Thanksgiving 2009

Dessert was sugar free apple pie and chocolate peanut butter pie. It was creamy fluffy and great even I liked it and I don't like peanut butter in anything.

Thanksgiving dinner

We had green salad, fruit salad, yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean cassorole, homemade rolls....mmmmmm.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was awesome. My sister-in-law Shirley is a master cook so it was a feast of the best kind. The turkey was perfect and juicy the ham had juice coming out as we cut it.

Wendover Weekend

We went on a weekend to Wendover, Nevada at the Rainbow Hotel & Casino.

We stayed in one of their Jacuzzi Suites. It was romantic, comfortable, and fun. The Jacuzzi was right in the room with a mirror overhead and double rope lighting with mirror accents around the ceiling. As we laid in the king size bed we watched the flat screen TV and enjoyed the fluffy comforter.





There are mirrors surrounding the jacuzzi tub. At the back of the tub there is a water fall that runs when the jets are on.



The staff had made pretty fans out of the towls on the Jacuzzi. The only thing missing was the bubble bath and the rubber ducky.




















The bathroom had a steam shower. A combination of a shower and a steam room. I really liked sitting in the steam.
















The buffet had a wide variety of items. My very favorite and why I think I love to go there is to have "Lace Cookies." I like the buffet at the Rainbow because it is a rain forest setting. Rain is just by sound effects. There is a Burger King, McDonald's, Subway and a couple grocery stores for less expensive food. There is also stuff to pick up at the gas stations.







They have a park behind the welcome center that has a playground, picnic area, basketball court and tennis court.

























There is a golf course on the west end of town. I was amazed at the level of talent they bring into the West Wendover Concert Hall. There is more detailed information in some earlier posts.

Blogworld Friends

A special thank you and hello to Shahar and Nash from buzzbooster.com, Bigsis & lilsis from bibsislilsis.com, Missy Ward, Princess Poochie from shoedaydreams.blogspot.com,. Thanks for making my first visit to Blogworld a comfortable and friendly convention. Blogworld is a good place to make new friends. Everyone was very friendly and exchanging help to everyone they met. Thanks for the hug Adria Richards. I hope you got your goal of 500 hugs for the conventions. Congratulations of winning a ticket to blogworld.

Blogworld Expo

Last night we had a party at the JET Nightclub. The dancing was fun. Everyone was inclusive and friendly. They served appetizers. Great music for dancing. It wasn't the place to network as in exchanging info but you did get to interact and have fun together then I found those people today and made contact then. The parties are good to go to. They only last a couple hours and then there is the rest of the night to hit the casino or hit the strip, or in my case hit the pillow.

Las Vegas Convention Center

As you get off the monorail you have a short walk over to the convention center. As you come in it is a spacious building. I went up the escalator and off to the right was the registration. First you go to an open computer and put you name in and it pulls up your info, check it for correctness and then get in the pick up line. They gave us a badge and lunch tickets (for full pass registrants) They had bagels & muffins, coffee and water. Then you pick up you packet and event book. Classes had plenty of room except for one. But still everyone that wanted into the class got in. Hint & Tip: Sit up front in case the speakers aren't loud enough and there are tables up front. One lady had a great idea. Bring an extension cord (3 prong) and Electric strip. Sit where the gold electric outlet is in the floor. Hook up and provide for others. Everyone will love you. If you get chilly bring a sweater as the AC can get a little cool. Most everyone had a computer and took note on it or tweeted during the lectures.

Arriving in Las Vegas

When I got to the airport in Las Vegas I went out the transportation doors and took a shuttle bus (Bell Trans.) to the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel & Casino. They were great and very inexpensive. I paid $6.50 for one person. I got into the hotel at 8:00 a.m. and they let me check in. Very friendly. Nice hotel room. Nothing outstanding put clean and nice. I went down to the monorail that is located right outside a side door of the Hilton Hotel. I bought a 3 day pass that cost me $30. It was quick and comfortable. The Las Vegas Convention Center is the first stop from the Hilton.

Las Vegas

I am so excited. I am back to blogging. I am headed to Las Vegas to the BlogWorld Expo. Maybe I will learn to be a better blogger. Since I'm going to Vegas I thought I'd share some cool things to see and do in Vegas.

There are two restaurants in Vegas that I know of that start with Dick. (Makes me laugh) One is Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and the other is Dick’s Last Resort.

As you are coming from or going to the airport I make a stop at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on . It is South on Las Vegas Blvd down by the airport. The address is 7430 Las Vegas Blvd.















They have meat platters and sandwiches.

















I like their waffle fries, baked potatoes and baked potato casserole sides too.










I got a kick out of their Bright Yellow CUPS. They want you to take your cup with you and then photograph it different places in the world and send them the photo. I thought the gimmick was fun. They also do catering and takeout. If your lookin’ for barbecue then make a stop here.





Now for a full out fun wacky, side splitting laughter, not quit vulgar statements and jokes, and the best Rude Service anywhere. Beware this is not the restaurant for the prudish or conservative. You will find Dick’s Last Resort in the Excalibur Hotel & Casino, 3850 Las Vegas Blvd South.






