Slime, Sparkles and Squirrels...

What a crazy and FUN llllllloooooooooonnnnnnnnggggggg week-end I had!!!  First off - special thanks goes out to the great chef, the cook of all cooks... the guru of "slimy green stuff" - my Mother! She rebelled against her sense of "what's tasty and what's not" and made me some MARSHMELLAR salad!!!

I got a BIG bowl of slime!!! I'm so excited - I even got to bring the leftovers home (and nope, not in a cool whip container...)!!! Can you imagine?  Leftovers of marshmellar goodness? I have green stuff in my refrigerator...want some?  LOL

Then!  On Friday I wandered East.  Not really following a star or anything...just the sparklin' trail of glitter....  lots of pretty pretty sparklies...

I arrived at Winnie and Tulula's...and when I say I arrived I mean... I ARRIVED!!!  I was gonna go stompin' in wearin' my cowgirly boots and shout out thru my duct tape roll that indeed, the party could start since I wuz thaaar...but OH MY!  Was it goin' full force without me!!!  Talk about GORGEOUSNESS!!!  I couldn't even speak in the beginning 'cause my eyes were filled with sparklin' splendor!!! You know the whole "red.neck in a duct tape store" look?  I had it goin' on - I was skeert to blink in case I missed something!!!

 

Luckily for me I was greeted at the door by Daphne who steered me through the crowds to meet the great Mindy and David (not kidding - Mindy's a maniac! - it's like...there's another me out there! I love it!!!), then to meet the Trash Talkin' Diva herself -

Debbie (I want to be like her when I grow up!) and THE oh-so-famous Cat Daddy!!!  AND!  I got to meet Bella's Mama, Jenn (I'll babysit!!!)!

While talking to Debbie she introduced me to the absolutely incredible (and hilariously funny) Six Sisters!  All in the first 10 minutes!  Not kidding!!!  It was my idea of pure bliss - being surrounded by ABSOLUTE talent and fun - the glitter was the sparklin' icing on the cake!!!

And what glitter it was!!!  Everywhere I looked!!!  From Deb's space of Angels and silver mantles to Mindy's space of creamy Christmas trees and decanters (I'm trying to figure out how to get a ladder with a chandelier front and center in my living room at this very moment) -

all the way back to Margo's corner of "play with me and make something wonderful!"! Did I say - I GOT TO MEET THE ROBOLADY!!!

Oh... the luscious sparkles (and cool mannequins!) in between!!!  I had countless (and I mean countless) numbers of Debs' "squirrel" moments - I found someone to chat with and there I went, something to drool over and there I went...

and some havoc to wreak and there I...oh wait.  I always wreak some sort of havoc. Any.way.

Let's talk mason jars for a second here... *hiccup*... and the stuff that Mindy hides somewhere amongst her sparklies...

I'm going for more of that THIS week-end - and I'm bringing a really big mason jar with a duct tape label that says "mine.".  yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeee-haw! Perhaps she'll even let me wear her hat while I make off with her egg nog?

Wanna know what I got?  The gold bedspread I eye-balled at the junk exchange sale, then she grabbed it up!  Thank You Mindy!!! Seriously - I'm lovin' it that there's another "me"!  I AM going to have to take her one of my extra fire extinguishers...

I spent many a minutes loitering in the eye-candy-licious Willow's Nest area - everything was just so gorgeous! I walked away from that glittery eye candy with the most amazing pattern flower - with tons of glitter and a vintage button!!!

I thought for sure at one point I was going to double over from the constant giggling... between Mrs. Angelique and Mrs. Misty (The Six Sisters!) my sides were startin' to twitch!  They are HILARIOUS!  Add in Ms. Morgan (Misty's daughter) and the fun really kicked up a notch! One was holding faucets and springs in her hands while the other had visions of furry creations dancing in her head - both of them MEGA talented - and Morgan wandering around talking about the "old stuff".  (oh...I hope I didn't fall in that category... hmmmmm)

Then - I had to tear it up with Mrs. Trash... she definitely has true "white trash" style and grace (seriously - that's totally a compliment in this here neck-o'-the-woods)!!!  It was reflected in her glittery haven as well as in her words! AND!  She makes me feel so much better about leaving my sweaters hangin' 'round in my dining room...

don't you just love that?!!? The flower bouquets were made by Jenn - I need those too when I do my laundry. (mischievous grin goes here.) And oh my sparklin' stars - Cat Daddy has some stories to tell!  I could have parked myself somewhere and listened to all of his fun for days!

