Category Archives: Photo

Aug27

Round ’em Up Son: All is Good in Wales

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After a long trip, the question I am most asked by friends and family is “What is your name, again?” No, not really, the big 5 question is always, “What was your favorite thing on the trip?”

It is funny, but even though many activities and places will jump out as highlights on a trip, there is always one glaring favorite – the place I most want to go back to, soon.  The place I  want to be instantly instead of going back to work or doing laundry or cooking or cleaning or shaving or… well, you get the picture.  For me on this particular trip, it was Wales.

While it is true that there are in inordinate amount of sheep in Wales (seriously, they could go Animal Farm and take over if they were thus motivated).

And yes, it is also true that it is really rainy (ok, you can’t see the rain but trust me…it poured).

(Calwy Castle)

and windy

(Beaumaris, Anglesey Island)

and foggy a majority of the time

(Snowdon Mountains)

But even with all that – it is just so  darn BEAUTIFUL.

(Llandudno, Wales)

And somehow, the beauty is all tied up together in one big, green wonderland – sheep, rain, wind, fog and all.

So, save a spot on that green spongy grass for me.  I will be back.

Aug23

Don’t Worry, I Speak the Language

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I told my kids on the eve of our recent trip abroad to the UK – “don’t worry, I am fluent in the language.”  The fact that my kids looked at me like I was a complete imbecile (a mastered skill) did not for one second daunt my laughter (which was about on par with the reaction received when in London, after asking specifically for “lots of ice” in his coke, my husband received five – count ‘em – five cubes of ice in his glass).

These experiences are all the things about travel to other countries that I love. And even though I invariably return home with an  understanding of the culture and life in the countries visited, I also always return with some burning unanswered questions – The kind that will in all likelihood, always remain a mystery.

Here are  5 from the recent adventure.

1. The Barber Shop.  There are an inordinate amount of Barbershops in the UK.  Not beauty salons mind you, but barbershops everywhere you turn.  Why is this?  Do the English have an aversion to unwanted hair?  Does the rain stimulate unnatural follicle growth?  Even our English friends were at a loss to explain this phenomenon.  However, this particular Barbershop in Salisbury really had us baffled.  I suppose it is possible he was just trying to stand out in a sea of Barbers (better than the Sweeney Todd approach, I guess).

2. The Statue.  Naked man statue on roof of building in Oxford – I think he wants to jump.

3. The Language. You know you are in Wales when you begin to see names of towns like this:

Ystradgynlais

Betws-y-coed

Trawsfynydd

Blaenau Ffestiniog

Tyywsdllopyddefghjkmnopqurstyz (ok, this isn’t one, but a Welshman  could probably pronounce it anyway).

But hey, they do have some pretty cool castles – and you don’t have to know how to pronounce the name to enter.

4. The Cows.  “Here in Amsterdam, we like to let our milk cows walk on the ceiling.  We are just bovine-friendly that way.”

5. The Fountain.  Bird bath or water fountain? Only the true Amsterdammers know for sure.  We stood and pondered for a long time, but in the end, survival of the fittest was the name of game that day.

For more Sweet Spot Travels: Go Here!

 

 

Aug10

Sweet Spots: UK

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The Magical Movie Tour

Bath, UK: Jane Austin – Pulteney Bridge

Oxford, UK: Harry Potter

Salisbury, UK: Some Superhero movie somewhere

Stonehenge, UK: Spinal Tap (20 inches or 20 feet…???)

London, UK:  Sherlock Holmes

Aug2

Sweet Spot: Marlette Lake – Lake Tahoe, California

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Truly breathtaking spot.  Want to go there?  Well, no cars are allowed, not even any roads, just trails. So here is what you need to do:

1.  Rent or bring a bike with lots and lots of suspension (unless you want your ya-ya parts to be screaming in agony the next day).

2.  Get up at the crack of dawn…(ok, or a few hours past the crack if you are like me and choose not to function any earlier than that!).

