My month in Indianapolis

Our annual trip to the Indianapolis 500 was, well, quite a trip! We left on a Saturday and were supposed to be on a 9:30 morning flight, but the lovely folks at American Airlines decided to cancel our flight and put us in a 6AM barge instead, so off we went at 4AM to LAX. Mom was not happy so neither was I. Always at the airport everyone says hello to me and Mom says that when she travels overseas, everyone asks for me! Nice to know I'm wanted and missed when I'm not around. On the planes the flight attendants are so solicitous of my needs, but all I want is a spot on Mom's lap and maybe some water before we land. Otherwise I need nothing but love. We drove down to Indy from Chicago in a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. It was easy to climb in and out of, always important for a little dog like myself, and the seats were very comfortable (ditto). We went directly to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway racetrack and hung out for a while, then over to Debbie's house where I saw my good friends Hector, Sierra and also Heaven, who lives with Debbie's mom Pam. Heaven's an Australian Shepherd - I like her but she sure has a lot of hair. The following days were a succession of going to the track, walking around the driver's coach area and the paddock, and staying in the media center while Mom went out to work. Uncle Dario invited me to come stay in his coach any time I wanted and Uncle Waddie kept giving me Great Dane-sized hugs all month. It was so nice to go over there and see Shug, Buttermilk, George and Arthur, who own Uncle Dario/Aunt Ashley and Uncle Scott/Auntie Emma Dixon, respectively. I even let them smell my woo-woo so they know how sweet I am. On race day we got inside the track before the cannon went off and then managed our way over to Honda hospitality for breakfast. I always like their food and Mom usually gives me a little here and there. Every time we go to Honda's coach, Uncle Bobby Unser is there; I really like him because he's funny and I naturally gravitate to three-time Indianapolis 500 winners. Uncle Dario joined that very exclusive club this year and we're so happy for him. The race was terrific - Mom spent most of it in the media center - it was noisy but not as noisy as the NHRA races (nothing is) - but most of the cacophony came from the other writers. Darn, they talk a lot! Especially Robin Miller, who sits just behind us. He always has lots of donuts to give away to the other journalists and Mom usually takes one, even though she never eats stuff like that at home. She went to the pits for the last pit stops and the final laps of the race, but came back after Uncle Dario won so I could sit in on the press conference. I always go to Uncle Dario's press conferences; I do like him so much. This year the Target people brought Bulls-Eye the dog into the press conference and I thought I was the only canine permitted there so I did the right thing - I barked at him. Didn't phase the boy one bit but everybody was laughing so I guess I did the right thing? Aunt Ashley came over to give me some love and let me know I'm still her No. 1 chihuahua. That was so nice. The next day we went home to Long Beach and Mom went back to pounding the keys while sitting on the sofa. It was nice being at home again and doing our daily walks but the second day I went flying off the sofa and hurt my left rear leg. At least I didn't break anything but Mom was very worried; she treated me with heat, massage and treats. Maybe I need to get hurt more often to get this kind of love? Well, maybe not… She left for Le Mans a week later and now I'm at John and Laurie's with Lilly the dog and the three cats. The first night we all slept together with the humans on the bed. Who said we need to get along? We do just fine…. Ta for now! Leah Oh, about the photos: there's one of me catching shade under Alex Tagliani's race car, a photo of me with rookie sensation Josef Newgarden, chillin' at Honda hospitality with Uncle Bobby Unser and Ashley Judd giving me the love at Uncle Dario's winner's press conference

It's almost time for Indy in May!

Some dogs get their pleasure in chasing balls; others like to play with toys. I just love being around people who like to scratch my ears and rub my belly. People are the best toys out there!

We've finally completed our four late winter/early spring trips to Florida and don't expect to go back until November - maybe. I don't mind Florida all that much and the wonderful vehicles we got to drive - a GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX were just right for the hikes to an from Steve's house in Satellite Beach when we went to Daytona International Speedway. Again and again and again, it seemed.

We also went to the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville and came back to Al and Sandee's house in St Petersburg for the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg season-opener for the IZOD IndyCar Series.

No matter where we went, it rained. And of course Mom didn't bring my rain jacket - shame on her! But she did bundle me up in plastics thises and thats so I didn't get too wet, particularly at Daytona for the Daytona 500. That was a real mess!

Everywhere we go, whenever I'm wearing my Mutt Muffs we get asked to stop so people can take pictures of me. Well, instead of taking your own, folks, just check out www.people.com, In Touch and Star magazines (April 23rd issues) and you'll see photos of me with Eddie Cibrian, the actor who's married to Lee Ann Rimes. I wonder if she's got the jealousy thing going over those pics?

Mom left me home the second week of April when she went to photograph the Formula DRIFT competition just down the hill on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (TGPLB) race track - they use three turns and burn rubber like crazy. It's a bit too noisy for me, so I just stayed home and acted like I was pissed off when she came home - which she did in the middle of the day to take me for a walk.

Walking was kind of tough for her because this little pug upended Mom on one of our morning strolls. Her foot got really swollen and she had to go to the podiatrist. He's a really nice guy and doesn't charge her a lot of money so that was okay - but she's never happy when she can't walk.. those very fancy Vince Camuto heels she got will just have to wait their turn until her foot's swelling goes down - which isn't happening because she has to be so active.

Oh, and speaking of rain, boy did it rain at Friday's TGPLB race the following weekend after Formula DRIFT. The Indy car drivers were probably pleased it washed off all the incompatible rubber from the weekend before, but it must have been very boring for all the people that had planned to go to the race. We spent the entire afternoon inside - only two drivers went out and one, Scott Dixon crashed! We went to the lifestyle expo and talked to people as we walked around. That was okay.

I don't mind being at the racetrack but I sure don't get a lot of exercise sitting in the media center all day. I do have people that come around and say hello to me, which is nice. That way I get my daily quota of ear scratches so thanks, all you journalists with a heart.

During the Long Beach race week, Al and Sandee came to our house, for a change, and we went to lots of good parties. We did the media luncheon on Thursday and then went to the Jim Hall tribute that night. Mom even put on her high heels for the occasion. I didn't get to go to the Racer party Saturday night but that was probably all for the best - lots of people and very, very noisy; I still let Mom know I wasn't pleased about being left alone - again - when she came back and then we walked around the neighborhood and did some local party stuff (which was a lot quieter).

We're off to Houston next week for another drag race, then to Las Vegas for a Scion new-car intro and finally, to Indianapolis on May 12th, so we'll miss wishing Helio Castroneves a happy birthday on the 10th. I'm sure he'll be fine with that. I'll just give him a lick when we're in the Penske garage.

I'm ready for 2012 - Really!

Yes, I have been a wayward dog since April, of last year failing to tell you about all my adventures. Please be kind.

As usual we spent the month of May at Debbie’s house outside Indianapolis as we worked the 100th anniversary Indianapolis 500, and stayed with her again for the NHRA’s Mac Tools US Nationals just a few miles away from her house.

When Mom went to Le Mans again this year, I stayed with Aunt Christie out in Aguanga, CA. That was so much fun, even though Scarlet Begonia wasn’t well and would pass on to dog heaven a short time later. I discovered the magic of rabbit holes – and I fit in ‘em! Aunt Christie was afraid of having me fall into one – just like Alice in Wonderland – so she kept me on a leash every time we went outside.

That wasn’t nice! It was supposed to be summer camp!

Silvi came to pick me up before Mom came home and we had a wonderful reunion in the lobby when she finally made it back from France. She keeps telling me she’s not going there this year, which means I’ll be doing a lot more traveling with her. That’s a good thing, I think.

We spend an awful lot of time on airplanes and in cars. There were lots of fun cars to check out this year; the only ones I really don’t like are the big SUVs, because it takes between two and three jumps to get into them. Mom always lifts me out so that’s never a problem, but I sure like to jump into the cars.

It’s fun to ride in cars.

When we went to Las Vegas for the INDYCAR finale this year, we drove a 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid that was kind of similar to the 2012 Kia Optima hybrid we had in Atlanta during Petit Le Mans.

I also liked the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec and the Hyundai Veloster. The Genesis coupe made Mom so happy because it had a lot of power, but I kept going from one side of the seat to the other every time she took a corner. Hope I didn’t put any claw holes in the leather?

The Veloster was cool because it had a third door, so I could have sat in the back and had my own way out, had I so chosen (but I am a front-seat dog, so never mind).

