April coming my way

As I plan for April, I am finding people responding positively to my requests for help, which goes to prove that one of my regular sayings is absolutely true -

"Always ask - chances are you'll get it!"

April is going to have a bit of a different focus and spin.

I'll keep you informed...

Welcome!

Welcome to my latest viewer down in Chile.  Hope the weather down your way is just fine!

And the winner is...

Yay!!!!!!  I have my very first follower!  Sarah F.  Welcome - As the first subscriber to my blog, you have won:-

A fully automatic washing machine
A 24 carrot necklace
A new car
The Lake House
And...

A can of coke, 2 straws and a bottle of ginger ale!

Fine Print:
All of the above items may be traded in at one time and substitued for a cup of tea.

Bless you dear...  Now, if I could only get another 49 followers, my world today, would be complete!

You see, it pays to be first.

Life never goes as one plans, that is what makes it so extraordinarily wonderful !

As I mentioned in the last post, "Life never goes as one plans, that is what makes it so extraordinarily wonderful !" 

Up at 3.30am to catch the shuttle back to the airport - Yipee, I get to see my kids today.  I sure did miss their sweet smiling faces. 

 

The deserts sprawls dryly mile after mile.  The history of its life marked out in patterns and colour.

 

Loved the sun, loved the chopper, loved the date, but I'm glad to be going home.  I am so thankful for my life.  I am so thankful for everything I have.  I am so aware and I am so thankful.

 

 

Oh yes, did I mention that as we sat waiting to board the plane, an announcement came over the intercom?

 

"We have available seating on first class.  Should any passengers wish to upgrade for a small fee of $50, please come up to the front now."

 

Uh?  Duh... on my bucket list - Fly First Class!

Let me see, $50 now vs $thousands later?

 

Uhmmm...

 

"We'll have two tickets, please."

So, there's proof...

 "When you roll with the punches, you always come out on top!"

Not two things checked off the old bucket list - but THREE.

 

We arrived home to great excitement, hugs, kisses, hand-made crowns and cards alongside gifts purchased out of pocket money,  (I know - how precious - right?) and a yummy three course meal prepared by our darlings.  The perfect end to a busy 72 hours.   Will I do it again?  Hmmm, I'm guessing the kids who had the most glorious fun time without us, can't wait for our next "date" trip.

 

 

One last thing...

 

Only when I got home, and was running through the photos, did I notice that the very last picture that I took before I left the city, happened to be this one...

 

 

Do you see it in the background?

 

It curled a smile onto my face.

 

My Ordinary life is a sequence of "FOREVER FABULOUS"  moments, down to the detail.

 

Roll with the punches and you'll come out on top.

Life never goes as one plans, that is what makes it so extraordinarily wonderful - it always has a surprise in store.

We decided March was going to be our "DATE" day.  My hub and I have been married for a looooong time, but we have not been away alone in 12 years.  We have always had the kids with us at any given moment.  It was due time, it was on my goal list and it was going to happen!

My step by step plans for the day were as follows :-

1.
Have a relaxing, quiet breakfast at "Paris".  (The hotel under the "Eiffel Tower" across the street from Ceasars Palace.

 (CHR)

 

We talk softly and coo at each other, as we sit at the wrought iron tables at the Parisian sidewalk cafe, eat croissants and drink hot tea.

(As we have, in actual fact, done the REAL Paris in France thing, along with the eating and drinking leisurely thing there, I knew exactly what to expect of course!) 

2.
We would stroll hand in hand from "Paris" down to the Venetian Hotel - where we would take a gondola ride around the hotel.  (I'm sure it will be maximum 20 to 30 minutes.)

3.
The rest of the day would be spent absorbing each others company - probably by the pool and in the room - hanging out, loving and adoring one another, making hot steaming love...

DING DONG!

sorry for the interruption - that was the doorbell - back to what I was saying...

making hot steaming lovely chocolate, tea or coffee, whatever, for one another and eating s'mores.

4.
Have a fabulously yummy dinner at an expensive restaurant and go to our show.  (A comedy/magician act, kind of show thingy.)



The day as it unfolded :-

1.
We fought our way out the hotel which began to fill with weekend visitors arriving.  Followed the crowds over the walkways and down to the other side of the road, and up to "Paris".   Opened the doors to the casino patron's cigarette smoke, which filled our throats and  lungs, encouraging us to make a hasty exit.

