Red Eye

My crying eyes … I woke this morning again with red, irritated eyes and blurry vision. I slept deeply and had a number of strange dreams – none that I can now recall. Like the day before, I put some lubricating drops in my eyes to help sooth the scratchy feeling immediately after brushing my teeth. And for the record, I didn’t get up until about 5:50am after playing a cat and mouse game with the clock for the final hour or so. Not to worry though. I went about my morning routine with a slightly heavy head and a strong desire for more sleep. I fought it off because in the end, it nets nothing positive, and I’m all about positive results. I did a masterful job of making up time during prep. I was ready to leave the house by 7:35am but decided to rip off a few licks on the guitar first. By 7:40am I was on the road. My morning drive consisted of a phone conversation with Princess who was a little weary of her big day today. She has a big meeting with her ex and their attorney’s this afternoon immediately after work where she hopes to nail down the final few items in the divorce agreement. We talked through it and I think she was OK by the time we hung up. My morning went fairly well. We were busy but under control. I didn’t even try to leave for my run until about 12:30pm. During my run, there was a hint of spring in the air. The sun is noticeably higher and the birds are singing louder. We’re on the brink of spring! I was thinking today that the sun’s darn near in the exact same spot (within about 5 days) it was the last time I went boating and it was 80 degrees that day. That was October 7th – 16 days south of/or after the autumnal equinox. Today we’re 20 days south of/or before the vernal equinox. And granted, it’s was only 44 degrees during today’s run, but it felt so much warmer with the high sun a relatively mild breeze. Back in the office my afternoon went much like the morning. We were so busy that I got stuck dealing with a couple of issues that kept me there up until about 5:30pm. I can’t recall when it was exactly, but sometime around 5pm Mindy gave me a call. And I could tell by her tone that she was happy! She had just left her meeting with a signed agreement and a 9:00am Thursday court date. This made her very happy! I was excited for her. I called again on my way home. She was at her ex in-laws waiting on her children to be dropped by her babysitter. Can you say awkward?? I let her go! Later we worked out our plans for the evening which included me visiting her home later sometime after 7:00pm. I had some tasks I really wanted to address before hand. Once at home I did my normal stuff like walk Ykraps and wash my lunch containers. When I was done I spent a good half hour organizing my tax information in hopes of getting them started and roughed out soon. I want to know where I stand – plus or minus. A plus may spell a Caribbean get-away whereas a minus might spell a bank robbery! :) I finished my tax stuff around 6:30pm. From there I moved to updating my journal. I had the past four day written but not published (shameful!). I got them all posted but without pics. I would have to add them later. It was already 7:15pm and I wanted to make it over to Mindy’s before the kids went to bed. I made it there around 7:30pm. They were just beginning to ready themselves for bed. I helped a little and read Bella her usual bedtime story. After the kids were asleep, Mindy made us some nachos and cheese. I topped mine with hot sauce. I was hungry! We spent the next 1.5 together talking about this and that, but what was most on the mind of Mindy was her upcoming day in court. This marks the end of a long arduous road, one that I can easily relate to. I left for home at 9:45pm. When I got there I did little in the way of activity. Instead, I made sure the house was secure, brushed my teeth, and went to bed with book in hand.

New Week, New Day, New Car (not for me)

It was bound to happen sooner or later. In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t done this more often. Some of you may remember that I keep my bedroom clock running 2 hours and 11 and one half minutes fast. I can’t really explain why but it’s just evolved over time and I’m quite used to it. I do know this. I like waking up and realizing that I have more time left to sleep than my waking eyes first determine. Today something was amiss with my math, however. I jumped out of bed just as the clock struck 6:42am thinking that it was time to rise and shine. After peeing and brushing my teeth it dawned on me that I had likely just jumped out of bed in a hurry for nothing. If my memory served me, it was only 4:30am instead of 5:30am. A recheck of the clock confirmed my hunch. But no worries! I plopped right in back in bed where I snuck in another hours worth of shut-eye. I woke again right at 5:30am real EST. This time I didn’t bother re-brushing my teeth or peeing again. I was still clean and clear! :) Instead, I marched right downstairs to begin my Monday morning work prep routine. My eyes were noticeably stingy, watery, and red. It seemed as if I had a cold in my eyes. But after dousing my eyes with some lubricating drops I went about my morning routine just as any other day. I was well rested after plenty of sleep but still felt a bit stiff and achy. I worked right through it as I always do. There’s little room in my life for laziness or feeling ill. It’s largely mind of matter, and the mind always wins! I exercised, meditated, walked with Ykraps, emailed and surfed, made breakfast and lunch, just as I always do. But for whatever reason, I was dragging behind a little. After whipping out a shower and dressing for work, I had not time to play, which disappointed me a little. Instead, I had to hurry on my way, and everyone knows how much I hate to hurry. My effort to hurry ensured that I was at the office before 8am as I am on most days. Hey, it’s a roll model thing! Once in my office things began heating up quickly. After all, it was a Monday. A quick review of my daily scheduled revealed that I’d have to work outside the box a little today. Because of back to back afternoon meetings, I’d have to run well before noon which I only do on very rare occasions these days. It used to be that I’d run every day at 11:30am but that’s changed over the past two years or so. At 11:45am sharp, I was in the gym readying for a run. It was only about 26 degrees too so I had to bundle up in my usual three winter layers. Because it was so sunny and the fact that the sun’s sitting higher in the sky, I began to roast on the return despite the chilly temps and cool breeze. I had to loose the gloves and unzip the jackets to get some air circulating. Another sure sign that spring is in the air! I made it back to my office just in time to make my 1pm meeting. That meeting lasted right up until 3pm when I had to jump into yet another meeting that lasted only one half hour. Through all the meetings and chaos, I didn’t get to eat my lunch until well into the 3pm meeting, which was a conference call mtg. I wrapped up work related issues by 5:10pm and was out the door directly. Once on the road to home I placed call to Mindy who was just hoping on the freeway on her way to my house from school. I arrived only minutes before she did. Just as I began my chores, Mindy arrived. Together we took Ykraps on his evening walk. Along our walk we ran into some folks that Mindy knew through her ex that live in my neighborhood. They seemed really nice. After returning to my house we made some dinner. On the menu tonight was chili, corn muffins, and salad. Mindy chose to enjoy a glass of wine with her meal. I chose water. Her wine of choice this evening was a Shiraz-Grenache mixture by Yellowtail. My water was a mixture too concocted by the City of Columbus. It was a blend of artesian and sewer, and fresh spring waters with hints of nitrates that finish strong with an aroma of chlorine and fluoride. After our dinner Mindy gave mea killer back rub. My upper back spasms just don’t stand a chance against her. I must admit, my back hasn’t been in this good of shape for a number of years. In return for her kindness, I gave her one too as we relaxed by a fire. Soon, Mindy’s cell phone rang. It was her good school teacher friend, Keri. She had just picked up her new car and wanted ot come over to show Mindy. I could over hear the excitement in her voice. Couldn’t help but be excited for her. Soon Keri showed up in her new Honda SUV, a Honda Pilot. This thing was fully loaded: leather, DVD player, rear heat/cooling, etc. Keri was so excited and drove the two of us around my subdivision for almost an hour (kidding). It was only for about 5 minutes. When we got back we snuggled up by the fire and enjoyed each others company more. Mindy up and left sometime after 9pm. I did little else aside from reading in bed until I fell fast asleep.

It's What's For Dinner!

