Vegas,baby!

We left San Diego on Tuesday morning and had almost no traffic. Everyone else is back at work hee hee! We drove over the 15 through Riverside, San Bernadino, Victorville... saw a side of California that we had never seen. Lots of pretty scenery - mountains, greenery (kinda), some cool stone formations. We stopped in Primm for a doggy/bathroom break. We can cross that off our list of places to see/consider living in retirement. Nothing there but casinos and weird people going to the casinos. There was a woman in the bathroom in her 60s with a Nextel and she was YELLING into it, while she was going to the bathroom... that they were changing drivers because Fred always drives into Vegas and they'll be there in an hour.. and then repeats the conversation, still yelling, while walking slooooowwwwwlllly out of the bathroom, in the middle of the hall so no one (me) can get by her.

All of the dogs did really well in the car. They are used to the long treks now, and even Cejas just settles down in the back and naps. He used to stand for the entire trip up to Mendocino - 4 hours. Then he would sit for half of the trip. I guess he's just given up.

We got some window shades for the back seat windows and the back area windows - where Cejas sits - and they are really helping to keep the car cool. My brother warned us about overheating so we have a gallon jug of water plus a bottle of antifreeze with us, just in case.

We drove into Las Vegas about 3:30 or so and it was just as Cheryl had described - we saw the city as we came over the crest of the ridge. It was beautiful and magical! Probably like seeing the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz, only it wasn't green.

We got to Cheryl and Donny's and got to meet Baylie - what a little princess angel! So sweet and so cute! All of our dogs were good with her, and Solavina was even smitten with her.

There was a quite a gathering. It was a memorial for Cooper, Cheryl's and Donny's beagle that passed away on August 26th. Attending: Cheryl's sister Helen, her husband Dennis and three of their dogs, Roxie, Macy and Izzie; Helen's daughter Kristen and her three dogs, Murphy, Tucker (of bandana fame) and Toby (little rescue who needs a home - email me if you want him!); Cheryl's and Helen's brother David and his wife Susie and their daughter Emily and their two dogs, Dexter and Rusty; and the family vet, Dr. Lindsay and her dog Pritchell (sp?). So, 11 people and 14 dogs. Cheryl had carne asada tacos, to-die-for guacamole and all the fixings of a great fiesta! Their house is like a resort and they have a huge pool with a diving board and a volleyball area... my next vacation is going to be to Casa Hallnass!

After the party, Bob and I went to Helen's and Dennis' to spend the night in their RV. We, of course, got lost following them home, so had to use the GPS to try to find the house - only it was sending us down a dead end. After a phone call and being talked into the driveway, we finally got there. We got set up in the RV (which I think is bigger than our condo in Akumal) and then Helen showed us her house. Also amazing! Wonderful views of Las Vegas and the city lights, and a beautiful pool with a hot tub and waterfall. I've decided I'm moving to Las Vegas! We are planning on stopping on the way back to spend some time with our "family" there - when we aren't on a deadline to get to the border before the dogs' papers run out! Dr. Lindsay told us she would give us papers but we have them... She will be in Akumal with two vet techs in the middle of September so I warned her that we might put her to work at some clinics in Majahual, the area that was hit so hard by Hurricane Dean.

We had never been to Las Vegas before, other than an emergency landing on a flight to Pittsburgh from SFO - but that's another story for another time - so it was fun to see the city (from a distance) and to see the real side of Vegas, where people live and work and have their lives. It can't all be bells and whistles and slot machines all of the time!