Update

It appears that the only time I can post anything on my blog is when I'm not on my own computer. (I'm currently in Utah and using my dad's computer.) There is some sort of a glitch on my laptop that makes it impossible for an illiterate computer user like me to post anything on my blog. I hope that my computer genius husband can come to my rescue soon, but from the looks of his gargantuan "to do" list, it will be quite a long time before that happens. I DO have things to say, and I do want to say them, but I will have to wait . . .

Still Living

I typed up a lengthy post a few weeks ago, and blogger "rejected" it. I got discouraged. I sat on my hands. (Not really.) I want to write. I need to write. But writing will have to wait until at least the middle of June. Then I will try to write something worth reading. Stay tuned. If you dare.

*I'm 800 miles away from home using my dad's computer, and so that is why I could publish these two posts. Once I return home, who knows how long it will be before I can get my own computer to cooperate.

Viva Las Vegas!

Earlier this month I traveled to Las Vegas for my lovely niece Nikki's wedding. It was a short trip, but it was packed with fun, sun, and time with family. I shared a tiny hotel room with my parents. They slept in a king-sized bed, and I slept in a roll-away (with the obligatory sunken mattress) pushed up against the wall on one side and a had a 4-inch space between my parents' bed on the other side. There wasn't much time for sleep anyway.

I have a tradition of making quilts for my nieces and nephews when they get married. I'm rethinking this "good idea" since 3 nieces are getting married before mid-August. Here is a photo of new bride Nikki's quilt.

We spent a few hours on "The Strip." I'm glad we went during the day because the pimps don't appear to be too active then. Plus, M&M World is very family-friendly. The casinos not so much. It had been a long time since I had smelled much cigarette smoke.

Let me just say (in case you couldn't tell), that I'm not very good at arranging the layout on my blog. That is why you see the photos all clumped together and the text all clumped together. I'll try to improve the layout some time in the next 5 years, but for now, you'll have to settle for the way it is.

I even managed to get a photo of Donald Trump's campaign headquarters. Our hotel was a hop, skip and a jump from there. I didn't see The Donald, though.

As you can see, Elvis is still in the building. Or should I say "Elvises?" They were out in full force on the strip.

I'm not a Madonna fan, but I wanted to include the photo of her bizarre and unique bustier. I hope you can read the description included on the picture.

Try to use your imagination and picture me flanked by two Michael Jacksons. They looked incredibly like the real Michael Jackson, although I had never seen him in person. Their voices even sounded like MJ. My sister took a very gory picture of me getting my head cut off by Jason. (At least my nephews tell me that's his name.) If you must see the photo, go to my Facebook page and look at my photos.

Fortunately, the Las Vegas Temple is not on "The Strip." It's next to some very brown, dirt-covered mountains. The temple is beautiful inside and out, and the grounds are lovely, too. We attended a temple session with Nikki Thursday night and her wedding Friday.

My mom and dad will be so happy (?) that I posted a photo of them, too. My siblings (2 brothers and 1 sister) will be overjoyed with their photo as well. The only spouse missing was Lance. He had to stay home and hold down the fort here. Sometimes he gets to take a vacation. We even take occasional trips together. (Those are the fun ones.)

The lovely bride, Nikki, and her groom, Tyler, pose with Karen, Nikki's mom, and Scott, Nikki's step-dad. Then they pose with Nikki's dad, Blake (my brother) and step-mom, Lanette.

Then, of course, there is the obligatory photo of the grandparents with the grandchildren. Some of the grandchildren. Why are my kids always missing? (They didn't go on the trip.) Niece, Hannah, was missing, too. She was preparing for her college finals. Her wedding day is in August.

A trip to Vegas wouldn't be complete without a photo of double cousin Janet and her adorable, precocious children.

YOU ARE NOT BLIND. THERE ARE NO PHOTOS WITH THIS POST. THERE WERE PHOTOS WITH THIS POST, but I couldn't post them. Just use your imagination. I'll try to redo the photos if my computer will cooperate.

Gray is Beautiful

Call it vanity, call it what you will, but I think my natural (gray) hair color makes me look old. In other words, it makes me look like I'm 51.5 years old.

Something happened this morning that shocked me to the core and pushed me to make a decision I really didn't want to make. I will explain.

I "colored" my hair like I always do every couple of months. I used the product I've always used. The one with "no ammonia." I donned the gloves, applied the dye, rinsed my hair and conditioned it. My loving husband then noticed that I had somehow gotten just a dab of hair color on our new bathroom door. As he wiped off the SMALL amount of dye, the door paint peeled off with it. Horror of horrors!

This begs the question: if my "gentle" no-ammonia-based hair dye is strong enough to peel paint off wood, what is the dye doing to my scalp? My blood? My brain? Yikes!!!!

Now for the decision: I will no longer dye my hair. There I said it! This means that when you see me gradually turning gray and staying that way, you'll know why. Try not to stare. I hope I will stay strong and committed and will stick with this decision. Try not to stare. (I know I just repeated myself.)

Hypothetically Speaking

I wonder if anyone has sued their child/children for mental anguish? Just doing a bit of pondering today.

Blood Draw and Writing

I have deep, hard-to-find veins. If I'm dehydrated, it makes finding those veins next to impossible. Just ask the nurses that tried to start an IV before I had my colonoscopy a few months ago. I'm always thrilled when I encounter someone who knows how to get my veins to cooperate, someone who will listen to me when I tell them to use a butterfly needle. I really don't mind getting my blood taken. It's never bothered me. Needles have never scared me. But, I don't like it when health professionals dig around in my arm for minutes on end trying to find a vein. It begins to hurt after a while.

Imagine my delight today when I showed up at LabCorp and was greeted by the same phlebotomist who drew my blood a few months ago. He was a pro. He still is a pro. He is one of my new best friends. I should have asked his name.

Before lunching with a group of friends today, I met up with one of my dearest friends, Julie, for a little chat. We talked about our kids and a few other things before she asked, "Are you writing?" She knows I completed a 2-year course in writing children's literature. I was a little embarrassed to tell her that I really don't write much. I should write. I want to write. But it's probably important to have something to write about. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

Stay tuned . . .

For the Love of Reading

I like to read. Strike that. I LOVE to read. Recently I read five books at once. (Trust me, it's possible.) I have a large library; it's actually a lending library and books come and go. I enjoy lending my books to other avid readers, and I love recommending good books I've read. Here are some of the books I've recently read and recommend.

*The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
*Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
*The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (pardon the "French")
*The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
*NurtureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley
*Better by Atul Gawande
*Complications by Atul Gawande
*The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
*Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison (PAPERBACK version)
*Hiding in the Spotlight by Greg Dawson
*Betsy-Tacy Books by Maud Hart Lovelace
*Villette by Charlotte Bronte
*Take Good Care of the Garden and Dogs AND If You Lived Here I'd Know Your Name by Heather Lende
*Too Close to the Falls by Catherine McClure Gildiner