VEGAS, HERE WE COME

I always seem to post when we're going to Vegas. Does that tell you anything? Mom is here and going this time. We usually don't go when she's here because it is a five hour trip and she is seventy eight. She hasn't been for about 7 or 8 years so she is flying high.

Years ago, I would use a couple of days vacation and we would take off. Sometimes there were four of us women-sometimes just Mom and I. What a time we had! No husbands to tell us we had to go to bed, no one to tell us it was time to get up. We just did whatever we damn well pleased for a few days. That is a heady experience for a grown woman. It only happens when your children are all grown and secure and you have a husband who knows how important this kind of time is once in a while.

We did have some situations: one time we went in my little blue Toyota which was wearing out. By the time we hit the top of mountains, we were doing about 20 m.p.h., There were two Hispanic men who looked like Father and Son having the same trouble so all the way to Vegas we would wave at each other and laugh at whichever of us had the least head start on each mountain. What a hoot! The unfun part was when my headlights went out on the way home just as we came off a hairpin turn on Old Highway 58. The car would never do it again but needless to say, it was time for a trade-in.

One night we went to Binion's to play Bingo and couldn't find our car afterwards. Finally, after watching us walk by him about five times (2:00 a.m.), a nice security guard explained that we had to turn around and walk the other way to find our car. We did but I've never figured out how that garage worked. Actually, I think that was the same trip with the Old Toyota and if someone had stolen it, they would have done us a favor.

One time we went to Laughlin. I kept telling my husband that there weren't any mountains on the way. He half convinced me, though. We had a flat about 75 miles out of Barstow. A nice young soldier stopped to help us. After he changed the tire and asked us where we were headed, he kindly told us we were going in the wrong direction. We had to go back to Barstow, get a new tire and head back out in the right direction.

When we went with our Friends, B and M we would have a great trip, too, except M is my good friend but a little odd. She gets really absorbed in slot machines sometimes and misses part of the fun we are having. She is a dreadful tipper, too. Mom would distract her and B or I would sneak back and adjust the tip under her plate. If we can save up enough money to go gambling (we're working people), then by Damn Sure we can keep enough money to tip working people over there enough to help them live. I would rather not go out to eat if I can't include a decent trip.

I think the funniest thing that every happened was this: We went to the Colorado Belle in Laughlin. Everyone sat down to play slots while I checked us in. Mom and my money were in an envelope in my brand new purse. I got us checked in and walked over to her. Just at that minute she won an $80.00 jackpot. In her excitement, she dragged the cord connecting her to her slot club card across my cigarette (we all smoked, then). The ash dropped into my purse onto a tissue next to our money and caught on fire. I was able to get it out without burning up our money but ruined my purse.
I put the burned mess in an ashtry. M came over to see what Mom had won and put her cigarette out in that ashtray and caught the whole mess on fire again. I bet the people who worked there were dismayed that we were checking in instead of out.

Anyway, we've had lots of memories and stories.

Later,

Bev

MOMS

My Mom flew out to visit me for a couple of months. She is 78 but she tries to take care of me. While I am at work, she makes the beds, gathers walnuts, keeps the dog fed and keeps the house picked up. It really helps me (I don't want her to overdo, though) but the other thing is, it helps her.
Us Moms need to be needed.

I, too, like to do whatever I can for my daughters. Once they get through the teenage years and you become friends again, there is nothing more rewarding than to give them a little help whether it's just a little bit financial, doing a pan of dishes or providing a night of babysitting. I always hope that they know how much their Dad and I love them and realize that if we can help ease their hardships, it's a lot easier on our hearts.

I've had people tell me that when their kids turn 18 that they will be so happy that they don't have to worry about them anymore. Some of those friends have already had to eat their words. How can you stop worrying and caring about your children because they reach a certain age? Once they are adults and have families of their own, there is so much more to worry about. Some people think that men don't worry so much. That is a fallacy. My husband hurts when our girls hurt and when our grandchildren hurt.

Life is not a bowl of cherries. Life is a struggle but there are huge rewards: graduations with honors, that basket made from the other end of the court, the rare, perfect smile of happiness from a little one, weddings and births. As a parent you appreciate your infants but not nearly in the way a grandparent can appreciate clutching a little one to themselves in a rocking chair and knowing how precious and fleeting this time is. I would hope that at the end of my life, I can know I tried my hardest and know that my family will remember me with love. Is

Anyway, that's how I'm feeling today. It might bore someone else but I guess I need to remind myself today what is important

DUH!

