You heard right, it’s an early start to the day! 430a to be exact! Ugh!

As you know, I’ve been teaching this week and today is my last class of the week. Class starts at 830a EST, so…that means I am going to start teaching at 530a PST! Ugh! The alarm went off at 430a, I turned it off quickly, hoping not to wake PSM, I hopped into the shower, got dressed, and was online by 5a, opened the call by 515a and welcomed everyone at 530a.

Class went well, and…surprisingly…I didn’t wake PSM! He got up on his own about 730a local time, whew! Very glad I didn’t wake him, and like you might be thinking, how? JJ, you are not a quite person, and I didn’t change my volume for the class, so very happy he slept, he needed it!

He was very sweet, quietly, he got dressed, then went downstairs for some coffee and breakfast, and to give me the room. A while later he was very sweet and brought me some food, which I was starving by that time! It was cold when I finally was able to take a break, but luckily we’re in a room with a full kitchen, so microwave and toaster it was! By the time they took lunch, about 12p EST, it was only 9a PST for me, so perfect! Lunch for them, breakfast for me!

I will say this…it’s hard looking at the clock knowing it’s 12p there and 9a here, and I’m starving, but one advantage, and this reminds me of working from home in Hawai’i…They are done at 445p, I was done about 145p! Win-win for me!

After he brought me food, PSM got dressed and headed out to explore Las Vegas and I would meet up with him later. The Las Vegas Strip to be exact!

So…after I finished teaching, I got dressed and headed to pick up SDL and Miss A and we were going to meet everyone else at Planet Hollywood. It was so good to see them, I haven’t seen them since I got back from London, I was going through withdrawals! We loaded up into an Uber and headed over to meet everyone at Planet Hollywood, ok, almost everyone, dad had just arrived and was getting settled into his hotel, we would see him at dinner.

From Planet Hollywood, PSM’s brother and sister-in-law, SM and JM, and his aunt and uncle, Auntie L and Uncle A, SDL, Miss A, PSM and I all headed out, into the surface of the sun! and across the street to the Bellagio. One of my favorite places and a must see every time I am in Las Vegas is the Bellagio, first the ceiling in the lobby, it’s all Chihuly, well, Chihuly flowers, Dale Chihuly to be exact. If you are not familiar with his work, he is an amazing glass artist, you may have seen his work and not realized it. Maybe you’ve seen his work in the botanical gardens near you, or in Atlantis, or on the streets of Tacoma, WA, just amazing installations!

Walk into the lobby of the Bellagio and just look up! After walking through the lobby, you go into the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens and just…wow! Every season there is a new installation and it is all made from flowers. I’ve gotten to see it a few times and each time is wonderful, and spectacular, and brilliant, and amazing! There are actually a lot of things to do in Las Vegas that do not include gambling, and this is at the very top of my list. Here is a post with pics from 2017, just to give you an idea of some more fabulous!                                                        

Next…some people decided to head back to the room to relax before dinner and a show, so SDL, Miss A, PSM, and I went to watch the water show at the Bellagio Fountains, another must do in Las Vegas! I will admit, very cool, but cooler at night with the lights on! It is perfectly choreographed, set to music, and delights the senses! Ooh, I like that!

We walked along the strip, went into some of the casinos, got some drinks, cooled off, then headed to dinner at Nacho Daddy’s. I knew it sounded familiar! I had been there a few years ago when I was in Las Vegas for work, and the reason I liked them…Mexican and vegan options, go me! I knew it was a safe place for everyone! Aside from being a little loud, it was great!

After dinner, SDL and Miss A went to go see MJ Live at the Sahara Casino and the rest of us went to Planet Hollywood, which we happened to be on the outside of, so a very short walk to the Bakkt Theater to see Jeff Dunham, a great comedian/ventriloquist. He has some great puppets that he works with and I’ve been lucky enough to see him a few times. He brought out Walter, Bubba J, Peanut, Ahmed, and Jalapeno on a Stick. He did some classics, and some new material for a special he’s making for Netflix. If a joke does well, it’s in, if it flops, it’s not in. As he said, we were getting some new stuff for free!

The best part…because everyone had either gotten in very late last night, or in this afternoon, everyone was tired and I know I’m guilty of closing my eyes and nodding off a few times. But overall, it was a fun night, but I’m ready for bed!

We said good night to everyone, and Auntie L, Uncle A, PSM, and I grabbed an Uber back to the hotel. Don’t you just love The Strip at night? The colors, the lights, the neon signs, amazing! I really need to do a ‘My recommendations for Las Vegas, if you’re not a gambler’. Ok, but not tonight! I’m done!

No alarm tomorrow! We have lots to do, but no alarm! And…tomorrow I get to tell you the real reason we’re in Las Vegas! And it involves Elvis! G’night!