There was no pickleball on Saturday, so I went for a walk around Kaibab Lake. It is almost three miles around. We did not receive much snow/rain this winter. so the lake is very low. Too bad!
Later in the day, Tom suggested that we head to the woods looking for shed. Tom knew of a location where Jon found shed last year. It was near Kaibab Lake. I found my first Elk shed. It was only an antler piece, but I was happy 😀😀😀
On Sunday, Tom dropped me and the dogs off at dry Holden Lake. We walked our usual path through the forest.
There was no pickleball on Monday, so I took the dogs on a long walk in our neighborhood. The clouds over Bill Williams Mountain were very nice.
That afternoon, our neighbor Gus came over to our house. Over the weekend, he went to a gun auction in Dewy-Humboldt and showed us one of his acquisitions.
On Tuesday, Tom and I went back to the woods where I found my piece of Elk antler. I was hoping to score again. No luck. But, it is a beautiful area so very near Williams and our house.
Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo. Tom went to Phoenix with our neighbor Gus. Gus bought a used Subaru Forester to drive to Wisconsin. Tom was needed to drive the Subaru back to Williams. Gus bought a second home in Wisconsin --- about forty minutes from where is daughter lives.
I walked the dogs to Cataract Lake. There were some beautiful clouds over the lake. I do love clouds!
These same clouds looked great over the golf course too.
That afternoon, I went to Safeway and bought some "Cinco de Mayo" food to prepare for dinner. Can you say margaritas, guacamole, and machaca tacos?
On my Thursday morning walk with the dogs, I saw Gus's new car. Love the red color!
Donna texted me a photo. She and David were at Mammoth Lakes, California. Donna and David stopped to see the Wildflower Condominium complex. Richard co-owned the condominium with Don and Pinky Eastman. There was so much history there! So many memories!
Friday we were blessed with some beautiful cloud formations. I love clouds!
Donna and David are on a trip in their Airstream Basecamp. They are heading to Los Angeles to spend Mother's Day with David's mother and father. They have an Instagram account that chronicles all of their RV adventures. They have named their trailer Al Denty. So, their Instagram account is aldentyadventures. On their account was a recognition by Airstream that Donna and David are Ambassadors. Neat!
On Saturday morning, five of us played pickleball. Three of us were the usual suspects, but we had a very nice couple join us --- Joe and Kim Kelley. It was fun playing with them. Because of an unexpected root canal, they will be in the area for a week or so. Joe and Kim are originally from Texas, but they were Southern Baptist missionaries for many years outside of the USA --- places like Siberia and Slovenia.
That afternoon, Tom and I had a date night. We went to dinner at a relatively new restaurant that has been getting great reviews. It is called Hunger Square (Soul Food of India). It has daily specials and weekend specials. There were three tables of guests. I had a shrimp dish entree and Tom had a goat meat dish entree. The entrees came with several side dishes that were excellent as well.
After dinner, we went up to the Best Western Plus for after dinner cocktails and music by our friend Omar.
Sunday was Mother's Day. Both Donna and Rick were very kind in calling and wishing me "Happy Mother's Day." It is hard to believe that I have been in their life for almost 40 years! Donna and David celebrated Mother's Day in Los Angeles with David's parents. It was nice seeing a picture of the group there.
That afternoon, Tom and I took a walk to Cataract Lake. We walked around the lake.
I have walked around the lake four or five times. This was Tom's first. It was somewhat windy, but a nice walk.
We played pickleball in the Rodeo Barn on Tuesday. At one point, we had both courts going. Later in the afternoon, I walked over to the national forest behind the western section of Highland Meadows and added several more miles to my daily total.
On Wednesday, Debby and Bob Fischler were making their trek from their Santa Fe home to their Bel Air home. Bob has never been to the Grand Canyon. So, they made plans to spend two nights in Williams. Tom and I had dinner with them at Wild West Junction.
The Junction has an outdoor patio that is dog friendly. Bob and Debby have two Shelties --- Shetland Sheepdogs.
Our town of Williams had a 2-day Community Clean-Up. I have participated in past Clean-Up Days, but I was already booked. However, Tom did participate. He focused on trash at Santa Fe Dam. So nice of you, Tom! This photo is not Tom, but you get the idea!
