The Balcony

We have a long balcony that looks right over the boulevard and in the distance, beyond the lights of the nearby casinos and houses, you can see the mountains. And I rarely sit out there. I don't know if it is my growing dislike of sitting in the heat. Or perhaps it is the unending zoom of cars and their invisible fumes that deter me. However, the other night, I decided to take in a change of scenery and sit out there with the baby, under the sconce lighting. And my experience was completely different, surprisingly pleasant. I nursed the baby out there, in the perfect combination of heat and breeze, which, along with the lull of purring car engines, automatically calmed him into a deep slumber. But what was most interesting to me was that whereas I usually find the cars a distraction to what could be a relaxing lounge on the patio, this night I found the cars almost inviting, linking me to an energy that I've felt cut off from since the show has closed. It was a Saturday night, and I kept wondering where all the people in all the cars were off to. I saw a cab advertising one of the shows on the strip, and I wanted to jump in and go. It is so easy to feel isolated in this town, especially after no longer spending every working night right in the center of the Strip. Add to that the social limitations that come with new motherhood - although I have been finding solace in my visits with Xing and family, and the visits I receive from LH (and my cousins!) - THANK YOU! I think I'll make evening lounging on the balcony a more frequent thing.

I have been graced over the past year and a half with some pretty amazing skyscapes from the balcony that I treasure. Enjoy: