A Hollywood Legend....

Paul Newman 1925-2008.

He had probably the most famous blue eyes in the world. They called Frank Sinatra "Ol Blue Eyes", but they weren't as memorable as Paul Newman's.

The man had suffered from Cancer. He was 83 years old and led a great life. His marriage was one of the most famous Hollywood marriages of all time. But not for turmoil, or affairs, but for it's length. He married Joanne Woodward in January, 1958, and they were still married at the time of his death this past Friday!

Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman after her graduation from Sarah Lawrence College in 1990. She was 60 and he was 65.

Paul Newman was a Hollywood icon, even though he didn't seem to live that lifestyle that we know as Hollywood. He used his celebrity for good. By coming up with his own salad dressing (appropriately named Newman's Own) he donated all profits from that to charity. He expanded on it to include other foods.

On top of all, his resume reads like the greatest films of all time list. He was Doug Roberts in "The Towering Inferno". Henry Gondorff in "The Sting". The theme song from that movie was stuck in everyone's head for a long, long time. It's running through your head right now, isn't it? You are probably even vocalizing the notes in some fashion. "The Entertainer". We will never forget.
How about Fast Eddie Felson in "the Hustler" and years later in "The Color of Money" with Tom Cruise? Nice that he was able to play the same character in both movies. And you can never forget him as Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford playing the Sundance Kid. Great Movie.
I know they were crooks, but I had wished they had been able to get away at the end of the movie.
And his most recent that I know of? The voice of Doc Hudson in "Cars". "Gotta turn right to go left." It's true. As a dirt race fan, I can tell ya, it's true! And it was very appropriate for him to have that role, as he was a race car driver himself untill not too long ago. They made him get out of the car he owned just a few years ago. The man was 70 something and still driving a racecar!
Paul Newman. A great man. A great actor. A great Icon. A great life. He will be missed. RIP, Paul.

Interior Pool Door open--Check Door (beeeep!)

Well, I am in Deep Creek, Maryland as I post this! How cool is that? I went to Dave's blog and posted comments, then signed into my own blog. With this whirlwind month we are having, I haven't had much time for blogging, and when I did, I was just too tired. When you are on the go every single weekend, you have to make sure the Laundry is done during the week, the house is straightened up, and that you have all your ducks in a row for the next trip.

The house we stay in down here is awesome. I will post pictures when I get home. I can't connect to this computer, as I didn't bring my USB cable for the camera with me.
The house has a huge great room, awesome kitchen and family room, 13 bedrooms, a game loft, laundry room and indoor swimming pool! AS a safety feature for people who rent this house that have children, an alarm sounds when you open the door to go into the pool room. In years past, it was just this annoying, loud beep. Not any more. Now its a digitally recorded women's voice that slowly, but loudly says "Interior Pool Door Open. Check Door" Then it makes a loud beep for a couple of seconds. And it repeats over and over and over until you hit the button next to the door. There is access to the pool from outside on the driveway too. 3 sliding glass doors. The dialogue changes to exterior door. If both are open, it alternates the messages followed by the beep. I hope I am spelling everything correctly and making sense, as I've had a lot to drink. Gorilla Juice. 1 part each of vodka and blue curacao and 2 to 2 1/2 parts each of pineapple and orange juice. Kicks you in the ass, but no hangover. Ever. Great stuff!

Well, it's going on 11 and I am tipsy and sleepy. Larry the cable guy is on tv. Maybe I'll watch him for a while and go to bed.........

It was 7 years ago today....

And I wish the next line was that Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. But, it was the day that America was attacked by terrorists. 9-11-01. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing?
People say that they remember that stuff the day JFK was shot, when they got the news that the music died (Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens were killed in a plane crash), when the space shuttle blew up and when the planes hit the Twin Towers that dreadful day. I was at work and my boss' mom called and told us what was on the news. The rest of the day was a blur. I just wanted to get home to Dean.
I have alot of "conspiracy theories" when it comes to things our government does or does not do. Here is my theory on the 9-11 thing.

