MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

(CHRISTMAS PICTURES FROM OUR RECENT TRIP TO FREMONT STREET IN LAS VEGAS.)

FREMONT STREET CHANGES

THIS BLOG IS MAINLY FOR MY BUDDY MIKEY, UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO BE A BIG FAN OF FREMONT STREET DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS.

MARY JUST FINISHED UP THE WHOLE 30 DIET, WHICH SHE HAS DONE MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND ONE OF THE MANY THINGS YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP IS ALCOHOL. SO WE THOUGHT WE’D CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF “GRANDMA JACK” WITH A WALK ABOUT AND DRINKING ON FREMONT STREET. ALTHOUGH I HIT FREMONT STREET AT LEAST TWICE A WINTER, IT’S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE MARY HAS BEEN THERE.

EXCEPT FOR THE NFR RODEO AND NEW YEARS EVE, DECEMBER IS THE BEST TIME (CHEAPEST) TO VISIT VEGAS. OUR ROOM AT THE FOUR QUEENS WAS $28 + TAX. PARKING WAS FREE, AND NOW DAYS THAT’S  $20 SAVED RIGHT THERE, AND ANOTHER $20 SAVED WITH NO RESORT FEES.

WE ONLY SPENT ONE NIGHT AND HAD OVER 21,000 STEPS ON OUR FITBITS. NO WHERE NEAR UNCLE NEIL’S RECORD OF OVER 27,000. MARY HAD GOOD LUCK AT THE GOLDEN GATE HITTING FOUR OF A KIND THREE TIMES ON THE SAME MACHINE IN ABOUT 90 MINUTES FOR A WIN OF $180. REX ON THE OTHER HAND GOT BEAT UP PRETTY BAD ON THE CRAPS TABLE AT THE FOUR QUEENS. ALL IN ALL WE HAD A GOOD TIME, AND OF COURSE HIT TRADER JOES ON THE WAY OUT OF TOWN.

OK, NOW FOR SOME CHANGES:

HERE IS THE FAMOUS DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE THAT MAKES IT’S ROUNDS DOWNTOWN. IT’S FREE AND YOU JUST HOP ON AND OFF WHENEVER.

IT MADE THE NATIONAL NEWS A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WHEN A TRUCK BACKED INTO IT, THE FIRST DAY IT WENT INTO SERVICE.

THIS PICTURE IS THE CORNER OF FREMONT AND LAS VEAG BLVD WHERE THE HARLEY DAVIDSON T-SHIRT STORE WAS. NOW IT’S A WHILE CASTLE AND REX WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN !! I BOUGHT SLIDERS HERE TWICE IN MY ONE DAY STAY.

THIS IS OUT FRONT OF THE D WHERE USUALLY THERE ARE BASKETBALL HOOPS DURING THE NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, BUT AT CHRISTMAS IT’S A HUGH CHRISTMAS TREE.

OF COURSE THE BIGGEST CHANGES ARE ON THE OTHER END OF THE STREET WHERE THEY HAVE REMOVED MERRMAIDS, GLITTER GULCH, AND THE LAS VEGAS CLUB. THIS WAS TAKEN FROM IN FRONT OF THE ABC STORE.

TAKEN FROM BINIONS, THE BACK TOWER OF HOTEL ROOMS FROM THE VEGAS CLUB ARE STILL STANDING.

THIS TAKEN FROM ACROSS THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE PLAZA.

THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CALIFORNIA AT MAIN AND OGDEN. THE REMAINING TOWER IS COMPLETELY WRAPPED IN PLASTIC MESH TO PREVENT FALLING DEBRIS.

NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE NEW CASINO HOTEL WILL LOOK LIKE, AND WON’T OPEN FOR THREE YEARS IN 2020.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR COATS IT WAS “SUNNY & 55”

WINDY

WHEN IT COMES TO WINTER WEATHER, ALL WE HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THE WIND. ON WEDNESDAY I WAS TO DRIVE MY CARGO TRAILER OVER TO KINGMAN FOR A MAINTAINANCE INSPECTION. IT’S PART OF THE WARRANTY, YOU TAKE IT IN AND THEY GREASE THE WHEELS, ADJUST THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES, ETC.

WE HAD WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND I WASN’T COMFORTABLE DRIVING AN EMPTY CARGO TRAILER UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS, SO I CANCELLED AND WE WENT OVER TODAY.

ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE WIND IS I STAY INSIDE AND DON’T GET MY 10,000 STEPS A DAY. CHECKOUT MY FITBIT FRIENDS LIST THIS MORNING:

IN HANNAH’S DEFENCE, SHE DIDN’T CARRY HER FITBIT A COUPLE OF DAYS THIS WEEK, SO I REALLY SHOULD BE LAST ON MY LIST. IF ANYTHING THE FRIENDS LIST IS A MOTIVATOR TO KEEP MOVING. I DID BETTER TODAY AND HAD OVER 10,000 STEPS.

MARY, WHO’S AT THE TOP OF THE LIST 95% OF THE TIME HAS BEEN WORKING AT THE CASINO THREE DAYS A WEEK, AND LOVING IT. AGAIN, IF YOU GET A FITBIT FOR CHRISTMAS JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I’LL GET YOU ON MY LIST.

GETTING THE TRAILER IN FOR SERVICE WAS THE SECOND TO THE LAST PROJECT ON MY FALL LIST. NEXT AND LAST IS TO ADD SOME SHELVES TO THE NEW TUFF SHED I BOUGHT LAST WINTER. WHEN IT COMES TO TOOLS AND PROJECTS, I’M PRETTY MUCH WORTHLESS, BUT HERE COMES A TRIP TO MY LOCAL ACE HARDWARE LUMBER YARD AND HARBOR FREIGHT FOR POWER TOOLS. I FEEL THE FRUSTRATIONS BUILDING ALREADY, AND THAT’S WHY THE PROJECT IS LAST ON THE LIST.  JUST BE GLAD YOU’RE NOT MARY WHO HAS TO PROVIDE THE ADULT SUPERVISION, AND WILL NO DOUBT BE THE VICTIM OF MY FRUSTRATIONS.

“SUNNY & 72”

Ice Skating

By Uncle Hans

Renee's brother Matt, from Phoenix , and his girlfriend Marlo visited for Thanksgiving.  One year in 6 in does the weather pattern allow clear smooth ice on the lake to permit skating.  Usually is it windy when it freezes leaving rough ice.  Or it snows and make rough ice, not smooth enough for skating.

This year was perfect, and we have had two weeks of skating with no end in sight.....

It was cool and a little windy, so we did not last long.

       But the Phoenix people will long remember the ice skating on Cable Lake!!

Afterwards, we had to warm up by the fire with the appropriate adult beverage.........and a selfie!

Uncle Hans

Baking In Spooner

By Uncle Hans

Mary discovered a hand-powered food chopper that she liked so well she decided to gift one to Renee.  It hasn't had much use, since we don't cook "outside the box" like Mary does.

     But then Renee thought that Baklava looked good and decided to try it.

     Baklava uses a lot of chopped nuts, and this gizmo proved just the thing for chopped nuts!

...........and the Baklava was terrific!

Christmas must be near, Renee's Christmas cactus is in full bloom!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!!

Uncle Hans

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

SUNSETS

WE’RE BACK TO THE LAND OF SPECTACULAR ARIZONA SUNSETS, AS THE SUN SETS OVER THE NEWBERRY MOUNTAINS IN CALIFORNIA ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE MOHAVE VALLEY. I’VE TRIED OVER THE YEARS TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS, BUT IT’S LIKE TRYING TO PHOTOGRAPH THE GRAND CANYON, IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO TO DO IT JUSTICE.

BIKES ‘N RODS

I CHECKED OUT THE BIKES ‘N RODS MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE COLORADO BELLE CASINO LAST SATURDAY. IT WAS AN OUTDOOR EVENT WITH MOTORCYCLES, OLD CARS, HOTRODS, AND VENDORS. THEY HAD A LARGE OUTDOOR STAGE WITH A DIFFERENT BAND EVERY HOUR ALL DAY.UNFORTUNATELY I WAS THERE EARILY IN THE DAY AND ALL THE GOOD BANDS WERE AFTER 4 PM.

