Celebrating Tom’s birthday last night was fun at Lindo Michoacan, a Mexican restaurant in Henderson, about 25 minutes from our condo. The drive was pleasant when we could see not only plenty of Christmas lights but also high up where the condo building is located, and we could also see the lights of the Las Vegas Strip. It’s another world here.
Sure, there’s traffic, lots of stop lights, and careless drivers, but we stayed in good spirits as we looked forward to dinner and seeing my son Richard, who continues to be busy working up to Christmas. He is the #1 agent in the large company in Henderson and Las Vegas, and we’re proud of his continued accomplishments in the real estate business.
It was fun catching up, and the busy restaurant’s festive atmosphere was palpable. We sat in a booth in the center of the main part of the restaurant and were surprised by the number of birthdays celebrated on December 23rd, so close to Christmas.
I informed the hostess that it was Tom’s birthday. After we ate our dinner, a group of waitstaff members stopped by, placed the giant sombrero on Tom’s head, and sang the birthday song. You can tell by today’s main photo that he felt a little awkward wearing the hat. I could tell he was more concerned about wearing a hat that had been on other people’s heads than the attention he was getting.
As a generally outgoing guy, Tom doesn’t care for hoopla in his direction. But he’s always a good sport and goes along with it. The waiter brought him a Mexican dessert, which I dared to taste. Last night, I tasted only two tortilla chips and a bit of the refried beans and salsa dip that came with the baskets of chips.
Also, for the first time in over two months last night, I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio, sipping on only one glass throughout the evening. It tasted so good that when we went to the little store again to buy bread for Tom’s morning toast, we purchased a small box of Cabernet Sauvignon. No, it wasn’t a fine wine, but at least with a boxed wine, it will keep longer than an opened bottle.
That way, I can have one glass some nights, and it should last for a few weeks when the small box contains ten glasses of red wine. I won’t be having a glass every night and have decided I won’t drink more than one per evening.
When we ventured out to walk to the little store, we were surprised by how cold it was: 43F, 6C. It’s primarily cold in Nevada during winter and doesn’t start to warm until March. And, then, from there, are some of the hottest temperatures in the US.
On July 10, 2021, the record high was 117F, 47.7C. That’s hot! The humidity is low here in the desert, but even so, that is unbearable. We prefer to come here when it’s cool, and we’re both enjoying it here now and wearing jackets or zippered sweatshirts when we go out. We got by with long-sleeved shirts. Last night, it was a little warmer.
The conversation at dinner was lively and animated, and we enjoyed the time together. By 9:00 pm, we were back at the condo. We streamed a comedy show, and I nodded off on the sofa, finally heading to bed around 10:30 for another good night’s sleep.
So, here we are, dear reader, on Christmas Eve. For those who celebrate, we wish you a very Merry Christmas with hope and love in your hearts and minds.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, December 24, 2013:
