Pumpkin Ale - Remember November

I was up on the positive side of 5:30am proving mastery over my body clock once more. It was already Friday in a week that has absolutely flown by. Some times the week will do that. One minute it’s Monday with all of its associated doldrums and feelings of despair. At the time, the weekend looks hopelessly off in the distance. But the next thing you know it’s Friday again and the euphoria is once again restored.

I suffered through those minor cold symptoms again last night. On one hand I am thankful that I haven’t come down with a full blown cold but on the other hand I am getting frustrated by the overnight setbacks. By the time I moved through my exercise routine and finished my walk with Ykraps I felt about 99%. The fact that the weekend was here was enough incentive to keep my chin up.

It was cold again this AM despite predictions that it would warm throughout the day. But warm is a relative term – we’re talking mid 40’s here! At Mindy’s request, I woke her at 6:25am just before leaving for my run even though she had the day off of work. She still needed to ready the children for their day and had plans to be out shopping relatively early. I readied and left for my run on schedule. I felt terrific although my nose ran like a river.

Morning prep went a little smoother than usual due to Mindy’s presence. I was able to relax a bit longer before carrying out my routine. She planned to take Jacob to the bus stop probably not realizing that it made little difference in my day. My schedule would be the same regardless. I let her know that I’d still take Jacob, but he wanted his mother too. At least I offered.

I left about the same time that Mindy & Jacob walked to the bus stop. I passed them on my way out of the subdivision. Traffic was backed up on Wilson Rd from Trabue to Roberts. It took about 20 minutes to get from one end to the other. That was highly unusual. I didn’t arrive at work until 8:35am.

Not only did I bring a packed lunch, but I also brought a bag of Lime Tostitos and a bowl of my famous hot salsa – part of a larger batch I made prior to TG. Work was very busy, but it’s always busy. Once again, I had plans for lunch and left around 1pm to run some errands. I went to a few places. I stopped at World Market and bought some Pumpkin Ale and some Great Lakes Christmas Ale. I also visited Barnes & Noble, something I used to do a lot. But instead of buying a book, I bought a Sara MacLachlan Xmas CD.

I was gone just over an hour. It felt terrific to get out for a while. I spent a large part of the afternoon back in the office taking care of several administrative tasks. It moved swiftly, and before I knew it, it was time to roll! I left for home at 5:20pm. I called Mindy once I was on the road. I thought I could hear the kids in the background. Apparently Jimaken was running behind with the Time Warner guy and would be late picking up the kids. Jim arrived shortly after I arrived home. I can’t say for certain but believe that Mindy walked Ykraps. Both kids seemed more than excited about their weekend with their daddy. I attribute that to him finally having his own house, and them their own room!

I thought that I might nap but never did. We discussed our game plan which would include a visit to Barleys. We planned to leave at 7:30pm. We had a little more than a hour to kill. I talked with Ashley and then spent some time on the PC. Mindy mentioned that Lindsey called earlier asking if Rocky could spend the night. But because we didn’t have the kids we asked if we could do it another night. After all, we planned to get mucho Xmas shopping done this weekend too.

Just as planned, we left for Barleys at 7:30pm. It was packed like it often is this time of year. We couldn’t find a seat at the bar so we settled for a side table. Lee still took care of us. We sat and chatted with John, an art teacher, and a Katy, a Spanish teacher. While several regulars were present there was no Bob & M.A. and no Jumps. Courtney called earlier to let Mindy know they wouldn’t make it in. I was looking forward to sharing the news of booking our Mt Hood condo with Bob & M.A. At the time I hadn’t even told Mindy. But wanting to share the news, I told Mindy. Later into the evening Rene showed up after a workout at the gym. We saw and talked with Bob & Carol, who gave the Barleys TG/Xmas food package a great big thumbs up. Steve, Dan, Rick, Josh, Mark, Scott & Linda were there too.

We ate dinner. I had a Cuban along with three beers. I felt perfect. However, Rene bought us another round making my 4th. Mindy ended up driving us home. I never checked the time, not even once, so I have no idea what time it was when we left but I’d guess it around 11pm.

Mindy spoke of hot tubbing but I didn’t feel like getting cold first. We haven’t hot tubbed in quite a while. We headed to bed not long after we arrived home.

Trouble with total recall

Determined not to wake late once more, I was up by 5:20am eager to begin my Thursday. I slept significantly better than I had the past few nights and the cold symptoms were far less. I was well rested. I pushed through my morning calisthenics then leashed up Ykraps for our usual early morning stroll. It was windy and cold, although not as chilly as the morning before. The rest of the morning is now a blur after allowing myself too many days between living and documenting the day’s events. The upside is that there was no drama. I arrived at work on time, and the day was busy from the outset due in part to our focused attention on protecting the upcoming weekend from any stragglers. I was determined to escape for lunch. I left around 1pm for Tuttle Mall where I browsed through a handful of stores buying nothing. I got some gift ideas, however. The hour went fast. Lucky the mall is only a three or four minute drive from the office. The afternoon went quickly. I left for home around 5:20pm. I took the back way after seeing traffic at a stand still on I-270 south. That turned out to be a very good move. There were no traffic snarls whatsoever on Old Dublin Rd. Once again, we warmed TG leftovers for dinner. We polished off all the sides, too. But even after eating turkey for the like the 7th time in eight or nine days we still had plenty leftover. After dinner Mindy & the kids began ornamenting the Xmas tree. It’s what you’d expect. The kids placed ornaments in one small area of the tree that was most accessible. Mindy moves them after they’re in bed. She asked if I wanted in on the action. I declined thinking that it would only complicate matters. I was happy allowing them to have their holiday fun while I worked on other tasks. Jacob and I played a few games of indoor hockey before their bedtime. Of the two, he was less interested in decorating the tree. I kept an eye on Yahoo sports trying to stay abreast of the Cowboys/Packers game airing only on the NFL Network. After the kids were safely tucked into bed Mindy redecorated the tree. Mindy was fortunate enough to have Friday off work to testify in a friends divorce trial. However, she found out last minute that it was postponed until after holidays. But since her sub arrangements were already in stone she planned to use the day to Xmas shop with her mom. I was only moderately envious. We went to bed just after 10pm.

22 Degrees

Whoa! I tossed and turned all through the night. Most of that was due to a moderately stuffy head and an extremely dry throat – sure fire signs of an approaching cold. I forced myself up and out of bed at 5:20am despite an urge for more sleep. Once I was up the symptoms all but subsided. I took my One-A-Day and then completed a full set of exercises. For a brief second here or there I continued to experience minor cold symptoms. But each time they would vanish. While walking Ykraps I figured it to be one of the coldest mornings yet this season. It was 22 degrees and clear – a near normal winter type morning. Back home it was still only 5:45am. I enjoyed my first cup of coffee and some internet time. I read the Daily OM and checked headlines up until 6:00am. It was time to deliver Mindy’s coffee. I returned downstairs to meditate and then ready for my run. Meditation went extraordinarily well. At 6:20am I upped and readied for my run. It was in the low 20’s so I wore two wicking shirts – the top layer was sleeveless under my jacket. I wore my new gloves and ear covers too. I was very comfortable. I again listened to Sunny 95 XMAS music. Very nice so early in the morning. The sky was very clear so dawn seemed to come earlier than most other days. I was back home just after 7am.Mindy asked that I take over egg duty while she handled more pressing matters relative to her departure. I did. The kids were very excited to wake and find the tree adorned with lights. It’s the little things! We ate our breakfasts but it wasn’t long before Mindy and Bella headed out. Just as they were departing I remembered to feed & water the lizards and salamander. I was showered and ready for work by 7:44am. We had a few spare minutes to relax. I chose to warm the Trooper, though, since it was covered in a thick coating of frost. Jacob rode to the bus stop with me. We got out and toughed out the chill. It was already warming up as the sun cut through the cold. It was expected to reach 52 degrees later in the day. The bus arrived at 8:03am and soon I was on my way to work. Instead of ESPN radio, I listened to the Tao Now! It was calming. I arrived at work at 8:17am and happily made my way into the office. The morning went by quickly leading up to our regularly scheduled 11am staff meeting. We met for a little more than 1.5 hrs. It was a busy afternoon too. I decided early on to work straight through without taking an official lunch. I did stop and pay a couple of bills online. I worked until 5:20pm. The last couple hours flew by. I phoned Mindy once I was completely settled on the road home. Traffic was backed up to a crawl on I-270 south. I was already committed to it so I just sucked it up. We talked for the entire drive home. The kids were gone with their dad until 7:30pm. Mindy would leave for choir at 6:30pm. I’d have an hour to myself. We spent the next 45 minutes walking Ykraps and discussing some Xmas logistics. It wasn’t long before Mindy had to depart. I thought that I might steal a nap but never did. Instead, I got wrapped up in pictures and the internet. I kept checking the time, and before I knew it was 7:45pm yet the children weren’t home. But a few minutes later they arrived. Jim dropped them off and bolted. They seemed to be in good moods. Because of the hour, I whisked them upstairs to ready for bed. We skipped a bath and instead went straight to jammies and tooth brushing. Back downstairs, Jacob and I played checkers while Peanut played with marbles. We played three games. I won them all. Mindy arrived home between 815pm and 830pm. She greeted everyone then rushed the kids off to bed. I headed up for the final tuck. Back downstairs I was hungry. I woofed down a handful or two of Triscuits and then found my way to the big chair. I tuned into a basketball game but only to aid in drifting off to sleep. Once again, very minor cold-like symptoms kicked in. I was asleep before 9pm. I woke just before 9:30pm and headed up to bed. Mindy, I realized, was up watching the Buckeyes basketball game. That’s a switch!

Up Late

Well, it had to end sooner or later and today was the day. I didn’t wake for work until about 5:40am. I was up a couple of times earlier but decided to go back to sleep. I realized Monday that I might be fighting a cold. My body had a minor ache and my throat and eyes were extra dry, often the tell tale sign of an approaching cold. I believe that aided in my oversleeping. I exercised and completed my walk with Ykraps as quickly as possible. I remained mindful of the time so not to get behind with my routine. I was still able to complete everything I usually do including meditation but simply had to shorten each step. My meditation was very good despite its brevity. I delivered Mindy’s coffee and then left for a run. It was already 6:35am and pretty darn cold. It was 27 degrees. My new running gloves weren’t nearly as warm as my lined fleece gloves. I could feel air on my hands even covered. The upside wase that I wouldn’t overheat. The run went well. I listened to Sunny 95 Xmas music through its entirety. It was almost 7:15 when I returned from my run. Mindy asked that I make tuna fish for lunch. I got busy on that right away. She needed to leave pronto so I was deliberate in my action. After serving up her share she bolted off to work with Bella in tow. I sat down to enjoy my breakfast before running off to grab a shower. I was ready to head out the door at our usual time of 7:55am. Pat & Alanna haven’t been at the bus stop for a few days. Pat must be running her school, I surmised. I arrived to work around the usual 8:20am. The work day moved at a frantic pace. Lunch time came and went in the bat of an eye. I worked straight through stopping only long enough to grab my packed lunch but quickly returned to my desl where I worked while I ate. I didn’t get out of the office until 5:30pm. When I finally reached Mindy she let me know that she had picked up dinner at KFC. I reminded her somewhat jokingly that we’ve been eating fowl for the past six days minus Friday. Somehow, though, KFC sounded good. She had already walked Ykraps too making my landing easy. Her and Jacob were already eating when I sat down at the table. I ate two pieces of extra-crispy along some of Jacob’s leftovers. Mindy & Jacob left to watch and fetch Bella at the dance studio around 6:30pm. I used the time to blog. They were home just before 7:30pm. After Mindy got the kids into bed I began stringing Xmas lights from our tree despite not having an ounce of energy. But once I got going I guess I got a second wind. I spent about 1.5 hours on the lights. Mindy likes lots of lights. We wrapped the trunk top to bottom in white miniatures and then added varying sizes of globular shaped pearlized colored lights throughout. It looked really nice when I finished. Mindy watched Bones and House while I decorated. I watched Bones only passively but watched House a bit closer. It was decent. We headed to be immediately after House ended. I continued to feel as if a cold was coming on.

Monday Returns

Monday Returns Through the night I woke once or twice but ever so briefly. I was out of bed for good at 5:20am. The coffee maker hadn’t yet begun its cycle. I was worried that I might oversleep given the long 5-day weekend. That didn't happen! I glanced outside and saw that it was wet and raining ever so lightly. I wasn’t excited about it, but I didn’t let it get to me either. Instead, I went about my morning calisthenics and then set out on a walk with Ykraps. During our walk the rain was down to a very light drizzle – hardly noticeable. We reentered the house at 5:46am eager for some fresh coffee. I sat in front of the PC sipping coffee eager to learn how the Patriots game turned out. They won but not by much. They’re now 11-0. After reading the Daily OM I took Mindy some coffee. It was just after 6am. I didn’t hear her begin to stir for another several minutes. I spent the next 15 minutes in meditation before preparing for a run. Although I was anxious to try my new running gloves it was too warm. It was something like 45 degrees. And by the time I hit the door the rain had picked up significantly. The forecast said it would do so. I dashed off into the wet, dark morning air. I used my MP3 player tuned to Sunny 95 - 24X7 Xmas music. I rarely run with music in my ears in the dark but today was a new day and a new week. It was nice. The rain only intensified as my run progressed. But given my druthers, I’d prefer it that way. It sure beats setting out into a heavy downpour. I was officially wet by the time I finished. Mindy had lunch made and breakfast on the stove. I stripped out of my upper shell before sitting down to eat. Both kids were still fast asleep just as Mindy predicted. It’s funny because they were up almost everyday of our five day weekend at this very hour. I heard their groans and cries as Mindy woke them. She returned downstairs with Bella in tow. She looked like she was still sleeping. Thankfully, she was pleasant. Meanwhile, Jacob was still upstairs pouting about going to school. Mindy couldn’t hang out. It was already 7:30am. She had to go. Jacob did make it down to get a goodbye hug. He woke gracefully after she departed. I’ve learned to just allow him to be. He almost always comes around. I dashed off for a shower at 7:35am. And by the time I made my way back downstairs he was in much better spirits. Mindy, worried that he would be a pill, called minutes later to check his status. Because it was raining fairly hard, Jacob rode with me to the bus stop. He waited for the bus from inside the Trooper. I arrived to work at 8:20am in a steady downpour. It continued raining through mid-day. Work was very busy after the long holiday weekend. It was tough getting a handle on things but we did. I left for a lunch time shopping trip at 1:15pm. I drove to the Mill Run Target. I bought three sets of Xmas lights and a snow board for Jacob (a Xmas gift). Meanwhile, outside the rain continued coming down. I headed back to work and dodged the rain entering the building. The afternoon was busy. I managed to make it through the first day back in the office just fine, but it was tough. I didn’t feel that well either and worried that I might be coming down with something. However, it might’ve been from getting reacquainted with our air handling system. I left the office around 5:20pm. I called Mindy and informed her that I was stopping at Garden Ridge on my way home. They had a varied assortment of large Nut Crackers and I wanted one. I saw them a few weeks ago when I stopped in. I was convinced that they would be gone or picked over by now. They had some but the selection was diminished from where it stood a few weeks ago. They originally had 3, 4, and 5ft models. But I was only interested in the 3ft model. They were $30 compared to $200 for the 4ft model and $300 for the 5ft version! Yikes! I found only two remaining 3ft models. Unfortunately, both were damaged. However, just before walking away I noticed one lying down behind several of the tall nut crackers. To my delight it was a 3ft version of the classic nut cracker in perfect condition. I was very excited. What’s more, it was on sale for 25% off bringing the actual price to $22.50. I got a really good deal! Finally home I was beat. Mindy had lovingly walked Ykraps saving me the trouble. We moved directly to dinner, which consisted of leftover TG fixins’. I cleaned up the dinner mess and then retired to the PC room. I was anxious to update my delinquent blog. Meanwhile, Mindy and the kids watched part of a movie before bath time. When they finished with the baths they returned downstairs to watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer. I’m not sure if it was a DVD or on broadcast. Mindy, Jacob, and I played the board game Topple while watching. After having trouble waking the kids this AM, Mindy was determined to have the kids in bed by 7:30pm. And while they went initially, they did the holler for mom thing several times. That gets downright annoying. Bella came to the balcony a number of times but was shewed back to her bed. Eventually she alerted Mindy that she had just pee’d her bed. Mindy was, well, PISSED! There was no doubt that she did it as an attention grabbing stunt and all but admitted to it after a short interrogation. After Mindy changed her bed she finally went to sleep. Mindy was eager to watch a special Monday night presentation of House and Bones. Turns out they were both reruns. I watched only passively, still not feeling up to par. Mindy said I was sleeping but I don’t recall. I do know this. I didn’t have the energy to decorate the tree. We headed to bed around 10pm where I tuned into MNF. I gave up watching at some point and allowed Mindy control of the remote.

Targhetto

1 month 'till Xmas!

I slept later than I had all weekend. I didn’t get up until 8:15am. We were blessed with more morning sunshine but chilly temperatures. I hadn’t given my shoulder a break in five days. I decided that today was a good day to rest them, so I skipped push-ups and curls.

After a walk with Ykraps I returned for coffee. Mindy was heading to church and asked me to help ready the kids while she showered. So, I delayed my run and helped the kids get dressed. After they departed I left for my run around 10am. It was a comparably difficult run. I was tight and tired for some reason. I finally loosened up about midway through. I was very pleased to be done!

I used my alone time to complete some chores, download and edit pictures, and take a much needed shower. Because of my late start, it didn’t seem like Mindy & the kids were gone all too long. They were back just after 12noon. During the early afternoon, Jacob and I spent some time playing catch (football) before his dad arrived to pick them up. Bella came out too and I pushed her on the tree swing. Mindy and I planned to go do a little Xmas shopping while the kids were away with their dad. Jim arrived at 2:30pm.

Mindy & I left shortly after Jim and the kids. Our first stop was Targhetto with a planned second stop at Garden Ridge. We selected Targhetto since we had already been to the other two Hilliard Targets looking for a matching chair cover. Mindy figured they might have ‘em at this one. We spent almost 90 minutes in Target. We filled our cart with varying merchandise. We had stuff for the house, Xmas gifts, and a few personal items. One thing for sure is that we’d spent a lot of cash! All totaled we dropped $650! Ouch!! I was dizzy for the rest of the day.

We skipped our planned stop at Garden Ridge, not because we were exhausted but because we were already running out of time. Plus, we had loose arrangements to pick-up Gloria for dinner. Mindy called from the Target parking lot to confirm her plans. We headed to pick her up after learning she was a go. On our way there I learned via ESPN radio that the Vikings stomped the Giants 41-17 in the Meadowlands. For this I was most pleased. We arrived back home with Gloria at 4:45pm.

We carried in our large haul and then Mindy showed off the purchases to her mother before stowing them away for hiding. She then heated TG leftovers in the oven for dinner. I walked Ykraps. We let our new Trans-Siberian Orchestra CD whirl while we played and waited for dinner. The kids returned home at 5:30pm.

By the way, the once beautiful day took a turn for the worse. The sky clouded over and it began to rain just as we were leaving Targhetto. There was even a chance that the rain would convert to snow. Never did.

We enjoyed our TG leftovers. After dinner we all sat in the family room and watched the second half of the Arizona Cardinals against the San Francisco 49ers. Neither team seemed to want the win. The game went to overtime and was eventually won by the 49ers. I took Gloria home around 8pm. Jacob rode along with me. It rained through the entire trip.

When we got home Jacob was summoned up to bed. I spent the next 30 minutes installing the two new furniture covers on our sofa and chair. I didn’t elaborate earlier but we ended up buying two new ones since we couldn’t find an exact match to our current sofa cover for our over-sized chair. The only alternative was two new ones of a matching color. I liked the new color better anyhow. The only knock on the new set is that it closely resembles the color of our carpet (no contrast). But these should more than suffice until we eventually replace both pieces.

After finishing with the furniture I tuned into Family Guy. They ran dual episodes with the second being a repeat. We watched most of the second from bed.

TG II

I was up by 7:20am feeling pretty good even after staying up late watching football. I made quick work of my routine in hopes of getting an early start on my run and ultimately on our TG dinner prep. In hindsight, I wished I had prepped the turkey and stuffing concoction the night before. I didn’t because we needed a foil roasting pan big enough for the turkey and failed to get one while we were out shopping. No sense crying over what’s in the past!

After my walk with Ykraps I quickly readied for a run. I left earlier than usual by 30 minutes. It was a beautiful run under cool, sunny skies. I was back by 9:07am. By 9:30am I had already showered and was heading out the door to pick-up a few things at Wal-Mart, including a foil roasting pan.

I grabbed the few grocery items we needed and then cruised the perimeter of the store searching out foil roasting pans. I was cursing under my breath because I couldn’t find an employee to assist, but that’s Wal-Mart! Finally, after getting a little hot under the collar I found them in the kitchen accessories. In addition to the roasting pan, I bought a folding table to help facilitate dinner guests. A point of interest -the store was barren at such an early hour. Note to self!

I was back home by 10:15am prepping our dinner. I’ve done this a number of times so I knew what had to be done. I had the bird supremely stuffed and in the oven by 10:45am. If things went as planned, the bird would come out at 3pm – the expected arrival time of our guests. Beautiful!
Mindy whipped up green beans and the mashed potato recipe we got from her brother. The team work made a big difference. Mindy also contacted Shelly to arrange Kaileigh’s attendance. That made me very happy. Lindsey phoned early on asking if Lil’ Rocky could come early. Mindy agreed provided Lindsey brought him over since we were busy cooking and cleaning.

Once Rocky arrived, he kept Bella occupied most of the early afternoon. It was only marginally rowdy with the three kids. Lindsey phoned later in the afternoon to let us know that she wouldn’t be coming after all. Geesh! We chose not to fret over who wasn’t coming and instead focused our energy on who was.

My dad was the first to arrive. But not long after Ashley, Landon, and Olivia showed up. And while we were helping her carry in the babies my mom showed up too. And once everyone was settled Kaileigh arrived marking the very first time that all four of my grandchildren were gathered together at my home. It was loud and a bit hectic but comforting just the same. I know that they need me. I only wish that Courtney and Lindsey would’ve been able to make it. But again, I’m not one to fret over who isn’t present so we moved on.

Mindy was instrumental in pulling this gathering together with some semblance of order. I couldn’t have done it without her. Bless her! Dinner went without a hitch and all the fixins’ were top notch save for the jarred gravy. :) I reserved the turkey drippings but didn’t take the time to make scratch gravy. After our meal, Mindy & I teamed up on clean-up which went fairly quickly. At the same time we had to help with the little ones as Ashley was being overwhelmed. Dad & Jacob played together. Jacob’s taken quite a liking to him. I couldn't help but notice that my mom didn’t interact much with anyone, not even Ashley. She kept largely to herself. But I was just appreciative to have both my parents around for the holiday. I’ll have to talk to mom about interacting more, however. Mom!!

We enjoyed dessert about 30 minutes later - pumpkin pie & cheesecake. Mindy got out our wedding photos, too. Apparently my dad hadn’t yet seen them. If he had, he’d already forgotten. :) Before everyone departed, I showed dad the basement plans. Ashley left with the little ones first. She & her mother planned a Bingo outing for later. When Shelly arrived to pick-up Kai, she asked if she could spend the night. I was more than happy to have her overnight. Shelly agreed!

Mom departed about ten minutes before dad. We asked her to stay the night but she refused. We quipped that she could stay at dad’s house. Dad left next leaving us to wonder if in fact my mom did stray to his place after all. I mean, my mom never drives in the dark, especially 80-90 miles. Mindy and I talked about it later, both wondering the same thing. We planned to call my mom’s house at 9:30pm to check on her.

Mindy got all three kids (Jacob, Bella, Kaileigh) a bath and then ready for bed. They watched a movie for a while before Mindy declared bedtime. The girls chose to sleep together in the guest room but weren’t in bed long before declaring that they were ill – sore throats then a tummy ache. Honestly, though, Kaileigh doesn’t have a structured bedtime like we enforce with Jacob and Bella. It’s apparent that she often stays up late watching TV with Shelly. I noticed this over the past few years when she stays with me/us. Her illness magically lifted when we allowed them back downstairs with us. However, when Mindy attempted to declare a 2nd bedtime Kai again complained of a tummy ache. She asked to call Shelly. I dialed the number and Shelly agreed to come fetch her. Bella was extremely upset that Kaileigh was leaving. Apparently Kaileigh hadn’t been home in three nights. She was suddenly better once she knew Shelly was coming to get her. That at least made me happy. Shelly soon arrived and took Kaileigh home. Mindy went to bed early while I stayed up watching football.

Getting out Xmas

I was up between 7:30 & 8:00am. The kids were up even earlier but Mindy sent them back to their rooms. Bella headed downstairs with me. I did my usual set of exercises before setting out on my morning walk with Ykraps. It was impressively sunny but chilly. I took my camera along to hopefully capture some of the late autumn beauty. I sat on the porch and brushed Ykraps before going back inside. He’s shedding his summer coat in preparation for winter.

I prepared and left for a run a little after 9am. I remember fretting for just a minute that it was already Friday. The long weekend was moving swiftly, indeed. After my run I prepared a relatively short grocery list to facilitate our own TG dinner Saturday. After a quick shower I was ready to head out. In the meantime, Mindy was already decorating for Xmas. In fact, she had actually begun putting away Autumn/TG on TG morning.

Before leaving, I mentioned a possible stop at Home Depot too. I thought about Garden Ridge as well. I made my first stop Home Depot. There I bought 3 colored spot lights (two green and one red) to replace the bright white lights out front. I also bought a large poinsettia. No Xmas is complete without one resting on or near the hearth.

My next stop was Garden Ridge, but the lot was packed and once I realized what I might be up against inside, I opted out and drove directly to Kroger. Kroger, to my delight, wasn’t crowded at all. I made quick work of my shopping list and got a great deal on a fresh 19lb turkey. Homeward!

Once home I carried in my haul then quickly installed the colored festive spots. Mindy asked for my help decorating. She’d already spent her entire morning setting up her nativity scene and Xmas village. My assignment was to install the lighted pine roping on the banisters. We eventually made our way to the family room to prep for the tree. The kids were off playing with neighbors making it a little easier for both of us. Before we could proceed I insisted on cleaning/vacuuming the family room blinds and window sills. Truth is they need it more often than I do it. Plus, with the brick sawing escapade from a couple weeks ago, there was still plenty of red dust amongst us. The more I cleaned the more into I got. We spent about an hour or more cleaning/vacuuming all the crevices and walls in the family room. I was surprised that the wall north of the fireplace still held a fine coat of brick dust visible only after raising the blinds. I took the time to clean thoroughly behind the entertainment armoire’, too.

Finally satisfied with our cleaning, we tinkered with various furniture arrangements to help accommodate the tree without depleting available seating. We finally found one we liked, but in the process agreed that we really needed to get a cover for our over sized chair. We moved on with setting up the tree. That went better than expected working as a team. The neighbor called asking if we wanted to go see Fred Claus with all the kids. Funny thing was, we considered going to see it earlier but opted against. Mindy hadn’t even showered yet. EWH!!! We politely declined the invite and kept working on the decorating until we could take it no more. Eventually, Mindy headed up for a shower while I walked Ykraps.

Our plan called for a trip to Target & Kirkland’s and eventually end up at Minelli’s for pizza. We left the house around 6:30pm making stops at the new Hilliard Rome Target, Kirkland’s and then the Mill Run Target. The kids were getting cranky and hungry. We headed to Minelli’s directly from Mill Run after ordering two pizzas for pick-up. We had to wait about five minutes after arriving but that was OK by us. That way they were hot out of the oven.

After pizza, Mindy put in the new movie, Santa Claus-e 3. The kids got to stay up for an extra hour or so watching it. Jim called and talked with the kids. He shared the good news that LSU was beaten earlier by Arkansas. That puts the Buckeyes a smidge closer to edging their way back into the National Championship game. With the kids finally in bed, Mindy and I watched the Boise State/Hawaii football game. Not any surprise, Mindy went to bed around 10pm. I stayed up watching the rest of the game. Hawaii won in somewhat dramatic fashion.

Macy's TG Day - It's About the Food!

I expected to wake to rainy, gloomy weather, but all things considered, it wasn’t that bad. What it was, was warm, windy, and mostly gray. With so much to do, I spent very little idle time. Instead, I stayed focused and busy. I exercised, walked Ykraps, and coffee’d before 8am. I left for my run just after 9am. Meanwhile, the kids tuned into the Macy’s TG parade.

The weather was again very mild but blustery. The streets were predictably quiet, although I didn’t happen upon a few others milling about. Mindy had a sausage and egg breakfast ready upon my return. It was more than delicious. Clean-up went quick. I wasted little time preparing to deep fry the sauerkraut balls. I’ve learned the best way is to create a small assembly line and to complete each step for the entire batch before moving onto the next. I didn’t begin heating the oil until I had the line under production.

It took me about an hour to ready the forty-one ball batch, and then another 20 minutes to deep fry. That piece goes pretty fast. Before wrapping up, I whipped up a batch of chipotle dipping sauce. I finished up just after noon and dashed off to the shower.

We planned to be at Craig’s by 2pm and allowed ourselves 30 minutes for the drive. We left a few minutes early. Along our drive, Mindy made calls to my immediate family members inviting them for another TG dinner at our home Saturday afternoon. Everyone, including mom, accepted. Tommy was the only one on the fence and that was due to his work schedule. That brightened my day.

We arrived at Craig’s around 1:55pm. Judging by the number of cars, we were the second set of guests to arrive. Hmmm? We expected that others would be well ahead of us. We had a load to tote in, and that took a few minutes to get in and then settled. Wendy & Jeff were the only other guests currently present. I’d never met them before. They were very fun & pleasant! Others soon arrived filling the house with lots of feet, food, and family.

One huge side-benefit of having the celebration at Craig & Jeff’s was their tolerance of alcohol. To that end, I brought a jug of Barley’s IPA. Mindy joined most others and drank wine. By my accounting, there were 22 of us not counting the five dogs (Mindy’s sibs brought theirs).

There was a seemingly endless supply of food from appetizers, main course, complementary sides, and desserts. Not only was there plenty but it was top notch, too, as far as TG food goes. Being one who appreciates culinary creativity I was moved by the quality spread. I lost track of time, but know that it was still light when we ate. Must have been close to 4pm. Everything was beyond good. I was careful not to eat myself into a coma.

We sat around visiting for a good hour or so before tapping into the dessert spread. That went over well, too. After dark, some guests, including Jacoby, took a walk to the local cemetery that sits at the end of the road. I opted to stay back feeling more sedentary.

We stayed at Craig & Jeff’s until 7:30pm or so. The temperature dropped significantly through the day. It was quite chilly when we departed – mid 30’s. Jacob fell asleep along our drive. And when we finally arrived home I had to carry him in over my shoulder. He was out cold! The kids went right to bed. For that we were most grateful. After we were settled in I poured myself an IPA and tuned into football. Mindy went to bed early. I fell asleep on the family room floor with my feet propped up on the reading chair. It felt terrific.

More Leaves, Sauerkraut Balls & Cheesecake

The first morning of my long holiday weekend began at roughly 7:30am. The entire family was up around the same time. We had a busy day planned. Like most others, I completed my exercises and then took Ykraps on his morning walk. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning. It was both warm and sunny. What’s more, it was expected to remain that way through most of the day.

Mindy had our coffee mugs out and filled by the time I returned from my walk with Ykraps. I drank coffee and check headlines, but then hurried out onto the deck to bask in the glorious weather. I grabbed my guitar, too. I hadn’t played guitar outside on the deck for a couple of months. It was that nice.

While I enjoyed the nice weather, Mindy showered for her lunch date with her old friend Laura. I left for my run just after 9am. Mindy and the kids left to take the Thanksgiving stuffing mixture that Gloria prepped to her brother Craig, who’s cooking & hosting TG dinner. Gloria’s stuffing is a tradition for the Thompson family regardless of the venue. Mindy explained that she’d likely be out until 2:30-3pm. I’d have most of the day to myself. For this I was grateful!

I ran in shorts and a long sleeved running shirt. Again, it was truly that nice. After my run I was eager to get started on my agenda. I planned to rake leaves and cook TG treats most of the day. I had a few previously forgotten winterization tasks to complete, too. Before starting on the leaves, I woofed down about half of Jacob’s leftover gyro. I had another cup of coffee too with a shot of butterscotch schnapps added in for taste.

I decided to use the leaf blower to aid in gathering leaves this AM. Except for a few areas, they were very scattered and dry. And using the blower would save wear and tear on my shoulders, which always stiffen after raking. I picked up where I left off last weekend, out by the shed. The blower made quick, easy work of the leaves, although I still had to rake them onto the tarp for easy transport to the dump pile.

There was an occasional stiff breeze blowing out of the SW that was sending more leafs my way even as I toiled. I laughed it off, realizing this was something I couldn’t control.
After filling two tarps I was finished with the back half of the yard. Still relatively early, I I decided to move back up by the house to blow & gather leaves from on and underneath the deck – the same area I cleared over the weekend. I filled another tarp. Even after all that raking, I know that there will be even more as there are still trees and shrubs holding onto their foliage. We’ve had an extended fall season for some reason. I finished up the raking and moved onto a few other winterization tasks.

Before heading in for phase two of my agenda – cooking – I hung the Xmas wreath from the apex of the garage roof helping usher in the Xmas spirit. Satisfied with all I had accomplished outside, I headed inside to begin my holiday cooking.

My first order of business was to prep sauerkraut balls. I planned to concoct the entire mixture and then let it set up in the fridge overnight. That took about an hour. In the end, I was very pleased with the texture and taste of this batch. With little hesitation I moved to making and baking cheese cakes. A couple of folks are allergic to nuts, so to avoid anaphylactic trauma I made one with nuts and the other without. The first with nuts would be my signature turtle cheesecake, while the other, raspberry & chocolate.

I’ve always been one to think of a recipe as a guideline and rarely if ever follow it to the “t”. But sometimes this haunts me. For example, I forgot to add sour cream to the batter despite it being on the major ingredients list. I didn’t realize my mistake until I had one already in the oven and the other poured and in wait. Rather than pulling it out I decided to let it ride and hope for the best. I wouldn’t have realized my error except for the fact that I couldn’t explain why the batter mixture didn’t go as far as usual. It was short 24 ounces of sour cream!

To help calm my jitters, I looked over a plethora of other cheesecake recipes and about half didn’t include it. I knew then that it would be OK.

Mindy and the kids arrived home around 3:30pm. By then the second cheesecake was in the oven while the first cooled After running, working in the yard, and baking I stunk to high heaven and really needed a shower. I headed to shower. Mindy’s nephew, Joe showed up around 4pm. He stopped over to pick-up an extra Xmas tree and a slew of older decorations Mindy had stashed in the basement. Before Joe left, the once nice weather took a turn for the worse. It was now gray, windy, and starting to rain.

Jimaken arrived to pick-up the kids around 4:30pm. Soon the house was quiet. Jim left with the kids and Joe headed home with his ornaments. Mindy and I relaxed & enjoyed a beer and wine before settling on our dinner plans. We had just under three hours. We decided to visit Barley’s hoping to see some of our friends and fill a jug for TG.

We arrived just after 5pm. We were surprised how crowded the bar was. But according to Jersey, who was working the bar, it’s always crowded on TG Eve. It seemed like a Friday, and save for Bob & M.A. most of the regulars made an appearance – even Jeremy, Courtney, and Porter Jump. We had an exceptional time. We stayed only until 7:30pm, but were there about as long as we are on a Friday night only earlier hours. I had three beers so Mindy wisely drove home.

Jimaken and the kids were waiting in the drive when we pulled up. We gave Jacob the combination but he said he forgot it by the time he hung up the phone. J But they only had to wait something short of five minutes. The kids were tired and ready for bed rather quickly. Soon they were neatly tucked into bed. I decided to top the cheesecakes all the while enjoying another of my seasonal ales.

Mindy and I did a buttery nipple shot before heading to bed. We watched the Buckeye basketball game from bed. We didn’t last ‘till the end, however. We fell asleep.

The Most Wonderful Feeling in the World ...

... beginning an extra long weekend .
















































I was excited to begin my Tuesday. I was up at 5:25am even though I really wanted to sleep longer. My legs were especially tired, but even my eyes felt heavy. This was, for all practical purposes, my Friday!

I went about my morning routine completing a full complement of exercises. Ykraps and I were outdoors walking by 5:45am. It was an exceptionally warm 57 degrees. We were back for coffee by 5:55am. I played on the PC until 6:05am before taking Mindy her coffee. I spent the next fifteen minutes meditating but had a difficult shutting out the ambient noise. Regardless, the experience was beneficial.

I moved from meditation right to running. However, before dashing off I stretched my stiff hammies on the front stoop. I skipped a jacket, learning from yesterday’s experience. Instead, I wore a wicking shirt with a cotton mock over top. I was comfy & cozy!

There’s a handicapped fellow that I greet each morning as I run past. He’s always in the same general spot waiting for the Franklin County special programs bus at the foot of his driveway. He wished me a happy Thanksgiving this morning, too. Back at ya, fella!
That brought a bigger smile to my already happy face.

My run was over before I knew it. Back at home I could tell that Mindy was a little tense. She asked if I could take care of the eggs this AM as she whizzed by with a handful of bed sheets. I knew without asking what had happened. One of the kids wet their bed. It was Bella this time. Jacob poked fun at her, but was quickly reprimanded. After all, he’s usually the one wetting the bed. It happens. I didn’t say a whole lot, wisely choosing to stay out of Mindy’s way. I remember thinking what a shame that her morning was going poorly – this being the beginning of our TG holiday.

She soon shrugged off her less than stellar mood, and by the time she left for school she was more like her usual self. Jacob coiled into a ball and played with his Game Boy while I headed off to the shower. I returned ready to go, but we still had several minutes before we needed to depart. I used the time to straighten up the house to help ease our return later.

Much like many days recently, Jacob rode in the Trooper to the bus stop. We passed the football while we waited for the bus, which was parked as she usually is, at the sub- division’s entrance. She has to wait so not to throw off the pick-up schedule.
Pat & Alanna were just a minute behind us. After the kids boarded the bus Pat & I talked for a few, mostly about our coming holiday plans. We might meet up Wednesday night. Who knows!

I arrived at work in a fantastic mood. Early on, I found Sunny 95’s website and streamed in Xmas music to make the day even brighter. I never did take a lunch break choosing instead to eat while I worked. I figured on stopping at Kroger and possibly Home Depot on my way home, however. I wanted to get some Seasonal ales, Irish Crème’, Butterscotch Schnapps, and Jack Daniels. The work day went smoothly, at least for me. I was busy - kept things moving along all day. 5:15pm arrived quickly. I actually had butterflies as I left the building. I was eager to begin my extra long TG weekend.
I drove to Kroger where it was full of folks on a similar quest (after work stop). I spent almost $80 on booze. I bought 3-six packs of special holiday ales, including Columbus Brewing Company’s new Winter Warmer, Full Sail’s Wassil Ale, and Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale. I got the other stuff I mentioned earlier too. I opted out of a Home Depot stop. I’ll most likely make it there over the weekend.

I returned a missed call to Mindy who reported having my dinner waiting and already having walked Ykraps. Sweet! She greeted me as the garage lifted and helped carry in the booze. Minutes later I was enjoying my gyro from the Big Fat Greek Cuisina. After our meal I parked myself in front of the PC for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Mindy left for the dance studio to pick-up Bella from dance class.

Before they returned I cracked open one of my CBC Winter Warmers’. Mindy readied the kids for bed after returning home. This was a bathless night. The kids requested a “family movie” night. We watched Santa Claus again. The kids went to bed around 8:30pm. We stayed up and watched House, one of the two weekly shows I like to watch. The other I try to catch is Family Guy. Mindy headed to bed after House. I stayed up and finished my third beer. I wasn’t far behind, however.

Lowered the Zipper

After writing about my streaks, I was fearful that today would be the day that I over slept my goal, but it didn’t happen. Once again I greeted the day prior to 5:30am. Both of my shoulders ached this AM - a definite byproduct of raking leaves. Because of this, I gave my shoulder another break and cut my workout to sit-ups only. As one might expect, that went fast. I was already walking Ykraps just after 5:30am.

It was noticeably warmer this AM. I was plenty comfortable in my PJ’s and fleece. The sky was mostly clear with half a moon on display. I used the extra time lazily reading NFL headlines from Sunday’s action. I was surprised to see that the Patriots failed to score anymore points after hitting 56 early in the 4th quarter. I read the Daily OM before taking Mindy her coffee.

Somewhere during my morning toil it dawned on me that today was our one year engagement anniversary. So many anniversaries to remember. Oh man! I was meditating by 6:05am. I did a good job going down deep. I dressed for my run at 6:22am and hit the road shortly after a quick stretch.

It was an excellent run. Periodically, I lowered the zipper of my jacket an inch or two as my body heat rose. My thick fleece proved a bit much for the balmy weather. Daybreak seemed to come early due in part to the clear skies. It must’ve been around the 2.5 mile marker. I was extra sweaty by the time I returned home.

Mindy had scrambled eggs on the stove and just about ready when I entered the house. She dished up our plates and loaded her van for the go. Soon Mindy was gone. I casually enjoyed my breakfast before heading up to the shower. Meanwhile, Jacob played with his Game Boy.

We left the house at 7:55am. Jacob rode to the bus stop with me. We tossed the football while waiting on the bus. We do that almost everyday. Pat & Alanna arrived about the same time we did. We talked some about the Buckeye game party and the anticipated retirement of Lloyd Carr. I left for work at 8:07am.

I arrived at work at 8:25am. It was a beautiful morning but the forecast said it wouldn’t last. I spent the first hour getting reacquainted with a few issues from late last week. I worked intently until 1pm when I decided to head out for a lunch break. I stopped first at Kroger to get some raspberries for a cheesecake. While there I bought Mindy a dozen white roses, too. Before heading back to work I stopped at Home Depot to look at a few things related to the basement project. Trust me, you’re gonna get real tired reading about it before that project’s finished.

I was back at the office by 2pm. I enjoyed my packed lunch while digging back into work. The afternoon screamed by. I left for home around 5:15pm. According to Mindy, I would have the house to myself for about two hours. Over that two hour span, she was headed to a teachers’ union meeting, and the kids were with their daddy. And what’s more, she had already walked Ykraps and unloaded the dishwasher. To my delight, I would be able to chill and tinker.

So chill and tinker is what I did. I also played catch-up on my blog. That ate the majority of my time, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, like always.

The kids arrived home just after 7pm. Jimaken dropped them and left. Bella and I viewed pictures and then retreated to the family room where I was suddenly overcome with sleepiness. Bella covered me up and asked Jacob to be quiet so that I could nap. :) I slept for about ten minutes or when Bella woke me for tubby time! She was worried that it was getting late. In reality it was only 7:25pm. We headed up for baths at 7:30pm. That went on with relative ease. We were back downstairs in our jammies to watch a movie just before 8pm. We put in Santa Claus, the movie, and popped some corn. Mindy arrived while I was popping the corn.

We watched the first half-hour pausing it for a later viewing. During that half-hour we shared two bags of popcorn. The kids ate most of it. Mindy tucked the kids into bed. I tuned into MNF and once again stretched out on the sofa. When Mindy came back down she rubbed my shoulders. They were still a tad stiff but the anti-inflammatory I took this AM helped tremendously. We didn’t watch too much of the game. We headed for bed before 10pm.

Rakin', Vikings, and Xmas

I slept peacefully through the night, but did wake a time or two thinking that I might get up and going even before 5am. I had essentially been sleeping since before 9pm. I was more than rested. Ultimately, I didn’t get up until a little after 7am. I went through my usual weekend ritual, which doesn’t vary much from a weekday. The only glaring difference is that I rarely prep the coffee the night before and I go about my routine at a more relaxed pace.

The subdivision was quiet as Ykraps and I walked along the street. It was cool and gray – a typical November day. It must’ve been about 35 degrees. Back at home I poured coffee and then cozied up to the PC. Mindy wanted to be up by 8:30am as the kids were expected home around 8:45am. Jimaken was dropping them early so that he could move into his new place. They arrived on schedule. Mindy had resigned herself to skipping church. Because of this, she offered to make us all a big breakfast while I ran. We voted and sausage and pancakes won.
My run was nice. I listened to Xmas music on my MP3 player compliments of Sunny 95. I was back at 10:05am. Breakfast was ready. It smelt terrific. We had our “tree’ candle burning too. After breakfast Mindy & Bella headed for the grocery store. Jacob stayed home playing football on his Game boy. I went to the yard to winterize and rake leaves. I really wanted help but also understood that Mindy had things to do too.

Before raking, I finished winterizing. I stowed the garden hoses save for the one by the hot tub, emptied & stowed the flower baskets and clay pots even though the flowers were still alive. Lastly, I drained and bagged the fountain. The winterization was now complete. Next I grabbed a tarp from the shed along with my rake and got cracking on the leaves. I started up at the deck raking oodles of leaves from underneath and around the spent flowers and shrubs. That’s a lot of work. I filled the tarp five times before bagging it for the day. I made it back to the shed. Bella enjoyed playing in the leaves while I raked. I was happy she was enjoying it. Jacob finally came out just as I was heading in. They both went out and jumped in the leaf/compost leaf pile.
I told Mindy that I was sore and hungry. She suggested that I take an anti-inflammatory and eat the Wendy’s chili still in the fridge. I did both.

We were scheduled to go to her mother’s for dinner, but beforehand, we wanted to do our family Xmas photo. To that end, I had Mindy pick-up a white sheet from Wal-Mart to use as a back drop. So, after showering and dressing in the appropriate attire, I hung the sheet from a corner in the family room. I added a little Xmas flare, too. I hadn’t tried this before but was certain the props would net the effect I was striving for. Satisfied with the back drop, I had Mindy ready herself and the children. We spent the next 30-45 minutes taking about 20 different shots. I tried the balcony shot for the obvious impact such an angle nets but I just couldn’t make it comfortably into position before the camera fired, no matter how many tines I tried. And when I finally made it in I was soaked head to toe in sweat. The kids were getting cranky by then, too.
I decided that plan “A” just wasn’t going to work without another person taking the photos so I switched to plan “B”. That went well. We viewed the final product on the PC and were pleased with maybe two of the twenty shots. I pleaded with the gang to give it one more go with one or two slight modifications. They reluctantly agreed and headed back into position. I took three more shots. Finally done, we were exhausted, and the family room was a mess from the fire drill. I didn’t view the final shots until later.

We, minus Jacob, left for Gloria’s just after 4pm. He opted to go to the Blue Jackets game with his daddy. Still, most of the family was present. We celebrated Larry’s b-day. We had cheeseburgers, fried potatoes, and salad. We had a lovely time. I got a handful of cute photos, too. And for dessert we had Boston Cream Pie. We left for home around 7:15pm Where’d the day go?

Like always, I walked Ykraps as soon as we arrived home. Jimaken and Jacob were already in the drive listening to the end of the hockey game. After Jimaken left, Mindy readied the kids for bed. In the meantime, I downloaded the second batch of family holiday and dinner photos. After tucking in the children I hurried back downstairs to read about the Vikings big victory over the Raiders. At this point I consider any victory a bonus. At 9pm I went to the family room to watch Family Guy. It was hilarious! Afterwards, we headed to bed where we caught most of American Dad & some of the Sunday Night football game. The Patriots spanked the Bills.

Spankin' Blue

I had taken two Advil even before we left for Barley’s the evening before, and woke to take two more around 6am. I felt pretty good when I finally got up for good at 7:40am. Mindy woke as I started out the door. I asked what time she wanted up. She requested 8:30am. She had plans to meet her friend Teri in Worthington for breakfast. I started coffee and exercised before taking Ykraps on his morning walk. I noticed plenty of folks driving by already decked out in their game day attire. Tailgating early, I presumed.

Coffee was ready and so was I. Mindy was up around 8:30am. And while she darted off to the shower, I darted off for my run. Only on Michigan Saturday will you find Buckeye fans out drinking beer and passing the football at 9-10am. I got a chuckle out of seeing more than a handful of households already partaking in pregame festivities. After my run I was hungry. I decided that a couple of fried eggs and toast was just what the doctor ordered. As soon as I woofed that down I got busy making some salsa.

I used a variety of freshly picked peppers still hanging outside on my pepper plants along with a dozen tomatoes I picked last Saturday. The only non-garden grown veggie was the onion. I made a double batch, one to take to Pat & Lisa’s and another for home. This has to be the latest that I’ve been able to use fruit from the garden.

After finishing the salsa I organized a cooler and then got a shower. Mindy called around 11:30am. She was just leaving breakfast and heading into Kroger. I told her just to meet me at Pat’s. I cracked a pumpkin ale then left the house at 11:45am. The game was just getting ready to kick-off. Soon others arrived. By the time the game actually kicked off another 4or 5 folks arrived. Pat’s finished basement sets up nicely for such events.

Mindy didn’t show up until 12:30pm or so. I was already having a good time, nevertheless. The Bucks won the toss and took the ball. This was the first time they didn’t score on the opening drive in weeks. Michigan drew first blood by kicking a field goal. However, we answered with a touchdown on the ensuing drive. The score held that way through halftime, although we did try to let them back in just before the first half ended but they couldn’t capitalize.

We held them on the opening drive of the second half and forced a punt. We ran the punt back for a touchdown but it was called back for an illegal block. Our cheers were quickly silenced. But, happily, on the next play, a hand-off to Beanie Wells, we ran about 65 yards for a touchdown. WAHOO! We cheered loudly again!! To our surprise, that was the end of the scoring for either team. The weather was sloppy, and Tressel took few, if any, chances. The game ended 14-3 Bucks! That’s four in a row – something unfathomable just a few years back. Go Bucks!!
I admittedly felt a little sad for Lloyd Carr and the way that he’ll most likely be remembered. Rumor has it, this was his last game coaching the Wolverines. He’s a winner and a fine competitor. He just couldn’t beat Tressel, who’s 6-1 against Michigan.

We stayed at Pat & Lisa’s for another 3 hours partying. Where’d the day go? Mindy and I finally headed for home around 7:30pm. There was some talk of us going out or making dinner, but I was buzzed and bushed! I snuggled up in front of the sofa and tuned into more football – West Virginia and Cincinnati. Next thing I knew it was 10:50pm. I woke up and went to bed.

Oregon Bites the Dust

I hollered out loud but nobody seemed to hear or care. No one came to my rescue. My cries for help fell upon deaf ears. … Bad Dreams

I met the morning at 5:25am. My sleep was sound. I woke maybe just once prior to my actual rise time. With each passing day I can feel my body adapting more and more to the time change . Soon, I am sure, 5:30am will feel like …well, 5:30am.

This was Friday, the day I live for. And what’s more, this was the most special Friday of all – the Friday after an on-call weekend. I cherish those most.

I wandered downstairs and got going with my morning calisthenics. I completed only sit-ups after remembering to give my shoulder a much deserved break. I liken it to the new Cadillac commercial where the occupant asks, “when was the last time you turned your car on and it returned the favor.” My body and I have a similar relationship built on mutual respect. J

Cutting out push-ups and curls netted me an extra 5-7 minutes. This threw Ykraps a curve. He didn’t seek me out since he didn’t hear the clank of the dumbbells that typically signal that a walk is near. But he was eager to go once I leashed him up. Once again, I allowed him to lead and he selected east. Our walk was brief but fruitful. He took care of his business.

Back at home I poured a cup of coffee. It was 5:50am. I retreated to the PC where I spent the next 10 or 15 minutes. I read the Daily OM and the Yahoo headlines. I saw that Oregon lost to Arizona last night, the game that I forgot was on. They were #2, but no more. Geesh! If we keep this up, the national championship game will be a joke!

Ohio State has claimed three Big Ten titles in a row, earning the last two outright for the first time since 1954-55. Its the longest streak of conference championships since Michigan won five in a row from 1988-92. The Buckeyes last won four straight against Michigan in 1960-63 and also did it from 1934-37. "It's special for our kids," Tressel said.

As you might expect, I took Mindy some coffee sometime around 6:00am. Downstairs I spent ten minutes meditating just before my run. I wore an extra layer on top of my wicking shirt. I also wore gloves and ear covers. I was very comfy for the run’s duration. Daylight doesn’t break until about the last mile, and even then it’s thin. By December I’m guessing I’ll be back to running under total darkness.

Mindy had our eggs just about finished. I agreed to handle their final minutes and topped them off with sharp cheddar cheese. Mindy and Bella left at their predictable time – 7:20am. Jacob and I talked about football. We didn’t practice his spelling words – perhaps his toughest list to date. Though, in hindsight I think that we should’ve. However, Mindy quizzed him on the entire list just before leaving.

We were at the bus stop at our usual time. There we hung out with Pat & Alanna until the bus showed up. It arrived a few minutes late. This was Michigan Friday. The mood at work was light and fun. Everyone seemed ready for the big game. I meant to wear my Bo-Busters t-shirt but forgot. Instead, I wore my customary black tee. Come lunch time, I decided to take a drive to the new Hilliard Kohl’s to do some early Xmas shopping. I say early but more and more people are completing their Xmas shopping in November. The benefits are a bigger selection and less traffic. The down side might be missing the big mid to late December deals. Either way, it’s the earliest I’ve ever started.

After purchasing a couple gifts I decided to cruise across the street to Bath & Body. Last time Mindy and I went by they weren’t yet opened for business. Today they were. I bought two “Tree” candles. They are way overpriced but smell exactly like a fresh-cut Xmas tree. Hilliard Rome road is going through a major overhaul. I decided to avoid the traffic snarl and take Trabue back towards work. And since I was close to home, I stopped in to drop off the gifts and grab a Diet Coke. I was back at the office by 2pm.

The afternoon got busy, but I somehow managed to escape at 5:15pm. It felt incredibly good to be heading home for the fun football weekend. I called Mindy along the way. She already had one of my Tree candles burning. When I arrived home I noticed the wonderful smell the instant I opened the door. We walked Ykraps together. It was chilly but under a clearing sky. It was nice!

I worked on my blog for about an hour all the while enjoying a cold beer. We planned to leave for Barley’s at 7pm – a full hour earlier than our usual. Before going we debated paint colors for the family for like the twentieth time. Geesh, just paint it!

We arrived at Barley’s just after 7pm. There was a bigger crowd than we expected, and it didn’t thin like it usually does, either. Without asking, Lee served me one of their new Breakfast Stouts. He served Mindy a St. Joan’s Revenge. My B.S. was very good! We acknowledged Mark, Dan, & Tim already sitting at the bar. Not long after, Bob arrived. M.A. was working. The 3 Jumps left a VM indicating their absence. A little later brother Tommy, Steve, and Rick arrived. Bob left for a spell to take care of walking the dog. Originally planning to go to an old friend’s b-day party, he opted instead to make a return to Barley’s. Hey, it’s hard to beat Barley’s! He told Mindy there would be no Buckeye/Michigan clubhouse. As much fun as it is for all of us, I am sure it looks, smells, and feels like work for he and M.A.

That’ll work well, I figured. We were long overdue to spend some quality time with our neighbors, Pat & Lisa. Earlier in the week Pat mentioned having some folks over for the game and extended an invite to us. We hung at Barley’s until 1030pm. Mindy was too buzzed to drive so I did. We didn’t stay up too long or late. I’ll bet that we were in bed by 11pm.

Jacob's Valentine

1) Mrs Valentine receiving her payoff
2) Jacob's Glyph
3) jacob's candy corn writing


I was up at 5:20am and felt fully rested. However, I would be less than honest if I didn’t say that I can feel my body adapting to the time change. Two weeks ago I could’ve woke at 4:30am and would’ve felt fairly well slept. I’ve noticed I am becoming more and more conditioned to the change. But that’s no surprise. How easily the body adapts is well chronicled.

I did my full exercise routine with no trouble. However, I could feel a smidge of tension mounting in my right shoulder. I promised myself that I would give it a break Friday morning to avoid a potential set back. Smart move! Ykraps and I headed out doors into a far colder morning that what we’ve gotten used to. It was 32 degrees on the nose. And in addition to the chill, it was very breezy, too. Like me, Ykraps has his quirky habits too. For instance, I’ve noticed that left to lead, he will almost always head east on our morning walk, but come evening, he almost always heads west. This proves that not only man seeks the comfort of routine. Animals do to. Routine, I think, more than anything signals to the body that things are safe. A radical change, on the other had, can be a sign of danger putting us into a much different state-of-mind. Something to ponder.

Back home for more good habits! I poured my coffee and relaxed in front of the PC. I took Mindy her coffee at 6:05am. I spent the next 20 minutes meditating and dressing for a run. I sought out my ear covers but opted out of gloves. I certainly didn’t want to over heat. The crisp air felt pretty darn good. It made the run easy. I’ve noticed the number of morning runners has diminished considerably since the cool weather’s arrival a few weeks ago. Sadly, those folks do not know what they’re missing. These are very favorable conditions provided you dress accordingly. In fact, I find the entire winter season to be equally comfortable.

I also find that I like running in the dark. For whatever reason, the run seems to go by much faster. My guess is that I’m forced deeper inside myself – less in tune with my surroundings. One minute I staring my run and the next I am done!

Mindy had the frying pan heating on the stove with just the right amount of olive oil. She asked if I would fry our eggs. I did. I also poured myself another cup of coffee. It wasn’t long before Mindy & Bella departed leaving Jacob and I behind. Mindy reminded me of Jacob’s parent-teacher conference at Beacon set for 5:20pm. I promised that I would be there.

I was showered and dressed by 7:45am. I’ve noticed that Jacob takes his cue to ready for the bus by me grabbing my gym bag from the laundry room. I was careful not to alert him to quickly this AM. Otherwise, we find ourselves at the bus stop way too early. I tended to a few trivial matters around the house burning up another five minutes or so. We headed out the door at 7:55am. Pat & Alena beat us by a minute or so. Jacob and I tossed the football. Pat invited us to their home to watch the big game Saturday. We have no firm plans that I’m aware of.

I arrived at work around 8:20am. It was very windy and still quite chilly. Many of the nearby trees are already barren. Winter nears.

The work day was a busy one. Even still, I was determined, no matter how busy, to get away for a lunch break today. At 1:10pm I left for a trip to Lowe’s. I had nothing in particular to buy but rather thought that I’d look at, and price out the various plumbing fixtures we’ll need for our basement finishing project. I spent an entire hour browsing the aisles of Lowe’s (that’s right, Mindy, I spelled aisles correctly!). I perused aisles I hadn’t before visited. It was like a new experience. A tri pas such always gets the creative juices flowing with all the possibilities. I truly love it! Home Depot and Lowes truly represent the land of possibilities for your home.

I found myself back to work by 2:15pm. The afternoon went incredibly slow for some reason. Things got a bit dicey, as they often do, just before 5pm. I had to be disciplined and leave even still. The all important parent teacher conference was minutes away. I arrived at Beacon Elementary at 5:15pm. Mindy was already there waiting in the hall. We enjoyed a few of Jacob’s creative pieces displayed along side the rest of his classmates’ works.

The sing said to knock if you were present and it was past your appointment time. Mindy did the honor. At first I thought it a very bold move until she pointed out the sign. I’m sure it helps keep the teachers on schedule. Mindy being a fellow teacher but also a suck up handed Mrs Valentine a care package to help her get through the evening. Apparently it contained a Pepsi, candy bar, and chips. She seemed very appreciative. She’s definitely cute! Her and Mindy hit it off. To listen to the two of tem, Jacob could do no wrong! We went about twenty minutes or until the next parent wrapped on the door. Mrs. Valentine expressed Jacob’s rare liking of both English and math. I liked hearing that, knowing how poorly many men write.

As we departed Mindy shared that she had some Wendy’s chili in the fridge for me at home. We also agreed to stop at the Hilliard Sherwin-Williams for more paint chips.
We’re still not settled on a color for the familyroom/kitchen area. It was just down the street so we stopped in and grabbed more than a few samples from the warm yellow/gold family. Homeward!

I called Tommy along my drive home to see if he received the written divorce agreement yet. Turns out, he had received it only an hour or so earlier and just finished reading it. He said that there were no surprises and that he hoped to sign and return it soon. I am happy that it’s almost over so that he can move forward with his life.

Gloria was watching the kids at home and was playing warmly with the children when we walked in. I was hungry so I went for the fridge to find the chili Mindy spoke of. I warmed it up and sat down at the kitchen table along side of Gloria. Mindy, meanwhile, whisked the kids upstairs for a quick bath. Eventually, she beckoned her mother to help her out. That ended some awkward silence, which usually doesn’t happen.

After the kids returned in their jammies, Bella suggested we watch a movie, build a fire, and pop some corn. We did all three. Gloria stayed, too. We watched Santa Claus, with Tim Allen. I saw it year ago when it released at the theatre – 1994, I believe. We shared three bags of microwave popcorn during the flick. Mindy paused the movie around 8:00pm to take her mother home and get the kids into bed. Bella cried for her maw-maw after they departed. I did my best to comfort her.

It wasn’t long before Mindy returned. She went upstairs to pass out more good night hugs. I started the movie where we left off. We watched the last 30 minutes together. Nice Xmas movie. At 9:15pm we closed up shop and headed to bed. I was eager to get a full night’s rest to help facilitate a fun weekend ahead.