A Work In Progress #7 - Finally!

Therapy was over as of last week. The three-month checkup at his surgeon went well. In other words...progression for a re-do of a replacement knee is coming along as it should be.

My husband is pretty much on his own now. He is still using the cane, but that is to be expected. If this were the first time, the cane would have been gone weeks ago. But with a second replacement on the same knee, it takes a lot longer to heal. And that healing process is still going on in the knee and surrounding area.

In another two months he will have his five-month checkup. By then we are hoping all the pain will be gone. He's been off the potent pain pills for a few weeks, only because they stopped working. He can and does take Tylenol Extra Strength. We have switched that to Tylenol Arthritis which is stronger. His surgeon has approved of that decision. He can't take anything with aspirin in it due to severe reactions, thus the Tylenol.

We are also hoping the Tylenol Arthritis will curb the pain in his other knee. Before he has a replacement, there will also be two choices for that knee should it continue to be too painful. He can be injected with cortisone for up to 3 times, or be injected with another stronger solution that is only done once. Neither of us is ready for a replacement in such short order. And, by the way, you don't have to be elderly to suffer from arthritis. I have had it in my back for years now. My mother had rheumatoid arthritis that screwed up her fingers very badly. I just have the pesky kind. You know, the kind that hangs around just to be a daily pain in the ass. It's in my lower back and my right hand, particularly my middle finger. (Perhaps I should flip the bird more often ~ or maybe I flipped it too often.) I have lived so long with this pain, that I am used to it by now.

But getting back to my husband. He was constantly complaining of pain a few weeks prior to seeing his surgeon this last time. So much so, that I thought something must really be wrong or out of whack. When he told his doctor about the pain (read: whined), the doctor reassured him (and me) that what he was experiencing was very natural and there is nothing to worry about. They took X-rays of both knees. The replacement is where it should be and the other knee has the start of arthritis.

So for now I get to listen to two more months of moaning and complaining (whining). But at least now I know that what he is feeling is the knee healing inside and that everything looks excellent and that is good enough for me.

Crooked Cars

Straighten them out, NASCAR to tell Cup teams
DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Saturday, May. 17, 2008

CONCORD, N.C. - Expect NASCAR to tell Sprint Cup teams that they've gone far enough - and in some cases, too far - with making crooked cars.

Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said Saturday that teams will get a memo, likely this week, telling them to "clean up" the way they're turning their wheels to help the cars handle better.

"They need some of that, but there are some of them that have pushed it," Darby said.

The rear wheels on some of the cars were turned to the point that some were having difficulty being pushed onto the scales used in inspection

********************
As an added note...none of the Hendrick cars have used this method of having the cars run "doggy style." That's what we called it in our day, today it's called something else. Gnarly perhaps. And not in the rad sense either. More like rheumatoid arthritic fingers. Crooked. Yeah, that's the ticket...

Maybe now there will be a more even-playing field for all the cars.

Let's Go Racing Boys

Excitement is wrapping itself around me. Why? The All-Star race weekend is finally here and will be on TV Saturday evening. A lot of shows on SPEED will be leading up to it like a gigantic wave...and I will be watching every one of them.

I can't wait for all the glitz and glamour. Wait...that's another show on Sunday night. Something to do with country western music. Yes, I am a fan of that too.

Back to the All-Star race. I love non-points racing. Anything goes ~ and it usually does. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is held back by the drivers. Of course, I have to brag on Dale Jr. here because he is the only rookie ever to win it back in 2000. The night his father was never more proud of him and stayed in victory lane to help celebrate. The night I couldn't control my happiness because of what I had witnessed. The night I will never forget as it unfolded and Dale Jr. made history.

It is this race that I would love to see Dale take out his frustrations on one driver in particular. He shall not be named here. He has been given far too much publicity and is beginning to believe all of it. Believe me, he doesn't deserve it. He has a far, far way to go before he is considered a great race car driver. Right now he's just a punk kid trying to get even with the driver that he thinks took his job away. And it's not as if he hadn't brought that on himself either. His initials are KB and that is all I will reveal at this time.

I know, I hear ya, I should just let it rest. And I will. After the All-Star race. I promise I will not write anything more about that other driver. Honest.

Six Of One Half A Dozen Of Another

Last year as each week passed by it was Let's see if Dale Jr. can win this week. This year that has been replaced somewhat with Let's see if the race is going to be exciting. Some have been exciting, but for the most part the rest of them were either boring or the winner wasn't very likeable. And you know who I am talking about. Hint: he has won 3 races ~ and I don't mean Carl Edwards.

We are dealing with a whole new car that has changed tremendously all the way around. The drivers haven't changed...therefore, it must be the car's fault. The only driver happier than sh*t is the winner. You can see, hear and feel the frustration of the other 42 drivers. The losers.

I remember going through something like this years ago when Dale Sr. was alive. Both he and Jeff Gordon were the biggest complainers of the aero package given them by NASCAR. The car wouldn't perform, it plowed, they couldn't drive side by side, they couldn't pass and if one car got out front it would take off into the next zip code.

Sound familiar?

I'm all for safety of every driver on the track. Yes, even that one. But NASCAR needs to step up to the plate and make the car more competitive instead of playing follow the leader. I started watching races in the late 80's. And those were some races back then. We'll never see anything like that again. So I guess we just have to shut up and watch, huh?

I realize I will get backlash from this post. This is just my take on the car they race today. Even though racing was so much more exciting in the 80's and 90's, I realize it also was very dangerous. I will take the good with the bad. I also realize that I am contradicting myself so I'd better quit while I'm ahead. No wait, I'm not ahead either. OK, that's it, I'm finished.

Ain't This The Truth

This sign should have been posted at my last job. And the part about knifing friends in the back would be highlighted. Because that's how I lost that job. Some people just think they're better than others. And then one day they wake up only to realize that what they had done came back full circle and bit them on the rump. And people like me have the last laugh. And I have had a few laughs since then.

Yeah, I know, almost three years and I'm still not over it. But it's kinda hard to get over being betrayed by what you thought were your friends.

JR Nation Fans Embarass Even Me

I'm a member of JR Nation...proud of it, too. I don't understand those fans of his that get all bent out of shape when things don't go their way where Junior is concerned. Why do they do that? Why are they so different from other drivers' fans? I fail to understand that. Sometimes it's just a small thing and they take up arms and go after whoever or whatever is attacking Dale Jr. I mean, they can get really crazy at times. And I don't like that they make the rest of us look like fools by the way they act and what they do or say.

Take this Kyle Busch incident that happened at Richmond last weekend. If Dale Jr. said he felt it was a racing incident, why couldn't those fans take his word for it and back off? No, instead they decided to e-mail every sponsor of Kyle's and they also decided to boycott their products. They even e-mailed the Gibbs organization to let them know their displeasure at what Kyle did to Dale Jr. People...get a grip! By the time Darlington rolls around and the activities start on Friday, it will have been forgotten for the most part, so why dwell on something you can't do anything about anyway?

And just so you know, I'm not giving Kyle Busch a free pass here. I still believe he is an egotistical smart-mouthed arrogant punk. I personally call him Sir-Wrecks-A-Lot. And it certainly fits him because he doesn't care who he runs over or who he takes out just to win a race. He is a menace on wheels who has a lot of growing up to do before I even consider him as a human being, let alone a race car driver. His brother straightened his act out, so I hope Kyle can do the same. Besides the fact that he is trying to prove to the world that Rick Hendrick was a fool to let him go,
he needs to have an attitude adjustment and it cannot come too soon for me.

If anyone thinks there will be retaliation by Dale Jr. sometime in the future, you can just forget about it. Our Junior doesn't roll that way.

5-5-8

Ten years ago on this date our house was entered illegally by a person who had been welcomed into it a few years prior. He was a young father who held his infant child while inquiring about an engine he needed for the family car. His wife was a friend of ours so we gave them a break on the sale.

After a few years passed by, that young couple divorced and each remarried. At the time he robbed us he had a new wife and infant. He also had been in and out of jail and was on probation at the time. By the time he got to our house he already had a few other hits under his belt. What we later learned from his ex-wife was that he was very comfortable robbing houses that he'd been inside in the past.