The menu was an adventure in itself. I had “Drunken Shrimp” and a large non-alcoholic daiquiri. I loved the food, the servers and the whole experience. While I was there it was loud with live entertainment.








Bra’s hanging from the bar. (Want to contribute? No I didn't!) They put dunce looking white hats on several people with raunchy sayings on them. Fun, we were laughing and hated to leave.

Marvin Goldstein & Chenille Saunders in Concert

I had a marvelous time at the concert. Another concert is June 6th. I am going are you?

In my life I have redone apartments hundreds of time over the last 30+ years. I have done painting, wallpapering and decorating in the apartments . (as long as I wasn't rushed) Over all that time I have learned what painting equipment and cleaning products worked best for me. Here is a video I made while painting one of the apartments a few months ago. It shows what paint brushes and rollers I like the best and why. (I know I am chewing gum. I always do when I paint.) Now I mostly hire this done but once in a while I still do one.
For your information or amusement here is my video:

Christmas 2008

Wake Up Chi Chi, it's Christmas.

I thought I would share what Christmas looked like at our house this year. The only kids we had at home this year were the dogs. They each had their own stocking. Chi Chi got the biggest stocking. Yup! Spoilt dog!

One of our Christmas trees is decorated with Delft Blue Ornaments that we got when we were in Holland. My husband served a mission there so we like to go back there to visit and we decorate this tree as a reminder of those times.

Another of our trees is a tradition from both of our families. It is a Silver Pom Pom Christmas Tree. We don't put lights on the tree because that would be a fire hazard but they have a color wheel that is put under the tree that shines the colors up into the tree and shines that color in the tree. I love to sit at night and watch the tree change colors. It is very pretty and relaxing. Here it is with the red shining on it.

This is our other dog "Simba." He is also spoilt and runs the family with "Chi Chi." He could smell the treats in the stocking and was trying to figure out how to get them out.

I like to make little scenes out of the decorations around the house.

Fasnachskuchlein Making

Today was our family Christmas party. We follow an old tradition of making "Fasnachtsküchlein."



Everyone has to try saying fasnachtskuchleins with the guttural throat sound. They are the Swiss carnival cookie. They are also called "Chnüblätz" as we pronounce it -Kneeblates. They are nick named Kneeblates because you can stretch them over your knee. They are a traditional treat made at Christmas or Carnival.

First we mix the dough and knead it and then divide it into small balls. Then the balls are rolled really thin.



After rolling them thin we take them and stretch them until they are almost see thru. Small holes are good because they make it more crisp when fried.



The Fasnachtskuchleins are laid out on dish towels in layers to dry for about an hour before frying.



We use a deep frying pan to fry them in vegetable oil. The trick is to fry them fast but not get them too brown. We use special paddles to turn them during frying.



The next step is to take a shaker and more than cover the fasnachs in granulated sugar.



We made 3 batches that made 22 plates of 8 each. Each family gets to take home a plate to eat.



The recipe that we use is
1 tsp. salt
2 cups of sugar
6 eggs
6 cups of flour

Mix everything but the flour and then gradually add the flour. Let it mix until well kneaded. We use a bosh type mixer

Wendover, Utah

To see the full Travel Log, Information and Links go to http://www.scattergenius.com

For my 50th birthday we stole away for a night to Wendover, Nevada.



We drove out from Salt Lake City to Wendover. On the way out about 95 miles west of Salt Lake City on the north side of of I-80 we passed a large tree sculpture created by artist Karl Momen, a Swedish-American Artist and Sculpture. It is called by several names but the two most popular are Metaphor, The Tree of Life and Metaphor, The Tree of Utah. The artist drove though that area and saw that the landscape was barren and boring and he decided to build something with color. He bought land and financed the project himself. The tree is 87 feet tall and has 6 balls on branches and several pieces on the ground and the base of the tree. It is cement covered with ceramic tiles, rocks and minerals. It was finished in 1987 and donated to the State of Utah. I love the tree. The plaque says ”A hymn to our universe whose glory and dimension is beyond all myth and imagination.” It gives you something to look at and wakes you up on a long trip of nothing but sand. I think they should allow different artist to create other artwork there or along the way and have it be an outdoor roadside art show. It feels like the sand goes on for a very long way.
A biography of Karl Momen can be found at: http://www.endangeredplanet.net/media/MOMEN_Bio.pdf
http://www.utah.com/amusement/metaphor_tree.htm
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2230


Just before Wendover is where the Bonneville raceway and the salt flats are located. This is where the land speed records have been set. During trials people bring their campers and RV’s or stayed in Wendover and go out and watch the races and time trails. There are races there every Memorial Day Weekend with speeds of over 200 miles per hour reached. http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/bonneville_salt.htm
http://www.roadsters.com/bonneville/#Bonneville




We stayed at the Montego Bay in a Mini Suite. The rooms were great! Our room was decorated in Royal Purple. The room was extra large and had a Jacuzzi in the corner of the bedroom. There were themed decorations of palm trees and even the lamps had a Caribbean theme. The room had a large flat screen TV, a modern looking refrigerator, and the shower was also a steam room. www.wendoverresorts.com

The casino was hopin’. There were a lot of people there for a Sunday night. The next day we went sightseeing. My brother in law is a history buff and has a memory for facts that is phenomenal.. He took us to the Historic Wendover Air Force Base Museum.



