We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the Desert...

What a great day. Beginning to end, a series of experiences I wish wouldn't end. I woke up in Vegas this morning, and did my daily writing quota, and the Fern and her daughter Carly took me out to see what little we could manage to, given the fact that I was only in town for half a day. It was nice to get up, and to be able to relax for a little while instead of getting straight onto the road. They took me to the Bellagio, to see the Chihuly ceiling and the arboretum, both of which were quite impressive. Then we walked over to Caesar's palace, and had lunch at Mesa grill. It was really tasty.

All too soon it was time for me to leave, but I really wished I would have been able to spend some more time there getting to know everybody. I want to thank them all for their hospitality, for putting me up on essentially no notice, and for taking such good care of me while I was there. I felt really welcome, and it was all I could have hoped for in a brief Vegas interlude. I can't wait to go back.

I hit the road, drove south and west, and was in California in no time at all. The drive today was so much shorter than any of the other day's I've had that it was inherently more pleasant. Even stuck in California evening rush hour, wasn't that bad, relatively speaking. I arrived at Grandma and Saba's house at about eight, and Grandma was putting the finishing touches on dinner, and what a joy it is to be here. I really love this place, like no other on Earth, and it really is an inherently relaxing place for me.

This will probably be the last blog post until I get back on the road, on Monday, because I'm going to take these last few days to really enjoy myself, and to relax, before the final push, and then the work will begin in earnest. I'll still be keeping up with my journal, so I'll share anything fun and exciting with you all when I return.

Oh, and I did indeed stop in Barstow to get gas, because really, I'm a big nerd, and how could I resist?