On the morning of the fifth as we went about our usual workday routine, he was just down the street a piece way watching and waiting for us to leave. After we left for work, he then pulled his minivan into our driveway, walked to the front door, jimmied the lock and walked in as if he lived here all his life.

He left no fingerprints and no destruction behind. The things he took weren't noticeable when I came home long before my husband did. What I did notice was some lights were on and a door was open that is always kept closed. I thought my husband was just careless because he left for work after I did.

When he came home I reprimanded him on his carelessness. He denied everything ~ so much so that he then started looking around. It was then we noticed things that weren't right...not to mention missing items.

To make a long story short (and it is a long story), we had the state police come out and check everything but we got nowhere with that. They did, however, keep the investigation open. There were no leads. Things looked dismal for us. At that point we felt we had just learned a very harsh lesson in life.

It was the guy's ex-wife that put us on his trail. She had become friendly with his wife at that time and that new wife had loose lips. One of the items taken was a new camcorder I had just bought my husband for Christmas. I had written our name on the manual. The new wife asked the ex-wife if she knew the name. Bingo! She called me at work. The state police took it from there after they located the guy with his wife and child just a few blocks away from the state police barracks where he was living in a motel.

He has been in and out of jail since then and recently was paroled. His probation runs through 2016. We're betting he will never last that long on the outside. His fingers are just too long to last till then. Oh, and then there is a little thing called a drug habit that he also has.

We did get some things back (they had to be kept as evidence till the trial was over) but not everything was found. Insurance paid for some of the missing items. He is responsible for the cash he took, but those checks from the prison are very sporadic. Insurance also covered some of the cash.

Shortly after that happened we had an alarm system installed. But believe me that still isn't enough to make me feel safe and secure. The world is getting crazier by the day and people are getting more desperate and daring.

A Work In Progress #6 ~ Update

My husband's two-month checkup was this past Monday a week ago with his knee surgeon.

Although it's been well over eight weeks since the operation, he still cannot walk too far without the knee swelling up like a balloon. It happens mostly when we go shopping right after his therapy session. His doctor said because this was a replacement of a replacement within three years' time, his recovery would be twice as long. All of my husband's questions were answered to his satisfaction and he was reassured that he was coming along quite nicely, something he tends to forget once in awhile.

He was taken off one painkiller and put on another one that isn't as potent. He was told he can now resume all activities (within reason) as long as his knee doesn't swell too much. Then his friend the ice pack will help him. Also, his therapy sessions were cut from three times to twice a week. They aren't free, folks, we still have to pay a $15 co-pay on each session. And last but not least, the cane is going to be banished to the darkest corner of our house once again.

Meanwhile, I cannot plan on going anywhere that includes a lot of walking yet. It's been that way now for at least the last 4-5 years. I feel like a prisoner at times, and I should be used to it but I'm not. Hopefully in another month things will be better when he has his three-month checkup.

Meanwhile, I have a lot to take care of with my own body. I recently had a checkup and bloodwork done. Let's just say, for now, it's not a pretty picture. I was shocked and scared with the results. Between my cholesterol being all out of whack and my blood pressure spiking again (doc said that may have been from not taking my meds that morning), I am about ready to give up. But I can't do that. Let me just say here that this was a huge wake-up call for me.

And that means I have only one way to go: diet with healthy foods and exercise on my treadmill. I can add here that I have since started both of those programs immediately after coming home from my appointment. I also have to take double my normal dosage of the statin med for my cholesterol. What upsets me the most is I had everything under control, but somewhere along the line things just went haywire.

And if all that doesn't work to bring me back to being semi-normal within three months at my next checkup (and more bloodwork), then I truly am in big trouble.

Oh Please, Give Me A Break Already

Warning: It's raining, it's damp inside and outside, and I am in a foul mood)

I'm not wasting my time or blog space by writing about who or what car manufacturer won the race at Talladega yesterday. All I care about is one driver who finished 10th and kept his 3rd place standing in the points, even gaining a few over last week.

