Vegas Thursday

Okay so first a confession…I haven’t been to the USA since I was a kid and I have been reading blogs like ljcfyi for years and wishing I could go to Trader Joe’s and Target and try on Old Gringo cowboy boots. So, Thursday morning I got up and we went down and had breakfast in the hotel. Pecan berry French toast with bacon & coffee for me and something saltier for sister with her eggs over hard. Then it was off to Target to get some odds & ends.

Some things to note is that cellphone coverage even for texting is totally outrageous in the US and the pay as you go phones don’t all work with international coverage immediately and require a phone call to set up.

We go some groceries and a kettle for $10 and went back to the room to put it all in the fridge. Sister decided to go off to the strip to see what she could see and I decided to have nap as I was not my usual self due to events beyond my control. When I was feeling better I got up and went on my own adventure with the car locating Decatur and travelling to the far end to go first to Trader Joe’s to purchase my first and only bottle of 2 buck chuck (now 3). I also got some fruit and cheese and delighted in all the things I had never seen before. Feeling renewed from not getting lost I decided to venture on and made my way to the local fabric store because I had always wanted to see what it was like in a Hancock’s. I got some buttons and ribbon and then made my way to Sheplers to spy out the boot selection. I found myself a cute peasant blouse with embroidery and then took a drive past the Orleans on the way back to the Rio to make sure I was ready for the evening.

Sister made it back about the same time as me and we commenced getting ready. We curled her hair and pinned her bangs and I put on my old favorite black halter dress and she wore my cute polka dot dress. Everyone looked smashing and we wore impractical shoes because well we knew we could only stand them for one evening. As it turns out we couldn’t even stand them for that and ended up buying some new shoes from a vendor at the show that night. I used the valet parking for the first of many times and decided that I should probably have tipped when they brought the car back but whatever I was thrilled to be there.

Now for the story I wanted to mention all weekend…we got our wristbands and I paid no mind to the thing but later in the evening I was to discover that mine was numbered 666…so here I was at Viva 13 with my 666 wristband my sister couldn’t believe it and said that’s what I get for being such a goodie goodie.

I was on a mission though to get upstairs to the ballroom and when we got there the Rip Em Ups were tearing it up. I was immediately smitten with the saxophone player and decided whatever happened after this it was all icing.

So my sister then went in search of a collector boot while I waited by the stage because for me there is just no one that compares to Big Sandy and the Flyrite Boys. They did not disappoint and played Love that Man near the end with just that perfect hint of sarcasm.

We headed back to the hotel not too long after that as it had been a busy day and there was sure to be another tomorrow.