Street Legal

My "baby" girl has become mobile. Even more so than before! Tighten up those seat belts, and check the brake fluid... my daughter Whitney passed her driving test last night, and is now behind the wheel! That's right she is now Street Legal. Of course that's something completely different than "dad" legal, so the solo joy rides will be kept to a minimum. When the little blonde girl asked, "well if I can't drive now whenever I want, then what was the point of getting the license?" Big Red summed it up simply by saying... " it's just something else we can choose to take away from you, if you aren't doing what you're told!" : ) I nearly bit my tongue off to keep from laughing!!!

Whitney is now part of the driving legion, and gets all the benefits to which she is entitled, like backseat drivers, senior citizens on a Sunday drives, with the left blinker on for days, road rage, flat tires, all the real joys in life!

But in all sincerety I am SUPER proud of her for passing her test, and I'll be the first to point out that the parallel parking spot that the drivers have to manuever into now is a helluva lot smaller than it was when I took the test. Of course, I was taking the test in an Oldsmobile at the time! Nonetheless, congratulations baby girl! Great Job!

As for me, I'm in some pain today. My right knee is "screaming" right now. It had been aching last week, so I took 3-4 days off to give it some recuperation time. I ran yesterday, without much problem, but then after the 3 mile workout was done, and just normal walking through the rest of the day, became a problem. Last night it was all I could do to climb the stairs at the house to get to the bottle of Advil! Today, I skipped the workout altogether, but I'm in some pain, from just sitting here most of the day. Big Red called the doctor who is working me in for an x-ray. Although I think I'm dealing with a "soft-tissue" problem rather than bone. But maybe they'll be able to see where bone and bone grinding is taking place. I've said it before, but man it really SUCKS TO GET OLD!!! I hope they can present me with some viable options to get me back on the running trail. It'd be a shame to have come so far, dropping some pounds, feeling better, etc... and then have it all screwed up by an injury, or worse, the body just giving out.

Still on tap for this week: Thursday Night is the Eagles drawing. A couple jack and diets will help silence that damn knee! Friday is Poker Night at the Yanok's for their December qualifier(s) and then followed up the following afternoon by their Year End Tournament. Big Red and I working out some conflicts with Cole's basketball and bowling schedules to try and fit these games in. The mother-in-law may get elected. I really hate to have to miss a freeroll with a $1,000 prize pool for around 15 players... but I will if there's no other alternative. The KIDS do take precedent. (He just better play his little heart out!) : ) Maybe the new driver in the house, can pick up some of the slack, AHEM!!! I mean Uncle June has already determined that she can now be a designated driver!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Stick shift... no big deal! : P

Super News!!!

Whitney can drive a STANDARD now!!! I took her out for her second lesson behind the wheel of her car today. I let her drive around in the same parking lot again for a while and then got her out on the street (with very little traffic) and get some more speed and as high as 3rd gear, before coming to a stop again. Then, after that went well, without many "stalled" attempts we did some more adventurous stuff. She even pulled into a parking spot, reverse, and even the dreaded taking off from a dead stop when your sitting on an incline! She did so well, that she got to drive us back home from the practice lot. Once she got out in the real world she thought less and less about the shifting and clutching process and just did it like she was an old pro. When we got home, I asked her with a somber/straight face, "so do you think you'll be able to learn to drive a standard now?" The smile and the laughter told the story! She knows she's got it now, and that given more time she'll only get better. I told her the most important thing is just not to panic, and just pay attention to the task at hand. I'm very proud of her, and glad that she's picked it up and doesn't feel frustrated about it anymore.

This will rank up there among some of the best father and daughter memories that I'll remember and try always to treasure. Great job baby girl!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Bug Pix!

As promised... here's some shots of my baby girl's car. It's a peppy little thing! Yes, it's a standard. Yes, she whined some about that fact but in my firm "dad-voice" I piped her down! I told her to trust me, I'd have her driving a stick shift in no time. Sorry the pictures aren't better, but hey it was raining outside at the time. I'll work with her this weekend, and get that clutch foot/leg in shape real quick.


She's got herself worked up for nothing as most of you already know. We were all a little skiddish when we had to learn to drive one ourselves, but now much like riding a bike, even after a number of years we never forget how it's done. I made her feel a little bit better when I told her that her mother "stalled" in it twice yesterday... once while trying to show off to the Wolfe Clan. That one was priceless.

Anyway, I wanted to get these posted up for the world to see. I know this pales by comparison to the major things going on in our world today, but this is a pretty big deal to us in our little corner of the 'burbs.

And ya gotta admit... it's kinda cute isn't it!!!

