This cold weather has had me feeling like a mope. It makes it tough to muster up a coherent post so how about more random thoughts…
It’s going to be one LONG winter. Fortunately, it’s a bit warmer today and it looks like the weekend will be nice.
Thank goodness! Tomorrow we’ll be at the Speedway for NRHA. We’re both excited.
Plans for tomorrow night are still in the air, but there’s no shortage of stuff to do.
Sunday, Frank’s off, we’re having people over to watch the games. Yes, we’re ready for some football!
This past Wednesday we attended a cocktail reception at Cherry Nightclub inside Red Rock. They were hosting the “Best Places to Work” awards. We were nominated and took home first place for companies of medium size (100-500 employees). I really do work for a great company. The owners deserve the award.
It was neat to see Cherry, nightclubs aren’t my thing so I’d never see the inside otherwise. I gotta say I expected something nicer. I remember reading all the hoopla when it opened; however, I failed to see anything noteworthy. Carpet was pilling, ceilings were unfinished, and the Halloween décor was cheesy. I suppose most nights it’s too dark, crowded or people are too drunk to notice.
Frank is also off today, I planned to take the day off until I learned I had no more paid time left. Instead, here I sit. At least, it’s been quiet. We had a nice spread for breakfast, we have a Halloween costume contest – the winner receives a $50 gift certificate. I didn’t dress up, nothing brilliant came to me. But others did, we have the Progressive insurance lady, Barbie (in a box), Ricky Bobby, and a pirate. We all voted for our favorite, the winner has yet to be announced.
I’ve got a head start on Christmas which is pretty bizarre since I’m usually a procrastinator. I designed cards on Shutterfly, scored free shipping and 25 free cards; they shipped super quick, I got them yesterday. I’m pleased with the final product.
My dad is always the toughest to shop for and I’ve found gifts for him already. Score!
I shipped Nicky’s birthday gift today. He’ll be three on Wednesday. Time sure does fly!!
Poor kiddo has been sick with a fever all week. Hopefully, he’ll be better by tomorrow so he doesn’t miss out on trick or treating. His birthday party is next weekend. If nothing else he needs to be well by then.
It sucks missing his parties. Times like these make it really hard to live so far away.
Speaking of, I had hoped to go to Chicago over Thanksgiving, but fares are too expensive and funds are too tight. Looks like I’ll have to wait until next year to see my favorite boy - and family.
Frank will be 30 in a month. It seems like yesterday we were celebrating his 18th birthday. Have I mentioned time flies?
Hmmm, I think that’s about it…
One more thing, check out this week’s Vegas Values: Discover Bellagio.
and
I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!
October 30, 2009
October 28, 2009
Baby, it's cold outside
It's windy, too. I haven't seen the sun since Monday. Sure, it's only been a day, but it feels like eternity. I need my sunshine. When't it's dreary and cool. I just want to stay in bed and hide under the covers. That's exactly how it was yesterday.
Last night, the house was cool about 70. We didn't feel the need to turn the heat on, but blankets were necessary. However, before bed, Frank set the thermostat at 66. I heard the the heat kick on about 3:45am and it was still on when I left the house. It was only 45 degrees at the time, with wind gusts up to 50mph. No wonder the house was so cold.
I hate this weather. It's too early for it. October is supposed to be perfect weather - dammit.
I'm absolutely dreading winter this year. My blood has gotten way too thin. It's hard to believe I lived through Chicago winters. You'd never guess, now, because I'm such a wuss when it comes to cold.
I'm also dreading the time change this weekend. I'd much rather have the hour of sunlight in the evening than in the morning. I hate it when it's dark when I get home from work. I need sunshine, remember? The five minutes I might see in the morning isn't enough. I wish we were like Arizona. It'd be nice not to observe DST.
It's tempting to hiberate... wake me, when it's spring.
Last night, the house was cool about 70. We didn't feel the need to turn the heat on, but blankets were necessary. However, before bed, Frank set the thermostat at 66. I heard the the heat kick on about 3:45am and it was still on when I left the house. It was only 45 degrees at the time, with wind gusts up to 50mph. No wonder the house was so cold.
I hate this weather. It's too early for it. October is supposed to be perfect weather - dammit.
I'm absolutely dreading winter this year. My blood has gotten way too thin. It's hard to believe I lived through Chicago winters. You'd never guess, now, because I'm such a wuss when it comes to cold.
I'm also dreading the time change this weekend. I'd much rather have the hour of sunlight in the evening than in the morning. I hate it when it's dark when I get home from work. I need sunshine, remember? The five minutes I might see in the morning isn't enough. I wish we were like Arizona. It'd be nice not to observe DST.
It's tempting to hiberate... wake me, when it's spring.
October 26, 2009
Stuff on my mind
My mom had gallbladder surgery Friday morning. She waited so long for it, we were really concerned that it wasn’t going to hold out and she’d be forced to have emergency surgery. But her gallbladder was a trooper and it held on until the very end. Her surgery went well; she was released from the hospital Friday afternoon. I drove out to Pahrump straight from work. I stayed the night to lend a hand. I didn’t want Mike to be overwhelmed. She was in a lot of pain, she was sore and nauseated from the pain meds but all that was to be expected. She didn’t have any gas pain symptoms, which was a surprise, since I had awful pains after having my appendix removed. When I left her late Saturday afternoon, she was doing really well. But after I left she was sick from the pain meds and the gas pains finally reared their ugly head. She’s been miserable since, I feel for her. I remember how awful and uncomfortable they were. She also has pain and discomfort from her ruptured discs so it’s not just the surgery that’s causing her trouble. Hopefully, the pains will subside soon.
She happened to get biopsy results on Friday, too. She shows no signs of skin cancer, each came back clear. Such a relief! Now, she just needs her back fixed. She meets with Frank’s back surgeon on Nov. 6. Not much longer and she’ll should be on the road to feeling better.
Saturday night, we went by a friend’s house to watch the UFC fight. The fight means little to me, but it’s always nice to get together with friends.
