Happy New Year!!!
I woke a number of times through the night never quite feeling like I got the deep sleep that I craved. But much like the Monday before, I still felt surprisingly good come 5:40am when I leaped out of bed. I purposefully didn't hold myself accountable for waking at or before 5:30am because no one else in the house needed to be up. I knew that I could easily breeze through my routine and be on time. I exercised and then headed out with Ykraps. It was chilly but still not as wintry as it's been. It was at or near 30 degrees.
Back at home I coffee'd, PC'd, and then did a nice long meditation. I left for a run around 6:35am wearing my new running jacket. It was another quiet run with little other life milling about. After all, it was New Year's Eve and many folks are still on holiday. I did pass a fellow runner just three houses from home and bidded neighbor Craig a Happy New Year as he departed for work. It was 7:10am when I returned home. I preheated the small egg skillet and ended up frying two eggs. I grabbed my nuts & fruit already packed in the fridge from a week ago to serve as my lunch. The two eggs hit the spot. I didn't bother taking Mindy coffee figuring that she didn't need to be up. I tried showering as quietly as possible. I dressed in dress slacks, a mock turtle neck and a sport coat. My plan called for spending an hour or so at work before heading off to John's (Melissa's father's) funeral.
As I was placing everything in the Trooper in preparation for work I remembered my laptop. I would've been really frustrated had I arrived at work with no computer. After fetching my laptop I departed for work. I arrived to an almost empty facility save for those in my center. I quickly reacclimated myself with all that was going on and then let my Lead Engineer know that I would be leaving for a funeral around 9:30am. That first hour went fast. I spent most of it cleaning up my email inbox. I had just under a thousand. I chatted online with a work buddy, Jay who's wife recently had a new baby. Seems baby and mother are doing fine.
I left for Christ the King church at 9:30am. The drive went fast taking I-70E most of the way. I expected to find a brother or relative there but I didn't see one familiar face. I sat at the back of the church. I also realized that the immediate family wasn't there yet, nor was the casket. I correctly guessed that they must be on their way from the funeral parlor. They arrived right about 10am. I spotted brother Charles and Melissa coming in. They had reserved seating up front. I stayed put at the back of the beautiful church.
It was a nice Catholic funeral mass. It must've ended around 11:15am. I really had to pee and thought a couple of times about getting up during the service to seek out the Men's room but didn't. Instead, once the service ended I made a beeline towards theTroooper and headed for the nearest Wendy's, which I knew was only a half mile or so down the road. After relieving myself I headed down the highway back to work. I arrived just after 11:30am. I worked straight through until time to leave. I left early - around 3:50pm. I was eager to get home and begin ringing in the New Year. I stopped at Kroger and bought Mindy some pretty orangish red roses to get the new year off on the right foot. I knew that she'd love them. I wasn't sure what to expect but Kroger was once again a madhouse! No biggie. I was in and out and on my way home by 4:15pm.
At home, Jacob had his friend and neighbor Jacob over playing Wii. Bella, in the meantime, was down playing with his sisters, Makayla & Lilly. While they played I collapsed in the living room recliner with Mindy's magic massage pillow. As expected, it put me right to sleep. I must've slept for almost an hour. I felt really good when I got up and proceeded to take Ykraps on his last walk of 2007. When I returned Mindy left for CVS where she had to pick-up a couple prescriptions. I asked that she pick-up a bag of ice for our cooler. She, of course, agreed.
Neighbor Kenny, Jacob's step-father, walked Bella home and checked on his Jacob. They were still playing Wii so we agreed to let them play longer. I offered him a drink but he declined. I returned to updating my blog. Mindy was back home by 6pm or so. It should be noted that she had taken down and put away a great deal of Xmas through the day leaving only the tree and about a fourth of the gifts still to be addressed. It was nice to have the house looking almost normal again. And just like last year, we haven't had the usual decor in place since a few weeks before Halloween. Mindy baked cup cakes to take with us to Pat & Lisa's. We agreed to order a Minelli's pizza too. We'd wait, however, to order it to ensure that it's piping hot upon pick-up.
