Mikey!

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite partners in crime and silliness! 

He is strong and helps his little brother  lift my spirits.

Most of all he is just wrong.. and that is a good thing.

He would make a great furniture model.. many of times he has had strangers  doing a double take as we shopped for  furnishings.   It's fun shopping with Mikey!

Even going to the airport is fun with the right company!

Quick shut the trunk!

A spring day in Tahoe, he laughs as the car gets stuck.. why cry or get angry?

More shopping, Vegas mall style.

Donald Trump has nothing on this Birthday boy.

Dad loved his little boy.. always excited to see him "Light up the room with his laughter."

Guess what? Justin is legal now.. Run Justin run!

I miss seeing Mike everyday.. I am glad he lives a hour plane ride away!
Happy Birthday Mikey!

Guess who's Birthday it is today???

My oldest Sister Sarah is hitting the big 50 today!


What I like about my big Sis is, that she holds strong to her Mormon faith, yet she is always willing to play along.. or initiate trouble. Because trouble equals fun..

And she never dresses like this.

The last couple of years have tested Sarah.. but she doesn't complain, just keeps doing her thing.. being the best Daughter, Mother and Sibling that she can be..

Never afraid to be silly.

 

One who enjoys life!

I won't lie.. these pictures are stolen off her facebook. 

 Kendra power!!!!

Happy Birthday Sarah! 

Time to win!!!!

Oh I hate it when the Lottery gets to those high numbers... 
I hate it more because Nevada doesn't have a state lottery.. I guess the casinos don't want the competition,

Mine mine mine... Please please please!

Mom, Chell and I decided it was worth the 45 minute ride to the Primm and the California state-line to buy a ticket or two..

So did every other Nevada resident.. Two hour line, and time already invested in getting here.

Not totally impressed.. I better win some $$$$$$$$$

Even the news crews were out, filming us fools standing in line.

There were two lines, one for talking to actual humans and one to use the automated machines.. we picked the wrong line..

Not that we knew it until we were there for awhile.. We got the kiosk line.. the slow line.. But there was no going back and starting over.

It doesn't even bling or sing like a slot machine.

As we got closer to the door we realized that there was a third, secret line..

Patrons would go up to the security guy and tell them they needed to use the restroom.. then slip him a bill as they strolled in and picked up their tickets..  

 

Is everything corrupt?

Funny thing about the lottery and the chance for riches.. it knows no bounds.. 

White, Black, Asian, Latino, old or young.. all colors and all classes of folks in those lines.. 

Everybody dreams..

The reality of reality shows.

Since we now have cable I can't stop watching all the reality shows.. 
Auction Hunters, Storage Wars, Auction Kings, Hardcore Pawn etc.. 
I always think, who would pay that much for that?

Collectors plate only 5 payments of $19.95 in 1977.. must be worth a fortune today.. right????

 


Today we went to the Clark County Auction. 


They sold a shit load of these Hummel treasures.. 25 or so, for $125.00...   Not each.. for the whole damn bunch of them.. all kinds all vintages.. 

Something to think about as you sift through your own pile of "its going to be worth something someday junk."


TV gives you the impression that when you take your heirlooms to auction you are going to have enough cash to retire..


The real reason to go is to pick up brand new pillow top, queen sized mattresses for under $200.00
New 3 piece leather, reclining sofas for under $600.00

Trust me nobody but the Auction house is making money...  Never pay retail!$!$!$

  But the best part of going to the Auction on a warm Spring Saturday morning... is to people watch!
(Thank You Chell, and your handy iphone4s!!!!)

Boys will be boys

With all the drama that goes on in the hood.. the little boys across the street don't want to be left out.
Las Vegas residential landscape is mostly rocks..
So the little devils thought they would clear out some in their backyard.. and with the anonymity of the block fence, they could pop up.... aim.. then fire away.
  


And really I wouldn't care, except Moms truck is parked right in the line of fire...
I am pretty sure they were aiming at that too... The pile of rocks in the bed of the truck was my first clue.

Maybe they were a little smaller.. the kids were 6 or 7.

Mom, Chell and I decided to save the neighborhood from the future delinquents and go tell their Mommy on them.

Except she didn't answer the door...  Daddy did.. or daddy of the week did.. who knows??? It was hard to get past the shirtless wonder, sporting these..