It is a small museum that is big on facts. I learned more there in our ½ hour visit than I learned in all of High School about the atomic bomb that was dropped on Japan.
There are replicas of the Air Force Base, memorabilia, weapons, uniforms, planes, pictures, maps as well as information on the Enola Gay and the Little Boy Atomic Bomb.



Also at the Air Force Base on the other side of the parking lot from the museum is a plane used in several scenes in the 1977 movie “Con Air.”
It is a gutted plane that they used in the movie. I could see in my mind all the seats and then there was the cargo bay that I remembered from the movie. It was just open and we could walk around in it.
Here is a photo that I took of the plane.



I did enjoy watching the clouds on the drive back. They were very fascinating and deep in color and contrast.



I took a couple pictures of the Morton Salt Plant. I called to see if they had public tours but was told they didn’t. They would have been interesting.
http://www.utah.com/stateparks/great_salt_lake.htm



Full Travel Log and info at http://www.scattergenius.com

Tours: http://www.intermountianguidenevada.com

Wendover research sites: http://www.elkorose.com/wendover.html
http://www.westwendovercity.com/visguide/visitingwestwendover.php
http://www.nevadaweb.com/cnt/cc/wendover.html
http://westwendover.travelnevada.com
http://www.nevadaweb.com/cnt/cc/texts/wendover.tx

Painting with Chi the Chihuahua

I thought I would share some photos of Chi Dog. She is my guard dog and companion when I go working on apartments. She loves to sit in my lap when I am working on the floor. This time she painted the tip of her ear and painted the ends of her whiskers touching the paint on the wall. I will have some videos of painting tips and Paint Product Reviews posting shortly. -Debj

San Francisco, California

http://www.scattergenius.com

Do you want to go to a place where there is more to see that you can do in a month, new adventures, great music, culture, theatre, something for everyone?

I have loved San Francisco because I can never go there too many times. I still have a ton of things I want to see. There are some things I go back and see every time because they are just too cool to miss. I seem to always have people traveling with me. I have found you have to have a plan and be prepared before you go on your trip so that you can take advantage of the time that you have there, otherwise you will waste time deciding what to do or going from one end of town to the other and you will waste a lot of time on traveling every day. Don’t spend your time planning or wandering around wondering what to do when you should be making the most of your time seeing or doing the wonderful things that memories are made of.

Preparation:

Let’s talk about how I prepared for this trip. I go online and look up “top 10 things to see in San Francisco” Look at several sites as different people have different types of things that they like to focus on. For specific types of travel search for “top 10 romantic things to do in San Francisco” another good source for information is a magazine that can be picked up for free in most hotels. That is great but for planning ahead they have an online version at: http://sftravel.com/pier39/fishermans_wharf_html also for those that are looking to be in just the Fisherman’s Wharf look at: http://www.anchoragesquare.com/


My top ten things to see in San Francisco:

1. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
2. The Sea Lions and shops at Pier 39
3. China Town
4. The Wharf
5. Union Square
6. Lombard Street
7. Boudin Bakery
8. Musee Mechanique
9. Cable Cars
10. Gharadelli Square

My Top Ten Eateries / Resturants:

1. Street seafood stand at Wharf Square
2. Café Eight
3. Crepe Café
4. Boudin Bakery
5. Rain Forest Café
6. Gharadelli Square
7. Tarantino’s
8. Cioppino’s
9. Pizza Zone
10. Tad’s Steakhouse


Café Eight is a small charming seafood café on the dock at the cross street of Taylor and Jefferson. It is down the boardwalk with all the other little seafood stands. Get a seat by the window and overlook the fishing boats. The food was the best. We had fish and chips and clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl with salad. The bread bowl had a crispy crust and soft center. The food and the service were superb.



Come to my website http://www.scattergenius.com and read the full travel log and all the hints and tips on the best places to see and things to do in San Francisco. There are hotel and resturant reviews, tours, transportation, activities, attractions, and lots of photos. You will find other information that will aid you in your travel plans.

Buying Real Estate

The first thing I consider when looking at buying a rental property is what area I should buy in. I let my real estate agent know what areas I want to look at so that I am not wasting my time or theirs by going to areas that would not fill my goals. I drive through the area at different times of day also. Make sure you go by after 10 pm to get a feet for the area at night. I want an area that the renters are generally long term tenants. Is there employment near by, Is is a place of high turn over, Is it convenient to get to, is the area in good repair, Is the area in high demand for apartments or rental houses, find out what the competition is in the area, What are the neighbors like, Once I determine that I will be able to rent to people who will stay a minimum of a year and will enjoy and feel safe in the area then I start to look at the building.