Sunday my only plans were to get my haircut, clean house, and run errands. The last few weekends have been hectic so I was behind. I nearly accomplished all I hoped. I have two bathrooms left to clean and the floor needs to be mopped. With any luck, I squeeze those in sometime this week. As for my haircut, I wanted a change, I thought now would be a good time to go shorter. It’s getting to cool to cruise in the Firebird without T-tops and we won’t have time to go off-roading until February – both require me to tie my hair back. I went with a chin length bob. It’s much shorter than I anticipated. I’ve never worn my hair so short before it’s going to take time to get used to it. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it. Frank was shocked. It was one of the few haircuts he’s noticed, though.
Sunday nights are one helluva tv night. Curb your Enthusiasm has been absolutely hilarious this season – vehicular fellatio and second hand semen – some of the funniest moments in comedy history, I swear. Last night’s episode was unexpected, too. So clever and witty, I just love it. Mad Men is wrapping up, only two episodes left. It’s nice to finally start seeing loose ends coming together. Can’t wait to see what else unfolds. Californication, Hank is such a whore. How many women can he juggle? As for Dexter, it seems so odd to root for a serial killer, but I find myself doing it week after week, season after season.
Cold weather is on its way. Wednesday’s high is supposed to be 58 degrees. What a cruel joke, October is usually perfect weather month. This year it hasn’t earned that title. It’s been cold, it’s been hot, it’s been windy.
Halloween is Saturday. Unreal. This year has flown. We won’t be home for trick or treaters. We’ll be at the Speedway for NHRA and then we’re getting together with friends that are in town from Chicago. No firms plans, but it’ll be fun to catch up.
Do I seem wiser? Evidently I am. My first wisdom tooth has made an appearance. It’s terribly annoying. My next dentist appointment is scheduled for December. I’m not sure of I can wait that long. I’ve always been slow to get teeth. I remember I was 13, I had 6 baby teeth pulled because I could lose them on my own. I was pretty old before I got my first tooth, too. It’s no wonder I’m nearly 30 before my first wisdom tooth broke through.
Only a couple weeks left until vacation! I need to get a list of good eats together and places to see. I’m so excited to experience San Francisco!
I think that’s about it. Until next time…
She happened to get biopsy results on Friday, too. She shows no signs of skin cancer, each came back clear. Such a relief! Now, she just needs her back fixed. She meets with Frank’s back surgeon on Nov. 6. Not much longer and she’ll should be on the road to feeling better.
Saturday night, we went by a friend’s house to watch the UFC fight. The fight means little to me, but it’s always nice to get together with friends.
Sunday my only plans were to get my haircut, clean house, and run errands. The last few weekends have been hectic so I was behind. I nearly accomplished all I hoped. I have two bathrooms left to clean and the floor needs to be mopped. With any luck, I squeeze those in sometime this week. As for my haircut, I wanted a change, I thought now would be a good time to go shorter. It’s getting to cool to cruise in the Firebird without T-tops and we won’t have time to go off-roading until February – both require me to tie my hair back. I went with a chin length bob. It’s much shorter than I anticipated. I’ve never worn my hair so short before it’s going to take time to get used to it. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it. Frank was shocked. It was one of the few haircuts he’s noticed, though.
Sunday nights are one helluva tv night. Curb your Enthusiasm has been absolutely hilarious this season – vehicular fellatio and second hand semen – some of the funniest moments in comedy history, I swear. Last night’s episode was unexpected, too. So clever and witty, I just love it. Mad Men is wrapping up, only two episodes left. It’s nice to finally start seeing loose ends coming together. Can’t wait to see what else unfolds. Californication, Hank is such a whore. How many women can he juggle? As for Dexter, it seems so odd to root for a serial killer, but I find myself doing it week after week, season after season.
Cold weather is on its way. Wednesday’s high is supposed to be 58 degrees. What a cruel joke, October is usually perfect weather month. This year it hasn’t earned that title. It’s been cold, it’s been hot, it’s been windy.
Halloween is Saturday. Unreal. This year has flown. We won’t be home for trick or treaters. We’ll be at the Speedway for NHRA and then we’re getting together with friends that are in town from Chicago. No firms plans, but it’ll be fun to catch up.
Do I seem wiser? Evidently I am. My first wisdom tooth has made an appearance. It’s terribly annoying. My next dentist appointment is scheduled for December. I’m not sure of I can wait that long. I’ve always been slow to get teeth. I remember I was 13, I had 6 baby teeth pulled because I could lose them on my own. I was pretty old before I got my first tooth, too. It’s no wonder I’m nearly 30 before my first wisdom tooth broke through.
Only a couple weeks left until vacation! I need to get a list of good eats together and places to see. I’m so excited to experience San Francisco!
I think that’s about it. Until next time…
October 23, 2009
Childhood beliefs
Kids! You gotta love their innocence and unexpected humor.
Here’s a conversation my sister shared with me, between her, and my nephew, Nicky. He’ll be three in a couple weeks.
Nicky: I want to go to Las Vegas. I want to go on an airplane.
Amy: I know honey, but I don’t have any money.
Nicky: So? Go buy some.
If only it were that easy.
It got me thinking about the crazy things I believed as a kid, such as:
My favorites that I recall my brother and sister believing:
Mike thought that barf bags on airplanes were for popcorn, and Amy thought that the flight attendants were doing magic tricks when they went over safety precautions.
Funny stuff.
Who knew there was an entire site dedicated to I used to believe? But, there is a site for everything, now, isn't there? A few of my beliefs made the most common list. Check it out, it’s good for a laugh.
I never heard this one, but how brilliant is this? Ice cream vans only play music when they've run out of ice cream.
What did you believe?
Here’s a conversation my sister shared with me, between her, and my nephew, Nicky. He’ll be three in a couple weeks.
Nicky: I want to go to Las Vegas. I want to go on an airplane.
Amy: I know honey, but I don’t have any money.
Nicky: So? Go buy some.
If only it were that easy.
It got me thinking about the crazy things I believed as a kid, such as:
- If I swallowed gum it would build up in my stomach eventually causing me to be stuffed with gum.
- If I swallowed watermelon seeds a watermelon would grow in my stomach.
- I could fall through sewer grates. I was afraid of being eaten by rats.
- Wontons in wonton soup were dragon eyeballs – thanks, grandpa.
- That Care Bears really lived in the clouds, I’d always look up to try to spot them.
- That thunder occurred when angels were bowling.
- When the news showed photos of most wanted or criminals on the loose, I thought they were specifically coming for me.
- Oral sex was talking about it out loud.