There were so many different talented talented vendors - each and EVERY one of them with BEAUTIFUL goodies I needed to bring home with me!!! I left a trail of duct tape so I can find my way back - SOON! Really, there's a good chance I could rattle on for hours, so how 'bout I send you over to David and let his gorgeous photos speak for themselves?! Some FANTASTICAL and GLITTERICIOUS fun was had by all I do believe, and I'm SO glad I didn't miss a single SECOND - or a single drop of glitter - or a single meeting of the coolest of cool bloggin' pals!!!

Dear Santa baby - you can drop EVERYTHING that was in Winnie and Tulula's down my chimney... I promise, I been a good red.neck for the past 5 minutes year.
;-D (that's my purely angelic grin...)

After all of THAT fun I got to hang with my most favorite 3 nieces (one of them is SUCH my mini-me!!! poor girl!), and their parents and their Uncle (who YAY just moved here from Florida!!!)  Watch out world - I've got back-up in the form of my lil' brother now..whooooooooowheeeeee  And Anne?  He's in your neighborhood.... bwoo hahaha!

Now, I'm off to glitter the single-wide, the cat and the resident teen if he stands in my way...

Have yerself a Happy Monday!!!
Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

You MIGHT be a red.neck

If...


You've ever had Thanksgiving dinner on a Ping-Pong or pool table.

Thanksgiving dinner is squirrel and dumplings. (EEEEuuuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwww!)

You've ever re-used a paper plate.

If you have a complete set of salad bowls and they all say Cool Whip on the side.

If you've ever used your ironing board as a buffet table.

Your turkey platter is an old hub cap. (Curb-side find maybe?)

Your best dishes have Dixie printed on 'em.

Your stuffing's secret ingredient comes from the bait shop.

Your only condiment on the dining room table is ketchup.

Side dishes include beef jerky and Moon Pies.

You have to go outside to get something out of the 'fridge.

The directions to your house include "turn off the paved road" at the stump over yonder.

You consider pork and beans to be a gourmet food.

You have an Elvis Jell-o mold.

You serve Vienna Sausage as an appetizer.

HA!
I don't care much for the Turkey 'n Dressing (I'm a beef and tater kinda girl) but step away from the Cranberries (the whole ones please!), the Bacon in the green beans, the Sweet Taters and the (and I quote my Mother) "Slimy Green Stuff"... 

Watergate Salad!

Here's What You Need for 8 servings (about 1/2 cup each)

1 cup Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmellars

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding

1 can (20 oz.) Crushed Pineapple, in juice, undrained

1.2 cup chopped Pecans (do you say "Pea-Cans" or "Pa-Con"?

1- 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip (then you can use the bowl for the salad...)

Combine those oh-so-tasty marshmellars, dry pudding mix, pineapple and nuts in large bowl.

Stir in the Cool Whip and refrigerate for 1 hour!

YEAH!  THAT EASY!!!  Even I can make it!!!  Whoo Hoo!!!

I hope each and every one of you have a WONDERFUL and RELAXING and THANKFUL Thanksgiving!!!  I'm off to harass family members and THEN - I'm going to roll my duct tape in to Athens on Friday to join in the fun at Winnie and Tulula's!  I get to steal Mindy's eggnog and talk some smack with Trash Diva Debra and see some friends I know and meet some great new ones!!! Wanna roll with me? 

Have a great one!!!  Lots of blessings coming your way from my single-wide to yours...hee-hee 

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...ha!
;-) Robelyn

P.S. You MIGHT be a red.neck if...
Your secret family recipe is illegal.

Thanksgiving - In The Bag!

 MEMO

To:  All of You Who Inspire Me.
Date:  November 24, 2009
From: red.neck Chic
Subject: Thanksgiving, Purse-iversary and an Award.

