Weekend Adventures

What did you do this weekend? I enjoyed one of the most incredible weekends! We went Drag Racing. For those of you who know us, you understand, for those that are just getting to know us...well let me tell you a story. Long ago and far away, in another time, we went drag racing. It all started with my husband Dave and his friends in High School. We would all run out to Dragway 42 or Norwalk to race cars. Nothing fancy, just the cars they drove everyday to school or work. Sometimes we did well, and sometimes we had to tow the car home. Skip ahead a few years, and we were racing a Top Alcohol Dragster. It went fast, very fast. Both Dave and his brother drove over 300 mph in about 6 seconds down a quarter mile track. We did this all over the Eastern United States and Canada. We would hurry home Friday after work, drive to the race track,some were 12 hours away, race all day Saturday and Sunday, and then drive home and be at work on Monday morning. We did this before we were married and before we had children, then we did it after the children came and took them along. We took friends and relatives to help us drive and work on the car between rounds. We slept in strange hotel/motels and sometimes in the truck, but it was fun. We did this for about 20 years in all. After Dave's bypass in 1998, we slowed down a little. We still went, but the kids were growing and everything was getting more expensive. So we parked the car and trailer and went on to do other things. But our love for racing didn't stop there. Instead of a participant we became spectators. One of the best things as former racers, we knew a lot of folks that still raced and we were able to stay behind the scenes, so to speak and still to this day, we enjoy talking and interacting with the drivers and crews of some of the most famous drag racers today. I love to have the drivers sign my t-shirt or hat and have my picture taken with the drivers. Well Dave is not a photographer and he often chops my head off. Saturday was no exception. So instead of me having my picture taken with a famous driver, he only managed to have get a picture of me and Mike, the CAT salesman.

We travel out of state just to see races. Except for this weekend, it was right in our own backyard, Norwalk, OH! Even the drizzle couldn't keep us away. If you have never been to a drag race, it is very hard to explain. First two cars line up side by side, and wait for the Christmas tree to go from yellow to green, sort of like waiting for the stoplight to change. Then comes the thunder.It is awesome. If you have ever had Life Flight fly over your house and shake the China cabinet, multiply that times 10! When you are in the stands, it shakes you to the bone. The sound and the smell of burning rubber and nitrous is indescribable. But the day was cut short by rain, so we headed home, tired.

On Sunday, Mick brought home his new travel trailer. This was his $500 bargain. He said it was the next step up form his previous trailer/camper the Redneck Special.He was very excited and is getting it ready to go camping this weekend.He will go 4 wheeling with his friends in Wellsville.

On Sunday we visited the farm, and help Grandpa with his Farmall tractor. I took pictures of the cows at the farm and all the tractors and equipment to get some practice. We went to Mount Eaton to pick up a barn beam and then we ended up at Chris' house to help him with his barn. When I got home I threw a load of laundry in the wash and ran out to the chicken coop to pick eggs and close up the doors. When I got back into the house, Dave was comfortable in his recliner watching the highlights from the race on TV and all I heard was this sound like a squealing pig! I ran downstairs to find the washer smoking the belts. I shut the thing off and went upstairs to find out that Dave never heard it or smelled it! So needless to say I spent today at the laundromat, washing as many clothes as I could carry, in case there would be a delay in the washer replacement. After the laundromat, I was right on the hunt for a new machine. The old one served its time for 17 years and 2 boys and a farm, so I picked out a new energy efficient water saving model and carried it home. It has already done 2 loads tonight! Sorry for being so winded on this post, but I just had to share the exhausting weekend. I am sure I left something out.

If the photos are to small, just click on them and you will get a larger image.

The Cows

Chris and Tommy on the Barn roof!

Wednesday's Adventure

I didn't get to the garden today. We went on an adventure. My daughter in law Tiffany, my friend Gail and her husband Jim and I drove to Mount Hope for the auction. (Thanks for driving Jim!)Although we keep telling ourselves we are done planting for the year, we brought home more plants.... tomatoes, peppers, ornamental cabbage and some more flowers. We just can't help ourselves. Gail bought 10 dozen fertilized eggs so now Jim will set them in the incubator. We didn't learn our lesson last year with 100 chicks, so here we go again. Tiffany decided that she needed plants for her garden. A new husband, a new house and all summer off (she teaches kindergarten) she decided she needed a garden too! And since my son Chris tore up the yard this winter with his building project, she has the perfect spot to put in a garden. We just have to keep the bunny rabbits out.
Tiffany's dad was at a different auction and brought home 52 quarts of strawberries. So Tiffany and I froze them tonight. It was a busy day. I think I will need to rest tomorrow.