Different, whimsical ways of seating yourself at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM Grand caught my eye.

The windows are open and a lovely cool breeze is blowing through the house. It’s taking the stale, closed-up air of winter and lifting it up, up and away, and bringing the crisp, fresh air of spring inside. It’s a heady scent indeed! When I look out the front windows my eyes are blinded by yellow. The forsythia hedge has finally decided it’s alright to bloom. Every day since our return it’s opened a bit more. I like the fractured view of it through our front door [above]. And here against our picket fence, it looks like a big gap-toothed grin. Maybe not to you, but it sure makes me want to smile back.

Last week this time I was leaving for Las Vegas in 30-ish degree weather. Today I sit here typing while the temperature soars to above 80° outside. I finally feel like the pool opening on May 11th isn’t so silly after all. Of course the trees aren’t out yet, so we will have to deal with their pollen in the pool, but that’s a small matter. I like doing the Daily Scoop anyway. It’s relaxing and a good mini workout for my upper arms.

Yesterday we worked in they yard. Rick touched up our metal outdoor furniture with some new black spray paint, and now they look next-to-new. I raked out the big flower bed/rock garden by the pool of all the dead leaves that had been left as a winter mulch. What a job! But I was rewarded by seeing how much the daylilies were up, the jonquils about to bloom, and these tender fern sprouts were also hiding under their leafy bed. Soon they will be lush and green. It’s still amazing to me that ferns actually grow in my yard.

I am still trying to come down off the high of Las Vegas last week. We were constantly on the go. It seems strange to have to drive myself somewhere, and stranger yet, to cook again. Seems like all we did was walk, eat, and drink [not necessarily in that order]. We had a great time and I’m already planning my trip next year. I’ll be bringing more of Vegas to you through my thoughts and photos throughout the week. I have a few short films to share as well, but first we want to figure out You Tube since a few of you are having difficulty with the QuickTime films. If all films start playing concurrently when you open my blog, there are settings within QuickTime to fix that. I just need to ask Rick tonight exactly what they are. So, stay tuned for more of Vegas.

Until then I’ll bring a little yellow sunshine into your lives! Breathe in deeply; inhale spring!

No visit to Vegas would be complete for Trekkies (such as ourselves) without a visit to Quark’s restaurant and the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton. Above is the ceiling. Not at all kitschy or hokey, oh no. You can drink Romulan Ale and Klingon Blood Wine. We had BORGburgers for lunch. Despite their name, no pieces of metal were included. Nor were we assimilated. The burgers were delicious! [Or is that borgers?] Hmm ... either way, they were great. During our lunch, several species stopped by to chat. Ferengi, a surly Klingon, and this friendly Andorian. Our bill was presented as our “damage report.”

After lunch we proceeded to the motion ride to be nearly captured by the Klingons in Klingon Encounter. Rick lied to me a little. You see, I hate roller coasters and that feeling you get at the top of a really big hill, just before you hurtle down at the speed of sound. He told me it wasn’t like a roller coaster. Well, it was ... a bit, if you can compare it to hurtling through space and barely missing Klingon birds of prey, going through worm holes, and other things along the way. It’s amazing how much the human mind can take over by a little bit of seat motion and really good film footage. You’re not moving much, but you are THERE. I was clutching the arms of my seat for most of the ride through space.

We then proceeded to the Borg Invasion, a 3D experience. Though our seats did not move, they were interactive with the movie and the whole experience was very entertaining. Even though it made me a bit dizzy, I preferred the action in the Klingon Encounter.

We made it back safely to earth, and flew right over our “home-away-from-home,” the Excalibur. It is Vegas after all.

Greetings from Vegas! I’m convinced that this city never sleeps. People stay up all night, yet in the morning when I come down to the casino it’s teeming with people. DId they not go to bed, or did they just get up early?

I know I seem to have endless energy. I’ve walked, and walked, and walked, and then walked some more. My new “comfortable” shoes turned out to be not a very good idea. My feet are a blistery mess. They look like a patchwork quilt of moleskin and blister pads. I covered a lot of ground and found my way around easily. It’s a bit like visiting Disneyland. I walked down the Strip as far as the Bellagio and Paris, then back, making various stops. Each hotel has its own theme and character.

I went to the Mandalay and to the Shark Reef. Can you find me in the reflection below?  You can just make me out with the camera held up. Now don’t be cruel; you know that man with the pot belly is not me!! I’m standing to the right of him but you have to look closely.

The jellyfish tank kept me mesmerized for a long time. It was like watching one of those lava lamps.

We had dinner on the outdoor patio of Mon Ami Gabi at Paris. Our table for two was right at the railing and perfect for viewing the fountain display at Bellagio’s across the Strip. After dinner we went across the street to watch the fountains up-close and personal. I got a wonderful film that I will share after we get home. Even that doesn’t do them justice.  Whoever choreographs the water’s movements must be a genius. Just imagine Andreas Boccili set to a ballet of water fountains. Trust me, it’s fabulous!

Right now I’m blogging from an unlikely place. I came to “work” with Rick today, so I am sitting at a table adjacent to the Vision Research booth at the NAB trade show. Pretty impressive place. My feet are getting a little bit of a rest since we rode the monorail. When he’s finished at around 12:30 we’re going over to the Star Trek Experience, have lunch at Quark’s, and let ourselves be captured by Klingons. Should be fun!

Tonight we have tickets to a show: Cirque due Soleil’s Mystére. We’re pretty much always on the go ... but it is Vegas after all! Time to rest when we return home.