i love a parade

The 500 festival parade is one of my favorite events during race weekend. Rachel Ray was the Grand Marshall. I tried to get John to yell “YUM-O!!!” as she passed by us. But he questioned me. “Yummy???? What???? Oh?? Yum-huh???? Yum-O???” She was a mile down the parade route before he understood. As always the heavily mustached Indianapolis Police Motorcycle drill team weaved around each other to start out the parade.

I now think that Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels may be the coolest governor in the Union. When asked to take part in the parade he said he wanted to ride his Harley with the Patriot Guard Riders. They are a group of motorcyclists who attend the funerals of fallen soldiers in attempts to keep the peace and honor the families’ of soldiers as class-less groups choose to use these funerals as a protest forum.

Lance Armstrong, who drove the pace car at the start of the race, rode in that parade. He looked bored to tears and as if he might be firing his agent later. I was not too impressed. On the other hand Helio Castroneves is always full of enthusiasm. You have you to love that guy...unless you’re a part of Andretti-Green Racing and then you make fun of Helio’s exuberance because you are secretly jealous because Helio has won two Indy 500’s and you’ve won zero.

The rest of the parade was sprinkled with marching bands, community groups, floats and balloons, celebrities, members of the Hulman-George Family, vintage cars, local news personalities, as well as all eleven rows of 500 drivers. Oh, and a few Shriners…who I could do without considering my fear of men in Fezzes. Jorge Garcia (who plays, Hurley, my favorite character on LOST) was a definite crowd darling. Click here to see more pictures.

On Carb Day I watched Gene Simmons walking around the pit area as women flocked to him. He gave them hugs that were way too long and kisses on the cheek as he posed for pictures. It was gross. Gross. Gross. Gross. But at the parade his car paused in front of us and a few fans ran out to get his autograph. A parade volunteer was trying to herd the autograph seekers away from Gene Simmons' car and this seemed to agitate him. A little girl of about 8 or 9 ran up to the car while the “security” volunteer was trying to shoo her away. Gene put a hand out towards the woman telling her to stop. He waved the little girl closer to the car and lifted her up next to him in the car as he singed an autograph. Wow, I did I just have a moment of respect for Gene Simmons? Did that really happen? He is Indy, baby. Click here to see pictures.

hot aspault!

The weekend was wonderful…but hot. It was not the New Song Festival in August hot. Or even the Nashville Super Speedway’s Firestone Indy 200 in July hot. Really I was kind of surprised that the local Indy news was making such a to-do over temperatures that weren’t even reaching the mid-90’s. Then I remembered how flat Indiana is and how little shade corn fields provide. Plus, I tend to spend a lot of time in a/c settings during the summer months because I truly detest being hot.
1) High temperatures and humidity are not pleasant conditions for Hippo Girls
2) I don’t feel pretty when I’m hot and sweaty
3) Being hot makes me really grouchy.

I didn't even feel like knitting most of the weekend..not even with breathable cotton.

It was one of the hottest Indy 500 on record and I do prefer a race day in the low to mid 70's. But the skies were clear and I think I'd take sweat over rain. I truly appreciate tradition. I know that the winner chugging milk in victory circle has been around since 1936 winner Louis Meyer. I totally get Sam Hornish Jr's excitement. But the thought of smelling like milk after being hot and sweaty after all those hours in a race car kind of makes me riggor.

One of my favorite drivers, Brazilian Vitor Miera, has really come a long way in his spoken English in the last few years. However, I did catch an interview with him over the weekend in which he said, “It’s a lot of humid”. Oh, Vitor…you’re so cute. And you’re right. It was a lot of humid.

indy-itis

After a long weekend there is so much to share. I've been moved that a few of you have told me that you missed my blog while I was on vacation. Thanks! I'm glad to know I'm not writing purely for my own enjoyment! I’ll be adding a few snap-shots of my trip to the Indy 500 as the week progresses. I have a definate case of Indy-itis. I can't think about anything but open-wheel cars and Sam Hornish.

It is 593.48 miles from my apartment in Nashville to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the corner of 16th & Georgetown in Speedway, IN. My Honda, “Parnelli Belle”, drove more miles this weekend than Sam Hornish’s Marlboro–Team Penske Honda Dallara. The most glaring differences being that Parnelli Belle never broke 200 mph and didn’t make roughly $2 million.

restart the clock

Only 361 days until the 91st running of the Indy 500.

silver foxy

If Taylor Hicks wins American Idol (and he will) will Eddie Cheever, Jr win another Indy 500?

it really happened theater: salit?

A brief glimpse at our visit to McD's Monday night.

i * am * indy

Gene Simmons of KISS has written an IRL "theme" song called I Am Indy. No, seriously. You can't make something like that up! At first John and I made a fair amount of fun of it. But now...well...don't tell anyone I told you this but it's kind of catchy and I find myself humming it a lot. Each day I belive a little more that I am, indeed, Indy. My favorite part? The heavy metal "Hheeeaaaayyyy!!!" I've practiced that part alot. Click here to hear I Am Indy.

Jim Nabors is Indy.

a warshrag by any other name...

I knit my mom two Ballband dishcloths for Mother’s Day in Sugar & Cream dishcloth cotton. I’ve posted pictures of the first one that is ecru and light blue (to the right) but not yet it's mirror image-light blue and ecru (to the left).

The pattern appears in the new Mason-Dixon Knitting book that every knitters needs. My Uncle Wayne said the book made him want to learn to knit and nothing, not even seeing and touching the hand knits of his darling niece (me) or BFF (his adopted darling niece), had made him want to take up the sticks before.

Katie and I were discussing the M-D book how we’d describe the hand knits found in the book. But we couldn’t really find the words. It’s not really country, quaint, old-fashioned, or cute. The word could be vintage. But vintage means so many things now-a-days. Charming might work. But charming sounds too simple. The pieces have a certain amount of sophistication. Maybe if we put it together we’d approach the right description. Sophisticated vintage charm? All I know is that when I'm forming something from inexpensive dishcloth cotton and two needles I feel like I'm like sharing in something pastdown by our foremothers.

What do you other M-D knitters think?

That sound that you're- you know, that 'boom'? That's my mind blowing. - Marshall

Agent Jack Bristow: [to Sloane] Personally, I would have found it anticlimactic, that after expecting to assemble a weapon of ultimate power, you ended up with a revelation you could have acquired from a fortune cookie.

Tonight is the SERIES FINALE of one of my favorites shows ever. Alias. I watched the pilot and haven’t missed an episode since. Katie and I will watch it tonight and give each other support through these sad times. So many questions remain. Will Sydney kill Sloan? Will the mystery behind all the Rimbaldi stuff be explained once and for all? Will Jack Bristow ever truly get over Irina? How many wigs will Sydney wear and what colors will they be?

I have what I consider to be a genius idea for an Alias spin-off. (Queue Kenny Loggins music: Playing, playing with the boys/Playing, playing with the boys/ After chasing sunsets/One of life's simple joys/ Is playing with the boys). Julian Sark, Will Tippin, and Michael Vaughan form a 3-man team and tour the world playing in sand volleyball tournaments. Marshall could be their manager and develop technology that would help them train to be top notch spikers and servers. In their spare time they save the world.A couple years ago I was walking through the stands at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day and who do I see? Dixon. Secret Agent Marcus Dixon. Most celebs come to the 500 and are part of the parade and makes laps around the track in the back of a Corvette. But Carl Lumbly was just there enjoying the race with a friend. He seems kind of amazed and a little pleased that someone recognized him and asked for a picture. Very friendly fellow. *sigh* I'll miss you Dixon. And Jack. And Syd, don't ever change.

what kind of music mood are you in?

I've been in a Sam Phillips music kind of mood lately. The woman formerly known as Leslie who is married to T-Bone Burnett. Not the Sun Studio guy with the beard. Not that I'm discounting the latter...Thank you Sun Records for Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, The Killer, and The King.

I just can't get enough Sam Philips (not the dude).
Martinis and Bikinis.
Fan Dance. Cruel Inventions.
I suppose it could be all those Gilmore Girls DVD's I've been watching lately.

So, what kind of music mood are you in?

Apples and Orange. Both fruit. Different juices.

This morning I told my friend, Huston, I was going to the Indy 500 this weekend. He replied, “Oh no! You are a big NASCAR fan???” After I finished convulsing I informed him that I was not a NASCAR fan but a fan of Indy Racing. I know your average man on the street may lump all auto racing together. And while there are some similarities between these two forms of racing there are some major differences. Here are just a few that come to mind. But first, a DISCAILMER. I am an Indy Racing fan. I do not follow NASCAR. If you call me an IRL snob I will not argue with you. Now, on with the chlorophyll.

front row 2006 indy 500-sam hornish, jr; helio castroneves; dan wheldon

THE CARS
Stock cars , the cars driven in NASCAR, are akin to the car you and I drive on the street. There's a hood, a windshield, a roof. An Indy Car has a nose cone and a cockpit. Here, look at these pictures.THE DRIVERS
NASCAR has Dales and Jimmys. IRL has Helios and Scotts (and a few Buddys). Contrary to what some believe the IRL does have more American drivers than foreign. There just happens to be a good percentage of Brazilian drivers in the mix (and they’re hot so you won’t get any complaints from me. Helio, pronounced “el-e-o”, I would learn Portuguese for you.). South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, and others will also be represented at the 500.

