Monday, August 10, 2009

Not exactly what Mom and Dad expected

Well, we are back from Pocatello. As usual, TaiChi and Bufus and I were travelling pros in the House With Wheels. I did some navigating for a while.


TaiChi did some power-napping


And then I settled in for some serious napping, too.


I had to make sure Dad got the right turn-off though.

Turn here, Dad.


It looked like all was well.


But then I saw this sign.



Virginia?!? That’s a lot of states away from Idaho. Apparently the Starship Enterprise (as Mom and Dad call the House With Wheels - sort of a long story, but Uncle Charlie and his family call their motorhome the Battlestar Galactica, and since we are bigger than they are, we figured we’d go with the Enterprise. (Mom actually has ordered licenses plates for both our House On Wheels, and Uncle Charlie’s. Alas, NCC-1701 was taken, so we will just be ENTRPRZ)) hit Warp 9, got slightly off track and went East rather than North, and it went REALLY FAST . But Mr. Sulu (Dad, since he’s the one who actually ‘steers’ the ship, while Captain Kirk (Mom), sits around and gives directions - did I mention that my Mom is certified Nerd?) got us back on track and we made it to Pocatello.

Where Mom and Dad didn’t take any pictures. It was cold and rainy when we arrived Friday night, and then Saturday morning started off cold and rainy.

And the race car broke. Twice, actually. Uncle Charlie broke it the first time – he hit a cone head-on and ripped out the bottom of the radiator. So Mom and Aunt Linda drove someone else’s car. Note from Fi’s Mom: thanks, Cal! The Cobalt was a ball – a tad bit different from the Miata, but fun. We REALLY appreciate you lending us your car. Thanks to the helpful people in the Idaho region, we were able to get another radiator delivered to the course, and Uncle Charlie put in a new radiator.

Here’s a picture of the yellow car that Mom and Aunt Linda got to drive (neither of them is driving it here, but it shows you that we were really at an airport!). Needless to say, there are no pictures of the Miata….


So, in the afternoon session, it had finally stopped raining, and Dad and Uncle Charlie got their runs in, and then Aunt Linda did her runs, and then Mom did her runs. Well. She did two runs. (And hit A LOT of cones…) And on her third run got “red-flagged” (the race was held at the Pocatello Airport, and they have to stop running cars every time a plane taxied down to the runway, or a gas truck came by, or a fire truck came by – any car on course gets stopped with a red flag…). So, she came around, and got ready to take her ‘re-run’. And got up to the start and stepped on the accelerator, released the clutch (she told me this all in great detail) and went nowhere. Uncle Charlie dashed up to the car and had Mom shift it in to second gear and try to launch. The car shifted fine, but still didn’t go anyway. So, it wasn’t the transmission. But the car wouldn’t go anywhere.

Uh-oh.

So, Uncle Charlie pushed the car back to grid and had Mom start it up again while he looked under the car. And something was definitely broken. So with the help of some friends, they pushed the car back to the trailer, where Uncle Charlie got it up on jack stands, and determined that the rear axle on the passenger side was broken. And at 5pm on a Saturday in Pocatello? No such luck of tracking down another Miata axle.

So, with help from a lot MORE friends, they got the car pushed up in the trailer, and called it quits. And Mom started muttering something about ‘Stock cars’ again. I think that she wants to go back to the Big Yellow Car. At least until she can get something that has horse silhouettes on it…

Mom and Dad were hoping that they might be able to co-drive with someone else on Sunday, but no one seemed willing to offer up their cars (despite offers to help pay for tires), so Mom and Dad packed up the House With Wheels and headed back home.

Uncle Charlie and his family stayed so that the kids could run their karts, and when they left Sunday evening, the truck (that tows the trailer with the broken Miata) wouldn’t start. Aunt Linda and the kids came home with another friend from Utah, while Uncle Charlie stayed up in Pocatello with friends while the truck was getting fixed. Apparently the truck will be fixed tomorrow (the computer in it blew up), and he will come home.

So. I had a good time looking out the window (even though my teevee opened on to a grass field where people had cars and trucks parked and where kids played soccer, and where Dad threw my football for me; rather than on the race course), and I got to spend quality time with my toys.


And TaiChi got lots of quality sleep time in, and Mr. Bufus ruled his domain with an iron paw, but Mom and Dad were a little frustrated.


And now my Granny (Mom’s Mom) is sick, and I’m worried about Granny. I hope she gets better soon, or AirFiona may have to fly Mom back East to see her. (Actually, AirFiona will fly Mom out there at some point, but hopefully when Granny is feeling better.)

