The New Other Woman

In the midst of our holiday craziness, my darling, wonderful Hubby found himself a new project. A New Other Woman. Another woman who is available year-round, unlike the first Other Woman, who has been relegated to a friend's barn in the off-season.

Once again, she's older, bigger and will become a giant suck of time and money. And once again, being the thoughtful, kind wife that I am, I approved.

Here she is.

That folks, is a 1970 El Camino. It originally belonged to Hubby's (step)grandfather's dad, but has been sitting in Grandpa's barn for the last 30 years. It hasn't been registered since 1985, but we're pretty sure Grandpa renewed it for a few years after he stopped driving it.

Grandpa has had a few people express interest in the car over the years, but he wasn't ready to give it to just anybody. When Hubby's dad casually mentioned that someone else had come by to see it and Grandpa was thinking of selling, Hubby's ears perked up. We went to the building and checked it out, saw that it needed some TLC (and to be aired out for the next 30 years) and Hubby offered to buy it. After Grandpa grilled Hubby's dad on why exactly Hubby wanted it - "But what's he going to DO with it?" - it was ours. For "free." (Nothing about this car from now on will be free.)

Grandpa is meticulous about his vehicles, so he kept it in stellar shape for the years he used it. But it hasn't been used in quite some time. We brought it home at Christmas, and a few weeks ago, Hubby had cleaned enough out of the engine to actually start it. It needs new tires and new brakes before it can move from its spot in the third bay of the garage.

And that's just the beginning.

We figure he might have it done by the time Nathaniel graduates from high school...

...in 2025.

The Brickyard 400

I did something Sunday I never thought I would do.

I went to a NASCAR race without Hubby. Or his grandfather.

I still remember the first time I sat down to watch a race on TV with Hubby. It was the summer before our junior year of college and I was asking a lot of questions (as I tend to do) to try to understand what it was about racing that held his attention. I just thought it was a bunch of guys turning left forever.

Hubby has attended every Indianapolis 500 since he turned 13 and until now had only missed the inaugural Brickyard 400. His grandfather has been attending the 500 since the 1960s, and Hubby was the only one of his family who really got into racing, so has been at his side for years.

The following year I got to go to my first 500. I was hooked. There's something about being at the track, watching the cars whiz by at amazing speed and with the kind of high-pitched whine that the unruliest toddler can't rival. Helio Castronevez won that year, and famously climbed the fence.

Grandpa had enough clout to get a few more tickets so I could eventually go to the Brickyard as well. Hubby's favorite driver, Tony Stewart, won his first that year. The cars are so much brighter in person and if you close your eyes, you can feel your ribs vibrating when the cars drive past.

Every year, we get up early and head to breakfast. We talk about who's on the pole, who didn't qualify and I end up picking Grandpa's brain about the history of the race. The last few years, my brother-in-law has joined us as well.

I've frozen to death at the 500 and melted in the failed-tire-fiasco that was the 2008 Brickyard, when tires were blowing out left and right and they had to bring in the cars every 5 laps for new ones. I've seen 4 races pregnant, and wondered why I thought sitting in Indiana's 90-degree July heat was a good idea. I was keeping hydrated, but had to pee about every 10 laps. I saw Danica Patrick nearly become the first woman to win at Indy, when 250,000+ people were on their feet, cheering for a chance at history.

And the whole time, I had Hubby and Grandpa with me. I never met my grandfather, so he's as special to me as if he were a blood relative. But this year, after a terribly slow and painful walk into the track in May, Grandpa admitted his knees weren't up for the Brickyard this year. He's gonna talk to his doctor and see what he needs to do to be in top shape by the next 500. Can't let that nearly 50-year attendance streak die so easily.

Hubby stayed home with a mystery illness that we now know is an ulcer. Like HOME home. I drove to Indy without him. I couldn't believe that I was doing all the things we normally do on race day, just me and my brother-in-law. I was even more impressed that I remembered the back way into the neighborhood where we park, without needing my brother-in-law's GPS or the over-the-phone walk-through with a map in front of me that Hubby insisted on the night before. I couldn't tell you road names, but I knew exactly where I was going.

Hubby's cousin and her boyfriend used two of the tickets too. The four of us had fun, and maybe this was foreshadowing what is to come - the younger generation taking over. We probably won't wait until 13 before we take Nathaniel to his first race, if we have the opportunity. And I was kinda "in charge." I still feel like a kid a lot of the time, especially with family (never mind the fact that next month I'm turning th... thhh... well I can't say it, but that number after 29).

I texted Hubby throughout the race, knowing it pained him to be missing it, but I couldn't NOT turn to him when something happened. I had to have him to talk to.

And I hope I don't ever have to do that all again alone.

The other woman

Well, it only took 6.5 years of marriage, but the hubby has found another woman. She's older, but looks really good for her age. She's gonna be demanding, and take up time and space in our garage and in his life. The kids are already crazy about her.

This, ladies, is my competition. A 40-year-old Sunfish sailboat.

Anyone who has met the hubby for more than five minutes knows he really, really wanted to be able to sail. He crewed for a summer out of Michigan City, but the drive and time difference were killing me, who was left at home with baby Nathaniel. He's filled in here and there on Lake Michigan and in Syracuse, but not enough to really soothe the itch.

I am not against sailing, but the last time I was in a sailboat with him, we capsized into Lake Michigan. Not exactly fun. He had to take care of the boat first, because technically it belonged to Marquette, and I was apparently fine to shiver on the rock wall until he had things under control. But that's another story for another day.

This summer he taught a friend's sister and brother-in-law what to do with the sailboat they had just bought and that tipped the scales. He was convinced he needed to get a boat big enough the whole family could go on. We took the kids out on a thank-you spin but I was so nervous because I hadn't duct taped them to their seats. I did not enjoy myself and I'm pretty sure that afternoon shaved five years off my life. Monkeys and a  sailboat do NOT mix. Nervous Momma + monkeys + sailboat = Heart attack!!

So I talked him down to something smaller that he could tool around in and MAYBE take me out too. In walks in The Competition. She was for sale on eBay and within driving distance. Older boat, but barely used and only had one owner. It was "small" enough it could be strapped to the roof of the van and "light" enough I could help him unload it.

Light my butt! He is currently researching trailers for The Competition since his weakling of a wife can't even hold her end of the dang thing, let along hoist it overhead.

Hubby is like a kid at Christmas. I'm pretty sure he's only thinking about two things and the other is his boat. Every conversation seems to come back around to her. It's amusing, for now...

For the record, I did willingly give my blessing. The moping that would have ensued if he hadn't even tried to bid would have been ridiculous. Don't even get me started on what would have happened if he LOST the auction. So glad no one else bid on it. My theory is hubby with a sailboat who disappears on the weekends will be happier than hubby with no sailboat who is stuck at home. I might even get a few more girls' nights out of the deal.

Maybe this other woman won't be so bad. ;-)