Again and again

And again… Despite being incredibly tired and ready to sleep I didn’t fall asleep for good until 1am or after. I slept in as long as I could without screwing up my morning routine. I headed downstairs just before 6am. Coffee was already brewed, I could smell it. I was able to complete my exercise routine and finish my walk with Ykraps before 6:20am. Again today, Mindy was down getting her own coffee. I wasn’t certain what time she was planning to head into school to clean-up her classroom, but apparently that would be near her usual time. She clarified that she didn’t need a lunch. I packed mine in just over five minutes and had eggs frying on the stove. I was ready to water by 7:00am. The kids and Mindy left the house around 7:30am – just a little later than usual. I retreated to the shower soon after they departed. Once again, it was expected to be a hot one with high’s around 90 and just a slim chance of pop-up showers. I thought about driving the BM’er but didn’t. I arrived at work just after 8am. It was as busy as ever. I had to pay particular attention to the clock having interviews set-up immediately after my run. It would’ve been shameful to make them wait. I left for a run around 12:40 – five minutes sooner than usual. It was another hot steamy run that did nothing but further prepare my skin for the Mexican sunshine. I finished in a nice glaze. By the time I made it back to my office I had just five minutes before the interviews. I used the time to preview resumes and ensure I had my questions ready. We spent the next two hours interviewing four candidates. As usual, after a few of those my mind turns to jelly. I did my best. The work concluded an hour or so after we finished. I stuck around and talked with a peer and my boss until 5:30pm. I was home 15 minutes later feeling completely washed up after along day with an unequal amount of rest & energy depletion. I spent about an hour and a half staining the southern side of the shed finishing it off completely. As dusk approached, I had 2 ¾ sides of the beast completed. The end was in site. I cleaned up and retired to the house where I took a much needed shower and a grabbed a bite to eat. I tucked the kids into bed and then spent a few minutes with Mindy on the deck. She expressed her disdain over my funky mood. She went to bed after a short discussion. I stayed up reading determined to fall asleep around 10pm in an effort to get a full night’s sleep. But it never happened. I dosed for about five minutes while reading but once again found myself unable to drift off like the previous four nights. I tried the floor, the couch, and ultimately bed, where I finally drifted off in a light sleep around 1am.

Sleep Deprivation

Not me but it captures the feeling nicely















Being the bookworm that he is, this is where
Bob & M.A. stayed while in Ocracoke

Same story, different day. I struggled falling asleep again Tuesday night. I probably fell asleep close to 1am but my sleep was shallow and broken. Surprisingly though, I didn’t feel nearly as tired Wednesday AM as I thought I might. I was able to get through my exercise routine with little if any trouble. I’ve been down this road a couple times past and the sleepies usually catch up to me sometime into the day.

Mindy didn’t need a packed lunch for what would be her last official day of school with kids. I was happy that I only had to pack for myself. I made both our breakfasts like normal. I watered both front and back flowers before readying for work. We haven’t had a solid amount of rain in a couple of weeks. Because of this, our lawns are showing significant stress, and it’s so early in the season. In fact, my lawn still hads’t had a chance to show its full spring beauty prior to this dry spell. For whatever reason, my lawn is always slow to thicken despite better than usual care. I’ve been told it’s the strain of blue grass. We’ve had scattered storms almost daily but none have hit here at home all the while the temperature hovers at or near 90. We’ve had 15 of the 29 days so far in May at or above 80 degrees. I am not certain if that’s a record but they’re making a big deal of it on the news. I hope for overnight showers. Those are the absolute best. On a positive note, my tomato plants are growing seemingly overnight due to the steamy conditions.

Work was eventful, just as it always is. I was waiting to hear from Mr. Imber to confirm Wednesday evening golf. However, come run time, I still hadn’t heard a thing. My run went well – shirtless of course. And just like I figured, the sleepies set in just before hand. I was yawning big time in our staff meeting. But, for whatever reason, being over tired was not impacting my run. In fact, I’m surprised at how easy my runs have been in this early heat and humidity. Usually the first few days with temps near 90 and humidity levels above 50% I am dragging.

Upon my return to the office I saw that Bob emailed about tonight’s golf. He and Mary Ann just got back from Ocracoke yesterday and golf would be a stretch for him, although he indicated that he would if I wanted. I couldn’t do that to a friend. I responded in kind. I figured I’d spend the time staining the shed instead. I left work shortly after 5pm still very tired. I took the back way home, down Old Dublin Rd. That was a wise move given the traffic jam on I-270. The kids were out to dinner with their daddy. After walking Ykraps I got ready to stain another side of the shed. I decided to do the back side facing the pond under the guise of the massive honeysuckle bushes. It went slow and I was not very energetic. Knowing that it wouldn’t get done on its own, I pushed through the chore. I didn’t finish the entire side, but did keep going until the original gallon was gone. That seemed like a good cut-off point.

After clean-up & a quick shower, I sprinkled the front lawn and flowers. It’s such a shame to see the lawns browning up so early in the season. Mindy went off to bed. I was determined to read and fall asleep as close to 10pm as possible. I read until I caught myself drifting. I quickly launched myself to the floor grabbing two giant pillows on the way down. Just as I was drifting off Mindy came to the railing and asked if I was coming to bed. That startled me out of my sleep and once again I found myself unable to fall back asleep. I tried reading some more but never got that heavy sleepy feeling again. Eventually I dosed off but never deep enough. Around 3:30am I got up off the floor and headed to bed.

Feelin' Fuzzy

I got up and did some reading around 11pm after lying wide awake in bed for almost an hour. Funny thing, I was so tired when I went to bed, but after laying there in the dark for a while the sleepies vanished leaving me to stare at shadows on the walls. I knew that I’d pay come morning. And sure enough, when 5:45am rolled around I really didn’t want to get up. I felt incredibly sleepy even as I pushed through my morning exercise routine. The feeling never subsided. You know the feeling; the fuzzy head, the heavy eye lids, the slow response to pretty much any stimulus. On my walk with Ykraps is most often where I completely shake any sleepy remnants. Today they didn’t clear. I pushed it aside the best I could and got on with my morning. One thing’s for certain, if I continued to dwell upon it, it would never clear. Mindy came down to fetch her own coffee since I was running behind. She confirmed her desire for a packed lunch - perhaps the last of the year. Wahoo! I packed tuna fish and made fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast. I hurried through my food so that I could get on to watering flowers. I watered for the next 20 minutes, but that took me up to 7:45am since I was up a little late and dragging behind at that. Work seemed slow and my fuzzy headedness only got worse. I already felt like I needed a long nap and it was still morning. I had a hard time getting in gear. I pushed through my morning best I could. I left for a run at 12:45pm. It was already hot & steamy. Despite feeling tired to the core I pushed through my run at a slower pace. The heat never became a factor. The afternoon went about like the morning – slow. I left work just after 5pm still feeling a bit out of sorts. I stopped at Target on my way home to get new batteries for my digital camera. I bought Ykraps a new box of dog treats, too. I wouldn’t want to risk him running out while on vacation. I called Mindy once I was out of Target and on my way home. She, as it turned out, had just gotten home herself, which is unusual. She asked me to pick-up a Minelli’s pizza on my way home. I let her go and made the call – extra large pep, extra cheese, and hot pepper rings. It was ready five minutes after I got there – perfect! I ate one tiny piece on the trip home. I walked Ykraps before eating anymore despite feeling extra hungry. By the time I returned from the walk, more than half the pizza was gone. I guess Mindy was hungry! I ate about four pieces while sitting at the island counter. The kids vanished outdoors to play. I told Mindy that I was heading upstairs for a nap. I was ridiculously tired. I turned on the TV to help push me over the edge. It worked, although the sleep was lighter than usual, which has been part of the problem the last few nights. I just haven’t been getting a deep sleep. I woke just as Mindy was crawling into bed. It was close to 8:30pm. Like a repeatable pattern, I couldn’t fall back asleep. I was hungry and restless. Just before 9pm I gave in to the urges and got up and went downstairs. The first thing I did was eat another piece of the pizza. There wasn’t much left – maybe four pieces. Next, I ate the big piece of chocolate cake Gloria sent home on Sunday. But that still didn’t fill me up so I popped some corn. While eating I took care of a number of pre-trip tasks. I recharged my MP3 player and downloaded several new pieces of music. Additionally, I updated my blog, and recharged the camera batteries. Lastly, before heading back to bed, I relaxed in my reading chair and read for a little while. That did the trick. It helped quiet my chattery mind.

Stain - a lasting impression

I didn’t sleep that good at all, but after yesterday I was excited just to be out of bed at a reasonable hour. It was 7:30am. I was up in the middle of the night craving food – something I rarely if ever do. That ill feeling that was so prevalent the day prior was almost completely gone. I was happy to exercise and make my coffee. The sky was clouded over – sort of what we’ve come to expect on Memorial Day in Ohio. As I walked Ykraps a large female deer came meandering out from our back yard and into the street. I was surprised at how nonchalantly she pranced around. Eventually she darted off between the neighbors’ houses and we lost sight of her. I hoped that the kids caught a glimpse of her. However, turns out that they didn’t. They were playing in the basement. The sky began to brighten as I sipped my coffee. It was looking more and more like a 'staining' day. I found my running shorts and hit the streets before 930am. I ran along Trabue thinking that it being a holiday and all traffic would be light. It was. I returned from my run hungry. Mindy warmed some French toast leftover from the morning prior. It was mighty yummy. After I ate I moved into staining mode. I rounded up the necessary tools and made my way to neighbor Pat’s to hopefully borrow his aluminum extension ladder. He and Lisa were up and sitting on their deck. After a brief conversation he fetched me the ladder and I headed home ready to get busy. I decided to stain the front side first. I wanted to ensure the color was to my liking and the front would take the most time with the double doors and all the trim. I figured, too, that after completing one whole side, Mindy and I would do something fun after the kids leave for the pool with their daddy. The staining took a little longer than I expected, but it was relaxing. The wood sucked that stuff up. Still, I bought quality stain that covered nicely in one good coat. It took a while to do all the grooves in the T-111 as well as all the 1X4” trim boards around the door and roof line. Brother Tommy stopped by for about an hour while I stained, He spent most of his time visiting and talking with Mindy. I was focused. I finished up around 2:00pm. Mindy and I talked. I offered up a couple of ideas. I thought we could hike Darby Park or possibly even Hayden Falls. Mindy was certain that Darby would be a zoo having spent a prior Memorial Day there, so she opted for Hayden Falls. After a quick shower we took the BM’er and and a few provisions and headed out the door for Hayden Falls. We exited Scioto Woods at the rear and ventured by my dad’s. We could see that Tommy and Uncle Kenny were visiting. Mindy asked if I wanted to stop in. I opted not for wanting to get on with our venture. We cruised up Old Dublin Rd toward Hayden. It was a fun drive. Once at Hayden we quickly realized how crowded it was, at least judging by the jammed parking lot. We nixed the idea of stopping. Instead of hiking we did the next best thing. We drove to the Mill Run Target to shop! I wasn’t sure what Mindy had in mind but we went. Once inside she began looking at girly stuff right away. I ventured off on my own offering that we’d meet up later. That worked for her. I found my way to the flip-flops after remembering that I needed a new pair. I found a pair I liked quickly. They’re a substantial upgrade from the $5 pair I bought some 7 or 8 years ago. I looked next at running shorts and tops. I ended up selecting one sleeveless sweat sucking shirt, as well a Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon t-shirt. Before looking for Mindy I found a new back pack that will better suit my travel needs over the one I already have. It will protect my laptop and leave plenty of extra room for books, camera, and other miscellaneous items. I found Mindy close to the check out area. She wanted to show me a few things. We ended up buying a new 4-tier shoe rack for the laundry room – one shelf per person – a very good idea! Sometimes our laundry room looks like a Pick-way shoe mart. We picked up a couple more ‘bubba cups’ for our trip too. Lastly, I bought a raspberry lemonade Icee on our way to the car. We headed towards home. There were scattered showers all around the area. We missed them all but drove through the remnants. We decided to stop in and visit my dad and Uncle Kenny as we passed. They were still sitting under the car port sipping tea. Tommy had already left for home. We visited for just under an hour. It occurred to me during our visit just how old these two are getting – both of them nursing various injuries and telling their stories. Note to self. It was a nice visit. UK is quite the conversationalist. We left just after 5:30pm. And just as we were leaving, Jamaken called indicating that he was already back at the house with the kids. I walked Ykraps as soon as we got home. Jacob joined me along the walk having his dad drop him at the corner to catch me. I lit the grill when I returned. We cooked burgers on the grill while the kids played with their new friends next door. After dinner I took to watering the flowers in the front yard giving them a good thorough soaking. I thought about sprinkling but was convinced we had a big storm coming after checking weather radar. Never did rain. Mindy spelled me for a few while I tucked in the kids. After watering and talking it was almost 9:30pm. Still feeling the effects of a wild Saturday night, I opted for an early bedtime.

Rough Day

I must’ve woke around 7:00am for a very brief moment and just long enough to choke down three Advil. The one thing I knew was that I needed way more sleep. I felt terrible and had a horrible taste still in my mouth. Yuck! I slept until after 10am when I finally struggled my way out of bed. Down stairs I couldn’t stay on my feet. I felt so bad. Back to sleep only this time on the couch. Eventually I rolled to the floor where I slept until after noon. Convinced that I absolutely had to get my run done, I managed to slip into my running shorts and shoes and stumble out the door and into the Sunday sauna. Let’s just say that I ran my four miles on pure will – nothing else! My head was fried and my thinking dull. I felt marginally better as I worked my way around the subdivision. But there were a couple of times when I thought that I might pass out. As I spotted home in the distance nothing sounded better than my pillow. I felt so bad that I couldn’t talk. I rushed to the master suite where I took a much needed shower. It felt good but still not enough to snap me out of my funk. I was hungover like never before. After my shower I leaped back into bed and slept until nearly 3pm. Finally, I began to get a reprieve. I felt incrementally better, but by no means cured. I managed to dress and eat a half a sandwich feeling like I needed some substantial in my tummy. We left for Sunday dinner at Gloria’s around 3:30pm. I think that Mindy was surprised I went along, but I am a man of my word. She was even more surprised when I donned the trimmers and rake and began the yard work we’d been planning for about a week. The physical exertion actually helped my cause. I just needed to keep some water flowing in. We did yard work for about an hour leading up to dinner. By then everyone else was there, too, although it was a small crowd. I was eager to get some protein in my body. I ate baked steak, pork chops, boiled potatoes and green beans, and cottage cheese. The food seemed to heal what ailed me. I felt so much better after eating a large meal. I even ate some chocolate cake for dessert. We left Gloria’s around 7pm. I was crashing fast. At home I walked Ykraps who had been waiting patiently for our return. After the walk I felt good enough to water my flowers which I failed to complete earlier for obvious reasons. At 8:30 Mindy and I agreed to head up to bed and watch the movie RV on DVD. She was certain that I would fall asleep minutes into it. The movie was just funny enough to keep my interest. I managed to stay up for the entire thing. I think that I was so tired I couldn’t sleep.

Too Tipsy

I was up at 7:30am. Mindy, as she often does, chose to stay in bed and catch up on her sleep. The kids, of course, were already up so I took care of their immediate needs along with my own. Soon I had coffee brewing, my vitamin down and my exercises completed. I asked the kids to quiet down a little a couple of times. They’re four and seven. They know only one volume level. While I enjoyed coffee and surfed the internet, the kids played in the basement. I left for a run just after 9am. I ran down Trabue and Hague for the first time in a couple of weeks. It was refreshing. After all, it was a beautiful morning. Mindy was still sleeping even after I returned. The kids continued to entertain themselves. Before getting started on the shed project, I decided to trim the dead English Ivy vines from the eastern-most front flower bed. That’s never as easy as it appears as each individual vine tends to take root multiple times making it difficult to cut it back cleanly. But having done this a couple of times past, I knew the drill well. An hour later I had it cleared, raked, and ready for the new purple sage. While I was busy working in the ivy beds, Mindy finally emerged from bed and made us a big breakfast. She made maple bacon and scrambled eggs laced with tomato & cheese. It was all very good. Mindy knew that I wanted to get cracking on the shed so she agreed to clean-up the dishes. I got ready to get down and dirty. The first thing I did was mix 1 part bleach to 4 parts water in my pump sprayer. I mixed just shy of two gallons. I sprayed it on the southern side of the shed first. Almost instantly it turned the dark trim boards white again validating that it was mildew, just as the internet tip explained. Eventually I work my way all around the shed. After letting it set for about thirty minutes I readied the power washer. It hadn’t been run since last fall’s garage cleaning project. I began power washing in the same sequence that I applied the bleach solution. The shed cleaned up like new. In fact, it was better than new. The power washing opened up the pores of the wood to better receive stain. I finished the power washing in just over an hour. Now it would need to dry for at least a day before applying stain. My next project was planting the purple sage out front. That took another hour. Mindy & Bella returned from grocery shopping phase one while I was at it. After getting all seven planted I watered all the beds, front and back. I spent the rest of the late afternoon doing a handful of miscellaneous tasks. Most notably, I washed the BM’er and the minivan. The BM’er hadn’t been washed since last fall. It looked really good when it was done – better than ever. The van cleaned up nicely too. I was about done! I had all the fun I could take for one day. I retreated to the house for a shower. I walked Ykraps shortly after my shower. I opened a Hop Devil & took to the deck. It was after 7:30pm. I grabbed some sparklers and bottle rockets and entertained the kids for a few. Just as we were enjoying our pyrotechnics, Renee showed up for dinner. We were planning to grill filets & shrimp again tonight. The kids ate earlier and went to bed shortly after 8pm. We got busy grilling sometime around 8:30pm and sat to eat on the deck at dusk. It was an incredibly beautiful evening. Renee’ made me one of her gin drinks at the meal’s conclusion. It was tasty and also very strong. Sometime after that we invited our neighbors, Crissy & Kenny over. As the evening passed Renee’s new friend Tandy showed up, too. Somewhere along the line Renee’ and I thought it a good idea to do shots of Jack while Mindy did Goldschlager. After a few beers, some gin, & shot or two of Jack, I was toast. Next thing I knew I woke up in the back yard out by the shed and very cold. I felt miserable. I could hear everyone still carrying on up on the deck. And for whatever reason I wanted to avoid them. To that end, I stumbled my way along the side of house nearly falling a couple of times. Eventually I let myself in through the garage as the front door was locked. How I managed to press the right combo I’ll never know. All I could think of was getting to my bed. Good Night Moon!

Five months 'til Xmas

While I can’t recall exactly what time it was when I rolled out of bed, I know that it was before 5:40am. After all, this was Friday, my favorite day of the week. Add to that the fact that it was a holiday weekend and I was in great spirits. I exercised and walked Ykraps just before enjoying morning coffee. I checked with Mindy to be sure that she wanted lunch. Sometimes a friend brings her food on Friday’s. She wanted a packed lunch. For the next half hour I packed our lunches and made our breakfast. Mindy cut up cantaloupe the night before making prep that much easier. Like most mornings of late, I headed out to water the flowers before heading off to the shower. Despite the lack of appreciable rainfall, my flowers are looking sweet. I have been watering them religiously each & every morning. The Sweet Gum tree in the front landscape that I worried might have died ha bounced back nicely, although a few arterial branches and many of the branch tips didn’t make it. But just like the arborist stated, lots of new growth is shooting out from the main branches. It definitely looks healthy enough to save. For that I am pleased. After my watering I hurried through a shower and readied for departure. I arrived at work just after 8am. The work day was busy – just like every other Friday. I escaped for a run at my usual 12:45pm. It was another sunny & warm day, and the humidity has been inching ever higher with each passing day. More and more it’s feeling like summer. Just a pair of shorts today – well, & tennis shoes too! I returned to my desk and ate my packed lunch. I spent the rest of the afternoon clearing out lots of administrative tasks. I was able to leave the office before 5:15pm. I headed straight for Lowe’s determined to pick-up stain for the shed. I bought three gallons of Olympic’s best stuff along with three new brushes. While there, I also picked up seven one-gallon purple sage plants (a perennial that flowers all summer long) to add to my front landscape in a bed once thick with English Ivy. Mindy was already home. Her mother was there and so was daughter Ashley and GD Olivia. Mindy & Gloria were headed to the hospital to see Todd’s new baby. I was originally going to go but decided to stay home with the kids. Mindy and Gloria left just after 6pm. I was especially tired after a long day. I tired napping but the kids just wouldn’t’ allow it. Jacob was full of energy. Unfortunately, he would be serving his two day sentence for striking his mother beginning today and going through Sunday. That meant he couldn’t go out and play. The scope of the punishment didn’t really sink in until the neighbor boy came over to ask if Jacob could come out and play. Jacob couldn’t but Bella could. Jacob pouted as he watched the kids playing from the bay window. Honestly, I was happy to see him so remorseful. He muttered a few word of it not being fair but ultimately knew that it was. I took this opportunity to talk with him privately about the actions that got him in this mess in the first place. Mindy didn’t get back from the hospital visit until after 8:30pm. I had just finished readying the kids for bed prior to her arrival. They were in their jammies and ready to be tucked in. But I think they got a quick snack before heading up to bed. After they were in bed, I changed into attire more suitable for Barley’s and the summery conditions (shorts & a t-shirt). Tommy called just as we were leaving the house to let us know that he was already at Barley’s. It was almost 9pm by the time we arrived. The place was sparely populated, especially inside at the bar. It was pretty much just Mark, Steve and Tommy. That’s it! However, there was a large contingent outdoors on the patio too. Pale was on the firkin. I had one of those. Mindy had a Dragon’s Milk. We ordered food too. I had Gates of hell wings and I think that Mindy had one of those salads she likes so well. We hung at Barley’s until 11pm or so. Tommy left just before us. Ashley was awake when we returned. She packed up Olivia & left for home minutes later. As we always do, we offered up the guest room but she declined wanting instead to go home. After Ashley left I’ll bet that we weren’t up but ten minutes longer. I wanted to be up early to get a jump on the shed project.

Alarming

Not to be out done by the sun, I was up right at 5:30am. As I stood fumbling for my lenses and grasping for my water cup, Mindy’s alarm alerted us that it was morning. That same scenario plays itself over tiem and time again as the work days pass. Seconds later the coffee maker alarm sounded alerting us to freshly brewed coffee. I could do without both the unsettling noises. It didn’t take long for me to push through my exercises and find my way outdoors with Ykraps. It’s May 24th and it’s already daylight at 5:30am. The suns not quite yet up, but it’s daylight nonetheless. We were back and fixing coffee well before the 6:05am yard stick. After a short burst of time spent on my PC I took to prepping food. I sped through the entire process woofing down my breakfast just as Mindy sat to eat hers. I was eager to get on my morning watering. It’s just so relaxing and peaceful. I did the backyard first, starting with the tomato plants. I methodically moved my way around the deck, then to the back hanging baskets and later onto the deck for the multitude of sun drenched pots. Around front I gave everything a thorough soaking, too. The kids and Mindy departed with me squirting the minivan as they pulled away. I motioned for Mindy to roll down the window. As she did I unleashed a spray once again. I finished my chore and headed in the house to get my shower. I was ready to hit the door by 7:40am. I remembered that I needed gas and figured I’d stop at Thornton’s along the way. I did just that. At Thornton’s I must’ve tried my debt card four or five times. All attempts were unsuccessful. Suddenly I found myself worrying that my account might have been compromised. Still needing gas, I had no choice but to use my credit card, which I haven’t used for a purchase in months. I have been doing a great job of doing cash only purchases. I made a commitment to myself that I would check my account once at work to make sure it hadn’t been breached/drained. Work was busy. I checked my account once I got settled. It was uncompromised. Hmmm? Perhaps simply a pump malfunction. It was 12:50pm when I left for my run. According to AOL Weather Bug it was 91 degrees. It was a steamy run with little wind. I enjoyed every step along the way. I was like a juicy glazed turkey by the time I returned – browned to perfection! The afternoon went briskly. I was involved in several things. I wasn’t able to peel away for the day until almost 6pm. That pretty much shot my tanning plans in the rear. But the more I pondered it, the less sense it made to go anyhow. I am already brown. The only place where I need a bit more color is my legs. They always lag the upper half. I headed straight home. I forgot that this was a Mindy Thursday and that the kids were with their daddy. We traded days for his sake. Mindy had already alerted me that she was stopping to pick-up Chipotles. Suddenly, I was very hungry! And BTW, there was a new baby born into the family today, too. 8lbs 1oz. baby girl. We walked Ykraps together before returing to tear into our food. After our return I devoured the front half of my burrito. I was stuffed. I put the back half in the fridge. I threw on my yard shorts, grabbed the John Deere key, and headed to the garage. Truth be told, I didn’t really want to cut grass, but instead I wanted to be lazy. But if I caved to such desires I would be fat, poor, and disorganized. I got moving! I finished my lawn chores just after 8pm – about an hour and one half later. I planted the three Roma tomato plants given to me by Bob I. The kids were home and had been since ten minutes into my chores. By the time I made my way back inside the house they were already in bed, but still awake. I tucked them in after taking a fast shower where I washed off the flecks of yard debris. It was about 8:30pm. I knew what I wanted. I wanted a Jack & Coke, never mind the fact that it was a school night. I poured a double in a tall glass then took to the deck. Mindy followed at my prompting. I wasn’t out there but a few minutes before I returned for my guitar. Now everything was perfect. Later I made myself one more drink – not quite as strong. We stayed up enjoying the outdoors until 10pm. It was a lovely night. It was still 80 degrees at 9:30pm – the last I checked.

Golf Night

I was up at 5:37am and wasted little time getting moving. I knew already that I would be watering flowers again before leaving for work given how warm it was expected to be - sunny and near 90. I could feel the warmth even at the early hour while walking Ykraps. I didn’t have to make Mindy a lunch. I wasn’t sure why and never asked. Instead, I was just happy that it trimmed a few minutes off my prep time. After making my lunch wand both of our eggs, I ate quickly. I headed out the door at 7:10am to begin the watering. I did both front and back. It took a good 25 minutes. I’ve got to find a way to get done sooner. After next week school will be out and I won’t have to make breakfast or pack Mindy a lunch. That should do it. My preference would be an irrigation system. I left for work around 8:05am. I had to be at Bella’s year-end school presentation by 10am. I would only be at work for a little more than an hour. I left work at 9:30 and made it to the church by 9:53am. I was the first parent there. I walked around and then placed a call to Mindy just to make sure that she was on her way. She was. The show was cute. They sang and danced, and at the very end they were each presented a graduation certificate. I left as soon as it was over. I had an 11am staff meeting I didn’t want to miss. I made it. I was back by 11:01am. The meeting carried on until 12:30pm. I didn’t do much afterwards since it was for all practical purposes run time. I headed to the gym on time. Just as I headed out of the office door and rounded the fifth floor corner I ran into Carmen coming back from her last-day lunch. She’ll be missed. She’s a good friend of mine who’s moving on to greener pastures. It was 87 and sunny when I left. It was very summery. I loved the intense run, and the ability to get some sun. We had yet another meeting planned as soon as I returned. I had little time to eat. This meeting went until 3pm. I was planning to leave for golf at 4:30pm. I had a confirmation email from Bob earlier. We were on at the Links. I worked hard for the rest of the day. It was crazy just before I departed. I didn’t get out until 4:40pm. That should be fine. I called Bob just to let him know that I was on my way. Once again, I found myself needing fuel but decided to forego it for the time being. I had enough to make it there; for that I was certain. The drive went faster than usual. I got there minutes after Bob. It wasn’t long before we were teeing off on the front nine. And it pains me to report but my game started just like every other Wednesday. I had two sevens right out of the shoot, starting with a topped tee shot on hole #1. I hate that! No matter what I did most of my shots found the trees on each hole placing my next shot in peril. And It only got worse. Finally, on hole number 7, I combined a nice tee shot with a great second shot placing me just off the back of the green putting for a birdie. I missed and ended up three putting for a bogey. I did the exact same thing on the next hole. The ninth hole is a long par 3. I bogeyed it too. I shot a 51. Still pretty bad, but given my horrendous start, I recovered quite nicely. I couldn’t buy one single break until hole number 5 where I chipped in for a bogey. We finished up just before 8pm. It was a pretty drive home watching the sun sinking in the west. It was big and orange in a somewhat hazy sky. No sooner did I walk in the door did Mindy call me upstairs. She said she needed me now. Upstairs she told me that Jacob had something to tell me. I figured he must've broke something or scratched my BM’er. He did neither. Instead, what he did do was strike his momma three times while out playing in the yard. She wasn't pleased, and after i learned about it, I wasn't either. He, of course, didn't want me or anyone else for that matter, to know. I tucked him in and talked with him briefly about it. Later, we tuned into finals night of Americna Idol. We missed the first hour or more but saw some old winners perform and watched the crowning of the newest Idol. As expected, Jordin Sparks won. She deserved it. Idol ended at 10pm. We headed up to bed shortly after.

Family Night

It was Tuesday and I was up just after 5:30am ready to get moving. I had to prep the morning’s coffee before getting started with anything else. After whipping out my calisthenics I leashed up Ykraps for another morning walk. It was already very summery despite being so early. I could feel it & smell it. Coffee was waiting upon my return. For it I was eager. After the day’s food prep I decided to water flowers before leaving for work since it’s hands down the best time of day to water. So, after woofing down my chow I headed out the door in my PJs. I watered the backyards beds first. Mindy and the kids bidded me farewell just as I was finishing up around back. I moved around to the front. It took just about 20 minutes to soak all the beds, front and back. It was 7:40am by the time I headed in for my shower. I left for work just after 8am. Once at work I learned of an issue with an 11 year old in Grove City who threatened all of his fellow students by leaving a note at the local YMCA. I heard he was arrested. I alerted Mindy. I had a meeting with my boss in the morning. We talked about a number of things including my need to escape on Wednesday morning to attend Bella’s year presentation. We also talked about my desire to sneak out early for our unofficial Wednesday golf league. I left for my run around 12:45pm. Big surprise! It was already in the upper 80’s but the humidity wasn’t that high. Still, it was warm. It felt great to work up such a lather. I was back at my desk by 2pm ready to eat, and eat I did. I talked with Mindy mid-afternoon. I let her know that both my dad and Ashley were planning to join us for dinner. She was expecting that to be the case. I left for home just after 5pm. I made a quick stop at Lowe’s to get a new cotter pin for my lawn (fertilizer) spreader. Without it the wheels get stuck and too much fertilizer gets dumped in one spot. Not good! While walking the animal (Ykraps) we ran into my dad on his way to our home. And by the time we made the turnaround, Ashley pulled up too. We visited for a short while before lighting the grill. We were having brats, asparagus, and baked beans. While waiting for the grill to preheat, Jacob asked that I make him a bow and arrow out of tree limbs. Poof! You’re a bow and arrow! J I first used the stick he brought me. It snapped in two just as I was adding more tension to the bow string. He wasn’t too pleased. I assured him that it was the stick being too brittle and not my intention. We went and found yet another more flexible stick. That one broke soon after turning it over to him for use. There was a learning curve for all of us. Dad eventually helped find the most flexible stick in the yard. They returned with what would end up being a real nice bow. They found some straight sticks to serve as arrows, too. They even had a nice little notch on one end. That entertained Jacob the rest of the evening. Soon the brats were cooked and we all took to the deck for dinner. Olivia joined us too but only ate cantaloupe after some of her baby food. Ashley, I forgot to mention, showed up in her new used car that she bought just the day before – a red, 2000 Chevy Cavalier. Seems like a good deal for the price. We shall see! Both Dad and Ashley left at the same time – about 7:45pm. After they departed Mindy got the kids their baths. I finished cleaning up the kitchen and deck. After tucking in the children I spent an hour updating my blog and playing some on the internet. Mindy watched American Idol. I saw the last song performed by both participants. Jordin was the better singer, no question. We went to bed soon after.

Aunts Galore

1) My Aunt Char was always said to have a good head on her shoulders
2) Aunt Ruth, Char, and Grandma Wright (90th b-day party)
3) My French Aunt Odile
4) Lastly, my long lost Ant Formicidae

I woke two or three times between 4:30 and 5:30am. When I finally got out of bed , I felt rested and ready to begin my Monday. After a quick check of the coffee maker and after choking down my One-A-Day, I pushed through my usual regiment of exercise. Ykraps and I were out the door by 5:50am taking our morning stroll. During our walk, I noticed a group of three women whom I’ve seen walking together a lot lately. I assume they’re walking for the exercise, but thus far it’s doing nothing for their extra big derrieres. :)

I could hear the coffee calling as we walked up the drive and into the house. I needed my caffeine fix. I read the Daily OM & meditated before getting down to fixin’ food. I noted being nearly out of several key staples despite Mindy grocery shopping just the day before. When she came down after readying for work I asked her about it. She was aware of most. Wal-Mart, while they have excellent prices, is almost always out of two or three of our dietary staples. And they don’t really care! We had enough of everything to get through the day, though.

Before I left for work, I took the time to water the backyard flowers really well. In addition, I loaded the proper yard tools into the Trooper to complete the yard chores I plan to do for Gloria just in case Mindy & I decided to meet there after work, but thus far that‘s up in the air. I also loaded dad’s cornhole boards and bags and dropped them along my way to work. He snuck up on me just as I was unloading them out the back. He startled me. We chatted only briefly before I headed to work. It was a beautiful spring morning – oodles of sunshine and warm temperatures.

Work was hectic – like any good Monday. I was able to get away for a run at my usual time – 12:45pm. It was about 76 degrees and sunny when I left. What a great day for a run! When I returned to my office I devoured my packed food. I was hungry. The afternoon was busy, too. I left the office for home at 5:15pm. I already knew that Mindy didn’t want to meet at her mother’s. Instead, she wanted to spend our alone time together at home, or at a restaurant. I chose home.

When I arrived home Mindy was looking down her nose at me as I entered through the garage. I wasn’t sure why. She pointed out the reason. When she opened the pantry big black ants were everywhere. And when she investigated further she found hundreds of the big juicy ones crawling in Jacob’s box of Golden Grahams. It was out on the deck while she was pulling other items out. I told her that we would spray but that we’d have to take EVERYTHING out, not just the lower stuff. After we walked Ykraps together we returned to get cracking on the pantry/ant issue.

While Mindy unloaded the entire pantry (what a huge oredeal) I napped on the deck chaise. I must have slept for about ten minutes. It was a good sleep, too. Once she had it emptied out, I gave it a scrubbing with Clorox cleaner and hot water before spraying. While in there I noticed a couple of Closetmaid clips broken. I went to the basement to get some new ones. Now that I saw it, I couldn’t bare to put everything back without first fixing the problem. I sprayed just the floor and baseboard inside the pantry. I decided while at it, to spray the entire perimeter of the kitchen again, too. After that I went to the basement and sprayed along the I-beam, their preferred path of travel. Not fifteen minutes went by before we had hundreds of dead ant carcasses lying belly-up on the basement floor. I must have hit their nest. In a sick way, both Mindy and I were excited to see the abundant death all around us. For whatever reason, they just recently attacked in full force. Not sure, but I’ll bet we haven’t seen the last of these little beasts.

The kids arrived home just as I was spraying. Every inch of kitchen surface was covered with food items, including a couple of nearby laundry baskets. I just couldn’t believe that all of this was stuffed into the pantry. The process of putting everything back would be a long arduous one. After Mindy bathed and tucked in the kids she got cracking on the put-away process. In the meantime, I watered the house plants and updated my blog.

We didn’t stay up much longer. After updating my blog I poked around on Salt Fork’s webpage looking for availability at the camp grounds for some family summer fun. We went to be bed around 9:30pm. We put the DVD, What Dreams May Come back in and watched from where we (Mindy) left off. I saw it ‘til the end. I’ll watch it again, though, all the way through. I think I missed about 45 minutes in the middle.

Cookin' in the Creek

1) Bob #2 swingin' his irons
2) Gloria observing the party
3) Sun & Clouds
4) The Graduate (Danielle) with a Jacoby on her back

Right on plan, I was up at 5:30am ready to get on with my busy day. Based on the early hour, one might mistakenly think that this was a work day. I was up so early to facilitate a 9:07am tee-time at Cook’s Creek in Ashville (just south of Columbus on rt 23). Again, working backwards from our start time, I knew I had to be up at 5:30am to keep my routine in tact without jeopardizing the integrity of my morning. I spent the first 45 minutes exercising, walking Ykraps, and coffee-ing. I left for my run around 6:40am and returned at 7:15am. Wanting to leave the house at 8am, I moved to the shower with little dilly-dallying around. I was out of the shower and back downstairs by 7:40am. I spent the next 20 minutes loading the Trooper and making a breakfast sandwich and packing a snack. I hit the road right on schedule.

It was completely cloudy as I pulled away from the house. I could already tell that south of town it was clear. Once I made it around I-270 to Route 23 south the sky brightened significantly. And by the time I made it to South Bloomfield it was completely sunny – major mood enhancer! I arrived at Cook’s Creek at 8:25am. Chuck pulled in right behind me. By 8:45am Bob #2 was there. We were still waiting on Mr. Imber. We had our carts loaded and ready to go. He pulled up right in the nick of time. The starter called us to the tee at 9:07am on the nose. For whatever reason, I never like teeing off in front of strangers. I get nervous. And like many times before, I duffed it. Damn it! That sort of set the tone for the morning and afternoon. I was flip-flopping from eight’s to pars on the first few holes. But I never found my groove like I had hoped and expected to. The course was awesome – very tough design and very tricky. It’s nestled along the Scioto River and the Little Walnut Creek. There is a butt load of water and a host of hills and trees. I was most impressed with Bob Imber’s driving. He was effortlessly crushing his driver off the tee – long and straight. I’ve never been one to allow my golf, or lack there of, to get my goat, but around hole number 15 I got so fed up with my errant shots that I let off a few curse words much like a machine gun. I’ll bet I lost 10 balls through the course of the day. But lucky for me, I found about the same number. The pain ended after number 18. I gave Bob I. the three tomato plants (one Pink Girl and two First Lady’s) I had leftover. I took my 105 ass (I think) on home.

I called Mindy in route to home. She reported that Renee was coming over for lunch. She had cleaned house, grocery shopped, and mopped and vacuumed the floor. She did all of this while I toiled on the golf course. Somehow, though, I‘ll bet she had more fun than me! J I talked with Ashley next. She let me know that she found a new used car that meets her needs along with her budget. The kids were home from their weekend with dad by the time that I got there. Mindy & Renee were on the deck having their lunch. I headed right for the shower after slamming down a few small pieces of leftover pizza. After my shower I joined the two girls on the deck. We talked about a bunch of stuff before Renee readied to leave. While Mindy readied the kids for the graduation party I napped on the deck. I was suddenly overcome with sleepiness. I slept for only about ten minutes. We left for the party at 4:07pm. Our destination was located just past Oakhurst Country Club. The crowd gathered at the party looked much like the Sunday church crowd, in fact, it was. During the party, the sunny skies gave way to cloud cover and eventually some heavy rain driving the gathering indoors. I stayed under the canopy enjoying the quiet and the rain. We stayed at the party until about 6:30pm. By then the kids were getting cranky so we rounded them up and headed for home.

Once back home Jacob and Bella left with me to walk Ykraps, but I could sense that they weren’t fully committed to the usual walk. Jacob turned around at the bridge and Bella just a few paces further. They ended up playing in the shallow pond until I meandered back that way. While Mindy got the kids bathed, I took to fertilizing the lawn since the conditions were ideal. The weed & feed works best if the lawn is wet, and given that we just had a passing shower, I figured no time better than the present. After finishing, I took to watering the front yard flowers. I watered for about 20 minutes soaking everything really well.

The kids were excited about lighting off some fireworks. I got out some sparklers and bottle rockets and took to the deck. We had fun doing that for about 20 minutes. It was well past the kids’ bedtime. Mindy was insistent that they get to bed. I went in and got cleaned up before heading up to tuck in the kids. Mindy and I looked at the weekend’s pictures before retiring ourselves. It must’ve been 9:30 when we headed to bed.

TeeJays, Fireworks, Salt Fork, & Filet

1) SaltFork outdoor pool & lodge
2) Spotting the Sasquatch
3) Cabin #50
4) Dedication plaque
5) BM'er at Salt Fork
6) Hop Devil Ale (hoppy)
7) Filet mignon & shrimp

I forced myself out of bed at 7:20am to avoid wasting precious weekend morning time. It was sunny, so I used that as a catalyst to get me moving. And while we never really locked down a departure time, I was hopeful that we could leave for Salt Fork around 10am. After making coffee, exercising, and walking Ykraps I was back and having coffee well before 8am. Just after 8am, I headed out onto the deck with my guitar in hand. It was so lovely out! I must’ve played guitar for about twenty minutes. I prepped for a run and left sometime after 8:30am.

My run was a pleasant one. I stayed in the subdivision and listened to some tunes via my MP3 player. I was back by 9:15am. Mindy still wasn’t awake, or at least down stairs. Finally, around 9:25am she joined me downstairs. I was kidding her about having breakfast ready when I returned form my run. She asked if we could stop on our way to Salt Fork. That sounded good to me. While she showered for our outing I ate a couple pieces of cold pizza and packed our flexible cooler with liquids and snacks. I took my own shower once Mindy was done & ready.

We loaded up the BM’er and left for Salt Fork between 10:30 & 11am. We had already decided that we wouldn’t be going to the Clipper game even though we had tickets. We didn’t want to feel the pressure of having a deadline. This way we could thoroughly enjoy our day away in the BM’er. We drove to East Columbus before pulling off for breakfast. We stopped at the Tee-Jay’s on Brice Rd. While peeing before leaving, a voice from the an occupied stall asked me if I could spare a few bucks for he and his son, who was all but playing in the urinal when I walked in. I tossed a few bills under the stall. That was a strange encounter.

We headed out east. The sunny weather that we had earlier and that the prognosticators had promised was no where to be seen. It was cloudy and cool. We headed east out the highway towards Salt Fork, top down. A billboard for Phantom Fireworks caught my eye – next exit. I convinced Mindy that we needed to stop. Impulsively, we spent $55 on a basket full of fireworks. Cool! Back on the road. Next stop, Salt Fork State Park.

The sky stayed mostly cloudy the entire drive out. In fact, it even sprinkled ever so slightly a couple of times. A hundred miles after leaving home we finally arrived at our destination. The first thing you’ll notice about Salt Fork State park is its vastness and seclusion as compared to Alum & Deer Creek. The marina, camp grounds, cabins, and lodge are a few miles back off the highway. Each section (camp ground & lodge) has its own boat launch and courtesy docks (very nice). The lake reminded me of Lake Cumberland for its geography. It’s longer and very windy as opposed to Alum Creek’s giant puddle look and feel. Of course we couldn’t see all of it from any one point so the only true test will be to navigate it via a boat.

The campground was more open than what we’re accustom to with only a few spots backing up to woods. But the hiking trails, private boat launch, and courtesy docks make it a appealing. After we checked out the camp grounds we ventured to the lodge, golf course, and cabins. The cabins are close to the lodge and all 50+ of them wind around the lake. Approximately half of them are directly on the water. We particularly liked the chalets with a screened in porch hanging over the water.

The lodge was right down the road, as was the golf course. The lodge was built in 1970 and completed in 1972. It was pretty, but was a little crowded for my liking- particularly the indoor pool. We stopped at the desk to about renting a cabin and to check for available dates. There online system wasn’t very flexible. They couldn’t easily tell us if there was any availability on a given week. They had to poke around for some time to answer, and then they couldn’t specify a given cabin. We both found that frustrating. I do know this, however, from looking online, the rates are ridiculous, plus there’s a 16% tax on top of that.

The area and park are very expansive, functional, and pretty. We only wish that it would’ve been a little sunnier and perhaps a bit warmer. More than likely, we’ll make plans for a Salt Fork camp trip or two this summer. We began our trek back west around 3:00pm. Mindy fell asleep around Zanesville and didn’t wake again until we were approaching Pataskala. It rained on us a couple of times, but never quite enough to force me to do the unthinkable - pullover and put the top up. We decided to stop at The Anderson’s on our way in – again off of Brice Rd. And since we were making that stop, it made sense to stop at Delta marine too. By the time we found our way to Delta Marine it was 4:20pm. The posted hours were Saturday till 4pm. They were closed. Rats!
Traffic on Brice Rd was a snarl. Eventually we found our way to the Anderson’s. Our intentions were to pick-up a couple of steaks but we stopped in the nursery too. They always have a fantastic selection and a knowledgeable staff. Before leaving, we picked up two filet mignons and a couple six packs of beer. Homeward!

Just as we were leaving the Anderson’s the sun busted out of the clouds and suddenly there was nothing but blue skies ahead. That alone drove the temperature up instantly. It was beautiful! Mindy was insistent on getting home and firing up the grill. She was tired and running out of steam. We were home by 5:30pm. After walking Ykraps I lit the grill and began prepping dinner. Mindy whipped us up a fresh garden salad. I lit off a couple of the bottle rockets I just bought.
Our filets & shrimp grilled up real nice. We enjoyed another wonderful home cooked meal. Through the evening I drank four beers: one Honey Raspberry Ale, two Hop Devils, and one Columbus Pale Ale. We got in the hot tub while it was still daylight. We stayed in for a bout 30 minutes total. We went to bed around 9:30pm but took along a DVD, What Dreams May Come. I saw maybe the first half hour before dosing.

Feeling Friday

1) hanging basket #1
2) hanging basket #2
3) It's what's on the Firkin
4) Rick's sister and brother-in-law
5) Sparky's pointing out that we're out of the good stuff

It’s finally Friday! I was up and eager to greet my favorite day of the week. Like all others, I began the day with some exercise and a walk around the neighborhood. I was up a little late than usual – about 5:45am. By the time I delivered Mindy’s coffee, she was already in the shower.

I packed our lunch and made eggs for breakfast. After Mindy and the kids departed for school I headed up to the shower. It was another somewhat cool day where the high was expected only to reach into the 60’s.The weekend outlook, on the other hand, calls for increased sunshine and warmer temps.

My morning in the office was hectic. There was an awful lot going on. I received and VM and email from Bob Imber wondering if I would be interested in Sunday golf at Cook’s Creek. I responded shortly after seeing it. He needed a quick response to take advantage of a reduced online green fee deal. I checked with Mindy before giving him an OK. Mindy was cool with it. After all, her and I would be spending our Saturday together and I would be back in time Sunday afternoon for the graduation party we’re planning to attend.

The rest of the morning at work kept my full attention. I wasn’t able to leave for a run until 1:05pm. It was again a little cool. I ran in shorts, shirt, and jacket. It must have been in the upper 50’s with cloud cover and an occasional peak of sunshine. As always, the shower felt great. Add to that the euphoria of Friday, I was feeling fine! I returned to my office to enjoy a scaled down lunch. I stayed busy through the afternoon coming up for air just as 5pm approached. I was excited about the weekend ahead.

I stopped at Kroger along my way home where I picked up flowers for Mindy. She was sleeping when I arrived home, still feeling under the weather. I wondered if she would still feel like going out, or more importantly, going to Salt Fork tomorrow as planned. I didn’t bother waking her. I sat the flowers on the table and quickly leashed up Ykraps for our evening walk.

After returning from my walk, I quickly switched gears and moved to watering flowers - some thing I had been looking forward to all day. Despite the cool gray weather, I don’t want to allow my flowers to go more than two days without a good soaking. I watered both the front and back bed thoroughly. Mindy came out to thank me for the flowers about half way through. Watering is a fantastic transition activity that helps move from Jimmy the manager to Jimmy the husband and homeowner.

After the watering was complete I cracked a Honey Raspberry Ale and chatted with Mindy. We talked about our weekend, our fast approaching trip, and the kids. Mindy headed up stairs to freshen up while played a little guitar, updated my blog, and talked with daughter Ashley. I went up to change into something more fitting for an evening at Barleys. We left the house at 7:40pm.

There was sparse crowd tonight, although it got thicker as the evening rolled onward. Most of the regulars were there: Bob, M.A., Jeremy, Courtney, little baby Jump, Steve, Rick, Dan, and of course Lee and Janet. Tim was apparently in earlier although we missed him. He bought a new Harley and wanted to spend his evening with his new toy.

Still somewhat under the weather, Mindy had only one glass of wine along with her dinner. I had only a couple bites of her food. I wasn’t that hungry suddenly. Later in the evening, we noticed our neighbors David, Becky, and her father sitting in a nearby booth.
Mindy went over to say hello. I joined her minutes later. We talked with them for about an hour. We left Barley’s around 10:30pm. I called and ordered a Minelli’s pizza just as we got in the Trooper (Mindy drove home). The pizza was ready when I arrived. We were home minutes later. I was really hungry since I hadn’t eaten anything substantial for about nine hours. Mindy was too tired to stay up. She went on to bed. I stayed up and polished off just shy of half a pizza. I found my way to bed some time around midnight.

Jock Itch? You bet!

I was slow to roll out of bed and get my day underway. But finally, after a little self talk, I put my feet to the floor and got movin'. I slept in ‘til 5:50am. Mindy was up hacking through the night, so I was hopeful that I wasn’t coming down with the same thing. My groin was hurting pretty good, too. It hurt to do sit-ups but I pushed my way through. I really should’ve mentioned the pain to my doctor yesterday but genuinely forgot. It comes and goes. And with my daily running I never give it enough rest. My strategy is to stretch and strengthen rather than go inactive. After all, that prescription has worked well with several other pulls and strains over the years. I’ve battled through plantar fasciitis, a pulled ham string, and shin splints.

After walking with Ykraps slowly I began to come to life. I couldn’t wait to get some coffee flowing through me. In part because I woke later than usual, Mindy came downstairs to fetch her own cup of Joe. She sounded horrible, but she was determined to go to work.

I packed our lunches and made our eggs. We enjoyed a quick breakfast together at 7:05am. Mindy and the kids headed out at 7:20am. I showered and dressed. Before heading out I took a few minutes to pay two medical bills (co-pay and dental) and write out a check for my 30th high school reunion. I can’t remember the last time I wrote three checks. I stuck all three pieces of mail in the mailbox and raised the red flag. Just before departing I grabbed fresh running clothes – a new habit I am trying to establish.

I was at the office just after 8am. I felt groggy all morning long. I was real busy all morning long. I didn’t escape for a run until 1:10pm. I wore my fleece jacket for the first time in a long while. It was about 58 degrees and mostly cloudy. I was fairly comfortable.
The afternoon was busy too. I couldn’t get away from the office until 6pm. I planned to tan on the way home and Mindy asked that I pick-up her prescription at CVS, too.

I still have several units of tan time leftover from last year. I shouldn’t need to purchase anymore either. Based on my calculations, I’ll still have a few units left when we leave for vacation. The bed I typically use was broken down so I had to use a lesser quality bed – one with more UV rays. I got a little too toasty. After tanning I stopped at the Roberts Rd CVS. While there picking up Mindy’s antibiotics, I had them fill one of my anti-fungal prescriptions. I still have plenty of the other stuff. I didn’t make it home until almost 7pm. The house was calm and quiet. Mindy, despite being ill, had already walked Ykraps. The kids were playing at the neighbors.

Mindy and I went out to set the new trellis against the mailbox post to give our beautiful purple Clematis something to climb. For the past 6 years or so, I have resorted to tying it up but that always damages some of the vines. It would’ve been better, however, had I put the trellis in place before it took-off again this spring. That didn’t take long and it looks great! I moved directly to replacing the outdoor electrical receptacle cover for the fountain. That took only a few minutes, too. The kids came home just as I was finishing up. Mindy coaxed them to the tub. I took that opportunity to spend some time updating my blog.

I never did eat a formal dinner. Instead, I uncharacteristically snacked on crap. I ate potato chips, nuts, popcorn, and dry cereal. Lots of carbs! Both of us were tired and began moving towards bed around 845pm.

Golf & Idol

I got up around 5:40am to the pitter-patter of rain on the roof. We had a nice little storm roll through over night bringing us some much needed rain. I later learned it was about half an inch. Along with the rain came much lower temperatures. It was mildly cool, which felt pretty good given yesterday’s high humidity & 87 degree temerpature. The lawn and flowers looked fabulous after just one simple rain shower. I can water every day with the hose but it never compares to God’s version.

I got busy with the routine like any other work day. Being Wednesday, I knew that this could be a golf day. I hoped so even in spite of the non-conducive weather. I made tuna fish for lunch and an omelet for our breakfast.

After Mindy departed for school I readied myself for work. I made sure to grab my high school reunion paperwork and dental bill in hopes of getting both mailed out today. Unfortunately, I needed to stop at the post office first for some two cent stamps. We have only 37 & 39 cent stamps lying around.

I took Trabue to Riverside to accommodate my post office stop. I bought 50 two-cent stamps. To be ornery, I thought about placing 21 of these babies on one of my mailings. In the end, however, I thought better of it.

I was a little late for work. I arrived close to 8:30am. Work was busy but probably the calmest all week. The middle day was very active, however, forcing my run out until almost 1pm. The temperature had dropped a handful of degrees through the morning. It was only 60 degrees when I ran. I was a nice run. After my run I drove to Home Depot to pick-up a few things for the yard. I got some fertilizer, lawn patch and a bag of starter soil, flower trellis, tomato cages, WD-40, and a vertical outdoor outlet cover to accommodate the fountain’s wider than usual electrical transformer. I was back at the office by 2:45pm.

I had another email from Bob asking if I was planning to golf. I was and responded accordingly – a second time. Apparently Bob didn’t receive my first response. I worked hard during the afternoon, and as luck would have it, things got dicey as they often do anytime I want to leave a little early. But I was able to address what needed to be done prior to leaving for golf. I left my office at 4:40pm. By the time I got to my car, refueled the Trooper, and got on the freeway, it was already 4:53pm. I arrived at the golf course at 5:30 on the nose.

Bob was just loading his clubs into the cart making it easy on me. He had already paid my fees, which I would make good on before leaving. Bob #2 and Chuck we already waiting at the tee box on hole #10. It was cool, cloudy, and windy – a day more like we’ve come to expect living in Columbus, though we’ve admittedly had a fabulous spring thus far. But one doesn’t have to think back too far to recall very crappy weather in late May and early June. And we could still take a dive and be there for a while. However, the long range forecast doesn’t look that way.

My golf game was much like it’s been week to week. I started off poorly shooting a 7 & 8 on the first two holes. Behind a tree here, in the deep rough there, and then an errant chip, before you know it, an otherwise decent hole becomes a disaster. I recovered enough to consider my play decent, but I’m still not scoring well. I know that it’s just a matter of time before I’m there. I must be patient.

We finished nine holes just before 8pm. Not only is this a challenging course, but it’s never crowded on the non-league nine making for a very enjoyable evening of golf. We said our farewells, and then I settled up with Bob. I’d most likely see he and M.A. Friday evening by the firkin.

I talked with Mindy on my drive home. She was just putting the kids to bed. It took 25 minutes to get there. I was home by 8:19pm. Before going in, I carried all of the day’s purchases to the garage. I couldn’t help but notice how plush the lawn and flowers looked after the rain and a cloudy cool day. They really needed this!

Inside I greeted Mindy and then the kids. They were waiting patiently for me to tuck them in. How cute! I was so hungry but tended to the children first. After changing into my pajamas I went to the kitchen for some leftovers. First, I warmed my leftover Reuben from Beef O’ Brady’s, and then a cheeseburger from Saturday’s cookout. They were both very tasty!

Idol was just coming on as I finished my grub. I sat with Mindy and watched this week’s elimination show. My instincts told me that it would be Melinda going home despite her golden pipes. I was correct! I seem to have a good feel for the voting public’s demographics – young teenagers with cell phones. I’m glad that Blake’s still alive! He and Jordin will face off in the finals next week. After Idol ended we secured the house and headed to bed.

My Prostate, Chain Saws, Short Back and Sides

I was awake at 5:30am but laid there for a few gathering my thoughts about the day ahead. I still hadn’t fully committed to how my morning would unfold given my early doctor’s appointment (9:30am) and the required fasting. I had a few options still whirling about my head. One, I could get up like always, ready, go to work, and leave from there, or, two, I could stay at home taking care of watering and other miscellaneous tasks until about 9am and then head directly to my appointment. Lastly, I could take advantage of the early appointment and get my run in from home. Ultimately, I decided to go about the day as close to normal as possible. Ah, Jim, a creature of habit! The glaring difference was my inability to enjoy morning coffee and my eggs and fruit.

I exercised and walked Ykraps all before 6am. I noticed the water level of the pond resting alarming low – again. Although it’s been getting shallower over time, the neighbors and I chalk that up to increased sediment, but this is something else. The water level itself has dropped significantly. A check of the dam recently revealed no change there, so the only logical explanation is that the feed has been disturbed. It’s so bad now that there’s more bottom visible than there is water. Something else for me to fret about.

I made coffee, lunch, and breakfast for Mindy, but didn’t eat anything or drink any coffee myself. Believe me, it was so hard. After Mindy and kids departed, I did my shower and got dressed. I left for work around 7:45am.

I spent the first hour of day getting organized for later. I left for my doctor’s appointment at 9am sharp. I was dragging and badly wanted some coffee. I arrived at my appointment early (go figure!). They took me in a few minutes early too. My weight fully clothed, which I never do, was 169lbs. That would put me around 164-165 naked, which is where I’ve been for the past several months. My blood pressure was 127/82, according to the nurse.

Dr Broyles came in about ten minutes later for my check-up. We talked for a few before he did the ol’ prostate check. Believe me, I was eager for him to get the hell out of there! He checked my heart, breathing, glands, thyroid, eyes, and ears. He had blood drawn to get a look at my cholesterol, thyroid, & blood sugar. Finally, he wrote me another prescription for the anti-fungal creams I use, and we discussed the likely causes and ways to prevent reoccurrence. Finally, at the nurses prompting, I left them a fine urine sample even though my doctor made no mention of it..

I stopped at Hilliard Lawn Equipment on my way back to the office. And by the way, it was a superbly beautiful day. It was pure summer – blue skies & steamy. I checked out chain saws – Echo & Stihl. If I buy one, I’m going to get a good one. I can’t afford anything less. I headed back to work after spending only five minutes or so looking at chain saws.

The remainder of my morning went quickly. I left for a run around 12:45pm. It was 85 degrees when I set out, and probably as humid as it’s been all season. It felt like the dead of summer.

The afternoon flew by. I left for home just after 5pm. Instead of going directly home, I stopped at Strader’s Riverside to get my 2007 vegetables. I bought a variety of pepper plants and two different tomato plants. After Strader’s I drove to the Saturday’s at Lane Ave. Mall. This was my first visit to this particular branch in at least eight years. I got my hair cut short. It was just after 6pm when I walked out and headed for home. I really wanted to go tanning too but ran out of valuable time.

Mindy had two friends over, Renee & Aaron. They were staying for dinner. I wasn’t all that hungry and needed to get cracking on the weekly lawn chores. I visited for a few minutes then headed out. I spent the next 2.5 hours working in the yard. After all the cutting and trimming I planted the veggies and watered everything in really well. I watered despite the anticipation of overnight rain.

As you might expect, I was exhausted by the time I rolled into the house. It was 9pm. I pretty much used every second of daylight. After a quick shower I returned to the kitchen to address my ravenous hunger. I heated my leftover Chipotle burrito and later enjoyed a bowl of popcorn. Mindy headed to be at 10pm. I stayed up until almost 11pm working on my blog.

Dream Weaver

It isn’t something I do very often, but last night I was completely enveloped in my dreams. I was dreaming so heavily that it became my reality. It was one of those run-on dreams where even after waking to pee I was able to rejoin as if on demand and right where I left off. I was completely engrossed. It was a strange dream, too. I remember being frightened, at Disney World, being pursued, and somehow stuck in a web of ‘dark’ rides that were integrated into the natural landscape. I couldn’t find my way out. In addition, I was hungry and broke. Not sure where all that came from. Through all of that I remember, too, feeling completely rested and well slept. But come rise time, 5:40am, I struggled to shake the sleepies. It was almost as if I was still asleep.

Once I finished my sit-ups & push-ups I came to life. And after a set of curls my focus turned towards walking Ykraps and the sweet smell of freshly brewed coffee and now just minutes away. Our walk was an enjoyable one. It was fairly cool – upper 40’s. It was clear and the forecasted weather was awesome – near 80 and sunshine. We need rain, however, and looking ahead, we’re expecting some overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Thus far, it has been a remarkable May.

I delivered Mindy’s coffee, got cracking on food prep, and whipped up scrambled eggs for breakfast. I was showered and ready to depart for work by 7:40am, but I took a little time for myself before heading out the door.

Work was busy – just like most Monday’s. My doctor’s office called mid-morning to confirm my Tuesday morning appointment. They also reminded me to fast – water only 12 hours before. That’ll be tough! I left for my run around 12:45pm. It was right at 80 degrees. I wore my long sleeved wicking shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

As of Sunday, I have dedicated myself to wearing fresh running clothes each day to try to heal my runner’s rash. My research indicates that I am prone to fungal itch from wearing warm, wet, clothes and having skin rub against itself while I run. To make matters worse, I typically wash them once a week. The rash seems to manifest along the seam lines of my shorts and shirt. But wearing fresh, clean running clothes seems to curb it. I guess I’ll need to develop a routine of washing my running clothes every other night since I have two primary sets. For the past several years I have worn the same outfit everyday for a week tossing them in the dryer each night when I get home from work. Perhaps TMI?

The afternoon went by quickly. We were briskly busy. Mindy was eager to have a Mindy Jimmy date after work. We selected Beef O’ Brady’s at my prompting. We’ve never been there before and it comes highly recommended. Besides, it’s literally right next door to Darby Creek Nursery and I’ve been wanting to stop in just to browse. Mindy walked Ykraps before I got home. She was on the deck sitting under the shade of the Red Maple listening to the babbling fountain & sipping a glass of wine.

I was a little down after a draining day at the office. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel rewarding. We drove the Trooper even though it would’ve been an ideal BM’er night. Mindy encouraged me to avoid Roberts Rd. – probably a good thing. We took Hilliard Cemetery Rd all the way out. Beef’s wasn’t crowded at all. We took a table on the patio just out of the sun’s direct rays. It was surprisingly cool away from the sun. I ordered a Watterson & Mindy a Reuben. We also shared an order of giant onion rings. The food was good but well short of the spectacular rating commonly given by us to Barley’s pub food. But we’ll probably come back. We finished around 6:40pm and went over to Darby Creek Nursery. There we perused their many offerings in a colorful and serene setting. Their prices were extremely high. Case and point, we saw a large Japanese Maple (probably with a 8-10’ canopy) for a whopping $5999! I was interested in looking at a Tri-Color Beech tree and flowering shrubs.

We left for home at 7:10pm and made it there by 7:25pm. Jim was already there on the deck with the kids. Bella came running, crying for her momma. She had wet her pants. She said she couldn’t wait any longer even after being prodded by Jacob to pee in the bushes. It was difficult, if not wrong, to dole out any punishment for that. Besides, it was Mindy’s fault that we were late.

Jim left minutes after we got home and in the house. Because of the time, Mindy got the kids ready for bed promptly. I changed Bella into her pajamas and cleaned her up. She was a bit difficult. We tucked them both in by 8:05pm. We retreated to the kitchen where we shared some ice water and tried hopelessly to repair my broken glass frames despite both of us being tired. We ended up fooling around with the glasses for over an hour. We went to bed at 9:45pm eager to get a good night’s sleep.