Mindy’s kids got us up well before either one of us were fully rested and ready to rise. In fact, Jacob was at Mindy’s bedside well before 7am and subsequently lost his Play Station for an undisclosed number of days for his constant badgering despite being asked to go back to bed for a while longer. Finally after relenting, he went back to his room. Unfortunately, he let Bella out of her room and she soon embarked on a mission to wake her mommy. She pleaded for apple juice and cereal and wanted it now. As tired as I was, I knew that Mindy had to be sleepier for being under the weather and for being woken up early the day before. So, I pulled myself from the bed and headed downstairs to grant Bella’s wish. Soon, however, Mindy was up too. In fact, everyone was up. The kids were up because the wanted to be, Mindy and I were up because they wanted us to be. Both of us probably could’ve slept at least another two hours. After making some coffee and getting the kids what they wanted, I found my way to the sofa where I snuck in a morning nap while Mindy made breakfast. I am not used to getting up against my will on the weekends. Not long into my nap I took a pillow to the face. It was Jacob wanting me to play castle building with him. What a nice way to be greeted! I decided rather than fight his persistence, I would go ahead and play along. We built castles for the next ten minutes or until Mindy beckoned with breakfast. The scrambled eggs were especially tasty along with the bacon. I appreciated the early morning nutrition but felt a little uncomfortable eating before working out and running. After eating and playing a little a longer, it was time for Mindy to ready for church. I helped try to get Bella dressed while Mindy showered. Try is the key word. She wanted to do everything but cooperate. It was like pulling teeth. Eventually, after about half an hour, I got her somewhat dressed. Come 10am, it was time to head out. Mindy to church, and me home. Ykraps, I was certain, would be waiting with open … paws. At home I immediately went into action mode, at least for a while. I walked Ykraps then returned to make some coffee. I was admittedly a little frustrated as I looked around the house since it looked like it needed cleaned despite all my efforts Friday evening and early Saturday. I still needed to run but didn’t have the energy just yet. I plopped down in my overstuffed chair and tried to nap. An hour later I woke feeling like a zombie but felt compelled to get up and run. It must have been 12:15pm when I hit the road. Truth is I had NO energy. Instead, this run came completely from the gut. When I returned I felt a bit better. A run always does that. It gets the endorphins flowing and the blood pumping. I was still tired though. I had a couple of VM’s from Mindy so I tried giving her a call but didn’t get through. I went on with my business of showering and readying for an afternoon out and about. I was excited about venturing up to Sawmill and 270 to take in the new Whole Foods market. In addition, I also planned to visit The Anderson’s to see if they by chance stocked the Honey Raspberry Ale I love so much. While it was good to get out, I wasn’t very impressed with the Whole Foods market, and they didn’t have my beer at The Anderson’s. When I finished making all my desired stops it was about time to head to Mindy’s mom’s for dinner. To this point, the day had flown by. I arrived at Mindy’s mother’s at 4:10pm. Mindy was the only one there so far. She generally goes right after church and spends the entire day. Soon others arrived. We were having an old favorite of mine, pot roast! To complement the roast, we had salad, rolls, and homemade noodles. For dessert we had one of Mindy’s favorites, chocolate cookie sheet cake. I had never had it before but it was to-die-for delicious! We didn’t’ stay long after dessert. Mindy was tired and ready to go home, and so was I. She had the kids loaded for home by 7pm. Jacob chose to ride with me. At Mindy’s, she quickly readied the children for bed, and for the first time in recent memory, they went right to sleep without as much as a bedtime story or any fuss. That was refreshing! We spent the next hour or so snuggling on the couch where we both dozed off. I woke just after 9pm and headed for home still bleary eyed. At home I spent little time farting around. Instead, I walked Ykraps then got ready for bed in record time. I was reading my book in bed before 10pm rolled around. Before I knew it, I was sawing logs!

Warm but Chili

The days bounty. Jacob is a GOOD shot! I slept like a rock most of the night and dreamt heavily. I didn’t make an appearance in the conscious world until almost 8:30am, which is late for me. Troubled still by the news I learned the night before, I simply had to find the strength to muster through. I went about my morning routine like any other morning. Soon I dawned my winter parka and leashed up Ykraps for a walk about the neighborhood. The first thing I noticed when I hit the door was the warm temperature, which I later learned was almost 50 degrees. It was very spring like. For some reason I was expecting much colder temps and recalled the forecasters predicting such. On closer inspection of the forecast it revealed that the morning warmth would be waning through the day and all but disappear by nightfall. Too bad, it was so darn nice! I took my time through the morning by fooling around on the internet and enjoyed several cups of coffee. I finally got around to my run at about 10:15am. Already the temperature had dropped a few degrees. It was only 45 when I returned, but still felt fairly warm. Soon after I returned I gave Mindy a call. She had left a VM or two since leaving late last night. We nailed down our afternoon plans, which were for her and the kids to spend the afternoon at my house while her house was being shown by her realtor. Before she came over I topped off the hot tub and then decided today was the day that I’d wash the Trooper. So, after a shower I grabbed $3 dollars worth of quarters, my car washing pail, and the keys and headed to the spray and wash just down the road. I hadn’t washed the Trooper since September, I am sure. It was beyond filthy! It took about an hour to wash and polish her to my satisfaction. I forgot just how pretty she is all clean. Once back home I decided to take the BM’er for a cruise around the block just to keep the battery charged and the fluids moving. She purred like a kitten. Can’t wait for warm sunny weather! Back inside, I finished some chores and then began preparing the chili I had been planning to make for a couple of weeks. Just about the time I started defrosting the meat and cutting the veggies, Mindy and kids showed up. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood. Jacob was excited about going outside and shooting my BB gun. After getting the chili in the crock pot, he and I set out to fire on the Canadian geese that have taken up residence in my back yard and have turned my backyard into their personal shit pot. They flew away abruptly after only a shot or two. We kept after them though until they were completely out of sight. But I know all to well that they’ll return in a matter of minutes. They either don’t really care, or have no memory retention. I plan to make their time in my yard a living hell with constant torment if nothing else. I mean, you’d have to see the amount of shit they leave behind. It’s ridiculous. They’re nothing short of rats with wings! They sit and eat my grass and then they shit in the exact same spot. Jacob wanted to keep shooting even after they’d all departed, understandably so. We took aim at a couple of mallards in the pond and shot their way. To my surprise, he hit one and it jumped about three feet in the air. They, in turn, flew away too. We retuned indoors where we watched some movies and played a few games. We ventured back out whenever the geese returned to follow through in making their time in my yard uncomfortable. By the end of the afternoon, Jacob got to be a pretty good shot. And what almost seemed wrong, they brought some old bread to feed the geese too. But to do the feeding we walked out front to the bridge so not to confuse them. After all, I can’t justify shewing and shooting them, then luring them right back with food. We repeated this a number of times through the afternoon. Come 5pm Mindy and I enjoyed some chili and corn bread. The kids had some lighter fare. I can’t recall exactly what time it was but assume sometime after 6pm, I again walked Ykraps and then buttoned up the house and headed to Mindy’s. Both kids wanted to ride with me. In their eyes, I am still a novelty. On our way we encountered a big accident on Alton-Darby Rd. that required us to detour onto Walker Rd. Once at Mindy’s she readied the kids for a rather early bedtime – they were in bed before 8pm. I cracked one of my Columbus Pale Ales she keeps for me and began watching a little television. Through the night we watched two movies, Manhattan Murder Mystery & Home for the Holidays. The prior is a Woody Allen classic and the latter is a Jody Foster directed film. Both were very good although we missed the ending of the Woody Allen movie. Those movies kept us up until almost 1am. I missed Saturday Night Live.

Ahhh ... Back in the swing of things

I found my way out of the night's slumber at 5:35am. I felt good, but not as rested as the two morning s prior. This, I am sure, was becasue I didn't get to sleep last night until almost 11pm. This denied me the 7.33 hours of sleep that my body prefers. This is a Friday morning so the slight inconvenience brought about by my slow start would not detour my enthusiasm for the weekend to come. I wouldn't allow it. No sir! I found my way down stairs where at a glance I confrimed the coffee was already brewed an ready. I took my vitamin then refilled my water glass along with Ykraps water bowl. We both drink plenty of fluids. I think he actually learned it from me. Soon my feet were tucked under the front edge of my beaten down sofa and I was grunting out my usual 55 sit-ups. In my throat I detected a hint of what Mindy's been batling since mid-way through our Oregon trip. I refused ot allow it to take me, however. instead, I was in charge. Whatever this virus, cold, or whatever is, it would NOT be permitted to consume me. After the sit-ups I dropped into position t orip off 50 push-ups. Those always go well, and today was no exception. Next, I did my 40 curls with 25lb dumbbells. I was set! Without much hesitation, I leashed up Ykraps in order that we might walk the neighborhood in shroud of darkness. Our walk took us down our usual trail. And just like we expected, the same car passed by just as it does most mornings. I dawned on me then, that my life is much like a merry-go-round. While the music may change, at the core remains a a finely scripted carousel-like life. Oh well, it beats willy-nilly by the seat-of-the-pants living. Back at 3683 I poured myself a hot cup of coffee before my morning meditation. Speaking of which, I really needed a good meditation this morning too. I've been allowing this and that to enter my mind of late, which prevents me from attaining maximum enjoyment. Meditate I did, and for about 12 minutes. Before long i was head long into packing my lunch and making my morning eggs. Today I made tuna fish salad for lunch and made fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast. While eating my breakfast I sifted through more Oregon/Washington pictures in an effort to find just the right ones to best represent our last day there. That endeavor was a success. I found just the right photos to capture the highpoints. Work was fast and furious yet controlled. My Friday run went off as planned albeit just a little later than usual. The afternoon went fast too due in large part to the frantic pace of things in the center. It would best be described as organized chaos. Just before leaving or the day I created a quick grocery list. Originally, I thought that I’d stop at the Hilliard Kroger to pick up a few strategic items before heading to the Wal-Mart for the bulk of my bi-weekly grocery shopping. Despite Wal-Mart having the pants beat off of Kroger on most items, Kroger still has better prices and a better selection of such things as cheese and dairy. However, once I got to Kroger I opted to do all my bi-weekly shopping there since many of the items on my list were red tagged. I was home by 6:15pm and after walking Ykraps and putting the groceries away, I almost immediately began knocking out weekend chores. Mindy and I were planning on going to Barley’s as daughter Ashley committed to babysitting Jacob and Bella. She knew she wouldn’t be over any earlier than 7:30 or so though. I took full advantage and knocked out all of my chores, including all of my pending laundry. Come 7:30pm I was done and ready to relax. I made myself a drink (raspberry vodka & club soda) and took to journaling. While blogging I visited the barley’s webpage to confirm what was on the firkin. Sadly I came across the horrible news that one of the Barley’s Smokehouse server’s was killed Wednesday night in a car crash. That dampened an otherwise cheery evening. I never really recovered from the funk even once Mindy arrived around 8:20pm. Because Mindy was a little later than expected, we pretty much left for Barley’s no sooner than she got there. We arrived around 8:40pm. To our disappointment, no Bob & Mary Ann either. Too, we noticed the somber mood around the bar and especially with the employees, but understandably so. Courtney and Jeremy were there though and we spent a few minutes talking with them. Mindy shared much of our trip including her skiing mishap. After two beers (an ESB & an IPA) and some food, Mindy (she had only water for not feeling so swell) and I packed it in. We were back at my house by 10:30pm. At first I thought that I’d essentially run in, grab my running gear and my travel bag, and be on our way to Mindy’s. But that’s not what happened. After Mindy and I sat and talked for about 5 minutes I suddenly found myself out of sorts and certainly not in the frame of mind for any more fun. Instead, I wanted to sleep, and sleep I did. I woke up just before 1:00am. Mindy had gone home. I went on to bed.

