A Date Etched In Memory And History

This photo was taken on January 8, 2011.  My brother and Ed were installing new concrete pads for the sheds behind our house.  This is my youngest nephew who was there to "help".  Here, he just looks like he's having fun.

This was also the day that  United States Representative Gabby Giffords was shot.  The Safeway where she was shot is just two miles from my house.  I shop there often.  We heard the emergency vehicle sirens and saw a helicopter overhead.  We had no idea what was happening until my sister-in-law called and told us.

One of the people who died, Christina Taylor-Green, was a classmate of one of my nephews. My brother knew her parents. 

A terrible tragedy for all.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2024: Bringing Awareness To A National Crisis
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this post.
2019: A Ruined Medieval Castle Overlooks An Abbey
2018: Grand Architecture And Strict Discipline
2017: Setting Moon
2016: Happy Fucking New Year
2015: Smart And Talented
2014: Who?
2013: Doing A Complete 180
2012: Apple Is My Life. I’m Living It To The Core.
2011: Men (And One Little Man) At Work
2010: Miss Me Like It’s Forever
2009: Speak Already!
2008: On The Hunt
2007: Cash For Life
2006: Nice Melons
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005! 

Nana In Wonderland

 

This is my mother's house (currently our house) in 2005.  My nephews were little - 2, 5, and 7 years old.  You can see the two older ones playing in the yard in the background.  

My mother went all-out with her decorating for the holidays, especially Christmas.  And she bought three of everything so each boy would have the same thing - three snowman ornaments, three Santa hats, three Christmas-themed cereal bowls, three angel figurines.  You get it.

I haven't quite adorned the porch outside like this but it's very inspiring for next year.  I think the greenery helps.  I'm going to have to get planting!

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2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: An Enchanting Labyrinth
2017: Hot Monkey Sex
2016: Early Warning
2015: Palm Trees And Ocean
2014: Good Morning, Newport
2013: One Very Happy Sloth
2012: Overnight In Ohio
2011: If It Ain’t Sweet, It Ain’t Southern Made
2010: Portland Bound
2009: Dear Blog Santa 
2008: The Trees Help Guide The Way
2007: Just In Time For The Holidays
2006: Eddie Leans On A Barrio Door Friday
2005: Glowing Reminders

One Of The Boys

 

A throwback to one of my nephews riding his dirt bike on the desert track my brother built on his property.  Can't quite make out which one it is with the helmet and all the gear on!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Sorry, no post on this day.
2018: A Little Bit Of Emotion
2017: Rainy Arezzo
2016: Snippet Of Texas
2015: Half The Size, Twice The Violence!
2014: Wildly Fierce Candy Cactus
2013: How I Spent The Day
2012: From Farm To Table
2011: Ups And Downs
2010: Three Men, Two Generations, One Passion
2009: Miss Tooth Reigns Supreme
2008: And This Is Why She Will Always Be A Maid At A Hotel
2007: I’ve Been Everywhere Sunday
2006: Family Reunion Rules
2005: Chillin’ In Anchorage

Young Love

Last summer, my oldest nephew and his girlfriend got engaged while on a trip to Hawaii.

I remember the day he was born.  I was there.  I saw him when he was less than an hour old.  Now he's engaged to be married!  Where has the time gone?  Boy, I'm old.

I'm so very excited for both of them.  His girlfriend has been part of our lives for 11 years and we love her!  She's beautiful and kind and off-the-charts smart.  We totally scored when he decided to make her a permanent part of our family.

One thing's for sure...I'm already looking forward to their wedding!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2023: Sorry, no post on this day.
2022: Sorry, no post on this day.
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: That Famous Smile
2018: Southern Italian Bottega
2017: Smile Because It Happened
2016: A Sea Of Blue
2015: We Are On The Biggest Boat In The Marina
2014: The Only Thing I Haven't Done
2013: United Tails
2012: I Grew Up In The O.C. Too
2011: Snowy Arrival
2010: Not A Pretty Sight
2009: Marking This Day In History With A Vibrant Spot Of Color
2008: Lighting To Do Laundry By
2007: The Benefits Of Dating A White Boy
2006: Shhhhhh, You’ll Wake The Driver
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Where The Boys Were

The three stones beneath this tree in my backyard were made by my three nephews when they were little boys.  Before Ed and I bought this house from my mother.

