the exception of transients.  The ideal of convincing families that Las Vegas is a great place for a family vacation appears to have disappeared.  The Golden Gate now has scantily clad dancers inside on mini stages between the tables and outside on the bar.  Wandering around Fremont Street are a multitude of the famous like Marilyn Monroe, Mike Myers and Michael Jackson.  Yours truly even had her picture taken with Beetlejuice!  Pigeons seemed to have full reign of the street, happily walking along with the tourists stopping to pick up whatever morsels they could.  A striking difference was the large number of transients and homeless on Fremont Street.

They provide a striking contrast to the merry making tourists.  In the past they had been strongly discouraged from loitering on Fremont Street with security pushing them to the side streets away from the canopy.  The reason for this was a combination of public safety and to prevent them from begging mainly to support their drug and alcohol addictions as well as solicitation.  There was a quiet form of begging as well as one organization asking for donations to help the homeless.  Blatant begging will draw attention of security who keep a rather close eye on the transients, always ready to move them away from the canopy.  The casinos on Fremont Street won't tolerate them inside at all.  When we first started going to Las Vegas I was shocked at the homelessness but now I have come to realize that this is a chosen lifestyle for many of them.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your blessing Sunday - Resilience

I have to admit when I first started out on line over 20 years ago I was a newbie.  I let things bother me and I took things to heart.  Fast forward to now and I'm a seasoned online user in several mediums.  I've been a member of a particular online group for a number of years.   One particular member has decided to make me his punching bag.  Now the beauty of any troll type messages as long as you don't respond they have no idea if their comments ever hit the mark.  A couple of days ago, he decided to send yet another nasty message off list of course so I decided I had had enough.  If you are going to make a response, make it big so I did.  I honestly could never have survived what I have without developing a bit of resilience.  If some nameless person thinks they are going to be able to take me down by bombarding me with nasty emails all I can say is good luck.  It's not going to happen because I have a very well developed resilience that serves me quite nicely.  Resilience is a blessing!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blogger Outage

My apologies.  Due to the recent Blogger outage, you have likely seen a few strange things going on with the blog.  All posts made after Wednesday, May 11 at 7:37 AM were temporarily removed due to a Blogger maintenance issue.  They were slowly being restored this morning so by now all should be back to normal.  In the meantime you may have seen a post then the post was missing then it reappeared.  Normal posting on this blog will resume as soon as the Blogger platform becomes stable again which I suspect will not be long.  Blogger never goes down for this length of time so I'm sure it has been as frustrating for them as it has been for bloggers. At any rate it looks like things are starting to work properly so we shall see...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

A Bit Off Track

I am a bit off track with blogging so need to get my blogging mojo back.  It's time to find a bit of blog fodder for this blog to get the posts going again.  Now where shall I look?  I have a couple of ideas.  Perhaps there will be a couple of good emails to share from my email file.  Oh and the telemarketers also provide a bit of comic relief. Off to find blog fodder...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog Your Blessings Sunday - Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day so first off to all the Moms out there Happy Mother's Day.  Oh gosh, today is one of those bittersweet days.  My biological Mom died shortly after I was born and my foster Mom in 1989.  For some reason I am extremely nostalgic this year.  I would love for my Mom, the one who gave birth to me to see what I have become.  I'd love to hear her voice.  I never heard it that I can remember so I wonder if I sound like her.   I know I look like her side but I wonder about the manerisms I have even though I've been told I'm so much like her.   I'd love her to see that despite everything, I'm ok. I'd love her to get to know the beautiful little grandchildren who have come into our lives, her great grandchildren.    I'm sure she is looking down from above and seeing all is well perhaps putting in a helping hand from time to time.  I tell you we can always use a helping hand from and angel above.

Right now though I am really missing the Mom who raised me.  This Mom taught me all the values and gave me the skills to survive all of what life can toss my way.  She taught me to laugh, stay strong in the face of adversity and never give up.  She taught me that the world can be mean and cruel, sometimes you have to be an ornery bitch at times but for the most part the world is a wonderful and loving place to be, to embrace the good and tolerate the bad if need be.  She taught me that failure is not an option, a B instead of an A is never an option and performance at the drop of a hat is key.  Perfection ruled!  Hugs were not the norm but that twinkle in her eyes said all I needed.  There have been days that oh my God, I never thought I could get through but I somehow did (RIP GMT 1960-1995) and it is because of this Mom that I was able to.  I am a stronger person because of this Mom and oh my gosh, I miss her so very, very much!  If I could have just one day back to share with her...just one day....I love you so much Mom.

