Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Westy Love, Part 1

Last week I turned around in the front seat of the Westy and was shocked to see this:

I wasn’t shocked at the presence of Jacquie’s kids, so much – I mean I did know they were coming to Connecticut, and I did open the door so they could get in the Westy. No, I was shocked by their size. They are gigantic.

I guess I still expect to turn around in the Westy and see this:

And this:

My 8 nieces and nephews – the Chapel Hill-bound oldest to the 7-year old youngest – have seen us coming and going, in and out of their lives, for the last 7½ years.

“How long are Aunt Ellie and Uncle Bill staying this time, Mommy?” “I don’t know, honey. Two months? Maybe three?”

To a one, they love the Westy.

And the Westy loves them.

Julie’s kids and their friends piled into the Westy the moment we pulled in the driveway:

That’s Chapel Hill Girl, second from the right, and her sibs, on her right.

Jane and her kids got a big a big dose of Westy love when we raced to the Midwest when her baby boy was born.


Okay, okay, they’re not technically in the Westy; they're at Wrigley Field. I'm just trying to make a point here.

And Jacquie’s kids have had endless pancake parties in the Westy, in the driveway on Saturday mornings.

Year after year . . .

The Westy is the perfect stage for singing:

"We're gonna have so much fun............"

And dancing:
.
This is going to be Chapel Hill Girl’s first album cover.

It's perfect for homework . . .
.
. . . for all sorts of hijinks and shenanigans.

Aw, there’s Quinault the Camping Bear, with Jane’s boys.

And there's no better place for getting reaquainted with cousins:

We took Julie’s kids camping a couple of times in the Westy:

This was the time we all wore tie-dyes and I had wicked poison ivy and Julie’s boy fell into the fire and Julie had to take him to the emergency room. Jacquie’s kids love that story.
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And this is the time, a few years later, when nobody fell into the fire. And we had Julie’s Westy too, the maroon one over there on the right. Westy love squared.

Sometimes Mistah Schleckah would get into the act:

This was apparently Westy’s blue stage.

My 3 younger sisters -- the mothers of all these chitlins -- are also the ones with the pets. And oh, how the pets love the Westy too.

Fudgie has spent many hours in the Westy, dreaming doggie-dreams.

Aw, Fudge.

We almost drove away with Ashey lots of times.

There's Hubba-Bubbah, fit to be tied.

And her long-distant cousin Tessie-Dog, who’s too crazed to know how to behave in the Westy, poor insane thing.

And of course, poor ol’ Porgie, she of the adorable paws.

But mostly, this is a story about the great love between Westy and the kids.

These three:

Who are all of a sudden these three:

These three:

Who turned into these three:

And these two:

Who somehow, when I wasn't looking, became:

Sigh.

17 comments:

NucMEd is Hot said...

Tht was a really nice post. I'm not typically the sentimental type, but that was well written.

On a side note, what the hell is a Westy?

Anonymous said...

Ha! The Westy is our 1987 VW Westfalia. Our home for the last 7-1/2 years. She of the Westy Love.

Anonymous said...

LOL so much, nucMD.

Lovely, lovely, Ellie! I spied my boy's busted leg in there, remember that night with the mockingbird?

Poor Westy.

Anonymous said...

Poor Westy, nothin'. She's a Love Machine. Love your boy's busted leg (pancake party photo #2). What a trip that was.

Anonymous said...

Very nice, Ellie. Love the tie dye photos.

How do these kids grow up so quick, anyhow? We can only hope Westy's around in 7 1/2 more years. Just think how grown up they'll all be then! The youngest of the cousins will be getting her learner's permit.....watch out Westy!

Leslie said...

Now I'm all nostalgic...and crying.

Anonymous said...

that was fantastic, Ellie! If only I were more technologically savvy, I would do something similar with regard to all my nieces and nephews (I beat you - I have 11 - AND now 1 grand-niece and 1 grand-nephew). Not bragging... just "relating" to your love, whole-heartedly.
It's a beautiful thing.
Other than that...THANKS FOR LUNCH TODAY....
hope to see you soon.

Unknown said...

The Westy adds to the "cool aunt" factor considerably. When I was a kid my bestest girlfriend had a "cool aunt" show up in her Westy-type-mobile AND let us play in it. We thought we'd died and gone to heaven, which was kinda smallish and had a DO-NOT-TOUCH emergency brake, but was still very heavenly.

Zip n Tizzy said...

I'm catching my breath here.
We just returned from our third annual camping trip with a group of friends with kids and it's always a reminder of how fast it all goes.

JS said...

I'm hungry for a Westy. And thirsty for one, too.

Unknown said...

Rather than explain to you how to nominate someone, I'm totally just nominating you. LOL!

Anonymous said...

WHAT a trip down memory lane! One thing about Westy that you didn't mention: If you get tired of the passengers, you can open the side door and turn a sharp corner, on two wheels and VOILA! No more passengers!

Anonymous said...

Oh, don't think we haven't done that. After we make sure the Oscars are bungied in.

Madness said...

awesome post ... and now that i know what a westy is (and oh so totally want one) .. when you said "our home for the last 7 1/2 years" do you mean your HOME HOME? if so.. how oh so totally killer awesome is that. if not.. still oh so totally killer awesome!
LOVE this post!
Love,
Madness

Anonymous said...

Oh, yes. HOME, home. With looong stops hither and yon...

Madness said...

Ellie
Youre so cool!! Mad Envy!!
Love,
Madness

Anonymous said...

I love it that you actually live in your Westy. My husband and I are starving to do just that very thing. It seems that life gets soooo complicated--with the material this and that...keeping up with the Jones'.

But with a baby on the way, one adult child and a teenager who lives with his father, we have no qualms about taking to the road...baby and all.

Maybe soon, we'll be living the dream just like you guys. Cheers to you!