Not So Routine Return

Welcome to our world Landon James 2/28/2007 6lbs 0ounces - 3:01pm

Hard to believe, but it’s already the last day of February. The month moved by so quickly. I suppose that’s because of everything that went on. We had the big snow storms and artic blast, Gloria’s illness, the Super Bowl, Ashley’s B-day, Valentine’s Day, our ski trip, and now the pending birth of my fourth grandchild.

I woke at 5:40am to begin my day. I felt surprisingly good for getting only a little more than 4 hours sleep and for all the skiing over the last four days. I should attribute that in part to a healthy lifestyle.

I went through my usual paces but was noticeably slower at it than usual. But then again, it’s always that way after an extended break. Things aren’t as intuitive as they are when done day after day. By the time I had exercised, walked Ykraps, and made the morning’s first cups of coffee it was after 6:15am. Mindy was already showering when I dropped hers in the master bath.

I read the Daily OM and caught up on the Yahoo headlines before jumping into food prep. And just like everything else, it took twice as long to prep our lunch and get breakfast on the table. I was glad that I remembered to throw my running clothes in the dryer, otherwise I would have introduced yet another delay into my morning.

After Mindy and the kids left for the day I showered and readied for work. About the time I left for work the lack of sleep caught up with me. My eyes were getting heavy. And by the time I arrived at work I felt even sleepier. There was nothing I could do about being tired other than try to snap out of it, and that’s exactly what I did. A couple of my peers commented about how tired I appeared. And did I ever!

Thankfully, I was able to lay a little low throughout the day as compared to most others. This allowed me to catch up on lots of email and other miscellaneous work related tasks. I left for my run around 12:45pm. It felt pretty good getting back on the horse. The weather was nice. It was about 45 degrees and mostly sunny. Subsequently, the run was almost effortless. Back in my office I ate my lunch and then hurried off to a mid-afternoon meeting that lasted until after 3pm. Just before leaving work Mindy called to let me know that Lindsey had her child at 3:01pm. His name is Landon James. The only thing we knew was that he weighed 6lbs even. That’s little these days. Mindy and I planned to visit the hospital this evening after work. We’d be taking all the kids too. Oh boy!

Suddenly, I wasn’t looking too forward to going home with so much to do. Immediately after arriving home I walked Ykraps, unloaded my gear, and did a little unpacking. After freshening up a little we left for the hospital. I hadn’t ever been to OSU hospital before. That would be a new experience. We arrived sometime after 6:30pm. Lil’ Rocky was excited about seeing his new baby brother. He was wrapped tightly in hospital baby blankets unlike anything I had ever seen before. Mindy held him first then allowed Lil’ Rocky to crawl up in bed with his momma to hold him. Being three, he held him like a football. He had to be watched carefully. That whole thing freaked me out.

Jacob and Bella took a turn holding him too. They tend to be a little more careful, especially Jacob. He’s very good with babies. After they all took their turns, I held him for a spell. He was pretty much motionless. Mindy removed his cap to reveal his cone shaped head and flowing locks of hair. I wouldn’t say he’s an ugly baby but I also wouldn’t say he’s beautiful either. Something about boy’s as compared to girl babies. We didn’t stay long and quickly realized we left the car seat and an outfit in our car. We’d have to get that to Lindsey another day, but she said she wasn’t slated to go home until Friday, anyhow.

We kissed Lindsey and Landon goodbye as we departed. We thought that Lil’ Rocky might pitch one not being able to remain there with his mommy, but he didn’t. Mindy prepared him well. We left without incident. After we arrived home Mindy got the kids ready for bed. I spent the time unpacking all of my suitcases and put everything away. Aside from my running attire and ski clothes, I wore very little of my packed items. Note to self.

I spent the rest of the evening down loading pictures and backing up the picture CD’s Glenn made for us. All told, we had over 500 pictures and that doesn’t include those that Bob took. Speaking of Bob, he phoned sometime after 8pm to check in and see how things were going. Lat he left things were a little chaotic. I gave him a full report. He, in turn, gave us a report on his first day home. He opted out of work and instead spent the day on the slopes of Mad River Mt skiing – Dog!

It wasn’t until 11pm that Mindy and I finally went to bed. As tired as I was this morning, I didn’t feel nearly as exhausted now that it was bed time. I suppose my body was still on Pacific time.

The Time Has Come - The Time is Now...

Most of us were up before 7:30am doing what we do each morning. I, of course, was all about doing my exercises and prepping for a run. But before either I made the day’s first pot of coffee with Seattle’s Best.

After sucking down one cup of coffee I dressed in my smelly running clothes for one last run along the Vancouver waterfront. Over the years I’ve logged probably 40 runs along that route. This day I went without my MP3 player or ear covers.

It was spitting rain as I left and at times it rained even harder. For no real good reason, I shortened the run by about a half mile, keeping it closer to my usual weekday five miles. I returned dripping wet and quickly changed back into my PJs and placed my wet running clothes in the dryer. Before taking my shower Mary Ann and I made five sandwiches for the trip home. Last minute we made one for Glenn too, so that he had a packed lunch for work. In our stead, Glenn would find himself left with a fridge full of food, some beer, and a bottle of wine. What we’d take would be the noise and positive energy we brought with us from Ohio.

We all were showered and ready with a good half hour to spare. Glenn was up and busy burning photo CDs for each of us. One CD contained wedding photos and the other the ski trip. Just before we left his house the rain came down hard and began mixing with large snow flakes just as predicted by the local weather forecasters.

At 9:45am we loaded the minivan, hugged and said our goodbyes, and then headed for PDX. The next planned family visit is said to be October. We’ll just have to see.

I realized pulling away that we’d need to stop for gas to fulfill our rental agreement which requires the van be returned on “full”. We gambled thinking surely there’d be many fueling opportunities in and around the airport/rental agencies. It was raining so I was very focused on my driving. As we approached the airport I wasn’t entirely sure how to get to the Thrifty Rental facility. We gambled and turned right on International Way. We were wrong. That made me nervous. While trying to find Thifty I remembered the need to fuel. And as luck would have it, there were no fueling stations to be found. Of “frikin’ course! We finally located the Thrifty lot but couldn’t find fuel. We opted to drive around a little feeling certain that there’d be a gas station nearby. We never found one. Eventually we gave up and decided to eat the high refueling charges we were sure to encounter at Thrifty, although we’d used only a quarter tank.

We pulled up to the rental return and quickly exited the minivan. The young lady asked that I keep it running while she inspected the van and recorded the mileage and such. She noticed the gas not being full and told me she’d have to charge me for fuel. I conceded. However, she returned with my receipt and decided to forego charging us any extra for fuel usage. That was awfully nice!

We loaded our luggage into the airport shuttle and were on our way. He dropped us at the Northwest door all in a matter of five minutes. We opted out of the outdoor check –in kiosk where they charge $2 per bag and instead proceeded inside to the normal counter. Inside we encountered a tremendously long line – probably about 30 folks deep. Suddenly we felt pressed for time. Mindy went back out to confirm if we could fully check ourselves in at the outdoor kiosk. She returned with good news. We could!
We decided that the $2 per bag charge was well worth the no wait line. Together we had seven bags to check. Five minutes later we had all of our luggage checked and all of our boarding passes for home. We tipped the gentleman well and proceeded to security and eventually to our gate – D6.

Boarding began almost the moment we walked up – perfect timing! All of us were seated in the rear of the plane. Mindy and I were right by an engine which ended up being very noisy seats. No biggie! Not long into our flight out of Portland we dug into our packed sandwiches. They were yummy.

Mindy and I read & napped through most of the flight to Minny. Because of the strong tail wind, the flight time was 40 minutes shorter than the flight out (2:40 versus 3:20). Once in Minny we found our gate then found some dinner. We dined at the Rock Bottom Brew Pub. They were very slow but the food was good. We headed for our departing gate thirty minutes prior to departure. Turns out the gate changed last minute, but the walk was minimal. We boarded for home.

The flight to CMH was a short one hour and nineteen minutes. We landed I CMH at 10pm on the nose. Without any trouble we got our luggage and got to Bob’s minivan in the Blue Lot. As we headed down International Dr. Mindy’s phone rang. It was Lindsey requesting our ETA and she sounded somewhat panicked. But then again, when doesn’t she. She said she was in labor and needed to get to the hospital and that she needed Ashley to take her. We told her that we’d be home in short order. Where’s her mother, I wondered.

Bob & Mary Ann dropped us at home just after 11pm. We said our goodbyes and quickly switched back into Stressville mode. Mindy woke the kids while Lindsey prepared to leave for the hospital. The plan all along was for us to keep Lil’ Rocky during her hospital stay. He didn’t like the idea and pleaded with his momma to take him along. Mindy and I just rolled our eyes as once again he was manipulating her. We stressed that there would be no place for him in Labor & Delivery and that he would stop crying seconds after she departed. Surprisingly, she listened and left him with us. And just as expected, he stopped crying instantly. In fact, he was happy to be sharing Bella’s room. Can life get any more frantic?

While walking Ykraps I noticed steam billowing from my deck. What? Upon my return I checked the hot tub to find that it was in the Over Heat mode and running the air jets to attempt cool itself down. Ashley had it cranked to max temp. I wondered how long that had been going on. The water level was down about six inches. Great! What ever happened to coming home from vacation to a peaceful, clean home?

After restoring some order to the home Mindy and I eventually went to bed. Both of us had to work the following morning. It was after 1230am when we fell asleep in our own bed.

Saving the Best for Last

Mindy found her way out of bed and down the stairs even before me. I can’t recall the reason, whether of her own volition or perhaps a call to her cell. Either way, I laid in bed just a short while longer before joining her in the kitchen. Quietly, she went about making some coffee and placing the second strada in the oven all the while I began my exercise regiment. Despite more heavy snow in the forecast, the early morning hours were sunny, so the nearby mountain tops were dappled in brilliant sunlight.

Before even 7:30am I was out the door for a run. I was determined to be on the slopes as close to their opening as possible. The village was noticeably barren as compared to Saturday & Sunday. Along my run I kept glancing northward hoping to catch a glimpse of the mountain top which had remained shrouded in cloud cover for our entire trip thus far. No such luck.

I completed my run around 8:00am. Upon my return to the condo almost everyone was up & eating. Everyone was eager to get to the mountain. We also needed to check out of our room before 11am or we risked a $250 penalty. Several of us chose to forego a shower in favor of more slope time. We left for the day lodge just after 9am. The mountain was noticeably less populated & the parking lot almost empty, but that boded well for us. But, unfortunately, that translated into less staffing, too. It took about an hour or so to go through the ski rental/lift ticket process. I was chomping at the bit to get going. And by the time everyone was outfitted in their gear (Tommy sat out) the sun went back behind the clouds and more snow began to fall. In fact, the day on slopes started out foggier and snowier than the other two days. Still, to our surprise, the magic mile ski run was open.

Mindy, Mary Ann, & Tom S chose to take another blue run over to Stormin’ Norman while Glenn, Bob, and I darted over to take on the Magic Mile even as it appeared completely shrouded in clouds and snow. We figured this might be our only chance to take the run. As we approached the top of the lift it was even more soupy than at the bottom. We could barely see the chair in front of us.

As we exited the lift we poked our way to the right of the lift. Glenn advised that we should stick together and try to follow the lift down keeping the reflective stakes just to our immediate left. That was our plan. As we set out our pace was extremely tentative and slow. The snow was unpacked and completely covered our skis. It was scary. After about a hundred yards a young woman going up the lift advised us to move to the opposite side of the reflective stakes where we’d find a more groomed trail. Thankfully, she was right. While our view was still limited, at least we could see those orange stakes and the trail was groomed smoothly. We kept the stakes in sight all the way down the mountain, still advancing at a snails pace. I enjoyed it. Glenn reported getting a little dizzy not being able to see ground from sky, and Bob was snow blind for not having tinted goggles. I was the only one game for doing it again.

We continued down to Stormin’ Norman in hopes of catching up with the others, which we did rather readily. We skied down that run several times as a large group. Then the entire group of us skied Magic Mile, the run that ate Mindy’s face last February. Mindy managed to master that trail, too. We skied until 1230pm when we agreed to meet at the lodge for lunch. Today, however, we packed sandwiches, which we made just before leaving the condo. A couple of us had a pint of brew, but that was it.

By now it was 1:30pm. Mindy wasn’t up to skiing any more. She said she didn’t want to risk hurting herself. Tommy & Mindy headed to the hot tub & pool. Tom S, Bob, Mary Ann, Glenn, and I headed back to the Magic Mile after a fast run down Molly’s Express – a black diamond run. The Mile was awesome going in and out of cloud cover, however, never revealing her peak.

We did the run about three more times taking a different trail each time. As the afternoon began to wind down we took Otto Lang – the eastern most run - which turned out to be my favorite. Just after 3pm we chose to take it one more time. After taking our time heading down the first section of the mountain we turned around to see the peak finally revealing itself to all. And it was a site to behold, a fitting one at that. Our guests, Bob and Mary Ann finally got to see Mt Hood in all of her glory. It literally took our breath away. Everyone was stoked over seeing the peak and skiing the final run drenched in blue skies and sunshine.

We found Tommy and Mindy in day lodge by the rental returns. We turned in all of our gear, visited the gift shop, and then loaded into the CRVs destined for Portland. We descended the mountain with no regrets and a belly full of skiing and fun.

We arrived back at Glenn’s after a brief stop at the good doctor's sometime between 6 & 7pm. After organizing our gear for the trip home tomorrow we decided a trip back into NW Portland for dinner drinks was in order. We chose to patronize the Blue Moon – a favorite of ours. I drove.

At the Blue Moon I hoped to find fireside seating. More specifically, I hoped to sit at the table with a fire pit at its center. Unfortunately, that table was full. We settled for a large table off in a corner. Just like most of our dinners, we ordered pitchers, appetizers, and entrees’. We hung out in the Blue Moon until about 10pm when we decided to head back to Glenn’s place. Mindy drove having had only one small beer earlier in the evening.

Mindy went to bed while the rest of us stayed up for another beer. I went to bed sometime before 11pm.

Mindy Masters the Moguls

I woke around 7:30am in a wonderfully comfortable, finely appointed, pillow top mattressed bed. I quietly headed down the stairs in my jammies, started a pot of coffee, and whipped out my sit-ups and push-ups. I worried a little last week about where I might run while here on the mountain. But those fears were put aside when we walked to the brewery last night. I was certain that I could run the Government Camp ski village despite the icy-snowy roads.

Mary Ann was the next one up, just as I anticipated. Soon others followed. After a couple cups of fluffy coffee & and a bakery style cookie I took off for my run. I ran first towards the east and then to the west. I could tell that it had snowed all night long. The village appeared to have their own well-equipped snow removal team, which did a fabulous job managing the ever mounting snow pack. Still, the road was very slick. I had to be mindful of my footing throughout my run.

At the villages western edge – the MT Hood Brewery – my turn around point, I was fortunate enough to end up behind a ‘salt truck”, who was actually dropping what appeared to be pulverized rock. That made for excellent traction even on the iciest of spots. I was back at the condo 30 minutes after leaving. I worked up a pretty good sweat despite it being somewhat of an abbreviated run. I worked up the sweat because the last mile was all uphill.

By the time I was back in the condo the breakfast strada was ready to eat. Everyone was up and milling about the kitchen and condo. We were all excited about the prospects of another day on the slopes. By the time everyone was fed, showered, and dressed, it was after 10am. And by the time we were at the ski lodge with our lift tickets it was nearly 11am.

We hit the slopes once again starting out with a green run. I stayed with Mindy even as she struggled with that ever present first drop off. However, somehow we got separated on the long, slow descent and I think she paired up with Mary Ann who skied ahead of Glenn and I. Glenn and I assumed they would return to the top at the first lift. But we were apparently wrong. Looked like it would be just Glenn and I skiing together for the next hour or so. We took advantage of the opportunity by taking on a number of the mountains tougher trails. Again, exhilarating! The fresh snow and powder was nothing short of awesome. The only slight draw back was the occasional white out conditions from the driving snow that continued to pummel the resort.

We kept an eye out for our companions for the next hour. We spotted them on the lift where we were certain that Bob gestured to meet on Pucci. We skied over there but never did find them. It wasn't until just before break time did we intercept one another coming down the same slope. Mindy was noticeably excited about her newly acquired skills which she was quick to demonstrate. She reported running into a ski instructor on the slopes that gave her a few quick pointers, which, for her, turned out to be the ‘holy grail’ of ski tips. Almost miraculously, I could see marked improvement. Now she was skiing like everyone else, only a little slower. These newly acquired skills reenergized Mindy. She was very happy! And a happy Mindy is a happy Jimmy! ;)

Around 2:30pm we made our way into the day lodge where Tommy & Mindy already sat enjoying some wine and the Buckeye/Badger basketball game (#1 vs.#2). And just like the day prior, we ordered a couple of pitchers and some hearty food. As we ate and drank, we watched the remainder of the Buckeye basketball game. They managed to squeak out a one point victory, clinching themselves another outright big ten title.

After lunch we all headed back to slopes. Mindy was more than eager to show off her newly found skills, and I was more than eager to see them. And what a difference. She finally conquered that first descent as we skied down the mountain and eventually made our way to the Stormin’ Norman lift. Mindy skied that trail – a blue – without failing once. I, along with everyone else, was very impressed! It’s funny how one little tip can make such a difference. She was even doing a hockey stop. Watch out winter Olympics; here comes Mindy Thompson-Wright!

We skied that run a few times. Everyone in the group could now do it. Around 3:30pm Tommy & Mindy called it a day and retired to the lodge. The good doctor talked about going in but decided to hang. We skied are asses off for the next hour, or until the lifts closed. We were having a ball!

Come 5pm all the trails were closed. We called it day and retreated to the main Timberline Lodge for a self-guided tour and some brews in one of their bars. We stayed on the mountain until just before 7pm. By the time we headed for the parking lot there were just a few cars smattered about. And yes, the snow continued piling up.

Back at the condo, we relaxed for just a short while before making our way to the Mt Hood Brewing Company for dinner. We arrived just after 8pm. We ordered a couple pitchers of beer and some entrees. I ordered their house burger, Mary Ann, their Salmon, Mindy, a steak & calamari, Glenn calamari, not sure about the others. It was all good! We headed back to the condo by 9:30pm. Once again, Mindy headed directly to bed. I stayed up only another half hour or so. I was in bed shortly after 10:30pm.

Honeymoon on a Mountain

I woke at 6:30am to bask in our first full day of marriage. I wasted little time exercising and readying for the daily run. Tommy was already up tending to the coffee maker. There was a steady rain coming down in the city and lots of snow in the mountains. In fact, the television revealed that we could expect about two feet of snow through Sunday on the mountain. Wow!

Just like the day before, Mary Ann was up early and in a very pleasant mood. I guess we have to give credit to Bob! :) I left for my run just after 7:00am. Not only was it raining but there was a chilly, stiff breeze blowing in my face as I descended towards the river. Thankfully, the rain never got too heavy. I ran to my usual turn around point (Ilchee).

I was back before 8:00am. I was very wet from the constant light rain. The first thing I did was return to my jammies and then threw my damp running clothes into the dryer. Once again, the team pulled together another family style breakfast complete with sausage, home fries, scrambled eggs, and toast.

In between showers, we packed and loaded the cars for the ski trip. We would be gone for 2.5 days so we had to take quite a bit of food and clothing. And while we’d be driving the rented minivan to Tom Shepherd’s we wouldn’t be taking it to the mountain. Instead, we planned to take the two CRV’s up. Because of this, we were mindful of over packing. Mindy and I consolidated our gear to one big suit case, as did Bob & Mary Ann. However, I had a couple of “carry-on” bags too (one for running clothes and another for my laptop, book, and camera). While we had hoped to be on the road well before 10am, we didn’t leave Glenn’s until 10:15am. The good news was that Tom’s house was on the way to the mountain.

We arrived at Tom’s by 10:40 and wasted little time in transitioning our gear from the minivan into his vehicle. We were on our way to Mt Hood by 10:45am. Mindy and I rode with Tom S. Tommy, Bob, & Mary Ann rode with Glenn. The drive was delightful – no problems.

Just as I had predicted, the beautiful green mountain vista turned to a winter wonderland just as we rounded a corner shy of Government Camp – around an elevation of 3500’. And as we entered Government Camp, the snow was coming down hard. It was clear now why chains were mandatory. We stopped at the Lodge at Government Camp (where we’d be staying) and chained up. We asked inside the general store where the lodge office was. Just as I thought, it’s in the main lodge located in the ski park. So, if we wanted to seek and early check-in we’d have to drive up to the ski park. The Government Camp ski village is a lot prettier than I remember it. It’s grown a lot since the last time we were through, too. After chaining up, we headed up the winding six mile road to the ski park. The snow came down even heavier as we ascended higher. The winding road up the mountain resembles a mouse maize with towering walls of snow on each side – at places reaching over ten feet high.

Finally at the ski park, Tom dropped me at the door of the historic Timberline Lodge where I entered seeking an early check-in. The young lady at the desk stated that our room wasn’t ready yet, but to check back around 3pm – the regular check-in time. We bagged the idea of checking in early and instead proceeded to get skiing! We’d simply leave all of our overnight gear in the cars while we skied. As it often does, the snow was draped over the towering roof of both the main & day lodge making for a beautiful picture. Folks often can’t believe it when I tell them that the snow gets up to 20’ feet deep up here, but it does.

We quickly oriented ourselves and began the process of obtaining our ski rentals and lift tickets. We wisely did a two day rental package saving ourselves about $9 each. Too, we got our daily lift tickets for $28 each in lieu of the usual $47 since we were lodge guests. For Mindy and I, the total cost of skiing Timberline was $47 a day each – not too bad at all. It’s more costly to ski Mad River back home. As it often does, it took awhile for everyone to get mountain ready, but by 1:30 we were ready to hit the slopes.

We ventured out into the heavy snow gathering atop the lower mountain slopes. There we huddled one last time and agreed on a meeting time in the very likely event we get separated. All of us agreed to do the green trail down the mountain first. Mindy, having skied only two other times, struggled to find her ski legs. She fell a number times on the initial descent. But, after falling three or ten times, she finally got her ski legs and managed to make it to the bottom.
We skied the same green trail a handful of times. But, because it connects with many intermediate (blue) trails, I was able to test my skills a little too. We got in a number of runs before our first beer break. It should be noted that the conditions weren’t the best, especially for novice skiers. The snow came down hard and harder, and there were several periods of almost total white-out conditions. But hanging out on the lower mountain below the timberline made it relatively easy to navigate. The upside to the wintry conditions was the beautiful powder.

At 4pm we made our way to the day lodge for some food and brew. Everyone was psyched about the skiing and the cool winter storm we found ourselves in. There’s something cozy about heavy snow, good friends, family, and beer. Some of us enjoyed a bowl of chowder while the rest enjoyed chili. And if memory serves me, I think we drank three or four pitchers of beer. By 5pm we dawned our ski gear for another few hours on the mountain. However, Mindy and Tommy called it a day, happy with what they had already accomplished on the slopes. Mindy agreed to check-in to our condo over at the main lodge.

We took several of the more challenging lower mountain trails during phase two. It was exhilarating! Visibility was better as darkness fell, too. The lighting helps define the contour of the slopes better than during daylight. We skied until 7:30pm when the rest of us agreed to call it a night and go find Tommy, Mindy, and Mary Ann. We converged at the day lodge where we were quickly united with the entire team. We loaded our gear into the CRV’s and headed down the mountain to our condo.

Finally at the condo we stowed all of our ski gear in the provided storage closet conveniently placed in the covered parking. We each grabbed a handful of bags and gear and rode the elevator to our condo. – unit #1. Just as the pictures inferred, the condo was finely appointed and plenty big enough for the seven of us. There were 3 bedrooms plus a huge loft that doubled as a fourth bedroom. There were two large full baths, granite counter tops, a gas fireplace, and stainless steel appliances. The livingroom had 20 foot ceilings with huge window overlooking the village, mountains, and the ski resort across the street. All very nice! We marveled at the adult sized icicles hanging from the roof of our veranda. After a short break, Mindy went to bed. All the boys decided to take a walk to the local brew pub – Mt Hood Brewery. Mary Ann decided to stay back and read, relax, and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

We set out on foot, leaving the CRV’s behind. After all, we were certain the pub was just around the bend. Unfortunately, the bend turned out to be about 1 mile, and it was still snowing fairly heavily. Lucky for us, the temperature wasn’t bitter cold. Once we arrived at the brewery we were told by the staff that they’d just closed. Damn! That was along walk for nothing. Back up the slight hill towards the condo. We ended up at Ratskeller’s, a rather youthful bar-restaurant. They had live entertainment and quite a large crowd. We didn’t have a problem finding a table but did have a little trouble getting the attention of a waitress/waiter. But just before giving up we finally garnered a couple pitchers of beer. Tommy went to kitchen and ordered us a $25 pizza. I was crashing fast! I was very tired and falling asleep as I sipped my beer. I managed to wake for pizza but continued to battle the sleepies throughout. Around midnight we headed back to the condo. Unbeknownst to me, Tommy, Glenn, & Tom decided to carry on with the partying. They headed to Charlies, the pub directly across from our condo, for more fun. Bob and I called it a night.

I went directly to bed where I must have fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Portland/Vancouver - Life's about to change

I was up at 7:30am whipping out my sit-ups, push-ups, and curls. I tried brewing some coffee but experienced technical difficulties with Glenn’s secondhand coffee maker. And just in case any anyone’s interested, that would make a great Xmas gift/B-day gift for him. Just before heading out the door for my run Mary Ann was up making a cup of tea. She reported sleeping well. I took off on my run just after 8am. It was just above freezing under cloudy skies. I love running in Vancouver down to and along the waterfront. It’s very picturesque. I ran to my usual turnaround – at the Ilchee statue.

I was back at Glenn’s just before 9:00am – about a 50 minute run. By then, everyone was either awake or getting there. Immediately, we began formulating the morning’s plan, which included a trip into Portland. Mindy and I needed to visit the Multnomah County offices to procure our marriage license. Ultimately, we decided that it would be most efficient if only Mindy, Glenn and I rode into town. We figured we’d be about one hour, give or take fifteen minutes. In the meantime, Tommy would take Bob and Mary Ann on a walk about the town. Our plan called for a large family style breakfast upon our return.

Traffic was light to moderate crossing over the river into Portland. We were at the County office in less than twenty minutes. Thankfully, there wasn’t a line and the form was short and self explanatory. $60 later we had our marriage license in hand. Back to Vancouver.

We were back in Vancouver 15 minutes later. We received a call from Tommy indicating that they were at the waterfront and headed back to Glenn’s. We spotted them along our way and picked them up. We all piled in the CRV for the short ride back to Glenn’s.

Back at Glenn’s everyone had their to-do’s. Tommy, Mary Ann, and Mindy made breakfast. After breakfast Bob and I headed off to the local Safeway to get our weekend ski trip’s groceries. We had a rather short list, but somehow Bob and I managed to turn that short list into a full cart. We had lots of goodies and lots of drink! Thanks Mindy! :) Once back at Glenn’s we unloaded our haul then asked for a large storage container to pack the dry goods for travel. Through the remainder of the mid-day we showered individually and readied for the big event.

I was ready by about 1:15pm. Suddenly, time was moving too fast! We would need to depart Glenn’s by 2:00pm if we were to ensure an on-time arrival at the First United Methodist Church of Portland.

We left Glenn’s just after 2pm destined for the church. I drove the minivan. And thinking back it was probably best that I drove as it served as an outlet for my mounting anxiety. As luck would have it, traffic was calm all the way in, and we found the church rather easily. We were there by 2:35pm. It was a beautiful church nestled at the foot of the west hills of Portland, the very hills that would serve as the venue for our vow exchange. We let the gentleman at the desk know that we were there to see Pastor Lowell Greathouse, although he wasn’t expecting us until 3pm. As we toured the sanctuary Lowell came and found Mindy and I. He seemed as pleasant in person as he did over the phone. He asked to meet with us privately to discuss and/or lightly rehearse our ceremony. We spent the next 30 or 40 minutes talking about the ceremony and about our life experiences. He did a good job of easing my nerves. He offered to head up the hill a little early but that wouldn’t work because were still waiting on the good doctor, Tom Shepherd, that is. He was meeting us at Council Crest Park (the pinnacle of the hill) at 3:45pm, and he had the boom box for our wedding music.

Just before heading up we realized that neither Glenn or Lowell knew the most efficient way up the hill to the park. So, Glenn and Lowell did some Googling and/or Mapquesting until they had it down. That ate another ten minutes or so. It was time!

Up the hill we wound following one another. The homes on the hill are very posh, housing many of Portland's elite. Finally, we reached the pinnacle and our destination, Council Crest Park. And being the blessed souls that we are, the skies cleared revealing a vibrant, warm, and bright sunshine. Tom Shepherd was already there waiting our arrival with boom box in tow.
We gathered at the park’s center stone courtyard. The view was spectacular and the accoustics awesome. After everyone took in the view we began the ceremony by listening to Because I Love You So, by Jim Jenkins. We had some technical difficulties with the boom box which Tom quickly remedied by replacing the batteries. As the song concluded Lowell took over and began with a prayer.

After the opening prayer we were all taken back by the appearance of a rainbow arching high overhead and enveloping the entire wedding party. Mindy and I knew it was the universe acknowledging our union. Pastor Lowell then recited the readings that Mindy and I had selected & prepared. Next, Lowell tied the two readings together with a few of his own words and then moved swiftly to the vows we crafted. A quick glance around I witnessed a tear or two being shed by just about everyone. The ceremony ended after our rings vows, a kiss, and the presentation of the newest version of Mr & Mrs Wright.

I was relieved that the ceremony and the planning was finally behind us. We left the park and headed back down to the church where we took care of the formal paper work. We took a number of photos before leaving the church then bidded Lowell farewell. We left destined for the Bridgeport Brew Pub in Portland’s Pearl District. It was just a handful of blocks away.

Mindy phoned her mother along the way telling her of our fresh news. It sounded as though she were happy for us. We grabbed an upstairs table at the Bridgeport and quickly ordered a couple pitchers of their quality brew. Mindy broke out some toasting glasses which we used for our first round. We ordered a number of appetizers and entrees as the celebration carried on through the early evening hours. We left the Bridgeport around 8:30pm destined for Glenn’s place. We were all interested in having a clear head and plenty of energy for our ski trip tomorrow morning. Having drank only one or two beers throughout the evening, Tommy drove.

We stopped at the neighborhood Safeway before heading back to Glenn’s. There I bought some giant cookies and a dozen white roses. We weren’t back at Glenn’s long before everyone was changed into there comfy jammies. It was just after 9pm. We proceeded to prepare two breakfast casseroles for our ski trip, and then we did a champagne wedding toast. Mindy made it clear that she wanted to be in bed early. After all, it was our wedding night. I think we were in bed by 10:30pm.

The Wedding:

Jimmy Wright and Mindy Thompson
Wedding Ceremony
Council Crest (meet at FUMC)
February 23, 2007 4:00PM
____________________________

Gathering (Jimmy, Mindy, Glen, Tommy, Tom S, Bob and Mary Ann)
(Music)
(form a semi-circle around Jimmy and Mindy)

Greeting and Opening Words
Friends, today we come together with Jimmy and Mindy, on this special occasion in which we have gathered in God's presence in order to celebrate life and to honor the meaning of love. We are here today to acknowledge and lift up Jimmy and Mindy’s love for each other and to surround them with our love as well.

For this is the day that they chosen as their wedding day, and they have invited us to be a part of it with them. And it is our privilege to celebrate and witness their vows of marriage and the public statement of love that they will make to each other.

And so, we ask God's blessing on Jimmy and on Mindy and on their marriage, on the families that they bring together, and on the sign of love that this day represents for us and our world, especially at this time in which we seek out true and authentic signs of love in our midst.

Prayer: As we gather, will you pray with me... God of all life, the source of our love and understanding, we rejoice this day in knowing of your abiding presence in the midst of our lives. We have come here today to celebrate life and to support Jimmy and Mindy as they come to join their lives together. We ask you to bless them in their journey in the days ahead and help them keep alive the spirit of love that has brought them to this important day in their lives. Today is a time to honor lifelong commitments and to remember that your presence and our support for Jimmy and Mindy will help to nurture their love for each other.

May they give their vows to each other in the strength and spirit of your steadfast love. May the promise of your word root and grow in their lives, so that they may experience true love in their journey together.

Grant them each the vision and the hope to persevere in trust and friendship all of their days. Support them and support their family that through their love for each other they might feel the strength and joy that comes when lives are shared and when enduring commitments and promises are made and kept, for we ask these things in the name of all that is holy. Amen


Readings
Genesis 2: 15-24
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man saying, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge and good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’ Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

From Martin Luther King’s book The Strength to Love“The meaning of love is not to be confused with some sentimental outpouring. Love is something much more than emotional bosh. An overflowing love, which seeks nothing in return, is the love of God operating in the human heart. Love is the most durable power in the world…the most potent instrument available in mankind’s quest for peace and security. The great military leaders of the past have gone, and their empires have crumbled and burned to ashes. But the empire of Jesus, built solidly and majestically on the foundation of love, is still growing.”

Meditation
--Jimmy and Mindy
Today we are here at your invitation in order to celebrate the meaning of love, not only in your life as it is now joined together through your vows and promises to each other, but also to remember what love means in our lives as well. As we see in the readings that you have chosen for this day, over the years countless writers, thoughtful, reflective men and women, have attempted to capture in words what it means to find and experience authentic love and to nurture it in life.

The writer of the Book of Genesis reminds us that our connection is so intimate that we actually come from each other into life…and through love we are willing to leave what is familiar and precious to us in order to create new life with the person we choose as our life partner.

And Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us that love is the most powerful force in the world…a force that connects us with God…is durable…and is fundamentally related to our quest for peace and security in life.

The search for authentic love is not new. It is embedded in our inner spirits and is a fundamental part of our common search for companionship and meaning in life.

So the vows of marriage are the culmination, in the form of a wedding ceremony, of this unconditional giving and receiving…this offering if you will…that you are making to each other. And we are here to witness to this giving and receiving of love between the two of you.

Jimmy and Mindy, we have come to listen to the words that you are about to share with each other, so that we can see the continued forming of the miracle of your love for each other. And we do so knowing that God is present in this place as well.

Jimmy and Mindy, we pray that the joy that is at the heart of love will follow you all of your days together. Amen.

Declaration of Intention
Jimmy and Mindy, you have invited us to share this day with you. Is it your intention that the love you have for each other will be expressed in a constant commitment of support and understanding wherever that may lead? (It is)

Mindy, will you fulfill the covenant that is embodied in this marriage to Jimmy and commit yourself to love him, to rejoice with him, to comfort him and to seek to understand him in the days ahead? (I will)

Jimmy, will you fulfill the covenant that is embodied in this marriage to Mindy and commit yourself to love her, to rejoice with her, to comfort her and to seek to understand her in the days ahead? (I will)

Love grows when it is surrounded by the love and support of others, so now I have a question for each of you as well:
Will you promise to give your love and care, your support and encouragement to Jimmy and Mindy as they continue to live out their love for each other in the days ahead? (We will)

Prayer: Let us pray.... Dear God, as Jimmy and Mindy prepare now to share their vows of marriage with each other, we ask that you bless them and guide them. We pray that you will remember them and uphold them. And we pray these words in the name of the One who taught us to pray: Our Father, who art in heaven…. Amen.

Marriage Vows
We've come now to that special part of the service in which Jimmy and Mindy will share their vows of marriage with each other.

And so Jimmy will you begin by repeating after me:
I, Jimmy, take you, Mindy, to be my wife. To be none other than yourself, I promise to stand by your side; to encourage you, and be open and honest with you; to laugh with you, and cry with you; to always love you, honor you, and respect you; both freed and bound by our love, for as long as we both shall live .

And Mindy the same vow:
I, Mindy, take you, Jimmy, to be my husband. To be none other than yourself, I promise to stand by your side; to encourage you, and be open and honest with you; to laugh with you, and cry with you; to always love you, honor you, and respect you; both freed and bound by our love, for as long as we both shall live .

Exchange of Rings
Do you have symbols of your love that you wish to share with each other?

Jimmy would you repeat after me:
As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your husband. I choose you to be my wife this day and forevermore. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours.

Mindy would you repeat the same words:
As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your wife. I choose you to be my husband this day and forevermore. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours.

Blessing and Closing
Jimmy and Mindy, you have committed yourselves to each other as husband and wife through these vows and promises...and so at this time, you may begin the celebration of your marriage by kissing. Kiss

At this time, it is my privilege to introduce you to, Jimmy and Mindy Thompson-Wright. Our ceremony has ended, but the celebration of your love has just begun. Congratulations….and Amen.

And We're Off!

Even though I was almost completely packed, I still found myself rushing around this morning with a strong case of the butterflies in my stomach. I resigned myself to the fact that I would be like that all day, this being a work day/travel day.

I packed myself a light lunch – nuts & leftover Chipotle’s. Mindy didn’t need a lunch.

I did my daily run from home to avoid the feeling of it hanging over my head later in the day. At my run’s completion I wrapped a gift for Mindy that I planned to present to her on Friday. In route to work I stopped at the bank to withdrawal a little cash. I didn’t arrive at work until almost 9am.

Because I had already finished my run, I decided to work straight through until 3:00pm. I spent the final hour of my work day preparing for my absence (VM, out of office email, etc).

I left for home at 3pm sharp. Mindy informed me that she’d be picking Ashley up at her house since her car apparently wouldn’t start.

I arrived home by 3:15pm. I had a short list of to-do’s needing addressed before 4pm. I got on those immediately. I worried that the icy snow still lying on the sidewalk might put Ashley in harms way while trying to walk the dog and taking care of the kids. I got out the square garden shovel and cleared a path to the adjoining neighbor’s dry walk. That meant i had to pry/shovel two inches of ice off the walk. It wasn't easy by any means. I also screwed Ykraps’ dog leash into the frozen ground just off the deck in case Ashley has to abandon a full blown walk for whatever reason.

Mindy arrived around 3:45pm. By then I was well into last minute details like airplane snacks, laptop, double checking all literature on reservations and such.

We were completely ready by 4:05pm. We expected Bob shortly after 4:00pm. We were more than ready. And yes, I was more than a little tense. By the time 4:30pm rolled around, still no Bob. Mindy tried his cell and then his home. Mary Ann answered and said she’d call him at work. He called back minutes later to let us know that he was on his way.

Just a little rushed, we loaded our gear inot his minivan and hit the road. It was 4:55pm. We stopped by Bob’s to pick-up Mary Ann and their luggage. By 5:15 we were on the road. We arrived at the airport by 5:30pm. Bob was kind enough to drop us at the terminal to check-in while he went to park the car. That worked perfectly. Just as we were handing our checked luggage to the TSA folks, Bob walked up. Next stop - security!

Tommy was no where to be found. We stopped at the Columbus Brewing Company’s kiosk and ordered two of their 1859 Porter’s. Finally, we all began to feel the euphoria of vacation time. Tommy soon showed up. It was 6:15pm. Minutes later we walked to our gate where we waited only a matter of minutes before we boarded our plane destined first for Minny.

We landed in Minny after a rather nappy flight. Hey, but no bumpy weather. We stopped in the food court along concourse F and had a fast food break. We arrived at our departing gate just before boarding. We sat on the plane a good 40 minutes waiting on our pilots. Like I often do, I fell asleep. I did wake just before take-off, however.

The flight to Portland was scheduled to take about 3 hours and 20 minutes. That was about right. We landed around 11:30pm. After gathering our luggage at a rather empty airport we were shuttled off to the Thrifty Car Rental just down the airport highway. We called Glenn just before we arrived at the rental facility to let him know we were in town. We guessed being about an hour. The rental went quickly, although they tried feverishly to upgrade us but we didn’t bite. We went with the basic rental – no frills!

Just after 12:30am we arrived at our destination – Glenn’s place. Glenn had the house well prepared to receive five guests. After our initial greetings we settled in for a cold brew while Glenn gave a house tour. Mindy was the first to call it a night. The rest of us stayed up a little later. Glenn, Mary Ann and I did a shot of tequila just before going to bed.

Foreshadowing

Your typical 'Jimmy' type riddle

Travel Stress - nothin' new

I purposefully slept later than usual not getting out of bed until about 5:50am. I felt a little anxious and nervous about our looming trip. Nothing new, however, I always fret over my getaways. I heard the coffee ‘beep’ ready as I grabbed my last few winks of sleep. Downstairs I choked down my One-A-Day and began to exercise regiment.

While exercising, I noticed how much better my mid-upper back has been since Mindy’s been walking on it once or twice each day. We’ve pretty much got it down to a simple five to ten second routine. She knows right where to step to get it to pop & crack. And when it pops and cracks the dull achy pain is gone almost instantly.

Ykraps and I headed out for our walk. We discovered a very thin but slippery coating of ice in the walk and drive right out the door. It hadn’t rained so this had to be a product of the “freezing fog” the weather forecasters have been speaking of. A simple glimpse of the walk didn’t reveal anything but man was it slick. I was careful with each step. I determined then that I would be pulling Mindy’s van out of the garage, or moving the Trooper out first so to avoid any possible collision.

Inside, I went about making the morning’s coffee. Just as I was sprinkling on the cinnamon, Keri called for Mindy. I think she was a little surprised that I answered the phone. She needed the school’s fax number and told me she was sick. I told her to get her hung over ass up and into school. J I delivered Mindy’s coffee. I could hear that she was in the shower. I let her know that Keri called, too.

After reading the Daily OM I got crackin’ on food prep. I made Mindy and I some tuna salad to complement the fresh garden salads she had made for us the night before. For breakfast I made scrambled eggs topped with Monterey jack cheese as a salute to Mindy’s school – Monterey elementary. I couldn’t help but wonder which came first- the cheese or the school?

Mindy thought perhaps that her eggs were under cooked and runny at first glance, not used to seeing them with white gooey cheese sprinkled about. I got a nice laugh out of that! The kids and Mindy prepped to leave just after we finished our eggs. While Mindy warmed the minivan, I went out to warm and move the Trooper. Just as she was ready to back out of the garage, I backed the Trooper out of the driveway in case she slid. She did a good job and avoided any visible sliding. Problem avoided!

After the family was gone I settled in for a healthy ten minute meditation. During so, I was able to escape the crowded thoughts that so typically swirl about my brain. I was energized afterwards. After a shower I was back downstairs readying to depart. I made a mental not e of things I wanted to accomplish during the day and at work in preparation for our trip. There was little else I could pack at home until tonight. What probably stuck out more than anything was that I hadn’t published my blog since Thursday, although I had up through Monday already drafted

Work wasn’t too bad but noticeably busier than most Wednesday’s. This was due in part to having so many people off in training – something we occasionally have to endure. I left for my run at 12:45pm sharp. I was anxious to run again today with music draining into my ears. I listened to Pink Floyd, Animals. The album ended about a ¼ mile form my run’s end.

After a semi-fast shower I hustled back to my office to enjoy my lunch. It was 2pm. I had an hour to eat, work, and contemplate the five interviews we had scheduled for 3pm. As they often do, a couple candidates arrived early. I had several things to do so I kept my time schedule just the same. At 3pm sharp I left my office for the interviews. The interviews went until just before 5pm. I was mentally drained at their conclusion. After wrapping a few necessary to do’s I headed for home. I didn’t get too far before I realized I had not sent off the last three days of drafted blog entries. I retuned and sent those to home. I talked with Mindy as I entered the elevator on my way back up. We lost connectivity as the elevator ascended.

Once I was back on the road I reconnected with Mindy. She shared her afternoon adventures and that she had dinner already to go. We were having Chipotle’s burritos in a bowl and El Vaquero Chips & Salsa. Cool!
She reminded me that Ashley & Olivia were headed over to rehearse for coming weekend, too. And by the time I got home, they were already there.

I walked Ykraps as soon as I got my stuff settled in the house. I had to work at controlling my stress as the ever pressing packing deadline was suddenly upon us. I knew in the back of my mind that I would get it all done but still it causes me a certain amount of mental fatigue. My nature is to just start doing it now with complete unadulterated laser-like focus. I want to think about nothing else.
Mindy, on the other hand, likes to interact and do other things at the same time. I struggle there. I felt the stress as I reentered the house with Ykraps, but I stopped, took a look at Olivia, took a deep breath, and went and sat with her and Mindy for a few minutes. It was almost like medicine. I just love her to pieces!

Ashley & Mindy chatted and played with Olivia while I ate some of my Chipotle’s. After finishing up I got crackin’ on my final packin’. This required focus. I had to be careful to not forget the little stuff - charge cords, certain CDs, DVDs, etc. I finished my packing around 9pm and immediately switched into blog update mode. After the blog was all caught up I added another 3 or 4 albums to my new MP3 player.

Through the evening we talked with Glenn, Bob & later Tommy. Everything is set. We watched the final 30 minutes of Idol before going to bed. Tonight it was the girls, and man could some of them sing!

Bonus Round, MP3, and Jack

It was Tuesday morning. I was up and rearing to go by 5:40am. My thoughts turned to the fast pace of the week. It was already the second day of the week. And given that we’re leaving for Oregon Thursday evening, time seems to be slipping by quickly. There’s still so much to do. I calmed myself via exercise and the realization that everything will get done as planned. It always does. Plus, Mindy does a great job of tying up the details. It really makes a huge difference having someone else working on the plan, too.

After exercising and walking Ykraps I was back inside making the morning’s first cups of coffee. I delivered Mindy’s bedside. She had just popped out of bed and had already begun making the bed. I headed back downstairs. I did some surfing and then read the Daily OM, which talked about the way we fill voids in our life. Often we try to fill the emptiness with stuff, shopping, or food – all very temporal things.
I checked the temperature. It was a balmy 39.7 degrees! What a difference a day makes. Yesterday at this time it was only 9 degrees. We’re expecting rain today, which if heavy, will further help to eliminate the heaps of snow and ice.

It was 6:30am and time to move into food prep. I whipped up lunch for Mindy & I and then got started on breakfast. I threw everyone a curve ball this morning. The leftover French bread setting on the counter looked very appealing. So, in lieu of eggs, I whipped up some gourmet French toast. Even Jacoby wanted some. Te kids and Mindy left at their usual time, and I headed up for my shower.

Before leaving for work, I took some extra time to organize and finalize a document I had been working on, and brought our ski gear up from the basement storage. I left for work around 8:15am.

Right out of the shoot, work was busy. I took of numerous tasks through the morning hours. At 12:45pm sharp I left for my run. I was a little extra psyched to have my new MP3 player along for the run today. It’s been over three months without tunes. I realized today how it adds another dimension to the run. It takes the mind further from the mundane physical landscape to a more introspective place. It was very nice. The temperature was nice today, too. It was 46 degrees!

After the run I returned to my desk with plenty to do. Some time just before 4pm I went and met with my boss to, among other things, discuss my merit raise/bonus. I didn’t get back to my office until almost 4:50pm. When I got back I added some RAM to my laptop and wrapped up a few other loose ends. I left the office at 5:10pm destined for home. The warmer temps and rain made a significant impact on the snow pack. I could see parts of my driveway I hadn’t seen in weeks. It was still raining when I got home. Jacob wanted to walk Ykraps with me, but Mindy quickly nixed that, not wanting to risk him getting sick out in the dreary weather.
He understood.

The ice covered walks were now malleable slush. I suppose the fear is that they’ll freeze over night making them slicker than before after the day’s rain. Back inside, dinner was about ready. We were having beef tips & gravy served over whole-wheat lasagna noodles (low carb). To complement the main entrée, Mindy made a fresh salad. Bravo!

We ate and cleaned up the kitchen all before 6:30pm. Record time! Mindy built a fire and put in a movie for the kids. We both got crackin’ on packin’. For lots of reasons, packing is always a stressful activity for me. First of all, I like to do something and be done with it. But because I need to use a number of personal packables right up until time to leave, I can’t wrap up the task fully. That and the fear of forgetting something major causes me much stress.

Mindy finished her packing well ahead of me. While she tended to the children’s bedtime needs I continued on. Thank God for lists. I keep a checklist in Excel that I tweak for each Oregon trip. It really doesn’t change too much, and comes in very handy, especially for addressing last minute to do’s.

After I packed all I could, Mindy and I talked about family dynamics for the next hour or so. Before heading off to bed, we snuggled against the warm fire she had built earlier. Mindy had a glass of red wine, and I had a Jack Daniels and Coke. We fell asleep there in front of the fire. We woke and headed to bed around 11-something.

Shoveling

I woke a couple different times through the night only to see that I had a few more hours left to sleep. That always feels good. I woke for good around 5:35am and by the time I was downstairs fumbling with my vitamin bottle it was 5:40am.

I wasted little time readying for my exercises. Instead, I got right to it and was done in less than seven or eight minutes. I leashed up Ykraps and headed out the door for a walk. Ykraps made good on his part of the walk. He took care of one and two. I was certain that it was warmer this morning. I made a point to check once we got back.

To my surprise, it was only 9 degrees. It’s sad that that feels warm! The forecasted high is 38 degrees today. If hit, that’ll be one of only two or three times that it’s been above freezing in over a month. It’s winter! I decided then that I would take my snow shovels, boots, and gloves along with me to work. I planned to stop by Gloria’s to shovel her walk and drive. I noticed it was largely untouched at dinner yesterday, although she won’t be driving anytime soon. Still, the ice needs to be removed or it’ll be there until May!

I didn’t take Mindy her coffee because this was yet another holiday for her. This one was official. It was President’s Day. I spent just a few minutes on the PC before getting going with making lunches and cooking breakfast. I read the Daily OM, which was fittingly about recognizing our personal growth & rewarding ourselves. I enjoyed it. Even more insightful was the recommended read, Eckhart Tolle’s, The Power of Now. Great book. I’ve already read it.

It was now 6:30am – time to get moving. I quickly changed into food prep mode. I packed my lunch and whipped up some scrambled eggs topped with sharp cheddar cheese. I enjoyed my quiet time immensely. Soon Mindy and the kids found their way downstairs despite it being a stay at home day. They, after all, had big plans. Massimo was slated to visit with his momma Teri, one of Mindy’s best friends.

I finished my breakfast and headed up to the shower just after 7am – a tad earlier than usual. I returned showered a dressed by 7:35am. I still had to tear down and load my laptop, warm the Trooper, and load my snow shoveling gear. In my mind I committed to making a trip to Best Buy this afternoon, too to get a new MP3 player since mine’s been dead for 3 months now. I have $115 worth of gift certificates I received from my team. It’s time to get that new player just before our ski trip.

I left for work at 7:54am. I was happy to be heading out. I was alone for the first time all weekend long. It’s rare for me to go so long without solitude.

Work was pleasant and because of the great job I did on-call, there weren’t any time bombs waiting my arrival. I am good! Still, there’s always plenty to do. I had a few personal things I wanted to see through to completion today as well. I accomplished everything I needed to do. Come 12:45, I left for my run. And going by AOL weather bug, it was 39.7 degrees! Wow - a heat wave! I backed down from my thick middle layer to my thing middle layer. I still maintained wearing gloves and ear covers. I ditched the gloves at the half way point. I was on fuego!

After my run I showered up quickly and went straight to the Trooper. Best Buy is only two or three minutes north of my office thanks to the two new roundabouts. Like anything high tech, there are so many choices and so many bells and whistles. But I’ve been shopping MP3 players for some time weighing the pros and cons, and evaluating how I’ll use it. One can spend anywhere from $50 to $400. I decided my use would almost exclusively be limited to music while running or some other sporting activity. I wouldn’t need it view pictures, movies, or anything crazy like that. Too, I wouldn’t use it to store my entire music catalog. I simply needed a reliable player that could take the sweat and bumps it’s sure to get on the trail. I eventually settled on the Sansa c250 (made by Sandisk). It has 2 gig of storage – more than enough for me. That’s easily 450 songs! Chances are good I’ll never load up that much.

I was going to settle for the c240 with 1 gig of memory, but it was only an additional $10 for the 2 gig model. That seemed like a no brainer. Besides, I was still under budget. None of the players come with a reliable waterproof – shockproof case. I would still need to spring for one of those. They are comparatively expensive for what they are. The one specifically my player is $32. I sprung for it given that it’s almost useless without one. I was out the door after coughing up with tax $109 in gift certificates.

I was back in the office by 2:30pm. My afternoon was very busy. I chatted with Mindy late in the day to confirm my intentions of stopping by her mom’s to shovel snow. Mindy would be running some errands in my absence.

I left work at about 5:25pm and headed directly to Gloria’s. Because of the rather warm temperatures and sunshine most of the day, the snow/ice had softened. I first shoveled the sidewalk leading form her door to the drive. That came up pretty easily. The driven over ice/snow combo on the drive was yet another story. It was tough! I used my square landscape shovel to pry up the stubborn layers and would shovel it to the side. I worked on it for over an hour until darkness and atrophy set in. While there, the neighbor was trying desperately to move an older full size van from the grips of the ice and snow. I helped push and shovel, but to no avail. He really needed a couple of carpeted door mats – not the wood planks he was using. Without disturbing Gloria, I left for home around 6:45pm. Funny thing was, Mindy arrived home from her errands just as I was opening the garage door, and less than a minute later Jamaken returned with the kids.

I didn’t even change out of my sweaty wet clothes before walking Ykraps. Mindy asked if I wanted dinner after we returned. I didn’t feel like a full sized meal. It was after 7pm. She went ahead and readied the kids for bed. After they were down for the count the two of us talked about our day as well as our coming trip. Mary Ann called to chat with Mindy around 8pm. Mindy went to bed kind of early. I stayed up formatting my new MP3 player, downloading the weekend’s pictures (man did I get some good ones), and ultimately reading. And some what out of character, I didn’t go to bed until 11:30pm.

Let's Play The Family Feud

I was up for the day right around 8am after a fairly good night’s sleep. Because we had Olivia overnight, I got up for a 2am feeding, and Mindy got up for the 7am. I was up for only 45 minutes before she finished and fell back asleep. Surprisingly, I felt wide awake by the time I put her back down. It didn’t take long before I fell back asleep, however. That’s never been much of a problem for me.

Mindy had Olivia back in bed by the time I made it downstairs. I was almost certain that she’d be up for the duration given all the sleep she had since yesterday afternoon. She must’ve been tired. I wasted little time getting on with my exercise routine. By 8:20am I was ready to walk with Ykraps. We enjoyed our walk, and Ykraps even bared fruit.

As we scaled the driveway to the house, I took notice of the need to shovel yet again before Mindy leaves for church. The whole shoveling thing is getting old. I’ll be pleased when the weather breaks. Not wasting any time, I sucked down some coffee and logged into work via my laptop. Nothing was afoul. Readying to run, I realized that my running clothes remained wet in a basket from Saturday. I had to throw them in the dryer before I could dress for the daily run. It didn’t take too long – ten minutes.

I didn’t check the clock carefully, but would guess I was out the door running before 9:30am. I stayed in the subdivision given the poor road conditions. Inside I wouldn’t have to dodge fast moving cars. Traction, however, was a bit challenging, but I lived. I was back in a jiffy. Without any hesitation, I grabbed the snow shovels and got cranking on the driveway, first clearing a path for Mindy’s mini-van and then the walk leading to the front door. Mindy let me know that she nixed the idea of taking Olivia to church since she was once again sound asleep. No worries. Her and the kids left for church by 10:15am. The kids were sad that Olivia wasn’t going along.

After Mindy departed I made myself a big breakfast consisting of leftover polish sausage, scalloped potatoes, and eggs. It was good n’ hearty! In the meantime, Olivia kept sleeping. I was able to get all sorts of little tasks completed. She didn’t wake up until just before Mindy and the kids got home from church. By then, Ashley & Lindsey arrived to pick her up.

Mindy and Bella left for Heather’s baby shower around 12:30pm. They were driving out to brother Tommy’s. I gave Mindy decent directions and Tommy’s phone number in case she got lost. The girls left soon after Mindy. All that remained were Jacob and I. It was very peaceful!

Jacob was hell bent on watching the Buckeye basketball game coming on at 1pm. I was determined to read and even nap. As soon as the game started I snuck off to the quiet living room while Jacob watched game in the family room. That worked well. I didn’t hear him yelling at the TV even once! Goal accomplished. I was able to read and nap. Jacob let me know when the game was over. He and I went to the basement and played a game of nerf basketball. He won 87-86. Just as we finished, Mindy and Bella returned. We didn’t have too long before we had to leave for Gloria’s.

We left the house at 4pm destined for Minelli’s where we were picking up a family size order of lasagna, spaghetti, and salad. It was ready once we got there. It was $94. Everything was packed in a large box ready to carry. I didn’t bother inventorying it, I trusted them.

We weren’t at Gloria’s too long before Mindy;s sister questioned the size of the order. She was almost certain we were shorted an order of lasagna and spaghetti. I placed a call back to Minelli’s, who admitted making a mistake. I drove back to pick-up the rest of our food. It was piping hot, too! I have a blister on my right hand to prove it.

Back at Gloria’s we all settled in to eat. We hadn’t gathered in a few weeks - the Sunday before the Super Bowl if memory serves me. Everything was good. I had a little spaghetti and a little lasagna. OK – I had a lot of lasagna! Just when I was contemplating thirds I overheard an evil exchange taking place between Mindy and her younger brother, Todd. At first I thought they were kidding, but quickly it became apparent they weren’t. Mindy was ripping him for not serving Bella some ice cream when he was up serving his daughter Mia. He told Mindy to take care of her own kids, or something like that. This obviously infuriated Mindy, who always, I must admit, goes out of her way to make everyone, especially kids, feel special and would never do something alienate one against the other. Before I knew it, Mindy threatened to leave and was gathering the kids to do just that. I had never before witnessed such negative emotion from her, although she was obviously provoked.

I left the table in an attempt to calm her privately, but I could tell there was no coming down off the ledge. She had already launched her proverbial howitzer missile. Sibling rivalries are real and often rooted in deeper issues from the past. I presumed that’s what was going on here. As much as I hated to, I agreed to leave. I went back into the kitchen and said our goodbyes.

I gathered that both of them, Todd & Mindy, probably wished they’d handled it differently. It’s so hard to pull back, apologize, and admit ones mistake, especially in front of so many others.

We left for home and it was barely even 5:30pm. Once we arrived home, Jacob and I walked Ykraps. Jacob insisted on more sledding when we were done. The snow hill was getting slick from the afternoon sun and the repeated travels. It was loads of fun. Soon Bella and Mindy joined in the fun. We all sledded for about an hour. To our surprise, Bella was into it. She flew down the hill, over the hump and onto the frozen pond. She loved it. Even Mindy and I went down a time or two.

I had to laugh because Bella’s boots kept coming off. On closer investigation I could see that she has plastic grocery bags over her socks – an old Grandma Wright trick! Apparently she wasn’t the only one with such and idea! The trouble was that made her feet too slick for the boots. It worked, however. Bella never once complained about cold feet

Just after the sun went down we headed in. Everyone was happy and smiling. I was most happy for Mindy who was noticeably shaken by her run in with her brother. She kept reliving the exchange. I teased her about it a little but knew when to stop. As I expected, her aggression was rooted in issues from way back. I should’ve been a shrink!

Soon Mindy had the kids in bed and returned downstairs for some quiet time. We threw in the towel on the Sunday evening cartoons and instead talked. I had an ice cold pumpkin ale and Mindy a glass of red wine. I played a little guitar and did some reading while Mindy took care of a few chores. We went to bed right at 10pm. Mindy was still thinking about her crusty exchange.