Ferrying TRQ about Salt Lake City today

I know. I've been writing a lot about my mother lately, but she's on my mind right now because she's turning 80 on us this Sunday. WOULD YOU BELIEVE? And gf is still bringing it on the looks front. Also, she makes me laugh. Like, here's what happened today.

She came up to Salt Lake to get her hair cut by my old friend Kim Bradley, who is awesome. And after the hair stuff, she came over to my house where we made luncheon plans involving the Himalayan Kitchen. And after the Himalayan Kitchen stuff we went to Cummings where we bought candies involving penuche. Also rum. And after the penuche and rum stuff we drove back to my house where she turned to me and said, "Well! You certainly do drive like your father!"

And I said to her, "Somehow I don't feel a compliment coming on . . . "

And I was right.

Going South

First and in fairness I must provide context: I came THIS CLOSE to losing my license as a teenager because practically every time I got into our car there was "an incident." Nothing majorly serious. Just majorly stupid. And expensive. Oh, look! Ann just ran into the back of another parked car! Oh, look! Ann just got another speeding ticket! Oh, look! Ann just broadsided Tom Brown's VW on the way to church!

Still, I'm always a little unprepared for TQR's reaction whenever I drive someplace alone. Like to St. George, for example, where I am right now. As I spoke to my dad on the telephone prior to heading out, I could hear TQR in the background going, "LAVELL! TELL HER SHE WANTS TO GO SOUTH! TELL HER TO LOOK FOR THE SIGNS THAT SAY LAS VEGAS! SOUTH! SOUTH! TELL HER, LAVELL. TELL HER!"

My mother. She just makes me happy.