Family history

A few posts back, I mentioned that my mom bought home a bunch of my grandma's photos. I've scanned them all and figured I'd share a few. Ok, more than a few...

This is my great grandfather, Harry. When he was a child he came to America from Sweden by boat.



He was an electrical contractor, he also enjoyed carpentry in his spare time. Most of our family's prized possessions were made by his hands. He owned a electronics store for many years.





My great grandmother was the first in the Chicago area to have a princess phone.



They had three daughters, Betty (second from the left), Lois (last on the right) and Harriett (center). My great grandmother is the first on the left.



My grandma, Harriett, is the youngest.



She befriended Trixie and chose to runaway with her when her parents said that she couldn't keep her. They returned home, and Trixie became part of the family.



My grandma excelled in school and actively played bridge and other card games. As young woman she married Thomas. They had five children, Tom, Jeff, Jack, Lee and Patti.



This is the only photo I've seen of my grandpa, he passed away when my mom was two. He's having fun with Tom here, his eldest son.



My mom and aunt Lee



My uncle Tom



My uncle Jack and aunt cindy (highschool sweethearts, still married today)



My uncle Jeff and the one that got away. He's never married.



When the kids were grown, my grandma remarried.



My aunt lee



My mom and her cousin



After they wed, my grandma and Gordon moved to Black River Falls, WI. Tom, Jack, Lee and Patti later married and kids. My grandma had eight grandkids and two great grandkids when she passed away.

I'm three here



Growing up, all I wanted was a brother and sister. By the time I was nine, both wishes came true. Mike came along when I was seven, Amy followed two years later.

Christmas 1989



Here's my brother at age four



And my sister at age two



It's fun to look back. It's a reminder of how precious life is and quickly it passes by. For example, my brother will celebrate his 21st birthday on Sunday. I've watched him grow, but it doesn't seem possible, it feels like yesterday I was bouncing off the walls with excitement because I would finally be a big sister. And the thought of my sister's son turning two in four short months, just boggles my mind. At least, as years pass, I gain more fond memories to cherish.

Latest house slideshow

Gotta love long weekends

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday. We sure did, we invited a few friends over for dinner and drinks to celebrate. By the way, we successfully perfected the margarita on Thursday night, so we indulged in a pitcher to kick off the night. Frank fired up the grill; we cooked bone-in ribeyes, garlic bread and corn on the cob. Delicious!! We sat around the spa, drinking beers and smoking cigars to pass time until darkness blanketed the sky. Then we went around the front of the house to light a few fireworks. We were pleased to see that the neighbors lined the street and we’re in the midst of their own show. Now, we have big plans for next year!

See, the 4th is Frank’s favorite holiday and my second next to Christmas. We haven’t properly celebrated in over five years. We couldn’t light fireworks at the condo and my mom did want us to do them by her for fear of scaring the animals. Next year, though, the show is on! Aerials and mortars are some of his favorites; Frank’s already planning to drop a dime.

Back to this year, it was getting later so we piled into our cars and headed for Red Rock. We parked on the mountainside near Far Hills and the 215. From our vantage point we saw fireworks all over the valley. Once Stations got their displays underway we could see Red Rock to our right, Green Valley Ranch straight ahead, Sunset Station to the left and Texas and Santa Fe were behind us. The 9-minute show was pretty good, although, we agreed it would’ve been better had they done one major display rather than several smaller ones. We returned home, lit more fireworks, drank a few beers and relaxed in the spa. Our first time entertaining was a success, everyone had an enjoyable time.

On Saturday, Frank and I drove out to Pahrump to see their firework display and visit with my mom and Blaine. We had dinner at Terrible’s prime rib buffet before the show. It is the best buffet in town, but that’s not saying a whole lot. Luckily, Pahrump does firework shows a whole lot better than they do food. The display got underway at 9:15 and didn’t end until 9:38. The show was awesome and they had the greatest and brightest finale I can remember. It was excellent. They had great song choices, too, and it was well synchronized.

The rest of the weekend was filled with time in the pool and spa. In between, we did more yard work. Most of the trees are now trimmed and pruned. Our palms look clean and manicured. Everything is really coming together.

Perfecting the Margarita

Yeah, we’re going to need a lot of practice. It turns out we don’t make very good bartenders. I suppose with free cocktails and 24/7 bars there’s little need to hone those skills. However, we wanted to mix margaritas to drink at home, poolside, well spaside. We like Cadillac Margaritas, so I looked for recipes online. Majority called for Tequila (Patron is king in my book), Grand Marnier and Cointreau with a shot of lime. I stopped at Terrible’s Liquors inside the Orleans after work. Then, I headed home with my goodie bag of booze.

After dinner (by the way, honey teriyaki beef kebabs from Whole Foods rock) and a few chores we were ready to relax. We set up a mini-bar and Frank got busy mixing and shaking. He poured the mixture over ice and we were good to go. Cheers!

Ooohwe!!! That was some strong shit. Orange flavor overpowered lime and the liquor was fierce. We tried to water it down with ice and more lime juice, but it tasted like shots straight up, instead of a Margarita. Frank had added an extra shot of Cointreau. In hindsight, it certainly was necessary. Even with the proper ratio, it’d be a strong-ass drink. I think it may need sweet and sour mix. I’m going to pick some up and we’ll give it another whirl. Hopefully, attempt two will be a success because a margarita sounds damn tasty.

Busy bee

Time sure flies when you're busy. Let’s see what’s been going on…

Thursday, we had dinner with Frank’s uncles and his parents at Village Pub. I was pleased to learn that they serve up ribs just as tasty as Ellis Island’s on Thursdays. The cost is a couple dollars more $13.99 for full slab, but there’s no ridiculous wait or in my case no drive across town. There’s a Village Pub within walking distance of the house. Tasty and convenient - can’t beat that.

