Foxfire, Graduation, & CBC

I was very excited about getting up early Saturday morning for golf. Our tee time was set for 9:30am at Foxfire. And working backwards from wanting to arrive there at 9:10am, I had to be up by 6:30am to complete all I had planned. There was nothing new. I simply wanted to exercise, walk Ykraps, run, shower and eat. I remembered hearing much anticipated heavy rain through the night, but the walks and streets were dry by the time I was up. After my sit-ups, I checked the radar to determine if golf would in fact happen. Happily, judging from the radar, all of the rain was past us. It looked like smooth sailing all the way back into Illinois. However, I proceeded with caution as the air mass was said to be unstable and capable of developing thunderstorms as the day unfolded. Our plans all along were, if we woke and found it pouring we’d scrap it. But, again, it was dry so golfing we would go.

I completed my morning requirements, including my run before 8am. I even had enough time to download some pictures. During my run the sun busted out. And what remained of the thin cloud cover was quickly gone. This pleased me much. I woke Mindy and took her coffee just before my shower. She got up and moving with her day before I left for golf. Because I was taking the BM’er, she moved the Trooper out of my way and onto the street. I left for Foxfire at 8:45am

It was a more than lovely drive east on I-70 and then south on I-71 to Rt 104. The cruise down 104 to Foxfire was awesome! The sky only got clearer during my drive. It was a beautiful morning indeed. And just think, had we relied on the weather forecast, we’d have stayed home. I told Bob last night that I had a gut feeling that it would turn out to be nice. I was correct!

I was the first to arrive. Moreover, the course was sparsely populated, at least judging by the parking lot. I’ll bet there weren’t 30 cars. Cool! I putted for a few, and then gave Bob Imber a call on his cell. He answered on about the 6th ring. He was rocking out to some Nazareth on Q-FM 96. He was close by. He told me that Bob B. was already there. I found him in the clubhouse minutes later. I picked up everyone’s fees since they got mine last Wednesday.

Soon we were teeing off into nothing but clear blue skies and temps in the 70’s. It doesn’t get much better! Like too often, I got off to a poor start. I had an eight on hole one. But I didn’t let that get me down. I recovered on the next few holes with a handful of bogeys and a par sprinkled in. My putting proved to be my Achilles heel. That prevented me from scoring well. Again, though, I didn’t let it get me down at all. I must’ve shot a 47 on the front. I just assumed that I’d fair much better on the back.

After a sausage and Mt. Dew (very unlike me to get either) we started on the back nine. And by the way, there was no one behind us, and no one in front of us that we could see. Nice!

I bogeyed hole number 10 after three putting. Once again, that would prove to be my undoing the rest of the day. I simply couldn’t putt. I had a couple of 7’s sprinkled in there too. But believe it or not, I was striking the ball pretty well. I had no birdies and one par on the back. Later, before we parted ways, Bob told me that I shot a 101. Ugh!

We finished our round in well under four hours. It was just about 1pm. We finished close to an hour earlier than expected, and the weather was still frighteningly beautiful. How could I not be in a great mood? I scurried on home still expecting to get some things done before dashing off to Jacob’s 3pm ballgame. I arrived home by 1:25pm. The house was sparkling clean and the AC running for the first time all season. Mindy, of course, was gone as expected. She was at the Grove City High School graduation ceremony being held at Vets. We’d be heading back there later this evening to see her niece Lindy graduate from Central Crossing, the other Grove City high school.

With the extra time on my hands, I figured I should use it wisely. I quickly changed into lawn cutting attire and headed out to get busy. My plan was to get as much as I could get done prior to 3pm and then head to Jacob’s baseball game. But that never happened. After wacking and edging, I got out the push mower to cut the un-navigable slopes. But just as I started cutting, the handled all but fell apart as I was pushing up a twisting slope. Damn! The knob and bolt holding the handle in place on one side had vibrated loose rendering my mower crippled. But being the determined one I am, I carefully began retracing my steps. I knew it had to be nearby. The trouble, of course, was that the pieces were black, which wouldn’t be very easy to spot. Plus, because of the slope towards the pond, I figured they could have easily rolled into the brush making finding them next to impossible. Even still, I kept looking. Just when I was about to give up, I found the bolt under one of my Blue Spruce trees. Logic told me, that the knob had to have fallen off prior to the bolt, so it had to be back a little further. I looked for another ten minutes but with no joy. Knowing that I was now up against the clock, I decided it best to either stop completely and head to Jacob’s game or find a nut to fit the bolt and continue on with my mowing. I chose the later thinking that it would do Jim and Jacob some good to be together alone at the game. At least that’s the story I’m sticking with.

