Can I tell you just how much I love my city? I took a trip over to China the other day..okay, not really China, but it could have been for how far it was. Yes, it was still in Las Vegas... but it was past the strip - and anywhere past the strip is really, really far.
So, I went with my pastor and Shameka, to visit Big Al - he's a man who has been speaking at our church once a month for the past few months, and he's fabulous. He's short, stocky, hispanic, and he loves to talk about his "gangsta" past. He's fun to watch, and is a great motivator. Well, he got in a biking accident a week and a half ago, and has been in the hospital since. He's doing alright, but he totally wrecked his shoulder, and they're keeping him there until his blood count stabilizes.
Of course, the hospital he was staying at was on the other side of town - past the strip. It took us about a half hour to get there, and a half hour back... but me? I loved every minute of it. I love seeing that part of the city. The strip is surrounded by all kinds of small businesses that have been there forever - little french resturaunts, cafes, consignment shops, beauty salons. Small apartments with wind chimes and small gardens out on the balcony...and then there's the strip itself. The Rio, the Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, the Luxor. All uniquely beautiful - masters of arcitecture. I love seeing it, in all of its eclecticness.

On the way back, I shot some pictures out of the back window, but I couldn't capture the beauty. It's a shame - but maybe it's better that way. There's nothing like standing at the bottom of a building almost 1,150 ft high.

In knitting news, I'm a quarter stitch to 4" off on Soleil, but I've decided that after ripping back the lace 3x, and after finally getting past it and knitting 6" of the pattern, and then realizing that my gauge changed 2 stitches to 4" and having to rip it out and gauge on size *4's*... if it's a bit loose, I'll give it away or save it for when I'm in the early stages of a pregnancy. By my calculations, the quarter of a stitch to 4" extra, will only make the finished measurements 1-2" difference from that of Soleil for the 36" chest sizing. And I don't care. I will figure out something.
I've also decided to join Secret Pal 5! I'm excited about that, I love shopping for other people, and I love suprises.