The Second Day Back After Vacation (EYE could go on for days)

EYE rolled out of bed before 5:30am again today. I felt completely rested and well prepared for whatever the day would deal. My first order of business was the usual; pee, brush my teeth, and primp. I noticed immediately that despite feeling great, my eye sight was extra blurry this morning and my eyes were extra watery too. Perhaps this was related to the Transderm Scop that I used in Oregon to avoid motion/altitude illness. One of the known side-effects is blurred vision. I proceeded with my routine just like any other day. As I often do, I gazed into the stars as I walked with Ykraps. While walking, I took exception to the beautiful crescent moon hanging low in the southeast against a brilliantly clear predawn sky. The view was nothing short of spectacular. I thought about photographing it, but didn’t. Instead I returned to the house and enjoyed the warmth and some coffee. From there, I went about my normal morning tasks of meditation, email, packing my lunch, and making my breakfast. I felt very comfortable and content this day. After eating my breakfast I showered and readied for work with several minutes to spare. I spent this extra time playing guitar and pulling together some personal issues I needed to address while at work. I had to deal with a Verizon Wireless issue, a banking issue, and I needed to call Josh, my guitar instructor, to cancel our lesson scheduled for tonight. In addition, I had a tax issue I wanted to get answers to before proceeding with filing my return. All these things together were causing me stress. But as always, I find that if I simply deal with them rather than dwell on them, their typically not a big deal at all. Sometimes it’s just the thought of what might happen that gets me worked up. I’ve never been good with so many dangling issues hanging in the balance. I found myself at work a little earlier than normal. I went about my morning like any other – full speed ahead. In turn, it was a very busy day. In between work issues, I was able to put to bed most of the personal matters needing addressed well before run time. We were so busy that I didn’t get away for my run until almost 12:45pm. By that time the temperature outside was almost 50 degrees with a very clear sky. That translated into ideal running conditions. I ran relatively fast. Because of the relatively late start, my afternoon went that much quicker. And even though it was a Thursday, it was a Mindy Thursday. She made alternative plans this week with her ex given our travel arrangements. On my travels home we talked. She informed me that she’d likely be over around 6pm. That would enable me to complete most of my chores and even leave a little time for unwinding! Wahoo!!! I was home before 5:30pm and immediately began addressing my nightly chores. All were completed before 5:50pm, and I even got a load of laundry in as well as some wings in the oven (per Mindy’s mandate). I was watering house plants when Mindy arrived. After finishing up, I got her set up to view all of our vacation pics as a slide show. Collectively, we had about 230 pics. Many great shots! Sadly, only a few can be shared on the blog, but I’ll try to pic the most representative of the events. Come 7:20pm our wings were ready. They were delicious served along with some celery and a combination of ranch and blue cheese dressing. After cleaning up the dinner mess we did some hot tubbing. After hot tubbing we built a roaring fire and did some cuddling and talking. Mindy left around 9pm for not feeling so well. I mean, heck, she’s in a world of hurt. She’s OTR, has a black eye, body aches, and a deep chest cold. I’d be whining loudly! After she departed I added photos to many of my Portland blog entries – but not all. I stopped at 10pm and headed for bed. One in bed I did some reading as my eyes grew heavier by the minute. Good Night Moon!

First Day Back to Work

I don’t know that I have felt this rested in some time. And that comes as quite a surprise given the fact that this is my first day back after vacation. More over, I did land until 6pm last evening so it’s not like a I had a day to recover either. More often than not I would be feeling under slept and slightly depressed for returning to work after several days of fun. This is nothing short of a minor miracle! I rose to my feet at 5:00am wide eyed and bushy tailed after waking several times after 4:00am. Forcing myself to sleep last evening before 9:00pm did a world of good. What’s funny, I had to pause for just a moment to get in-sync with my routine again even though I pretty much kept it in tact while visiting Glenn. Soon I was back in my groove pounding out sit-ups, push-ups, walking Ykraps, and meditating. Because of my extra early rise time I was able to move at a more leisurely pace than even normal. That felt extra good! I was ready for work about fifteen minutes early which provided me an opportunity to play guitar for a pretty good stretch prior to leaving. I had to remember to grab my laptop so I wouldn’t be PC-less once at the office. While talking with Mindy, she reported feeling a little rough. She had been battling the onset of a cold even at the outset of our journey. Having the general aches and pains associated with skiing didn’t help, let alone her big tumble. Once at work, it didn’t take long to get acclimated to the hustle and bustle that makes up the personality of our center. Soon I was back in the groove there too. And like most days, the morning went incredibly quick. Before I knew it, it was time for a run. The temperature hovered somewhere around 40 degrees under overcast skies. I dressed in two winter layers which served me well for warmth and comfort. The 5 mile run was no big deal. Back in the office the afternoon went even faster than the morning. I was very busy dealing with several issues at one time. That’s OK though. Given the option, I will choose overwhelmed every time. 5pm came around quickly. I made it out of the office at around 5:10pm. As soon as I made it to my vehicle I phoned Mindy to secure our evening plans. I told her that I could come directly from work and head home early or, go home first and complete all of my tasks then come over later. She thought coming over early would be better and so did I. That way the kids and I could hang out for a while. I was at Mindy’s by 5:30pm. The kids were just finishing their dinner, and both seemed happy to see me. Too, it appeared that Jacob liked the souvenirs Mindy got him at Multnomah Falls. He had on his new raccoon hat and was wearing his Indian costume along with winging a hatchet. He loves to role play. While I played with both kids, Mindy made me a salad, and then warmed herself some chicken and dumplings that her mother sent home. After dinner we played right up until bath time. And while Mindy bathed the children I was put to work replacing burnt out light bulbs in her garage. Three of the four were not working. Seems simple enough – right? Well, it would’ve been if the bulbs weren’t stuck in the socket. A turn either way confirmed that while the bulb itself turned, the metal socket didn’t. The first caused the breaker to trip as the glass globe broke away intact. A quick romp to the basement to reset the breaker and I was back at it. The next bulb netted similar results except this time the glass bulb blew up just after turning bright blue and pretty much right in my face. Woah! I informed Mindy of the unfortunate circumstances but she was not empathetic. Instead she insisted that I find a way to get them fixed or I’d be on her shit list for weeks to come. Kidding!! I told her if she had some needle nose pliers and flash light that I should be able to fix both of the ceiling fixtures. As it turned out, she didn’t have the needle nose but did have some metal snips that I thought might suffice. They did. I was able to bite into the stuck metal sockets and eventually pull both to freedom. Of course I had the power off as I proceeded. I couldn’t help but notice just how cheap and chincy the light sockets were that were installed by the builder. And given the price she paid for this house that was nothing short of ridiculous. Before I put new bulbs in a coated the threads with WD-40, a trick I learned from my dad. It worked swimmingly! Soon Mindy had light in her garage again. After earning my hero’s badge for the evening I insisted on a full body massage, but Mindy scoffed at the idea. Sorry – once again, kidding! Had I asked, despite her not feeling well, I am certain she would’ve. She is always very accommodating and loving. I helped her finish bedding the children, which never is as simple as you might think. There’s the before bed movie, story reading, tucking in, and last minute potty runs. All of this was done by 7:45pm and Mindy and I spent some time snuggling on the couch, but only until 8:00pm. I had to head home and deal with household matters. At home I walked Ykraps who was gracious enough to hold himself in check until I arrived. My next task was to wash my lunch containers, ready coffee, and run the dishwasher. I finished everything by 8:40pm and sat down in front of my PC to download the pictures from or recent trip. That took over an hour and pushed my bedtime to 10pm. After brushing my teeth I jumped in bed where I read for about 15 minutes before falling asleep.

