HACIENDA INTERIORS

LAST MONTH WHEN HANS AND RENEE WERE HERE VISITING, WE MADE A ROAD TRIP TO THE HOOVER DAM, AND WHEN WE DROVE THROUGH BOLDER, NV BOTH MARY’S AND RENEE’S HEAD SNAPPED BACK TO LOOK AT A GARDEN SHOP THAT WAS SURROUND BY BRIGHT FLOWERS.

TRAFFIC WAS BAD AND MARY TOLD RENEE THAT ON ONE OF OUR FUTURE TRIPS TO VEGAS SHE’D CHECK IT OUT AND GET BACK TO RENEE.



SO TODAY’S BLOG IS THE REPORT FOR RENEE. THE FLOWERS ARE ALL BIGHTLY PAINTED METAL SCULPTURES.






THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS IS HACIENDA INTERIORS (LINK).  BESIDES THE FLOWERS, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF METAL AND CONCRETE SCULPTURES FOR SALE.  BESIDES THE STORE, THERE IS A LARGE BACK YARD TO CHOOSE FROM.

HERE IS DAWN’S CHOICE FOR HER NEW HOME…..




I THOUGHT THESE DRAGONS MIGHT SPRUCE UP CABLE LAKE A LITTLE.




YOU NAME IT THEY HAD IT, TURTLES, FLOWERS, DRAGONS, CACTUS, PARROTS, BUTTERFLIES, AND ON AND ON.


“SUNNY & 80”

THE COSMOPOLITAN

MARY’S BUDDY DAWN CALLED LAST WEEK FROM TEXAS AND ASKED IF WE WOULD PICK HER UP IN LAS VEGAS AT THE AIRPORT LATER IN THE WEEK.

YAHOO, A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS.  SCRATCH PAULIE, HE WENT HOME TO IOWA FOR THE WEEK-END TO VISIT HIS MOM AND MAGA. WE NEED TO STOP AT GOLD COAST TO FILL UP THE LIQUOR CABINET, HAVEN’T BOUGHT JACK DANIELS SINCE OUR TRIP TO BELIZE, OR TEQUILA SINCE OUR TRIP TO MEXICO.  WE BUY OUR BOOZE AT THE GOLD COAST CASINO IN VEGAS BECAUCE OF THE GOOD PRICES AND THE DISCOUNT YOU GET WITH A PLAYERS CARD. WELL, WE USED TO GET A DISCOUNT WITH THE PLAYERS CARD, NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE A THOUSAND POINTS ON YOUR CARD.  HOW MANY SLOT POINTS ON MY CARD?  EXACTLY ZERO.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA WAS THE NEWEST HOTEL/CASINO ON THE STRIP, THE COSMOPOLITAN.  IT OPENED IN DECEMBER.  WE PARKED IN THE OLD SURFACE PARKING LOT AT THE TROPICANA AND HIKED DOWN THE WEST SIDE OF THE STRIP.


WHY IS IT THAT EVERYTIME I HIT THE STRIP IN LAS VEGAS IT TRIGGERS A BLOG RANT?  WALKING THE STRIP CAN BE QUITE A HIKE.  THE BUILDINGS ARE SO BIG, AND YOU LOOK DOWN THE STREET, AND SAY TO YOURSELF, LOOK IT’S JUST A FEW BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET, LET’S WALK.  IT CAN BE A LONG HARSH HIKE.

THAT’S WHY I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE COMING TO VEGAS TO BRING GOOD HIKING SHOES AND PLENTY OF MONEY TO HELP KEEP NEVADA '”GREEN”.

WITH ALL THE NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET, CITY CENTER AND THE COSMOPOLITAN, THEY HAVE ADDED SOME STREETS OR DRIVEWAYS, AND TO KEEP THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC OUT OF WAY THEY BUILD A WALKING BRIDGE OVER THE ROAD.




SO WHAT WAS A TUFF HIKE ON THE STRIP, NOW INCLUDES SEVERAL HALF BLOCK DETOURS AND 10 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 

SEE THE BRIDGE IN THE LOWER PART OF THE PHOTO.  WHILE YOU’RE LOOKING BACK AT THE PHOTO, WOULD CARE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU WOULD BUILD A NEW BILLION DOLLAR HOTEL THAT LEANS LIKE THAT?

$7 BUD LITES, $13 DOLLAR ICE CREAM CONES, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, AND $50 MINIMUM BETS ON BLACKJACKS GAMES THAT ONLY PAY $6 FOR $5 ON BLACKJACK?

THAT’S IT, I’M NEVER GOING BACK TO THE STRIP AGAIN, UNTIL THE NEXT TIME, (END OF RANT).

WHAT ABOUT THE COSMOPOLITAN?  OH YA, THE SUBJECT OF TODAY’S BLOG, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE THREE OR FOUR STORY PINK CHANDELER.




COME ON MARY, LET’S CLIMB THESE STAIRS AND TRY THE OTHER SIDE ON THE STREET FOR THE HIKE BACK.

“SUNNY & 80”

Parkside Village

By Uncle Hans

We stopped in to visit Grandma Jean at her new digs at Parkside Village in Green Bay.............





.....the place is brand new and a couple of blocks from Neil's and where her condo is.  Her room is nice, here she is talking to Hannah about a painting Hannah did for her.  Unfortunately, the camerman failed to get a picture of the painting..........





.....The bathroom is large and safe............





........There is a kitchenette, but meals are offered in the dining room if you don't want to cook...........





......The common areas are all decorated with knick-knacks from bygone years.  This is a display of handheld mirrors, all painted on the back.  Another spot had spats and buttonhooks...........





........Mom worked with a craft group a few days ago to make this blanket, which they are donating to the Green Bay homeless shelter.............

 



........this is the family room, where families can come and have parties for birthdays, etc.  Mom was telling me about the the deer which were playing out in the back which is open land back to a river.  She pointed out the deer preferred the cultivated and mown grass near the building, not the weeds which were further away from the building.........

 


.....Hannah found this gorgeous painting in the lobby.  It is downtown Paris and down with a oil paint and a spatula, not brush.   Very cool...........





.....every room has a shadow box, just outside her room in the common area, which is to display momentos.  Hers needs work so we are sending out a plea for little momentos.  This box can be easily changed and whenever she likes...............

.....all in all, we felt great that Grandma Jean has a nice place in Room 110 at Parkside Village.  

By Uncle Hans

What Is It?

By Uncle Hans

Aunt Kathy's favorite uncle, Eddie, recently passed away.  She, her Mom and her aunt have been cleaning out his house, finding untold treasures from the past.  Like many many silver dollars from the 1850's.  They also found this thing............

.....what the hell is it?..............

.....even with all that beer to help us, Neil doesn't know..............

.....here is a hint...........

......here is another hint................

.....Yep!  It's a hat-stretcher!  for storing your hat so it does not lose it's size or shape.......

.....here it is "opened".  By turning the knob, the thing expands to the right size and it holds the shape of the hat.....

By Uncle Hans

SPRING BREAK LAUGHLIN

SPRING BREAK JUST FLEW BYE !!!  FOR THE SAUCER BOYS, IT WAS JUST THE FIRST THREE DAYS, AND NEXT WAS A COUPLE OF DAYS IN LAS VEGAS, AND A STOP AT THE GRAND CANYON ON THE WAY HOME TO ALBUQUERQUE.

TO CHECKOUT AMY’S PHOTOS, CLICK.

I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH THE LAST, AND MY FAVORITE PICTURE.

 “SUNNY & 80”

GOLF, POOL, AND MOVIES

OUR LAST DAY TOGETHER INCLUDED MINATURE GOLF, SWIMMING POOL TIME, AND THE MOVIES. I WISH THEY HAD A SPRING BREAK EVERY MONTH !!!

“SUNNY & 80”

LAKE MOHAVE

WHAT’S SPRING BREAK WITHOUT A LITTLE BEACH TIME?  SO WE LOADED UP THE BOYS AND HEADED OUT TO  LAKE MEAD RECREATIONAL AREA ABOVE DAVIS DAM AND LAKE MOHAVE.

SUBWAY PROVIDED THE PICNIC LUNCH.

 

OF COURSE GETTING IN THE WATER WAS IRRESISTIBLE.

ACTUALLY WE HAD THINGS A LITTLE BACKWARDS, AND ENDED UP CHANGEING THE BOYS INTO THEIR DRY SWIM SUITS AND OUT OF THEIR WET CLOTHES FOR THE TRIP BACK TO LAUGHLIN.

 

KITE FLYING WAS ALSO ON THE AGENDA FOR THE BEACH TRIP.

EVENING BROUGHT UNCLE PAUL AND THE FAMILY DINNER OUTING AT THE BREW PUB IN THE COLORADO BELLE.

SPRING BREAK 2011

BABY SITTING

AM I OUT OF MY MIND?  REBA WAS IN TOWN FOR A ONE NIGHT OUTDOOR CONCERT.  I OFFERED TO BABY SIT, IF AMY AND DANIEL COULD SCORE TICKETS AND WANTED TO ATTEND (I FIGURED, TOO EXSPENSIVE OR SOLD OUT).

DAMN, IF DANIEL DIDN’T GET TICKETS IN ROW NUMBER 11, FRONT AND CENTER. I HAD TO MAKE GOOD ON MY OFFER TO BABY SIT, AND MARY HAD TO WORK AT THE CASINO.

I HAD A PLAN, THE FIVE MILE HIKE, AND A COUPLE HOURS OF POOL TIME SHOULD HAVE THOSE BOYS SACKED OUT 10 MINUTES AFTER THEIR PARENTS LEAVE, RIGHT?

NOPE.

IT WAS PAYBACK TIME, DE JA VU ….

I GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF THREE BOYS, AND TODAY IS JUST LIKE THE DAYS OF BOBBY, NORMY, AND NEIL.  THEY SCREAMED, FOUGHT, JUMPED ON THE BED, RAIDED THE COOLERS, AND CARRIED ON ……. WELL, JUST LIKE BOBBY, NORMY, AND NEIL AT AGES 9 – 6 – 3.  PAY BACKS ARE HELL!

ONE QUICK STORY, AND I’LL LET YOU GO ON TO CHECK YOUR E-MAIL.  AT ONE POINT I STEPPED INTO THE BATHROOM, WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOOR OF THE HOTEL ROOM TO BLOW MY NOSE,  I DIDN’T EVEN CLOSE THE DOOR.  WHEN I TURNED AROUND TO THE HOTEL ROOM ALL THREE BOYS WERE MISSING, AND NOT A SOUND WAS TO BE HEARD?

MY JAW HIT THE FLOOR, HOW COULD THEY ESCAPE WHEN I WAS STANDING AT THE ONLY DOOR TO THE ROOM? I WAS FRANTIC !!! AH AIM, THANKS FOR VISITING, AND I’M SORRY I LOST ALL THREE OF YOUR CHILDREN……

THEY WERE ALL LINED UP ON THE WINDOWSILL, BEHIND THE BLACKOUT CURTAINS. GOOD GRIEF……

NO MORE BABY SITTING

BOAT RIDE, ARCADE, IRISHFEST

DAY ONE OF OUR “SPRING BREAK” STARTED WITH A BOAT RIDE UP AND DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER ALONG THE CASINOS.  OUR RIVERBOAT CAPTAIN HAD YOUNGSTERS OF HIS OWN AND WAS GREAT WITH THE BOYS.

AFTER THE BOAT RIDE IT WAS A BORING HIKE THROUGH THE OLD CAR MUSEUM, AND THEN ON TO THE GOOD STUFF….

THE ARCADE!!!

CHECKOUT JOEY CHECKING OUT JOEY IN THE MIRROR.

 

AFTER SCRAMBLING THRU $20 WORTH OF QUARTERS, IT WAS TIME TO CASH IN OUR 500 PRIZE TICKETS.  WHOOPIE CUSHIONS AND POPPERS ALL AROUND. LITTLE BOYS AND WOOPIE CUSHIONS, IMAGINE THE FUN, FARTS, AND STRANGE LOOKS WE GOT THE REST OF THE DAY?

ON TO IRISHFEST FOR LUNCH. OUTDOORS ALONG THE RIVERWALK WERE SEVERAL IRISH FOOD VENDORS AND AN ALL GIRL IRISH BAND ENTERTAINED. WE ENJOYED LUNCH, INCLUDING SAUSAGES, CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE, SHEPARDS PIE, AND REUBEN SANDWICHES  (AND OF COURSE PLENTY OF FARTING, WITH THE WOOPIE CUSHIONS).

 

FROM LUNCH TO THE SWIMMING POOL, AND AT LEAST FIVE MILES OF WALKING.

“SUNNY & 80”