Catch up and finally Vegas

Just about every moment of my time in the past three weeks has been occupied with a Senate Bill and how to fight it and gathering data and statements and support.  I've had three meeting with two senators and I think we got the bill pulled from this legislative session but I fear that it can still pop up.

I try not to take my "real job" work home with me very often, but lately it's all I do.  Fortunately, I have an understanding family who know what I'm working on and have supported and encouraged me through the whole thing.  Even The Girl, who went away for the weekend with The Boyfriend, came home on Sunday night and asked me how my latest meeting had gone.  I didn't realize that she was even paying attention to my rantings with the Brown Eyed Man.

Speaking of The Girl going away with The Boyfriend, she told me a few weeks ago that they were going to the coast.  I didn't have a problem with it.  She's 20, he's 21.  Friday morning Brown Eyed Man called me to see where she was.  I told him.  He was not happy about it.  I asked if he was concerned that she might get hit by a sneaker wave? No.  Was it the possibility of under-tow? No.  He wouldn't admit it.  It was because he knew what he would be doing with a girl in a motel room at the beach when he was 21.  Doesn't sound so fun when your daughter is the female part of the equation, does it?  Sucks to be a grown-up with kids and a conscience.

I finally found my Vegas pictures.   You're in for a treat!  I think I mentioned that we went a few days early this year so we could spend some time off the strip.  Oh my God, why hadn't we done this before?!  It made the trip so much better.  I hate being stuck on the strip and charged $ 18 for a cup of coffee and a bottle of water.  Anyhoo...the first day we drove straight out to Hoover Dam. 

Look, I'm in Arizona! Which brings my total of states visited up to 19!

Now I'm back in Nevada and it's an hour earlier.  Amazing.  Side note:  The other day I had a meeting in Ontario, OR which is on the eastern border of the state and happens to be in the Mountain time zone. I cannot explain to you how bad that one hour mixed me up.  It's like I slipped into a time warp.  I thought I would leave there and get home at 9 p.m. and I ended up arriving at 7:30 and how in the world does that make sense when there was only an hour time difference.  Now, we're almost back to Standard time and I HATE the time change because it takes me two weeks to adapt.  Jen and Time.  We are not friends.

This was seriously one of the best parts of my trip.  The Pat Tillman Memorial bridge was recently completed near the Hoover Dam.  Of course we needed to drive across it.  They built the sides up so high so as to keep drivers from slowing down to look at the dam as they cross.  On our way back over, I held the camera out the window and just took some pictures.  When we got back to the motel room I found this.  Lady, whoever you are, I love you and your cleverness.  It made my day.

Day Two - Red Rocks.  Oh my gosh, how beautiful.  I took 752 pictures but you don't want to see them all.  Come over this Friday and we'll have a slide show.  Just 3 reels.  I wish the Brown Eyed Man was a hiker, because I would have loved to have hiked the trails there.  I texted The Girl (in Oregon) and Berniece (in Florida) and told them to catch the next plane to Vegas and we could go hiking.  They didn't.  Lazy bitches.

Did I mentioned that it was 30 degrees in Vegas?  The waterfalls and the Flamingo were frozen.  Basically most of the water features in Vegas were frozen.  I had walked over to the Flamingo one night because two of our friends were staying there and I had never seen the actual flamingos who live there.

They had to bring in patio heaters to keep the flamingos warm.

Day Three and we're at the SHOT Show.  I made it my mission to get my picture taken with as many celebrities as I could find, while of course doing some work for our company and some other work for our shooting association.  This is Jim Shockey.  He is the Nicest Man in America.  Seriously.  Sweet as pie.  So kind.  I loved him.

In 2008 I met Ted Nugent and due to a badge mix-up he thought I worked for Remington and he hugged me and kissed my hand and I was all star-struck and stupid and completely spazzed out and forgot that I had my camera with me.  I did get his autograph though.  So, this year I see him walking quickly in my direction, I whip out my camera and say "Imetyouin2008andspazzedoutandforgottoaskyouforapictureandIwonderifyouhavetimeforjustonequickphoto?"  Some guy he was with said "Gimme your camera we're running late for a TV thing".  I looked at our friend Bill just as the guy took my picture.  The guy said "Great photo.  Too bad you were looking at the wrong camera."  Whatever.  I got the picture and Mr. Nugent was very kind and friendly.

This is Korie Robertson from Duck Dynasty.  She was so kind to take a picture with me.  She is more beautiful in person.  Her husband had just walked away.  Here is where I struggle with my desire to get the picture and the hope that I don't look like a kook.  I saw them standing nearby just chatting and I was dying to go over and ask for a picture.  By the time I got the nerve, he was gone.  No biggee.  I told her I loved her show, particularly the family aspect of it.

Finally, Rich Wyatt from American Guns.  He asked who was the best person I had taken a picture with so far and I told him Ted Nugent.  He said he met a guy with the same name as him and that was his best picture.

After this, I went for drinks with our friends and they asked if I wanted my picture with the waitress.  Hardy har har.