NASCAR (and former Indy Car) driver, Robby Gordon, stirred up a lot of conversation about the size and athleticism of the drivers after last year’s Indy 500 when he said Danica Patrick had an unfair advantage because of her small size. To be fair I will remind you of my clear bias. But just eye ball Robby Gordon or Tony Stewart and then compare/contrast their builds to those of Scott Sharp (5’8”/155 pounds) and Dan Wheldon (5’9”/157 pounds). SPEED
One of the biggest differences that most will point out is speed. For instance, this year’s Pole Sitter at NASCAR’s Daytona 500 Jeff Burton’s qualifying seed was 189.151. Sam Hornish, Jr.’s Pole winning qualifying speed for the 2006 Indy 500 was 228.985.

TO EACH HIS OWN
Fans of each sport have their favorite drivers and love the style that they follow. Racing is serious business (ask the families of the late Dale Earnhardt and Paul Dana) but it’s also incredibly enjoyable and exhilarating. My heart will speed on Sunday when Mari Hullman-George gives call, “Lady and Gentlemen, start you engines!” When those 33 cars make that first lap at full speed I will feel very alive and a little lightheaded.

i am getted excited

My mom told me that on Saturday she was talking to my brother, Stephen, and his friend, Mark. Mark asked how she had been and she told him she had been getting ready for the yard sale (their subdivision has a huge neighborhood wide yard sale every 3rd Sat of May) and this week she was going to rest and get ready to go to the Indy 500. I guess this was the first Stephen had heard that Mom was going to the 500 with me and John. His reaction? “My mom is cool.” I’m sure this wasn’t the first time he had realized that his mother, the women who took her son of a preacher man child to get his ear's pierced, was cool. It couldn’t be. Mom is cool. She saw REM and U2 at Rupp Arena with me and Eric. She loves going to Ichthus and Cornerstone and NewSong with us. It was an email about getting ready for Ichthus that gave us one of my favorite Janice Coomer-ism’s of all time. “I am getted excited!”.
We’re from the 90th running of the Indy 500 and I am GETTED EXCITED!!!

Pole and Bump Days were sunny. Thiago Mediros (no relation to Glenn “nothing’s going to change my love for you" Mediros that I know of) survived being on the bubble. And he is probably my favorite underdog/rookie even though I predict that he’ll be the first into the wall on Sunday.

This years Indy 500 features:
Six former winners- Castroneves, Wheldon, Rice, Cheever, B. Lazier, Little Al
Five sons of former winners - Mi. Andretti, L. Foyt, Little Al, Lyndyck Jr, PJ Jones.
One grandson of a former winner (Marco Andretti)
The son-in-law of a former winner (Papis–son-in-law of E. Fittapaldi)
Two Andrettis/father and son (Michael and Mario)
Two brothers (The Laziers)
Two PJ’s (Chesson and Jones)
Two Scotts (Sharp and Dixon)
Two Buddys (Rice and Lazier)
And six Brazilians (Castroneves, Kanaan, Meira, Medeiros, Dare, and Giaffone)
Indy 500 starting lineup
Row 1
1. (6) Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara, 228.985 mph
2. (3T) Helio Castroneves, Dallara, 228.008
3. (10) Dan Wheldon, Dallara, 227.338
Row 2
4. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara, 226.921
5. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara, 226.776
6. (4T) Vitor Meira, Dallara, 226.156
Row 3
7. (55) Kosuke Matsuura, Dallara, 225.503
8. (8) Scott Sharp, Dallara, 225.321
9. (26) r-Marco Andretti, Dallara, 224.918
Row 4
10. (16T) Danica Patrick, Panoz, 224.674
11. (2) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara, 224.659
12. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara, 224.548
Row 5
13. (1) Michael Andretti, Dallara, 224.508
14. (15T) Buddy Rice, Panoz, 224.393
15. (90) r-Townsend Bell, Dallara, 224.374
Row 6
16. (7) Bryan Herta, Dallara, 224.179
17. (27) Dario Franchitti, Dallara, 223.345
18. (52) Max Papis, Dallara, 222.058
Row 7
19. (51) Eddie Cheever, Dallara, 222.028
20. (91) r-P.J. Chesson, Dallara, 221.576
21. (14) Felipe Giaffone, Dallara, 221.542
Row 8
22. (92) Jeff Bucknum, Dallara, 221.461
23. (41) Larry Foyt, Dallara, 221.332
24. (21) Jaques Lazier, Panoz, 221.151
Row 9
25. (5) Buddy Lazier, Dallara, 220.922
26. (17T) Jeff Simmons, Panoz, 220.347
27. (31) Al Unser Jr., Dallara, 219.388
Row 10
28. (12) Roger Yasukawa, Panoz, 218.793
29. (88) Airton Dare, Panoz, 218.170
30. (97) Stephan Gregoire, Panoz, 217.428
Row 11
31. (61) r-Arie Luyendyk Jr., Panoz, 216.352
32. (98) PJ Jones, Panoz, 215.816
33. (18) r-Thiago Medeiros, Panoz, 215.729 After qualifying for the 500 rookie PJ Chesson got a new tattoo right there at the track. In the immortal words of Paris Hilton, "that's hot."

chicken poop

I made the Buzz List again. See #7

Random? Who? Me?

I got my match up for Secret Pal 8 today and so far I think the person who I am the secret pal of is really really cool and creative and has pretty pictures on her blog. I also got an email from my Secret Pal (Hello, Whoever You Are!) and it’s all just terribly excited! I was explaining Secret Pal to Twin Cousin today and what he said in reply made me giggle:

That’s really cool! And gloriously girlie. I’m sure you love that part of it!

Indy 500 Pole Day Qualifying was rescheduled for this Saturday due to rain last weekend. It looks like sunny days are expected for Speedway, Indiana all weekend long. AND the B-52's!!! are playing at the track on Carb Day! Today my friend told me that she read my blog yesterday and it made her cry. And here I thought everyone read my blog for my stupidity and wit! It seems that my friend really needed to hear a word about waiting on the Lord. I’ll be honest before then I wasn’t sure why I had the desire to share those notes from my journal. I suppose that still small voice told me that someone needed to hear it. I thought I just needed to remind myself of those things. It just goes to show that God can use even the internet in mysterious ways.

LYLASarah sent me a link about a new Demeter scent. Demeter is one of my favorite fragrance making companies. I have their colognes in Tomato, Laundromat, Black Russian, and Kahala Lava Rock. And there is much more to be had. Now Demeter is coming out with a new fragrance in honor of Play-Doh’s 50th Anniversary! Admit it. You know you licked the Play-Doh.

ANTM Cycle 6 Episode 12 The Finale

The “cycle” finale of America’s Next Top Model begins with a rundown by Tyra of the things the 3 finalist have going against them. Danielle’s accent. Joanie getting accustomed to her new teeth. Jade’s attitude & arrogance.

I feel something is going to happen. I just feel it. – Jade
You mean like someone is going to go home and someone is going to be chosen as the winner? When Jade acts like there is a surprise in the next room the look on Danielle’s face sums up how we all feel. We’d all like to slap Jade upside the head at least once.

Please send Jade home. Her personality smells like a dirty diaper. –Joanie

Oh boy! An easy breezy beautiful commercial shoot for Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara with patent pending no clump brush technology. Joanie, rocks it. Danielle...bobbles. But finally gains her footing. Working hard to speak “right” for those who don’t know any better had to have been a distraction.

And then there’s Jade…I just feel that I have a lot of potential and I think that people expect more from me. Then she bungs up her Cover Girl commercial because she doesn’t have her lines memorized. Want lashes that look beautiful like mine? So Jay puts queue cards in front of her and she still can get her lines, including the name of the product, right. Your, as you see mine, are very beautiful. I want to blame this on her arrogance. But then in all seriousness I stopped to consider that maybe Jade has a learning disability. It would explain a lot if her attitude is over compensation. Don’t you think?
TOMORROW TWO GIRLS WILL BE ELIMINATED…
Oh Jade. Jade you never let us down. You with the excuses about never having acting experience or training and how you love acting and think it’s a fine art.
Girl you know what I love about you? You are consistent. – Miss Jay

There Tyra goes on about Danielle’s accent again. Danielle, as beautiful as your pictures are that voice can not necessarily sell make-up. I’ve never seen it done in my entire career. Tyra, have you ever heard of Cover Girl Molly Sims??? Girl is from Kentucky! And not the confused border state part like me. But the part of the state where actual hillbillies lives.