Friday morning, I met Bob and Debby at 8:00 am at the Grand Canyon Railway Kennel. Their two Shelties are being boarded there for the day. This is their first time their dogs have ever being boarded! It was convenient for me to join Debby and Bob in their car and head up to the canyon. Our first stop was the Grand Canyon National Park sign.
I always enjoy taking visitors to the canyon. We parked in the Bright Angel Lodge parking lot and walked to the rim.
Bob has traveled all over the world. But this canyon awed him delightfully! He said that it was greater than he ever expected. We walked along the rim from Bright Angel Lodge to the Hopi House. We had lunch at the El Tovar Hotel. We didn't have reservations, but a friend of mine from my Zion National Park days was serving as the Dining Room host. I asked Izabela if we could have a table by the fireplace. Table 11 had a very nice view!
After lunch, we drove out to Shoshone Point. That is now my favorite "go to" place when at the canyon. Few people visiting the canyon know about it, so you almost have the point all to yourself! The walk to the point is about 1 1/2 miles, but it is rather flat.
Bob and Debby were a little trepid of going all of the way out to the Indian Head. Not me!
On our way back to the car, we met up with two Elk cows. Debby caught a nice photo of one.
On the way out of the park, we stopped at the Yavapai Geological Museum. Due to Covid-19, all of the interesting exhibits are covered up with black plastic. Too bad. But, the views are very nice. We left the park at about 3:00 pm and headed back to Williams. Debby and Bob's dogs were very happy to see them!
Friday morning, I headed off to Las Vegas. Tom was kind enough to babysit the dogs while I went to a Girl's Weekend with friends Barbara Coad and Judy Wenker. Barbara is a 20+ year member of the Hilton Vacation Club. The property where she had a three bedroom suite was the Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations. It was just off the Strip --- adjacent to the Planet Hollywood Casino and the Miracle Mile Shops.
The suite was on the 33rd floor --- with magnificent views.
I met Judy's sister-in-law, Debbie Wenker. Debbie drove in from Surprise, Arizona. Barbara and Judy flew in from Los Angeles and San Diego. We picked up lunch at a Lobster Roll place in the mall and brought the food back to the suite. Yummy!
Later in the day, we went to the Belagio Hotel and enjoyed the Belagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden.
We had cocktails in one of the Belagio lounges.
We also walked through the Forum Shops & Appian Way at Caesar's Palace.
Soon it was time to head over to the Gordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen Restaurant for our 7:30 pm dinner reservation. It is very difficult getting reservations at this restaurant. But, Barbara used her American Express Concierge connection.
We had a nice table in an active restaurant.
The food was good, but the service was a little sketchy. I will be happy to say that I have dined there, but I probably will not need to return.
Saturday morning, the four of us went for a nice stroll along the Strip.
We have brunch reservations at a very popular restaurant in Summerlin --- Hash A Go Go. There, we met up with another friend, Vicki Martin. Vicki and her husband Preston have a home in Summerlin and a home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I had a very delicious Bloody Mary that went very well with my Egg Scramble dish.
This is a fun restaurant. They have locations in other Las Vegas venues and in San Diego and Phoenix. I would be a place that I would like to go back too.
After our brunch, we said good-bye to Vicki and we headed over to the nearby Red Rock Resort. I had never been there. It was built in 2006. Judy and Debbie did some gambling and Barbara and I walked around the resort.
That evening, we had 6:30 pm dinner reservations at a restaurant in the new Virgin Hotel. This hotel was originally the Hard Rock Hotel, but was purchased and renovated by Virgin Group owner Richard Branson. The restaurant was One Steakhouse. The food and service were excellent! I definitely would return here.
I brought a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and Judy paid the $35 corkage fee. We still came out ahead of the wine list pricing!
Sunday was our check-out day. At about 8:00 am, I took a long walk up the Strip. The Venetian water feature reflected some of the city.
It was also nice seeing the Trump Hotel in the distance.
Barbara was able to get a late check-out, but I left at around 10:30 am. It was an easy three-hour drive back to Williams. Tom, Jamie, and Kelsey were there to greet me. Home sweet home.
