Reno, Nevada

This weekend, Diggity is in Reno, Nevada. I'm here, unfortunately, for a family funeral. My Uncle H. passed away this week and the family is gathering in Reno for his funeral.  He was an incredible man - unafraid to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone he came into contact with. There was a twinkle in that man's eyes that was unmistakable. He lived to be 89 and had a rich, full life - and will have plenty of blessing stored up in Heaven for himself.  We were lucky that he married my aunt about 20 years ago and he's been a great addition to the family.

Some of you may have been to Reno before. Some may only know it as a gambling town, a little brother to Las Vegas. 

For me, however, Reno is a special place. Robisons have been living in Reno for almost 60 years. For me growing up, it was a great place to visit - Grandma and Grandpa lived there!

I actually lived in Reno for a short time in the early 70s. It was a time that my father and all of his immediate family lived in that city.  

Diggity poses at his home in Reno

Shortly after that, Dad and his two sisters all moved their families to the San Francisco Bay Area. Reno was a short 4-hour drive away. We would visit Grandma and Grandpa often. Having my cousins together in Reno at my Grandparent's house was a great way to grow-up. That's why I value the opportunities to bring my kids and their cousins together. It doesn't happen too often, but it's a great experience when it does.

Growing up, I never really saw the "gambling" part of Reno downtown. We hardly ever went there. We spent all of our time in a residential area, far away from the noise and bright lights. As an adult, visiting Reno has been a different experience, but a fun one in a completely different way. My sister and her husband moved there about 14 years ago and I absolutely love spending time with them. When I lived in the SF Bay Area, it was easy to drive up to Reno. I haven't been back in three years. The last time was to have family meet my then-fiancé (fortunately, she received glowing reviews from everyone).

My sister and brother-in-law are foodies. It's one of the great things we share. They've managed to scope out all of the great places to eat in Reno. Each visit here includes a great place to "chow down". This visit, we went to the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Bar at the Atlantis Hotel:

The awesome Godzilla Roll

A fun coincidence happened here in Reno.  My father-in-law happened to be in-town at the same time I was...he was kind enough to help with my uncle's funeral arrangements.  We had a great time hanging out:

Lots of family has started to arrive for the funeral.  My sweat 90-year-old Grandmother just arrived this evening.

My aunts, grandmother and sister

It's unfortunate that we have to gather...but I feel lucky to have the chance to see everyone again.  More on Reno, on another day...