On the Boulevard: Mesquite ladies, the operator and a a proper tea time

THE LADIES: Las Vegas is known for reinventing itself on a regular basis, but it’s heartening to know that some traditions abide. The Mesquite Club is one enduring tradition.

The ladies of the Mesquite Club have helped the desert bloom for more than a century by planting trees. Their remarkable mission has continued through the decades.

In late April, the Mesquite ladies dedicated a new garden. And, of course, had tea afterward.

HELLO, OPERATOR: Longtime local attorney Pat Fitzgibbons doesn’t go quite as far back as the Mesquite Club in Southern Nevada, but the affable 86-year-old does recall a time local phone numbers contained four digits and an operator was needed to place calls.

In the early 1950s, there was up to a one-hour wait to place a call, party lines, and "a two-year waiting list to get a residential phone," Fitzgibbons says.

Next time you want to feel very, very old, try explaining all that to the average 8-year-old with his own cell phone with text messaging capability.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Safe Nest has been providing domestic violence counseling and shelter in Southern Nevada since 1977. Attending the group’s annual Mother’s Day Tea, this year at English’s in Town Square, is a great way to contribute to a worthy cause. It’s set to start at 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information, contact safenest.org.