Vernon Morning Star - Vernon catches Olympic fever

Vernon Morning Star - Vernon catches Olympic fever


Click on the link to read about the celebration in Vernon, B.C.

Olympics

The Olympics have brought out strong feelings in people both for and against. The olympics are taking a whole lot of money that people could be using for shelter, healthcare and more. Protests by people who were against the Olympics were carried out. The government proceeded with plans over the past few years and the last few weeks the Olympic torch has made its way across Canada stopping at various points. This week it is in British Columbia, Tuesday it was in Vernon. We were the only place it had a celebration in the North Okanagan. Everything is planned right down to the minute. The Celebration showcased musical, gymnastic and other talent from our region. It started at 11:15 am, I did not get there until 12:30 pm. I saw some of it and I saw the last torch bearer bring the torch in and on to the stage.
You can read the link from the Morning Star above to get the details.
When he announced that she was the last torch bearer I think alot of people thought that it is over. Because as the local MP, Mayor were speaking people started leaving. They had our local favorites Lent, Fraser and Wall trio do some songs and then showed a video of Vernon. The last part were the Special Olympic Athletes all got on stage and were recognized. They took turns carrying the torch out of the city. One of our Toastmasters Justin Sigal was a part of this.

Authors I like

Barbara Delinsky
I have read most of her books. Lake News the story of Lily who ends up in the middle of a scandal and needs to go home. she had left her family behind to make a life for herself in the big city. The man she had been involved with in the past is still there and she reluctantly gets involved with him as sho does not know who to trust.
An Accidental Woman
Lake news is a quiet town. This story highlights the story of Micah and Heather. Heathers secret comes back to haunt her. Lily's sister Poppy is Heathers best friend. She with the help of Griffin, a reporter she had met through Lily, start digging to unlock Heathers past. As Micah struggles with his life being turned upside down, Poppy comes face to face with some of her fears.
Jan Karon
Debbie macomber
Patricia Gaffney

blog layouts

I am trying new blog templates.
After trying several templates I picked one from blogger which I will keep for now. For some reason The cutest little blog on the block templates would not transfer onto here.
Update
I have figured out how to put a template on so I maight try cutest little blog on the block another time

Lake Havasu and London Bridge

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

December 24
We had a relaxing morning with breakfast at the wonderful buffet the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas has. We had our luggage ready to be picked up by 10 am and were on the bus by 11 am. We got dropped off at the south end of the strip at the Excalibar. Mom and I looked around the Hotel, casino and shops before heading out side. We saw the great pyramid they have and went to the MGM Grand where we had lunch in the Rainforest Cafe. It is like being in the jungle only the animals are not real.
No time to gamble anywhere as we were on a tight timeline. After lunch we walked over to New York, New York and looked around in that Hotel. There are walkways over the street. That is where the picture in the posting below is taken from.
It is ironic that the bus driver asked us if we wanted to leave before 3 pm and alot of people did. Some people including me loudly voiced no we wanted to stay until 3 pm. Mom and I were so aware of time and not being late that we were back at the Hotel by 2:30pm. We were on our way to Laughlin and were there by 4:30.

We got settled and I went exploring. I found a Italian restuarant in the Hotel that had an early bird special from 4 pm to 6 pm. I hurried up to the hotel room and we got down there just before 6.
After dinner I did some gambling, they set the machines to win a few and lose alot.

December 25, We had breakfast and then went for a walk around Laughlin. We went and looked at some of the other Hotels. One we went in was the Colorado Belle which is built to look like a paddlewheeler. We found they had a Christmas Buffet for members of their club. We went and joined gambled a little and walked along the river walk back to our hotel.
We went for the buffet and it was turkey and all the trimmings. Very enjoyable and filling.
In the afternoon we gambled a bit more at the Colorado Belle before going back to our hotel room to rest and have tea. We went down for Christmas dinner in our hotel
after gambling for a while went back to the room.





December 26
Our day trip was to Oatman Arizona, we crossed the bridge on the Colorado River and were in Arizona. We got off the main highway and got on Route 66. Route 66 is an historic highway that now I can say I have been on. Oatman is a little town that has been preserved from the old west. The Chamber of Commerce was putting on a shoot out we watched for a while and then had lunch in the cafe. I looked in the gift shops on the way back to the bus. I didn't buy anything, I always think I can get a better price at the next stop.
Our next stop on Route 66 was Lake Havasu. I hear that is where the rich people like to go. London Bridge is there and we went on a lake cruise. It was windy so I watched from inside sometimes and when I wanted to take a picture I went out side. Some historic lighthouses and landscapes I took pictures of. Cupcake Mountain does look like a cupcake sitting on top of the mountain.
After a full day we went and had dinner, did a little gambling and had tea in our room.
December 27, Mom went on the shopping trip to Walmart and I stayed at the hotel so I could go to the outlet mall. I spent a couple of hours at the mall and got 2 pairs of pants for a fraction of what I would pay here.
Mom and I had lunch when she got back and then she went to the mall and I went to the Riverside Casino. I went and saw the Antique Cars there. We had been there on the 25th looking in the gift shop and looked at one showroom but we fould out there was another showroom so I went to look at it. I gambled at a few machines and that is when I won the $133. I was quite happy. Mom and I had dinner in the Italian restuarant again and this time I was able to have the vegetarian lasagna. The other time they were out of it so I had the regular lasgna. Both very good, sometimes when I am eating a lot of meat I like to take a break from it. Nice to have attentive waiters.
After a bit of gambling I went up to the room and packed my suitcase. We had a very early morning as we were driving from Laughlin to Wendover. Scroll down to read about that.

Nevada December 22 -23

December 22 Wendover to Las Vegas, we had a fabulous buffet breakfast before we left Wendover. We settled into our hotel room in the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and went exploring. We had a wonderful prime rib dinner at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino and walked around Freemont Street. It was windy so we waited in the Hotel for the show to start. The show is the Freemont Street experience. The light show is more than 2 million lights span the area of 4 football fields. After checking out the casino and a few slot machines we went up to our room and had tea. My mom brings a hotpot with her.

December 23. Valley of fire http://parks.nv.gov
There is much to see there, our driver picked out the most popular points as well as the visitor centre. First stop was the Beehives, unusual formations weathered by eroding forces of nature. Next was the Visitor Center, lots of good info there and exhibits telling about V of F. Mouse Tank, Rainbow Vista, Seven Sisters, Elephant Rock and the White Domes are the Sandstone formations we stopped at. It is a huge State Park so a person easily spend the day there.
I got dropped off at the Fashionshow Mall which is a high end mall, Macy's, Michael Kors, Nordstroms and more.
I met Mom at 4 pm at the Mirage. We looked around the Mirage and browsed in the shops there. We walked around The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Hotel and Casino. We had coffee in the food fair there and then waited outside on the terrace entry of the Venetian for the Volcano at the Mirage to erupt. After we walked to Ceasars Palace and saw the moving statue show there. We missed the boat at Treasure Island but by then I was tired after a long day so we caught the Duece, a double decker bus that runs up and down the strip back to the hotel.

Washington,Oregon and Idaho Days 1, 2, 10 and 11

December 20, 21
We wound our way down the Okanagan Valley on a dark dreary day picking up other passengers as we went. In Osooyoos we had our full busload of people and ready to start our holiday. We crossed the border into Washington to discover it was not only cold but foggy. We stopped in Moses Lake for coffee and Herminston for lunch.
We spent the night in Baker Oregon. The weather was better on our second day of travel. We went through Nampa, Boise and stopped at Mountain Home for lunch.
Idaho has a series of scenic highways. The highway we followed was the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway. www.idahoparks.org to find out more info about Thousand Springs Park. In all 3 of these states I enjoyed watching the scenery. Miles of range land dotted with sagebrush, cows, sheep and various sizes of mountains near and far. We stopped in Jackpot for our coffee stop and our first taste of gambling.
We spent the night in Wendover, Nevada at the Montego Bay Resort.

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December 28, 29 and 30
We spent December 28 In Wendover at the Montego Bay Resort.
December 29 at the Sunridge Inn in Baker. Coming home we were in the middle of a snowstorm from Baker Oregon and throughout Idaho and Washington.
Had it been nicer we would have stopped at Twin Falls in Idaho to see the bridge there and to see where Evel Knevel tried to jump the canyon. We saw it as we were passing.
We stopped at the Dutyfree store and crossing the border into Canada we saw the sunshine for a while until dusk settled in late afternoon.