Osama Bin Laden worked and planned for that for a very long time. The first bomb at the Twin Towers caused havoc, but not the destruction he was looking for. He wanted to hit us where it would hurt most-financially and spiritually. He ordered pilots to be trained to hit the biggest buildings in New York that were home to hundreds of financial businesses. To hit the Pentagon, possibly the Capitol Building or the White House, but that plane ended up in Shanksville, PA.
So, "as soon as we could see clearly through our big, black eye", we pulled ourselves together and started to heal and rebuild. Since that effort on his part did not yield the results he was looking for, now he is in some way controlling the oil. The price per barrel goes up, and in turn, the price per gallon goes up. That's what hits the Americans in the wallet. So, we have given up things to pay for the gas, and our lives aren't quite as luxurious as they were.
Why is that important? Because Bin Laden doesn't like how we live. We have it too good.
My husband believes that the price of oil goes up because the refineries were destroyed in the Gulf during Katrina. Naaaaah. Why would the oil proce go up now? They have been rebuilt. It's the price of the oil coming out of the middle east that causes the price per barrel to go up. And I truly believe that that is at the hand of Bin Laden somehow.
I am sad for all the people that had to parish that fateful day. I feel for their families. How hard it must have been and maybe even still be for some. But, America goes on.


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On my way to work, i came across some road work being done. The construction vehicles were sitting and working on a little side road, but, they had a flagger pserson working the intersection. The road I travel does not have a stop sign going to work, but coming the other direction it does, as well as the side streets in either direction, making the intersection a 3 way stop.
Now, to me, the flagger person is to help the flow of traffic not make it worse. So, shouldn't they allow the people with the normal right of way to have it and make the other 3 with stop signs stop and go when traffic with the right of way is clear? No, she stops everybody and give every one turns. Sometimes the people coming off the side streets got 2 turns in a row. or 3. It's just not right I tell ya! I didn't go that way for a couple of days and now, that construction is done. I just think the flow of traffic should not have changed is all! Is that too much ot ask?
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Saturday is the wedding of the Bass player from our Band, The Fabulous Gunslingers. The guys in the band can really party, so I think this will be a really fun wedding!



Dave, the groom to be



The band. The lead singer, Scott (in the blue shirt, center) is the best man. I'll let ya know how this one goes.......

Well, yes I know there has been another lapse in my posting. After we got the computer back, we were then busy cleaning and preparing for the cook out we had the Sunday before Labor Day. Sara, Henry and the boys came over as well as Dean's brothers and the one girlfriend and her daughter. Nick didn't show, nor had I heard from him. However, I did pass him today while driving home from work and he beeped and waved at me. So he hasn't disappeared or anything. Anyhoo, I was so tired, the last thing I wanted to do was try and put sensible thoughts together for my blog. Labor day, we just chilled out and made plans for our trip to Eldora in Ohio. Tuesday we worked and since we left at 12:45 Wednesday afternoon, Tuesday evening was spent packing and getting everything together and in the truck. Dean left work at 11 and I left at 12:15 and we were pulling out by 12:45 Wednesday. The drive was great. No problems. It took us about 5 and a half hours including a rest stop and a stop for gas. We were at our campsite before 6 and had camp set up by 7:30. After we munched on some sandwiches, I read my book to relax and Dean hung out. Thursday we went a got some supplies at the nice IGA up the road in the next town, St. Henry's. People are real friendly and are glad to welcome the race fans.
For some strange reason, I was really sick and couldn't wander too far from the camper's bathroom. But, there must have been something, cause the dogs had the poops too.
Thrusday night and Friday morning it rained, but not hard. Just a steady sprinkle. It cleared up and we raced Friday nite and Saturday nite just about on time. It took a little extra prep for the track, but that's ok. The racing was awesome! 175 cars took qualifying at 1 lap each. Those that wanted to try and better their time were given a second lap after the entire 175 cars took the first. Our boy, Bloomer, took his first lap at 16.565. He later came out and bettered his time to 15:555! That's a full second off his time! He's amazing! Now, these times might not mean anything to you. But here's the thing. It's a half mile track. So, 30 seconds would = 60 mph. So a time of 15 seconds = 120 mph! That's fast! It is also very cool to see.
After the concie races after qualifying Friday night, then the B mains Saturday, the Feature started 28 cars for 100 laps. Unfortunately, our boy, blew up about lap 30, so he was done. Turns out, an oil line came off.
One of the best parts of the trip is seeing our friends from Iowa.

I don't know the guy on the left's name. He's not usually there. Marty is in the middle and Kurt is on the right. They are really great guys that sit in front of us every year and we have a good time with them. Usually, a guy named Jason is with Marty and Kurt. Kurt is a huge Steeler fan. That is really cool. Fortunately, they are from part of Iowa that wasn't flooded this year.
Sunday, we packed up and headed home. No problems coming back, either. Stopped at Awful Waffle (yum) and gas and a rest stop and was home around 5:30, including dropping off the camper at my work. We left camp at 11 or so. Not bad.
I worked today and Dean had the day off. He went and got new tires on his car to prepare for inspection. Back to the grind for him tomorrow.