3.  Wear sunscreen (sun, high altitude and all).

4.  Wear bug spray ( I swear the mosquitos are as big as bald eagles up there!).

5.  Bike about 4 miles up hill (yes, really all uphill), to arrive at Marlette Lake.

6.  Leave your vertigo at home because the most exhilarating way down the mountain is to bike the 9 mile Flume Trail – an ant-trail sized path, apx 7800 elevation, along the side of Sierra Mountains with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe (uhh, don’t miss the trail, it s a long way down the hard way!).

7. And, when you finally make those arduous 3 to 4 miles up hill (for a special treat, the steepest part is saved for the last mile)  and before the long scenic cruise down hill (hopefully on the path and not down the side of the mountain)…don’t forget to take a swim.

For this sweet spot, the entire journey is more than worth it!

Oh, and on the chance you happen across the rope swing at Marlette Lake, better view this:  Boy Meets Tree

For more Sweet Spot Travels: Go Here!

Jul25

Today is a Good Day

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Today is a good day.

Today I get to board a plane to begin our annual end-of-summer-baseball-is-finally-finished-travel-blowout-bonanza!

There is nothing more exciting than boarding a plane  at the start of a travel adventure.

I apologize in advance for my possible lack of attention to Sweet Spot over the next  weeks while  searching for Sweet Spots around and abroad!

As a family we have come a long way since our first days of travel, but one thing I know for sure – some will be good, some will be bad, some will by hysterical, some will be amazing, and above all…

When all fails…cry.

For more Sweet Spot Travels: Go Here!

Jul20

Today’s Best Moment: Friday 7/20

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Being a baseball parent can be rough, let me tell you.

The endless season, the stress and worry, the out-of-hand sports parents, the small town tournaments, the bad hotels,the can-never-please parents attacking coach husband, the countless hours washing and washing and washing uniforms, the  multitude of practices, the driving, the hot sun, the heartbreaking losses, and the list goes on.

But every once in a while something happens.

A bright spot.

And I am not talking about wins or successes (although clearly, those are good, too).

No, this is an event infinitely more powerful.

When  least expected, I get to see my husband do something like  this:

And suddenly, in that moment, I know it is all worth it.

Jul11

Ready, Set, Shop!

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Yesterday was epic.  Bigger than man walking on the moon, the first black president or even, yes,  the joining of chocolate and peanut butter.  Yesterday, my teenage son and I went shopping.  Mind you, not grocery shopping, or all-the-junk-I-don’t-need  Walmart shopping, but to the mall…clothes shopping…for him! Yeah, that just happened.

You see, both my boys hate to shop for clothes.  In fact, I would probably have better luck getting them to paint their nails pink and do a CanCan on the Vegas Strip.  (oh, that is unless there is a video game demo anywhere within a reachable radius).  This being the case, I normally opt for the, purchase what looks to be the right size-bring home for them to try on- return for size that fits, method (I know, I am more saintly than suspected!).

I made the mistake years ago telling my kids the story of how my older brothers would always steer Mom away from any and all clothing displays saying “don’t even look, Mom.”  Consequently, it has become routine whenever we ‘accidentally’ (hey, a girl can try) venture close to any women’s’ accoutrement each boy grabs me by an elbow and hustles me on like a criminal being escorted out of the store, repeating the mantra “don’t even look, Mom, just don’t even look.”

However, the current clothing situation for my growing teen had become dire.  It seemed like all of a sudden, virtually everything he turned up wearing looked like he had wrestled it from some poor, unsuspecting short person. I mean, boys don’t wear ‘daisy dukes’, right?  And with our current drought situation, those ‘floods’ were of no use to him whatsoever.  Therefore, one brave morning, I broached the subject with trepidation:

“I was thinking, maybe you and I should go shopping to get for you some clothes that actually fit?”

(Look of incredulity, like I just suggested we shave the cat or something)

“I promise I will make it quick”

(grunt)

“We will only go to a few places.”

(groan)

“I will only make you try on stuff when absolutely necessary.”

(eye roll)

“I will run you by the army surplus store when we are done?”

(ding ding ding, we had a winner!)

So yesterday, off we went.  I made good on all my promises and at the end of the day we arrived home with a bag full of clothes that actually fit him and, one army issue backpack & canteen.

For me, it was a great day.  I got to utter terms like “v-neck tee”, “contrast stitching” and “skinny or straight leg jean?” and experience on a small scale the Mom/kid shopping outings so long denied.

For him, well, he found a way to make it work.  I believe his exact words at the moment just prior to this photo being taken were

“Hey, like this, shopping isn’t so bad after all!”

Like I said, an epic day…

Jul6

‘Til Death Do Us Part, Which May Be Sooner Than You Think

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Yesterday was my 16th wedding anniversary.  Yesterday, I wanted to strangle my husband. Ok, hold on, don’t send for “the Po Po” just yet (and for those of you who don’t speak 10 year old – “the Police”). Contrary to what you might be thinking, it is not because he had not gotten me a gift (which he hadn’t) or card (again, nope) but because he promised a favor.

You see, my husband is one of those good guys.  Therefore when our elderly neighbor asked my husband to drive her 2 hours to the airport to meet and pick up her adult son and then drive them the 2 hours back, he, of course, agreed.  However, at the moment of acquiescing, he did not realize two things.  One, the day in question was our anniversary and two, he would be called to one of those can’t-miss-on-penalty-of-death type meetings.

So, I guess you are thinking I was ready to commit husband strangulation because he forgot our anniversary.  But, the truth is, I forgot too.  No, what got my undies all in a bundle was the fact that now, in light of the meeting, his saintly gesture to our neighbor now fell to me to execute and well, I am just not that saintly.  Nonetheless, execute I did!

Really, I am not as big a twirp as I sound.  At the time agreed, I met my neighbor with a smile, assured her it was no big deal when she thanked me on the outset of our trip and declared me over-the-top neighborly (ha, if she only knew).

At first, we played telephone on the long drive to the airport,

“Did you have dinner?”

“Who did you say was thinner?”

“No, I asked, DID YOU HAVE DINNER?”

“Oh, I am not much of a singer.”

Then, we opted for silence.

We arrived right on schedule… 40 min before the flight arrived.

We parked and waited at the gate for arrival.

With my neighbors son in tow, we slowly walked to baggage claim, waited,  and then slowly back to the parked car.  I paused for them at the crosswalk while a pair of turtles hurried past (ok, she has an excuse – at 90 you are allowed to walk any speed you want and I guess he was just tired).

On the 2 hour eternity ride home, we played more telephone. But after my best sorority-girl conversation starters fell like a drunk man off a roof, we rode in awkward silence.  That is until out of nowhere, like we were about to be in a 10 car pile up, my elderly neighbor’s son shouted “THERE IT IS” pointing out our approaching exit (like I didn’t know that since I had been counting the mile markers for about the last 35 miles).

Finally, we arrived back.  I wished them a good visit and went home.

When I arrived at my house, I was ready to tell my husband all about my eventful “good deed” – the pain, the suffering, the agonizing silence, the rousing games of telephone. But, no one was home.  My husband still at his meeting, kids still at their assigned places.  Then, on the table, I saw this:

What is it they say, no good deed goes unpunished?  That may be true, but  it wasn’t all bad. Flowers, presents, and a happy elderly neighbor… yeah, I suppose I came out alright, possibly even ahead.

Jul4

Happy 4th of July!

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Happy Fourth of July.  May you find your Sweet Spot today.

Jul2

4 Things to Know About Raising Country Kids

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Yes, I seem to be running a theme of Country Living lately (Top 10 Clues You Are Not Cut Out For Country Life).  No rhyme or reason, just where my brain is roaming around on these hot summer days leading up to Fourth of July!

Today, my most recent article about raising country kids is running over at ParentSociety.com.

I grew up in the suburbs, lived in the city, and then moved to the country when my kids came along. I did not expect there to be any difference when it came to raising my kids in the country as opposed to the city/suburbs. Kids are kids, how different could it be? But I am here to tell you I was naive as a turkey on Thanksgiving…

Yes, I was naive – but my kids have educated me well.  I mean really, who needs shoes or a license to drive anyway?  Have I said to much?  Alright, already, just go read this quick little piece and find out the rest!  Whether you are planning on ever being a Country Parent or not, you just might be glad you did! Go Here!