Now, let's move on to the anticipation of the race in Richmond this weekend. The Nationwide race will be held Friday night; the Cup race, Saturday night. I love night racing. I was raised on it; however, it leaves a huge void for me the following Sunday. If I don't watch a race on Sunday it seems like something is missing. It's not that I don't have plenty to do to fill that void, it's just that I'd rather spend Sundays curled up watching the race.

On another note...I am getting so tired of fans and the media bringing up the fact that Junior hasn't won a race in two years. As a matter of fact, it was at Richmond where he won his last race. I didn't hear anyone talk about Talladega being his 300th start either. To me, that's more important than not winning but to the media it's not newsworthy enough I suppose. Granted, if Dale were, say, around 20th in the points, then throwing around the fact he hasn't won in two years would make sense. Although it would still piss me off if they kept saying it.

Let's be honest here, folks, the boy is doing great. (Oh, don't get your panties/shorts all in a bunch because I just called him a boy ~ I'm much older than he is, so I have the right to do so.)

I also would like to remind some people that Matt Kenseth won his NASCAR Championship without having won a single race that year! It can be done, so please LET IT BE! When the timing is right and all the planets are in proper alignment, Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr., will win. And once he gets started I will sit back, prop my feet up, put my hands behind my head and say to those that insist on rehashing his so-called losing streak week after week, He's only just begun, so look out world. Let the good times roll!
And now that I feel so much better that I got all that off my chest, it's at least a little warmer in here. But still raining outside.

Why I No Longer Watch American Idol

I have been a long time viewer of American Idol. I started watching at the end of the first season. I didn't want Kelly Clarkson to win; I had hoped Justin Guarini would have won. Had he won, I highly doubt all the problems he had since then would have happened. And then there was the time that I had hoped Clay Aiken won, and we got stuck with Ruben Studdard. Anybody heard from him lately?

Moving on, I was elated when Fantasia won, as she was the only one I have ever voted for before or since. Taylor Hicks? American Idol? Hardly. No one seems to know where he is either. And when Chris Daughtry left long before winning, well I thought that was ridiculous. All his voters must have been out to lunch. He has gone on to make a name for himself. He should have won it that year. And last year's Jordin Sparks did nothing for me as a singer either.

So let's fast forward to this year. When I first laid eyes on Michael Johns, I thought to myself Wow! That's some specimen. He had the looks and he could sing. He is from Australia. I like Australian men, especially their accents (and a few other things too). He is 29 and has been in the United States since he was 18. Feast your eyes on this awhile:

So I decided that I would follow him as each week went by. And he was always in the top, never in the bottom three. So, when I fully expected one of three other people to be sent packing, I never thought it would be Michael. But it was Michael. I was stunned. And I have since found out that a lot of other people were just as stunned. They say the audience went silent, as if they were waiting for the punch line. But it never came. I didn't notice the silence because I felt like I had been gut-punched. I still do. What really ticked me off was the fact that during last year's "Idol Gives Back" week, AI went through the motions of someone going home, but they decided no one would because it wouldn't be right when they were trying to "give back." But this year that went right out the window. Double gut-punch.

The way Ryan Seacrest handled the situation didn't help. He was downright obnoxious in his delivery of the result. He supposedly has apologized since (to the public but not to Michael). Not good enough for me. It doesn't bring Michael back. Ryan's excuse was he is told by the producers to make the bottom three believe they are staying and then send one packing.

And as far as I am concerned, it is my belief that those three so-called judges know how to manipulate the voting public. Just by their reactions, their actions, and the way they talk...tells me that they sway voters. I don't give any of them credit as a judge; they are entertainers and they just want to be heard. It's an ego thing. AI needs to think of a different way to handle the voting, because what we have now leaves much to be desired.

I didn't watch the show Tuesday or Wednesday last week and I won't be watching it for the remainder of this season. When I vowed not to watch it this year, I meant it. I...will...not...watch...American...Idol...anymore. Period.

I can only hope Michael Johns will go on to bigger and better things. I will be first in line when his CD comes out. And it can't be too soon to suit me.

Now, about that David Archuleta that everyone is so hot to trot over...he is a ringer and will probably win the title. I remember when he won the title of Junior Singers on Star Search back in 2003 when he was all of twelve years old. I didn't like him then, either. Yeah, I know...sour grapes.

