Thursday, February 06, 2025

Half A Century In The Books

 

Today is Ed's 50th birthday!!  I've been fortunate to be with him for 20 of those 50 years and I am looking forward to the many years we have ahead of us.

He's been busy during his pre-birthday week and this birthday week. 

Last weekend we were in Las Vegas where he attended a stock market boot camp, visited Sim Coaches, and went to our very first timeshare presentation.  

He went to California for a week with his buddies the week before - spending an entire day at Disneyland going on rides and attending musical shows that our neighbor's son plays in.

And this week he went to Top Golf and had lunch with a friend, tonight we'll have dinner with friends and family, go to another dinner on Sunday with our friends Kim and Brian, and then he'll get to have dinner alone with his beautiful wife, yours truly, at a special place I picked out to celebrate my sweet husband.

Us at The Fontainbleu Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ed is a man to be celebrated.  He's one of the best humans I've ever known.  He's honest and kind, loving and generous, reliable and hard-working, handy and smart, shares his time and experience with others, is an excellent provider, and has the patience of all the saints combined.  This is not to say that he isn't a pain in the ass at times and that we don't have some very spirited arguments, but overall, he's a blessing in my life and I'm fortunate to have him by my side through everything. 

When it comes down to the most important things, Ed ranks at the top of my list.  I love him, I know he loves me, and I'm thankful to have him in my life.

Later this year we will embark on a grand vacation to celebrate his 50th in style.  We've already started planning!  We haven't been working since June 2024 and plan to head back out on the road next week. 

We've had a great time being home these last nine months; we got a lot done and were able to spend time with the family, fit in a little vacation, and check things off our to-do list,  but we are also looking forward to getting back in the truck for a bit.  

It's nice to end our time home celebrating Ed's milestone birthday.  

Happy birthday, Baby!  You're really a classic now.

Ed with a gift from Cousin Deana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: Hanging Around
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: An Inflatable Party
2018: 
First Birthday As A Married Man

2017: Established 1975
2016: Happy Birthday, My Sweet Prince!
2015: Celebration At Sea
2014: Winter Baby
2013: Let Me Count The Ways
2012: He’s Been Waiting For This Day For Thirty-Seven Years
2011: Twisted Raoul
2010: The Spring Chicken Celebrates His Big Day
2009: Eddie It’s My Birthday! It’s My Birthday! Friday
2008: As Pisghetti Gains Another Year, I Lose Eight
2007: Happy Birthday My Sweet Eddie!!!
2006: The Many Faces Of Ed
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Wednesday, February 05, 2025

Man Cave Material

 

Earlier this year I showed you the racing corner Ed set up in our family room to entertain the holiday visitors (and himself, of course).  He's really getting into the racing simulators and games that are part of the simulator system.

This place was in Las Vegas and we visited it while we were there.  It's called Sim Coaches.
The racing rig in the photo costs more than $40,000.00.  It's a flight simulator that's being custom-built for one of their customers.  It's way more rig than Ed needs and there's no way I'm agreeing to a forty-thousand-dollar toy.
The staff at this facility was fantastic.  Gyssell greeted us and immediately asked us if we wanted to see the workshop.  She led us to the back, where the magic happens, and Ed was in racing geek heaven.  She was extremely knowledgeable, as she's one of the assemblers, and was able to answer most of his questions.  It was as if they were speaking another language, I was completely lost.
We popped out for a bit of lunch and came back to speak with the founder, Lawrence Thomas. He is very high-energy and super knowledgeable about the simulated racing world.  He also raced real cars in his life and had some information about that, too, that he shared with us.

Ed tested out one of the units they had in their showroom, which had curved screens, an adjustable clutch pedal, and a seat that had something called Buttkicker, which replicates the feeling of the vibration and motion in a vehicle in the simulator seat, using haptics to provide a more immersive experience for the gamer.
They even have a simulation for truck driving!  Which, of course, we really don't need as we can just step outside and drive off in our own big rig, but it is fun for the person who doesn't get to do that on a regular basis.

