180-Degree Turnaround: Last weekend, I was looking for and focusing on a few (outstanding) positives in an otherwise weird situation. This weekend, I’ve been bombarded with positives. Just a perfect blend of relaxed/detached and plugged in. A little racing, a little baseball, a little web stuff, a little walking and a perfect evening tonight to cap it all off. (And we have one more day to play!)

Gus is in town – it’s been over a year since I’ve seen him. Our friend Lucy is moving to Kauai next week, so we sent her off with our favorite pizza at Giorgio’s, joined by the delightful Marilyn and the perfectly demented Demery. The salad, pizza and chianti were delicious and we added to the enjoyment with a text message “orgy.” Gus texted a folk singer friend of his, Beth Patterson, who lives in New Orleans and was battening down the hatches for Hurricane Gustav. When Beth replied, Lucy texted her back. A different member of our party would follow and we passed Beth around “like a groupie,” as she put it, and the conversation was warped and hilarious. (At one point, I asked her if it was textual harassment…) I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. After dinner, we crossed the street to the Plough and the Stars Irish pub for a nightcap. (And we all agree that Clement Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues is the best block on earth.) There’s a stage for live music at the Plough, but this evening the musicians were casually seated around a table to play their reels and jigs. At one point, the bartender (a real authentic Irishman) sang a hilarious tune about a dubious Scottish barber and the unfortunate haircut he received from him. It was a terrific moment, so this Scotswoman forgave the insult to her fellow countryfolk.

And while I was reveling with my friends here, Diamond was hanging with the racers in Oswego and sent me a photo of himself and Davey:

Diamond and Davey Hamilton party it down in Oswego, 8/31/08

(Is that what beer goggles look like to the beholder? LOL!)

Just a perfect way to top the perfect evening.

Classic: Davey Hamilton qualified 4th for the Budweiser Classic supermodified race at Oswego Speedway in New York state. My buddy Diamond has taken good care of me this weekend, sending updates and photos, including this one from earlier today:

Davey in his HP fire suit, Oswego Speedway, 8/31/08

UPDATE: Davey brought the new car home where he started, in 4th. Awesome to see him racing again! His next event is September 12 at the Terre Haute Action Track, where he and other IndyCar notables, including Sarah Fisher, will race modified stock cars in the Race to Recover – benefiting the recovery from the June floods in the Wabash Valley in southwest Indiana.

Classic, Too: Once the painting is done and I re-floor the kitchen and bathroom, I want to fulfill a long time goal and buy a collection of wicker furniture for the bedroom. With its white woodwork and yellow walls, it’s perfect for creating a country cottage vibe and I’ve spent some time today looking for just the right white wicker. Of course, being a radio junkie who grew up in central Indiana, I can’t think of wicker without hearing a certain radio jingle playing in my head. A small shop near Tipton, IN, called “The Schoolhouse of Educated Wicker” advertised heavily on several local stations when I was growing up. It’s made wicker shopping pretty fun to hear that tune in my head again. *grin*

Classic, Again: House salad with Italian vinaigrette, Giorgio’s perfect New York style cheese pizza and a glass of chianti…I’m heading out at 6 for a walk to 3rd Ave and Clement (via a couple shopping districts) for dinner with Gus and Lucy.