FLEA MARKET

LAKE HAVASU CITY HAS A HUGH FLEA MARKET EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AND SINCE MARY IS RETURNING TO WORK, THIS WAS OUR CHANCE TO MAKE THE ANNUAL TRIP. I USUALLY LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL SPRING AS LAKE HAVASU IS A POPULAR SPRING BREAK GETAWAY FOR THE COLLEGE CROWD. AT ANY RATE WE GOT OUR SHOPPING FIX IN.

LAKE HAVASU MOOSE LODGE

WHILE IN LAKE HAVASU WE CHECKED OUT THE LOCAL MOOSE LODGE TO TRY TO WATCH THE PACKER GAME. WHILE THE MOOSE LODGE IS FINE, IT’S MIGHTY SAD TO TRY TO WATCH THE PACKERS THIS SEASON……

217 DAYS

IT’S A BAD DAY HERE AT THE HAPPY CAMPER’S TRAILER AS MARY RETURNS TO CASINO WORK AFTER BEING “OFF” FOR THE LAST 217 DAYS. BUT SHE PUT ON HER “HAVE FUN! BE FUN!” FACE AND HEADED OUT THE DOOR AT NOON. SHE’S OK, AS SHE GOT BACK ON DAY SHIFT AND IS STARTING THE SEASON WITH THREE DAYS OF WORK A WEEK. SHE’S SURE THAT WILL CHANGE, AS MORE AND MORE SNOWBIRDS FLOCK TO ARIZONA THIS YEAR AND ARE AVOIDING HURRICANCE RAVAGED FLORIDA AND TEXAS. SO TODAY STARTS A NEW COUNTDOWN TO THE SUMMER OF 2018, AND MARY’S NEXT VACATION, IN 145 DAYS!

ALL SETTLED IN

WE’RE FINALLY ALL SETTLED IN AT THE CAMPER, AFTER WAITING A WHOLE WEEK FOR THE RV REPAIR GUY TO COME AND REPLACE THE LEAKING VALVE ON THE TOILET. THE TRUCK IS ALL UNPACKED AND THE MISSING SHINGLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THE NEW SHED, ETC.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

SO, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS WHERE EVER YOU MAY BE. YOU SHOULD BE HERE IN SUNNY ARIZONA, AS WE ARE HAVING A HEAT WAVE AND EXPECT TO SEE A HIGH OF 90 DEGREES.

“SUNNY & 80”

CHINA RANCH DATE FARM

ON THE WAY HOME FROM LAKE TAHOE WE STAYED OVERNIGHT IN PAHRUMP, AND IN THE MORNING WE SET THE GPS TO TAKE US TO THE CHINA RANCH. IT STARTED OUT OK, SKIRTING THE EDGES OF DEATH VALLEY WHEN WE WERE SUDDENLY ON THIS DIRT ROAD?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? DO YOU THINK THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PALM TREES DOWN HERE? THIS IS THE CROSSING OF DEATH VALLEY AND THE MOHAVE DESERT.

THE WELCOMING COMMITEE….

HEY MARY, DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT .38 HANDGUN IN THE TRUNK?

BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE WAS A CREEK AT THE BOTTOM SURROUNDED BY PALM TREES….

THE FRUIT IS HARVESTED IN NOVEMBER, SO THERE WAS STILL LOTS OF DATES ON THE TREES. EACH FEMALE TREE PRODUCES 100 – 300 POUNDS OF DATES. ENJOY THE PICTURES….

THE WORD I’M LOOKING FOR IS “OASIS”. THERE WAS A GIFT SHOP AND BAKERY ON THE PROPERTY. MARY HAD A DATE SHAKE, AND I HIKED TO THE TOP OF A MESA FOR A PICTURE.

WE THEN ASKED THE GPS TO TAKE US HOME TO THE MOHAVE VALLEY AND THE GPS HAD US ON THE OLD SPANISH TRIAL HIGHWAY AND WE AVOIDED DRIVING THROUGH LAS VEGAS.