Congratulations Danica Patrick

I've followed her career since day one, and every time I watched her race I'd think maybe today's the day she'll finally win one. Well, it finally happened. She became the first woman in history to win an IndyCar series race, when she took the checkered flag in the Indy Japan 300 at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in her 50th start.

She is the teammate of my other favorite driver, Marco Andretti, and now she will go on to win many, many more races. Still waiting on Marco though to win his first one. He almost won the Indy 500 (was it two years ago?) when that dreadful Sam Hornish Jr. stole it away from him on the last lap just before coming to the checkered flag.

Enjoy this win Danica. Just remember, it won't be the last. You go, girl!

Unbelievable!

So here I sit on a Saturday afternoon without a weekend of NASCAR. Oh there will be racing Sunday, but it's only the Nationwide series in Mexico. I will be watching because Junior's #88 Navy car driven by Brad Keselowski will be competing.

The unbelievable part of my blog for today? I would never have thought that at this time in my life that I would see 86 deg. on April 19th and gas that cost $3.40 per gallon. $60.00 for 17.5 freakin' gallons. Pure highway robbery.

I try to combat high prices elsewhere, so I went to the post office and bought a bunch of those Forever stamps. The price of stamps will be going up a penny on May 12th, I believe. But I can use my Forever stamp and not have to add any more stamps to whatever I'm mailing. As a matter of fact, the price of stamps can go up ten times, and my Forever stamp will be enough to mail whatever I have. (Regular mail, that is.)

I don't use that many stamps but I think I will be getting more of those Forever stamps. I saved a whopping forty cents today by buying them. Gosh, if I bought enough over time, think of the savings. No matter whether I use them in my lifetime, it's the savings that counts, right?

What? Oh, excuse me...they caught me red-handed typing away and I have to go back to my "other home."

Whew! Glad That's Over with

Actually the tax man didn't get one red cent from us this year. And that's a first. We are getting everything back that was withheld over the year. It's not exactly a refund per se. We are just getting back what we shouldn't have paid in the first place. Too bad we can't charge them interest. It's their fault, not ours. Oh well, live and learn. I e-filed this past Sunday, two days ahead of schedule.

Actually I had our taxes all figured out months ago. But I can't break my record and get them done early now, can I? That's how I always felt other years only because we always had to pay in. So you would think if we are getting money back this year that I would want to get them done early and out of the way. Nope. Not my style. Once a procrastinator always a procrastinator. And I don't make any excuses for being one either. I sort of like that title. And believe me, it fits me well. And I wear it well. And I'm damn proud of it.

And on top of all this we get a stimulus rebate from the government. That's a joke, really. But, hey, if it's free, it's for me and I'll take all the money I can get when they're giving it away.

Now I can sit back and relax...till next year when the nasty taxman comes a knockin' once again. I hope y'all had an easier time of it than I did. Well, that's a lie too because I did have an easy time of it. So much so I can hardly wait till next year. *cough* *cough*

Now That's What I Call A Race

That's what I like to see in any given race that Junior is in: either the National Guard car or the Amp Energy car in the lead. This shot is at the very beginning of Saturday night's Phoenix race. He went on to lead 87 laps during the race, but not the most important one: the last lap. His teammate, Jimmie Johnson, won and I was glad. Yeah, bet you never thought you'd read that here. Well, a teammate is a teammate, no matter who they are. With Johnson winning, maybe the press and the media will lay off Hendrick Motorsports about not being where they should be. It took a while, but they are catching up. All four drivers finished in the top 13 spots.

Seeing Mark Martin in that #8 Army car leading the race with his teammate, Martin Truex Jr, aggravated the sh*t out of me. Tremendously. I so hoped the 8 car would blow its engine. Once Truex dropped back and wasn't a threat any longer, I moved onto other things to concentrate on. Like my voodoo doll and Mark Martin.

I thought for sure that this was Junior's race to win, and I was wrong again. But I must say it was one heckuva race for a change. Very exciting compared to the first seven races...well, Martinsville was a good one too.