WHO IS STILL IN THE RUNNING TO BECOMING AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL? Tell us Tyra, tell us! It’s ain’t Jade! That little diva pose at the door…he-larry-us.They’re regrets will be that they made the wrong choice in who they selected to be America’s Next Top Model. The judges overlooked my ability and my confidence was definitely mistaken for arrogance. I have what it takes. It’s just that my look is in a different realm. People don’t know how to handle it. This face will defiantly be hard to forget. Jade will be hard to forget.

You got that right. I’m still trying to figure out her odd beat poet exit.

THEN THERE WERE TWO GIRLS
Ebony and ivory, sucka! – Danielle It took the entire season, er, I mean cycle to realize what Miss Jay meant when he’d say “exsqeurgit”.
What is it? Exquisite!
What is it? Exsquergit.

Danielle and Joanie just make me happy. I really want them both to win. The fashion show starts and I realize I feel really nervous for them. They have been my two favorites and here they are the final two. Didn’t Danielle kind have a Beverly Johnson looking going at the final judging? They both rocked the fashion show. Both girls have taken fierce pictures. I am very pleased that Danielle is the winner. But when it was time for Tyra to announce the winner I realized that I was expecting and hoping to see Joanie’s face appear on that screen.

fair play

After my post on present day prom fashion it seems only fair that I share my own prom photos.

When: 1991-my junior year
Date: Jake Barnes
Dress: I loved the gunmetal skirt of this dress.
When: 1992 - my senior year
Date: Warren Hopper
Dress: I wanted my mom and/or grandma to make this "perfect" dress that I had in my head. But we never found the right fabric. After exhausting all dress options in Bowling Green and Nashville we found this dress at Bacon's in Louisville. I loved it because it was so different and I always had to be "different".

the world can wait

THOUGHTS ON WAITING
Last night I was reading through my journal and came across some notes that I took during a sermon on waiting sometime last year. These are things that I need to be reminded of on a regular basis. Here are some highlights.

Waiting on the Lord is an act of obedience.
Suffering can be a reminder that there is something better coming worth waiting (suffering) for.
God has a plan. He’s doing something even when it seems like he’s not.
God is producing something while we wait.
God waited until Jesus was 30 years old to begin his ministry.
Waiting on the Lord requires a trusting heart.
We want God’s resources. But we don’t want his time table.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3: 9

A few pages later in my journal was a quote that my former associate pastor, James Cole, used in a sermon and I think it ties into waiting on God to form something glorious. It was a statement that someone made the first time they saw the Grand Canyon:
My God, something happened here.

The World Can Wait by Over the Rhine
if this should end tomorrow
all our best laid plans
and all our typical fears
am i running out of lifetimes
this is not the first time
something ends in just tears
but tomorrow i can't imagine
how am i supposed to know
what's yet to go down
is there only one religion
the kind that whispers
when nobody comes around

the world can wait
the world can wait
i want to drink the water from your well
i want to tell you things i'll never tell
the world can wait
the world can wait
i'm wide awake
and the world can wait

i want to feel and then some
i have five senses
i need thousands more at least
every day a page of paper
every night a photograph
a moveable feast

so fade to black and white now
roll the movie of my life
inside of my head
'cause like all true believers
i am truly skeptical
of all that i have said

the world can wait
the world can wait
i want to drink the water from your well
i want to tell you things i'll never tell
the world can wait
the world can wait
i'm wide awake
and the world can wait

haven't i said enough
haven't i said far too much
haven't i done enough
haven't i done far too much
far too much
the world can wait

twin cousin's band...

promenade

prom·e·nade (pr m -n d , -näd) n.
1. A leisurely walk, especially one taken in a public place as a social activity.
2. A public place for such walking.
3. a. A formal dance; a ball.
b. A march of all the guests at the opening of a ball.

I was looking at some pictures from Mid-Tenn area proms because I always like to see what the trends are and what the kids are into these days. What goes around comes around. Evidently the big full skirted gowns that were all the deal when I was in high school are making their come back. I’ve complied a little photo album for you. Stick around for the grand finale. I promise it’s so worth it. CLICK THIS

IF YOUR NAME IS KATIE BURRIS DO NOT READ THIS!

