Chapter 240

In a perfect world, Baby Walker comes in exactly one month. Right. We all know how that works. She is going to come when she is darn good and ready and not a moment sooner...unless she decides to.

Since Bob was in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week, I took the opportunity to check out the new Chinese buffet here in Auburn. No, this is not something I would normally do, however several teachers I know have been there and have lived to tell the tale so I took a chance. It was so-so, but I enjoyed the chance to eat things I don't come across very often. Although self-serve (hand-packed) ice cream was included in the meal, I passed it up. Hopefully that will help me live long enough for the fortune from my cookie to be fulfilled.

That evening there was a wonderful sunset out over the valley. Let's hope this is not my expected windfall!

While I was out front I noticed the lilacs were in their fragrant prime.

Saturday we went on the Jaguar Spring Thing Rally that is hosted by Jaguar of Tacoma and our Jaguar club. Jaguar of Tacoma provided us a catered breakfast in the showroom and there was a drawing for two club members to ditch their own Jaguar at the dealer and each drive crispy new F-type Jags ($95,000 price tags) in the rally. Sadly, it was not considered a permanent trade by the dealer and had to return to the dealer and collect their own Jag after the rally. The XKR-S GT Limited Edition is one of 25 in the USA sporting a price tag of $187,000! Although Jaguar has been generous to our club, this car  was not an option for the drawing winners. Jaguar said they just could not stretch their insurance rules that much. 

After driving for two hours, we ended up a half hour from home in Kent at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum. Here's the classic Miss Madison Oh Boy! Oberto hydro waiting on the curb to welcome us to the museum.

The hydroplane boats were really not my bag but I looked around like they were. The one thing that did catch my attention was this propeller shaft that had lost a couple of blades and as a report there was so much torque on the propeller shaft that it created a giant corkscrew! 

This is what the propeller shaft is supposed to look like. big difference, huh? 

This is the kind of huge engine that can turn a 1 1/2" shaft into modern sculpture.

Now we're talking! Once gain I find myself at the front of the second buffet line of the day...and my third buffet of the week. Nirvana.

After lunch, the guys all disappeared into the hydroplane workshop where the volunteers are working on bring history to life. I haven't seen that attentive look on Bob's face since we went to a workshop on waxing cars. The hydro they are working on here is the Atlas Van Lines, the boat that Bill Muncey died in when it did a "blowover" in Acapulco. This boat should be restored and ready to do a demo run at this summer's races. Rumor has it that the driver will be Chip Hanauer.

Sunday I went to Carissa's to help her make curtains for Baby Walker's nursery. Here's a picture of Carissa and Bear being the most help they could be while "we" sewed. Note that Bear is sleeping on a pillow-topped memory foam dog bed. I don't think the Obama's dogs Bo and Sunny sleep in this kind of luxury.

Have a good week, Everyone!