Friday, the in-laws went back to Chicago. All in all, we had a nice visit. Also, my replacement printer from Kodak arrived [back in December, I bought a camera, part of the deal was a free 5100 Kodak printer. We didn’t open the box until we moved, when we set it up it wouldn’t work, it had print head issues. Three print head kits later, it still didn’t work so customer service finally sent out a new one]. I set it up and I was thrilled to see it worked.

Saturday morning, I was back at McCarran to pick up my mom. She had a draining trip; we visited at my house and went through my grandma’s things that she brought back with her. We also sorted through old pictures. Most of which I had never seen. It was neat to hear old stories and reminisce; it was a healthy way for us to look back at my grandma’s life since there were no official services. I kept the pictures and told my mom I’d scan them for her. We had lunch at Viva El Taco, a small taco shop much like the Roberto’s chain. However, the carne asada was better. I didn’t come across a single fatty piece in my entire burrito. I’ve shied away from Roberto’s lately because of poor quality of meat. Needless to say, I was happy with Viva El Taco and I look forward to trying more items. I saw they offered tacos al pastor. I’m sure I’ll get that next time. The rest of the day and night were spent in the pool and spa, with a break in between for dinner – baby swiss cheeseburgers on the grill.

Sunday, I was up bright and early. I scanned my grandma’s pictures for my mom. Talk about breaking in the new printer, but it handled it like a champ. Once Frank was moving about, we headed out to Sears. We needed a leaf blower and power washer. Luckily, both were on sale, we also picked up a Craftsman tool set. Our former set is missing a bunch of items because they’ve broke over the last eight years. We figured Craftsman was a good investment since the tools are guaranteed for life. We were in and out, and $600 poorer when we left. We grabbed lunch at Jersey Mike’s and headed to the condo to pick up our fish. They survived the move just fine, although, they’re currently in a 20 gallon tank, I bet they'll be happy to move back into their 55 gallon home once we get it set up. We took an afternoon swim before getting started on yard work. Frank cut the grass (we bought a push-mower right after we moved in) I’ve gotta admit for a small yard, it does the trick. I’m quite impressed. I weeded and pruned the plants, trees and bushes in the front yard. Frank broke out the leaf blower and cleaned up the perimeter of the yard. I got started on weeding and pruning the backyard, only managed to get about half complete before the sun began to set. We did all this without realizing it was the hottest day of the year thus far. We didn’t know until we tuned into the eleven o’clock news. We grilled up BBQ chicken for dinner and then set out to Whole Foods for a few tasty treats. We picked up beef and chicken kabobs, chicken satay, asparagus, latkes, salami and cheese. We tried to behave and not go overboard, but somehow we managed to spend $100. I don’t know how people can shop there as their main grocery store. If we did, our monthly bill would be thousands of dollars.

As always the weekend was much too short. I’m looking forward to my four day week and long holiday weekend.

Bright light city...

We had another highly enjoyable meal at Seablue on Monday night. We ordered chilled gulf shrimp to start – Scrumptious, as always. Each of them created their own salad, all were unique and delicious. Frank’s parents had scallop skewers and cod. Frank and I chose halibut with lentils and rice, and asparagus. Everything is always light and fresh, it’s perfection.

Yesterday, the in-laws baked lasagna and made meatballs. That was a tasty treat. There’s plenty leftover so we’ll be feasting on it again today.

Last night, Frank and I attempted to hang our hammock in the sunroom, but a circuit blew when Frank drilled the first hole. Not sure if we hit electrical wires or if the power of the drill caused it. It took us nearly 40 minutes to locate our circuit breaker box. We eventually came across it outside on the side of the house behind some vines. Very strange, anyone could walk up and turn off our power. We made a note to buy a lock. We flipped the breaker, and power returned to the sunroom. However, we no longer felt like messing with it and we decided to hop into the pool instead.

An hour or so passed and we were all in the spa, when the entire neighborhood lost power. There were two failed surges to return power, but we were left in darkness. Neighbors flocked to the streets, Frank and his mom drove around to see how much area was affected; it was a few blocks in either direction covering our entire subdivision. The outage lasted about an hour. We lit a candle and ate ice cream to pass the time. It was odd; it’s been years since I’ve been without power for more than a couple minutes. Power outages just don’t happen often. I figure there must have been an accident that took out some of Nevada Power’s equipment. Even with the loss of power and lack of moon light, the skies sure were bright; it’s amazing how much light floods the sky from the glow of the strip.

Potato Ridge Photos

(Click photos for full size images)

Scenic Views


A cloudy day - Ha!


Additional scenic views





The part where the trail is washed out

Misc. house photos

The start of my Vegas memorabilia room: photos, matchbooks and room keys on display (Click photos for full size images)




Living room is sloooowly coming together.




Pool and spa at night.

Randomness

First, my grandma passed away early Friday evening. All five of her kids were there with her in her final hour. She was the strongest woman I ever knew. Her first husband passed away when my mom was two. She was left to raise three boys and two girls on her own. When all the kids were grown and moved out of the house, she remarried and moved to Wisconsin. I have vivid memories of visiting Gordon and her. Gordon passed away when I was 7 or so. My grandma returned to Illinois. It was nice to see her regularly. She’d liked to bake, she was an avid gardener and enjoyed crafts. She made sweet pickles like no other, among other tasty goodies. She will be missed.

The in-laws are still visiting; they’ll be heading home on Friday. We’ve had fun and some good times, but we’re looking forward to getting our new home back to ourselves.

