It's a Race Weekend!
Oh, Lord have mercy. Please give me patience to make it through an entire weekend of NASCAR. This is not easy for me.
Today, we attended the
Kansas Speedway to watch the Busch Series race. We went by ourselves, didn't meet anyone there, arrived just before the race began and left as soon as it was over, so we didn't lose a whole day, just most of it (traffic in and out takes at least an hour on either end). Kyle Busch, driving for Lowes which also sponsors "our" favorite driver, Jimmie Johnson, won the race in an exciting neck-and-neck finish, but it took 190 laps to get to the last 10 laps. It's too bad they can't just race the last 10 laps of every race. I'm sure our national gross domestic production would increase dramatically if this were the case when you consider how many people sit on their derrieres for hours and hours every weekend watching cars go round and round, and watching crews change tires more frequently than we change our underwear.
One thing I did enjoy (for about a minute) was checking out the sponsors. The sponsors for the Busch series are not quite the same as the Nextel Cup sponsors. Consider these and tell me, would you really want to be the driver for Holiday Inn? Walgreens? Or how about Old Spice (Old Spice? They still make this? I always think of Swiss Army knives when I think of Old Spice...which isn't often...just sayin'...I have no idea what this means)?
Tomorrow, we will attend the Nextel Cup race with a couple of friends who want to tailgate, so we will go early and come home late. We even bought a canopy and a camping table to do it up right...taking the grill and lots of meat, cole slaw, cookies, fruit, etc. So at least there will be food (and not fried bologna sandwiches either).
Two whole days. Lost. And I have a
suitcase full of work that I really need to do before Monday. This is why I am blogging at 2 in the morning, because I brewed a big pot of coffee, did most of that work this evening so that I will be free to waste my day tomorrow...and now, I can't sleep. But I know that when the alarm goes off in the morning, I will be less than chipper.
Praying for rain.
Labels: NASCAR
Cleaning Out The Closet
I wonder just how many hot pink jackets a girl needs, anyway? What we have here is a wardrobe redundancy.
Labels: Project 52 (Weekly Random Photos of Life)
Water On The Brain
From the inbox...
What I read:
"Rising moorage rate solutions for AICPA Members"
What it really said:
"Rising mortgage rate solutions for AICPA Members"
Labels: Sailing
What's In A Name?
Or more importantly, perhaps. What's in a font? We are contemplating new names for "the boat." Frankly, "Koru" just doesn't do much for us.
We've looked it up and while the name may have significance to some (like maybe
someone living in New Zealand), it's a little new-agey for us and just not very pretty, imho. But even if Koru was a fine word, what's with this font? The bottom line, it's ugly and it's not "our" word. We wish to change it. I know some of you out there have opinions and I am interested in hearing them. What font would you use on a boat? And what about a name? We'll entertain all suggestions, but I have already vetoed "My Mistress." ;-)
Labels: Sailing
The Weekend in Pictures
I'm still not feeling quite up to words yet. But here are pictures from the weekend boat surveying/sea trial trip to Seattle (yes, I've been away):
It floats! And sails!!
Our Future But Only Temporary Home (Tyee Marina in Tacoma)
The Neighbors (Exhibit A)
The Neighbors (Exhibit B)
Picnic on the Dock (prosciutto, smoked salmon, goat cheese, crackers, strawberries, grapes, figs, capers, and powdered donuts...a sensible dinner by all accounts)
Bokay To Go
Only in Seattle (One must wonder who is giving advice on what to whom)We had a blast and all went well (after clearing security that is...twice...it is important to read the departure board and note the gate number before waiting in the wrong security line for half an hour...and do take note that the 1 Qt Ziploc bag is still in popular favor...in fact, even if you have nothing to put in it, it is wise to take with you a 1 Qt Ziploc bag just in case...I was told that my approximately 1 Qt clear pouch...the one that came with my carry-on suitcase post 9/11, designed to carry the usual liquid substances, was "confusing" and that in the future I should adhere to the Ziploc standard so as to avoid such confusion). On our return trip, the security line at Sea-Tac was easily a mile long (3 cruise ships had just come in, dumping all of their passengers at Sea-Tac), but it only took 25 minutes to get through...amazing!