Two weeks ago, I thought I had an eye infection and started using antibiotic drops in both eyes. My eyes seemed better on weekends but during the week, they got continually worse. I have an appointment at the opthamologist tomorrow so I thought I could stick it out.

Yesterday, both eyes were so bloodshot that I looked albino and they were almost buttoned shut. Needless to say, I decided not to wait until tomorrow. Guess what the optometrist said? "Are you using any new makeup?" Duh!

I'm now using a steroid in my eyes that he prescribed and my eyes are almost normal in one day.

Has anyone but me ever done anything this stupid?

Wouldn't you think it would have occured to MOI that the fact my eyes were better on the weekend would have told me something? I've never had allergies to anything before and it didn't occur to me that this could be it. Apparently, I never had an eye infection to begin with.

BLOGGING

Does anyone but me have a problem with these blogging accounts? About half the time, I can't get back on here. I know I am not stupid!

Not much is going on. I have been sewing for my long distance grandkids.
I finished 2 outfits for the girl and ordered some embroidered motorcyle patches on line ( for his two new outfits from the store) for the boy (He is nuts about motorcyles).

The motorcyle patches company MJ Trim (online) made me truly angry. I ordered on 4-23-07 and paid for three days shipping. They were sent on 4-30. I asked them for a credit on the postage. We will see how that goes.
The worst thing is, they were finally delivered on May 3rd. The UPS man apparently put them on the cement inside the breezeway and my dog thought they were dinner. Luckily, I guess he didn't like the taste so none of them were ruined. I will be washing the things before I send them up so no harm was done.

I would love to see the little one's face when he sees the motorcyle clothing.

Anyway, nothing is new or exciting here so I'm signing off.

BLATHERING

That's a good title for someone who can't think of anything to say. Actually, I can think of a lot more stuff when things aren't going well so I guess that's not a bad thing, right?

My husband's club had a dance last Saturday. It's a men's club but one night a year they invite the "widders". For some reason, it wasn't a success and only about 49 of the expected 200 showed up. The dinner was great but-Oh My God-the music!

They hired one of their guys to play music (he's supposedly a DJ). He never announced a song or spoke a word. There was no one under forty there and most of us were in our fifties. I would have thought after an hour or so that he would have realized that nobody was dancing when he played hiphop music and omitted playing anymore of it for the evening.

Needless to say, the party was supposed to last until midnight and the place was cleared out by 10:45 p.m. Maybe that was his intention. I hope they prorated the amount they paid him by the hours he had to work(sic).

The other teeny problem was no dessert. For me, this is a cardinal sin. I don't care how scrumptious the chow is, I need my sugar hit!

Maybe next year, they ought to let the "Widders" plan it for them.

BLOGGING

Never, Never, Never remove your cookies. I have finally figured out how to get my blog back. Something that is supposed to be fun shouldn't be so darn difficult.

We had a wonderful visit with all the kids and grandkids this weekend. Oh, and we had a wonderful visit with our granddogs and great grandpuppies.

I made popcorn balls which I told myself were for everyone else and finished the last one for breakfast this morning. I'm glad they're gone because my mouth is really sore.

I'm coming along well with my leg and and back to work full time after two weeks instead of the estimated four to six the doctor estimated. Lucky me!

Well, that's all for now.

OUR BABY

My youngest grandson is wonderful. He is loving, bright and funny. He loves lights, fans, clocks and anything that makes noise. He also has PDD (a mild form of autism). There is a wonderful article about this in the August Reader's Digest.

I read that many countries had banned thimerosal (a mercury-containing preservative in innoculations) many years before the U.S. did. If it is found that this is the cause of PDD, shame on our government and on the drug companies. The government and the drug companies should have to pay for the teaching of our children and pledge a lifelong committment to provide them with what they need for the rest of their lives. It is truly sickening to me that this practice was allowed to continue.

Our baby is luckier than many. His case is relatively mild. He has a Mom who recognized something was wrong quite early and she spends the time she needs to ensuring that he stays on a gluten free, casein free diet. It is very difficult to make everything tasty but she does a great job.