Saturday we took them out to the Potato Ridge trail outside of Red Rock Canyon. They had an enjoyable time. They preferred the easy well marked portions of the trail compared to the parts that were washed out by floods a few years back. Those areas are among Frank and my favorite since we really enjoy rock crawling. I have photos to share, I plan to get those posted later today.

We ordered a Sirius Radio home dock. It arrived Friday and we've been listening to commercial free tunes ever since. It's wonderful.

Frank I have been living in Las Vegas for five years now. Amazing how time flies. We've accomplished quite a bit in a short time. We love the life we've created for ourselves here. Relocating from Chicago proves to be one of the greatest decisions we've ever made.

We ordered a hammock from Mexico. It should’ve shipped last week, but there was an error with the shipping address. Frank ventured to North Las Vegas this morning and picked it up at Fed Ex. I can’t wait to get it hung. I see a lot of siestas in our future.

Tonight the in-laws will be treating us to dinner at Seablue. We haven’t dined there since April (far too long), we are really looking forward to the meal.

Early bird catches the worm

So they say, anyways… I’m just damn tired. I woke up at 4 o’clock this morning so I could take my mom to the airport. She was on the first flight to Chicago. The hospice nurse notified the family yesterday that my grandma didn’t have much longer. Death rattle has settled in, she’s in and out, mostly out and naps all the time. Hopefully she’ll hang on long enough for my mom to visit, but pass soon enough that she won’t suffer.

Looking to the Brightside, the early morning sky was graced by a beautiful sunrise. Hues of yellow, pink and orange painted the sky and mountains in the distance. The temperature was a perfect 80 degrees, traffic was light, the city was quiet -- It was remarkably serene.

Off to a good start

I managed to stay awake and survive the frozen tundra (aka. my office) yesterday. Stepping outside into the 105 heat never felt so good. The toasty drive home was quite enjoyable, I was able to defrost.

I did dishes and laundry before we headed to the airport to pick up the in-laws. We made great time to McCarran, 6 minutes via 215. Nice! Their flight arrived on time so we were in and out, and on to the Mirage for dinner at Stack in no time.

Dinner did not disappoint. It's been way too long since we've enjoyed a fine meal. We shared all kinds of goodies, the following was ordered: Caesar salad, hot rocks, pigs in a blanket, bone-in cowboy steak, surf & turf, lamb shank, petite filet, adult tater tots, twice baked potato, and whipped potatoes. Everything was great! Frank's parents enjoyed every bite, as well. We skipped dessert, since we gorged ourselves. However, we stopped at Carnegie Deli to grab cookies to go.

From the Mirage we headed home. We gave his parents the tour of the house and then we hit the pool, followed by time in the spa. They had an excellent first night in Vegas.

Zzz…Zzzz…

I am so sleepy! The a/c is blasting in the office today. Unlike most people, cold air actually makes me more tired than if it’s warm. The chill makes me want to curl up and nap. I’m fighting off sleepiness with every yawn, I need to wake up or this is going to be a long day.

My cleaning spree continued through the weekend. Frank worked long hours Friday and Saturday, which allowed me to get quite a bit done. Saturday I went by the condo and got that place sparkling. Amazing how quickly I zipped through there, a definite upside to minimal square feet is less area to clean. After a couple hours, I returned to the house to continue my mission. I didn’t wrap up until 8:30 last night. There’s a few ceiling fans I didn’t get to in the living room and sun porch, but the house is as clean as it will be for the next ten days.

Frank's parents come in at 5:30. Frank wants to have dinner tonight at Stack. Of course, that sounds fantastic! We cashed in our MGM reward points so we'll only have to shell out a little coin. It'll be a nice treat.

Life is good!

Dinner was a hit, last night. The pork was tender, juicy and citrusy. I feel rewarded when recipes are a success. I had a string of bad ones for a bit there, but this makes three good recipes in a row. I’d like to see the successes continue. We had another rough night, we swam, and then wasted away in the spa smoking a cigar and drinking a few cervezas. We’re ecstatic over the house and new routines. It feels like we’re on vacation each night after work. Ahhh, yes, life is good!

Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large resealable bag, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Place chops in bag, seal, and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Turn bag frequently to distribute marinade.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Remove chops from bag, and transfer remaining marinade to a saucepan. Bring marinade to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill pork chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side, basting frequently with boiled marinade, until done.

25 Questions

1) What was the last CD you listened to? Majority of my music is ripped, I think I have 5 real cds, the one listened to last was likely Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits.

2)Do you have Tivo? If yes, what shows do you record? My old dvr holds 50 season passes, we’re maxed out. I haven’t tinkered around with the dvr to see if that number has increased. Not much good tv is on these days, with fx and hbo series on hiatus. At least, next week, Showtime comes through with Weeds and Bullshit. They’re also premiering a new show, so we’ll check that one out, too. Others in the current rotation are 30 days, First 48, Cobert Report, Dirty Jobs, and Jon & Kate + 8. I have a weakness for the organized chaos.

3) What book is currently on the nightstand? Finished my books, but the last 6 months of Maxim is waiting to be read.

4) What was the last DVD you watched? Knocked up? It was back in Laughlin. In Vegas, we rely on PPV, since we haven’t bought a HD dvd player.

5) What was the last thing you purchased online? Show tickets, I think.

6) If you were given $50,000 and told that you had to use it on a new vehicle, what would you buy? Assuming that it has to be new and not just new to me, I’d like a new Challenger SRT8. Otherwise, I’d like to pick up a restored Chevelle or two.

7) If you were given $50,000 and told you could use it on anything, what would you spend it on? I’d pay off the Trans Am and my Impala, pay off the credit card, add some to savings to cover a trip to Italy for when the dollar improves, and the rest would be spent updating the house. Everyday, I find something new I want to add/change.

