We're Back!

After a vacation and extended absence, we're back online.

It all started with the simple idea of bringing my mom from Lincoln, Delaware to a new home in Mesquite, Nevada.

After the proverbial and actual "Six Days On The Road," we arrived with the Penske rental truck (I'm giving them a plug because the diesel International 26' truck was a dream to drive, reasonably priced, and gave us not the slightest bit of trouble, although it didn't seem to enjoy the long pulls up the mountains around Denver, Vail, and Frisco).

No, not San Francisco. Frisco is a little ski town near Vail, Colorado. It is a beautiful place, picturesque, nestled in the Rocky Mountains, clean, architecturally unique, and way too expensive for any real human being to live in.

Eventually, we arrived in Mesquite.

Then came the unloading.

Now, for the last two weeks, it's been the unpacking, rewiring, furniture arrangement, unpacking, furniture rearrangement, wonderful dinners with my mom, furniture disassembly, more unpacking, furniture assembly, cleaning, furniture re-rearrangement, more unpacking, and furniture re-re-rearrangement.

I've also managed to squeeze in 14 football games, 12 boxing bouts, two soccer matches, and a musical performance as part of my day job at the newspaper.

The good news is that we now have family here in the Wild West for the first time since moving here in 2001, with my 97-year-old grandmother slated to fly out next week.

The bad news is...heck, there IS no bad news.

In addition to the moving-in process, we've also been busy showing off our town, taking mom to the theatre (yes, we have some culture here in the Wild West), out to dinner, to football games, Bingo (see, I TOLD you we have culture), shopping, and even a boxing match (more of that culture I was telling you about).

Mom is 65, and I can tell you after all of that activity over the last two weeks...that I'm getting old. It is tough to keep up with that lady!

She's also been busy becoming official...Nevada drivers license, new phone, new cell phone, new car insurance, and of course the first official screwing by a government organization.

Nevadans are rather cocky about the fact that we don't pay state income tax.

But like any and every government entity, Nevada makes that money back in other ways.

One of the ways is the righteous rip-off for sales tax on vehicles.

Mom's 2005 Honda, which she bought in Delaware, cost her over $1,300 in Nevada sales tax before she could get her car tags.

Welcome to the Silver State.

Anyway, my wonderful mother is here now, and I'm the luckiest guy on the planet because she and my wonderful wife get along. (I'm fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful women...just ask me about my wonderful daughter some time, who is in the band, in chorus, in softball, and in just about everything else except trouble.)

My mom and my wife are becoming best pals, particularly when shopping together and plotting how to make me a better human being. All I can say is...the shopping thing is working out.

So, to those of you who have loyally and faithfully checked the 'blog over the last three weeks, I appreciate your patience.

When you get a chance, I also recommend that you visit our website at www.mesquedia.com, where we are offering a new $25 Bingo game, as well as some new features.

Again, thanks for your wait. I hope you feel it's been worth it!