My favorites that I recall my brother and sister believing:
Mike thought that barf bags on airplanes were for popcorn, and Amy thought that the flight attendants were doing magic tricks when they went over safety precautions.
Funny stuff.
Who knew there was an entire site dedicated to I used to believe? But, there is a site for everything, now, isn't there? A few of my beliefs made the most common list. Check it out, it’s good for a laugh.
I never heard this one, but how brilliant is this? Ice cream vans only play music when they've run out of ice cream.
What did you believe?
Quest for Chinese
This week's article is about my search for Chinese. I had no idea that there were so many variations. I was in for a shock when we moved to Vegas. Chinese food was nothing like we knew back in Chicago.
Whenever, I visit family and friends back home. A trip to Golden Palace, in Lansing, is a must. Frank and I had an apartment near there for a couple years prior to moving to Vegas. We ate at that restaurant weekly. Bean sprout noodle, fried rice and sweet and sour chicken, eggrolls and almond cookies for dessert. Yum! Even years later, it's still just as tasty and operated by the same family.
Offerings at the Victorian Room inside Bill's doesn't quite compare, but it's the closest we've found here in Vegas.
Vegas Values: Familiar Flavors.
Whenever, I visit family and friends back home. A trip to Golden Palace, in Lansing, is a must. Frank and I had an apartment near there for a couple years prior to moving to Vegas. We ate at that restaurant weekly. Bean sprout noodle, fried rice and sweet and sour chicken, eggrolls and almond cookies for dessert. Yum! Even years later, it's still just as tasty and operated by the same family.
Offerings at the Victorian Room inside Bill's doesn't quite compare, but it's the closest we've found here in Vegas.
Vegas Values: Familiar Flavors.
October 20, 2009
Say it isn't so
Eating Las Vegas reported that Daniel Boulud Brasserie at Wynn will close April 2010.
We ate there in September 2008. We weren't blown away by most of what we tried. However, the duck confit was fantastic. We might just have to make another trip before Daniel Boulud closes.
Yeah, I gotta have that duck again.
We ate there in September 2008. We weren't blown away by most of what we tried. However, the duck confit was fantastic. We might just have to make another trip before Daniel Boulud closes.
Yeah, I gotta have that duck again.
October 19, 2009
Bite of Las Vegas
Saturday was a hot one! The mercury reached over 90 degrees. Not exactly the best weather for an all-day food and music festival. It was pretty toasty out there, but then there was relief once the sun began to set.
Gates opened at 11:00 for Bite of Las Vegas, but Mike and I didn’t care to see Katherine McPhee or Parachute. So, we got to Desert Breeze Park around 2:30. Parking was free, but a long walk. Valet parking was available for $15.
I donated a bag of canned goods so we each were able to get a dollar off admission; we paid our $14 and we walked right in. We walked around the grounds to check everything out. We got freebies and stopped at spin to win tents, Mike won two Wranglers hockey tickets. I won a sun tea pitcher and glasses. There were quite a few local restaurants serving food; personal favorites such as Amore, Hash House a Go Go, Stripburger, Gordon Biersch, and Paymon’s were there. Water and pop were $2, Beer was $4 and most food samples seemed to be priced between $3-$5. Overall, prices were pretty reasonable.
There were rides for the kids and a rock wall. I also noticed that in addition to regular port-a-potties, they also had trailers that offered flushing toilets and running water. However, to use them you had to pay $3 for all-day access.
Uncle Kracker took the stage at 4:30 we waited about an hour beforehand so we could secure a good spot to watch the show. Meanwhile, Jimmy Stafford of Train took the stage, and we were told Train would not be performing. Pat Monahan was sick. That was a bummer. Blue October would now play at 8:00 instead of 6:30 and local bands now had the opportunity to play on the main stage. Neither of us particularly wanted to see Blue October so we decided to leave after Uncle Kracker.
Before Uncle Kracker set up, Le Reve from Wynn performed. It was the quickest performance I’ve ever seen. If you blinked long enough it was possible to miss it.
Uncle Kracker was great. They played Smile off his new album, Happy Hour, all his hits, plus All Summer Long since he wrote it with Kid Rock. So, even without Train it was well worth going.
I felt so old, though. I didn't feel I fit into the crowd, it was young teens or parents who brought their kids. There was a group next to us that were incredibly annoying - four girls and one guy. The guy was all proud that he was a self-proclaimed stoner. He's gotten better since his freshman year, he claimed. Now he only drinks and smokes – and he was sure to clarify he didn’t mean cigarettes. Two girls of the group were swooning over him. One was asking what his parents thought of him being a stoner and he said they were hippies so they get it. The other was fascinated with his lighter, running her finger thru it endlessly.
Also, Uncle Kracker sang The Joker by Steve Miller Band. He tried to get the audience to sing along, but it failed miserably. They were too young to know the words.
Crowds got really heavy by the time Uncle Kracker ended. We did a quick walk around before deciding to leave. Lines were longer, it was harder to get around, people were drunk. I was ready to go. I guess I am old. There was a long line to enter when we were leaving and a good number of cars were streaming in. Luckily, since we left early getting out of the parking lot was a breeze.
Even if it didn’t go quite as expected, I’m glad we went. It was a good time.
Gates opened at 11:00 for Bite of Las Vegas, but Mike and I didn’t care to see Katherine McPhee or Parachute. So, we got to Desert Breeze Park around 2:30. Parking was free, but a long walk. Valet parking was available for $15.
I donated a bag of canned goods so we each were able to get a dollar off admission; we paid our $14 and we walked right in. We walked around the grounds to check everything out. We got freebies and stopped at spin to win tents, Mike won two Wranglers hockey tickets. I won a sun tea pitcher and glasses. There were quite a few local restaurants serving food; personal favorites such as Amore, Hash House a Go Go, Stripburger, Gordon Biersch, and Paymon’s were there. Water and pop were $2, Beer was $4 and most food samples seemed to be priced between $3-$5. Overall, prices were pretty reasonable.
 |
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There were rides for the kids and a rock wall. I also noticed that in addition to regular port-a-potties, they also had trailers that offered flushing toilets and running water. However, to use them you had to pay $3 for all-day access.