(Yeah - watch THIS! - I'm going to roll the three subjects together like a super gigantic roll of duct tape.)

First - Thank You to Debra over at Talking Trash for awarding me with the Kreative Blogger Award - for some reason she thinks lil' old ME can out-trash gorgeous lil' old HER... as if!  She still and will ALWAYS wear the trash talkin' crown - with tons of sparkles! According to the rules, I'm supposed to list 7 things about myself. I think I'm going to follow along with the Trash Diva and list 7 things I am Thankful For!

Roman Numeral 1:
I am Thankful for the right side of my brain. The Alpha State. (yep, I researched that...ha!) It is solely responsible for my Ten Year Purse-iversary! For TEN whole years (this week!) I've been plugging along with in.di.vid.u.al Objects - the original "brain child" and my launch into the handbag world! Whew - that's a lot of brain activity.

Did you know that I have NEVER used a purse pattern?  Each pattern that I use for my bags (and bags I have made for others...what can I say, they had GORGEOUS fabric I got to play with!!!) is designed by moi, in my laboooooooooratory and tried and true 'til I deem it perfect! Then I start on another one... and another one... and another one... 

And I'm STILL waiting for Coco's phone call... geesh!  Where's she at?!!? 

Roman Numeral 2:

I am Thankful for Friends and Family!  They have ALL been there fixing my sewing machine(s), building sewing rooms, moving cutting tables and fabric... and more fabric... and more fabric - then moving it all again - even coughing up a belt or two 'cause I think it will make the purrrrrrrfect purse handle! Thank You for being my "purse testers" and... thank you to all males (even the resident teen!!!) for shaking your head and saying "that's great!" when I ask you what you think of my newest creation.

 

Roman Numeral 3:
I am Thankful for those who don't see the beauty in tarnished, broken and missing a few things - I'm talkin' Sparklies ofcourse!!! I thank them for catering to the "inner crow" (oh, a sparkley!  let me grab that!!!) that leases space mid-brain.  Garage sales, flea markets, junk stores, parking lots - I thank them ALL!!!

Roman Numeral 4:
I am Thankful for being able to Laugh!  Seriously - I am so Thankful for that!  I laugh when something - anything! - tickles my funny bone, I laugh while driving...just because - I laugh in the face of adversity!!! And in the past 10 years, I have laughed at a few of my creations... laughed when I felt like crying 'cause WHO KNEW the handbag world would be so hard?!!?... and I've laughed at every lil' baby step that has brought me here today.  LOLOLOLOL  Keep laughin' and people will wonder what exactly you're up to...that's my motto.  hee-hee 

Roman Numeral 5:
I am Thankful for being born and bred an American!  Without ALL of the brave Men and Women that have gone before me I wouldn't BE FREE to make purses...or anything at all!!! So, Thank You! (You should go read Mr. Flannery's post on Thanksgiving..he's SO much more eloquent than I could ever DREAM of being!!!)

Roman Numeral 6:

I am Thankful for food on the table (and in the microwave!), a roof on my single-wide (hee-hee) AND on my sewing room... and a heater.  It's cold...it's like...62 degrees today - brrrrrrrrrrr.

Roman Numeral 7:

I am Thankful for my day job.  I know EVERYDAY is such a struggle and SO many souls are struggling out there each and every moment, whether they have a job or they are currently searching.  The purse business is not THAT far in the bag..........yet.  So I am Thankful.

Roman Numeral 8:

I am Thankful for the world of blogging.  YOU have offered up so many opportunities for me, YOU have opened so many doors and windows for me, YOU have given me a glimpse into your world and YOU have extended your hands in friendship.  I am Thankful for YOU my bloggin' buddies.  I think YOU ROCK! (Not like a wobbly boulder... more like a sturdy foundation - with duct tape of course.)

Roman Numeral 9:

No....I can't count!!!  I just have so many things that I GIVE THANKS for!!!

Last but not least...I am Thankful for God.  Without him I am nothing.

Thank You for sharing my "purse-iversary" with me!!!  What are YOU Thankful for? I want to know, because I'm awarding YOU and your Kreativeness now!!!

