One Of The Best Steakhouses In Reno

Song:  Slow

Artist:  Rumer

On my way to my mother's house yesterday (4 minutes away)...

I took some last Autumn colors of my neighbor's houses

from my driveway.

Autumn is almost over...

and the colors are fading.

As a matter of fact...

we got our first snow fall tonight.

I then drove to pick up my mother.

My mother loves eating out just as much as do I.

We both felt like eating a good steak...

so, we went to, what is now, my favorite steakhouse in all of Reno...

Ruby River Steakhouse.

Everything was just so delicious.

They really paid attention to detail here.

We got served a hot loaf of sourdough bread and butter to start things out.

The bread was fragrant, soft, and fresh and hot.

The butter was exceptionally smooth and creamy...

and so flavorful.

We also had gotten a couple of non-alcoholic beers...

and some stuffed jalapenos with some fantastic jalapeno jelly.

It was the first time I had any...

and it had a great flavor.

We then each got a salad...

and another loaf of the bread.

Then came our main course...

a 16 ounce Rib Eye...

with the largest baked potato I have ever seen

(twice cooked - first baked...and then quickly deep fried).

Although I had finished my Rib Eye...

my mother had made the mistake of just ordering whatever I had ordered  :)

Her eyes were bigger than her stomach.

She had almost eaten half of hers...

and her dog got the rest  :)

My mother, at almost 78 years old...

still has a large appetite.

We had filled up on bread and appetizers before the meal.

She would normally be able to eat the whole thing.

This steak, along with the whole meal...

was just so delicious.

The steak was juicy and well spiced.

Whenever I feel like a steak...

this is the place to where I shall return...time and again.

It is adjacent to our favorite Mediterranean restaurant...

both of which are directly across from the Peppermill casino on Virginia street in Reno.

After our meal...

I visited with my mother at her house...

whereupon both of us, each with full bellies...

fell asleep for an hour or so, in her library.

---------------

Neither of us are frequent red meat eaters...

however, when we feel like a good steak...

we want the best.

This steak was one of most memorable steaks I have ever had.

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I had just come back from my mother's house (day after our steak meal).

I had made Salmon Ochazuke for supper.

We each had eaten our fill...

and both of us then retired to the library.

I then discovered that a Red Cherry Shrimp had had babies.

There were some baby shrimp in the corner tank.

I lit some incense...

put on some music...

and my mother reclined in the massage chair for a half hour massage

while I reclined in the big chair.

We then switched.

I got an hour massage while my mother reclined in the big chair 

underneath a comforter.

In a short while...

both of us dozed off for a half hour or so.

The library / relaxation room is just so peaceful.

Almost every time I recline in one of the chairs...
I end up taking a nap.


My mother is so glad she listened to me
when I gave her advice as to how to set up the relaxation room.

She gets many hours of happiness in this room.

It is her favorite place in her house.

She loves watching the fish and shrimp up close...
and then watching each tank from one of the chairs
as she listens to the music I had loaded to her iPod.


When I first proposed my idea about aquariums for the room...
she didn't hesitate.

She said that to have money is a waste unless you find a way for it
to make you deeply happy.

My mother wears a deeply satisfied smile every time we retire to
her relaxation room.


She now may enjoy everyday with the knowledge
that she may retire to her refuge that is her relaxation room...
at any time.


I think this is so important for people.

To have a refuge where the mind my reminisce...
or just wander while feeling fully relaxed and at peace...
allows one to fully recharge.


Once a relaxation room is set up...
it becomes one of the great simple pleasures in life.

My Mother's "Stained Glass" Window

Song:  Comfortably Numb

Cover:  Jamie Dupuis

The "stained glass" finally came.

This little project took me many hours of frustration in putting it up.

I had to remove the blinds...

and in doing so, I had inadvertently broken the brackets holding the valence. 

So...

after putting up the "stained glass"...

I then had to go to the hardware store to buy the necessary brackets.

After searching for them...

I finally got the only ones they had.

I went back to my mother's and tried out the brackets...

wrong ones!!!

I then realized that I would have to make my own modifications.

All I would need was a hot glue gun...

no hot glue gun!!!

I had to go back to the hardware store.

I got the only one they had left.

I went back to my mother's house...

and went to work.

A short while later...

it was finally done.

The window from inside the relaxation room with the daylight shining through...

before I had gotten the blinds reinstalled.

My mother in her relaxation room 

just after I had installed her "stained glass".

She spends many hours a day listening to music as she enjoys watching

each fish tank...or just stretching out in one of her chairs.

My mother relaxing in the big chair with the window illuminated from one of the 

outside garage lights shining through at night time.

I had taken this photo just after I had finally gotten the blinds reinstalled.

Hana loves the relaxation room.  

I had put her bed here, as she spends most of her time in this room.

This is how the window looks from the outside with the room light on.

My mother looking at the window from outside her home.

I walked out to the street for this shot.

This is a Japanese Maple that I planted in the front left outside portion of her house.

As it is a one year sapling...

I had placed a wire cage around it so I may cover the frame with saran wrap

and fill the area around the sapling with sphagnum moss to prevent it from 

freezing this Winter.

The plastic wrap around the wire cage will make a green house around the sapling.

I will do this for the next few Winters to ensure the sapling survives.

I will also help my mother plant some Tulips and Irises around outside.

My mother is looking forwards to spring so she may put many cut flowers in the house.

The Red Cherry Shrimp in the breeding tank.

Hopefully soon...

they will be forming and hatching many eggs.

I have been diligent in water changes and giving them have a healthful diet.

My mother is having a great time watching them swim around.

This room is now my mother's favorite place in the house.

Hana's favorite place in the house.

She is such a good companion dog for my mother.

My Mother's Relaxation Room

Song:  Ordinary World

Group:  Duran Duran

My son and I, just recently, helped put together a relaxation room for my mother...

in her house.

It has three freshwater fish tanks:

A 36 gal. breeding / nursery tank

A 54 gal. female isolation tank (to control breeding)

A 75 gal. main tank

My mother will be raising red miniature shrimp.

I had just ordered a breeding set of 10 females...

and 5 males...

all of breeding age...

and all strong and healthy.

Also in the room is a large recliner...

a massage chair...

and an iPad and speaker system.

She spends many hours a day in this room now...

as it is so soothing to her.

This is the breeding / nursery tank.

This is the female isolation tank to control breeding.

This is the main tank.

My mother just got a massage chair.

It was well worth the cost...

which was very reasonable

($925 delivered).

I urge every senior citizen to research their own massage chair.

It will greatly relax you...

and will provide many deep massages.

You will feel so good for many hours afterwards.

It is especially effective just before bed.

I had also ordered a faux stained glass window cover.

It should arrive in about a week.

It will add great colors to the room during the day.

You will notice the incense.

I wanted this room to be stimulating to all of the senses...

sight, sound, touch, smell...and when she eats her snacks here...

taste will also be involved  :)

On the bottom shelf...

my mother will place some books for her to read in the perfect comfort 

of her relaxation room.

My son, Alex, had helped me put the tanks and the massage chair in my mother's house.

He is trying out the massage chair here.

This is a very...very, relaxing full reclining chair.

It is perfect for a nap.

It is so comfortable as to actually induce sleep.

I had put the aquarium lights on automatic timers...

I feed the fish everyday when I visit my mother...

and I do regular water changes in the tanks.

All my mother has to do is to enjoy her tanks.

At night...

she usually turns off the room light so the lights of the tanks

illuminate the room with a softer glow.

My mother giving her grandson a big hug for all of his help in setting up 

her relaxation room.

My mother is nearing 78 years old.

To not be greatly enjoying life...

especially at her age...

should be a personal sin.

To have a relaxation room...

one where a person may just let his / her mind wander...

and where the body may deeply recover...

is to recharge the spirit...

to reminisce about the good memories

to forgive the past bad ones...

and to forge forwards with renewed energy...

and to have an inner happiness throughout each day.