Swimmin' in 'Maters!

I was able to overcome my demon and get up and out of bed at my regularly scheduled time slot. By the time I was downstairs to begin my morning regiment it was 5:40am. It was noticeably darker – a sure sign that summer is waning and the days getting shorter. Although, in truth, I do realize that the days are constantly getting shorter or longer depending on which side of the solstice we’re on. In addition to the lengthening darkness, it was overcast and moist, which only served to accentuate the feeling.

The coffee was staged but not turned on. I pushed the “go” button after choking down my One-A-Day. I began my exercises pronto. By 5:55am I clipped Ykraps to his leash and headed out doors. Wow! It was humid & warm. It felt incredibly sticky yet it wasn’t even 6am! I can’t recall a more humid morning in years. When Ykraps and I returned I checked the official weather conditions online. It was 74 degrees and the humidity was 75%. Very sticky!

I burned up a lot of time fooling around on the PC. Finally, around 6:35am I got started on food prep. Because of the Sunday and overnight rain, there was no need to water. I did take a few minutes after breakfast to walk the yard and check out the tomato plants. Looks like we’ll be inundated with ‘maters any day now.

Like always, I poured Mindy a cup of coffee then delivered it bedside. Before showering I flossed, brushed, and shaved. I noted a much improved performance from my electric razor after cleaning the cutters with isopropyl alcohol. I showered and dressed next. I tinkered with the idea of wearing my contacts today but didn’t. I have an eye exam on Wednesday morning and they requested I wear my contacts in. I haven’t worn my contacts in almost a year. Maybe tomorrow?

I packed up my laptop and gym bag then left for work at 8:00am. I broke a sweat just walking into the building. It was really humid outside. Work was busier than ever. The net affect was that it made the morning go even faster than usual. I kept an eye on the weather. It was heating up quickly. Because of this, I left for a run about fifteen minutes early figuring every few minutes meant another degree in heat. It was 90 degrees with 75% humidity when I left for my run. Those humidity levels are almost unheard when it’s so warm because the sun usually burns it off to below 50% even on the most humid days. Today was different. There was a saving grace, however. There was a substantial breeze, albeit a hot one, blowing out of the southwest. Too, the sky was overcast keeping the direct sun from beating directly unto my skin. With about a mile to go the sunshine broke through the thick overcast and really heated me up. I was covered in a thick gooey sweat and I could feel my skin temperature rising fast. I was eager to get back inside to the AC.

Most of the afternoon hours were spent meeting with team members & following up on customer issues. I managed to wrap up by 5:15pm and depart for home. I headed straight home not making a stop anywhere. It was STEAMY! Now, the clouds had burnt off leaving the humid conditions in full sun. It was almost unbearable outdoors. I had toyed with cutting the lawn, but Mindy argued against cutting it this evening for a couple of reasons. Her number one reason was that she’s hosting a jewelry party tomorrow and doesn’t want the inevitable grass clippings drug into the house. I agreed, not at all regretting avoiding the intense heat and humidity. I walked Ykraps. When I returned I started the grill. We were having pork chops, corn on the cob, and salad. I soaked some hickory chips in water to add extra flavor. Like always, I roasted the corn first. Later, I added the pork chops along with some chicken for Jacob and two hot dogs for Bella. Dinner was fabulous. The chops were moist, tender, and very flavorful.

After dinner the kids headed outdoors to play with the neighbors. I used the time to update my blog and add pictures. I failed to mention that we reserved a night at Salt Fork lodge for the coming weekend. We’re looking forward to it. Also, the two replacement dining canopy poles arrived in the mail today. I opened the box just to make sure they were the right ones. They were. I took them to the basement where I added them to the existing kit. Issue resolved. I like that!

Later, after the kids were tucked in, I tried one last time to repair Bella’s CD player that was damaged during our wet camping trip - the sole remaining issue. But despite my best effort, I couldn’t get it working. We’ll have to buy her a new one. After giving up and putting it back together Mindy sat to read my blog. I, in turn, sat in the reclining Queen Anne chair and finished reading my current book. I was sufficiently ready for sleep thereafter. We headed to bed before 10pm. We laid there chatting for while before falling asleep.