Home Again - Home Again

Mindy sporting her Mt Hood shiner in the Minny airport Thinking of seeing her children Bestowing gifts from Oregon to her children 3:30am PST came around fast. However, because we managed our time wisely and didn’t overdo the drinking we felt fine. I was on the running trail by 3:55am. My run went well as I reflected on our 4.5 day trip. I wasn’t all that excited about returning home. I could have done at least one more day of skiing and perhaps another day of chillin’ in the city. I like doing both very much. On the other hand, Mindy, as one might expect, was ready to get home to her kids. I returned from my run at 4:30am. Mindy was just getting out of the shower. I jumped in. By 4:50am I was ready to go. I woke Glenn at 4:55am to shuttle us to the airport. I’d imagine this is the absolute worst part of our visits for brother Glenn. After all, he’s never been one to enjoy greeting the sunrise. As we made our way out the door, I peeked into brother Tommy’s room to bid him a due and a safe trip home. By 5:00am we were on our way to PDX. I remember thinking to myself how it seemed like just the other day I was in the same situation. Realistically, it was 86 days ago. We arrived at the airport at 5:22am. After a quick pic and a hug good-bye, our visit with Glenn was over. To our liking, there was effectively no wait in the Northwest Airlines line. In fact, we were confirmed, ticketed, and through security by 5:40am. We had an hour before our flight departed. We stopped at Wendy’s just down the way form our departing gate and enjoyed some fast breakfast food. By the time we finished eating and wandered to our gate they had begun boarding. Just as the sun was rising, although we couldn’t see it for the cloud cover, we took to the sky leaving an incredibly fun time behind. As it turned out, the ceiling was rather low. We broke through the clouds at approximately 4000’ to see blue skies and the top cone of Mt Hood basking in the sun. That was a beautiful sight in itself. Our flight to Minneapolis entailed a little reading and several naps. And with the tail wind it went relatively fast. We landed in Minny at 11:38am CST (2 hours ahead of Portland). Our air time was just short of 2 hrs and 45 minutes. We would have a 3.5 hr layover in Minny. Honestly, the layover wasn’t too bad. We shopped in the airport mall which is rather expansive and very new. We stopped at the food court where Mindy grabbed another bite to eat and where we played a round of Euchre. If my recollection is accurate, she won. After that we headed to our gate to relax and get in some reading. Before we knew it, they were boarding our plane for home. Whenever flying back east, the day goes so damn fast. The flight from Minny to Columbus is only 1 hour and 30 minutes of air time and goes equally fast. Mindy and I read the entire flight home making the time go even faster. We landed in Port Columbus at 5:40pm EST, about 10 minutes early. As we passed through the security gates we immediately came upon brother Bob who came directly from work to pick us up. Bob helped us with our luggage and gave us a ride to my home. I was a little nervous as to what condition I might find my place in. After all, I had entrusted daughter Ashley to care for my home and Ykraps in my absence, at least after Dad left town. It turns out, she was very responsible, or so it seemed. Nothing amiss, nothing broke, and nothing out of place. Thanks Bob. Thanks Ashley. Thanks Dad. Mindy didn’t stay long. She was excited to get home to her kids whom she hadn’t seen since Thursday morning, or 5.5 days. After she left I found myself suddenly alone for the first time in the same time period. Odd, it felt, and perhaps even a little sad. It didn’t last long though. I took to unpacking and getting everything ready for my return to normal life. That took about half an hour. By 7:30pm EST, I was relaxing in my easy chair with my book – just like the old days. Occasionally I’d take a break and stroke my guitar. My plan was to be in bed before 9:00pm. To ensure this, I buttoned up the house and turned off the downstairs at 8:30pm. In bed I would almost force myself to sleep, which is never to hard of a task. Good Night Moon!

Multnomah Falls

I woke around 7:30am PST this morning but took my time preparing for exercises and daily run. There was no need to rush. After some coffee, meditation, and journaling I readied for a run. Despite ski weary legs, I still pushed myself to complete a six mile run along the river. I was back at Glenn’s by 10:05am. Everyone was up soon after my return. Our plans for the day included a trip through the Columbia River Gorge with our ultimate destination being Multnomah Falls. As we made final preparations, brother Tommy decided to stay back and spend some time alone. He’s been to Multnomah Falls several times prior and hadn’t really done the alone time thing yet. Glenn, Mindy, and I were on our way sometime around noon. Again, we stopped at the Farmer’s Market for a bite to eat. We patronized the same stand, Mel’s Fish & Chips, that we had stopped at on Saturday. Soon we were on our way east through the gorge. Our first stop was Vista House, which is aptly named. It sits atop a small mountain peak overlooking the vast gorge area where you can see for literally miles and miles. After some pics we continued on to Multnomah Falls. Along our way, we saw many smaller falls, and almost all were at least partially frozen sporting stunningly beautiful ice sculptures because of the recent and rare cold snap. Finally ,we arrived at Multnomah. The place was packed with tourists taking in the beautiful falls and decorated in an icy veil. Words simply can no do it justice but hopefully some of my pics can. We first hiked to overlook bridge, then on up to the top of the falls which is 620’ vertical drop but a 1 mile hike up a paved trail through the forest. The views are very similar to those found at Old Man’s Cave here in Ohio. The view from the very top of the falls was a knee knockingly beautiful. After we descended we spent a little time in the gift shop then headed for home. Alone the way we were able to see many other similar falls alone the gorge. All were attractive and sites to behold. We were back at Glenn’s by 4:00pm. We spent the next 1.5 hours relaxing a little, and then packing for our trip home. When through, we readied for our last night out on the town, which would include a trip to Northwest Portland and a visit to one of my favorite watering holes, The Blue Moon Café. And in case you were wondering, it’s another McMenamin’s pub. I have loved that venue for years. They have a large circular shaped table with a fireplace smack dab in the center that makes for a cozy gathering place with family and friends. Once there we ordered beers, wine and food. Mindy and I had only one drink each because we’d be getting up somewhere around 3:30am for our flight home. And know one wants to be ill when flying across the country! We were back at Glenn’s by 8:30am. We readied a few other things for the early morning rise hen went to bed. We were asleep by 9:30pm.

Ski

I woke up at 5:30am and quickly prepared myself for exercise and running. Since we were scheduled to depart Glenn’s at 7:30am for our Mt Hood ski trip, there was little time to waste. I ran only about 4 miles for wanting to be back at Glenn’s with time to shower, eat, and ready for skiing. I was back by 6:30am. We readied all of our gear and headed out about 15 or 20 minutes behind our preferred schedule. Glenn’s friend Tom was planning to join us too, so we stopped by his house to see if he was riding with us or planning to take a separate vehicle. Once at Tom’s we learned that his friend Matt was going too, so the plan to take one vehicle was nixed. Soon we were on our way to the slopes. The morning sky was crystal clear with brilliant sunshine and warming temps. It had all the makings of a perfect ski day! Well into the mountains we stopped at Starbuck’s for some coffee, probably about 30 minutes from the slopes. As we wound up the windy highway an occasional glimpse of the sun soaked, majestic Mt Hood came into view. The white capped mountain against the deep blue sky was captivating. We arrived at the Timberline Ski resort sometime around 9:30am. By the time we had dawned all of our gear and retrieved our rentals and lift tickets, it was 10:30am. Mindy scheduled a lesson but that didn’t start until 12:30pm so her and I took off on our own. First we took on the bunny hill to re-establish the skills she learned her first time skiing back home. She did well. After two runs down the bunny hill, she wanted to do the green slopes on the mountain. We began following the trail where she fell a number of times but always softly. The green slopes are fairly tamed and well groomed taking you in and out of a forest of mature conifers. We did that a couple of times until we encountered Glenn and company. They informed us that we had only 20 minutes before Mindy’s lesson would begin. To get to the starting point we had to go down the mountain and take a different lift up that would put her off right at the meet point. We weren’t too sure we could make it in 20 minutes. To our amazement, we did! While Mindy took her lesson, I joined Glenn & brother Tommy for some fun skiing. We tore up the blues and even took a few little black slopes. I really enjoyed myself. The thin dry air was making me incredibly thirsty, however. After a flight down the magic mile, we found our way to the lodge for some beers and munchies. There we met up with Tom S and Matt (Glenn’s buddies). We shared four pitchers of beer. Come 2:30pm, I went looking for Mindy. A quick glance over the rail of the ski lodge revealed her coming in. She quickly joined us at our comfy table. She enjoyed wine while we continued sucking down the good beer. To satisfy our hunger pains we ordered some nachos and wings. Once everyone was buzzed and refueled, we took to the slopes. Mindy was ready to put her lessons to work. She agreed to attempt the magic mile. To get there, however, one would have to ski down the hill’s she had already skied first. From the bottom of the mountain you must take two separate lifts to get to the top. The view from the pinnacle is something to behold and always picture worthy. And because you’re above the timberline, the temperature is always much colder. After some pictures form atop the mile, we began our descent down. Mindy feel a number of times but always managed to bounce back up. Suddenly she went zooming past me picking up quite a bit of speed. I knew that it wouldn’t end softly. J As she got about 100 yards out in front of me she lost control and took a spill. From my vantage point it didn’t look to bad, but you never know until you talk with the skier. As I approached she assured me that she was OK. But I could tell that her spirit was broken. She laid there for a few minutes before trying to get up. After she got up she reported landing on her face. She didn’t look any worse for the wear, however. Regardless, she said that she wanted to go to the lodge. We skied slowly down the rest of the hill. Once parallel to the lodge, she requested one more trip down the green hill. There she did exceptionally well and exhibited confidence and the skills learned in her lesson. After riding the lift back up the lodge area, she headed into the bar and asked that once I found brother Tommy to relay the locker combination so that she could get the book that she wisely brought along. I went on skiing by myself looking for the brothers and Tom S. I had a wonderful time taking in many of the lower mountain trails. I was just beginning to get dark. I never did find the brothers on the slope. As the sun began to set I decided to head to the lodge in hopes of finding Mindy and possibly the brothers. A glance at the peak of Mt Hood revealed her white cap all aglow with the setting suns fiery orange color. I wished I had the camera with me because it might have been the picture of pictures! Sure enough, the lodge bar revealed everyone gathered around a table enjoying the warmth, food, and libations. Brother Tommy agreed to stay back with Mindy and tour the grand old Timberline lodge while the rest of us skied a little more under the lights. By now the sun had completely set and the temperature dropped like a rock. It was cold! After three or four quick runs, I was done and so was Glenn’s friend Tom. Glenn stayed on the trail for a couple more runs alone. What a great time. Within the hour we were all satisfied with the skiing we had done and were ready to head home. Mindy had taken herself to the first-aid facility where they gave her an icepack for her somewhat swollen face. We made it back to Glenn’s by 9:00pm. Mindy went right to bed. Not only was she sore and wounded, but she was also a little nauseous from the drive home. Glenn, Tommy and I watched the Best of Will Ferrell. After it ended I headed for bed too.