*whew* That was a lot of stuff going on, huh?

But to not end this post on a downer, I have a picture of Mr. Bufus for you. Dad had raw Ahi tuna for dinner a few nights before we left for Idaho, and Mr. Bufus got to have a couple of pieces. And this is a picture of a Very Satisfied Cat, taking his After-Tuna-Dinner Nap. He’s got the life!



*kissey face*
-Fiona

17 comments:

koko said...

Hi Fiona,
Your road trip looks very fun... especially getting to travel on that big house on wheels. You are a good navigator. Hope momma's mom would get better soon... and Bufus sure looks satisfied in that pic. I bet he is dreaming of more tuna :)

Licks, hero

bichonpawz said...

Hi there Fiona! You sure had adventures galore this weekend!!! WOW!! So sorry to hear about your Granny....hope she is better real soon...it is very HOT here and we can't really go outside...so we are hanging out in the A/C packing our H.O.W. (That's House on Wheels) so we can leave on Sunday...it's a big job and it seems to take mom and dad just forever to get the thing ready to go!! But we are pretty excited about it...hugs from Chloe and LadyBug, the NY BichonFrises

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Yummmmmmmm: TUNA!

Sorry the human khars didn't hold up well...

Paws khrossed fur your granny - we hope she'll feel better soon!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Dexter said...

Idaho, Virginia, whatever, it is all far away from Master Chew Sits. Why doesn't your house on wheels come here?

Sorry about Granny. I hope that your mom can visit her and make her feel better.

Slobbers,
Mango

Brind'Amour Clumbers said...

Gee, you're lucky to have a house on wheels.

Wiggles,
Brind'Amour

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

Wow Fiona, you have such a cool house on wheels...My Mommy says to tell your Mommy not to worry that she is definitely not the only Nerd out here my Mommy and Daddy are SO WAY nerdy!!

Hope your Granny feels better real quick!!!

Smileys!
Dory

The Army of Four said...

Sending wishes of healing to your granny!
Virginia, huh? Wowzers!
Play bows,
Zim

Nibbles Treats said...

What a great adventure. You guys sure do travel in luxury. Tucker gets car-sick. He would not do well in your house on wheels.

Lots of treats,
Tinkerbell, Oscar and Tucker

Martha said...

Hi Fiona
You are the best navigator - we have to rely on a sat nav but nowhere near as cute as you!
You guys look super comfy cosy in your house on wheels.
We loved the name!!!
love
Martha & Bailey xxx

Woodrow, Luna, MJ Campanella said...

sorry your zoomie car got boo boos - hope it is fixed soon

Woodrow - Sweetie & Sherman

Astrid Keel said...

Wow! your home on wheels is pawsome! I hope the zoomzoomz get fixed with no problems. :)

LuLu and LoLLy! said...

Dear Fiona, as typed by your human. Hi! We are Lulu and LoLLy we are 2 Maltese dogs. And we saw your point at Khyra's about you know its 2 hot when your tail melts and we were like OH YES THAT IS VERY TRUE and we live in Texis and so we have a lot of melting tails time. And so then we saw your pikture of the napping and we needed to say Two Paws UP! for this truly outstsanding napping!! it is probably some of the best we have ever seen and we are truly egsellent at it ourselves! Your Maltese PaLs, LuLu and LoLLy! http://www.luluandlolly.com

1000 Goldens said...

A red flag is good, right?

Best wishes for Granny, okay?

Lorenza said...

Hi, Fiona!
Sounds like your parents had an interesting racing time!
Paws crossed for your Granny! I hope she gets better soon!
Take care
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Unknown said...

Wow - Fiona - your humans do such exciting things. Not like mine who just seem to work and sit in front of the TV box eating their dinner! :-)

And I think it is SO cool that all you animals get to go along courtesy of the house on wheels!!

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

The Oceanside Animals said...

hello fiona its dennis the vizsla dog hay now that is wot i call traveling in style!!! hay if yoo git bak on i15 and hed sowth insted of north eventchooally yoo wil go by owr howse and then we can go joyriding!!! ok bye

Taffy said...

Hey, Girl! Can you explain something for me? I don't understand how your parents race. It doesn't seem like they use a race track and I've never seen cars race with lots of orange cones....so I'm just a little confused. Anyway, sounds like YOU had a great time even if your Mom and Dad did not. You are the most important anyway.
Snuggles,
Twix