It seems like every day is a succession of big walks, sleepy time, big walks, sleepy time and over and over again. We walk between 2-3 miles before I even get breakfast each morning and total somewhere around 8-10 miles by the time each day is done. No wonder I have to sleep so much!

We flew a lot too, and the American Airlines flight attendants always treated me like a first class citizen, even when we were in coach. They always asked if I needed anything and gave me regular pats on the head. Pats on the head are important you know?

We had a fun Thanksgiving at Aunt Christie’s, where Mom and Christie did the cooking and got a little bit crazy, like they always do. And we haven’t seen her since but Mom says we’ll go to the market – now that we have our own car – and see her, maybe tomorrow?

And then off to Daytona again – for the NASCAR race. We’ve already been there once for the 24-hour and I guess we’re just going to have to find a way to live in Florida for the first three months of the year?

Leah Gets Spacy

To the moon, Leah!

I guess I’m the luckiest – or most fortunate – dog in the world, having obtained a VIP tour of the Johnson Space Center outside Houston, TX the final Thursday in April. Because Mom is a good friend of broadcaster Paul Page, she was invited to take this insider’s visit of the facility that’s placed men and women on the moon and in the International Space Station.

That the visit occurred the day before NASA intended to send off the penultimate space shuttle from Kennedy Space Center in Florida meant the whole campus was electrified.

Normally, they don’t allow “pets” in the door at JSC, but because I’m a service animal and not technically a pet, I was the first dog allowed in secure areas of the compound. Mom kept telling me to take notes; that’s hard to do when you’re sniffing every corner of the place.

Our first stop was the shuttle mission simulator. I had to wait outside while mom, Paul, Dave Reiff and my uncle Piggy [Malone] each took a turn flying the simulator. Piggy went first – he volunteered – then Dave, then me and finally Paul. I waited outside with Kathy, our guide.

Mom said it was fun – the G forces when they took off were just up her alley, she said – and that she was nervous working with the tiller instead of a steering wheel. But she managed to land the shuttle without going off the runway – some other visitors have “crashed” the thing, she learned.

The pilot that “flew” our quartet in the simulator was Col Steve Lindsey, who has flown five shuttle missions, STS-133 being his final trip into space. He was so patient with everyone – maybe that’s part of the job prerequisites?

From there we went to the space shuttle flight control room, where everyone was intently preparing for the coming flight – which got postponed until at least Mothers Day – but they took the time to say hello and to let us wander around the floor. Nobody gets to do that, much less a dog.

We even visited the old Apollo era mission operations control room. It’s hard to believe, mom told me, knowing what’s happened since that time, that all that equipment managed to make it up into space with some rudimentary electronics and machinery guiding it. Talk about one step for mankind, ‘er dogkind.

Once we’d all been blown away by the simulator, the control rooms and the old-time equipment – even the in-space potty and food prep area – it was time to get into our van and drive to the Sonny Carter Training Facility were we experienced the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. Unlike the balance of tourists in the viewing room high above the 100x 200-foot pool that’s 40-feet deep, we were able to venture almost to the edge.

Apparently, the astronauts in training spend six hours and have two divers that accompany them everywhere they go… the divers trade out every two hours in the pool, but the astronauts just keep working on the skills they’ll use in outer space. All of the work that goes into taking men and women into outer space is pretty darn amazing. I’m just glad I didn’t fall into the big pool; I’m not much of a water dog, you know.

After that it was off to the space vehicle mockup facility, AKA building 9. This is where real astronauts train for the International Space Station and for re-entry – something our US astronauts will be doing in a cramped Russian Soyuz capsule once the shuttles are retired after the next flight after this one.

We wandered throughout this huge room with so many mock-ups or duplicates of each part of the station – and the shuttle – in it and watched as potential ISS operatives tried to figure out where a fire was in the station and how to deal with it. The important thing, we learned, was not to do anything hastily, because the answer could be a wrong one that would jeopardize the entire community.

Why don’t they just use their noses like I do?

Soon our visit was over – we’d walked a lot, learned a lot and earned a great deal more respect for the folks who help keep our country out of this world.
I felt like a proud American doggie as I walked through the halls, close to the water, and sat in the flight director’s chair (sorry the photo is fuzzy, mom must have been laughing too hard). It was an experience I’ll never forget.