Now I would be very remise in the uncharactistic sentimental blog post to not mention my mother-in-law.  I don't think she really liked me all that much at first but hey I took away her oldest while knowing nothing about being a wife.  She became in every meaning of the word my Mom.   Other folks talk about how they don't like their MIL but I liked mine.  I respected her, her opinions and her values.  She taught me how to cook the dishes her son now my husband loved so much.  She taught me the basics of canning.  She was there for us and continued to support us no matter what and I'm sure we did a few things she did not approve of but she was never judgemental.  I would love to have her see our kids now, one who is the spitting image of her and the grandkids, her greatgrandkids.  She seriously would get such a hoot of of the grandkids.  I can see her up there in heaven chuckling at their antics!  Actually it wouldn't be a chuckle it would be an all out heartly laugh enjoying them to their fullest the very way she lived her life. 

I proudly wear my tulips for all three Moms today.

In memorium DBL 1941-1961
In memorium HMR 1903-1989
In memorium MAV 1938-1989

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Today's Shopping Experience

I broke down to go shopping today.  Goodness, I hate shopping and I forgot it would be busy with the last minute Mother's Day shoppers.  The reason behind the shopping trip was our One:One single cup coffee maker is leaking profusely.  This small appliance is a must have given the entertaining we do.  I can brew one cup of fresh coffee rather than a full pot in the percolator and the taste is so much nicer than instant.  So I was off shopping, stopping first at Walmart where it was a toss-up between a Tassimo, lower end Keurig or a Hamilton Beach.  A couple of our kids give two thumbs up for the Keurig so trusting their judgement I mosied over to Canadian Tire.  They too had the lower end Keurig that isn't programmable.  I figure if I'm going to buy one I might as well get some rather handy features on it.  With no success at Walmart or Canadian Tire I headed home to check online.  Jeesh I wish I had thought of that before heading out ;)  I found the recommended Keurig at Future Shop so headed there where I promptly dropped $200, thanked them very much and was on my way back home.  I am now sitting sipping on a lovely fresh brewed coffee recouping from my very traumatic shopping day.  Hopefully none of the other small appliances decide to quite on me...oh wait we already know the food processor has issues and is only partly usable [sigh].  Apparently at some point I will have to repeat the horrid shopping experience.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

A Couple of Thoughts on Marriage

My husband and I have a unique marriage based on respect but unlike those who quip they never fight we do.  Oh gosh, we've had a few dilly fights because I have a temper.  However there are some topics while we may discuss on the surface just are not up for discussion in our married life.  They are religion, politics and personal decisions regarding health care.  It's not that we don't agree or that we do it is just that these topics are not ones up for discussion to the point because they evoke very strong emotions that could cause a more than nasty fight.  We learned a long time ago that we were not going to change each other's minds on these topics so not delving into the details manages to keep peace in the household.

Just imagine being a fly on our wall over the last five weeks with the upcoming, forced election.  My gosh, talk about fight fodder!  Yet the only thing said in our home during the entire five weeks related to the election was "Where are the voter's cards?"  That's it!  There wasn't even so much a a comment in passing as we drove to the polling station or on the way to eat out after.  Nada, nothing a testimony to the respect we share for each other  as a couple :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Is Osama bin Laden Dead