They played in the backyard, in the mud, in the stream, building with bricks, digging with shovels, just being boys.

I like looking out my kitchen window and seeing these three reminders lined up beneath that tree.  It makes me smile whenever I catch a glimpse because it takes me back to their little faces, streaked with mud and sweat, glistening in the sun.  When there were no cares.  No homework.  No after-school jobs.  

They were just boys running free.  Taking my heart wherever they went.

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2019: Free Poured Art
2018: Tastier Than A Tide Pod
2017: Moving Reward
2016: Her Talent Is Black And White

2015: Veteran Cruiser

2014: Drill, Baby, Drill

2013: Ruling Color

2012: After This, It’s Time To Close The Left Door For A While

2011: I Think I’ve Seen This Person On Facebook

2010: Eating Crud Is So Much Tastier Than Eating Crow

2009: Chihuly In The Trees

2008: Is It Really SO Hard??

2007: Snowball In Hell

2006: The Southern Family Tree

2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

From Freezer To Table In Less Than Eight Hours

So last night at 10:30 p.m. I got a phone call from my oldest nephew:

"Hey, Aunt Salena!  Are you guys still in town?"

"Yeah, we're still here.  What's up?" I said.

"I have a favor to ask," he said.

"Sure.  Whadya need?"

"Well, I was wondering if you can help me cook two turkeys."

"Two?" I said.  "When do you need them?"

"Thursday."

"Thursday??  Um, do you have the turkeys?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Are they frozen?" I said.

"Yeah."

"How much do they weigh?"

"One is 19.2 pounds and the other one is 18.5 pounds." He said.

"What are they for?"

"The FCC alumni dinner," he said.

"Okay, well, um....it takes like four to five days to defrost a 20-pound turkey.  And you need it Thursday.  Okay, hmm, okay, well.  Can you bring the turkeys here?"

"Yeah.  I'm with my FCC friends.  Is it okay if I bring them too?" he asked.

"Sure, no problem.  Bring them and the turkeys.  Ed and I will start Googling."

So by eleven o'clock, I had my nephew, six of his friends, and two turkeys standing in my kitchen.  Well, the turkeys weren't standing, but you know what I mean.

I was perplexed.  Because we don't have time to fridge defrost, and doing a water defrost means immersing the turkeys in their wrappers in cold water that needs to be changed every thirty minutes.  A 20-pound turkey, using the cold water thawing method, would take ten hours.  I was not staying up for ten hours to babysit a bathing turkey.  And in Tucson, the cold water out of our tap is 70 degrees, which isn't cold enough for a safe thaw.

So we decided to cook them from their frozen solid state.  And the only place big enough for two turkeys was Ed's smoker.

We couldn't smoke them because the low-and-slow heat wouldn't work for a bird of this size, frozen or not.  The meat would not be able to be brought to a safe temperature for cooking.  So Ed set the smoker temperature at 325, like an oven, put the two birds in, and closed the lid.

Three hours into cooking, the birds had thawed enough for me to reach in and pull out the neck and the giblets.  Ed stuck each bird with a digital temperature probe and we monitored the birds from inside the house.  As we got closer to both the time and temperature, I started to brush them with the herb butter mixture I made.  The skin was getting crispy and they started to smell delicious.

 We had them in the smoker for seven and a half hours, and according to all of our temperature probes - including my very expensive, America's Test Kitchen-approved digital thermometer, the Thermapen MK4 - the turkeys were cooked to a safe internal temperature, indicating doneness.   

We all tasted a little piece of wing meat that fell off the bone when we transferred the birds to pans for transport - oops - and it was amazing.  I was dying to rip off a piece of crispy skin and reaaaally wanted to taste a slice of breast, but the bird had to go.  Hungry college kids were waiting.

