Back from our little trip

Well, we returned yesterday from our little trip to Utah. We were tired, but had good traveling weather both ways - Rain in the desert on the way - 69 degrees going into Las Vegas and 81 in the city itself - at 2:00 p.m. in August! Moderate monsoon weather continued in Utah - cool and overcast, a little rain, with one hot afternoon (hottest of the year) at 101 degrees.

Going home, we stopped at a casino in Mesquite in the afternoon. Our room was partially subsidized by gamblers. Only 103 degrees at 3:00 p.m. We parked in a shady spot. Skipped valet parking. The "real people" part of town - supermarket, Walmart, etc., are easily accessible from the freeway. Mesquite is in quite a pretty setting, surrounded by mountains. It's near Bunkerville, where our deceased friend Sylvia's family was from. She was born in a tent in Las Vegas, where her father was mining (I think), Early settlers in Bunkerville didn't have much more than tents. How spoiled we are.

We left Mesquite at 3:00 a.m. Clark County, Nevada, where Las Vegas is, must be huge. County fairgrounds are near Bunkerville and Mesquite. Settlers were able to establish dairy farms to serve Las Vegas after a road to the city was built. Hidden Valley Ranch is between Bunkerville and Vegas. The city is still more than an hour away from Mesquite even at freeway speeds.

It was 68 degrees outside Vegas (a "lake of lights" before dawn, as David put it). If you have to go through Vegas, that's a beautiful time of day to do it. Only 81 degrees in Baker. And as low as 64 degrees in the high desert.

David's Mom and Dad stayed with the animals, who mostly did fine. Maggie, Troy and Little Buddy refused to go outside once and Grandma had to show them a broom (don't know how they knew about brooms). Lucky went on strike for a while and wouldn't eat (he even refused chicken) or go outside. He demanded sympathy and love from Grandma. He broke his hunger strike with peanut butter and toast.

This trip was a very nice change for us. The dogs were thrilled to see us - raced around the yard. Geriatric Sparky and Dottie looked contented. Cats took everything in stride. More later on the family reunion, etc.