all_we_can_do_is_wait lostgirl yesterday, my two oldest boys plus another headed out to attend the pre season ski and board sale, while the little man and his dad went off on their own to have their "daddy day." each year, labor day weekend brings this monumental event that my older boys look forward to with a tingling anticipation likened to christmas in september. the ride to the convention center was filled with laughter that spewed forth from these three teenage boys who can be so, well, cranky, broody and moody most of the time. the mere thought of winter seemed to transform them into conversational human beings, at least temporarily. they chatted about school among the blasting music, which encompassed everything and anything from eve6, to eminem, and even to the unlikely country twang of the zac brown band.  kronk is my favorite of all matt's friends. though he was born with 'mike' as his given name, he has accepted that the world will call him by his last name. it fits him. kronk has an older marine brother that has taught him how to be a 'tough guy' but he also has two older sisters....and likely because of them, he has such endearing mannerisms that my kids will never begin to touch. the kid, as quirky as he is, is simply filled with love he can't find an outlet for at home, and it seeps out of his six foot two frame like gusts of swirling warm wind when he's with us. and so, as kronk belted out some 'chicken fried' i, joined him much to mike and matt's embarrassment, and off the red truck flew across the country back roads. we wanted to avoid the city, so we ventured into some unknown territories; even the unsavory fringe neighborhoods dotted with row houses and boarded up storefronts. we got lost once and asked directions from a woman sitting on a bus stop bench who was wearing her pj's and scooby doo slippers. but, alas, we found our way. since we were over an hour beyond the time we had planned to arrive and it was so close to lunchtime, we decided to stop to eat prior to heading in to the sale. kronk had never been to primanti brothers....and was completely unprepared for the gastronomic delight that was ahead of him. mother of god, can a person eat in that place. we filled our bellies with the best sandwiches in the world (in my humble opinion). seriously, where else can you get a 'double egg and cheese on thick sliced Italian bread, all topped with tomato, fresh cut fries, and home made cole slaw? duly stuffed, we jumped back into the truck and crossed over the highway, finally arriving at our intended destination. the boys practically floated into the open expanse, and like kids in a penny candy store, they were off in three different directions, their treasures within reach. i caught a glimpse of matt muscling his way to the front of the ski line to snag the last pair of armada twin tips in his size, while my mike and kronk headed to the board section. left on my own, i wandered off alone on my own quest. my treasure had already been researched last winter, and i walked straight up to the volkl representative with eager eyes. he asked me how aggressive of a skier i was, and i told him i was happiest when my legs felt like jello at the end of the day. he was smiling huge as he pointed to the shiny red, white and black skis emblazoned with the word 'tiger.'  "have i got a treat for you," he said. and i just nodded and laughed, because i already knew they were the right skis. as he placed the different sizes in front of me to ascertain the right length, he pulled out a huge red sharpie and quickly marked a new price across the piece of brown tape that held them together. they were already nearly half price, being last years model, but he took another hundred off and included bindings in the deal....'score' for lostgirl!!  when we all finally gathered in the cash register area, collective lips were turned up at the edges. we saved an enormous amount of money, and we all found what we had been seeking. but the mood had turned slightly melancholy. mike summed it all up perfectly as we loaded our treasure into the bed of the ram..."thanks mom....but now that we got all hyped up, all we can do is wait."   100905 ... cr0wl totally enjoyed this. 100905 what's it to you? who go blather from