8) If you were given ten days of vacation to go anywhere you want, all expenses paid, where would you go? Italy

9) If you could attend one major sporting event, which one would it be?
Seeing the White Sox clinch the division a few years back was a memory of a lifetime, it’d only get better if it were a World Series clincher.

10) What was the last alcohol you purchased? two 6-packs of Pacifico

11) The last time you went out for breakfast, where did you go? Original Pancake House. Lunch? Buffalo Wild Wings. Dinner? Amore.

12) Favorite fast food joint? There are only 2 fast food places I’ll eat: In-N-Out and Carl’s Jr. for their $6 burger.

13) Which modern technology baffles you the most? texting

14) If you could live like a hippie, following a band around on tour, which band would it be? I love music, but I wouldn’t want to live that life.

15) Which do you own more of--purses or shoes? I own 3 purses and I have about 3x more shoes.

16) What was the last thing you bid for on Ebay? Wedding stuff, over four years ago.

17) Do you have a secret crush on anyone? No, and my celebrity crushes are widely known: Carmen Electra and Julian McMahon.

18) If you could go back in time 25 years and give yourself some advice, what would it be? 25 years ago, I was 3. Don’t think I would’ve understood anything more than cartoons and my dollies. My only regret is that we bought property in Laughlin; I wish we would’ve rented. Learning first hand that purchasing property isn’t always an investment was a costly lesson.

19) When was the first time you got high? Freshman year

20) Who was the last person you sent flowers to? My grandma

21) What was the last foreign country you visited? Mexico

22) If you could host a Jon Favreau-style dinner party, that would be filmed and broadcast on cable, who would your four guests be? And where would you dine? Martin Scorsese, Ted Nugent, Lisa Lampanelli, and Ginger Lynn... can you imagine the stories going around that table? I’ve only been to Cut (Palazzo) once, so it’s a bit premature to suggest it as a sure thing, but I’ll go with it anyway.

23) Do you have any weird food habits? None that come to mind, but when I was a kid. I never knew you were supposed to eat the crust of a sandwich, I thought it was there to keep the bread fresh (I learned by example, my mom still does not eat crust today).

24) Which company has made you suffer the most, customer-service wise? Toss up between Southwest Gas and Nevada Power. If other players ever break up the monopoly I’d be willing to pay higher rates to avoid either company.

25) If you had the chance to pelt one public figure with garbage and rotten fruit without getting caught, which one would it be? Nancy Grace, her presence is 10x worse than nails on a chalk board.

The Latest

The new place is beginning to feel like home. I still have a few rooms left to clean and organize, but we’re settling in. We’ve quickly fell into a routine after work with of a few laps in the pool, dinner on the grill, followed by relaxation time in the spa. I manage to squeeze in random chores between the fun stuff. It’s a tough life, but someone has to do it.

Let me tell you, the grill is the greatest thing since peanut butter and chocolate. We went far too long without the luxury. We can whip up dinner in no time now, and there’s less clean up. We’ve had BBQ pork chops, cheddarwurst, cheeseburgers, BBQ Chicken, and Italian Sausage, so far. Tonight’s dinner is a new recipe for lemon herbed pork chops. I mixed up the marinade last night, I can’t wait to try it.

The heater on the pool/spa was acting up the night before last, we called the home warranty company, they sent someone out yesterday. As it turns out the sensor was bad, they replaced it and now it’s running as good as new.

I only have a few more days to get the house in order. The in-laws arrive Monday and they’ll be staying with us until June 26th.

My grandma was given 1-3 months to live by her doctor on Tuesday. Hard to hear something so definitive… however, the doctors gave my other grandma 6 months and she was with us for a year. Although, she’ll be starting hospice soon, so it probably won’t be too long. My mom’s having a tough time, she wants to be in Chicago with her, but she doesn’t have any vacation time left. I suggested she do whatever she has to do, so she won’t be left with any regrets.

That’s about it.

Dreams do come true

It's so nice to finally have a house, we enjoy it more than we imagined. The move went well on Friday, the house was trashed by the time they left. It was a bit overwhelming to see our belongings scattered about everywhere. Saturday, I got started cleaning and organizing. Frank took time to learn our timers for lights, pool, a/c, sprinklers, etc. He configured the smart box to get internet and cable to run through the house. After DirecTv was installed we hung the tv in the master bedroom. As of yesterday, only the kitchen, linen closet, master closet, and guest bath were complete. The cleaning process is slow going, but it is coming along.

We're are loving the pool and spa. The bbq is great, too.

Here's before/after shots of the kitchen









and guest bath



Below are slideshows, first is the house after we moved in. The peacock in the window will be coming down along with all the other painted windows. And then there's the backyard. I love all the flowers! The roses are blooming, the morning glories and oleander are pretty, too. Hummingbirds love the oleander by the palm trees near the spa. The fountain in the corner empties into the koi pond.

House... trashed after moving

Backyard

Moving day!!

Closing went fairly well, the only issue is that property will not record until today. Technically, we shouldn't receive keys until this afternoon, but the sellers are sweethearts and they hid a key for us. Movers are due sometime between 8:30-10am today. Then, we can get this show on the road. I look foward to sitting in our very own hot tub tonight with a glass of bubbly to celebrate.