Watching Junior weave in and out of traffic on those re-starts with heavy infestations of lapped cars had my adrenalin pumping like an oil well. My heart was in my throat so often, I could feel it touching my tongue. Nice visual, huh?

That kid can drive. No doubt about it. I wish they would follow only his car for one race so the non-Junior people could see what he can do with a race car. He is a sight to behold when everything is working 100%. And after that first adjustment early on, it was right there.

He finished 7th in the race and moved up one spot in the points standings from fourth to third and is now only six points out of second place. Way to go Junior. So you didn't win the race, don't hang your head. Raise it high and know that you are doing exactly what you have to be doing at this point in time: consistency racing. That will keep you in the top five in points. It's all about being in the Chase after the 26th race of the season.

And for those who are so very hard on Tony Eury Jr., Dale's crew chief, he made all the right calls and earned an A+...not that he doesn't always. Some people just have nothing better to do than to dis someone they don't like.

If I heard correctly, I believe the upcoming Talladega race will be Junior's 300th start. That little tidbit is floating around in my tiny brain for some reason. Then again maybe I dreamed it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Sshhh...Genius At Work

Be vewy vewy quiet...

The tax lady is hard at work and she needs everyone to refrain from any kind of noise.

Thank you kindly.

I Survived...Barely

So I went to get blood drawn yesterday for my doctor who has been pestering me to do so for way over a year now. As you recall, it is not something I enjoy doing. But I did it and it's over with and now I can go on about my business without that hacking away at my brain all the time.

The nurse seemed like a friendly sort as she invited me into her lair. I sat down on what looked like a torture chair and waited till she came back. They always seem to have some place they have to go once they acknowledge you.

She did come back and set about her job. The rubber tourniquet was put on my left arm and the needle was inserted. And then she tells me it's a small vein. That should have been my first clue to run out of there. But I had my big girl pants on so I stayed. She told me it was a very slow drip because the vein was so tiny and she also had to use the pediatric vials ~ the ones the lab people don't like. Meanwhile that damn needle is still stuck in my arm and I am still looking to my right. It took like forever.

Finally she ripped the tourniquet off, with the needle still in, and I feel this P.I.N.C.H.I.N.G. sensation like no other. Holy hell! That mother hurt. I asked her what happened (since I have never had that sensation before from a needle) and she said it was a collapsed vein. All I could do was ask her why, since I have never experienced a collapsed vein in my entire lifetime. She told me it could be due to a high stress level. Me, stressed? Well, let's think about that a bit...

I had to get up at the crack of dawn, I was not allowed to eat or drink anything (other than water, which is not even on my diet), the traffic was heavy and we were running late for my husband's appointment, his therapy session went way over the usual time while I am starving, SO WHY SHOULD MY STRESS LEVEL BE HIGH?

I didn't believe that for one minute. No, I blamed it on her ineptitude. And after all that she then had the nerve to ask me for a urine sample. Like I can pee on demand. Oh yeah, that went over big. She's just lucky I was able to perform that little deed. I set it on the counter and got the hell out of there before she wanted something else from me.

And as far as my doctor is concerned? He won't be getting any blood samples from me for a long time. I am very good at running away from those. He's just lucky I was in a good mood when I decided to get it done this time. There might not even be a next time if I have anything to do with it. Maybe.

Not My Favorite Thing To Do

By the time most of you read this, the dirty deed will have been done and I will be going about my normal business. My doctor has been wanting blood work done for quite some time now, and since I am on a statin med for high cholesterol, I figured this was as good a time as any to get it done so he quits his whining about it.

I will be getting it done at a diagnostic center (sounds like I'm getting it done at a garage - maybe I should ask for an oil change while I'm at it), in the hospital. And this is what I will see when the nurse comes at me with her ginormous needle:



I absolutely detest needles of any kind. But there are some things in life that we must put up with in order to make other people happy. I could do without any of this needle business, and I am only doing it because I was asked almost a year ago. Yup, this procrastinator held off as long as she could.

Since the hospital is right next door to where my husband is currently undergoing therapy, we are making things easier by combining both. Because I must fast 12 hours prior, the appointment for my husband had to be made as early as possible so I don't end up wanting to kill everyone in sight due to hunger pangs. I didn't have to make an appointment because where I am going is a walk-in site, no appointment necessary. I will be meeting Dracula right after the therapy session, which should be around 9 am.