2.
We continued to battle the crowds and by this time were accustomed to, although still unhappy with, the pornographic hooker's cards consistently being flicked in our faces every few meters.   Honestly?  We're holding hands for crying in the bucket...  Do we LOOK like we're in need of any additional physical attention?

After what seemed to be quite a while, we found ourselves at our destination - The Venetian Hotel.  Beautiful.  I loved it!

 (CHR)

If you have to stay in Las Vegas, this is the hotel to stay at.  It is quiet.  It is beautiful.  (PS - not that I consider the above to be the beautiful part - but, the hotel itself is lovely.) AND, the casino is away from the main entrance.

 (CHR)

 

The shops are classy and still within price range.  The people polite, friendly and still give you space.

We made our way down to the gondolas.  Ha!  It's like being rowed up and down a long swimming pool...  (I really thought, the canal went all the way around the hotel), after a good giggle we decided to keep walking.   I will say this though - the gondola operators have the most incredibly beautiful voices.   Their voices are captivating, particularly with the acoustic domes at either end of the pool.

4.
We threw in the towel on the pre-paid show, when we realised it was far out, in the downtown area.  We decided we weren't up for the nonsense of crowds and taxi's, in exchange for a show that may turn out to be a dud.  In other words, once we got back to the hotel, we weren't leaving the quietness AND space of our room.


3.  Oh yes...
...The hot chocolate and s'mores ?...  Absolutely delicious!

 

Finally, Check it off the Bucket List PLEASE! WHOOHOOOO....

It was decided that my adventure for February would be taking a helicopter ride.  I have ALWAYS wanted to ride in a chopper, but although I have been presented multiple times with the opportunity, for whatever reason - to this point - I have not taken it.

We were all briefed on how the event would proceed, loaded into the bus and driven through heavily baracaded gates and onto the runway.

To my great suprise, when the group was asked it anyone wanted to ride up front with the pilot, nobody volunteered.  After a moment I sheepishly raised my hand and was guided to the front of the line.  Oh man!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????  WHOOO HOOOOO, I get to ride up front...  I get to ride up front...  yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I get to ride up front!!!  How totally COOOL is that?  Seriously - I am the luckiest ducky I know!

First on - being guided to the front seat...

(pic RHR)

 

Shawn our pilot was a sweetheart and was awesome at his job! 

Thanks Shawn you were the cherry on top.

 

 

My view from the FRONT SEAT!!!!, while I'm waiting for the passengers to board.

 

(CHR)

 

We have lift-off...

(CHR)

 

This sleepless city by night - LAS VEGAS.

 

(CHR)

 

How black the night sky is without stars.

 

(CHR)

 

 

You can TRY to wipe the smile off my face, but you ain't gonna have NOOOOOOO luck!

(RHR)



Thursday February 28th, 2013

Our February adventure begins with hugs and sweet sleepy kisses from our children at 1am on this Thursday morning.

On departure:-

Wouldn't you know it - we ran out of coffee...  Seriously?  Of course, everyone KNOWS how important coffee is, if you're planning to go on a date - right?    So, our first stop - you guessed it - The big "M".  (McDonald's - for any of you un-coffee drinkers.)

The three hour drive to the airport was occupied with dialogue and strong coffee and the two hour flight down to Las Vegas was consumed with sleep.


By 9am we were checking into our hotel - Ceasars Palace.

 

A bill between the cards to the reception clerk secured an upgrade from a room to a suite.

 

With our bags checked and a smile on our dial, we left to explore this city in the desert.

 

We moved from hotel to hotel, absorbing each ones theme.

Below - the Bellagio Hotel Reception

 

 

Below "Paris"

 

 

Then we moved into the shopping centres and explored more...

 

I just loved this very cleverly designed light ornament in one of the shopping centers.  It must have been quite a mathematician who calculated the length of each string of lights to form this perfect ball.

 

The stores were one after the other.

 

An endless row of famous names

 

OMG...

Oh My Goodness... "I like - SO totally did it!"  That's groovy talk after one comes back from a buzzing city like L.V.

Just loading up the pic's for you and then will get crackin' on the news...