Nothing is ever easy

I've really had a hellish week, and it's only Thursday morning... Problems generally arise during the home buying process, ours, have all happened to erupt in the final days. We've had one issue after another. Nearly every problem has been due to lack of information and miscommunication by our lender. Needless to stay, they won't be receiving the 5 star rating that they've been begging for on every email, fax and mailed letter. We went to the title company for closing yesterday, but we refused to sign and we walked out empty handed. After hundreds of phonecalls and much frustration we're ready for closing attempt #2 at noon today. Hopefully, this try will go without a hitch. With any luck, funds will transfer in time to allow us to record today, so we can receive the keys to our new house by the end of the day.

With the good, comes the bad...

My mom just let me know that my grandma's throat cancer has spread to her lymph nodes. No more surgeries, no more treatments - It is what it is. I lost my other grandma to lung cancer in December, and thyroid cancer took Frank's gram in 2004, so I'm no stranger to what's ahead, but it doesn't make it suck any less.

Are we there yet?

What a day, yesterday... All last week we checked with our loan specialist daily to be sure they had all that was needed, we were golden. Then mid-morning the emails started. I was chasing docs and making calls until 4pm. It was crazy! We were short-handed at work, so that made things more challenging.

It was all worth while, closing is scheduled for 2pm tomorrow. Hooray!

In other news, remember how I mentioned our condo HOA was harassing us about the Jimmy? Well the saga continues… but first, let’s bring you up to speed. We’ve lived in our complex for 4.5 years with two complaints: loud music coming from the Trans Am, and my brother jumped off the waterfall into the pool once when visiting. In the 2+ months we’ve had the Jimmy, we’ve had three complaints. Lack of registration the morning after we purchased it, no repairs on property (we checked the oil), and mud chunks. I cleaned up the ring of mud (to avoid fines) the day Dolores called. As the mud continues to dry, pieces periodically fall to the ground. Since then, I’ve picked up the large pieces and swept around the truck. Yesterday, my neighbor informed me that the cunt, err, Dolores has been coming by daily to check on the Jimmy. The neighbor's husband calls her the FBI. She said she looks underneath the truck, walks circles around it, and she's complained to them that it's noisy and questioned if they had any issues. She said they didn't, and that she knew my mom had a farm in Pahrump, and explained that it would naturally get dirty... of course, that's not how it got dirty, but I appreciated her sticking up for me.

Does this woman have nothing better to do? I'm actually kind of amused that this woman's world is so shaken up over a muddy truck. Frank wants to stick a note under the truck that says something along the lines of …if you can read this, you must be Dolores, so fuck off!! I suggested we leave the truck there after we move just to torture her.

After all the days stresses, we had a nice dinner at Amore. Minestrone soup and stuffed pizza were tasty as always. As if we weren't anxious to move before, now, all the fuss over the Jimmy has us especially eager to leave. Plus, after the final walk-thru on Sunday it finally began to feel real. Ever since, one of us continuously mentions how we can’t wait to move. We’re as bad as kids asking their parents are we there yet?

Pop-Tarts…

When is the last time you had them? And did you know it would be the last? This was the subject on the local morning radio show on my way into work today. I haven’t had a Pop-tart since high school. I used to eat them or dry Fruit Loops for breakfast each morning outside my locker. Crumbs would fall and I’d regularly host a family of ants – nice, huh? I used to wash down my breakfast of champions with clear watermelon Kool-Aid or a diet pop.

Lunches often consisted of Cheetos and a Whatchamacallit. Some days I’d opt for the chewy fruity goodness of Mamba.

To make matters worse, when I’d get home, Doritos were my snack of choice. I’d scarf down half a bag in one sitting without any effort. Nutty bars were another favorite. Matt’s Cookies or Soft Batch were other weaknesses.

Most dinners that my mom prepared were beef or pork roasts because my dad didn’t consider poultry or fish to be meat. Sides were always corn and potatoes. I’d cap my nights off with dessert -- a whopping bowl of cookie dough ice cream. Amazing that I was able to stay slim, especially since I never participated in sports and my effort level in gym was minimal. Ahhh... If I could only have that metabolism back.

These days, I have to keep a balance of healthy meals and splurges, and exercise four times a week so I can keep my ass in a size four. I haven’t had a single Cheeto or Dorito in a couple years, I think I’d gag from the sweetness of Kool-aid, and I can’t imagine starting my day with a Pop-tart. I realized somewhere between here and there, I grew up. Funny how age sneaks up on you, but with age comes wisdom. I can now appreciate brussels sprouts, asparagus, lamb, duck, fish and all kinds of things I never imagined I’d enjoy. I wonder what else I’ll discover with age.

One week

Only seven days to go until our scheduled closing. I’m doubtful it will record that day so we have the movers set for Friday, June 6th to allow a couple days leeway. I wasn’t aware that they will be packing and unpacking our belongings, we’re only responsible for personal items and chemicals. Nice relocation perk! Although, it’ll spoil me; I’ll never want to move the old fashioned way again. Our final walk-thru is scheduled for this Sunday morning. So, we’re cooking right along...

A long overdue, long weekend…

We kicked off my long weekend with dinner Friday night at Amore; my mom’s treat. Minestrone soup and pizza really hit the spot. My mom headed home and Frank and I had a quiet night.

Saturday, I cleaned house, did laundry and got started packing. I whipped up stroganoff for dinner and we stayed in. We played a game of Uno while it rained buckets outside. Hard to believe days before temps soared to 107 and this weekend we had near record lows and scattered storms. Felt like I was back in Chicago for a bit there.

Sunday afternoon we took the Jimmy out. We went to the Paradise Hills trails which we've done before, but this time we went over the mountain to the dry lake bed on the other side.


Those power lines were snap cracklin' poppin' like you wouldn't believe.

Frank scoping out the trail ahead.