In addition to the turkey, I made gravy with the pan drippings and also threw together a pan of Roasted Rosemary Potatoes and three pans of Cinnamon Swirl Cakes to add to the bounty.  I figured one can never have enough potatoes or crumb cake.   

I was thrilled to be able to help my nephew.  I love when he comes to me with something I can actually help him with.  Usually, he needs computer or gadget help, and that's Ed's department.  But the cooking questions are totally me.  And I was so happy to oblige.

From what I was told, the turkeys were a big hit.  Delicious, they said.  I stalked the Instagram accounts of his friends and saw several pictures from that night - one of them included several of the guys standing around the turkeys, carving with smiles on their faces! 

After we packed the food in my nephew's trunk and sent him on his way, Ed and I high-fived each other on our success.  We cooked two mother-clucking turkeys from a frozen solid state!  We had no room for error.  We had no backup plan.  And it's not like you can just go buy a cooked 20-pound turkey anywhere.  

I actually liked this method.  No defrosting turkey in the fridge.  No disgusting juice dripping out of the bag on the floor, my shoes, the counter, the sink.  And since I don't brine a turkey and I never cook stuffing inside the bird (I like my stuffing on the dry side, not wet like a newborn baby), the cooked-from-frozen method might be my future go-to method. 

The USDA approved it as safe, and several other websites we checked - The Kitchn, The Spruce, Williams-Sonoma - all had instructions on how to do it properly.

We'll probably be on the road for Thanksgiving this year so I won't be making my own turkey, but I'll definitely be keeping this little secret in my back pocket just in case I come across anyone else who needs an emergency turkey.



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2016: Blade Runner
2015: Goodnight 'Bama
2014: No Fear
2013: A Cozy Little Dinner With My Favorite Bird
2012: Western Winter Sky
2011: Men At Work
2010: Everyone Is NOT A Winner
2009: Text Me
2008: Going The Way Of Astatine*
2007: Picture Perfect Pilot
2006: Not Falling For Winter Yet
2005: I Miss You Already

Living In A Boy's World

Here's a photo of my nephew sailing over the Imperial Sand Dunes in California. 

Just west of Yuma, Arizona, in the state of California, lies one of the nation's largest mass of inland sand dunes.  The erg is approximately 45 miles long by 6 miles wide.  We've driven through this area on our way to California, but have never done any exploring.

Granted, there's not much to explore but sand, and there's no way to do it other than on a motorcycle or in an all-terrain vehicle.  And it's hot.  So as you'd imagine, I'm not doing any kind of exploring in this place. 

My brother has been to the dunes many times over the years with his best friend from high school.  He's also taken my nephews out there a few times to ride.  They love it.  And now that Ed has a motorcycle, I suspect he'll be going on one of the future trips.  I'm already concerned.

The boys like to show off, jump from dangerous heights (some of the dunes rise 300 feet), and drive faster than they would anywhere else they've ridden.  There have been several injuries over the years, including a few this past week.  Nothing serious in the minds of men as you might imagine, and so far they've all come back with operational limbs so it constitutes a good time.  

A natural draw for off-road enthusiasts, The Imperial Sand Dunes see more than a million visitors each year.  That's a whole lotta people coming out to see what's essentially a giant sandbox. 

And the boys playing in it have graduated from shovels and toy trucks to helmets and toys with wheels. 



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: Ten Outstanding Years
2015: Mangiare All'aperto, Trucker Style
2014: Released To The Press
2013: In A Time When Gentlemen And Ladies Actually Existed
2012: The Great Affair 
2011: The Gaping Void Says It All
2010: Under The Tuscan Sun Within 3,000 Year Old Walls
2009: Dragged Back, Kicking And Screaming
2008: Seniors Maintain Law And Order By Way Of A Fluke Discovery
2007: Lisa Lavie Is The Angel Here
2006: Fight The Moth
2005: Abandoned But Not Forgotten

Make Time For This Market

Last weekend Ed and I picked up my mother and went to visit my nephew at college.  It's his first year and he was going to give us a tour of his dorm before we took him out to eat.  Because you know, college kids need food.  All the time.

