Cute, Ernest Stories

New Bike

Ernest wasn't feeling ready yet for Kindergarten so his surrogate grandmother (Nana Steph) and I collaborated on getting him a new bike. Then one day she went and got it, even let Ernest pick out the one he wanted.

Now all we need
to work on is getting
the training wheels off.

WaterCross @ Granstburg

My friend and Ernest's godmother Ladonna invited us for a weekend of camping and snowmobiles on water. So we piled in the car and headed up to Granstburg WI. She won a contest that got us in to see the races and also provided a refugee-like campsite. So we headed over to the local state camp ground and pitched our tent there instead. We found a shaddy spot under a big tree on the hillside and watched as the snowmobiles flew over the water. The announcer explained how they use vegitable oil instead of motor oil to be freindly to the environment and as long as the drivers cut off the engine before they sank into the water the gasoline stayed safely inside.

It was a hot saturday, but we kept cool with large cups of fresh lemonade and some cheep beer (Ernest had the lemonade). At leaste one racer sank each race and thankfully there were only two serious accidents.

One driver filped over his handles and landed hard on his back in the water, I believe he broke his arm, but his injuries were never announced, the other was a teen who ran his sled into the reeds growing on the shore, his sled dumped him but instead of sinking it continued to skid along almost running the guy over, thankfully it didn't.

Our day ended with a spectacular fireworks display that rivaled any other fireworks I have seen. It lasted for almost an hour and a half with short little announcements of thanks to the people and companies that donated to the festivities.
But our weekend was cut short by a storm system that decided to rage over us. So we tottled around WI for half the day, had a late breakfast, and found a very wet county fair before heading home to the sunny side.

Vacation

Ernest and I took a trip out to see Grandma and Grandpa back in NJ. We had a very good time; and a very busy one!

Saturday Ernest did what almost all little boys wish they could do, when they love cars: he got to drive one!

Atco Midget Racers

Ernest was sized to the racecare just his size. Dressed in the protective suit. Due to a fractured wrist -an accident that happened before we left MN- they had to use a larger glove on the casted hand. It was a rather hot day, thankfully there was a breeze for those of us standing and watching. I don't think that Ernest really cared, he was just so excited to be driving a race car.

Two of the pit crew ran him around the track once, for he to become accustomed to the steering, breaking, and gas peddle before he was given the green flag and took off for his ten laps. For his first time in an actual car with both a gas and break peddle, he did a really good job. As he gained confidence going around the turns, he picked up speed. Only once did he give the crew a bit of a panic when he went wide on one turn and came rather close to the side wall. I know my heart was racing as I watched him swoop around the race track. But his ten laps were quickly up, the checkered flag flew and he very professionally stepped on the break and came to a stop. The pit crew pushed him into the pit. And though it is hard to see in this next picture, but he is grinning from ear to ear.