I have a feeling I'm going to see one of these in our house someday in the future.  Lord, help me.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: The Shape Of Gaudi
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Second In Line
2018: Binging On The Box

2017: Ghost Town Patrol
2016: Steakhouse Din
2015: Water Is Precious
2014: Who's That Behind Those Foster Grants?
2013: Where Are The Cushy Couches And Fat Laps?
2012: The Stealth Trucker
2011: Aisles Filled With Q-Tips
2010: Lights, Camera, Action!
2009: Desktop Material
2008: C’mon In
2007: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
2006: Built With The Organization Gene
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

It Can Be A Slippery Slope

 

While in Las Vegas this past weekend, Ed and I attended a timeshare presentation for the Hilton Grand Vacations Club.  We went in with a plan - say no to everything.

In the back of our minds was the hilarious King Of Queens episode where Doug tricked Carrie into going to a timeshare presentation because he wanted the big-screen TV they were offering.    

It wasn't like that TV episode at all.  We left impressed with the presentation, intrigued by the offers, and now have a completely different view of timeshares.  We didn't buy anything and we're still not sure it's for us, but it gave us something to think about.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: The Original Man Cave
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Chronicling Our Taco Consumption
2019: Ornamental Iron

2018: Quonset Quartet
2017: Baltic Gold
2016: 350 Days Of Sunshine Per Year
2015: Tenderly
2014: What Else Is There To Do When It's One Degree Outside?
2013: Packing Up
2012: A Man Can Do All Things If He Will
2011: Spinning Our Wheels
2010: It Takes Two
2009: Buona Sera King Louis
2008: The Newest B & B Trend Might Not Take Off As Expected
2007: Pirelli
2006: Classic Sal
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

Monday, February 03, 2025

An Attraction That Can’t Be Missed

A view of The Sphere from the parking structure at our hotel in Las Vegas. This thing is beautiful. When you see it for the first time, your reaction will likely be “What is that??”  And then you remember that you heard about this cool new venue in Vegas. This is it. 

From Canyon Tours, here are some facts about The Sphere:

  1. The Sphere was built by the group behind Madison Square Garden (hence “MSG”), and is owned by the same guy who also runs the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
  2. The site was provided by The Sands. Approximately 110,000 cubic yards of dirt and rock were excavated to prepare the site for construction!
  3. Construction required the 4th largest crane crawler in the world. Brought in from Belgium, the crane alone required 120 tractor-trailers to transport to Vegas, and it took 18 days to assemble using a separate secondary crane. Once construction of the dome trusses reached their midway point, the crane had to be moved to the southern side of the property to install the remaining trusses. This relocation alone took 2 days!
  4. 6,000 cubic yards of concrete were pumped into the roof once the steel frame was completed, forming a layer 10” thick weighing approximately 10,000 tons.
  1. The Sphere measures 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide at its widest point.
  2. The Sphere could easily hold the entire Statue of Liberty, from base to torch.
  3. With 875,000 square feet of space, the Sphere has an interior capacity of 18,600 seats and standing room for 20,000 people.
  4. The exosphere is 30% taller than the interior dome. The dome’s roof required 3,000 tons of steel to construct, and includes 32 trusses that weigh a whopping 100 tons each. It weighs a total of 13,000 tons, with a surface area of 220,000 square feet.
  1. Out of 18,600 total seats, 10,000 seats provide a fully immersive experience, including specialized sound systems, haptic seats capable of making guests “feel” sound vibrations, and 4D machines that create wind, temperature, and scent effects.
  2. The exterior display is made up of over 1.2 million programmable LEDs, featuring about 580,000 square feet of programmable lighting. The Sphere’s owners say you can see it from space!
  3. Manufactured by Canadian company SACO Technologies, the interior high-resolution LED screen is the largest on earth, wrapping halfway around the 18,600 seats inside. It measures 160,000 square feet and covers an area larger than three football fields!
  4. The interior screen also features 268 million video pixels with 16K resolution, making it the highest resolution screen in the world—at 19,000 x 13,500 pixels, it’s 100x clearer than today’s best HD TVs.
  5. The Sphere is home to the world’s largest concert-grade audio system, comprising 1,586 loudspeaker modules, 167,000 speaker drivers, amplifiers, and processing channels, as well as 300 mobile loudspeaker modules that deliver a “crystal-clear” multi-layered audio experience through “beamforming” technology and wave field synthesis.
  6. A one-week advertising campaign could set brands back a whopping $650,000. A one day campaign (which works out to about four hours of screen time) will run $450,000.
  1. The Sphere requires 28 megawatts to function at peak energy usage, the equivalent to supplying power to 21,000 homes.
  2. Around 70% of the Sphere’s energy will be obtained from solar power!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: I'm A Sucker For A Nice Hotel With A View
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: One Thousand Grams Of Flour
2018: The Land Of Little Water

