Thawing Out

If you've been following along on the FB OSMA page, you will already know the background story to this post. 

If not, the only important piece of information is to know Andy and I had a date night at a race track on Saturday.  We went to see Sprint cars race around like crazy go karts around a dirt track.  The sound was what a teenage boy would sound like if he were motorized:  thrilling buzz  with an occasional punch of fuel and hop around the corners not giving in to the rules of gravity or speed.

I was prepared for the loud.  We packed earplugs.

My hair was a sponge for the mix of fuel burnoff, Boardwalk fries, and Swisher Sweet cigars surrounding us in the bleachers.  It was a party like never I've been.  Like being welcomed to your boyfriend's hometown for the Homecoming game.  Everyone wore plaid and a curious smile.

What I didn't account for was the cold.  Once the moon peeped through clouds, it was so cold you could see puffs of smoke like conversation bubbles.  (Women's puffs a little steamier than the men's.)

I tried my hardest not to whine about being cold because everyone warned me.  "Bring a jacket."  "Pack an extra layer."  "Got your coat?"  My in-laws reminded me assuming my jeggings and boots probably weren't going to stave off frostbite.

They were right.  I couldn't feel my toes by 10pm.

I huddled literally under Andy's arm for the remainder of the race.  After maybe 7 false starts and "do-overs" I finally let myself drift off to that place you go when you listen but you don't feel.  I could only hear the comforting thump of Andy's heartbeat through his thigh, the whizzing of Sprint cars maxing out their speed, and the occasional "In field, you suck!" from regulars who get that.

By 1am, we packed it in and called it a night.  The race was continuing on without us but the freezing plank of bleacher we were parked on became an ice block and even Andy was shivering.

The next morning, we thawed out in the sun.

I tried to hide from my family (again, it's a thing) in the backyard but Abby found me and covered me with blankets, gave me pillows, and a stuffed ballerina.

I didn't even know a picnic table could be such refuge.

Here we are during The Thaw:
 

 Busted.  Mom has been awake the whole time.

 He was smiling because he could feel his face again.

 My two wingmen.

My favorite picture because Pop is leaning in to take pictures of Sadie instead of the freakshow that is his daughter-in-law camped out on a table in the backyard.  They're used to my shenanigans by now.  In fact, the whole family is.  At one point Abby came to plop a plate on my back and eat off my body like I wasn't even there.

I guess it was a pretty good hiding spot after all.