4 Things to Know About Raising Country Kids

Jun20

Today’s Best Moment: Wednesday, 6/20

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I am having trouble keeping up with work and writing this summer. Could it be that I am doing too much of this…? One can only ponder.

May21

Teen Talk, Episode #2

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toothfairy

Comic by K

We now interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you another installment of Teen Talk.  Everything you are about to hear is real and unedited. Please, do not try this at home.

One day, Teen lost a tooth.

Teen:  “Mom, should I put the tooth under my pillow or will the “Tooth Fairy” (finger quotes) just give me the dollar?”

Mom:  “What? No, put it under your pillow.  The Tooth Fairy only operates one way around here.”

The next day.

Teen:  “Mom!  The “Tooth Fairy” (again with the finger quotes) forgot me.  I was THOROUGHLY NEGLECTED!”

(Back story:  This is now the second time the Tooth Fairy has been caught sleeping – literally – on the job).

Mom:  “Man, that Tooth Fairy is the biggest slacker EVER!  I will have a serious talk with her.  Could you give her one more chance?”

Teen:  “Ok”

The next morning.

Mom: “Soooo, did the Tooth Fairy make good, come through, leave you a dollar?”

Teen:  “Yeah. (pause) But I expected interest.”

The end

For more views by Teen Go Here: Teen Talk

May15

Go Ahead, Make My Day

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The letter.  Do you remember that dinosaur?  No, no, no, it is not something you type out onto an email, or text from your phone or even message on Facebook.  It is not the same as commenting, liking, tweeting, repining, stumbling, joining or even following (did I miss any?).  Need a memory jog…or maybe, marathon?

The letter is that archaic form of communication where you actually pick up a pen (if you can find one that works), select a stationary or card (my favorite often had bunnies or rainbows), write by hand sentiments and thoughts (which requires you have some), write the address (that street-city-state-zip thingy), stamp it (the little.44 sticker) and send by (gasp) the US Post – heretofore to be referred to as “snail-mail”.  Coming back to you now?

Well, recently I have been thinking about letters a lot.  I have been remembering the stationary kits I had as a kid, complete with matching paper, envelopes and stickers.  I have been reminiscing over the times when I lived away from home and became closer to friends and family through this antiquated form of communication. I have been cherishing all the letter responses I stored away and saved. I have been laughing hysterically over letters written by my teen self to my Grandmother that were returned to me upon her death. I have been recalling how, when you receive a physical letter, it feels like obtaining a piece of the person who penned it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the electronic mediums as much as the next girl. You just can’t beat the convenience of texting/emailing while driving, the divides bridged (and marriages compromised) by social networks, and the home created for otherwise completely useless information.

But, here is the thing, I have a friend (yep, true stuff there). She is a special kind of friend. She is the kind of friend I have known since before puberty.  The kind of friend who remembers the leopard patched ripped-up Levis I wore with pride and will still call me out on if need be. The kind of friend with whom I have, fought, laughed, cried, and survived over the years. The ‘til death do us part kind of friend.

This friend, well, she still on occasion writes letters.  When I least expect it and sometimes most need it, a letter will arrive in my mailbox from her.  It will be filled with words of encouragement, sentiment, and love.  It will be decorated with stickers or sayings.  It will have taken her time, attention and effort to accomplish. Sometimes, the stationary will be hand crafted; sometimes the letter will be written all helter skelter; and sometimes the contents will cause me to smile, laugh or even cry a little.

But, no matter what is inside, the letter always makes my day – in that warm, cared about, loved and appreciated kind of way. In a manner that no email, text, IM, tweet, like or follow ever could, or honestly, ever will.

So today, I am going to write my friend a letter. I am going to enclose some words of love, encouragement and appreciation. Maybe, I will decorate it with stickers.  Probably, I will try to write something funny. Definitely, I will pen into the words a piece of myself. Then, I am going to address it, stamp it and send it via snail-mail.