Uncle Kracker took the stage at 4:30 we waited about an hour beforehand so we could secure a good spot to watch the show. Meanwhile, Jimmy Stafford of Train took the stage, and we were told Train would not be performing. Pat Monahan was sick. That was a bummer. Blue October would now play at 8:00 instead of 6:30 and local bands now had the opportunity to play on the main stage. Neither of us particularly wanted to see Blue October so we decided to leave after Uncle Kracker.
 |
Before Uncle Kracker set up, Le Reve from Wynn performed. It was the quickest performance I’ve ever seen. If you blinked long enough it was possible to miss it.
 |
 |
Uncle Kracker was great. They played Smile off his new album, Happy Hour, all his hits, plus All Summer Long since he wrote it with Kid Rock. So, even without Train it was well worth going.
 |
 |
I felt so old, though. I didn't feel I fit into the crowd, it was young teens or parents who brought their kids. There was a group next to us that were incredibly annoying - four girls and one guy. The guy was all proud that he was a self-proclaimed stoner. He's gotten better since his freshman year, he claimed. Now he only drinks and smokes – and he was sure to clarify he didn’t mean cigarettes. Two girls of the group were swooning over him. One was asking what his parents thought of him being a stoner and he said they were hippies so they get it. The other was fascinated with his lighter, running her finger thru it endlessly.
Also, Uncle Kracker sang The Joker by Steve Miller Band. He tried to get the audience to sing along, but it failed miserably. They were too young to know the words.
 |
Crowds got really heavy by the time Uncle Kracker ended. We did a quick walk around before deciding to leave. Lines were longer, it was harder to get around, people were drunk. I was ready to go. I guess I am old. There was a long line to enter when we were leaving and a good number of cars were streaming in. Luckily, since we left early getting out of the parking lot was a breeze.
Even if it didn’t go quite as expected, I’m glad we went. It was a good time.
October 16, 2009
It's Friday!
Tomorrow is Bite of Las Vegas. Mike and I have plans to go. However, Mike came down with the flu yesterday. I haven't heard if he's feeling any better today. Hopefully, it's only a 24 hour bug, and he'll rest today and be well tomorrow.
Uncle Kracker performs at 4:30 and Train at 8:15. Those are the two bands we are interested in seeing. If need be, I can drive to Pahrump tomorrow morning to pick up Mike and we'll still have plenty of time to enjoy the festivities.
Over 40 restaurants are supposed to participate this year. Food portions will be priced between $1-$5. It sounds like it we'll be able to sample several things. I prefer it that way instead of how San Gennaro was set up with large expensive portions.
You know, I still haven't had good Italian sausage to make up for that poor excuse of sausage and peppers we had there. Minuto's (trop/jones) our regular place for fresh sausage closed. I was bummed. It looks like it'll be reopening soon as another Italian Deli. It seems Siena Deli is the only decent option for sausage right now. I tried a new place in the NW called Parma (buffalo/washington). Their sausage was greasy and bland, it was pretty bad. Although, they did have excellent fresh baked bread. The make their own pastas in house, too. I'll have to check those out sometime.
Speaking of Italian Delis, that was the topic for this week's "Vegas Values" Siena Deli, Satisfy a Craving. I could really go for an eggplant parm sandwich right now.
How about you?
Uncle Kracker performs at 4:30 and Train at 8:15. Those are the two bands we are interested in seeing. If need be, I can drive to Pahrump tomorrow morning to pick up Mike and we'll still have plenty of time to enjoy the festivities.
Over 40 restaurants are supposed to participate this year. Food portions will be priced between $1-$5. It sounds like it we'll be able to sample several things. I prefer it that way instead of how San Gennaro was set up with large expensive portions.
You know, I still haven't had good Italian sausage to make up for that poor excuse of sausage and peppers we had there. Minuto's (trop/jones) our regular place for fresh sausage closed. I was bummed. It looks like it'll be reopening soon as another Italian Deli. It seems Siena Deli is the only decent option for sausage right now. I tried a new place in the NW called Parma (buffalo/washington). Their sausage was greasy and bland, it was pretty bad. Although, they did have excellent fresh baked bread. The make their own pastas in house, too. I'll have to check those out sometime.
Speaking of Italian Delis, that was the topic for this week's "Vegas Values" Siena Deli, Satisfy a Craving. I could really go for an eggplant parm sandwich right now.
How about you?
October 15, 2009
Plan B
Last year we weren't able to take our annual trip to Xpu-ha, Mexico. Buying the house and getting stuck with the condo wiped out our savings. We held out hope thinking somehow we'd scrape the funds together, but December came and went. We swore we'd go in December 2009. It's nearly here once again. And the situation hasn't changed all that much. We really Really REALLY want to escape to the beach for solitude, fun in the sun and pure relaxation. But it's not in the cards for December.
This year we finally got rid of the condo, but the debt we racked up still lingers, our salaries were cut, and monthly expenses have gone up despite our attempts at cutting back. Our savings doesn't look any better this year than it did last year.
Fortunately, we did manage to score unbeatable airfare to San Jose, great rates for a hotel in San Francisco and we'll rub pennies together to cover grub and see the sites. So, I'm thankful we do have a vacation on the horizon. It'll be wonderful to unwind and discover a new city.
However, by going to San Francisco the Mexico trip is out of the question this year. Yet, we're shooting for a trip in February. That will be the next time, after December, that Frank can take time off from work. We'll be free to go after Superbowl. Those extra months should allow us to get funds together. Looking at airfare, today, flights are even cheaper then, compared to December. The hotel is a bit more expensive so it'll likely wash in the end. That's okay with me as long as we are able to go.
That's the plan, let's hope it sticks. I miss the white sandy beach, the sound of the waves, the ocean breezes, days and nights wasting away in the hammock, cold cerveza and delicious eats from La Cueva Del Chango and other eateries. I need a fix.
Frank will have two weeks off in December, now that we've scrapped plans for Mexico, that means more time at home. Bob, his brother, will be visiting from Louisville. He'll stay with us for a week. Before we were planning on being away during the period Bob could take vacation. In the end, it seems it has all worked out.
This year we finally got rid of the condo, but the debt we racked up still lingers, our salaries were cut, and monthly expenses have gone up despite our attempts at cutting back. Our savings doesn't look any better this year than it did last year.
Fortunately, we did manage to score unbeatable airfare to San Jose, great rates for a hotel in San Francisco and we'll rub pennies together to cover grub and see the sites. So, I'm thankful we do have a vacation on the horizon. It'll be wonderful to unwind and discover a new city.