I sure wish I had kept all those notes because mom’s recorder decided to die with all the conversations on it. She was not happy about that!

After that we went to the racetrack, Royal Purple Raceway and took in the NHRA races. It was fun to see all of the people we like so well, like Tim Wilkerson, Eddie Krawiec and Tony Schumacher. I got to sit in some of those fancy, schmancy coaches. I think I like Tony’s best!

We’re home for another week and then off to Indianapolis for the “year of May”. I can’t wait to see Deb, Hector and Sierra (no) again. Mom’s right – I’m a very lucky dog.

About those pics, there's mom flying the sim, the big NBL pool, two of me and one of the shuttle mockup that all the bipeds insisted on climbing into...
Hope you enjoy!!

It must be the racing season again!

We’re back on the road. It must be racing season again!

Since the first of the year we’ve been to Indianapolis and Daytona Beach, FL – and that was before the end of January. Mom just loves to travel; she seems to think the world is boring when we’re not at a racetrack, on an airplane or in a hotel.

We went to Indy for the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) banquet the second week of January. It was snowing, it was cold and it was nasty. Deb, who picked us up at the airport, let us stay in her nice warm house and ferried us around town, wasn’t happy with the weather. She’d much rather be back in the LBC, where we live.

Just a couple of weeks later, we were off to Orlando for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. We got to stay with Steve some of the time and in hotels for the balance, which was okay by me. The racing wasn’t nearly as noisy as the drag races she usually attends and everybody was so nice in the media center. We walked in the driver motorhome lot and saw all our old friends from IndyCar: Waddy, Chuck and Bill because they were driving coaches for some of our favorite people.

Becci Gordon was there too with her doggie and we got to spend time with them out by the playgrounds. Daytona International Speedway is very, very nice and easy for me to get around. There are plenty of places to go do my business and it seems somebody’s always having a party where I can snag some food. And it’s pretty good food, too!

Mom kept walking me during the race and I wore my Mutt Muffs – occasionally – I really don’t like them but I don’t have a choice, do I? Somehow, one of them got separated and they sent a new, larger pair – just right for some Oakley stickers, hint?

Going through the Orlando airport wasn’t terribly bad – we had a direct flight and got home by 3PM the next afternoon and that was cool.

In fact, when we arrived back from Florida, there was a car waiting for us. Mom thought we were getting either a Nissan Sentra or a Rogue – she told the guys to surprise her, but when we arrived, there was a 2011 Cadillac CTS-V wagon to take home for a week.

Mom was pretty excited when she got it and her eyes were gleaming. She couldn’t get the clutch right and we peeled out of Auto Airport Parking and hauled home. I got tossed a few times – it happens and mom always apologizes – but she seems so happy when she’s driving a car she really likes, like this one!

We took everyone for rides and they all held me securely so I didn’t fly around terribly much. I like that. Sometimes, on a flat straight road, I can even see out the windows.

Then mom started working and I just have to sit around while she does that and wait until she needs a break so I can go for a walk. When she’s working like that, we don’t go very far except to run errands and drive cars so mom can write about them, too.

After a couple of weeks of homework, we’re back at the NHRA drag races in Pomona again. We went out on Wednesday for lunch and got some work done, too.

Then they had the first round of qualifying on Thursday, so I sat through that quietly. Friday got rained out and Saturday suffered delay after delay. I guess I got bored and ended up on the chair waiting for mom to come back after photographing the first, long session of Funny Car, Top Fuel and Pro Stock.

That must have upset somebody because mom never went out to shoot again that afternoon. She just put my Mutt Muffs on and held me close while we watched the trackside action.

That Sunday she left me with some good friends, a civil rights attorney, her husband and daughter, which is always a lot of fun for me. We went to the farmers market and later that afternoon I helped sell Girl Scout cookies. I’m a very good salesperson, you know?

We’d been planning this visit but the lady attorney was adamant we should sue NHRA for violating ADA. Mom said she wouldn’t do that because she’d lose her job with the magazine. We’ll find someone to look after me at the Gatornationals, even though the racetrack and the paddock are very separate from one another.