It was a small ordeal getting everyone party ready. Bella was being a pill - over tired I measured. We ordered the pizza around 7:30pm and left about 20 minutes later. The pizza was done when we got there. They always quote 20 minutes but it's always done sooner. We arrived back at Pat & Lisa's by 8pm. We parked across the street from his house. If it wasn't for the cooler, kids, and pizza, we would've walked. After all, it's just three houses down around the corner. Others were there already having a good time. Most of the small children were upstairs playing the Wii or playing on a laptop. We headed to the finished basement where the party always takes place. At the party were Tom & Lori, Brian and Susan, and, of course, Pat & Lisa. Our kids stayed upstairs with the others having met them all before. I was eager to crack open a beer. Pat let the 2002 Buckeye championship game whirl on the big screen while we socialized. There was still a good 3.5 hours before midnight.
As time passed a few others arrived including Lisa's brother Steve and his wife, Stacey. Even later, Pat's old friend Joe and his new girlfriend made an appearance. We had fun playing an electronic music trivia game and then a Caddyshack trivia card game. Steve, Tom, and Brian seemed to have the entire Caddyshack movie memorized! Mindy and I finished in last place but still had fun playing. Midnight neared quickly - always does! The kids were all still awake and eager to ring in the new year. Pat readied the champagne goblets and fetched a bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante'. Meanwhile, we brought a bottle of fizzy grape juice for the kids. Midnight finally arrived and we toasted in the new year. I have spent many of the past ten or so New Year's Eve's with the Shultz's. We hung out another half hour or so. The kids were beat and Mindy wanted to head home. Mindy & Bella walked, and Jacob and I drove.
Mindy quickly readied the kids for bed. I took two Advil before leaping into bed myself to hopefully prevent any potential headache come morning. We were up until almost 2am.
I woke a number of times through the night never quite feeling like I got the deep sleep that I craved. But much like the Monday before, I still felt surprisingly good come 5:40am when I leaped out of bed. I purposefully didn't hold myself accountable for waking at or before 5:30am because no one else in the house needed to be up. I knew that I could easily breeze through my routine and be on time. I exercised and then headed out with Ykraps. It was chilly but still not as wintry as it's been. It was at or near 30 degrees.
Back at home I coffee'd, PC'd, and then did a nice long meditation. I left for a run around 6:35am wearing my new running jacket. It was another quiet run with little other life milling about. After all, it was New Year's Eve and many folks are still on holiday. I did pass a fellow runner just three houses from home and bidded neighbor Craig a Happy New Year as he departed for work. It was 7:10am when I returned home. I preheated the small egg skillet and ended up frying two eggs. I grabbed my nuts & fruit already packed in the fridge from a week ago to serve as my lunch. The two eggs hit the spot. I didn't bother taking Mindy coffee figuring that she didn't need to be up. I tried showering as quietly as possible. I dressed in dress slacks, a mock turtle neck and a sport coat. My plan called for spending an hour or so at work before heading off to John's (Melissa's father's) funeral.
As I was placing everything in the Trooper in preparation for work I remembered my laptop. I would've been really frustrated had I arrived at work with no computer. After fetching my laptop I departed for work. I arrived to an almost empty facility save for those in my center. I quickly reacclimated myself with all that was going on and then let my Lead Engineer know that I would be leaving for a funeral around 9:30am. That first hour went fast. I spent most of it cleaning up my email inbox. I had just under a thousand. I chatted online with a work buddy, Jay who's wife recently had a new baby. Seems baby and mother are doing fine.
I left for Christ the King church at 9:30am. The drive went fast taking I-70E most of the way. I expected to find a brother or relative there but I didn't see one familiar face. I sat at the back of the church. I also realized that the immediate family wasn't there yet, nor was the casket. I correctly guessed that they must be on their way from the funeral parlor. They arrived right about 10am. I spotted brother Charles and Melissa coming in. They had reserved seating up front. I stayed put at the back of the beautiful church.
It was a nice Catholic funeral mass. It must've ended around 11:15am. I really had to pee and thought a couple of times about getting up during the service to seek out the Men's room but didn't. Instead, once the service ended I made a beeline towards theTroooper and headed for the nearest Wendy's, which I knew was only a half mile or so down the road. After relieving myself I headed down the highway back to work. I arrived just after 11:30am. I worked straight through until time to leave. I left early - around 3:50pm. I was eager to get home and begin ringing in the New Year. I stopped at Kroger and bought Mindy some pretty orangish red roses to get the new year off on the right foot. I knew that she'd love them. I wasn't sure what to expect but Kroger was once again a madhouse! No biggie. I was in and out and on my way home by 4:15pm.
At home, Jacob had his friend and neighbor Jacob over playing Wii. Bella, in the meantime, was down playing with his sisters, Makayla & Lilly. While they played I collapsed in the living room recliner with Mindy's magic massage pillow. As expected, it put me right to sleep. I must've slept for almost an hour. I felt really good when I got up and proceeded to take Ykraps on his last walk of 2007. When I returned Mindy left for CVS where she had to pick-up a couple prescriptions. I asked that she pick-up a bag of ice for our cooler. She, of course, agreed.
Neighbor Kenny, Jacob's step-father, walked Bella home and checked on his Jacob. They were still playing Wii so we agreed to let them play longer. I offered him a drink but he declined. I returned to updating my blog. Mindy was back home by 6pm or so. It should be noted that she had taken down and put away a great deal of Xmas through the day leaving only the tree and about a fourth of the gifts still to be addressed. It was nice to have the house looking almost normal again. And just like last year, we haven't had the usual decor in place since a few weeks before Halloween. Mindy baked cup cakes to take with us to Pat & Lisa's. We agreed to order a Minelli's pizza too. We'd wait, however, to order it to ensure that it's piping hot upon pick-up.
It was a small ordeal getting everyone party ready. Bella was being a pill - over tired I measured. We ordered the pizza around 7:30pm and left about 20 minutes later. The pizza was done when we got there. They always quote 20 minutes but it's always done sooner. We arrived back at Pat & Lisa's by 8pm. We parked across the street from his house. If it wasn't for the cooler, kids, and pizza, we would've walked. After all, it's just three houses down around the corner. Others were there already having a good time. Most of the small children were upstairs playing the Wii or playing on a laptop. We headed to the finished basement where the party always takes place. At the party were Tom & Lori, Brian and Susan, and, of course, Pat & Lisa. Our kids stayed upstairs with the others having met them all before. I was eager to crack open a beer. Pat let the 2002 Buckeye championship game whirl on the big screen while we socialized. There was still a good 3.5 hours before midnight.
As time passed a few others arrived including Lisa's brother Steve and his wife, Stacey. Even later, Pat's old friend Joe and his new girlfriend made an appearance. We had fun playing an electronic music trivia game and then a Caddyshack trivia card game. Steve, Tom, and Brian seemed to have the entire Caddyshack movie memorized! Mindy and I finished in last place but still had fun playing. Midnight neared quickly - always does! The kids were all still awake and eager to ring in the new year. Pat readied the champagne goblets and fetched a bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante'. Meanwhile, we brought a bottle of fizzy grape juice for the kids. Midnight finally arrived and we toasted in the new year. I have spent many of the past ten or so New Year's Eve's with the Shultz's. We hung out another half hour or so. The kids were beat and Mindy wanted to head home. Mindy & Bella walked, and Jacob and I drove.
Mindy quickly readied the kids for bed. I took two Advil before leaping into bed myself to hopefully prevent any potential headache come morning. We were up until almost 2am.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.