I found a 5/16” nut that fit the handle bolt perfectly. I tightened it real good, too, and then got back to my mowing. Just as I was about to finish up with the push mower I spotted the knob in the same general vicinity that I was looking. This pleased me much. I slipped it into my pocket to address later, after the lawn was finished.

By the time I finished with the tractor it was after 3pm. I decided to continue on with more yard chores. I felt compelled to drag out my pump and start watering the lawn. Even if it didn’t need it right then, I knew that I needed to get it ready for prime time! It took a good 30 minutes to get everything into place, the electric line, the pump, the hose and sprinkler. Just as I was firing it up Mindy arrived home. She came to my location in the yard. I sheepishly explained why I didn’t make Jacob’s game. She wasn’t upset. She went inside to steal a nap while I continued my toil in the yard. She’d been on her feet all day.

While sprinkling the front lawn with the pump/pond, I watered the rear flowers with the house water supply. I finished everything that I wanted to get done around 5pm. By the time that I was finishing up Mindy was back outside on the deck. She was chatting on the phone to someone. I heard her comment that something wasn’t good. However, at the same time, one of the neighbor kids, Lillian, was over looking for her sister. She seemed a bit distraught. I offered to push her from the tree swing. I pushed her on the swing all the while I was walking Ykraps in the back yard. I was done after three pushes. Back up on the deck, Mindy alerted me to the earlier call’s details. Apparently Jacob didn’t make his game after Jimaken got the date & time crossed. He showed up at 5pm for a 3pm game. I felt really bad, but even if I had shown up at 3pm, don’t know that I would’ve been able to fix it for him. Just before Mindy & I left for the graduation I suggested she call Coach Rob and explain, especially given that Jacob’s going to miss three games next week while on vacation.

We decided to drive the BM’er to the graduation after verifying a clear radar. Mindy was excited. She hadn’t ridden in it for an awfully long time. As we approached Vets from the west, traffic was backed up a pretty good ways. It took a solid 15 minutes to get into the lot, parked, and then inside. A cop directing traffic gave me a little grief after I refused to try and squeeze around him and into the curb lane he was directing me towards. What he didn’t realize was that he was in the way. He actually mocked me as I drove by still in the center lane. Grow up!

Mindy got a bit riled after we were refused access without tickets. She said she didn’t need them for the graduation earlier in the day. Our tickets were being held by her nephew Joe who was already inside. She celled him as we waited by the entrance. But before he could bring them out to us, Mindy guided us to the staff/faculty entrance where were walked straight in. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen her so demanding. Hmm?



















The family had ideal seats already saved for us. We sat in the balcony’s first and second row center. The graduation took about 1.33 hours for about 320 students. Unlike my high school and college graduation, they had a giant screen which prominently displayed each graduates senior picture along with a brief list of folks they wanted to thank, and then a short blurb about their career/life plan. As Mindy mentioned later, it’s one thing to state your grandiose plan while yet another to deliver. But even still, I was impressed with the high number of kids with a real plan for college (probably 80+%).

Before and during, there were several pleas for the crowd to keep it down as many in the audience reveled at their dear one’s accomplishment. The school board members reminded the crowd more than once that this was supposed to be a ’solemn event’. I scoffed to myself at their pleading. Are you kidding me – a solemn event? Well Mr & Mrs scholar, according to American Heritage dictionary, the word solemn means to be gloomy, somber, sober, deeply earnest, and gravely impressive, while invoking the force of religion. PLEASE! Give me a break! How about celebratory? The closest thing to it that comes immediately to mind is reflective. I found the cheering both fun and enjoyable, especially the air horns! J Mindy seemed to side with the academia. But that didn’t really surprise me. She was also the one who was mortified when Glenn and I barked like dogs at the Manheim Steamroller Xmas concert a year and a half ago. Of course, it didn’t help matters when Glenn fell off of his chair while standing on it! J J

Afterwards the family gathered for photos inside and then again outside. I took about 70 photos. Mindy and I made plans to go to Columbus Brewing Company (CBC) for dinner immediately afterwards. I couldn’t wait! Their food is excellent, and they brew and serve some very tasty beers. It was once a Cameron Mitchell restaurant. I need not say more.


























