I've been absent from posting for nearly a month! Aside from being exhausted from work and rarely sleeping at my own house, where my computer is, I was busy for a week showing my mother and brother around Vegas. Enjoy these photos!

Mom touches the organ at the old Mormon Fort in downtown Las Vegas. Notice the "Do Not Touch" sign.

My mother and brother with the old Society Cleaners neon sign, which is on display at the museum at the old Mormon Fort. Again, notice the "Do Not Touch" sign.

I'm like a regular tour-guide when I go with my family on vacation (or they come to me for vacation). While making this demonstrative hand gesture, I'm sure I was in the middle of a very interesting tale. Really, it's this big!

Mom and brother pose with their very first Joshua Tree at the Springs Preserve, near downtown Las Vegas.

My brother and I at the Springs Preserve. This small pool is nearly all that remains of an artesian spring that was, erroneously, once considered to be a never-ending, infinite supply of water for the growing town of Las Vegas. Now, with the spring exhausted, Lake Mead drying up, and booming growth permitted by the greedy and spineless Clark Co. county council, we are in dire straits. The residents of rural White Pine Co., to our north, are unwillingly surrendering some of their water to supply our habit.

During vacations, I always try to plan three meals a day. I think most people rarely eat three sit-down meals a day. Even with all of the walking we did, I gained two and one-half pounds over the week my Mom was here. This is one of Vegas' well-known old-school diners (at Charleston & Valley View), with Southern home cooking. My mom, who refused to branch out from her culinary comfort area, ate fried chicken pretty much everywhere I took her, so she was quite happy here.

My meal at M&M Soul Food Cafe: liver & onions, fried okra and collard greens. Mmm Mmm! Yummy!

My Mom and brother at the Atomic Testing Museum.

My brother, mother and I at Eagle Point, at the Grand Canyon.

Reimon, my mother, brother and I at Eagle Point, at the Grand Canyon.

Reimon smiles out of the small window in the example Navajo house at Eagle Point, on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. This is the location of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

Mom and my brother with the Hualapai Indian seal, at the Grand Canyon.

Reimon, my brother, mother and I at Guano Point, at the Grand Canyon.

Reimon and I at Guano Point, at the Grand Canyon.

Reimon and the giant phallic yucca flower, at Guano Point, at the Grand Canyon.

There is more to a Vegas vacation than the neon lights of The Strip! I took my mom and brother out to Red Rock Canyon, where we hiked a little bit of the Pine Creek trail. My mom isn't really a hiker... and it was chilly! She's all bundled up like a pink Eskimo.

Mom poses beside Pine Creek, at Red Rock.

Again with the gesturing; along the Pine Creek trail with the Mescalito in the background. No, really! It's this big!

Mom, my brother and I in front of the aquarium at the Mirage Hotel. We were looking for the white tiger exhibit, part of which used to be free, so that we could take photos for my little niece. Unfortunately, you now have to pay to see the exhibit. We're cheap.

The conservatory at the Bellagio Hotel changes several times throughout the year. They use flowers to make all sorts of pretty things! During our visit it was decorated to celebrate Spring, and included this giant flower snail.

Reimon takes photos of the red blooms at the Bellagio Conservatory.

Reimon looks on in awe at the butterflies in the butterfly house at the Bellagio Conservatory.

My mother and brother make pretty poses at the Bellagio Conservatory.

For my birthday dinner, Reimon, my brother, mother and I went to White Chocolate Grill. It was yummy. And free for me since it was my birthday! Whoo hoo! I ordered trout. They were out. So the waitress suggested sea bass, so I ordered that. They were out. So I settled on salmon, with a nice Reisling. For dessert, I had white chocolate banana cream pie. Delicious!

For their last night in Vegas, I took my mother and brother to the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign for the obligatory photo. Tourists!