This time, because we planned on visiting many places that are off the beaten path, and because we have had difficulties navigating Seattle in the past (I swear it's the bad signage, starting at the airport, but that's another post for another day), we decided to rent a GPS with our rental car. We arrived late at night and were told that we needed to exit the airport parking lot before turning it (the GPS, not the car) on. So we followed the signs to the freeway and had difficulty finding a safe place to pull over. Several miles later. I managed to pick the one exit that was not really an exit but an onramp to another freeway and before we knew it, we were nestled in a quiet little residential area somewhere northeast of Seattle. We plugged in the GPS and thus began our adventures with Mrs. Google, as MBH called her (he is not a computer user but he knows that Google knows all). Apparently, Mrs. Google is not set up to get you to the nearest freeways, avenues or thoroughfares, but is more inclined to the scenic, residential, and cul-de-sacs. And so we traveled. Clear across town by way of the narrow residential streets lined with parked cars on either side and miniature traffic circles. But we never got lost which is a credit to Mrs. Google, who spent most of her time "recalculating." I did, however, miss having a paper map to follow along. I love maps. I have volunteered for the position of navigator when the time comes to sail away...and I will have paper charts in addition to the GPS and other electronic gizmos. That time may be coming very soon...
We are now just 2 or 3 steps away from being real live boat owners...next step, engine inspection; then price re-negotiation if any big repairs are looming; and then, finally, we will...choke...sign a very large check. But the scariest part is what lies beyond that. I mean, I have no idea how to do even the very basic things like turn on the lights, or, um, use "the head." Let alone, how to empty it. After the sea trial, I am much more comfortable with the notion of sailing the vessel, but also much more concerned about getting it in and out of the slip without impaling the other boats with our anchor. That would be bad. Very bad.
Labels: Sailing, Travel
I'm Not Dead Yet
But the "Pigwhistle"(1) is not so fortunate...
Contrary to the previous post in which I conveyed my wish that the Groundhogs (aka Whistlepigs) would, um, just go away, I am not responsible for this one's demise. He (she?) was found in this condition several days (weeks?) later, alongside our driveway. My husband also denies any involvement. We think one of the dogs may have had a run-in with him (her?) but they deny any involvement also.
Alas, may the Pigwhistle rest in peace.
Regular blogging may resume shortly. I have been buried in deadline-driven work stuff and teenage daughter personal issues (which, good as it might be, will not become blog fodder...sorry) lately. I do apologize to those few of you who return on a faithful basis, for the dearth of posting lately.
(1) "Pigwhistle" has become another Europeanized word in our household, along with the old standbys of "walkside" and "bulblight."
Labels: The Animals
I Am My Father's Daughter
Like father, like daughter...when faced with needing/wanting to learn a new skill or hobby, the first order of business is to get some books...these arrived today in the oh-so-familiar brown box from Amazon:
A familiar story is beginning to take shape. ;-)
Labels: Sailing
Meanwhile...
...back on the home front...
...we have pests. What are these things?! This buck toothed rodent must weigh at least 12 pounds, and he and his homies have been burrowing around our yard, turning it into a large sponge. With the lack of rain lately, causing the underground earth to become very hard, it appears they have been kicked to the streets. I sure hope our elderly dogs don't have a run-in with them.
Labels: The Animals
It's Almost Reality
The Boat...
...is almost a reality! We have signed the counter-offer we received and are moving on to the next step, the downpayment! Somebody, please, stop us if you think (
know?) we are NUTS! There can be no "I told you so's" unless you speak now. Let it be known that I do not have much (any) sailing experience (well,
none that I would brag about anyway), but as I told my husband on the day we first met, "Yes, I like boats." Who among you asked your prospective mate this particular question on your first date? It was not for lack of conversational skilz that my husband asked if I liked boats. It's just that this was a very important question. In fact, this may have been his
first question, but I think he first wanted to know my name. It's a little fuzzy now. Anyway, this has been his lifelong dream and he has worked very hard for this, squirreling away every nickel he could to make his dream come true so it is well-deserved. And if I can go along for the ride, well, all the better. :-)
Next steps...
Plan another trip to Seattle to have the boat surveyed (by someone that actually knows something about boats) and go for a sea trial (to make sure it actually works...floats, sails, etc.).
Then, find a place to temporarily moor it until we can find a permanent slip.
Then, use it (and take sailing lessons...aha, and you thought I was
really nuts)!
And decorate it (heh, Hi, Honey!)...this is the woman's job. My first order of business will be to decide which one piece of art I will hang in the salon to make this boat "ours." And then decide which 10 personal items we will take along. I know the first two things on my list besides bedding (fluffy down comforters and pillows...mmm) are my computer and the Bose iPod docking station (between our two iPods, we will be blasting
Dalmatian music across the marina...no,
not that Dalmatian music). I'm not counting any of these things as "personal" items yet. ;-)
And if all goes well and we decide we really do like sailing, and can stand living in tight quarters together (I may find myself living on a small inflatable dinghy, but it comes with its own set of oars, so I'll be fine, really), then we begin the various stages of "living" on the boat. First, long weekends, then months, then years.
We won't sell our house and everything in it until we decide that this is really what we want to do.
That's the "plan" anyway, such as it is.
Labels: Sailing