The lot was sparsely populated. We opted to sit at the bar. Sitting next to us was Dennis and Mary Ann, the couple we met the last time we visited CBC. If correct, that was in mid-January, the same weekend we painted the purple wall in the family room. They remembered and mentioned the momentous event. They are older yet youthful. They both sold their homes and now share a condo in the arena district and walk all the way to CBC (Nationwide Blvd to Sycamore). They obviously love it, too. After all, they literally walk by three other micro-brews to get there, and each of those within a block or two of their condo. That, my friends, is loyalty.

They were just leaving when we arrived. There must’ve been just one or two other folks sitting at the bar. Same as last visit, Kevin was working bar tonight. He’s a school
teacher, too. I ordered an IPA. Mindy ordered only water. For dinner, she had their lightly seared tuna and a bowl of their tortilla soup. I ordered a chicken and Andouille sausage quesadilla as well as a bowl of their famous onion soup. It was excellent! I phoned brother Glenn while barside to check on his intentions for coming home and possibly going to Florida with us. He would decide for certain on Sunday, or so he said. Afterwards, I phoned Tom Clark, my buddy who lives close by the Brewery District, to see if he was up for joining us. He was. He showed up about 20 minutes later.

He and I frequented CBC at time or two past. He ordered some of the tuna on Mindy’s prompting. He also ordered some of their calamari. We stayed there for about another hour. Tom invited us to come check out his Merion Village rehab before heading home. I hadn’t seen it in more than 3 years. Last time I saw it, it was stripped to the studs. Everyone, including me, was a little surprised that he went to such extremes after buying a fairly nice property in the first place.

I did a drive by last summer while he was still overseas. At that point, it still pretty much looked the same from the outside. And by the way, his place is only about two miles from CBC on Frebis Ave. The area has changed dramatically over the last ten years, and all for the better. Mindy & I were very impressed with what Tom’s done with the place. He far exceeded what I thought he had in him. And he addressed all the substructure stuff that a lot of rehab’ers don’t. Equally, everything’s been inspected and is up to code. The inside’s now completely up to date with the finest appointments in every room. He has done granite counters & stainless steel appliances. He’s added all new electric service and new heating & cooling. He converted it from a three-bedroom - one bathroom home into a two-bedroom - three bathroom home. In addition, he built a garage and added a paver patio in the backyard. I was very, very impressed. Great job, Tom!

Mindy and I left for home near 11pm. Mindy was melting fast. We went straight to bed once we were home.

Mindy's Long Awaited Return to Barley's

I was up at my usual 5:30am. It was Jacoby’s last day of school. I was excited for him. I wondered if he’d wake excited, and then if he’d show it. My guess was that he would. I slogged through my routine eager to get outside with Ykraps. After my exercise routine he and I slipped out. It was very nice, much warmer than the prior mornings.

It was a little hard to believe that it was Friday already. Then again, it was an incredibly short work week. My run was very enjoyable. Again, it was very sunny making the run that much more enjoyable. I was looking forward to the day ahead.

Jacob was up and about when I returned. I asked if he was excited. He agreed that he was. After my shower I headed down to the corner for the school year’s last time. Jacob had in tow gift cards for his bus driver and ‘specials’ teachers (gym, music, art). He’d already given one to Mrs. Valentine, his primary teacher.

After Jacob was on his way I headed back home to finalize my prep for work. It didn’t take long. I was on my way by 8:20am.

Work moved along briskly. We were busy. The company bought lunch. The team opted for Spicy Chipotle KFC – it’s new. I caved and ate two pieces. It was good. Come 1:30pm I declared it my lunch hour and drove to Ohio Mulch to look at their stepping stone selection. Mindy’s got me thinking of switchin’ gears relative to the stone we’ll use on our pondside patio project. She much prefers rough cut stone steppers over pavers. But they have several different types. Still, what’s most frustrating, they can only tell you how much per pound. That does little good when trying to estimate the project’s total cost. What I need is a coverage conversion matrix by weight.

Back at work by 2:30pm, I did my level best to keep things running smoothly. In a spare moment, I found a stone calculator on line. Accordingly, I’d most likely need a ton to cover 85’ to 120’ sq. ft. That gives me a really good idea how much I can expect to spend on stone. Cool! Finally.