Yes eyebrow tattoos... (it's hard to find a stock photo of them without the dude being in prison orange.)

He started yelling at the kids.. the kids started to cry.. he slammed the door on our faces..

We cleaned the street of it's pebbly mess..

I am guessing those young boys have no chance at all.....

 

 

52 years ago the world changed.

Mommy's little boy is all grown up. 
Now a proud Father and Grandpa!

Rhone and Quynn.. 

Baby Luke.

His first Granddaughter is on her way!.. 

Happy Birthday to my favorite big brother, Rhone! 

 

Hurry! Hurry!

I don't have much time to blog today. Mom has spent the last couple of weeks in Hawaii with Marti and I think I might need to clean up a little.

I need to send Bella's friends home.

 

Shit! The Garbage man only took half the coffee cups. Grrr

g

I might even have time to take care of a few bodies.  pesky  neighbors.

 

 

Goodspring Nevada

I don't know why, but I like old crappy, creepy buildings and strange desert towns.

They call Goodspring a ghost town, but there are some double wide's and a saloon there.  Note this is not the saloon.

 

Saloons look like this... I read online that it's mostly a Biker bar.. and the beer is $1.50.  Not quite 1903 prices.
1970 maybe?

   

Rusted corrugated metal chic! 

Pomegranate trees everywhere.. I guess the desert sun, alkaline rich soil and the smell of desperation grow seedy fruits well!

The stone work is classy...  Home sweet home!

 Then we hit another favorite.. a old run down cemetery.. Spooky!

Nothing says I miss you like baked in the sun stuffed dollar store animal.  Stranger yet.. the grave stone is 70 years old.. who even remembers this dude?

I wonder how this guy died?

Perhaps a Harley and............

Cheap ass beer don't mix?????
A nest of brew on a dusty grave.. Sad. 

Not a Walmart for miles... where do these people buy such tacky?

Screw Walmart this guys loved ones, grabbed some horseshoes and a welder!

Sorry good people of Goodspring.. No grass for you!  Hope those spray painted green rocks look like grass from heaven.

House buying in Vegas.

The last couple of weeks have been house hunting and more house hunting.. this on the heels of looking with Mom for Topher and Josh's financial adventure..

And let me tell ya, things aint like they were a year or two ago!.. The word is out and those pesky investors have swarmed Sin City.

Them are some nice houses! Buy! Buy! Buy!

The Yuan is making this difficult!

  But wait! Aren't there still thousands of houses still for sale in Las Vegas??

So many houses! All waiting for happy home owners!

Problem is most of those are Short Sales and/ or HOA houses.

What is wrong with a HOA you might ask.. keeps the neighborhood nice.. Noise levels down.. Creepy kids in their houses afraid to play!  And with all those rules the house values stay strong!

Wrong!

Let's compare what your $$$$$$ will get you.

This is a short sale HOA house.

A 2006, 3 bedroom 3 bathroom.

1644 square feet and clean.

All for $85,000!!! For real! Buy Buy Buy..

Now this house has no HOA and is foreclosed..  and $15,000 more.

Which means you can rent it to whom ever you want, paint it purple if you care to.. 

No fines if you miss a weed in the yard or park a RV in the driveway.

You give the bank your cash and away you go!

On a short sale you say yes I want it, then wait and wait and wait.... a month? Two? A freaking year???

1991 20 years old..  3 bedroom 2 bath. Doesn't look that bad.. $99,999 ouch.

Yikes! 1293 square feet.. good thing its small, all that carpet has to go! Now!  Paint paint paint!

And some serious landscaping!

See how it is, the houses that need tons of work are way more money.. and investors are bidding over the asking price!

Long gone are the days when Mom and Dad bought their houses and told the bank what they were going to pay.

So when Chell found this house... she couldn't let it go.. 

No Association board to tell her what she can or cannot do with it.. no banks to deal with.. just a straight up here is your money cash sale.

Smart girl talked the seller down in price! A nice price indeed!

Who needs crappy dirty carpet and stained walls.. ??

Waiting for furniture and tourist!

Yes it has a pool!!!!!!

If all goes well the closing is in two weeks.. 

And then the work begins! She is going to make it a vacation rental..