PT'S ON SUNSET

WE WERE UP BEFORE THE CRACK OF DAWN ON FRIDAY MORNING TO PICK UP WENDY AND GRANDMA TO DRIVE TO VEGAS AND DROP OFF WENDY AT THE AIRPORT FOR HER RETURN FLIGHT TO MINNEAPOLIS.

NORMALLY THIS 100 MILE TRIP IS LIKE DRIVING THE LUNAR MODULAR ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE MOON. THE LANDSCAPE IS ALL AN UGLY BROWN, NO TREES, ROCKS , MOUNTAINS, FLAT DESERT WITH MATCHING BROWN SAGE BRUSH, AND YOU SEE THIS VIEW FOR 10 MILES IN ANY DIRECTION. IT TOOK ME SEVERAL YEARS TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE MOHAVE DESERT LANDSCAPE.

TODAY'S TRIP WAS REMARKABLY DIFFERENT DUE TO THE FREAKY SNOW STORM THAT HIT VEGAS EARLIER THIS WEEK. HELL, EVEN REX HAD CHRISTMAS CAROLS JINGLING IN MY HEAD.

PT'S IS A LOCAL CHAIN OF BAR AND GRILLS IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA. THERE ARE ABOUT 17 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. SINCE PAULIE WORKS GRAVEYARD, AND GETS OFF AT 5 AM, IF WE ARE GOING TO BE IN VEGAS WE USUALLY MEET HIM FOR BREAKFAST AT THE PT'S ON SUNSET ROAD.

AFTER DROPPING WENDY AT THE AIRPORT, WE MET UP WITH PAULIE FOR BREAKFAST. YOU COULD TELL PAULIE'S BEEN ON THE DESERT IN LAS VEGAS FOR A LONG TIME, BY THE GLOW OF THE SNOW IN HIS EYES AND STORIES OF HIS NEW SNOWBOARD AND DRIVING IN THE SNOW WITH THE VEGAS IDIOTS.

THIS WAS 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW, 35 DEGREES, SO THERE WAS NO ICE UNDER THE SNOW, AND 16 OF PAULIE'S FELLOW DEALERS CALLED OFF BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T DRIVE INTO WORK. CLARK COUNTY CALLED OFF SCHOOL, AND THE AIRPORT SHUT DOWN.

WE ALL ENJOYED LISTENING TO PAUL TELL THE STORIES OVER BREAKFAST.

THE PUNCH LINE

"(Monday) at a press conference in Baghdad, an angry Iraqi threw his shoes at President Bush's head. When he saw the shoes, President Bush said, 'See? I knew you guys had weapons of mass destruction.'" -- Conan O'Brien