Better late than never..

Well it has been many months since I have sat down and took the time to share myself with everyone, I am not sure if I feel better about calling myself selfish or lazy, so I won't decide now. :)
Let's start at the beginning, where I last ended. Grandma Birch and my Mom came to visit me at the very end of the season. In fact the date was up in the air because the Aces had made the playoffs and depending on how far they went I would have games that I needed to work, alas we ended our season the 2011 PCL Northern Division Champs, first time in franchise history. Can you tell I work for a baseball team yet??


     

This is a Veteran's Memorial,
for the locals who gave their lives

                                                                                                                                                                  After picking them up at the airport, all of us sitting nice and cozy in my bench seat truck. Mom was gracious and took the middle seat, because I needed to drive, and Grandma began her war with my passenger side seat buckle.
                                                                                             
We detoured briefly at a Dairy Queen drive through, and made our way to Christmas and Tony's place, where they had graciously volunteered their two spare rooms for my guests! As my studio apartment would have been a squeeze to say the least. Both Mom and Grandma were pretty tired from the flying all day, but things had gone as smoothly as flying across the country can go these days. I soon left for my apartment, to return early the next morning and have the adventures begin. Over the course of the next few days and early mornings, mind you, we traveled all over the Reno/Tahoe area. First stop? The Reno Aces 3 years young stadium.                                                                                                            

   They got to meet several co-workers who all overly gushed about 'how great I am' in the typical I don't know her very well because her work space is here and mine is up here, fashion. Mom sported the Ace visor I had sent her a few months before hand throughout most of our outings. We went out to Carson City, don't quote me on the order of things happening, which is the capital of Nevada. Learn something new every day, because I did not know that haha, we stopped and saw the grounds, it was very pretty, probably one of the best times of year to see it.

    The trip out to Carson City is about a 45 minute drive, but everything took a bit longer because of Grandma. Before you get all bent out of shape, it is not because she is older (80 and proud) or anything like that. Grandma got in a war with my passenger seat belt, everyone has heard of muscle memory, well Grandma doesn't buckle a passenger seat belt very often. Mom would try to help sometimes but we were so 'cozy' in my truck that it took a few minutes sometimes for everyone to get buckled in. I told her she would finally get it down on her last day in town. It was the joke of the trip, even when I saw Grandma in January I couldn't help but tease her about it.



I had come across a few weeks before a very large and well stocked antique store, thinking it might be something that they would enjoy we stopped in for some serious browsing. I did purchase a few thing, a pin for both my Mom and Grandma that they had picked out. A set of horse head bookends for my Dad. We drove around Tahoe, stopping for some great pictures in the pull outs that were provided. Visited Virginia City to see the Camel Races, highly entertaining to say the least. I wanted very badly to be a jockey but as it turns out you can't just sign your life away on the day off. You have to sign your life away in advance, oh well. With Grandma and Mom with me I ate at more different restaurants than I had before or since. The other joke of the trip was no matter what Grandma always seemed to order the biggest meal. Not by intention but she always had the most food stacked on her plate (or many plates). We ate at Black Bear Diner, the place where Dad and I had our breakfast together when we got out here. A diner tucked in by Donner Pass, Donner Lake Kitchen, that has a very famous regular. Remember the movie 'A League of Their Own' of course you do with the famous Tom Hanks line There's no crying in baseball! well the younger of the tow sister Kit? Kit's character is based off of this lady!  

Her actual baseball card! On display in the diner.

We also got up way too early to go see the Hot Air Balloon Races, they come to Reno every year and it was so cool! All these different shapes, there was a alien, soccer ball, Darth Vader which was probably the coolest one. A Wells Fargo wagon that couldn't quite stay afloat. It was a wonderful visit despite the early mornings. No one is noticing how I keep bringing that up right? Didn't think so. The good thing about the early mornings, more time spent with Mom and Grandma. I had a great time, I was so glad to have them for 5 full days! I am sure that I missed out on plenty of good times but I'm sure I covered the important stuff.  The best part about the whole trip? On the way to the airport, we all get in the truck. Grandma buckles her seat belt first try. I told her she'd get it on the last day. :)