On The Road Again

Kory was up early today heading to Seattle to put his car in the Greenwood Classic Car Show. He looks forward to this day every year and today did not disappoint. The weather was perfect, he got to be surrounded by all the cars from his youth, and he had plenty of people to talk to with similar interests. I called him at one point to ask him something and I heard him tell a guy he’d had his Studebaker since 1964. I heard the guy reply, “So you bought it when you were a kid?” It’s hard to believe he’s as old as he is, especially when he doesn’t act like it or look like it and today he sure didn’t feel like it.
After we spent the morning cleaning and packing up the van back home, I drove the boys down to Seattle to have their chance to see the 800 cars on display just down the street from our apartment building. Tobias had purchased a camera before he left for America and I’ve taken him to some beautiful places this week but he hasn’t taken a single photo. Today he took over a hundred. I guess he likes cars. He also explained that the nature here looks a lot like Norway, so I guess that’s nothing to capture the memory of with a digital image, but those cars, oh, those cars. He was grinning from ear to ear all day.
Just down the block from where Kory’s car was sitting, there was a very customized old car that was made to look like a cartoon car (see photo). Tobias thought it was spectacular. Kory got to talking to the guy that owned the car and he mentioned this was Tobias’ first car show and he had just arrived from Norway. The car owner reached under the seat in his car and pulled out a customized cartoon poster of his car and gave it to Tobias, but told him not to show anyone because then everyone would want one. Tobias’ face lit up. What an incredible souvenir to get, especially since that car will be featured on a national TV program about classic cars. I think it made his day.
Kaleb spent the afternoon reading books in the library. I just left him there for a few hours then picked him up when we were done. He could care less about the cars, which breaks Kory’s heart, but at least he racked up some reading hours for the summer reading program competition.
After the car show I took the boys to visit Kaleb’s Grammy J (adopted grandma) for a little while before we took off on the first leg of our journey to Yellowstone. She was glad to see us and to meet Tobias. She gave them both a little pocket money to spend on their trip. She’s a good Grammy.
Our destination for the night was Ellensburg, which we made before sundown. I dropped everyone off at the hotel so the kids could jump in the pool, then drove over to my brother’s house to drop off a graduation card for my niece. I thought they weren’t going to be home this weekend, but they were, so I got in a quick visit with them. It’s never long enough, but I’ll take what I can get, as I love to spend time with my brother.
We have an early morning and lots of road in front of us tomorrow so I’m hoping we’re all exhausted enough to get a good night’s sleep, but after hearing some of my brother’s hilarious stories, it might take a while to turn off my brain. I’m so thankful I have one. A brain, that is. Or is that a brother. How about a brother with a brain. Never mind. It’s late.