Society for Aesthetic Deletions

Friday, February 22, 2002

Lou gave me two anniversary cards this morning. Of course I had none for him. I'd thought about getting some when I got the Valentine's Day card, but forgot or just decided not to. Lou thought ahead and brought the ones he had bought at Valentine's Day with him, so I got two neat cards.

We packed and got ready to go to breakfast and then the airport. Not as much stuff fit, and I didn't buy all THAT much stuff, but I guess the packing goes better when you're heading out than when you're heading back. I'm writing this as we're just waiting for the dishwasher to finish with the dishes and for Lou's parents to get ready. I may have some time to write more later today, perhaps on one of the planes. It's cold in Chicago and in Boston, so I've got extra clothing since I didn't bring a jacket.

Breakfast was a bit of a fiasco, but we pulled it off with time to spare. I think I've just hit that point where too much togetherness is too much, and I need my space. Fortunately this happened on the last day of the trip, so I won't seem like such a bitch.

We made it to the airport just on time, and then through the check-in and the security with only a few minutes to spare. I headed off to the bathroom, and passed Bobby and Kori playing the slots in the airport. On the way out of the restroom, I took a look at all the slots -- there were 25 cent ones and $1 slots. Lou was playing a quarter slot, as were Bobby and Kori. Having a little bit of cash left, I picked my machine and put in $10 to a $1 machine. I played full credits, so it was $2 a spin. I got down to my last $2 with only winning back my bet once, then I won a few more. At $6 left, I hit a nice-sized jackpot - $120, making it a total of $124. Deciding to spend down to what I won, I spun twice but came up zip, then cashed out. I think that brings me up to actually making a tiny profit on this trip! Whoo-hoo!

I knew this machine was going to score for me, just like I had at the Castaway. Just a feeling that paid off twice for me.

The machine had other ideas and had only spat out about $20 worth of tokens when it made some whining noises and stopped. Fortunately, there was an attendant right near the machines, and she called in for service. Turns out it was not out of tokens, but some tokens were stuck or just not flowing properly. The person who came to help got it running again and it continued with its token dispensing. Lou asked for a dollar token and I gave him one, which unfortunately made my count uneven as he lost with it. But being up $119 was still pretty good. It was time to board then, so to the plane we went.

Flying into Vegas at night was fun, but I much prefer flying during the day. You can actually see more outside the window then. For example, I can now say I've seen the Grand Canyon. It was off to the right-hand side of the plane, which was the one I happened to be on. I also got a good shot of the Luxor from the airport terminal...the best view in town, I think.

But anyway, I've now seen the beautiful sight of the Grand Canyon from a goodly distance up. I had spotted it first before the pilot had told us that is what it was. Very cool, and something to visit someday, whenever we make a return trip out to this area.

We're now passing over the Rocky Mountains, too. LOTS of snow, and just plain cool mountains. I think we are going right over the Continental Divide now, but I don't know a lot of west coast geography. I did spy a frozen lake/river, with snow covering it. It looked just like someone had spilled milk down the mountain, and it had pooled in the crevasses. I pointed it out to Lou, and of course he had to pun - "It's no use flying over spilled milk." Let's all groan at Lou now. It's fortunate for him that it's our anniversary, and I'm a forgiving person.

The mountains are thinning out now, less snow and height, but still there. I did also see a city of some sort at the base of the "milk lake" in the mountains; I wonder what city it was? Probably never know. Maybe if I look at an atlas when I get home.

Time to put this away and read my book again.

Over the midwest now - I can tell because of the patchwork quilt of land beneath me, broken only by a few circles here or there, and now and then some hills.

I can tell Lou is getting annoyed with me, pointing out scenes outside while he tries to watch the TV. But there is so much to see outside, even when it is just fluffy white cotton clouds, all below us, stretched out forever.

I missed the trees.

I am in the rented van, on the way home from the airport. It is dark out, but I can see the outline in the moonlight, streetlight, or car headlight of the trees that line the highways here.

I never really thought of it before, but the streets of LV had only palm trees, with the occasional evergreen-type bush/tree. A few ground covering plants here and there.

Last fall, I had thought of sending Sarah some colorful leaves in the fall, but I had never done it. Now, I think I will not only send her some leaves in the fall, but I will send her some leaves this spring as well. A little bit of home in a place so far removed from it. I know she is home now, with Chris. But she is still a New Englanda, and that never goes away.