Crushed

It's never easy to lose a loved one, but when it's a parent it leaves such a void. I love you, mom! You fought to stay with us as long as you could and we are forever grateful. We will miss you more than words can ever express, but I'm relieved you are now at peace. Thank you for your love, support, guidance and knowledge. I'll cherish our memories and you'll forever be in my heart.



Photo taken September 13, 2015. Meeting Winky from Winky Rides

Ride Sharing Now in Vegas

I'm very happy to report that Uber and Lyft are now live in Las Vegas. We'll still have to wait for pick ups at McCarran, but aside from that you can now get where you're going cheaper and easier than ever. I have been a huge supporter, I cannot tell you how many emails or phone calls I've made to support ride sharing in Nevada. This feels like a major victory.

There have been so many times I've wished I could Uber or Lyft, and now, finally, I can. I can have a safe ride when bar hopping, or take a car to meet Frank on the strip when I'd rather not have two cars. Plus, Frank and I have intentions of driving for Uber and/or Lyft for extra cash. Anything to fuel our need for travel.

If you are new to Lyft or Uber, I can refer you for credit toward your ride:

Click here for Uber

For Lyft use code: KELLEE330339 for up to $20 free ride.

Eeek! Surgery!

I'm four months post injury and I'm relieved that my surgery is finally on the books. It was no easy road to get here, but what's important is that in two weeks, I'll have a Brostrom repair, and arthroscopy to remove scar tissue. I'll be taking two weeks off work to rest and heal. I'll likely be in a splint/cast for the first month and then I'll graduate into the boot for about 6 weeks. Hopefully, rehab will be quick and successful. I have my sights set on starting 2016 on the right foot - a healthy & strong one, if it's not too much to ask.

I'm nervous, of course. But I'm also excited to put this behind me. I don't know that'll I've ever be pain free, but if I can gain more use out of it and learn to successfully walk without injury that will be a great feat. Frank will be out of town when I have surgery so I'll be relying on my sister to get me to and fro. I already plan to set up camp in our downstairs guest room. We'll move a TV, and I'll hunker down with Netflix and my Kindle. A few weeks back, I found a knee scooter for $99 at the new Open Box Store. I was so excited. Yes, this is what thrills me... this is what my life has boiled down to. So, I'll save in rental costs this time around.

If all went as originally planned I'd be having surgery on Monday, but the surgery centers my doctor is affiliated with don't accept my insurance. I refuse to pay out of network prices, so I had no choice but to wait until I could coordinate a time with my doctor and Spring Valley hospital. Thankfully, they squeezed me in this month. I was concerned when they said it could be mid-Oct before there was an opening. That would really derail my plans. At least, this way I should stay on track. Here's hoping, anyway...

Shutterbug

Early this year, I came to realize that my neck and shoulder issues were limiting my ability to enjoy photography. Lugging around my SLR camera was tiring and painful. I found myself using it less and less. My Nikon D40 is the smallest and lightest option out there (best, I know) and caused too much strain. Plus, it's an entry level SLR and I felt I used it to the best of its ability over the last 5 years. Truth be told, I grew a bit bored with it. Investing in an upgraded body didn't make much sense. They only get bigger, heavier and more expensive than my model. After some research, I concluded that I'd have to seek out an alternative. Before Mexico, I purchased the Sony CyberShot RX100 III. I figured it was a good compromise. It offers better quality than my Olympus Tough TG-1 and it's ability to function in low light is pretty stellar. My Olympus is fantastic for off-roading and underwater, but it didn't satisfy my desire for crisp shots.

The Sony CyberShot RX100 III is a work horse, it's not pocket sized, but it stores well in a small purse. It's great for traveling or day-to-day on the go. It offers far more than your standard point & shoot camera, but it's very easy to use and not at all intimidating like and SLR can be. An additional perk is that it has WiFi so you can upload and share, without cords, card reader or pc. I've been very happy with it. However, as great as it is, it simply doesn't measure up to the SLR. You cannot beat that level of sharpness. That might be why I haven't been shooting as much. Lately, I've found that I do miss having the creative outlet. I figured once things settled down, I'd jump back into photography and continue to tweak the Sony CyberShot RX100 III settings until I can get the results I seek.

A friend had introduced me to the local Garage Sale Groups on Facebook when we moved, it's been great for finding deals without the hassle of Craigslist (hopefully, my luck will be just as good when I try selling). Anyhow, Friday, I was scrolling through listings and I found a barely used Nikon D3000. The price was very fair, I made the arrangements and picked it up Friday afternoon. I was able to break it in on Saturday. I snapped some 12 months photos of Addison and snuck a couple of her brother too. As you'll see they grow so fast. It'll be nice to freeze a few moments in time...



The camera handles just like my D40, the weight and feel are very similar. All my lenses and accessories are compatible too. It'll be nice to have for quick shoots. I'll continue to use the Sony CyberShot RX100 III on the go, and if I ever get back to off-roading you can bet I'll have my Olympus along for the ride. All three should meet my various photography needs.

Custom Pizza Wars

Nearly a year after opening, I finally saw the Shops at Summerlin, it is indeed massive. It's a haul from home so I haven't had any need to check it out. Last week, work brought me out that way. Since it was lunch time, I decided to grab a bite at Pieology Pizza. Move over Subway and Chipotle, custom pizza has become a trend. This style of eatery seems to be popping up all over. It seems Custom Built (215/Flamingo) was ahead of its time - it closed last year.



You build your own pizza for $7.95 and it served piping hot in a few minutes. I'm no stranger to the concept. I generally enjoy crafting my own pizza so I was eager to give it a whirl. The restaurant was extremely quiet considering it was prime time for lunch. I chose the Margherita with sauce. It was delivered to me in minutes just as promised. Unfortunately, it was my least favorite pizza I've had of this style. I couldn't pinpoint if it was the crust or the garlic, but something about it struck me as incredibly artificial. Minimal toppings should has provided an ideal crust, but it wasn't very crispy. I found it to be rather bland. The pizza improved with a heavy sprinkling of red pepper flakes.



On my side of town, Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza opened a couple months back. They sent us a postcard good for one free pizza. Of course, it got us in the door. Who doesn't like free pizza? Blaze shares the same concept, here your custom pizza will run $7.65. They have an array of quality toppings to choose from. I didn't have a huge appetite so I let Frank choose the toppings since I'd only being stealing a couple slices. He loaded the pizza up, usually I don't recommend this because it makes for a soggy crust. However, our fire'd pie came out perfect. The crust was super thin but very crisp. It was a tasty pizza. I could only fault them for going too easy on the cheese.

Hands down, it's Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza for the win.