However, by going to San Francisco the Mexico trip is out of the question this year. Yet, we're shooting for a trip in February. That will be the next time, after December, that Frank can take time off from work. We'll be free to go after Superbowl. Those extra months should allow us to get funds together. Looking at airfare, today, flights are even cheaper then, compared to December. The hotel is a bit more expensive so it'll likely wash in the end. That's okay with me as long as we are able to go.
That's the plan, let's hope it sticks. I miss the white sandy beach, the sound of the waves, the ocean breezes, days and nights wasting away in the hammock, cold cerveza and delicious eats from La Cueva Del Chango and other eateries. I need a fix.
Frank will have two weeks off in December, now that we've scrapped plans for Mexico, that means more time at home. Bob, his brother, will be visiting from Louisville. He'll stay with us for a week. Before we were planning on being away during the period Bob could take vacation. In the end, it seems it has all worked out.
Spreading the word
Yesterday, a Press Release was put out to announce my weekly column "Vegas Values" published every Friday at Living-Las-Vegas.com.
Check it out: Living Las Vegas launches "Vegas Values"
Check it out: Living Las Vegas launches "Vegas Values"
October 14, 2009
Cream of Broccoli Soup
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1 can of cream of celery (Healthy Request)
1 can of cream of mushroom (Healthy Request)
2 cups of frozen broccoli
1/4 c low fat shredded cheese.
2 cups water
I boiled 2c water, added broccoli, brought to a boil. Added the canned soups and returned it to a boil. The added cheese and let it simmer until it thickened.
This recipe was ridiculously simple. I thought it couldn't possibly be tasty, too, but it was. Frank and I both liked it. It's nice to have a low fat/cal cream soup alternative (2 WW pts/serving).
October 13, 2009
Hot showers and fun ahead
I’m happy to report we have hot water. Frank found a plumber on Craigslist, he’s just starting his business. We saved over a hundred bucks by buying the new water heater through him and having him install it. We priced Sears, Lowes and Home Depot. He came the same day, within a couple hours, did good work and worked fast. Craigslist is awesome.
Hot showers are simply wonderful! Two days never seemed so long.
Switching gears…
San Francisco is a month away. We booked our hotel; we’ll be staying just outside Fisherman’s Wharf. The location should be very convenient. We won’t be renting a car so easy access to public transport was important. We haven’t done a trip without a rental or own transportation since days of visiting of Las Vegas, over seven years ago. The trip will be here before I know it. It’s time to start researching places to eat and things to do. We definitely want to take a Bay Cruise and visit the Ferry Building for tasty eats, everything else is up in the air.
Besides the trip, we have other fun stuff ahead to look forward to. First, this Saturday is Bite of Las Vegas. Frank will be working, but I’m going to take my brother. Train and Uncle Kracker will be playing along with a handful of other bands; Le Reve is supposed to have some sort of performance, too. In addition to music, there will be restaurants from all over the valley selling their specialties. Tickets are only $8 at the gate and if you bring a canned good, they’ll take $1 off. It should be a fun-filled day.
Later this month, Frank and I will attend an awards dinner at Red Rock inside Cherry Nightclub. My company was nominated for Best Places to Work. Hopefully, we’ll take home an award.
Then, on the 31st Frank and I have tickets for NHRA at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. We’ve been to the venue before for NASCAR and Midnight Mayhem, but this will be the first time seeing NHRA. We saw street-drags, years ago, when we lived in Chicago, at the Joliet Motor Speedway. It was a great time. Cars were loud and fast! We saw a semi-truck with a jet engine rip down the track. It was a sight to see. NHRA Finals should have dozens of top fuel cars; they are supposed to have top speeds of 300 mph and more, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. That is sick!
Frank will be off that whole weekend. It’ll be great having time off together. Sunday will be a lazy day in front of the TV watching football. It’ll be a nice treat.
Hot showers are simply wonderful! Two days never seemed so long.
Switching gears…
San Francisco is a month away. We booked our hotel; we’ll be staying just outside Fisherman’s Wharf. The location should be very convenient. We won’t be renting a car so easy access to public transport was important. We haven’t done a trip without a rental or own transportation since days of visiting of Las Vegas, over seven years ago. The trip will be here before I know it. It’s time to start researching places to eat and things to do. We definitely want to take a Bay Cruise and visit the Ferry Building for tasty eats, everything else is up in the air.
Besides the trip, we have other fun stuff ahead to look forward to. First, this Saturday is Bite of Las Vegas. Frank will be working, but I’m going to take my brother. Train and Uncle Kracker will be playing along with a handful of other bands; Le Reve is supposed to have some sort of performance, too. In addition to music, there will be restaurants from all over the valley selling their specialties. Tickets are only $8 at the gate and if you bring a canned good, they’ll take $1 off. It should be a fun-filled day.
Later this month, Frank and I will attend an awards dinner at Red Rock inside Cherry Nightclub. My company was nominated for Best Places to Work. Hopefully, we’ll take home an award.
Then, on the 31st Frank and I have tickets for NHRA at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. We’ve been to the venue before for NASCAR and Midnight Mayhem, but this will be the first time seeing NHRA. We saw street-drags, years ago, when we lived in Chicago, at the Joliet Motor Speedway. It was a great time. Cars were loud and fast! We saw a semi-truck with a jet engine rip down the track. It was a sight to see. NHRA Finals should have dozens of top fuel cars; they are supposed to have top speeds of 300 mph and more, and quarter-mile times anywhere from 4.42 to 5 seconds. That is sick!
Frank will be off that whole weekend. It’ll be great having time off together. Sunday will be a lazy day in front of the TV watching football. It’ll be a nice treat.
October 12, 2009
It was one of those weekends
You know the kind where nothing goes according to plan. I thought Friday night we might catch a movie. Instead, Frank worked late, I made dinner and we had a quiet night.
Saturday, I went to Gilgrease Orchard to pick apples and eggplant, but it’s the end of the season. I came home with 6 apples, apple cider and a honey dew melon. It took me an hour to get home because of traffic and road construction.
Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but I was in a hurry because Frank had called to say the hot water heater was flooding the garage. Before he left for work, he turned off the water to it and hooked up a hose to drain the tank. Thankfully, he had it under control because it took me forever to get home. All was ok when I arrived.