2017: Urban Creep
2016: Ed's View
2015: Place Of Refuge
2014: A Story Told In Stone
2013: Eddie Sandwich
2012: Finally – Freight To Buzz About!
2011: For The Crybabies
2010: Chillin’ In Utah
2009: Taking The Peas For A Ride In A Cozy Little Shell
2008: Wyth Jane’s Kin In Wytheville
2007: Color In Architecture
2006: Living On
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Sunday, February 02, 2025

Decor Ideas Are Afoot

 

This is the end table in the living room of our suite at the Hilton Grand Vacations property in Las Vegas, Nevada.  
When I see something like this - along with the mixing of the colors and patterns the designers of this hotel room chose, I get inspired to do something like this at home.
Introducing a piece like this would mean slowly changing my current decor—which, although I love my color scheme, I would love to do—but I feel like it's a giant snowball. Change one thing, and then you have to change something else, then add something bigger, then get a new couch, paint the room, or put in new flooring, and before you know it, I'm at a $100,000 renovation.

Maybe if I make small purchases, Ed won't notice his whole world changing around him!  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: A Very Special Cadillac
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Click, Buy, Deliver, Consume
2018: Fiber, Feed, And Food

2017: Time For A Questival!
2016: The Last Link Should Be Your First Stop
2015: The Gods Are Angry. Or Laughing.
2014: These Four Guys Always Have The Same Expression On Their Faces
2013: Save Money On Sandwiches, Buy Nice Car
2012: Big Money Needed For A Relaxing, Feel-Good Experience
2011: The Original Metrosexual And The Petting Zoo
2010: Cribs For Corn, Not Celebrities
2009: LL Cool E
2008: Hunt On Hold
2007: The Blondes Come Marching In
2006: Thank You Is Not Enough
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Saturday, February 01, 2025

I've Got A Thing For Hallways

The hallway at our hotel in Las Vegas.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: The Best White Stuff
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Welcome To The Local Googie
2018: One Of Many

2017: The First Mustachioed Man In My Life
2016: Cooking Is Love Made Visible
2015: Hawaiian Memorial
2014: We Do Not Remember Days, We Remember Moments
2013: Sharing The Long Haul Lifestyle
2012: Love, Peace, And Soooouuulll
2011: Taste The Fire
2010: Finally, A Shot At Playmate Of The Month! (Sorta)
2009: Remembering
2008: Eddie Gets His Eyes Checked Friday
2007: Shifting The Sun
2006: My Daddy Is Gone
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Friday, January 31, 2025

Semi-Solitary Confinement

 

Last week I went for an MRI of my cervical spine.  I've been having intermittent numbness in three fingers on my right hand (thumb, pointer, middle).  The doctor thinks it might be something in my neck.  I read that the C5, C6, and C7 vertebrae correspond to those three fingers in the case of numbness, so he might be on to something.  He is a neurologist, after all.  

I always thought people who had anxiety in an MRI machine were just pansies.  I would say, "Why can't you just close your eyes and take a nap?" 

Well, that was before I had to go into an MRI machine.  My first time getting an MRI was after an accident about 6 years ago.  I almost couldn't do it.  I was extremely anxious.  Being slid into that donut shape was horrible.  As a large person, it was very tight.  The top of the machine practically touched my nose.  You might know, they tell you to stay very still, don't move.  Which only makes you want to move more.  All I could think about was moving.  And the fact that I was in a tube. 

I absolutely HATED it.  They even gave me a sedative which didn't work at all.

One of the machines in my area was called an "open" MRI.  It was like two tortillas that you lay between like you're a quesadilla.  I couldn't do that one either because they couldn't close the tortillas enough to get the image.  And then when I went for a cervical spine MRI, they had to put a cage over my head which then wouldn't allow my whole body in the machine because they couldn't get my shoulders in.  It was a nightmare.

So we found a stand-up MRI place in Phoenix.  They have a machine like the one in the photo above.  You can stand up or sit, depending on what body part they are scanning, and the entire area of the machine is open so you don't feel claustrophobic.  In my case, since they were doing my neck, I just sat in the machine, they attached a little collar to me, and I watched TV for thirty minutes while they scanned me.  I still hated it because as a larger person, I was still squished between those two plates and I still couldn't move, but it was less anxiety-producing because nothing was in front of my face and I didn't feel as confined.

I hope this is the last time I have to do one of these.  If I ever have to do it again, I think I'd like them to knock me out.  



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: No One Was Run Over By A Reindeer At This Shindig
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Yellow Gaze
2019: The Beautiful Cabbage Flower
2018: Waiting In Wilmington
2017: The Wild Life Of Trucking
2016: Special Order
2015: Clooney Was Not At The End Of The Pier
2014: Where They Build Palaces Out Of Corn
2013: Modern Market Girl
2012: A Berry Good Time
2011: Traveling Through Mountain Ranch
2010: Backroads
2009: If Only I Could Fit All Of This Information On A Bumper Sticker…
2008: Gambling Haze
2007: Published
2006: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Same But Different

 

On our way to Las Vegas this weekend, we stopped in Phoenix for lunch at a pretty little restaurant called Blanco Cucina + Cantina.  We have one in Tucson, too, but didn't realize it was the same company until after lunch!  

The meal was good but what I liked even more was the decor.  I want this wall in my house - mirrors, plants, and wicker lampshades included!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
2024: Cool Air
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: 
A Big Kid Races The Clock
2018: Cycle On Down For A Taco Or Two
2017: If Only I Could Bottle This...
2016: Climbing The Regal Horned Lizard
2015: The Valley Of The Temples
2014: The Day The South Fell Apart...Again
2013: Island Graffiti 
2012: Four Seasons Of Food To Conquer 
2011: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head 
2010: As Seen On TV 
2009: Eddie Polishing His Chrome Friday 
2008: Traveling With Your Cat 
2007: Getting Wet In The Next County 
2006: Down With O.P.P. 
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Where A Queen Watches An Opera

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía (Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts) building in Valencia, Spain.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: Coming About
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: 
I Can't Contain Myself
2018: Laugh Out Loud
2017: American Power
2016: I'd Rather Be Listening To This All Day
2015: North Shore Surfin'
2014: Calling It A Day
2013: Eight Ways To Take It Easy
2012: Dinner With Friends
2011: This Is What Sheer Joy Looks Like
2010: I’ll Have The Tootsie Rolls And The Butterfinger And The Lollipop And The Gummi Bears And The Hershey Kisses And The Snickers Bar And The M&M’s And…
2009: Meals On Wheels
2008: Mercury Dropping
2007: James Cameron For $79.99 A Night
2006: The Town That Big Tobacco Built
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

The Heart And Soul Of l'Albufera

A mural depicting workers in the rice fields in El Palmar, located in La Albufera of Valencia, Spain.

Rice has been grown here for over 1,000 years.  Rice farming is deeply ingrained in the culture and based on the quality of rice in the paella we've eaten in this area, it's clear they know what they're doing.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024; A Vintage Ride
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: 
Access To Pleasure Crafts Just Got Easier
2018: Parked For The Night
2017: Red Lamp District
2016: Walking Along The Canyon Of Gold
2015: Aloooooooha
2014: Better Than No Touch Freight
2013: The First Step Is To Admit You Have A Problem
2012: The Top Five Sweet Scents In My World
2011: A Weekend Full Of Bright Stars And Not Much Else
2010: I’m Floored
2009: Two Worlds Collide
2008: Girl Crush
2007: Silly Boys
2006: It’s Nowhere Near Mexico, Y’all
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!