We all knew it would happen. It just took me off guard when it did.

I came home today to dear old Spike having gone to lizard heaven. Granted, this lizard was 12 years old and beyond any sort of normal I'd ever seen, but still. He was a good lizard. I had gotten him for my 12th birthday, and he made it all the way past my 24th. Not too shabby. I already miss him, but he'd been declining in health for the past 2.5 years, so he's earned his peace. I'm taking him tomorrow to be cremated and then we'll take his ashes to where Sandy was buried in Texas over Thanksgiving break. Yes it's weird that I'm cremating a lizard. It would have been much weirder for him to sit in my freezer for over a month. It's weird for me that he's in there now.

Anyhow, rest in peace dear ol' Spike. We love you.

  Well, Nick and I went to AppleCider Festival today. Bought some yummy food, but it was so croweded we left to go visit the Arboretum. We took some pictures, mainly of scenery so that we could get some "fancy" pictures for the apartment. They look way cooler in film, but we thought we'd share some with you. And yes, we did feel very "Candace and Cary."

  Here is Nick chillin' by the lake. He's holding Sasparilla by the way. We got two bottles at the Festival.

Here's a nice shot of the Monet Section. It really looks like a Monet painting in color. We just like black and white photos.

This looks across the lake.

Here's Nick walking around the lake.

I'm a very excitable person, what can I say?

If you look at this sideways, it makes a cool picture. We blew it up and it's hanging on our wall now.

And this was kind of neat. Nick took a shot of a monarch butterfly with it's wings open in a huge  mass of ferns. It's kind of like where's waldo on the computer, but up close it's pretty awesome.

It was a fun day overall. Now we're heading over to Bonefish Grill. We got a coupon in the mail. We lova da Bonefish.

You know what's nice about a 4 star hotel in Vegas? Living the lap of luxury, even in the cheapie rooms. You know what sucks about a 4 star hotel in Vegas? Tipping freakin' everybody. Like, having to tip the guy at the bar for a glass of WATER. Why get it at the bar? A $1 tip is cheaper than a $3 bottle of water at the vending machine. Oi.

But we are having a blast. We saw "Amazing Jonathan" the other night. It was a riot. If you've seen his special on Comedy Central, you know how funny it is. We also went and saw "Bodies...The Exibit." It was crazy. They use real cadavers that have been preserved using a silicone based gel, and they show varing stations of like the bone structure, arteries, muscles, ect. It was an interesting exibit, I learned alot. I was a little weird knowing the subjects were once alive. The fetal area was the oddest in that sense. Overall, it was a great scientific experience. We've eaten lots of good food. Although there is no reason why a buffet should cost $18. (Stupid Sunday Brunch.) We're going to eat at Bobby Flay's place here later today. I'm pumped about that. No gambling so far. Mainly because we prefer food over games. Yay food.

And Lydia, it's kinda weird being here without you. Memories....

I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.
-Leo Rosten