Ushering in number three...

Mindy photo's a stout buck hanging
out in our back yard this afternoon.

Today is the first day of November, the third of four 'ber' months.

Full throttle up! 5:30am and back at my routine. I completed a full complement of calisthenics after giving my shoulder a break the morning before. I could feel a twinge/pull in my shoulder as I finished, although painful it was not. I walked Ykraps to the west under another star filled, moon lit sky. The temperature was noticeably warmer, somewhere just beyond 50 degrees.

Finally back at home I proceeded to make coffee for myself and Mindy. I was slow moving. It was already after 6:05am. I spent a bit too much time on the PC dramatically cutting short my meditation time. I managed the few minutes remaining well. After dressing for a run I headed out the door to stretch then run.

If anything, I was a tad later than usual but not too late that I didn’t see all of my early morning out door buddies. Rather, they were all present and accounted for. It was a nice, easy run. The sky was just beginning to show signs of a morning glow as I ran up our drive.

Inside Mindy was running behind. I went ahead and preheated the stove for my morning eggs. Mindy woofed down a quick bowl of granola and yogurt. Soon, her and Bella were on there merry way and Jacob and I left to ours. It didn’t take me long to ready myself for work. We were out the door at 7:55am – earlier than I would chose but I generally leave that to Jacob. I can’t see destroying his eagerness to get to school.

The bus woofed him up at 8:03am. Alena didn’t join us at the stop. She must’ve had play rehearsal Wednesday night. I headed onto work arriving around 8:20am. I looked for the brand new 2008 Honda Accord that was admiring a couple days ago in our lot but it wasn’t there. Hmmm? I headed on in taking special notice of the beautiful weather unfolding. We were anticipating highs in the mid to upper 60’s and it seemed to be heading there quickly.

The work day went along fine. I was involved in plenty of issues at the same time, but then again, when aren’t I? I wasn’t sure if I was going to leave for lunch. I had nothing planned. But as the day progressed it became more obvious that I wouldn’t. I worked straight through. And as is often the case, the day seems to go faster when I do that. I packed my stuff and left at 5:15pm biding my team and peer farewell until Monday.

Finally, another long weekend upon me! I drove the back way after noticing the traffic bunched up on I-270. I visualized myself lounging aimlessly throughout the evening while casually sipping a few good beers. It didn’t quite unfold as I planned, but when does it? When I got home Jacob and I walked Ykraps tossing the football as we walked along. Jacob makes an excuse for every ball that he doesn’t catch pinning the guilt/blame on the thrower – never the receiver. More often than not I simply laugh it off but also know that at some point I’ll need to help him handle it differently. Humility isn’t his strong suit. :)

We threw in the backyard after I lit the grill. Mindy wanted grilled hot dogs. This wasn’t Jacob’s night for catching. He dropped more than his fair share. A couple even hit him squarely in the face. At one point he threw a tantrum of sorts threatening to toss his ball into the pond. He screamed a few less than becoming darts my way, too. The hot dogs were done. We bagged football and then headed in for dinner.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. The kids went to bed just after 8pm and went right to sleep – something they haven’t been doing too often. And as it turned out, I fell asleep on the couch about the same time sleeping through the tuck in process. I woke around 8:30pm to a quiet house. Mindy was playing on the PC. I got up cracked a beer and tuned in the Thursday night college football game on ESPN. Mindy headed to be early – sometime after 9pm. I stayed up bouncing back and for the between football and the Blue Jackets hockey game all the while enjoying three beers and a bowl of popcorn. I headed up to bed near 11pm.