I'm all ears and comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

;-) Robelyn

It's A Party...

... HAT!  Yep - you KNOW you have 'em layin' around somewhere!  Why not pull them out for Christmas?!  We'll have a Christmas Celebration!!!  Well, on top of the Birthday Celebration that Christmas is!

(You know the sound a record makes when you suddenly put your finger on it and it comes to a screeching halt?  Well...I just heard that sound...)

I think Jesus needs a party hat in my manger scene this year.

Come on, ring those bells, Light the Christmas tree, Jesus is the king Born for you and me. Come on, ring those bells, Every-body say, Jesus, we remember This your birthday.

Sorry, had to bring the slight break in for music...now you're going to be humming that lil' diddy for the rest of the day!  You're welcome. 
 

ANY.WAY.  I was perusing my Christmas selections going into my booth this week-end and found that I had NOTHING to cater to the "more contemporary" customers I have (and appreciate!)!  So, I remedied that situation...the red.neck way!!! Thus, the demolition of a party hat (or 5).

Let me show you the red.neck way!  Remove as much of the sparkles as you can (Yes. I actually said "remove" and "sparkles" in the same sentence...) from a left-over party hat.

Then stack some books on top of 'em so they lay flat!  I mean - FLAT!  The reason why?  Well...you're gonna "cone-'em-up" the other direction! I think I'm going to submit "cone-'em-up" to Webster.  I like that term.  You can say you heard it here first.

*snicker*

After they resemble the pancakes that I make (I forget certain ingredients that make them rise - my hat's off to the whole "frozen pancake" conglomeration.) lay them out carboard side up and whip out your trusty spray glue!

You might want to wear a mask when spraying - unless you are like me and forget what....the............ fumes.......can do.......... just...uhmmm.....uh....

what?

 

As soon as you've sprayed (no, I'm not calling you a skunk - geesh!) grab some burlap and lay it down, then plant the party hat - glue side down - straightening out the wrinkles, creases and air pockets!

Oh - the reason I "cone-'em-up" cardboard side out is because I'm skeert the screechin' purple, pink, lime and yellow would show through the burlap and therefore cancel out the whole "simpler/more contemporary" effect I was going for. (I just hope they don't look on the INSIDE - Whew!)

Next - whip your hot glue gun out of it's holster and get to gluin'!  Oh, I mean - "cone-'em-up"! (That was said in my most authoritative "wrangle-'em-up" voice...sorry you missed it!) Then, you just get super creative while standin' head first in your trim box (or - boxes...or - storage room full...)! Sequins, ribbons, buttons, ornaments...your options are endless!!!

A burlappy - non-Traditional - slightly contemporary (with the red.neck touch) - "contemporary" Christmas Tree!

 

I will confess...this is the only one I have completed out of my future red.neck Christmas Tree farm... some dip-stick didn't re-stock on her glue sticks and is now facing a real "non-sticky" situation *doh!*.  I'll have to get back to you on how the rest of 'em grow up for the Christmas Celebration!!!

What kind of Christmas Trees have YOU been making this year?

Now, I'm off to the sticky-stick store - I've got some Christmas Trees to dress and a lil' party hat to make!!!  Have a great day full of sparkles, glue and... burlap!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

;-) Robelyn

Glitterin' the Universe...

Did you know... when you are on a quest to glitter the world you sometimes laugh and the glitter just floats away like fairy dust - totally missing what you were aiming for?  I like the glitter that comes pre-mixed with the glue.

Which do you prefer?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee

;-) Robelyn

P.S. I'm on a quest to glitter my single-wide - Success is mine for the taking!!!

Can you tell I'm working on Christmas goodies? hee hee

YEEEEEEEEEE HAW!!!

http://www.vivalamoda.co.cc/

Look at me sew!!!  Flip through this AWESOME online magazine and there I am, on page 32!!!

I'm speechless and SEW excited I can't stop jumpin' 'round the shop like a hot tamale!!!  (yeah, I said it... ME!  SPEECHLESS!!!)

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Eye Spy... Part?