My gosh, within a couple minutes of the tweets on Twitter announcing Osama bin Laden's death well before Obama gave an official announcement the conspiracy therorists were in full gear.  The real question right now is Osama bin Laden dead?  The reality is there is evidence on both sides.  There is even evidence the evil one died shortly after 9/11.  The DNA evidence at best is scant by using markers from Osama's sister.  Now if it were his mother or father that might be a different story.  The fact that Obama will not release the pictures of Osama's corpse speaks of a couple of issues and the one they are purporting is the images coulud incite anti-US violence.  But there have been almost nothing so far to date as far as anti-US demonstrations.  In fairness even if they did show images of the corpse it could easily be a bogus picture achieved via Photoshop.  Someone with an average knowledge of using Photoshop could easily doctor a picture of Osama to include whatever they wanted including horns if they so chose so this isn't a real Eistein thing.  One could speculate the US is not releasing the images because the images don't exist in the first place.  Once could question as to why the news of Osama bin Laden's death was masterminded to be on May 1 the same day as Hitler's death and one could even go further as to question why his death was released on the heels of Donald Trumps accusation that Obama is not a full fledged American.  To give credit to the consipiracy theorists there is more than ample ammunition as to whether things happened as the US is reporting.

Some things the US is reporting just don't jive.  Apparently they found all this information on Osama's computers and yet there was no internet connection?  Ok, so perhaps they were passing information all via flash drives and CDs.  Now that is possible but not as practical as it sounds.  The US says the burial was at sea taking into account Muslim burial traditions.  Hello!  The guy was responsible for hundreds of death so how on earth does his burial fall under Muslim traditions?  Let's just say this evil one was entitled to a religious burial, one officer who claims to have been there said on air that there is no way they would have honoured a religious burial for Osama. 

Adding to the conspiracy theory is the US has announced that Osama bin Laden was not armed when they claimed to have killed him.  Fake photos have already been circulating.  There has been absolutely no chatter on the terrorist network since the claimed killing.  It is as if the terrorist knew Osama either died long agon or is still alive but either way they are not fizzed about the new events.  Then there is that nice little comment that Osama was dead but his death would not be announced until it was politically beneficial.  Oh I don't know, announcing you killed public enemy number one in the midst of political controversy as to whether the president really is American, kind of takes away from the citizenship issue, doesn't it.  I'm just saying!  Something is not adding up here and quite frankly the evidence is leaning heavily towards the conspiracy theorists at the moment.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Wordless Wednesday - Old Glory

Old Glory

April 10, 2011

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Peace on Earth is an Oxymoron

On the heels of Osama Bin Laden's death Sunday evening there were many voicing their sentiments that finally there could be peace.  These folks as good as their intentions are are sadly deluding themselves.  There has never in the history of the world been peace on earth and quite frankly given human nature there never will be.  War and violence started with the beginning of mankind and it will continue until the end of mankind.  My gosh some are forgetting the Holy Wars and how many battles have been fought over religion.  How many lives have been lost because of religion?  Canada was founded based on war as was pretty much every country in the world.  So the reality is peace on earth is an oxymoron.  It's a nice sentiment but a myth.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Osama Bin Laden

Last night I was finishing up a bit of online activity when the news of Osama Bin Laden's death started trickling down through Twitter.  I immediately turned on the new to see if it was true.  It didn't matter that I was exhausted I had to see this breaking news.  I watched the press release last night and have been watching the news all day today.  Unlike some I will not be dancing in the streets over the death of another but I can't say I'm disappointed in the news of his death either.  War is war.  Bin Laden as the leader of Al Qaeda was responsible for so many deaths.  There is no doubt that he was every bit as evil as Aldolf Hitler.  It's ironic that his death came on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) further binding his association with Hitler for eternity.  I am glad Osama Bin Laden was buried at sea.  This measure will prevent any land site becoming a shrine to such an evil being. 

The sad thing is Osama Bin Laden's death will not bring back the innocent lives lost through his reign of terror nor will it ease the pain of those who lost loved ones via his hand.  I sincerely hope on some level that his death will bring some closure to those victims of 9/11.  There is already talk of his of his death being avenged.  I'm hoping this prediction will not come to pass.  There has been enough bloodshed and loss of innocent lives. 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Blog our blessings Sunday - Secrets

I swear a pinkie in my eye...or whatever oath you shall give to swear your unwavering stance to keep a secret.  I have one of the best secrets ever but I swore the sacred oath so I can't divulge just yet.  Now, there are only two of us in this whole wide world that know the secret and neither one of us are telling.  Isn't it great to have such blind trust and faith in another that the secret will remain just between the two? 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011