she's going the distance...

(...she's going for speed)

one time, a few weeks ago, my sister came to visit. she lived in the bay area (now michigan, as of this week) so her visits are few and far between, and always a highlight. this visit especially was important and exciting, because she had just gotten engaged the week before, and it was the first time to see her as the soon to be mrs a. grace.

that being said, i was really busy the week before. she was really busy the week before. when she got to denver, we had a short weekend, and some semblance of plans, but really, the weekend was a small circus, and to be honest, i was being selfish with my time and energy and probably wasn't the best sister i could have been. for instance, on the sunday before she left, she told me that she was planning on using my car on monday, and instead of me being willing and gracious, i threw a small, personal tantrum. really for no reason: of course my sister can use my car, my house, my anything, any time. her plan for using it was fine, worked out fine for me and her, so i had no reason to be a little brat,  i just was moody that day. so monday came, and a. grace-to-be borrowed the car. no big deal.

fast forward to this week- a. grace-to-be and b. grace are in the middle of a two week roadtrip across the country making the move from oakland to ann arbor, for a. grace's grad program at the university of michigan. she and i have talked sporadically, mostly about her adventures in moving and driving two cars with two people and two dogs, across the western half of the country.

last week they stopped in montana, where my grandpa lives, and visited him on his huge property. that was exciting, as none of us in our generation have really seen this wide, open space gpa owns. she even sent me a postcard from montana...

the same day i received greetings from montana in the mail, i also received something else of note: my first photoradar ticket. i opened it, and tried desperately to remember getting flashed by one of the big vans that typically sit on the road to work. i couldn't remember seeing one, but the pictures were obviously my jeep, the road was obviously my way to work. he looked at it and exclaimed at the speed i was rushing at: "sweetie!" he said incredulously, "44 in a 30?? where were you going?"

"i know, i have no idea! i don't think i drive that fast, and i'm usually good at looking for those vans, they sit on the same road all the time! i guess i was just really in a hurry that day!"

so the next day, i log onto their convenient site to pay for the stupid ticket, grateful it's smallish fine and doesn't go against my driving record or put points on my license... (knock on wood, i think my driving record is getting cleared up as i rack up years without tickets!). i log on, and see a myriad of pictures of my jeep, rushing down fairmont dr in lowry. i had no idea the vans took a picture of your car from every angle! front, side, driver's window, back... just for fun, i clicked on the picture of my aviator-glasses clad face to see what expression i was making when the picture snapped. i double clicked the face image and waited for it to enlarge. a new window popped up, with a needlessly huge picture. and guess who was driving the jeep that day?

none other than a. grace-to-be.

that's right. my middle sister who borrowed the car that monday, that day i was in a poopy mood and gave her a hard time for borrowing the car... she was speeding down fairmont dr at 4:01 pm to come pick me up from work and make it to the airport on time.

i think for a welcome-to-michigan house warming gift, i may make a. grace-to-be a card*with the picture of her mario-andretti face on the front. maybe a clever caption like, 'hope you speedily settle in to your new home"...

*idea complements of thewholechellada
**pictures of aforementioned speed demon and alleged ticket to come.