I left for home around 5:45pm. The kids had already left for the weekend with Jimaken by the time I arrived home. Mindy was napping. I walked Ykraps by myself. We had plans to hit Barley’s, Mindy’s first visit since the evening before her surgery. However, before hand, she planned for us to make a brief appearance at a graduation party for another one of her former students in Grove City. We freshened up and left for the party at 6:40pm. Mindy’s former student, Elizabeth, lost her mother over the course of the last year, but she seemed to be doing miraculously well given the circumstances. We didn’t stay long, just long enough to say hello, wish Elizabeth well, and give her a graduation gift. As we departed, Mindy introduced me to Bella’s kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Love. In jest, I suggested that she might want to buckle her seatbelt!

It didn’t take long to get to Barley’s from Grove City. We took I-71N via Stringtown Rd and the 33W, which turns into Riverside Dr. Boom! We were there.

Many of Mindy’s favorites were there: Jeremy & Courtney, Bob & Mary Ann, Steve, Mark, and Rick. Her nephew Joe and his buddy Chris met us there, too. Mindy drank only water. Me, on the other hand, had three beers over the course of the evening. My first two were Droughfire’s, and my last was a Maximus. Yummy! We shared a brisket quesadilla and a basket of sauerkraut balls. I was fine by the time we departed. Mindy was getting very sleepy.

At home, I took Ykraps out back for a short walk. While walking in the yard, I spotted Kenny and Crissy sitting out on their deck. I told Mindy I was going over for a quick visit. Somewhat surprisingly, she wanted to come along too. But then again, that’s Mindy. She’s always a real trooper. I didn’t realize it at the time but our direct neighbors, David and Becky, were there as well. We don’t see them out much. We visited for about an hour. Becky’s a school teacher too. And because she teaches in Hilliard, she, like Jacob, celebrated her last school day earlier in the day. She was very happy. While hanging with our neighbors, I sipped one of Mindy’s Flying Dog Stouts.

We headed back home around 11:30pm and went immediately to bed. At least that’s what’ll be written here!

Toiling with Tampers

Wednesday was a beautiful day, but Thursday promised to be even nicer. I was up at 5:30am even though I didn’t really want to get out of bed. I moved through my exercise routine then sought out Ykraps so that we could do our usual morning stroll. Once again, it was a little on the cool side for late May, but it would warm to near 80 as the day progressed. And just like the sunny day before, I planned to drive my BM’er. I spent the half hour between 6-6:30am playing on the PC and meditating. Afterwards, I prepared and left for my run. It warmed quickly after the sunshine cleared the tree tops. The reduced mileage made the run go by so much quicker. Plus, I’m spending much less time thinking about my sore ass than I was a month ago when the problem started. Now, I’m able to lose myself in the moment like old times. Here’s hoping I’m as good as new shortly! Mindy was still luxuriating in bed upon my return. I delivered her coffee then rather than pre-run. I figured she’d appreciate more uninterrupted sleep. And if I am not mistaken, she had a follow-up with her doctor scheduled for later in the day. Jacob bolted for the bus stop at 7:55am. By the time I headed out he was already there. Bella chose to walk down as well just to see him off. She was going to Grandma Sharon’s today, and was much looking forward to it. Bella ran home as soon as the bus picked up Jacob. I stayed and chatted with Pat, who shared his recent encounter with a family of baby raccoons in his backyard. It sounds like he beat one of the babies senseless. Afterwards, the only humane thing to do was put it out of its misery. I was admittedly a little stunned with his obvious disdain for the little creatures. I guess it’s fair to say that he feels the same about them as I feel about Canada geese (rats with wings). I returned home a short time later after visiting with Pat. I dashed off to work in a jolly mood. I had a couple of personal checks to deposit in my account, which I planned to do at lunch. I left to take care of that around 1:30pm. After a quick stop at the bank I drove to Home Depot where I looked at tampers. I’d need one for my mini-patio project. I was still unsure whether I would use a manual tamper or rent a gas powered vibra-tamper. The gas powered version seemed a bit overkill, but the rental cost was the same as buying a manual tamper. Hmm, what to do? I left work at 5:40pm destined for home. At home, Mindy was busy preparing dinner – tacos. I asked if she wanted to walk Ykraps with me. She did. Just as we were walking over the bridge we encountered a young boy sobbing along side the water. We asked what was the matter. He said his grandpa would likely whoop him for getting wet in the pond. His tennis shoes were a little wet and muddy. I told him that we’d clean him up good as new. Mindy went back to the house to fetch a towel to help get him cleaned up. He was very grateful for our generosity. Something about kids and water. They can’t stay out of it. We enjoyed our walk, and equally enjoyed our dinner. I had thought about cutting the grass but decided against it. Instead, I simply watered the flowers front & back. That took me a good 45 minutes. In addition, I drained and refilled our faux stone fountain. The pump had become clogged with helicopters and cotton wood fairies. The easiest way to remedy the situation, at least from my perspective, was to simply start over. We called the kids in after I finished watering to get ready for bed. I helped Jacob with his shower. After the kids were tucked into bed, I retreated to my PC to update my blog. Mindy headed to bed between 9-9:30pm. I stayed up until 10:45pm.