"Eye Spy" - the introduction:

A red.neck hops through a secret door in her duct tape mobile and discovers an alternate version of junking.  On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to past junk'n expeditions - only much better.  But when her adventure turns from fun to almost obsessive/compulsive quarter giving, and her duct tape mobile experiences overload such as it has never experienced before, the red.neck girl must rely on her resourcefulness, determination and true junkin' spririt to get it all back home - and create great things.

   

 

 

 

This lil' screen play will continue (probl'y ALOT - so much junk, so lil' time).........please stay tuned...

Now, I'm off to glitter or sew something - or sew some glitter... or spray paint some glitter... or glitter some spray paint... or sew some spray paint...or glitter a sewing machine...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Happy Wednesday!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Yikes!!!

This morning I started my morning foray across the back yard to my labooooooooratory in my hot pink and sparkly polka-dotted jammies (yep, that's my uniform) with coffee cup in hand - just to pull a HASTY U-turn back into the house... for my COAT!  It's cold and windy in Central Texas!  (Reminder: anything below 60 constitutes "winter weather advisory" in this here neck-o'-the-woods.) I am a winter girl though - BRING IT ON!!!  I'm READY! I love to bust out the coats (my favorite this year is a '50's brown one with a faux fur peter pan collar and HUGE buttons!), the knee-high boots, sweaters, scarves - HATS! I'm ALL about having wind wipped pink cheeks, the smell of logs burning in the fire place and having 5 to 10 blankets to huddle under - with the mandatory spiced apple cyder to tempt me out from under them all!  Have you ever caught a snowflake on your tongue?  Not that we have snow (or are LIKELY to see snow), but here's to hopin'!

Anyway... where was I going with all of this?

OH! When it's cold and windy - I WANT STEW!  (Don't ask...it could be a red.neck thing...). Let me share with you my favorite kind! This flavorful chili beef stew is made with stew beef, chile peppers, corn, kidney beans, garlic, onions, green pepper, and chili powder.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds stew beef, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chile peppers
• 1 cup heated beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cans kidney beans or small red beans (28 to 32 ounces total)
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (approximately 15 ounces)

Preparation:

In a heavy Dutch oven or kettle, brown stew beef in vegetable oil. Remove meat; set aside and drain off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings. In the same kettle in the drippings, sauté onion, green pepper and garlic. Stir in chili powder. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and green chile; stir in hot beef broth. Add salt. Return meat to the pot; lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender. In a cup, blend flour with 1/4 cup water; stir into the stew. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add beans and corn and heat thoroughly.

This beef stew serves 8. You can print this recipe here!

Since I can't cook and have been banned from the kitchen by the neighborhood association (which consists of cats, dogs, cows and various other wild life... as well as the fire department they built just for me!) I'm wonderin' - is it your dining table I can find a bowl of stew sitting out for me? I'll bring the cyder and - I promise - I'll leave my duct tape at home... HA!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Just Junkin' Around

Hi!  I have to tell you... even though I was racing towards Dallas this past Saturday morning, the junkDIVA in me won a few "stop here now!" arguments.  Yeah, they were one-sided arguments, but that's neither here-nor-there. I found time to screech around some corners and bust some U-ies!!!  The FIRST thing I did was stop by Troy and Rod's to see what goodies they had for me!  They were SO busy I didn't want to disturb them by chatting them up (you two aren't getting that lucky next time!), but I had a BLAST loitering in their warehouse for about an hour - and hope to do so again SOON!!!

I walked away with a handful of small things - but I'll admit... there were TONS of things I thought I needed! I grabbed a handful of belt buckles, some sparkly things, a couple of old cameras, a stack of matte board signs (which is hilarious - I spend all day around signs and STILL can't get enough of them!) as well as a various assortment of other play things!!! Fun - FUN!

My FAVORITE find?

A cameo brooch.  I ADORE cameos!  I think those two set it out there KNOWING I was on my way! (Thank You guys!!!)  I can be spotted wearing a cameo any and all days of the week... either around my neck, in my ears, dangling off of my wrist or on my handbag.  I can't get enough of them!  They are just SEW beautiful - the older, the better! I like to think about the original "wearer"... who did she get it from? Did she wear it only for special occasions or every day?  Is the relief her or the image of a loved one? Can you imagine me on a daily basis? I'd drive you nuts with my questions...