The Coast

I woke around 7:30am to yet another beautiful, sunny morning. After a quick round of exercise, a little writing, and a hot cup of coffee I tuned into the weather forecast to insure that I would be dressed in the proper attire for my morning run. It was still below freezing and the winds, especially in the gorge, were still whipping about. Today I would push my distance marginally further along the waterfront. I made my turnaround at Beaches & McMenamin’s. I was gone for 50+ minutes. My guess is that the run was somewhere close to six miles. Upon my return, everyone was awake. After some discussion, we decided the day’s plans would include a visit to the coast. I had been to the coast on two prior visits, but none as it turned out, would be as pleasant as this one. Before heading to the coast, we stopped at the Vancouver Farmer’s Market to get breakfast. The Farmer’s Market adjoins Esther Short Park. Tom & I both ordered fresh Philly steak sandwiches. Mindy and Glenn ordered breakfast entrée’s. After our brunch, we were coast bound. The temperature was much warmer than the day prior and for that we were thankful. The drive to the coast took us through the coastal range, which provided some beautiful views. Our primary destination was Oswald West State Park, but we also planned to stop at Cannon Beach. Just before the State Park we stopped at the first scenic overlook and snapped some pics. If you’re like me, when encountering the ocean after not seeing for a while, it leaves one in complete awe of its expansiveness and splendor. And this portion of the pacific coast offers up some breath taking, rocky vistas. After our scenic view we headed directly to the park. It’s only a few miles down the road. The hike from the parking area to the ocean shore was rather short, probably no further than a ½ mile. Some of the old growth conifers in the forest are 10’ wide at the base giving a total circumference of 30+ feet. We spent the next hour on the coast in a small bay that appeared to be a favorite surfing spot for locals. Of course with the weather being what it was and the water temperatures being so cold, they all wore thick neoprene dry suits. During our stroll back to the car, Ashley called on her cell to ask if she could use the hot tub. While we had her on the phone, Glenn ,Mindy and I sang happy birthday to her. After our Oswald adventure we drove back north to Cannon Beach, a seaside vacation town. Here we strolled onto the beautiful beach and walked along the shore looking to recover sand dollars. And just off the beach was the infamous Haystack Rock. It’s one of the largest, as I understand it, of its type in the world. It stands 235’ tall. We took several photos of the sun setting behind it. Spectacular! On our stroll back, Mindy got a little careless with the tide while trying to recover a sand dollar still intact. Before she knew it, she was in water well above her ankles. All of this, just to get Jimmy a sand dollar. We made our way back to the car after an hour on the beach. Our next planned stop was to a local pub/restaurant. We found Bill’s Tavern & Brew House, a local seaside brewpub. Mindy’s first order of business was to remove her wet shoes. I took them and placed them under the wood burning stove at table side. We stayed there munching and drinking for about an hour. Soon we were headed back home. The night sky was crystal clear and there were more stars shining than I’ve seen since last summer at cousin Dodie’s. We made it home by 8:30am. Mindy went right to bed wanting to be well rested for our ski adventure the following morning. Glenn, Tom, and I watched Office Space. Come 10:30 or so, I went to bed too.

Artic Blast Hits the PNW

I woke from my slumber cold and stiff. I had asked Mindy to rub my shoulder a number of times through the night. Despite taking an anti-inflammatory, it still ached after the long flight and a good night’s sleep. Mindy reported being cold, too, and chilled down to the bone. Glenn’s basement while comfortable was a bit chillier than we’re used to living in back home. I quickly dressed in my running clothes to head upstairs in order to carry-on with my exercise routine. As usual, I rounded up the supplies to make coffee before getting started. I noticed a few variations at my disposal; Starbucks, Folgers, and Fratello. I opted for the Folgers. I turned on the television to accompany my exercise routine. The big news out here today is the brutal artic cold front ushering in sub-zero temperatures and gusting winds. Judging by the weather forecast, this is not too common in these parts. I noticed too that the conditions up on Mt Hood were reported to be unbearable and Timberline, one of the two ski resorts we were planning to visit over the weekend, was contemplating closing for the day due to extreme cold and high winds. They were reporting temperatures as cold as minus 38 after factoring in the wind chill. That my friends would NOT be conducive to skiing! Because of the varying terrain, (mountains and valleys) the temperatures varied wildly, so it was difficult to determine what it would be like in Vancouver today. Only until I went out for a run would I learn just how cold and how windy it was. I bundled for a run around 9:00am and took to the familiar path I take during most visits. I was looking forward to the scenic view. I noticed quickly that it was a little chillier and windier than I had thought. And once I got closer to the waterfront the biting winds were much more prevalent. The river, you see, sits in a gorge and the wind howls through at an unbelievable clip. Couple that with the artic chill and it is without question wintry! And while it was cold, I was dressed for it. It was clear that skiing would be out of the question should anyone have the idea of doing it today. After a run, I returned to Tommy making our breakfast. Glenn woke a little later. After breakfast and showers we decided that skiing would be best accomplished on Sunday versus Saturday given the extreme weather conditions in the mountains. Today we would spend the afternoon exploring downtown Portland and such. We selected Pioneer Square as our focal point since it’s pretty much in the center of the downtown. On our way we visited West Hills which is a large hill on the western edge of downtown Portland that serves as home to many affluent Portlanders. It also holds such gems as Forest Park (the largest metro park in the country, the Portland Zoo, and a few smaller botanical parks. At its crest is the aptly named, Council Crest that overlooks downtown Portland and offers breath taking views of all the surrounding mountains. We ventured the peak taking in all of the cool architecture on the way up. At the peak the first thing we noticed was just how cold and windy it was. I mean it was frigin’ COLD! The sky was clear, however, and provided spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. We could see Mt Adams, Mt St. Helens, and Mt Hood. All were sporting white caps! But because it was so cold, we didn’t stay long. Our next stop was Pioneer Square. Again, the weather was bitter enough to alter/control our plans. No sooner than were we parked, we were practically running for the Pioneer Square mall. Realistically, the mall offers nothing unique or anything one couldn’t see at home, but what it did offer was a welcome reprieve from the bitter cold wind. We all immediately turned to Starbucks and ordered some piping hot Venti’s. We shopped the mall for about an hour. After shopping, we headed back to our car which was parked at a 90 minute meter. Our next stop took us by the Comedy Club where we toyed with making reservations for the 8:00pm show. After some discussion, we opted instead to head back to Vancouver for the evening. Back in Vancouver, before heading to Glenn’s, we stopped at Safeway to pick-up some more beer and a couple other miscellaneous items. Back at Glenn’s we spent a little time together fooling around then put in the What The Bleep DVD. We watched that through its entirety then readied for a night about town. We chose to take in the Kennedy School. The Kennedy School is an old elementary school located in NE Portland that’s been converted to a hotel, restaurant, and pub. The school originally opened its doors in 1914 and served the Portland area residents for 60 some years until it was closed. It sat dormant for a handful of years until McMenamin’s, a local brewer and restraunteer, came in and claimed the property. Also, it looks as if they completed a renovation but left the structure in its historical condition. It’s a novel venue left largely the way it was originally designed. The class rooms serve as hotel rooms, the gymnasium serves as a stage for live entertainment, and the assembly hall serves as a restaurant. The only apparent addition is the heated outdoor swimming pool located in the courtyard. The halls are filled with lots of beautiful art work: a mixture of paintings, photography, and sculpture all in some form paying tribute to the school’s past. All in all it’s a very interesting experience. Sadly, though, the place was so crowded and the wait for a table at the restaurant was over an hour long. After walking the halls we opted to head for another dinner venue. Our travels took us once again back to Vancouver. There we opted for the McMenamin’s on the Columbia. And for the record, each McMenamin’s 50+ pubs are completely different from each other. In fact, the only menu items that are identical are the beer selections. The theme, décor, and food offering is varied. We got a table right-away. By now it was almost 9:45pm and all of us were tired. I ordered a Reuben; Mindy, Salmon; Tommy, wings; and Glenn had Hummus. Everybody seemed happy with their food. Once back home we threw in The 40 Year Old Virgin. I fell asleep, Glenn and Tommy partook until the end. To learn more about McMenamin’s Kennedy School go here: http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&id=85

Travel day - Portland Bound!