And when the letter arrives in my friend’s mailbox,

I hope, it makes her day.

May3

Sunshine Blogger Award

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This week has truly been a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for me!

I woke up Wednesday morning at 7 am to a full-to-the-brim email file of comments, likes & follows and already over 1000 visits for the day to Looking for the Sweet Spot.  Now, for some of you, this may be par for the course, but for this humble blogger, it was quite the event.  I quickly came to discover that my post You Deserve The Wave Today had been chosen to be “Freshly Pressed” on WordPress.com and I was now enjoying the fruits of that honor.  By days end, visits to my site had climbed to almost 6,000 visits from readers all over the world (continuing today!) and the amount of comments, likes, and reblogs were overwhelming in a Christmas comes everyday kind of way!

So, thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who came, read,  and gave some love to my Sweet Spot place.  It has meant more to me than you can know.

But wait!!  There’s more.

Because what did I wake up to today but a presentation of the Sunshine Blogger Award from my favorite Jman blogger and truly wonderful supporter – TheFadderly.  If you haven’t visited his blog – well get on it!  Not only is he hilariously funny & clever, he is also an amazing artist, contributing writer for ParentSociety.com and Dad to 4 kids (yeah, he will be applying for Sainthood shortly).

As I understand the rules,  I am to answer the following 10 questions and then pass the torch by awarding the Sunshine Blogger Award to another blogger.  Well, first things first…stuff about me!

1.  Favorite Color:  Blue!  All things blue – blue sky, blue ocean, blue jeans, especially blue jeans!

2.  Favorite Animal: Cats.  I have to say this or else Lulubelle (my cat) will reek vengeance upon me.  Anyway, at one time I was payed bucu bucks to pretend I was a CAT – so there!

3.  Favorite Number: Number 2…no, Number 6…no,  Number 26.  Forget it, I never was very good with numbers!

4.  Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink:  That’s easy – COFFEE!  I once said in a blog I could live without a second cup of coffee.  I now confess, lies…it was all lies!

5.  Facebook or Twitter?:  Well, Facebook is my comfort zone.  On Twitter I have made many amazing friends, but I always feel like I’m in High school and can’t quite compete with the cool kids!

6.  My Passion:  Humor.  I am passionate about finding humor in all things.  Maybe, you have noticed?

7.  Getting or Giving: I love to get the presents I give myself.  Just kidding (sort of).  Seriously, if money was no object, giving would become a truly intoxicating affair!

8.  Favorite Pattern:  The pattern the clouds make in the sky never fail to fascinate me – consequently, be warned,  it can be hazardous to your survival to drive too close to me on the freeway.  And, can I just add, I have a lifelong dislike for polka dots.

9.  Favorite Day: My favorite day is any day I get to hop on a plane and go somewhere!

10.  Favorite Flower:  Listen, no flower or plant wants to be within a 12 mile radius of me as I kill all things green!  So, can I just do like TheFadderly and tell you that my favorite album of all time – hands down  – is Temple of the Dog.

Alright – now it is time to pass the torch!

I would like to present The Sunshine Blogger Award  to Elisabeth Hirsch,  ECStilson – The Crazy Life of a Writing Mom.  Not only is she beautiful inside and out, she is also wildly funny, a talented musician and most of all,  a truly gifted writer!  She is just coming out with her third book, Bible Girl.  She blogs about her books, her life and everything in between.  If you haven’t discovered her yet, what are you waiting for!!  Go now!

What in the wild world of sports will I wake up to tomorrow?  Breakfast in bed?  Laundry done, folded and put away?

Aaah, dare to dream!

May1

My Cat Orders Take Out Delivery

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This is my cat, Lulubelle.

Sometimes, she looks like this:

But, most of the time she looks like this:

As you can see, Lulubelle has a very demanding sleep schedule to maintain. Therefore, how does she on a regular basis, find time to seemingly hunt & torment the birds in my yard? First of all, in doing so she completely flouts my verbal proclamation that all creatures and animals in my yard are under protected sanctuary (ok, except the blood sucking kind).  But more importantly, how does she do it?