I can have on my grungiest jeans (with holes strategically placed) topped with my paint spattered tank top and STILL be sportin' a cameo. You MIGHT be a red.neck...or is that what puts the "She-k" in red.neck? Hmmmm....

I then wandered through the antique mall I have my refrigerator parked in to say "Hi" and see what I needed to shift around in my red.neck part of the world! Yep, that is one heck of a tulle and sparkley tablecloth wrapped 'round that dress form.  Doesn't every girl where her table linens out on the town? With a cameo? HA!

Do you see the microwave door on the top rack of the refrigerator door?  That's my "plan A" on my stop shop-lifting campaign. ;-)  I had set my "Thanksgiving Table" the week before and thrown in some extra fall/winter items!  Here is what my table LOOKED like;

It doesn't look quiet this full now - which I am thankful for! I like it when others find something in my neck o' the woods that they enjoy enough to take home!  Do you remember the chalk board books?  Well, those - along with the "menu board" - didn't make it a week!  Oh dang... now I'm going to have to bust out the chalkboard paint again... HA! (LUUUUUUUUUUUUVE that stuff!) I'm also minus a few pieces of amber glassware and some silver plated trivets and trays - luckily for me I found some of those this past week-end too!

You see golf balls... I see "red.neck snowballs". Yeah, that gets a *snort* out of me too, but I'm seriously serious!  You gots to do what you gots to do 'round these parts.  I found the golf balls and the antlers while digging around in yet ANOTHER junk pile and came out with the antlers in hand like I had found a barrel full of duct tape!  These are going baby pink instead of the "in-your-face" hot pink I enjoy so much... necklace holder anyone? The silver trays not only make GREAT chargers for a mixed up/matched up table setting, but they make fantastic chalkboards and clocks... as well as being gorgeous just hung in a grouping!  I also like to see stacks of 'em - so simple and pretty!

Annnnnnddddddddddd............ since I was in the general vicinity, I screeched to a halt in Poetry, Texas to see Mindy's goodies!  EEEUUUUUUWWWWWWWWW La La! That girl's got some SERIOUS eye candy!  Next time I'm emptying out the great junk machine before arriving at Primitiques 'n Poetry so I can load it back up!  There were roughly a few dozen items I could find a good and loving home for!  Have you been there?  If not, add it to your "must do IMMEDIATELY" list - before I get there and take off with everything... including the four-legged welcoming committee!

After that I headed off towards the art gallery to see what trouble I could get in to (and drop off some new bags - they are selling fairly well up there!). Brandon and Steven were having a YART sale (it was a gorgeous day!) and having a blast with it; so I left them to sneak off towards my favorite thrift store up there in the big "D". Look what I found!!!

I have NO CLUE what it is, but I DO know that it's on its way to becoming the PERFECT display for some of my vintage ornaments and other Christmas fun! Do you know what it is? If so, will you let me know? There's no way this is something as mundane as a planter... is there? (If it is something as simple as that, could you please make up some crazy wild name for it and a story about what it was originally?  I promise...I'll fall for it!!!)

Add a couple of way cool lamp shade frames and a few vintage trims and I think that sums it all up!  ALL of that before 2pm...yep, I drank lotssssssss of coffee (minus the phone...).  This week-end I'm on the hunt for some footstools!  If I pull up a chair do you think they will come?!!?

What are YOU screechin' 'round corners and bustin' U-ies for this week-end?  If I see it, I'll U-turn for you...

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

Gas Prices Too High?