Again, I was up at 5:30am sharp! I leaped right to my feet but I was admittedly not as energetic as many days past. More so than anything, I attributed the fatigue to taking Zyrtec in preparation to being exposed to Glenn’s cats. Two out of the past five trips have left me in allergy misery, so much so that I get the symptoms similar to a common cold. It just so happened that I had an unopened bottle of Zyrtec left from Lindsey’s days at home. I went about a slightly altered morning routine. I still did my usual exercises, walked Ykraps, coffee’d, and meditated, but when it came to prepping the day’s food, I packed an abbreviated lunch. Too, I finished a few last minutes tasks that needed addressed prior to my leaving. One of the last things I did before leaving the house was to sit out another Zyrtec and a Diclofenac so that I’d be allergy-free, and shoulder and back pain-free. I almost sat out a blood pressure pill that Mindy has stashed at my home in an old Diclofenac bottle. The pills look similar, but a closer glance at the bottle revealed that she had written in indelible marker the name of the B.P. med. Whew! Not sure what the heck that would’ve done to me! I left the house for work at 7:40am. As I was backing out, I decided to go back inside and pack my BM’er keys in my carry-on. Hey, I didn’t want to leave such a temptation for anyone! I figure, given the opportunity, I would probably have taken her for a spin when I was 20! On my way to work I spoke with Mindy. She was all ready and had just dropped her kids at the sitter. She reported, as I expected, a bit of a tearful goodbye. Mindy hasn’t traveled much without her children – as it should be. I arrived to work right on time – 8:00am sharp! My plan was to have a happy-go-lucky day, squeeze my run in early, and get out of the office around 3:00pm. I want to be home by no later than 4:00pm. The morning moved briskly. Of course, it was sped along by doing my run at 11:00am. I wanted to get it out of the way just in case we got slammed around lunch time. I was back from the run by 11:45am. Very nice weather for running. And before I forget, congratulations Don - 23 years and no longer counting! Don is at his divorce hearing as I type. I’ll bet he has butterflies about now! He has been waiting for this day for an awfully long time. I know that my divorce day was like a new birthday! No disrespect meant. Instead, it represented the end of one chapter and a fresh, new opportunity to begin another. The afternoon is moving along quite nicely. It’s 1:40pm as I type. And now it’s 2:43pm Very, very busy suddenly! I left the office at 3:00pm. My first sto pwas Best Buy to buy the James Blunt CD I had been wanting for a few days. I was home by 3:31pm. I decided first to lash up Ykraps and take our walk. Great! It begna pouring rain. Lordy be, it was coming down in sheets! As soon as we got back, it stopped! :) go figure. OK, I've got to get going! Bye-Bye!

Wednesday, but sorta Thursday

The early morning wasn’t as bright as Tuesday, but it still was nice and even a bit warmer! I rolled out of bed feeling completely rested at 5:30am sharp. As I alluded to yesterday, I am back in my groove. I progressed through my routine with little difference from the days prior. I did manage to play around a bit longer than usual before showering, but then again, I wasn’t in any rush. Again, intuition kicked in. As I left the shower I had a funny feeling that my dad would be stopping by. After wrapping in my towel and going to the window, there he was getting out of his mini-van. I can always feel it when he’s coming over. And it’s not like he does it a lot. Although, with both of us traveling over the next few days, I guess because I kind of know the way his mind works, I expected a last minute visit. Still, I think there’s a deeper connection there. In fact, I know it! Dad brought his yearbooks from Central High School (’52, ’53, and ’54). He remembered me saying that Mindy’s mother went to Central and that she was just a year older than he. So, he brought the books to see if we could find her. We couldn’t identify her in any of the three but given that she left town for Texas after her junior year (1952) she wouldn’t have been in the ’53 graduation year book. The ’52 had only the juniors in a group photo without names attached. This also served as a trip down memory lane for father. As he often does, his stories take off on wild tangents. Before long, were talking about Townsend, his trip to Florida, my mother’s spendy ways, and Trowbridge. J He reported that Sheila had her first interview at Nationwide and is looking forward to progressing forward. Seems she’s set on making the career change. We visited for about an hour. Before he left we nailed down plans for taking Mindy and I to the airport. Also, I gave him Uncle Kenny’s Xmas gift that I had been toting around in my Trooper since, well, Christmas. I had planned to mail it but since he’s going down there Monday, hey, what the heck! He left around 8:15am. After dad left, I finished getting ready for work. As I often do, I played a little guitar before heading out. The drive to work was uneventful. And my work morning was much the same – busy, but uneventful. Soon it was run time. I was about 54 degrees when I departed for the trail. I dressed in two light layers – a dri-fit shirt and a dri-fit pull over. That combo was ideal for the weather. Because I didn’t wear my fleece headband over my ears, my MP3 player headphones were jiggling and bouncing loose the entire run, probably because of my unusually large and protruding ears. Hey, can’t dance! The MP3 player went on the fritz 2/3 into the run. It’s done that a number of times over the past year, although I am always able to revive it for the next day. After my run I headed back to work. Mindy had emailed letting me know that she did finally get her roses and that they were beautiful. She did mention that 3 of them were broken. Figures! Probably won’t do the delivery thing again! But, as Mindy often does, she made lemonade out of lemons. Because she had parent conferences, and was dressed up, she pinned one of the broken roses to her jacket like a corsage. The afternoon breezed by and before I knew it the day was done. It was time for me to head home and get to packing for our trip! I made a quick stop at the bank to deposit three checks I had accumulated over the past month or so, and to grab some cash. I was home by 5:35pm I promised my self that I wouldn’t allow stress to overcome me. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I have a tendency to do just that, especially when I have self-imposed deadlines and a not so clear action plan. I am a perfectionist and it’s never clearer than when I a prepping for a trip. Even the most precise list gets altered to include numerous little things to help make things go much smoother. I begin to worry about this and that, and before you know I have spun completely out of control. All in all, I did pretty well keeping my cool. A couple of times I had to remind myself that it would be OK and that if I just stayed on task it would work out. It always does! It’s always a job to pack efficiently, too. You know, what do you want to have at your side in the event that there’s a weather delay? Plus, as I age, I find I need more things. I’ve got to have my, glasses, meds, vitamins, hair gel, cologne, cards, books, music, movies, snacks, etc. The list goes on and on. And I can’t forget about my running clothes/gear. I used to insist on carrying it on-board in case we got stranded and I needed to run from the airport. But now I pack it with everything else. If push came to shove, I’d run in my causal shoes and in street clothes. There’s no doubt about it! Too, I had yet to make pick-up arrangements for Tuesday night. I though t that I should stop packing and make a call or tow to line up transportation home form the airport. I called brother Bob. He wasn’t home but his wife, April was. She said that she was sure Bob would be happy to do it. I was grateful and sent my travel itinerary via email. Another thing off the list! Next I had to compile a To Do list for Ashley who would be watching m house and Ykraps Sunday, Monday, Tuesday after Dad leaves for Florida. This would be the first time I have asked one of my girls to do the duty. Scary!!!! Mindy showed up a little after 8:00pm, which was a nice break from the task at hand. She didn’t stay long, however. While she was there, Ashley stopped in to review the to-do list and to pick-up the key. Mindy left before 9:00pm. I finished packing a few more things then began my wind down process. As it currently stood, I had only a few remaining tasks to complete the following morning. If my plan was correct, I would be able to leave the house for work, only to come home tomorrow afternoon to do a couple minor tasks and to load our gear into dad’s vehicle. You’ll notice there was no mention of dinner. I did manage to woof down two bags of popcorn – the first share with Mindy. By 9:50pm, I was in bed reading and falling asleep.

Sweetheart of a Day!

