Fun Las Vegas, Nevada Holes-in-the-Wall!

Las Vegas's hidden Cornish Pasties shop!

Since I choose to eat a breadless diet, I ordered some mushroom/spinach/walnut soup. Yep, folks, walnuts in soup! 

Go ahead! Throw some in your next soup bowl and see how you like it! (You won't know unless you try.)

My son Brian (pictured with his cute wife, Aspen) found it from an online recommendation by my husband's cousin, Debbie Bahlmann Bagley, who was born in England. (That girl knows her pasties!)

The walls had interesting historic pictures of miners from the 1800's. Some of the more sobering showed boys who looked to be no older than 8 or 9 with black mine dust on their faces and clothes, staring solemnly at the camera. It was certainly a different time, different traditions back then.

One thing I recall from learning about pasties is that they were intentionally made with one thick roll of baked dough on a side that the hungry worker could hold onto like a handle while the meat and vegetable filling was eaten with the rest of the crust. Then, I suppose, the handle was eaten, too.

Of course we shared tastes of all our food! 

Do you like to try new food?

Or are you happy with the tried-and-true dishes that you already love? 

My Creative Friend Shirley Ann!

I was delighted to be a part of Shirley Ann and Don Hales' 70th (Did I get that right? 70 YEARS!) Anniversary Celebration. 

Shirley Ann and I have been friends since we met over 15 years ago. (I was the 3rd "Shirley" when I moved into the neighborhood!) Then it was just Shirley Ann and me, but now she's the only one left, since I moved to a place that was previously Shirley-less.

The thing about Shirley Ann and me is that we are both creative people. We are happiest when we have our tools. For her, it's wood and a carving knife. (She carves the most beautiful dolls and other figures.) For me, it's paper and something to write with.

We're both young at heart gals, not letting some arbitrary age number define what we "can" and "can't" do, or even what we want to do!

I love Shirley Ann, with her fancy name while I'm just plain Shirley, and am so glad she's my friend.

Who is one of your friends? What do you like about him/her?

Historical, Hysterical Monument!

I've been historically oriented since childhood, interested in old houses and places where things happened long ago. That's why I want to read what's on an old memorial whenever I see one!

So when I spotted this monument while driving away from a friend's remote homestead, my husband patiently stopped the truck so I could see what it was all about. 

I actually ran to it, excited to uncover information that would plunge my imagination into the past.

Breathless, I read: "On this site in 1897, nothing happened."

I burst out laughing at this modern-day spoof of a time-honored old western tradition.

How many days do we feel as if "nothing" happened?

Do you like to make things happen?

Or do you prefer to read about things happening?

Yet Another Patriotic Car!

I am delightfully amazed at all the different ways people show their patriotism. I spotted this sparkly car at the post office a week or two ago.

I was a little concerned about taking the front view picture because there was a person in the driver's seat, but I tucked myself into the shadowy building and zoomed in and, voila! A bright sunspot obscured the person's face, so I didn't need to get a signed release to post the picture!

  It made me smile!

What makes you smile? 

Boys Without A Door, But With A Flag

I was in the WalMart parking lot in May 2018 when I noticed a car without a door. My first thought was that I hoped it had a secure seatbelt. My second thought was, "Why are those two young men taping a flag to their antennae?"

So I asked them both questions.

First of all, they were AWOL from school, since "There wasn't much to do."

I remembered late May at my own Utah high school, and had to agree that there wasn't much readin' writin' or 'rithmetic going on at that time.

In the minds of these two friends, who prefer not to be named (would the principal really come after you now, in the SUMMER?) it was more worthwhile to get an American flag for their ride. They each had a grandpa or great grandpa who fought and even died in U.S. wars. So the flag meant something personal to them.

As for the door?

It fell off.

They planned a near-future junkyard excursion to find and attach a replacement.

I have not often found youth who have such appreciation for the American flag.

I salute you, unknown young men, for carrying on the legacy of patriotism.

And for fastening your seat belts really tight.