Katie if you’re still reading this you can read this after you watch the tape of the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy that I am going to bring you tonight. So you need to STOP reading NOW.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Was last night’s season finale of Grey’s not the best? I have not cried that much during a TV show in I don’t know how long. It started in the vet’s office when they were putting Doc to sleep. I think this hit me because I wasn’t there with Mom, Dad, & Stephen when our sweet English Cocker Spaniel, Rusti, was put to sleep. Seeing Meredith crying over Doc put me into that room with Rusti at Dr. Jerry’s. Of course I think that Meredith was really crying over the loss of something that tied her and Derek together. Anytime a dog dies I am primed for more tears. And I think the makers of Grey’s know that. So the rest was easy for them.

Izzy & Denny. Ya’ll Denny died! And then Alex scooped Izzy up in his arms? I almost couldn’t take it. George & Callie. I so love Callie. The scene in the hallway…good stuff. “I have on a dress! And heels! And I shaved my legs! I’m going to the prom!” Then when Christina finally got her act together & took Burke’s hand. And Meredith told the Chief she knew he was the one who broke up her parent’s marriage. And THEN…

When Derek started kissing Meredith I was like, “No! No! No! You stop that right now young man! Meredith do not kiss him! You all should not be doing this! Cut it out!” Yet the caught-up-in-the-eyes-of-Dr. McDreamy, he with the hair, part of me was like, “alright, go ahead.” But did we really need to see the panties? I mean really. Poor Fin. Fin is so sweet and cute and kind and NOT MARRIED. He’s going to be heart broken. Meredith is going to break his sweet kind widower heart! The end where they were literally standing in a triangle formation…good work Peter Horton. Good work. Fade to black. End of season. Sob sob sob.

Now the Prom thing…that was kind of weird at first. Anyhow, it was way less cheesy/7th Heaven than I thought it was going to be when they started inviting each other to prom. Do you really think the parents would want all these adult doctors hanging around? It’s just a TV show. I know.
I know.

thanky

I was going to entitle this post “give thanks with a grateful heart” until I realized that you couldn’t hear the stupid Robert Goulet way I was singing that song in my head. Wait, do I mean Robert Guillaume? No, no, no. He was Benson. I do mean Robert Goulet.

I’m going to try a little exercise and invite you to do the same. Name the first 10 things that pop into your head that you are grateful for. Don’t worry about giving a holy, super spiritual, highly philosophical, poetic or fantastically moving set of 10. Just name the things that make your heart smile today in this moment.

In this moment I am grateful…

1. that my mom is going to the Indy 500 with me and John.
2. for inexpensive cotton yarn and a good knit dishcloth pattern.
3. that I saw my friend, Jerry Herron, yesterday. He had surgery a few weeks ago to remove and reconstruct part of his jaw that had been eaten away by cancer.
4. for water
5. for Smith's Rosebud Salve
6. for shaved legs
7. the coloring book page of sheep and a barn that my god-daughter, Cee Cee, colored that hangs in my cube
8. for sunbeams that peek through the gray clouds
9. for the two-hour season finale of Grey’s Anatomy tonight.
10. for God’s Grace.

Indy 500 Episode 90: Revenge of the Rain

It rained in Indianapolis this weekend. Good for the corn & soybean farmers. Bad for race fans. Pole Day and all other qualifying runs for the Indy 500 were rained out. IRL President Brian Barnhart (Mace Windu?), who I think has one of the toughest jobs going, made the announcement that Lord willing and the creek don’t rise qualifying for all 33 slots will take place this coming weekend. This gives the drivers 3 more days of practice (W, Th, F). I hope this will give Rahal Letterman more time to get their car settings down so they can reach higher speeds.

I’m still feeling like Sam Hornish is going to win the pole. Yesterday John made the comment that Sam is turning into Roger Penske and the whole things smacks of Anakin Skywalker. John calls me fickle…but my former IRL boyfriend, Dan Wheldon, is kind of getting back into my good graces. Maybe it’s the time away from Team Andretti-Green. But this season he’s impressed me a lot during interviews. He seems to appreciate the fans. If it’s possible it seems that winning last year’s 500 and IRL season humbled him somehow. He seems more centered or something. And I thought that his making the jump to Target Ganassi Racing was like going over to the dark side. (Chip Ganassi = Jabba the Hut.)

I’m sure that if the Gouge Brothers & Steve Barnum read this they will tell me that all of my Star Wars references were way off.

I do know one thing. This is one weird picture of Princess Leia:

just a peek...

ballband dishcloth - almost completep.s. my knitting protoge has completed her first scarf!!!

say what you will...

I am not afraid to admit that I am glad that Chris Daughtry was cut from American Idol.

There. I said it.