I decided on Time Market, a place I've been wanting to try for a long time.  I rarely venture downtown or to the university area because I don't like to spend more than one minute looking for a parking spot.  But it was Sunday, so parking was a breeze.

The market offers produce (I think only organic), cheeses, wine, beverages, specialty foods, and more.  I bought hand-dipped dark chocolate covered figs - juicy, sweet Pajarero figs from Extremadura, Spain, that are dried and then hand-dipped in rich, 68% Caro dark chocolate, a chocolate made from a recipe handed down 3 generations. They are to die for.  

Once I read the menu, I knew we'd be eating there.  I didn't get a picture of our sandwiches, but we all made great choices.  My nephew had the Classic Reuben sandwich, Ed had a wood-fired pizza, my mother had the Roasted Red sandwich, and I....I had what I think was probably the best sandwich on the menu, the Roasted Chicken & Tamal - a house-made green corn tamal, sliced wood-fired chicken breast, cheddar cheese, avocado and salsa on pain levain, a rustic, classic sourdough bread. 

A tamal on a sandwich!  Genius.  And AMAAAAZING. 
 
I loved the atmosphere and I'll definitely be going back.  It's a beautiful store.

Check out their gorgeous Instagram feed to see more of this great little market. 



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2016: Capture The Flag
2015: Arizona Dinosauria
2014: Twilight In New York
2013: The Sun Also Sets
2012: Summoning The Mountains
2011: The Power Of Gold
2010: Where’s The Beef?
2009: If One Could Love A Convenience Store
2008: Eddie Home On The Alien Range Friday
2007: N Is For Nanny. Oh, And Negligent.
2006: The Answer Will Be Revealed In Nine Months
2005: Lipgloss And Cocoa Puffs

Financial Reality

Picture above from left to right - Our friend Marlaina, Ed, and our nephew Nic.

This high stakes meeting is taking place to discuss finances.  My nephew graduated from high school this year and Ed and I gifted him with money to start a retirement account.  We invited him for lunch one day and gave him whatever pearls of wisdom we could offer, and then Ed talked to him about all the boring money stuff that I'm not very interested in.  Nic is a math whiz, an honor student, and has plans to go into the medical field, so starting him early with the financial stuff seemed like a no-brainer.

Enter Marlaina.  She's a scholar of investing.  Reads about it, thinks about it, breathes it.  Every day she's on the 'net checking out the markets, monitoring her stock, and reading the financial websites and blogs.  She turned Ed on to Mr. Money Mustache and suggested The Whitecoat Investor for my nephew, a blog written by a doctor for doctors.  Of course, anyone can benefit from either of these sites and I can tell you from my experience - which is mostly learning through osmosis - that if you read enough on a subject, you will eventually benefit from the knowledge gained.

As you can see, the discussion is intense.  Nic talking, Marlaina listening, and Ed playing with his virtual reality headset.

Exactly the setting in which to plot the path for your financial future.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: Spring Break
2015: Moving The World
2014: Shoving Off
2013: Bean By Day
2012: The Honey-Do List
2011: Following The Trail Of The Father Of Our Country To The Place Where A Cuckoo Flew Over A Nest
2010: Amid The Corn
2009: I’m Going To Be A Millionaire!!!
2008: How I Do Love A Colorful Lunch Plate
2007: Lucky Sevens
2006: My Head Has Been In The Clouds For Weeks
2005: Chunky Cheese

Set The World On Fire

My brother at his 8th grade graduation ceremony in Tucson, Arizona.  May 1982

It's graduation season.  My youngest nephew graduates 8th grade this week, my oldest nephew graduated high school this weekend, and my best friend's son graduated last week.

The photo above shows my brother at his 8th grade graduation ceremony here in Tucson, Arizona.  I did 8th grade in New York and don't remember having a graduation ceremony, I don't think we did that there.  But I guess it's a thing now.

