Well, I hate to disappoint many of you, but Melanie is not pregnant. It was funny reading all the different theories online. I mentioned last blog that I had some Johnson family news. A lot of people thought Mel was going to take some time out of the seat next season, but that’s not going to happen.

Over the past two years, many of you got to know our Yorkie, Spike. Spike was killed in November while staying at Mel’s mom’s house between Vegas and Pomona. We found out on our way to Pomona and needless to say the Pomona weekend was a very hard weekend for the both of us. Spike was 12 years old and Mel had her from day one. Spike and I had become really close in our six years together. Mel and I don’t have kids, so Spike was our baby.

It has been very quiet around the house without her around, so last weekend Mel and I decided that we might be ready to look for a new companion. We drove around looking at puppies all day Saturday and then again on Sunday. It had to be the right one because they have a lot to live up to. Spike was smart, did all kinds of tricks and was a great traveler going everywhere with us. On our second to last stop we found them. They are half sister and brother Yorkshire Terries. When we walked in they where playing together and really got along great. We just couldn’t see splitting them up, so we ended up leaving with both of them.

We went several days before we could decide on names, but they finally earned them. She is Rottie (short for Rotten) and he is Peanut (Spike’s old nickname). She is two weeks older (12 weeks) than him (10 weeks) and is a real firecracker. We decided that now was the time if we where going to get another puppy so we could train them before we hit the road testing next month. They’ve got to be ready to travel the NHRA POWERade tour next season like pros.

They’ve been our entertainment for the past week. We’ve barely turned on the TV since we got them. Melanie has already taught Rottie how to sit, lay down and they are working on rolling over. Peanut is a little more defiant. I think it is because his sister picks on him all the time. She can be rough on him.

Moving on.



We had both of our team's Christmas parties last week. DPR's was last Wednesday and Melanie’s was Sunday. I gave my guys a year-end gift for all their hard work. They got me that cool helmet so I had my work cut out. I had a print made for all of them that was made up of a collage of pictures from this past year. I guess I did okay, because they seem to really like it. It turned out pretty cool and kind of wished I would have got myself one.

I’ve been at the shop almost everyday going over stuff for next season. I’ve got all my decals ordered for '07. The guys have redone all of our pit equipment and support stuff, so I’ve got a lot of decals to do. I get asked a lot what the guys do in the off season and I can tell you in one word. Work! They have been working 8–10 hours a day since Pomona getting ready for next season. We’ve had a successful past two years and the guys are really driven to make 2007 even better. As a driver, you have to love a crew that is as driven to win as you are.

Melanie and I have procrastinated a little on the Christmas shopping this year since we where gone the first part of December so we have had to get busy this week. I’m just about there. We told our families that since we have traveled so much in the past year that we where going to stay here for Christmas and they where all welcome to come and join us. Well they all took us up on the offer, so we are going to have a very full house come Saturday. I’m going to drive back to Iowa Saturday and pick up my grandparents and bring them back to Indy. I don’t get to see them that much any more so it will be good to have all of my family and Mel’s family here on Christmas.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope everyone gets what they want for Christmas. I’ll let you know if I get what I want next November at Pomona. I'm sure you can guess what it is.