A Trip Away

I got away earlier this month. Further away than even just hiding out in the bathroom this time.
My mom, ever so graciously, came and watched the trio of boys from a Friday to a Thursday while I jet-setted off to foreign Georgia, USA.
It was Sam's last US-based race this season. So, to be honest, after some ups and downs in our marriage as of late, it was decided that maybe we needed a little time together.
Friday: Enjoyed the flight from Vegas to Atlanta. Did not enjoy, so much, getting thorougly confused when two interstates joined and threw my mile marker mojo way off. I made it, though.
Saturday: Confiscated the GPS from Sam and then began to enjoy crusing around in my little rental. Watched Sam's race. But, it was 12 hours. Enjoyed it even more after a 3 hour stint at the Mall of Georgia and returning to the hotel to watch the last hour via television with Popeye's Chicken in one hand and a smoothie in the other.
Sunday: Didn't really want to break the Sabbath, but God doesn't really look in on those Southern Baptists in Georgia, does He? I just kind of blended in with the rest of them as I spent two glorious hours perusing the merchandise at Target. Went to the ALMS banquet (see pics below) before jet-setting, once again, off in our luxe mode of transportation: Andrus truck #676.
Monday: Delivered the car/equipment to Orlando airport, found Orlando hotel, also found Orlando factory stores.
Tuesday: Outsmarted David, our timeshare salesman. He said we'd part as friends, but we don't think he really meant it. Hahah, joke's on you David! Free breakfast and thank you for paying $100 toward our Magic Kingdom tickets, sucker! DisneyWorld, I mean the "Magic Kingdom," was fun. Last time I was there was 1988. I think I still smiled as big as I did when I was 8 years old.
Wednesday: Disney's Hollywood Studios. Do NOT waste your time.
Thursday: Home to SG again. Sam and I parted ways at 3 am. I was off to the airport where I was back in SG by 3 pm. Sam arrived....well, days and days later.

American Le Mans Series banquet
Food, that I thought was actually pretty good.

Sam didn't know how to eat it. He wanted McDonald's.

Andrus Trucking makes it to Paddock Row. The Flying Lizards team rented a trailer from Andrus for some stuff. It made it front and center.

And I HATE, HATE, HATE pics of myself lately, but I had to post this one. On the left is Lord Paul Drayson, owner and driver, and Johnny Cocker. I think I weigh more than both of them :(

Drayson Racing Lola Judd

Sweet Brothers

He probably wouldn't admit it, but I think Milo kind of likes his brothers...

EM Whiting Reunion

The first part of August we made another trek to the Whiting Homestead near Springerville, Ariz. This was the "big" reunion that I hadn't been to since it was "Great in '88" and I was eight-years-old. The organizers got wind that we had put on a pretty spectacular play (hehehehe) last year at our little reunion and they invited us to put on "The Cleanest Town in the West" one more time.

After the reunion we headed to Lone Rock Beach at Lake Powell. My kids and I stayed only a day and night as Matt had school that started on that Wednesday.

My family followed a day later to my house. We went to Vegas and visited a buffet (always a highlight), decided the fun dome at Circus Circus didn't look so fun, saw the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef, my two kids and I rode in the elevator with Miss Universe, walked Fremont Street and saw the light show, and visited the pawn shop from the History Channel's "Pawn Stars."

Milo and Lucy Ann
Matt in Holbrook, Ariz. In the back is the house my Grandpa Whiting lived in for a few years when he was younger and again after he and my Grandma were married. Stories I've grown up hearing took place in that very house.

Waiting for the candy cannon to launch

The Swings

Milo and Janna

I Heart Cement

If I could, I would probably cover my back yard in cement - you know, just for maintenance purposes.

Sam talked to me into this little beauty last week. And herein lies one of Sam and I's differences: He wanted a cement pad. Last Wednesday was the first I'd heard of this. The workers scoped it out on Thursday, gave him a price and today, merely a week later, we have a cement pad nearly twice the size as our first home. I have been wanting a retaining wall for four years now. It's still a pipe dream for me.

Sam's arguments for the pad: the kids can play on it so they're not by the road in the driveway/we'll put a garage or shed in the corner for a lot of my junk in the other garage/I'll use it to park my trucks on and work on them at home so I'll be home more and give you a break.

So, the man knows the right buttons to push.

For the future, though, he just better clean up his stinkin' oil spills because it's so pretty right now.

RIP Tachikara

December 1990 - August 19, 2010

He was a good ball.

He was pounded on gym floors during many a Fall.

I was 10 when I found him under the Christmas tree.

He was made of actual leather, a special ball just for me.
He saw action on the carpet of the cultural hall.

He loved it when I'd serve him so hard he made people fall. (OK, not really.)

As with too many things I used to do

He was forgotten once the kids came along, too.

Alone. Outside in the weeds he met his demise.

A tractor ran him down, he must have had a fright.

I hope his last thoughts of us together were swell.

I was so proud of that ball, that ball that taught me to play volleyball well.

Gone, but not forgotten.

Parenting Tip

I allow my children....

...to beat each other...
...this time, with strange pillow-like devices....


....until they deflate....

....and so they sleep well at night.

(Look for my parenting handbook on amazon.com coming soon.)

Mud

This is what happens when I absent-mindedly tell the boys:

"Yea, I don't care. Whatever. Just get out of here."