I guess I really don't mind needles as long as I don't have to look at them while they are doing their dirty work. I am just glad I have come this far in facing my fear of them. There used to be a time when I had to be tricked if anyone wanted to jab me with a needle. And then they had to make sure they could outrun me.

What Happened?

Although I am projecting myself to look happy through this cartoon, I am not. Well...maybe I'm a little happy. OK, make that a lot happy. I'm happy that Dale Jr. is still 4th in the points, but I am a tad upset that he didn't at least finish in the top 5. I was holding out for a win since he got both his first Busch and Cup wins at Texas, and that made me all sentimental and stuff leading up to this race. But it just wasn't meant to be. And even though he finished 12th and a lap down, all he lost was 18 points from last week. I can handle that.

I guess it could have been worse...after all, look what happened to Jeff Gordon. Ouch. Other years that would have made me quite happy to see Gordon exit a race. But now that he is Dale's teammate and also he is such a wonderful daddy, it darn near broke my heart to see that. He finished last in 43rd position, only the second time for that to occur in his career.

I spoke to the TV today. No kidding, I really did. When Martin Truex Jr's car starting acting weird and the announcers were saying the engine wouldn't last till the end, I got all excited yelling Blow sucker, blow! And then when the engine did let go, I was all over that too, yelling How does it feel? in reference to all of the engines Dale lost last year driving for that same nasty woman that Truex now has to put up with. Don't get me wrong, I am far from anti-Truex...I just wish he had a different owner. But maybe now he will understand what Dale went through, as did all of his fans last year. And maybe Martin will think twice before re-signing with DEI at the end of this season.

The next race is in Phoenix and will be on at 8pm this Saturday. I thought that would leave me with nothing to do on Sunday, and then I remembered I haven't done my taxes yet. The federal ones anyway. Well, they are done, I just need to enter them via the software and zap the pesky little things off to federal land. And we don't have to pay in this year; we are getting a very nice refund. Four figures. Yeah, baby!

Look Who Grabbed The Pole @ Texas!

It turned out to be a very happy day for Dale Jr. and a not so happy day for rookie Michael McDowell. Thank God for those S.A.F.E.R. barriers. He was able to walk away uninjured.

Mystery Building

For over a year as we drove around our community, we could see a building far off in the distance from where we were anytime we headed north of our house. Our normal routes of travel don't usually go north, but every time we did we would see that building. And one of us would always bring up the subject of wondering what it is. It always stood out, high upon the hill, among the houses scattered all around it.

We kept saying one day. This past Saturday that one day finally arrived. We kept driving around all the back roads that we thought were near the structure. From the distance we could see it, the only thing we could make out was that it was tan in color. We could not ascertain the type of building it was.

As my husband drove around, I as usual had my nose stuck in a book. I heard him say excitedly there it is! I thought he said there he is and my first thought was that someone was playing cat and mouse with us and was now behind us. I came back to reality when I was told to look behind me in the distance, and indeed there it was. I used the telephoto lens for this:

Now the trick was to get there from where we were, which was a different hill. The area is nothing but hills and valleys and nothing is level. Before we knew it, we were looking right at it and by choosing the right road we finally came right up to its driveway. We had noticed flags flying from each of its three spires/towers. At first we thought it was a private home, as our area is known to have celebrities sprinkled among us and most of those homes/estates/manors/mansions are well hidden for the most part. This one stuck out like a sore thumb sitting high on top of the hill.

This is what we saw at the driveway at the front of the property, and on the huge sign nestled in very neat landscaping was its name and what it was used for. At the very bottom it read Hindu Temple. (It was at the right of this photo)

As we continued on our way, circling it almost entirely, I snapped two more photos:


And before we knew it, we were at our house. We had made a complete circle and had found that the Temple is closer to us than we originally thought. Almost in our back yard you might say. Had we gone backward we'd have found it much quicker. As far as I know, this is the only Hindu Temple in our Valley. There may be others; I just don't know about them. And if this one wasn't on a hill, I might not have known about it either.