After the Gatornationals the second weekend of March, we’re off to Sebring for the Mobil 1 12 Hours and then to St Petersburg, two places where I’m always welcome. I make a point of being so quiet that nobody knows I’m around. All of the sanctioning body PR people like that, for sure! And we get to see Nancy at Sebring – she’s always so nice to me.

That’s about all I can think of for now. Time to take a nap while mom works on another story.

Oh, the photos: they’re from Daytona International Speedway during the Rolex 24 Grand-Am race. There’s one of me under the table in the media center and another with Waddy, who’s giving me the love!

Leah's Busy Fall

I’m sleeping right now so I’ve got a short, spiky-haired ghostwriter taking my notes and putting them on virtual paper. Sometimes it’s very tiring being me. I’m either walking all day long or sleeping all day and all night. Oh, don’t sound so envious.

Mom’s been running me ragged.

After we came back from Road Atlanta, we spent just a couple of days at home catching up before it was time to go to Fontana – back and forth, no hotel this time – for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. While mom was out doing interviews, I bided my time under the table in the pressroom. Her seatmate and friend Lynne said Jimmie Johnson asked Lynne if she was the one with the doggie that he met in February. She could have taken that bait and flown with it but Lynne said no, I wasn’t hers. Maybe I could have gotten a five-time champion to give me a hug. Bad Lynne.

We didn’t get to go out around the track too much but we did, when it was quiet, take walks through the motor-home area. Those people really know how to party, let me tell you! They were drinking hard at 9 in the morning every single day. At least there was some good grass around for me to do my business and it was nice to take a good walk around the concrete. Everybody wanted to be my friend but we just kept walking. Mom did stop for a Bloody Mary at one campsite; she said there was too little alcohol and a wee bit too much spice for her so she gave it to somebody else. That was a first.

We worked – well, she worked – hard once that race was done and we stayed home until it was time to go to Las Vegas for the NHRA races, the second to last race on the schedule. We went to Rancho Mirage first for a Lexus new car preview and then continued on, the back way, to Baker and up to Vegas. She seemed to be very happy with the back roads along the way and she didn’t heave the Scion tC she was driving into the corners too hard, thankfully.

We stayed with gal pal Toby during the race weekend and into the SEMA show activities. Toby is so nice and she’s got a great lap. I just love people with great laps. We walked the SEMA show Monday and Tuesday and drove home on Wednesday morning, which was a nice relief. We did a lot of walking at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway too, but not nearly as much as did at the Convention Center. That place is big!

A week later, it was time for the NHRA finale and we worked that one, too, going to Pomona’s Auto Club Raceway at Pomona – the virtual home of NHRA – five days in a row. Finally, mom decided enough traffic was enough and we stayed at a hotel the final Saturday night, spending time with Melanie Troxel’s mom and her doggie. I was on my best behavior all week long but by Sunday at the drag races, I needed to speak. Just once. One of the NHRA people told mom I was barking, but she checked with some other journalists who said I only spoke once. Mom thinks he really has it out for us, but we’ve discovered he’s like that with everyone.

After the NHRA banquet on Monday night, Carey came to stay for the LA Auto Show and we did the Blue Line trek on Wednesday and Thursday for press days. Mom dragged me all over the place and I jumped into and out of a few interesting cars. Can’t say which ones I like best because I’m really not sure. As long as they don’t force me to jump too high, I’m cool with it.

We went to a bunch of parties too and that was fun. We should have gone to the Hyundai party but our legs just didn’t work anymore.

We spent Thanksgiving with Christie instead of going to the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale. It’s always so loud and so cold there that maybe it’s better for me not to be at the racetrack for that particular race. We laughed a lot, mom and Christie drank a lot (well, they weren’t driving anywhere) and they fixed a great meal for all of us, including Scarlet Begonia. Scarlet and I have become good friends. The next morning we all went for a walk – the girls tried to leave us behind but we got out of the door and found them as they searched for sage. Then we came back and mom cleaned three pounds of lavender. Wow!

And now we’ve just returned from Orlando and the PRI show. We stayed at the fabulous Hilton next to the convention center and it was so cool. Unfortunately I couldn’t hold my water and peed on the carpet – mom was so embarrassed. And should have been. We walked all over that convention center floor but at least we got upgraded on the plane both directions so I could sleep coming and going.