Except for having no hot water, of course. It’s always amazing to learn what you take for granted. I couldn’t run the dishwasher, I couldn’t wash sheets or towels, we can’t even take a cold shower because we have single knobs in every shower they don’t allow enough water pressure when using only cold water. At least the tub has two knobs, we’ve been able to use that for “bathing”. It’s damn cold, too. Fortunately, we live in a warm climate, I realize the water sitting in the pipes could be much colder if we lived back east.
We should have a new water heater today, assuming we can get cash together. Today is a holiday and we can’t just run to the bank. Ahh! The timing, gotta love it.
But that’s not even the end of the hassles this weekend.
Mike was due to arrive at 6:00 Saturday night, but his connecting flight from Austin was delayed. His flight came in at 7:10 instead. Normally, it wouldn’t be much of an issue except we made dinner plans expecting him to be in at 6:00. We were all quite hungry when he arrived. We waited at the carousel for his bags but they never arrived. We went to Southwest’s office and they told us they might be on flights arriving at 8:10 or 8:40. I asked if we could grab dinner and come back, they said that wasn’t an option because they close at 9pm. Meanwhile, Frank went back to the car we knew the meter would be expiring. He was too late a ticket had already been written. Meter maids waste no time writing tickets these days. He waited in the car and was hounded by security endlessly, you can’t wait here, you need to pay, you have to move, etc. 9:00 rolled around by the time the last flight’s baggage made it on the carousel. Mike’s bags weren’t on either flight. We ran into the office before they closed and they then had a record of one bag, it would arrive 9:15am Sunday. They assumed both bags were found, but only one made it into the system. I told them we’d be back in the morning to pick up his luggage. I told Mike I wouldn’t be taking him to my mom’s that night as planned, we’d wait until tomorrow after another trip to the airport. We met up with Frank just before 9:30, two hours wasted. We were beyond hungry. We were famished.
We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for boneless wings and beer. Service was terrible. When our waitress finally brought our order, we had no silverware. She left us sit for 5 minutes staring at our food while we waited on utensils. Then, we finished our beers and asked for water. It took another 5 minutes before she brought them to us. You'd think they'd be a little quick on their feet, we order hot and mango habanero for goodness sake, to leave us with nothing to drink is pretty cruel. I don't know why but service is always terrible at that location (Hualapai/Flamingo), but it is. We quickly remembered why we carryout from there.
Sunday when we returned to McCarran, Southwest had retrieved one of Mike’s bags, the other was still missing. They have no record of it. Thankfully, the bag found is the one with Mike's stuff in it. The other was a bag Amy packed with misc stuff for my mom. We made the claim. If they find it they can overnight it to my mom's house. Or I could pick it up at the airport and receive $100 travel voucher. I opted to do the latter. I tried to get Mike drink tickets for the aggravation, but they said all they can offer is the voucher if I pick up the bag. I haven't heard from them yet. Once this is done, I figure we'll write a letter. We wasted 2 hours on Saturday, got a parking ticket, and had to make another trip on Sunday only to find out they only had one bag. I wished they would've just offered us the option to come back on Sunday rather than wasting all that time Saturday night.
They called today they still have not found his bag. They hope it will turn up.
With any luck, it will be found. And we will have a new hot water heater installed this afternoon. A hot shower would be a great treat tonight.
Saturday, I went to Gilgrease Orchard to pick apples and eggplant, but it’s the end of the season. I came home with 6 apples, apple cider and a honey dew melon. It took me an hour to get home because of traffic and road construction.
Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but I was in a hurry because Frank had called to say the hot water heater was flooding the garage. Before he left for work, he turned off the water to it and hooked up a hose to drain the tank. Thankfully, he had it under control because it took me forever to get home. All was ok when I arrived.
Except for having no hot water, of course. It’s always amazing to learn what you take for granted. I couldn’t run the dishwasher, I couldn’t wash sheets or towels, we can’t even take a cold shower because we have single knobs in every shower they don’t allow enough water pressure when using only cold water. At least the tub has two knobs, we’ve been able to use that for “bathing”. It’s damn cold, too. Fortunately, we live in a warm climate, I realize the water sitting in the pipes could be much colder if we lived back east.
We should have a new water heater today, assuming we can get cash together. Today is a holiday and we can’t just run to the bank. Ahh! The timing, gotta love it.
But that’s not even the end of the hassles this weekend.
Mike was due to arrive at 6:00 Saturday night, but his connecting flight from Austin was delayed. His flight came in at 7:10 instead. Normally, it wouldn’t be much of an issue except we made dinner plans expecting him to be in at 6:00. We were all quite hungry when he arrived. We waited at the carousel for his bags but they never arrived. We went to Southwest’s office and they told us they might be on flights arriving at 8:10 or 8:40. I asked if we could grab dinner and come back, they said that wasn’t an option because they close at 9pm. Meanwhile, Frank went back to the car we knew the meter would be expiring. He was too late a ticket had already been written. Meter maids waste no time writing tickets these days. He waited in the car and was hounded by security endlessly, you can’t wait here, you need to pay, you have to move, etc. 9:00 rolled around by the time the last flight’s baggage made it on the carousel. Mike’s bags weren’t on either flight. We ran into the office before they closed and they then had a record of one bag, it would arrive 9:15am Sunday. They assumed both bags were found, but only one made it into the system. I told them we’d be back in the morning to pick up his luggage. I told Mike I wouldn’t be taking him to my mom’s that night as planned, we’d wait until tomorrow after another trip to the airport. We met up with Frank just before 9:30, two hours wasted. We were beyond hungry. We were famished.
We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for boneless wings and beer. Service was terrible. When our waitress finally brought our order, we had no silverware. She left us sit for 5 minutes staring at our food while we waited on utensils. Then, we finished our beers and asked for water. It took another 5 minutes before she brought them to us. You'd think they'd be a little quick on their feet, we order hot and mango habanero for goodness sake, to leave us with nothing to drink is pretty cruel. I don't know why but service is always terrible at that location (Hualapai/Flamingo), but it is. We quickly remembered why we carryout from there.