Friday night we went to a special Honors Graduation ceremony for my oldest nephew. They have general graduation for the whole school this coming week, but the Friday night assembly recognized the achievements of the honors students.

My nephew is an AP Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society, got a Seal of Excellence in Math, and received the Wildcat Excellence Award from the University of Arizona.  He's in the top ten percent of his class along with his beautiful brainiac girlfriend, who is the Class of 2017's Salutatorian, and many of his close friends.

I'm looking forward to watching my nephew navigate his future.  He's handsome, smart, kind, funny, and resolute.  He's planning to become an anesthesiologist and has already participated in some programs at a local hospital shadowing doctors during their work day. It's all very exciting.

Oh, to be young again.  Now I know what people mean when they say "If I could go back, I'd do things differently.  More of this, less of that...whatever."  These kids have so much opportunity these days and they have so many choices.  Really, the world is smaller.  It can be held in their hands.  I hope they explore it, embrace it, and set it ablaze.

Congratulations to all of you!

"Go forth and set the world on fire!" ~ St. Ignatius of Loyola



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2016: Eff Your Beauty Standards
2015: This Steak Caused A Buzz
2014: There Was Gold Everywhere
2013: Two Telephone Poles And A Cloud
2012: I’ve Yet To Make Lemonade
2011: Alien Ribs Of The North
2010: White’s Bastard Cousin
2009: Jake
2008: I Might Have To Be Put In Restraints For Our Next Conversation
2007: People Who Are Happy To Help You Drown In Debt
2006: I, I, I
2005: Sorry, no post for this day.

Catering To The Mothers

Today I'm having the mothers (my mother, my sister-in-law, and my sister-in-law's mother) over to our house, with the hubbies and children in tow, for a Mother's Day Celebration.

On the menu is my delicious, somewhat famous, and often requested Lemon Chicken. Served with Parsley Rice Pilaf, Roasted Green Beans, and a Fennel Clementine Mixed Greens Salad.  For dessert, my mother is bringing Key Lime Pie and I'm making Chocolate Mousse in Mini Graham Cracker Crusts.

Looking forward to the day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!



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2016: Checking The Shot
2015: The World Races To Newport
2014: Every Time You Open Your Mouth Diamonds Come Rolling Out
2013: The Real Way To Save The Planet
2012: Lunch At The Park
2011: I’ve Got A Crush On You
2010: The D’Angelo Bros. Outfit The Navy
2009: One Day A Revered Indian Chief, The Next Day Wagon Train Eye Candy
2008: Not Exactly The Best Way To Reach Out To Your Community
2007: Carny At The Junction
2006: Mother Superior
2005: Great Expectations

American Power

Photo stolen from my nephews Instagram account.  :) 

Even the back of my nephew's head is handsome.  T-shirt by FMF Racing.



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2016: I'd Rather Be Listening To This All Day
2015: North Shore Surfin'
2014: Calling It A Day
2013: Eight Ways To Take It Easy
2012: Dinner With Friends
2011: This Is What Sheer Joy Looks Like
2010: I’ll Have The Tootsie Rolls And The Butterfinger And The Lollipop And The Gummi Bears And The Hershey Kisses And The Snickers Bar And The M&M’s And…
2009: Meals On Wheels
2008: Mercury Dropping
2007: James Cameron For $79.99 A Night
2006: The Town That Big Tobacco Built
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’tstart until May 2005!

Enjoy The Ride

Today is my oldest nephew's 18th birthday. 

EIGHTEEN!  Oh my God, I'm so old.

I remember the day this amazing little human, my godson, was born. I saw him shortly after he came into this world and have loved watching him grow through the years.

He was such a kind, loving, smart little boy and he's exactly the same way as an adult. He's polite, respectful, social, handsome, even smarter than ever.  He's even chosen a wonderful girlfriend - she comes from a great family, has impeccable manners, is smart and kind and beautiful, and complements him wonderfully.

This year he'll graduate from high school (with honors).  He's applied to several colleges and has his sights set on becoming a doctor.  How exciting is that?  He's got that hyper-intelligence thing going on - even though he's similar in many ways to a regular 'ol teenager, you can tell his interests are more advanced than his years.  He always seems to know obscure facts, or zones out in that Einstein-Columbo sort of way before uttering something genius.  He must get that from me.  LOL

I look forward to watching him achieve all the goals he sets and I hope to be able to share any experiences I've had with him to help him along the way.  I'm already planting the travel seed.

I recently found this online and plan to share it with him.  I wish I wrote it.  It's great advice.

Enjoy the ride, my sweet nephew.  It's going to be magnificent!



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: Wavin' Howdy As We Pass Through
2014: It's Got To Be Under This Tree Somewhere
2013: We Don't Even Charge For Parking
2012: Somewhere In Eastern Oregon
2011: Lighting Up The Night Griswold Style
2010: Why Fall In Love With A Gingerbread Man When You Can Have His Cake And Eat it Too?
2009: You WILL Think Of God
2008: The Queen Of Copper
2007: Eddie Wears His Christmas Present Friday
2006: The Only Way I Can Tolerate Arizona
2005: I’ve Got Lips

The King And Queen Of Friday Night

He started the night as a football player, he left as a king.

My nephew and his girlfriend were chosen to be this year's Homecoming King & Queen.

Congratulations!



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2015: A Tree Grows In Moab
2014: More Is More
2013: Pick A Patch Of Dirt And Park Yourself On It
2012: The Heat Of The Road
2011: My Super Handsome Man
2010: It All Started With Betty
2009: Traffic Stopping Skyline
2008: When You Are Proud To Be Told Your Roots Are Showing
2007: Engulfed In Color
2006: Fish And Loaves Of Bread Are Not The Only Things He Is Generous With
2005: 23 Things

Friday Night Lights

Last night I went to the first high school football game I've ever been to in my life.  And it took place at the high school I went to over 20 years ago!  When I attended this school as a student, I'd never even stepped foot on this field during high school, but from what I remember it looked pretty much the same.

The reason I was there?  My two nephews  - one a junior, one a senior - were playing and I was invited to watch.  I'm not much for sports and can probably count on less than two hands how many sports-related events of any kind I've attended.  I once went to a professional game in my early twenties when my cousin got tickets to a Jets game at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.  I don't remember a thing about  it other than thinking it was a really great place to people watch.

I don't know if last night's game was a good one - I have no frame of reference when it comes to sports skill - and because I don't have any clue what was going on or who had the ball, I can't even tell you if they, as individuals, even played well.

But the woman in the stands behind me was screaming like it was her job, and they won 28-2, so I guess the game was a success.

Go, Dorados!


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2015: From Here To There
2014: Delicious Demolished Tamal
2013: Scenic Route?? Please.
2012: My Handsome Melon Headed Angel
2011: It’s My Turn
2010: Bird Traffic Waiting For The Light
2009: The Lady And The American Pro Driver
2008: The Signs Don’t Scare Me
2007: Pocket Full Of Min Pin
2006: Less Is More
2005: Sleep Deprived

Stick It To 'Em

My brother has always collected stickers for the storage cabinets in his garage.  The shop at Carpenter Avenue Classics is no different.

Over the years I've given my youngest nephew - the one who loves the garage and these stickers the most - whatever stuff I've come across in my trucking travels.  Attending truck shows is a big deal because the vendors give out swag like candy.  We always came home with stuff for him.  Even in the course of our regular work day, I'd find a sticker for him - see that Non-Flammable Gas 2 sticker?  That's one of ours.

He even has a "Say No To Cheap Freight" sticker somewhere.

You're never too young to know how your product gets from manufacturer to consumer.


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2015: Links To Food Dominate This Post
2014: 30 Miles To Spokane
2013: Truck And Sky
2012: Not Despicable At All
2011: Slice Of Summer
2010: Time Suck
2009: The Spirit Of Sharing
2008: Sailor Boy Friday
2007: Cozy Dining
2006: It’s All About Me
2005: Alien Land