Like many holidays, the line between pagan and religious roots are blurred. Valentine's Day is no exception. It seems that some time during the third centruy A.D. then Emperor Claudius in an attempt to incent young men to join his armed forces decided to outlaw marriage, thinking the move would eliminate their need to settle at home with loved ones. Instead, it caused a revolt of sorts. St Valentine, a Roman priest, began performing secret weddings. Ultimately he was caught, imprisoned, and finally executed on or around February 14th, 269AD. Power corrupts! Valentine's Day began for me at 5:30am sharp. And judging from this recent streak, I seem to be back in my groove. I proceeded to carry-on with my usual routine and was out the door with Ykraps by 5:50am. The morning sky was brilliantly clear and not a cloud in sight. The moon hung overhead in the northwest sky providing a well lit path for our walk. Too, the temperature was much warmer than it has been in a couple of weeks. We were back at home by 6:05am, and I went about finishing up my routine. I left for work sometime around 7:37am and arrived on time slightly before 8:00am. As you likely assumed, I spoke with Mindy along the way as we exchanged Valentine greetings once again. We made tentative plans for pizza at her home after work with the children. I would try to be there earlier than the usual 7:00pm. Work was busy, of course. Come noon time I was chomping at the bit to run. The temperature had moderated to well above 40 degrees and the sky was cloudless. I was looking forward to a spring like run! I dressed in two layers (a wicking shirt and a fleece jacket). I was perfectly comfortable. After my run I hit the shower immediately. In the men's locker room we have five shower heads. Three on one side, two on the other. For about a month now, one of the end shower heads has been inoperative causing one to shower right next to another without a shower between us. It feels uncomfortable and it looks rather odd! I decided while showering to attempt to take it apart to see what was the matter. Long story short, I was able to remove some blockage in the shower head and restore it to good working order. YEAH! The afternoon began with me logging onto Krogers floral website to check on the delivery status of Mindy's roses. I had ordered them on February 7th for a Valentine's Day delivery. Once I had my tracking number I was whisked off to UPS webpage where it showed that my package was in transit but not delivered yet. It was now 2:00pm, and Mindy gets off at 3:00pm. I began to worry. After all, I paid a sailor's ransom for Valentine's Day roses! A cal to the 800 number netted several busies but that didn't stop me. I kept on trying until I finally got through. The young lady was more than helpful but surprised me when she informed me that she wasn't necessarily Krogers florists. Instead, she was with proflowers. com. Apparently they are the pedals behind the Kroger moniker and provide this same service for several other companies as a DBA (doing business as). Any way, she let me share my story but assured me that there wasn't a problem yet so not to worry. There was still a good hour left before school was out. While she was correct, I wasn't so sure, and they lead me to believe that they'd be there in the AM hours. She claimed that since they went UPS they have a policy of 8pm for residential deliver, 5pm for businesses, and 3pm for schools and the like. I agreed to drop off the call and continue tracking the shipment. Come 3:05pm the webpage continued to show them in transit.. I was frustrated now because I knew that Mindy would soon be leaving for the day. And that meant that she didn't have Valentine's Day flowers to show off to her friends and co-workers. I reluctantly called and asked if she'd received any gifts while at school. Nope, nothing! Shit!! Mindy patiently agreed to stick around until 4pm to see if they'd arrive. She said that they UPS normally doesn't arrive until sometime just after 3pm anyways. In the meantime I continued to monitor the UPS webpage. Come 4:15pm Mindy had to depart without her flowers. I was dejected! What was meant to be a surprise was suddenly a painstaking endeavor. I repeated tried to dial the 800 number, but to no avail. Come 5pm EST I finally got through and spoke with Monique. I calmly explained the situation and she seemed to empathize. She provided two options. Credit the delivery charges and deliver anytime tomorrow or in the future - my choice. That didn't sound appealing because the luster was off the surprise already and I paid Valentine's Day prices. I asked about option #2. Option #2, she explained, was to credit me for the entire purchase. That felt right to me. I had lost out on the moment I intended to capture. We agreed to those terms. To cover myself, I logged back in one more time and printed off the screen shot of "in transit" at 5:00pm. I also got her employee number to use as reference should something in the credit process go awry. I left the office. Mindy was so cool over the entire event. She seemed happy just to know that I tried. My after work plans included stopping for a quick haircut, picking up a Joseppi's pizza, and then heading directly to Mindy's. I managed to do just that. I made it to her home with a new haircut and an extra-large Topper pizza by 5:50pm. I made great time due in part to a rock solid game plan. We all enjoyed the pizza although Jacob was a little distraught over the lack of a plain cheese pizza. I explained that the last time I bought two, one with pepperoni and one plain cheese, they all ate the pepperoni anyhow. He soon got over his angst and enjoyed some pizza. After dinner we played together for about an hour -a little hide-n'-seek, a veggie tales video, and a sword fight or two. But soon it was bath time. Again, both kids turned their tubby time into swimming time. Under my watchful eye they went about their hold your breath underwater contest. For whatever reason, their controlled fun got a little out of control towards the end. Soon they were flinging water at one another with plastic cups, and a great majority of it was leaving the tub and finding its way to the floor and walls. Mindy wasn't to please when she returned. Of course I did what any good "watcher" would do. I blamed them! They were just having fun and nothing was damaged. I saw that any little puddles were quickly soaked up by the floor towel. Not sure what the big deal was? After their baths the kids were in bed before 8:00pm. Mindy and I spent a few minutes together on the sofa before I headed home. Because I had driven straight to Mindy's, Ykraps was at home with his needs not yet tended to. I left her home at 8:15pm. Once home I walked Ykraps, washed my lunch containers, and prepped coffee for morning. Before going to bed I did some blogging and played guitar. And before closing my eyes for the night, I read several pages of my "What The Bleep" book.

Valentine's Day - a day early too!

Monday morning came too quickly. Sometimes it seems that the weekend goes by at hyper-speed. No sooner than we get home on Friday evening for some much needed personal time and rest, the clock strikes 5:30am Monday morning. And the more activities we have planned for the weekend the faster it goes. But, we can’t get to the next one until the last one ends. Hmm? What to wish for, what to wish for. I went about my routine with a smile about my face (if interested in reading more about my routine, see post titled/dated ground hogs day, Feb 02, 2006). After all, this was a week that would culminate in being on vacation. I have a lot to do in preparation but I have sworn off stress and worry for a happier worry-free outlook. I mean, hey, what’s the worst that could happen? Like many of the days prior, it was chilly and cloudy during my travels to work. I wouldn't allow the weather to sway my mood, however. No sir! I planted myself in the office just before 8:00am. My morning office routine takes me by a huge 20 foot high wall of windows each morning. As I was filling my water jug and stowing my lunch it began to snow. And even though I am ready for spring, it was a beautiful sight seeing the thick wall of snow blanketing the outdoors as far as one could see. As I settled into work the days tasks began to quickly mount. Our center was quickly buried in issues! But that happens on Monday's more than I care to mention. We managed as we always do. Come 12:30pm I left the office for my daily run. I dressed warmly even though the snow had subsided. We were experiencing 20+mph gusts out of the sw with wind-chills dipping into single digits. It has been a while since I can remember feeling cold piercing my running gear even in the slightest - certainly well before Christmas. Once the wind was at my back I was toasty! Upon my return and shower I left the campus on a mission to finalize Mindy's Valentine's Day shopping. I planned to stop at Hallmark to look for the missing piece to her nativity setting. Lucky for me they had just the piece I was looking for. I was back to work in no time flat. I first went about eating my lunch then proceeded to indulge in several work related issues. And I worked steadily right up until 5:00pm. Just before leaving work I placed a call to Mindy requesting that she give me a little extra time to prepare for her arrival since I had yet to wrap her gifts or write out her card. I was feeling just a smidgeon of stress. She obliged and made arrangements to stop at a friends before coming to my house. That worked great, too. I had plenty of time to wrap her two gifts, write her card, and complete my normal after work chores. After getting all of that done I took to journaling. That's when Mindy finally arrived. For the first 30 minutes we exchanged Valentine's gifts then planned our dinner. I must admit, Mindy's out did herself. Her gifts for me were very well thought out, one of a kind, and very special. After thinking it through, we decided to visit El Vaquero, but not the one close to my home. Instead we selected the one in Hilliard since it was the venue of our very first "official" date. Soon we were off! At El Vaquero we were guided to a booth far removed from our first date table. We didn't question it however. Soon we were engrossed in their world famous chips and salsa. They were very, very fresh. I can always tell the difference. When they're fresh, they practically melt in your mouth. And these certainly did that! Mindy ordered a #158 - scallops and shrimp, and I ordered #18 - taco, burrito, rice and beans. We also ordered a bowl of their delectable guacamole Everything was delicious!!! We filled up pretty fast on the entree's and chips. We were stuffed as we made our way to the door for home. Back at my house I gave Mindy a back rub while we talked. She made it a point to leave around 9:00pm so that she could get a good night's rest. After she left I spent time blogging, reading, and cleaning up my house. I should have done some packing but that's what Wednesday night is for. I was in bed by 10:20 reading and asleep before 11:00pm. Good Night Moon!

Happy (early) 20th Birthday Ash!!

I popped out of bed Sunday morning feeling like a million dollars. I woke initially at around 530am (go figure) but opted for a little more sleep, so I didn’t get up for good until 7:40am. Mindy spent the night but chose, as I knew she would, to sleep a little longer. I told her that I’d check on her after my workout, walk, and run. After whipping out my exercises Ykraps and I went for our usual walk. While it was chilly, the sky was clear and the birds were chirping. Unlike most winters, we’ve had a vast assorted of song birds stick around this winter making for musical morning walks, especially when it’s sunny! After our walk Ykraps and happily returned home for some coffee and meditation. Ykraps likes to go to that quiet place where he can reflect on his being and take pleasure in nature. I journaled for a spell then found my way to my running clothes where I prepared myself for the daily run. Before departing I took Mindy a cup of coffee (the things we do for love!). I don’t even allow myself to drink coffee in my bedroom. That’s how I have managed to keep my white carpeting so fit for twelve years. The run went very well despite there being a cold wind blowing out of the north. Instead of focusing on the chilly wind, I focused on the warm sunshine! Before I knew it, I was facing the home stretch. It was now about 10:20am. I next took to a few household chores, but nothing too big. Shortly there after I heard Mindy begin to stir and ultimately make her way down stairs. After some coffee and conversation we decided to make some breakfast. We made sausage and French toast. The French toast was made with a fresh loaf of Sweet French bread from the Wal-Mart bakery. We sliced it about one inch thick! It turned out nicely. After breakfast I took a phone call from daughter Ashley where we buttoned down plans for her to visit mid-afternoon with the intended purpose of signing up for Spring quarter classes and celebrating her 20th birthday early since both Mindy and I will be out of town Friday, the 17th, her official b-day. Ashley arrived sometime around 1:30pm. We signed up for her classes in quick order. Essentially, she signed up for the next classes in her current sequence (I.E. Math, English, Science). We returned to the kitchen where we talked about lots of different things before placing 20 candles on her chocolate tort birthday cake and singing Happy Birthday! Ashley left for home at about 2:50pm, and Mindy left around 3:00pm destined for her mothers. I used the time between then and 4:00pm to read and sneak in yet another nap. As usual, I would be heading to Mindy’s mom’s for dinner and leaving my house around 4:00pm. At 3:45pm I woke and quickly readied myself for Gloria’s. I arrived at Gloria’s home right on schedule, 4:45pm. I gave her a Valentine’s gift in hopes of brightening her day. By 5:00pm, all of Mindy’s siblings arrived. But just before we sat down to eat, an older gentleman, I think his name was Vic, showed up with some goodies for Gloria. He was 87 years of age yet looked no worse for the wear. And he certainly seemed to get around pretty daggone well. He was reported to be a friend of the family, but I got the idea he had the hots for Mindy’s mom. I was a little surprised he wasn’t asked to stay for dinner. He soon moved on down the road, and we moved into the dining room to sit for dinner. This evening’s spread consisted of spaghetti, pork chops, garlic bread, cucumber salad, and mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert there were ice-box cookies and pecan pie. Everything was scrumptious! After dinner everyone scattered to their favorite comfort spots around the house. Suddenly, I found myself alone, albeit briefly, with Gloria in the kitchen. That’s when she turned to me and said, “can I ask you a question?”. “Of course”, I replied. She further clarified by saying I didn’t have to answer if I didn’t want to, but went on to ask me, “do you love Mindy, or might it be infatuation?”. I could tell by her tone and the look in her eye that it was more than just a curious question. Instead, it was one of concern for her baby and one she’d likely been contemplating asking me for sometime. I paused only for a moment then responded that I did, and did very much. She went on only to tell me that Mindy’s been through a lot. Of course, all of this took place in less than a minute’s time. Mindy soon came into the kitchen as our short conversation ended. I felt just a little awkward, but at the same time understood her question being the father of three young-adult girls! Soon Mindy and I were gathering our things to head home. Because I had walked Ykraps ahead of time, I had no need to go immediately home. I would head to Mindy’s for a while. Jacob chose to ride with me, which was a first. Once at Mindy’s we unloaded her car and immediately began readying her kids for bed. That didn’t take too long. They were in bed by 8:00pm. We gathered on the sofa and tuned into the Olympic games for about an hour. We got to see some of the short track racing and snow boarding competition, both pretty cool! Shortly after 9:00pm I headed for home. Once home battened down the hatches and headed almost immediately to bed. I did, however, do some reading before falling asleep.

I'm Late For A Very Important Date...

It wasn't by design, but nonetheless I was up Saturday morning at about 6:20am. Mindy’s children we’re up and frolicking about watching cartoons and requesting their needs be fulfilled. I tried sneaking back to sleep a couple of times but in the end it was futile. Like always, an early rise after even a tame evening at Barley’s is tough. The promise of a fun, eventful day, along with the smell of fresh coffee got me up and going. Before I could get my first cup of coffee, Jacob requested that I come play “build a castle” with him in the playroom. And much like his other passions, swords, ships, and creatures, he has more castles than any other kid on earth. We spent the next fifteen minutes constructing our castles which I would later learn would be destroyed in a battle that rivaled those fought at Troy. The only problem is that Jacob gets to make up all the rules. Any trickery that I tried to employ was determined to be unacceptable and foul play. His, on the other hand, was always appropriate and condoned by the gods. That’s not fair! I snuck off to get my arms around that first cup of coffee, the one I hold so dear. It was delicious. I fluffed it up with toffee-nut creamer, Splenda, whipped cream and caramel. Before I could get much of it down, my popular presence was being requested separately by both Bella and Jacob. Bella wanted me to help play computer video games and Jacob wanted me to return to further destroy my kingdom. I choose to go back to the playroom to try once again to conquer Jacob’s castle. My new tactic was to use dragon power (he has several dragons- go figure!) to fly my men into his fortress and knock down his walls. But once again, my tactics were met with resistance and deemed unfair. I began to realize I couldn’t win! I made my way back upstairs for another round of coffee. By now it was approaching 9:00am. I needed to head home. After a quick sword fight with Jacob, I gathered my belongings and beelined for home. At home I first went about my exercise routine before walking Ykraps. After our walk I rewarded his consistent good behavior with a treat. I needed to ready for a run, but I was still awfully tired. I decided to collapse in my reading chair if only for a few minutes in an attempt to steal a few winks. I dosed for about 10-15 minutes. It was extremely refreshing! After my quick nap, I woke feeling much better, so I went about prepping for my run. I was back from my run by 11:30am and proceeded to woof down a few bites of cheese before readying myself for an afternoon of errands. And by the way, my newest azul light was still aglow this morning. Wahoo! After showering, dressing, and checking my list, it was darn near 1:00pm. I had a number of stops I wanted to make (Barnes & Noble, World Market, Wal-Mart, JC Penney). I had in mind too that I might stop somewhere special for lunch. I made my rounds and finished up at Wal-Mart around 3:00pm. I never made it to JC Penney and quite honestly, I wasn’t too worried about it. Also, during my rounds, I filled up the gas tank - $1.98 per gallon. Back home I put away my groceries then settled for some reading and another nap. Blissful, I tell you! I just couldn’t get enough beauty rest today. Soon I awoke to finish some journaling when Mindy called to report being on way over. Seems she finished her errands a bit early. Once she arrived she made herself a snack while I finished up some reading. While we chatted I went about putting in the new DVD I bought, What The Bleep Do We Know. It’s the video of the book I’m about to finish. For the next 1.5 hours I was engrossed in the content of the video. At 6:45pm I had to stop the DVD with probably 15-20 minutes remaining in order to ready for the Ballet. Before getting dressed I walked Ykraps in the back yard. He likes that every once in a while. We were both dressed and ready by 710pm. Although we had plenty of time, we decided to go ahead and head out for not wanting to be hurried. We made it to the Riffe Center in no time whatsoever. We were parked and walking in by 7:30pm. The ballet was slated to begin at 8:00pm. By the time we got our tickets from will-call, checked out the cool quilt exhibit in the Riffe Gallery, and found our seats, we had only 5-10 minutes before curtain time! The Riffe Center is modern and beautiful in its own right, but it’s no where near the gem that either the Ohio or Palace Theatre are. And before I forget, Mindy looked striking tonight in one of her new outfits. One of Mindy’s close friends daughter was sharing the role of Alice tonight so Mindy was extra excited for the show to begin. As I learned later, Alice & Wonderland was casted with a mix of both professional and amateur Balletmet dancers. All of them, however, were outstanding dancers as one might expect from balletmet. Because this was first and foremost a ballet, the story line was a little choppy and at times a bit hard to follow. But all in all, it was a pleasurable experience. And the costumes were beyond good and very creative, much like the story itself. For my liking, the presentation went on too long (about 1.75 hours with the short intermission). I was getting antsy! The show wrapped up at 9:45pm. I noticed on our way out of the auditorium that my cell had received a text message. It was work! Being the manager on-call, I had to stop and call in to determine the issue at hand. Mindy, in turn, called her friend to set up our after meeting with them. The work issue took only about five minutes of time to understand and handle appropriately. Soon, I rejoined Mindy over by the stage exit and elevators where we ultimately met her friend Lori and her daughter Ally (Alice). As we exchanged hello's I couldn't help but spot many of the other cast members beelining out of the center. I guess I was awe struck with all the stars. :) As we exited for the garage we bided farewell to Lori and Ally. We had some difficulty finding our floor in the garage despite Mindy's initial insistence that she knew exactly which floor we were parked. ;) After a ride up and down the elevator, we finally happened upon the Trooper all by its lonesome. Dressed as we were and after such a "lofty" event you would think that we'd opt for a Cameron Mitchell restaurant, but instead, we agreed to visit the Rooster's in German Village. I had a dual motive. My daughter Courtney was reported to be working there and if she wasn't going to come see me, I was determined to go see her. Plus, I hadn't been to a Rooster's in at least five years. Last I remembered was visiting the one on Henderson Rd when I had braces. I used to think they had the best wings in town, but I was sorely mistaken. We arrived at Rooster's in no time flat. It's only minutes for downtown on City Park. To my chagrin, no Courtney, though. Mindy asked while I was peeing. Apparently she had already quit or had been relieved of her duties. We each ordered wings. Mindy ordered medium, I ordered "donkey" along with a side salad. For good measure we ordered a side of cheesy fries in an effort to compete with Barley's. The food was helplessly disappointing to say the least. I probably won't return to Rooster's anytime soon. The wings were cold on the tips and over dipped in breading. The cheesy fries were down right disgusting! We didn't complain, but instead quietly enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to contrast it against Barley's. We left for home around 11:15pm. Both of us were tired. Once at my house Mindy went right to bed. I opted for a bowl of popcorn, and the last 20 minutes of my new DVD. At its conclusion I attempted to tune to Saturday Night Live, but it was scratched for coverage of the Olympics. Not. I went to bed.