Sunday when we returned to McCarran, Southwest had retrieved one of Mike’s bags, the other was still missing. They have no record of it. Thankfully, the bag found is the one with Mike's stuff in it. The other was a bag Amy packed with misc stuff for my mom. We made the claim. If they find it they can overnight it to my mom's house. Or I could pick it up at the airport and receive $100 travel voucher. I opted to do the latter. I tried to get Mike drink tickets for the aggravation, but they said all they can offer is the voucher if I pick up the bag. I haven't heard from them yet. Once this is done, I figure we'll write a letter. We wasted 2 hours on Saturday, got a parking ticket, and had to make another trip on Sunday only to find out they only had one bag. I wished they would've just offered us the option to come back on Sunday rather than wasting all that time Saturday night.
They called today they still have not found his bag. They hope it will turn up.
With any luck, it will be found. And we will have a new hot water heater installed this afternoon. A hot shower would be a great treat tonight.
October 9, 2009
New Column
I've moved up in ranks at Living-Las-Vegas. Not only will I have the LLV Blog, but I will also write a weekly column, Vegas Values, it will be featured every Friday. Today is the big launch!
Each Friday you can find Vegas Values on the homepage. For those of you that use Google Reader you can subscribe by adding my author page:
http://living-las-vegas.com/author/kellee-kunovic/feed/
Click below to read my first article.
Vegas Values: Tapas and Comedy for Less.
Come join me on this new adventure!
Each Friday you can find Vegas Values on the homepage. For those of you that use Google Reader you can subscribe by adding my author page:
http://living-las-vegas.com/author/kellee-kunovic/feed/
Click below to read my first article.
Vegas Values: Tapas and Comedy for Less.
Come join me on this new adventure!
October 8, 2009
Progress
My mom has been out of work for a year this month. She injured her back and she was unable to keep her job. Standing or sitting for long periods is troublesome for her, and even driving is an issue. She can only handle driving for 30-minute stretches.
She’s seen numerous doctors, a physical therapist, surgeon, pain specialist and now a year later she’s finally getting somewhere. She had a discogram done a couple weeks ago. Today, she got the results. She needs surgery to repair L4-L5 disc ruptures. She has an appointment Nov 6 to meet with the surgeon that performed Frank’s back surgery.
After Frank had his surgery he felt better immediately, recovery took sometime but he was worlds better right away. I hope my mom finds the same.
That’s not all she’s had to deal with, she was also diagnosed with diabetes in June while she was being treated for pneumonia. She’s getting more comfortable now living as a diabetic. When she didn’t fully recover from the pneumonia her doctor requested a CT Scan of her chest. Fortunately, her lungs looked pretty good; as good as they could be for a smoker, anyway. But the test revealed stones in her gallbladder. Surgery was recommended right away to prevent the need for emergency surgery. That was months ago. She’s been in a referral nightmare. Just this week, she was finally able to meet with a surgeon to discuss the removal of her gallbladder. Of course, more paperwork must get in order before her surgery is scheduled. With any luck, it will be very soon. I’m not sure how much longer her gallbladder can hold up. Her flare ups keep getting worse and worse.
Still, that’s not all. Amid all this she had abnormal cells on her leg that needed to be removed. Last week, she finally had the patch removed. She had been waiting since July. My mom has had melanoma before. You’d think they’d act quickly but nope. Evidently, three months is appropriate. Another biopsy was taken, I hope those results come back alright.
She’s been in pain for a very long time. It seems like there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I hope both of these surgeries go well and recovery is quick so she can be well on her way once again.
Because of all of this, she needs an extra set of hands at the house. She’s too far and has too many animals to care for, I cannot be there often enough to help.
Mike, my brother, is the only one of us kids that isn’t working or in school so it made the most sense for him to come out and lend a hand.
He’ll fly in on Saturday, he’ll stay until mid-November. We haven’t seen him since February it’ll be nice to catch up. I’m looking forward to his visit.
She’s seen numerous doctors, a physical therapist, surgeon, pain specialist and now a year later she’s finally getting somewhere. She had a discogram done a couple weeks ago. Today, she got the results. She needs surgery to repair L4-L5 disc ruptures. She has an appointment Nov 6 to meet with the surgeon that performed Frank’s back surgery.
After Frank had his surgery he felt better immediately, recovery took sometime but he was worlds better right away. I hope my mom finds the same.
That’s not all she’s had to deal with, she was also diagnosed with diabetes in June while she was being treated for pneumonia. She’s getting more comfortable now living as a diabetic. When she didn’t fully recover from the pneumonia her doctor requested a CT Scan of her chest. Fortunately, her lungs looked pretty good; as good as they could be for a smoker, anyway. But the test revealed stones in her gallbladder. Surgery was recommended right away to prevent the need for emergency surgery. That was months ago. She’s been in a referral nightmare. Just this week, she was finally able to meet with a surgeon to discuss the removal of her gallbladder. Of course, more paperwork must get in order before her surgery is scheduled. With any luck, it will be very soon. I’m not sure how much longer her gallbladder can hold up. Her flare ups keep getting worse and worse.
Still, that’s not all. Amid all this she had abnormal cells on her leg that needed to be removed. Last week, she finally had the patch removed. She had been waiting since July. My mom has had melanoma before. You’d think they’d act quickly but nope. Evidently, three months is appropriate. Another biopsy was taken, I hope those results come back alright.
She’s been in pain for a very long time. It seems like there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I hope both of these surgeries go well and recovery is quick so she can be well on her way once again.
Because of all of this, she needs an extra set of hands at the house. She’s too far and has too many animals to care for, I cannot be there often enough to help.
Mike, my brother, is the only one of us kids that isn’t working or in school so it made the most sense for him to come out and lend a hand.
He’ll fly in on Saturday, he’ll stay until mid-November. We haven’t seen him since February it’ll be nice to catch up. I’m looking forward to his visit.
October 7, 2009
October 6, 2009
Even freebies can lack value
Red Rock actually sent us a monthly mailer. They must have finally straightened out our account. It’s only taken two years – we stop by the rewards club regularly and each time they’d lose the information we gave them before. It'd be great if they finally got it right. Anyway, inside this mailer was a 2-for-1 coupon to the buffet. We’ve tried it before and were less than impressed, but we decided to give it another shot. After all, it’d be a cheap dinner and it meant I didn’t have to cook.
We waited about 20 minutes on a Wednesday night just to get to the cashier. She asked if we wanted to use comp points to cover our tab. Sure! Free meal, score!
