They are EVERYWHERE!!!

I was just thinking ( yes. I do that sometimes). There are school children everywhere I go. And I don't "go" often. Case in point: On the light rail back from the Twin's game last week Dan & I sat across from a Mom & her son. I intentionally sat there because I expected I could relate to and intermittently interact easily with a Mom and a middle school- aged son. I assumed that they would mostly be preoccupied with each other and that Dan & I could hold our own conversation. WRONG! The kid was a little smart alec & I'd bet his name was Hunter or Trey or Devil.

Anyway, I immediately knew that this was a gross error in judgment on my part, got the impression that this was a single Mom & this was her only child. I would NOT be able to sit across from this for TEN minutes much less 45. I also knew that I was going to have to make a move soon... because the game was over, more people were coming & it wouldn't be long & two adjoining seats would be all taken.

I tried, people, I really TRIED to think of a graceful way to exit, but I just couldn't think of a way to excuse us without being obvious. So I just went for it. I looked at the lady in the eye as I literally pushed Dan out of his seat ( he had no idea what was happening!) and said ,"Maam, I teach Junior High School and I just can't TAKE this!!! ". She was super surprised and with a forlorn look on her face ( or was that hatred?) she said "oh! Really?". I thought to myself, yeah, REALLY!!!!

The look on Dan's face was easy for me to interpret. He was amused, not in any way surprised & was very helpful in finding two adjoining seats facing away from those two so I wouldn't have to make eye contact with them. What a nice guy :)

Flash!

I have a LOT to learn

about adequately documenting a motorcycle "trip chronicle". On the motorcycle forum I frequent, they have it down pat. How do they point & shoot while RIDING? I wanted to give a birds\'s eye view of what it looks like to be riding in formation ( in a group ride, there is protocol... very serious stuff) but really have no idea how to accomplish this (yet).

So here I give you my lame attempt... the background... I left at 9:00 to meet up with fellow riders at the Honda House. Only 3 show up: Mona... the leader. She mapped out the route & took the front. I was behind her & Diane & her passenger, Angie, a high functioning downs syndrome young woman behind me. The leader rides the left half of the lane, the following rider is staggered... back about 4 car lengths & uses the right part of the lane ( I was 2nd... newer riders are toward the front) , the next rider, staggered , 4 car lengths back & in the left part of the lne.

That way, everyone can see everyone in their rear view mirrors & so hand signals can be passed back. They are universal.

When you come to a stop sign, you pull up & stop next to each other in pairs: rider 1 & 2, rider 3 & 4 next. Then, when the coast is clear, rider one takes off first, rider two not far behind, then rider 3 & 4 & so on.

More than you care about I'm sure. Today was the longest ride I went on. It was 258 miles. I got home at 7 pm. We ate lunch in Brainerd, drove to Aitkin, stopped at DQ, gasses up a few times... the longest I rode with out getting off to stretch was around 100 miles. That was long enough. Staying hydrated is important, taking your gear off & getting into a cool place is important. Aleve is important. Laughing, admiring each other;'s bikes is important, the stories behind them are important, giving each other a hard time is important & more than anything, keeping an eye on each other & safety is first.

Enough...some picts Mona is in the yellow jacket. Diane & Angie ( downs) are obvious(ly NOT ATGATT or all the gear all the time) & Deb , met us in Brainerd. She is a new rider as well.:

She improved her scores!!!!

Both quantitative & verbal. The writing score still needs to be processed. Now....will they be good enough????

Thanks for any prayers by-the-way :) Wow. What a relief!

Flash!

Alone at last.

In a few hours Dan, Jessica AND Buster are going to Rochester to stay with the Haradens for the weekend. The reason? Jessica is scheduled to take the GRE tomorrow at 12:30 IN Rochester & Dan is her designated driver & Father savior who will wrap her in his big bear arms if she doesn't improve her scores.

Well, that is my take. Here are some other possibilities:

In a few hours Dan, Jessica AND Buster are going to Rochester to stay with the Haradens for the weekend. The reason? Jessica is scheduled to take the GRE tomorrow at 12:30 IN Rochester & since Grace dissed Dan at Como & refused to let him carry her or hold his hand, he wants to convince her that he is a perfect Grandpa.

or

In a few hours Dan, Jessica AND Buster are going to Rochester to stay with the Haradens for the weekend. The reason? Jessica is scheduled to take the GRE tomorrow at 12:30 IN Rochester & Dan is sick of me and needs a break.


or

In a few hours Dan, Jessica AND Buster are going to Rochester to stay with the Haradens for the weekend. The reason? Jessica is scheduled to take the GRE tomorrow at 12:30 IN Rochester & Dan senses that I am sick of him and need to be alone.


In any case, one thing remains constant & that is that Jessica is taking the GRE ....again. Pray for her. All else is irrelevant at this point.


Flash! Who may be going on a group ride to Brainerd with the local chapter of WOW
( Women On Wheels) tomorrow.... a good distraction from GRE world & since riding a motorcycle involves prayer, it will be a good fit .

More summer fun.

I have the week off ....




Flash!

Como 2010

Fun day yesterday! The evidence:

How I can tell that Jessica is "home".

From the most obvious to least:

1) Buster cannot rest. He faces the door with one eye open even when Dan & I are both watching TV.

2) There are never fewer than 3 full boxes of cereal in the cereal cabinet.

3) There is a gym bag in the entry way.

4) I have to watch for her car when I back out of the garage.

5) There is a Toshiba computer on the couch. Hmmm wonder where THAT came from!

6) There are neon note cards with vocabulary words on them in a baggie on the couch. She is taking the GRE in 10 days for the third time. Pray for her.

7) I begin to go through serious with drawl when she hasn't been home in two days :)

Flash!