Pretty soon it’ll be Christmas. Maybe I’ll write again before the end of the year? Or maybe not. If I can’t get to the keyboard and don’t have a transcription expert handy, let me tell you, it’s fun being a service animal and working with my mom. She loves me so much and takes good care of me. I’m a very lucky Chihuahua.

Leah on the Road (Atlanta)

I am so bored. It’s Thursday and there is nothing worse than sitting in a media center all day long while it rains outside. A girl can’t even take a reasonable walk to do her business around here!

We are at Road Atlanta in bucolic Braselton, GA, home of the 13th annual Petit Le Mans. We flew from Los Angeles, spending the entire day Tuesday getting here and even had to make a stop in Dallas to change planes.

That was okay because we were able to stretch and walk a bit. At the Los Angeles airport, mom had to remove my (frozen) Deli Fresh food roll from the suitcase because the TSA thought it was dangerous. Might be for them, but certainly not for me. It’s food, guys, get over it!

We got to the track on Wednesday and the weather cooperated, so we took some good walks and talked to people for quite a while. Then I sat around while mom shot some photos. We went to our no-tell motel in Lawrenceville, GA and walked out for dinner with Uncle AJ, who found the room for us. It actually turned out to be a fairly nice place and pretty convenient for the track. Thanks Uncle AJ.

He woke us up really early this morning and we got to the track by 7AM, to be in time for the photo meeting at 7:30. Mom took me out for a few walks and then went off to interview some guy from Porsche. It was raining again when she came back so that kind of ruined our options for the balance of the afternoon.

Now she’s typing and I’m doing what I do best – sleeping – while nine cars rumble by in the wet stuff. Mom keeps saying she’s going to go out and shoot a little bit but she hasn’t gotten up and actually done it, so I guess she’s lying, right?

The balance of our weekend was more of the same for me: sleep in the media center while Mom works and take walks when it’s quiet. I discovered there were a few really good places to sniff – even though Road Atlanta swears they don’t allow dogs, I can sniff out a fellow member of the clan in no time at all.

Qualifying took place on Friday and then we went to the Mazda party where they celebrated championship winners in Skip Barber, Formula 2000 and Star Mazda series, all powered by guess who? Mazda, silly people! We felt right at home after driving around in a Mazda2 last week – it was the same color as Mom’s toenails, fluorescent green. Anyway, the party was neat; I got some cheese under the table and a few veggies to munch on.

I have to tell you, the folks who run the media center at Road Atlanta are really accommodating to a doggie like me. They have a cooler so Mom can keep my food fresh – we arrive so early and leave so late it would be silly to carry it back and forth from the track – and Megan kept my water cup so we didn’t have to make a new one. The water bowl Aunt Cheryl gave us in April sprung a leak so we had to use a cut-down coffee cup. Mom likes to recycle, you know?

On race night, after it was finally all said and done and the darn fireworks were finished scaring me, the winners all came in to say hello and scratch my ears. Uncle Marino Franchitti gave me some special loving – he and his brother Dario are so cool and both of them were winners on Saturday (Dario won the IndyCar Series championship and Marino won his class in LM P2 and was part of the championship-winning Highcroft Racing team).

Then we came home on Sunday. No place like home but what a pain getting here. We couldn’t leave until 3:30PM in the afternoon so Mom fed me late (and I wasn’t terribly interested). We went for some walkies before heading to the airport and then it was time for “last chance” on doing my business.

We were upgraded on the first flight and met a neat lady named Kristen and sat in steerage on the second flight. The guy who was supposed to have the middle seat decided to take over all three seats (he was really big) so when he elbowed Mom she bitched a bit and he moved, leaving us with an open middle seat. Then the flight attendants said it wasn’t permitted for me to sit there, under FAA rules, so I sat on Mom’s lap the rest of the flight. They keep changing those rules by the minute, don’t they?

Anyway, we’re back in Long Beach, where the terribly hot weather we had before leaving for Atlanta has turned cold and rainy. Not sure if I like either one of those but this is definitely better than that.

I’ve attached a couple of photos: one is of me with our friend Carbon Chris and the other is of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid (in the rain on Thursday) that got Mom all excited this weekend.

Ciao for now - Leah