Whew!  I made it back from the NASCAR races!!!  I know, I know...you've just been chompin' at the bit to hear the details, right?  (I'm rollin' my eyes...)  What FUN it was!!!  11 rows off the track!  I heard it, I felt it - I wore it home!  A nice lil' sunburn (working on my freckle collection...), black tire rubber on my cheeks (oh!  red.neck make-up!), gas fumes in my hair (along with a new hair care line!)...and I still can't hear right!  I'm still walkin' around going "what?  WHAT?" - aren't you horribly dis-heartened that you missed that?  (do you think my eyes are going to get stuck from rolling them?  LOL)

It was all just too incredible!  Starting with walking down the infield (or would that be, playing frogger down the infield?) - Every race fan in the tri-state area, and probably a few stragglers from other states, were ALL there!!! I think I walked that whole half of the track with my eyes as big as the platters I luuuuuv... hanging on tight to my fav.o.rite photographer so I didn't get lost in the crowd! Of course, I had to stop at Tony's trailer so I could get a new hat...

I am now the proud owner of a pink hat (I know, orange headed girls aren't supposed to wear pink, but HEY!  It's TONY!!!) with a sparkly 14 front and center! Hel-lo...Tony AND sparkles?  Be still my racing heart...

THEN the REAL fun began!!!  ZZ Top was the opening act (lil' ol' band from Texas!), followed up with the introduction of the drivers (I'm almost CERTAIN that Tony winked at me as he passed by and said, "I'll call you later!") - (there goes the eye roll again!!!), then it came...

Flying through the air as graceful as a bird, a gen-u-wine Chinook helicopter straight from Ft. Hood, Texas.  And guess what?!!?  It landed RIGHT in front of me!  I had to hang on to my seat when it landed, and I had to hang on to my seat and try to find my hat when it left!!!  What did it leave?


The pace car of course (there's the coolest video on that link)!!!  Only in Texas Ya'll!!!

Next up?  A moment of silence in observance of the fallen soldiers from last week's Ft. Hood tragedy, the invocation to get everything kicked off (I love that part.  Why has it been removed from all school events?  I don't get that at ALL!!!) and the Star Spangled Banner!  That song gives me goosebumps each and every time...and to look around at the HUGE crowd in the stands, I know I wasn't the only one!  Flags were flying everywhere the eye could see!  Follow all of THAT up with...

The flyover!  Can you say... VERY LARGE PLANE?!!?  Everything IS bigger in Texas, right?  ha!  Then I heard it...

It came across the loud speakers - It filtered through my scanner - you could feel the excitement in the air and see everyone hold their breath (I think you could have heard a piece of duct tape drop!)..."Gentlemen, START YOUR ENGINES!!!"  That's when i lost my hearing for the next few days. "What?  Huh?"

There were a few bang 'em ups - Jimmie Johnson (the points leader) got taken out in the 2nd lap (He's not one I cheer for, but I have to say - I felt really bad for him and gave him a shout out when he made it back out on the track... over 100 laps later!) and Deb, I'm sorry about the back flip - I did try to get you one!!!

And 'round and 'round they went...and went some more... and went some more!  The Busch brothers fought hard ALL the way through the race - the number 18, Kyle Busch, had the chance to win all 3 races in Texas, but...

this is where the title for this post makes some sense...

MOST OF THE LEADERS RAN OUT OF GAS!!!  I'm not kidding!  It was such a "non-action" race towards the end that they almost ALL of them ran out of gas!!!  Usually at the end of the race I'm standing on top of my seat yelling and shouting and cheering...this time?  None of that!  I was standing on my seat, but looking around going, "what the heck?"!  Cars just RaNDomLy parked here and there - all over the track!  A few coasted (yes - COASTED) in to pit row (a couple almost didn't make it out!!!) - but the end of the race LITERALLY just ran out of go-go juice!!!  The sad part? Number 18, Kyle Busch, ran out of gas AT THE VERY END - after LEADING most of the ENTIRE race (232 of 334 laps)!  Serious fuel situation - took out ALL of the top 5 - with TWO LAPS TO GO!!!  And what about Tony? (I know you're wondering about him - thank you for your concern!!! (eye balls are rollin' yet again...))

 Well, MY man went in and got some gas (when there were a few laps left) and came in 6th... but at least he didn't run out of gas!  Not kidding...cars just RANDOMLY parked all over the Texas Motor Speedway at the end of the race!!!  I giggled all the way out of that race track... then I stopped to get some gas.

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... hee-hee
;-) Robelyn

P.S. Tony - if you are reading this - call me.  Number is: BR549.  YEEEEEE HAW!