What really started my contemplation was my cat’s most recent suspicious acquisition.

You see, the other day I was diligently working while Lulubelle, per usual, slept nearby. All of a sudden,  I heard a bird squawk so loud it sounded as if it was actually in the next room.  The reason being, well, it was in the next room. I went to investigate and there stood Lulubelle (huh?) , looking pleased as Richard Simmons during a full body search, with feathers swirling around her head and a squawking bird in her mouth.

Upon seeing me, Lulu smugly let go of the terrified thing as if to say to me “Yeah lady, it’s a real bird.  How do you like them apples?” (more flouting to be sure). The bird, of course, promptly flew against nearest window screeching something I swear sounded like “Help me; I’m being assaulted by a demon”.

For the next few moments, I felt like Chrissie in a Three’s Company episode (except, you know, without the cleavage and cute ponytails).  Lulubelle cunningly attempted to regain her prize while I further traumatized the screaming bird by frantically chasing it around the room, knocking stuff over,  throwing a nearby dirty boy sweatshirt over it, and bundling it up until I could reach the outside and secure its escape.  As that bird flew like a bat out of hell away from stinky sweatshirt, bimbo Mom and maniacal (and now sleeping) cat, I just know it was promising never to set its little three toed feet in our yard of horrors ever again.

So I repeat.  Where does my cat find  time, not to mention energy?  In my estimation this is very suspect and after much deliberation, I am leaning towards one particular theory –

She is ordering Take out delivery.

It would explain a vast amount of wild animal anomalies encountered at my house on a regular basis – as well as her ability to seemingly be in two places at once.

Honesty, I just hope the dog does not get wind of it…

Apr27

Have a Little Faith

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“Why I Should Have Had More Faith in My Son”  is my post today on ParentSociety.com.

When your son comes home with a bad Mid-Quarter Progress Report, how do you react? My thought processes go something like this:

In that moment, I could see my son’s whole future pass before my eyes: receives bad mid-term progress report grade– fails class – flunks out of school – starts to drink – begins dating biker chick with facial hair – turns to drugs – discovers online poker – resorts to begging for change outside a 7 Eleven. 

But recently, I learned how to have a little more faith in my son, and myself.  Go here to read the rest if you want to know how.  It’s big, I tell you, HUGE.  Well, not really, but it’s got a good beat, and you can dance to it.

Go read now!  “Why I Should Have Had More Faith in My Son”

Apr11

Las Vegas Much?

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If you are planning to take your kids to Las Vegas anytime in the near future or you think I am off my rocker for even contemplating it, you might want to check out the Top 5 kid friendly and budget savvy tips we discovered on our recent trip to the flashy city over on ParentSociety.com today.

It starts like this:

When you think of Las Vegas, you probably don’t think of the words “kid-friendly” or “budget-savvy.” Well, it is a fact that almost everything costs a ton in Las Vegas, except the parking, which is always free. (How can you proceed to lose all your money in the casino if you can’t park your car?).

It is also true that on occasion you must instruct your kids to “quick, look up at the big tall building!”…

You will have to go here to find out why they have to look up (really, you need to know!) and get the  Top 5 Budget Kids’ Activities to Do in Las Vegas.

For more Sweet Spot Travels: Go Here!

Apr9

Today’s Best Moment: Sunday, 4/8

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Las Vegas at night.

I won a few dollars (no really, I mean actually $2.00).  Then,  I lost the $2.00.   So, I went to watch the Bellagio Fountains – which are free,  and still by far my favorite thing on the Vegas Strip. Yes, even better than the Jack Sparrow impersonator.  It was a good night.

For more Sweet Spot Travels: Go Here!

Apr7

Just a Bit of Fun

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This just in!  You really can be in two places at once!!

One foot in Arizona and one foot in Nevada.  Hoover Dam.

And in other news…Alien Spaceship spotted in Arizona.