We parked and pulled out the guns. On our way out, we stopped at Wal-Mart to buy golf balls. Frank busted those out and shot them with the shot gun. He didn't get many good drives; he thinks he needs more powerful ammo. We fired a few clips from the Glock. Then, I tried to launch clay pigeons with the EZ-thrower. EZ my ass. I could not get the hang of it, its Kellee proof, I swear. At least, it provided Frank with a good laugh. Fortunately, I was able to successfully throw the clays by hand. Afterwards, we packed up and made our way over the mountains to the dry lake bed.



We drove around forever looking for water. It dries up so quickly in the desert. We came across a puddle of mud, Frank played in it until it dried up.





He managed to kick up a little mud



We drove around and found the lowest part of the lake bed. Not much water was on the surface, but you could tell the water table was high. Ruts from previous visitors were filled with water. We played in those and got muddier.




I was amazed how muddy the truck got considering the lack of water/mud. It'll be an absolute blast, immediately following a rain, when there's large puddles and mud to plow through.

Since we were out in Henderson, we decided to have dinner at Lucille's BBQ. It was Frank's idea; I couldn't have been more pleased. We drove up to the District, I had to laugh as caked mud slinged off the truck... we're always classing up the place. Dinner was excellent. Biscuits, artichoke spinach dip, pulled pork, fried chicken, cheesy grits and mac & cheese. Yummy, yum, yum!

We stopped at the car wash on the way home. The bay was flooded with mud, after a couple attempts at power washing it away some remained under the truck. In fact, in our parking lot, there's currently a ring of dried up mud surrounding the Jimmy. Our HOA is having a fit about it; they can sweat it out until later today.

Monday we went to my mom’s and barbecued cheeseburgers and rib eyes, we also had corn on the cob and garlic bread. We can’t wait to fire up our own grill at our own house. Soon… I know. We rode Fancy. She was not being cooperative; evidently she was not in the mood to be ridden. When I was riding, she wouldn’t obey my commands and she kept trying to spit out her bit - silly horse. Needless to say, I didn’t ride long. After the sun set, Frank lit the fire barrel. We sat around that and gazed at the stars before we headed back home.

Unreal.

The home inspection went well today. Nothing major showed up while Frank was there. There's one part to the pool that's worn, but it's no biggie. We’ll have a complete report in a day, maybe two.

Frank said he loved the house before, but now he loves it at least 4x more since there were a bunch of tidbits he learned of: the satellite dish is pre-wired, the entire house is networked, Vonage is even wired in every room, the surround sound/intercom can accommodate Sirius radio, there is an air conditioner in the garage, there is Koi in the pond in the backyard and all the plants have bubblers. He didn't realize the house had a central vacuum before, either. I was aware of that, but everything else was news to me, as well.

The sellers are moving out in two weeks, so we're going to try to close sooner. We spoke to the lender and it looks like it could be a done deal June 4th. So, now, that’s what we’re shooting for. Hard to imagine we could have a house in a little over two weeks. I am in awe. Someone pinch me.

Purse strings

We had a very low key weekend. We’ve tightened the purse strings to save every penny possible for our down payment and misc. expenses. Nothing makes you want to spend more than knowing you can’t. In the last week, we’ve only had two meals out. Friday we had the fajitas express lunch at Garduno’s inside the Palms. And Saturday, we had Buffalo Wild Wings. That may not seem like a big deal to most, but we’ve grown accustomed to dining out several times a week. My oven at home probably thinks the world is ending; it’s been used more in the last week than it has all year.

Saturday night we went downtown to check out the Helldorado festivities. We caught a portion of the parade, which was very lackluster and we stayed for the fireworks at 9:15. The RJ stated the display would be lit from the roof of Fremont Square, formerly Neonopolis. That was the first I’ve heard of the name change, I wonder when it occurred. We were shocked to see some new tenants coming to Neonopolis, err, Fremont Square. Maybe the name change will bring some life to the place? A sushi restaurant is coming soon and there’s a little coffee, sandwich, ice cream shop that opened two weeks ago. We bought a beverage to show our support and wished the gentleman well on his endeavor.

We caught the firework display from the 5th floor motel style rooms at the El Cortez. It offered us a great perspective to view the show. It lasted about 10 minutes; it was mildly entertaining, it would’ve been better had they not drawn it out as long. Overall, it was nice to see so many people, especially locals, on Fremont Street.

Sunday marked the second day of record triple digits so we spent most of the day in the pool. Conditions were perfect! We had the pool to ourselves, there was no wind, the water was warm, but cool enough to be refreshing. Eventually, the swim and sun, wore us out and we had a siesta. Which got us thinking… the new house needs a Mexican hammock, maybe two? I don’t want to wait until our trip in December, so I must see if I can score one online. See? There I go again, itching to spend.

In house related news, the home inspection is scheduled for tomorrow, things are just zipping along. Now, if we could just sell the condo... then we could loosen those purse strings.

Offer accepted!

Negotiations are complete! I can't believe we've made it this far so quickly. No other home purchase has moved at this pace. Escrow will open on Monday and we're scheduled to close June 16, 2008. Only two hurdles left: home inspection and appraisal, and then, assuming all goes well, we will finally have a house.

Congratulations!

Those words are generally well received in any circumstance, but it was music to my ears when the lender notified us today that we are, in fact, approved.

We've contacted our realtor and she is drawing up a contract. We've decided to go balls out and place an offer at the exact amount we're willing to pay. There's been a lot of interest and several showings this week so we don't want to lose it by making an unrealistic bid. This way, either they take it or leave it. Here's hoping they accept...

Patience is a virtue

Among many things, waiting sure gives the mind plenty of time to wonder. Curiosity got the better of me and I started researching both properties we’re interested in. I was able to dig up information from the assessor’s website on the Lost Valley home (the one with potential that needed a lot work). It was purchased 10/00 for 183,995, and again 7/05 for 499,990; then it foreclosed in March for 344,470. It’s currently listed for 339,900. I checked it out on realtor.com today and there is now a contingent offer. Looks like that one is off the table.

Frank considered playing a wait and see game with the other one we like. It's newly on the market; it’s been listed for 2 wks. The longer it sits the more likely the homeowner will be willing to negotiate. He thinks if it's meant to be, it'll still be there. I, on the other hand, would rather know sooner than later whether or not they’ll negotiate our offer. If they don’t, then we can focus our attention on new listings. I think we’ve come to agreement to place an offer once we have approval from our lender.

We were told keeping the condo is a non-issue. The only hitch that the lender mentioned is that we may have trouble getting approved with a FHA loan because they consider Las Vegas high risk. I understand why they’d feel that way, given that we lead the nation in foreclosures, but they should recognize that we are not part of the problem. In theory, there is NO reason we should have trouble getting a loan. However, I’ll be happy once that is confirmed. We expect to hear something today.

Each home purchase we've made has been unique and none have been the norm. I shouldn't expect this one to be any different. I just have to take a breath and know that what will be, will be.

Looking up

I left work early yesterday and met with our realtor to see more homes. Frank got stuck at work and joined us later. We toured a couple dumps that were bank owned, but we also saw three homes that were listed by homeowners. What a difference! The homes were well maintained and clean. One in particular was a diamond in the rough. It’s a 4 bedroom 3 bath home with sun room, pool and spa. The sellers are the original owners and they took great pride in their home. The place is immaculate. The house has everything we are seeking and a bit more, and it’s located on a cul-de-sac in the SW west part of town that we enjoy. The only downside is the list price is higher than our budget allows since we intend to keep the condo. We plan to place an offer about $20k below list, hopefully, the sellers will accept. Before we can write the contract we need a new approval letter from our lender. Our last one qualified us based on the sale of the condo, now, we need one that confirms we still qualify. Frank already has the ball rolling on that, with any luck the lender will move quickly and we’ll have it wrapped up today or tomorrow. Then maybe, just maybe, we will call this house home

The difference a day makes

As of Friday, we were less than a week away from our vacation to San Francisco. We had been anticipating the trip for a couple months. However, by Saturday, our plans completely changed. While I was shopping for a couple items for the trip, Frank called and suggested we start house hunting now rather than wait until our condo sells. Particularly because the deadline for his relocation perks is quickly approaching, and frankly, we’re tired of waiting. It’s been on the market for six months and there’s been very little interest because qualified buyers have unbeatable deals (on newer places) at their fingertips due to the overwhelmed market from the mortgage crisis fallout. He calculated raw numbers and realized we could afford to keep the condo until it does sell, and still swing the costs of owning a home. It didn’t take much to sell me on the idea because it was something I had already been tossing around. He set an appointment with our realtor for Sunday.

Saturday evening we searched home listings and compiled a list of 19 homes that met our criteria. We ran figures again to be sure we can afford two homes for an indefinite amount of time, and sure enough we can do it. We’ll have to sacrifice a few meals at high end restaurants and other splurges, but it’ll be worthwhile. We also determined that it was best to cancel the San Francisco trip as the money would be better spent toward the down payment of a house.

Sunday we began the house hunt. Half of the properties we selected had offers pending so our realtor printed off eight others with similar criteria. I have to say the process was a bit discouraging; every house we looked at was a short sale, foreclosure or repo. We didn’t intend to look at bank owned properties, it just so happened that’s what was available. A few homes were not structurally sound or up to code, others needed to be completely gutted and a couple needed cosmetic repairs. None were move-in ready, it seems anything decent is swept off the market in an instant. The investors are pouncing on them left and right. There were two homes worth consideration: one was smaller than I’d like, the other was 2555 sq ft. so it offered room to grow. The home had no interior doors, it needs to paint, flooring and overall maintenance. However, I saw the potential right away, Frank was hesitant, but he’s coming around. I think it’ll cost $15k for repairs, we are considering placing an offer below list to cover repair costs. It’s not likely the bank will accept the offer, but I figure it can’t hurt to try. There’s another home listed down the street, it has an identical floor plan, in good condition, no pool, but gorgeous landscaping, it is listed for $420,000. That’s more than $80k than the house we’re interested in, after touring that property I was assured that this home truly has potential.

There's another 12 properties we'd like to see. Most are more than we want to spend, but I'd like to see how they compare to those we have seen. Hopefully, we'll be able to take a look today.

BINGO!

Yesterday on my lunch break I stopped by Minuto’s Italian Deli. I picked up hot Italian sausage and bread, sausage roll, and a calzone. The latter will be dinner tonight. Last night, I sautéed onion and green pepper and we had delicious Italian sausage sandwiches for dinner.

Frank was itching to get out of the house so we headed out, Frank told me to choose between Rampart, Red Rock or Suncoast. I noticed that we could make the 9pm Bingo session at Red Rock so I suggested we go there.

I couldn’t believe the parking garage elevators still had duct tape keeping the button cover secured to the wall. I first noticed it about three weeks ago when we caught a movie at the theaters. A billion dollar property is held together by duct tape, ahh, the irony. I can’t be the only one that finds that funny. But then again, I’ve never bought into Red Rock being anything more than a local’s casino. I mean how classy can a property be if it has a food court, movie theater and bowling alley. Not to mention the place is flooded with teeny boppers, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. The parade of future strippers and the pussies - ahem, men - they’ll one day support, crowds of emo kids, and rebellious types puffing on cigs in the elevators and stairwells are all far more annoying than amusing. We avoid the place like the plague on the weekends, fortunately weekdays are manageable… hence, my suggestion for bingo.