Back to work after 5 blissful days of rest.

1) Mindy's new feeder - what the hell are those?
2) Noah's Deck

It was shockingly chilly as Ykraps and I walked the neighborhood. The temperature was a whopping 41 degrees. However, the sky was crystal clear and it was expected to approach 70 degrees by mid afternoon. I knew early on that it would be a BM’er day.

I dressed warmly for my run in winter running garb. In fact, literally the same stuff I wore Xmas week minus the gloves and ear covers. I felt pretty good, although still a little stiff. I’m beginning to notice that the stiffness lifts as my run progresses, like with most pulls and strains. I take that as another good sign.

I finished my run around 7:05am. Mindy was up and helping to prepare Jacob as well as my breakfast. I got out fresh fruit, a pineapple and a cantaloupe and began slicing it up to refill our never ending fruit tray. From this I fill my lunch fruit container and then my breakfast platter. Mindy and I discussed evening plans, which included me playing golf with the Bobs. I had forgotten about Wednesday golf last evening when we originally discussed our plans. Mindy seemed mildly disappointed but graciously conceded to my strong desire to golf. For a number of reasons, I hadn’t played in nearly a month.

Jacob and I greeted the Shultz’s at the bus stop. Just two more of these remain and then the school year will be history. Hard to believe. It’s gone so fast. Back at home I moved the Trooper onto the street paving the way for me to pull the BM’er from the garage. I bundled warmly in a fleece jacket to combat the chilly morning air. By 8:15am the temperature had managed to rise to 45 degrees. As always, it was an invigorating drive in.

Work was much busier than it’s been in a while. Tis the season, however. I took it in stride. Because it was Wednesday, we had our usual staff meeting. It lasted from11am to 1pm. I already planned to skip lunch to justify skipping out a bit early for golf league. Meanwhile, the weather was cooperating nicely. It was warming as the day progressed. By mid-afternoon it had reached into the low 70’s. I left for golf at 4:45pm on the nose. We were golfing at the Villages of Westchester, a 27 mile drive towards the east. According to Bob, they have a deal, 9-holes of golf and cart for $17. More importantly, leagues on only one set of nine prior to 5:30pm. I took I-270 S to 33E. I exited 33 at Gender Rd and headed south about three miles. I arrived right at 5:30pm.

I was the last to arrive. The guys had already paid my green fee so that we could get right to the tee box. We barely beat the late starting league. The course is a links style course with lots of switch grass mounds. You want to avoid those if possible. My first tee shot was a bit of center. I didn’t start well. I think I took a six. Historically, I‘ve played this course rather well. Tonight, however, my game was up & down. I had one of those rounds where I kept missing the green with my second shot. I ended up playing bogey golf – about average, and not bad for only my 3rd time out this year.

We finished against a beautiful sunset. I was much looking forward to my drive home in the BM’er. I phoned Mindy before leaving to check-in. She let me know that she picked me up a gyro while dining out with her friend Rene. I was ravenously hungry, so you can bet I was looking even more forward to getting home. The drive was incredible. I arrived home by 8:40pm. The kids were just getting tucked into bed. My timing couldn’t have been better. Mindy got my food out while I addressed the children. I really wanted to water the flowers but didn’t have much left in the tank. I postponed it until Thursday.

Mindy and I headed to bed near 10pm.

Perkins with Papa & Choppin'

I knew it was supposed to be a cloudy, cooler day on Tuesday, so when I got up I wasn’t at all surprised to see nothing but gray. However, I was surprised when I took Ykraps on his walk after my exercise. It was still very warm and sticky. In fact, it was a balmy 72 degrees at 7am.How about that!

I thought that I was the only one up, but soon found Jacob scurrying about getting ready for school, once again all on his own accord. I asked if he needed anything. Nope! He ate four pop-tarts for breakfast. Wow! I decided that it was too late for me to attempt a run before getting Jacob off on the bus. I chose to wait. Instead, I used the time to write and play on the PC. Come 7:55am Jacob and I headed out. Pat & Alanna didn’t join us. Hmm?