After a 10 minute wait for a table we were finally seated. Off to the buffet we went. I sampled a variety of dishes: spring roll, broccoli beef, pad Thai, chicken wings, fajita, and sushi. The fajita was the tastiest, but the tortilla was dry. The next plate I tried ravioli, Stromboli, garlic bread, Caesar salad, provolone cheese. The cheese was the highlight. I covered the entire buffet with the exception of desserts and I only had consumed a few bites. It was sad. I hit the dessert selection to see if there were yummy treats to fill up on. I had a scoop of cappuccino and butter pecan gelato. The former was awful. I ate all of the butter pecan at least that was good. The only other dessert offering I found decent was the shot glasses filled with tiramisu. Although, it seemed more like pudding. I made another loop around the buffet and ended up with a sweet potato, fruit, and cottage cheese. The sweet potato was good. I wished I had found that earlier. Frank didn’t find much he liked either, but he created his own salad concoction in order to fill him up. I snacked enough to not leave hungry, but I was not full by any means.
Service was good. Our plates were cleared, refills were made timely.
Frank asked if I wanted to return, assuming we’d have a similar offer again. My reply? No. He said not even for free, huh? He didn’t think it was that bad. And it wasn’t I’ve had worse – Orleans and Southpoint – but it’s not worth the wait.
We waited about 20 minutes on a Wednesday night just to get to the cashier. She asked if we wanted to use comp points to cover our tab. Sure! Free meal, score!
After a 10 minute wait for a table we were finally seated. Off to the buffet we went. I sampled a variety of dishes: spring roll, broccoli beef, pad Thai, chicken wings, fajita, and sushi. The fajita was the tastiest, but the tortilla was dry. The next plate I tried ravioli, Stromboli, garlic bread, Caesar salad, provolone cheese. The cheese was the highlight. I covered the entire buffet with the exception of desserts and I only had consumed a few bites. It was sad. I hit the dessert selection to see if there were yummy treats to fill up on. I had a scoop of cappuccino and butter pecan gelato. The former was awful. I ate all of the butter pecan at least that was good. The only other dessert offering I found decent was the shot glasses filled with tiramisu. Although, it seemed more like pudding. I made another loop around the buffet and ended up with a sweet potato, fruit, and cottage cheese. The sweet potato was good. I wished I had found that earlier. Frank didn’t find much he liked either, but he created his own salad concoction in order to fill him up. I snacked enough to not leave hungry, but I was not full by any means.
Service was good. Our plates were cleared, refills were made timely.
Frank asked if I wanted to return, assuming we’d have a similar offer again. My reply? No. He said not even for free, huh? He didn’t think it was that bad. And it wasn’t I’ve had worse – Orleans and Southpoint – but it’s not worth the wait.
October 5, 2009
Damn, it's cold!
October is supposed to be beautiful weather month, but it's been abnormally cool. Last weekend, we had triple digits, since then we've dipped into the 70's and been hovering around 80 degrees. Talk about a shock to the system. This morning it was in the upper 40's when I got up. It was tough to drag my ass out of the comforts of my nice warm bed.
I wish I could say, well, at least I can open the windows and get some fresh air. But nope, they've been tightly closed. Saturday insanely fierce winds decided to rip through there's no way I can subject myself to the nastiness that gets kicked up in the air - My allergies would kill me. Even with the shots and keeping my house sealed, I still manage to get a sore throat and suffer from watery eyes.
I will admit the cooler weather was appreciated on Saturday morning for the Making Strides Against Cancer Walk. It was chilly while we waited to get started, but it was great walking/running weather. The event had a great turn out. I definitely enjoyed taking part to support such a great cause. The JW Marriot was a great venue for the walk, the palm trees and mountain views made the walk quite enjoyable.
I will participate in the walk again next year. I'll likely join other walks as I hear about them. The next one I'm planning on is the Las Vegas Santa Run, in December. It should be fun!
I wish I could say, well, at least I can open the windows and get some fresh air. But nope, they've been tightly closed. Saturday insanely fierce winds decided to rip through there's no way I can subject myself to the nastiness that gets kicked up in the air - My allergies would kill me. Even with the shots and keeping my house sealed, I still manage to get a sore throat and suffer from watery eyes.
I will admit the cooler weather was appreciated on Saturday morning for the Making Strides Against Cancer Walk. It was chilly while we waited to get started, but it was great walking/running weather. The event had a great turn out. I definitely enjoyed taking part to support such a great cause. The JW Marriot was a great venue for the walk, the palm trees and mountain views made the walk quite enjoyable.
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I will participate in the walk again next year. I'll likely join other walks as I hear about them. The next one I'm planning on is the Las Vegas Santa Run, in December. It should be fun!
October 1, 2009
I'm a sucker for a classic
Over the weekend we attended the Super Run Car Show in Henderson. You can read details over on living-las-vegas: Super fun, Super Run 2009.
I was in heaven, I wanted to take nearly every car home. Quite a few were for sale, too. The only thing that stopped me from taking one of the beauties home was the lack of cash. If I had $15k or so burning a hole in my pocket I'd know just how to spend it. The hard part would be picking just one.
It wouldn't need to be a Camaro, I'd gladly take a Chevelle, too.
Or maybe another Firebird
The show had all kinds of classics, plus new versions and those from yesteryear.
This International was really neat, little sliding doors like the one right below the driver window were found all around the vehicle. Helps fight off the bad guy or maybe aids in a quick getaway?
I would've loved to hear this Nova start up
Nice custom work
I fit perfectly underneath this truck
Keep in mind Frank is 6'3"
Check out the details in this ride
I was in heaven, I wanted to take nearly every car home. Quite a few were for sale, too. The only thing that stopped me from taking one of the beauties home was the lack of cash. If I had $15k or so burning a hole in my pocket I'd know just how to spend it. The hard part would be picking just one.
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It wouldn't need to be a Camaro, I'd gladly take a Chevelle, too.
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Or maybe another Firebird
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The show had all kinds of classics, plus new versions and those from yesteryear.
This International was really neat, little sliding doors like the one right below the driver window were found all around the vehicle. Helps fight off the bad guy or maybe aids in a quick getaway?
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I would've loved to hear this Nova start up
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Nice custom work
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I fit perfectly underneath this truck
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Keep in mind Frank is 6'3"
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Check out the details in this ride
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