We got seated and situated, then waited for the session to begin. We haven’t played Bingo in a couple months; this was a second experience with Million Dollar Bingo. They claim five balls can change your life, but they’ve haven’t helped me yet. I think I prefer their old promotion with individual session jackpots, but those days are gone so no reason to fret. A few games in, we won regular bingo, but so did sixteen others. We won a whopping jackpot of $5. Life changing? Hardly. The rest of the session was typical… you’re down to one or two numbers, and you believe you have a chance, you begin to will numbers to be called and then it happens… someone screams out BINGO! Damn, them! The quiet room sighs and mutters all kinds of terrible things under their breath. I suppose that’s the fun of it, though. Ultimately, I like it because my buy-in is guaranteed to last an hour.

On our way out Frank threw $20 in double double bonus video poker. He played for a while, but no royals or aces with a kicker were dealt despite our begging and pleading. As usual, the credits wore down to zero. Aside from bingo and poker we’ve never walked out of Red Rock with winnings, so I don’t know why we’d expect anything different. At least, now, they can buy more duct tape.

Review: T.C.'s Rib Crib

We were craving BBQ, our first thought was Lucille’s BBQ but open table doesn’t accept same day reservations after 5pm. I suggested we try T.C.’s Rib Crib instead.

We were warmly greeted when we arrived, there were a few diners, but more folks were waiting on carryout. We sat at a table toward the back; we ordered a couple iced teas and browsed the menu. Everything sounded delicious, but we settled on a pulled pork sandwich with mac & cheese and cornbread, and a full slab of baby back ribs with potato salad and sweet potato fries.

We looked over the family photos that lined the walls while we waited for our food. The iced tea had an odd aftertaste. Needless to say we weren’t fans of their brew.

The food arrived quickly and it smelled fantastic. We dug in right away. My pulled pork was tender and full of flavor. The bun was fresh and held together well. It was great. The ribs were meaty and the meat had a nice smoky flavor. A few pieces had quite a bit of fat, but the meat itself was tender and juicy. The sides were all great. The corn bread was the weakest link, it was a bit dry. The sweet potato fries and macaroni and cheese were my favorite. Frank enjoyed the potato salad, as well.

Regrettably, we were much too full to try any homemade desserts. Service was friendly and prompt. Our bill was $32 before tip.

Prior to dining at T.C.’s the only notable BBQ we’ve had in Vegas has been Ellis Island’s ribs and Lucille’s BBQ. I’d gladly add T.C.’s to the list and I’d venture to say they serve up the best ribs I’ve tried. Ellis Island’s are a greater value, but T.C.’s have better flavor (and I like their sides far more). I liked Lucille’s pulled pork a bit better than T.C.’s, but it was still great. When it comes to ribs, Ellis Island and T.C.’s both outshine Lucille’s. That said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Weekend update

This weekend I spent more time with the family, sure it was chaotic at times, but overall it was fun-filled. I spent lots of time with Nicky on Friday and Saturday. I babysat him Friday night so my brother and sister could hit the strip.

My most interesting encounter occurred when I gave Nicky a tubby; a bath is his favorite activity. He’s super cute about it, he gets very excited, laughs and yells tub-tub-TUBBY!! It turned out to be a very interesting experience. First he peed on my carpet after removing his diaper. Then, he peed in the tub. I drained the water and refilled it with fresh water. Then we’re playing and I notice something dirty. I couldn’t figure out where it came from, until a turd floated by. I couldn’t believe it. I fished it out, drained the tub, rinsed it and refilled it for the second time. Nicky was having a blast splashing and dumping water over himself, and then he stood up and walked over to me and peed for the second time. I drained the tub and refilled it one last time. We finished up bath time without any further incidents. We played the rest of the night. Frank joined in when he got home. Frank taught Nicky the hand motions to “Wheels on the bus” now that’s his most favorite song. His belly laughs and loves (kisses & hugs), sure make the challenging times worthwhile. Eventually, he got sleepy so I put him to bed. Amy has trouble fairly regularly so I was pretty proud that I got him down as easily as I did.

Saturday we shopped at the Las Vegas Outlets and Fashion Show Mall. Then we headed out to my mom’s house for the night. We played outside and Nicky got to try his new ride, a Power Wheels Viper. I think his momma enjoyed it a bit more than he did, but he’ll have a ball with it later on.


Sunday, Amy and Nicky returned back to Chicago. My mom flew back with them. My grandma has throat cancer and recently had a second surgery to remove as much as they could. Recovery has been troublesome, so my mom is tending to her until the 13th. Hopefully, she’ll make great strides and feel better soon.

Mike's flight leaves tonight. It was nice to have one on one time with him Sunday night. He’ll be 21 in July, so being here this close to his birthday has been a bit torturous.

We’ve eaten at a few of our regular places: Amore, Buffalo Wild Wings, BJ’s, Straight from Philly Steak Out, and In-N-Out. Sunday, Frank and I returned to The Maple Tree for breakfast.

We’ve been once before, shortly after they first opened. We thought it was good on that visit but we were disappointed by their maple syrup. It wasn’t as tasty or as thick as varieties we’ve had from Wisconsin. Sunday, I tried the southwestern scramble: Three eggs scrambled with bacon, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and cheddar. Frank went with the ham and cheese scramble. Both came with wheat toast and homestyle potatoes with sautéed onion. Their wheat bread was extraordinarily good. Everything else was pretty tasty, too. Frank also ordered a side of pancakes. They weren’t too notable and I still am weary that they use real maple syrup. Service was good and the bill was $26.