Later all, and South plays football again tonight. Let's GOOOOOO Patriots!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

A day turned around

Today wasn't going so well. Not at all... don't know why. No good reason at all. But then I got home and things improved. Really, and again for no good reason at all. Step one was to say hello to Cole and ask how the day at school went, and check on the homework situation both of which were "okay." I left him to continue playing with his wrestlers here in the family room, while I headed down to run my 30 minutes on the treadmill. Finished, showered, checked the homework. We all grabbed something to eat...then had a few various chores to take care of. Cole really pitched in and helped out, then he asked if we could pass the baseball around a little. It was one of the most enjoyable times I've had with my son in a very long time. He did well, we worked on some fundamental form, speed and accuracy. We even finished it out with him practicing "pitching." There were a few "wild" ones in there, but there was power and some really great pitches that came out. But aside from all the mechanics of the thing... it was just great spending time with my son.

I later had to go pick Whitney up from a track meet, and let her drive us home. I think I've mentioned the "learner's permit" before (shudders to self.) Well it is a reality people, but fear not, the lil blonde girl's doing a great job. Again, something very mundane and insignificant on its face, but I think this was a very good day, after all. When I tucked 'em in, I told them it was good spending time with them, and that I love them very much!

Whole day turned around just like that. They make me want to be better than I am. It's all about them. Luv ya kids!

Regards,

cheer_dad

My wallet shudders

While Cole and I were trying to stay warm last night down at Tri-C Baseball fields, my wife and daughter were out shopping on a whole other scale. The subject of a new car has been breached in the "casa de cheer_dad" and it's been brought up in casual conversation. Now that Whitney is of driving age (she has her permit now) she's eventually going to have to take the driving portion of the test. None of us were particularly looking forward to her taking the test in either my Dodge 1500 pickup extended cab, or Big Red's Durango for that matter. Frankly the friggin' Hemi is just not something that I think she'd find conducive to the stress of the test, and don't even think about the parallel parking portion of the test. And I'm not real interested in having her drive either of our current tanks out and about in the teenage world. Let's not even get into my blood pressure here folks. Suffice it to say we're wanting to go smaller, yet comfortable. Miles to the Gallon of gas is also a HIGH priority here people. My meager poker earnings just aren't covering the cost that OPEC keeps shoving down our throats. ANYWAY I've gone around the block with my story. So my wife and daughter go to "look" at cars last night. When I return home, nearly frostbitten, and aching from a baseball to each shin, and one to the ribs... out comes the new car brochure for the Toyota Camry. Suddenly I'm gettin' chatted up, something fierce. I know where this is all headed. I know yet another major purchase is looming on the horizon for me. So, I humor her and let her talk, not letting on that I've already spotted the pricing sheet that's already been worked up with her "Jane Hancock" clearly visible at the bottom. Folks what we have here is a done deal. It's all over but cheer_dad's crying. There's a Toyota Camry in my future. This has been further confirmed as of today, when I went down to visit my lovely wife at work (Credit Union) downstairs in my building and find her pouring over the paperwork, finalizing loan forms, a fax coversheet all but sealing my fate.

Okay, I'll quit my whining about it now. Much of this has been in jest after all anyway. I don't particularly like the Durango. My truck on the other hand is like my mostest favoritest vehicle ever! Although I offered to part with her... I wasn't looking forward to having to give her up. Luckily (I think) a compromise has been reached! Whew! And honestly this is a good looking car, that I think we can all be happy with. Now I know some of you way in the back are wondering in your male chauvinistic way about how I could let a "woman" go pick out and buy a new vehicle without having me around. Those of you who would even think it have never really gotten to know my beloved Big Red! Salesmen beware... you've bitten off more than you can chew. Go huddle at your friggin' sales tower and beg for the help of the Sales Manager. She'll take him on too. I wasn't present for the purchase of my last 3 vehicles. Once I showed up just to sign a paper and then left the showroom. The last time I did get to opt for the color that I wanted... and signed the papers and once again left the showroom floor. Trust me, I know my place. I bow to her supremacy in these matters. I just hope the poor salesman eventually recovers. So anyway, I'm sure by the weekend we will have completed the deal.

Like I said it looks to be a beautiful car. I'm sure my wife and daughter will enjoy driving it. I'll never even get close to the steering wheel. : ) Of course I haven't even factored in the exponential increase that I'll be seeing soon in my insurance premiums, thanks to having a new young driver in the family. Ain't parenthood grand.

Guess I better get back to the poker tables and improve my game by at least 10 fold or I'll never be able to afford it.

You there in the back!!! Stop laughing at my misery!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad