May 12: Norma's brother-in-law, Stan, said he admires what I'm doing. What did I like best, he asked me, about touring? I decided it was mainly those unexpected moments, feeling a profound sense of belonging, in the middle of nowhere. He said he thought he understood -- "like when a girl smiles at you for no particular reason."

I held up the dinner party trying to finish up my painting of the pool. Then I found an excuse to sneak off for about 5 minutes to make a quick sketch of the city at sunset. I focused on a nondescript section south of the strip -- nothing like the dramatic night scenes I'd imagined doing here, but it was something, at least. After dinner, I stayed up until 2 or so making a tiny painted version of the city view -- and two other very small studies.