WE ACTUALLY HAD GOOD WEATHER FOR LAKE TAHOE IN NOVEMBER, AND ALTHOUGH WE WEREN’T IN SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS WE DIDN’T HAVE A FOREST FIRE OR SNOW TO DEAL WITH.

AHHH….TAHOE

THE END OF FOOTBALLAT65 BLOGS RETURNS THE HAPPY CAMPERS BLOG TO IT’S NORMAL BORING REPORTING. THE OLDEST MAN TO PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS ALL IN THE BOOK ON AMAZON NOW. IT’S GETTING SOME GOOD REVIEWS AND HAS A 5 STAR RATING.

MARY AND I ARE SPENDING THE WEEK AT BEAUTIFUL LAKE TAHOE.

THE CONDO WE ARE IN IS ELEGANT, TWO BEDROOMS, FIREPLACE, ETC. IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO REST UP BEFORE MARY RETURNS TO CASINO WORK LATER IN THE MONTH.

RETURNING TO MOHAVE VALLEY I HAVE A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS TO SOLVE, A WATER LEAK IN THE BATHROOM, A COUPLE SHINGLES MISSING ON THE NEW SHED, HAVEN’T TRIED THE FURNACE YET, ETC. OTHERWISE IT WILL BE BACK TO MY THREE TIMES A WEEK POKER GAME, LOT’S OF SCOOTER RIDING, AND BACK TO MY DAILY QUEST FOR 10,000 STEPS A DAY. CHECK OUT MY FITBIT FRIENDS LIST THIS MORNING….

#4 ON THE LIST? CONGRAT’S TO GANDSON ALAN ON BEING #1 ON THE LIST! IN DEFENSE OF MARY, SHE’S BEEN UNDER THE WEATHER THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND UNCLE NEIL JUST ISN’T UP TO DATE ON RECORDING HIS STEPS.

I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH A PICTURE OF EMERALD BAY ON LAKE TAHOE.

Last Game

By Uncle Hans

I finally got the pictures from the last game, it was against Finlandia on Saturday November 4th.  We had lost to Finlandia about a month earlier by one touchdown. We had made too many mistakes and had 90 yards of penalties. We were so itching for the rematch!

We had a much better day. We made fewer mistakes and our running game just ground down Finlandia. Our number 22, Zach Marengo, had a really great game as running back, tackling people on defense, and even quarterback occasionally. The final score of our last game was 41 to 14 and will be a lasting and sweet memory of the 2017 Lions football season.

In spite of valiant efforts by our football Department, I never got permission to play. So I spent the game walking the sidelines and enjoyed every minute.

At halftime they had a nice ceremony for the seniors who were playing their last game. The school awarded them their jerseys in a nice frame for all their hard work.

 

I was shocked when they called me over to join the ceremony at the last minute as a surprise. They unexpectedly extended that same honor to me because it was my last game.......

But the biggest and most pleasant shock for me was the appearance of my brother Neil and our mutual friend Don. They had driven all the way from Green Bay in a snowstorm so bad that they drove 20 miles an hour for a while and could not find a hotel room until 1:30 a.m. because of all the stranded travelers. It was quite an honor for me because it was Parents / Senior Day and my parents were, ........well, ........unable to attend.

I apologize for the delay in this blog but it took me a few days to collect these pictures from other people who graciously sent them to me to use.

    I am settling back into the life of a rural general surgeon. This morning I did a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a 75 year old woman. Both the patient and the doctor did well, thankfully.

    This is probably the last football blog for a while. This project has been a success for me personally, but the book will only be as successful as the publicity the football has generated. So far that is nearly zero. I and others have contacted multiple TV stations, newspapers, and other publications.NOT ONE has shown the slightest interest. Seems to me like the oldest man in history to play college football at the smallest college in America with a team, would make a great story. So if any of you loyal followers has any ideas on press publicity, please feel free to make that contact. I would very much appreciate your help, as I have appreciated your following. 

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

N. Hans Rechsteiner MD FACS

Spooner, Wisconsin

hans-rechsteiner@hotmail.com

715-416-2058

Now you can go back to the beginning of the story and catch up on what you've missed so far including all the pictures. CLICK HERE

CLICK TO BUY THE BOOK