I am really back…the quiet life…or is it? It feels that way right now. Kayanna went home to mom and baby brother today. The truck driving duo left on Friday for routes known and well traveled. No one is here to step into my jumbled thoughts and take a moment of my time. It feels kind of weird, nice, but weird.
It’s exceptionally hot out, hotter in Vegas which is where I was earlier. After leaving Kayanna at the airport – yah, I escaped with only a few tears after she was out of sight – I headed to the Tropicana for a gun show. It was my first. I finally joined the NRA (National Rifle Association) today. Yes, I believe the right to bear arms is one of our freedoms and we should fight to protect that right, just as we should fight for our right to play online poker.
The gun show was interesting with a variety of booths set up that had nothing to do with guns. One booth was a gold and silver sale/purchase…and someone that I used to deal poker to frequently at the Mirage and then intermittently at Bellagio was the vendor. I didn’t tap on the glass. He was busy doing some calculations and paperwork and I wasn’t interested in going through the spiel. Besides, it was hot as hell in there, it was more like a barn/storage set up than a convention.
When I signed up for the NRA, the guy that handled my paperwork gave me a bag and told me to raise my right hand – no, I wasn’t falling for the sworn in thing but I did as he said – he asked me to state my name, I did, then he said I had to solemnly swear to never, ever, ever wash the hat. I busted out laughing.
Leaving there found me heading to the big “P” and home. Home! It does seem strange that I’d been out on the road for two weeks and traveled almost 3,000 miles and my house went with me…
The only poker I played in over two weeks was with the family at the campground. I managed to beat a few of them and turned a $17 win. We had a few – that have been at the campground every year but never joined the game – actually take a seat and play. It was a load of fun. We were kicked off the table a few times when meal preparations were ready to be spread, otherwise a few of us played quite a lot.
Some of our family group takes meal prepping very seriously and plan meals ahead for who’s cooking what, on what date. They know I’m not on the roster. I have no intention of cooking when I’m camping out, just get a frigging hotdog or make a meal out of fruit and leave the heavy duty stuff at home. But they always do a great job and there’s a big variety of food. I suppose I should add that I’m not really camping out. I chide my two sisters that they still have that mother’s touch in their hearts where they nurture with food. They take it well and still prepare the food and share with me. Nice!
I found these three beauties at the campground – three of my granddaughters:
I found this beauty up by the Park Office, it was flitting around and finally landed on a concrete block.
These beauties are up and down Dufort Road by the slough – where I drive down to turn around and come back to make the turn into my brother’s place. Osprey.
On one of our trips up to Ken’s place, Kayanna and I saw a doe with a vividly spotted yearling as they moved away from us, but there was no time for a picture. Almost all my pictures this year are of family. I did find this beauty at the Continental Divide just southwest of Butte on the trip up:
If you look closely, you’ll see the massive competition for the hummingbird feeder, wasp on the right, bird on the left.
Sis, me, and Kayanna doing dinner at the Winery the night before sis went back on the road and Kayanna and I were heading into Vegas. My camera was propped atop bread plates and napkin filled silverware and set to trigger with the timer. It took more than one attempt and we were laughing our asses off over the whole thing. We made reservations the day before and there was only one other table with 3 people at it in the whole place…the piss poor economy is taking its toll on everything.
Kayanna and I hung out with Riot at the old digs on Friday night. Riot was trying out his living designer wear:
So…as life fades back into a worn, comfortable pattern, I hold onto memories and pictures, and great thoughts of great people.