After Jacob hopped the bus I headed back home and picked up where I left off. I wrote for about another hour. Come 8:45am I readied & left for a run. By then Mindy & Bella were awake. Just before I bolted off, we confirmed our plans to go out for breakfast. My run went well. My ass didn’t feel perfect, but still OK. Mindy was all but ready to go upon my return. I took a quick shower and was ready to go by 9:30am. Just before setting out, Mindy phoned my dad to see if he was interested in joining us, even though we both recognize that he’s an early riser. Much to our surprise, he hadn’t yet had his breakfast and agreed to join us at the Hilliard Perkins.

We arrived a few minutes before Dad. We went ahead and got a booth. Just after getting our coffee Dad showed up. I ordered a rather big breakfast. In fact, we all did. It was good, too. We enjoyed Dad’s company. We were there for about an hour. We parted ways at about 10:45am.

Our plans called for several stops, including Target, Kohl’s, Dick’s, and Target. We also talked about going to Home Depot but never did. The stop at Kohl’s was mostly for me. I wanted some new summer shorts. I got four pair. I also picked up a cool tropical button up shirt. Mindy covered the tab. Wahoo! Next, we went next door to Dick’s to fetch Jacob a second pair of baseball pants. There cheap enough that it makes sense (about $7), and that way we won’t have to wash the one pair he has twice a week between games.

Across the street at Target (Mindy’s favorite store in the world) we bought a bunch of $1 dollar hook ‘em items, a new shower caddy, kids beach towels, and some new Crocs for Bella. It was pouring as we checked out. The scattered variety. I grabbed a large blueberry ICEE on our way out. Very yummy!

Next, we drove to Mindy’s moms’ to plant a rose bush and the five Wave petunias I had set aside for her. In her drive was Boomer, her brother-in-law. He was there scoping out the plumbing work needing done. Mindy and Bella went inside. I got busy planting. Afterwards, I watered everything in real good. Bella came out to assist. I went inside to visit for a while before departing. Stopping over like this, so much reminds me of stopping at my Grandma Lantz’s when we were young. Not sure why, exactly.

We headed home. The day seemed to have flown by. As we passed Consumer Square West (right behind the White Castle on Wilson Rd) I asked Mindy if the Jack’s Aquarium was still open. She said it was. We made a quick u-turn and proceeded to Jack’s. I went in to buy some crickets for our lizards. Bella joined me. I knew she’d marvel at the puppies, bunnies, and birds. Sure enough. I had to tell her more than once not to place her fingers in the McCall’s cage. She’s truly a Curious George. We bought medium sized crickets when they really need small. However, the gentlemen working the counter said that they’ll eat them just as well. I’ll bet the mediums were as large as their heads.

The Dollar store was right next door, and I had never been in one. I asked Bella if she wanted to go in. She did. I looked towards Mindy who was waiting in the car. She seemed to be looking away. We went on in. We weren’t in there for one minute before Mindy joined us. She seemed eager to look around too. We found a handful of $1 items that we wanted to get. We got some of the glow necklaces that all the kids found so amusing a couple weeks ago at a cookout we hosted. We also bought four large water pistols, again for the kids.

It was already 3:30pm and time to get home. Jacob would be getting off the bus shortly. Where had the day gone?



Jacob got off the bus just before 4pm. I greeted him at the door. Mindy whipped up spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. It didn’t take too long. It was sure good.

Bella had dance class and I would need to run her there. I asked Mindy if it was watch night (the one night each month that parents are allowed to watch). She said it wasn’t. We left for dance at 6:15pm. Turns out, it was watch night. I decided to stay. I was going to run back to Wal-Mart to get a few items that I forgot on Monday. As usual, watch night was funny. The kids are a challenge. I give a lot of credit to the instructor, Megan.

After dance class, I asked Bella if we could make a pit stop at Wal-Mart. She eventually agreed after seeing that it was within eyeshot. We picked up another two-liter bottle of Minutemaid lemonade, toilet paper, and donuts. Bella begged for a treat. I denied her one. Before leaving the store, Bella insisted on peeing. I had to wait just outside the bathroom for her to finish. It seemed like she took for ever. I hollered in once. Soon we were on our way back home. Finally!

Before I forget, the temperature & humidity dropped dramatically earlier this afternoon, or just after the rain passed. Where it was in the low 70’s when I got up, it was now in the low 50’s. It was blustery too. Yuck! Wednesday promises much cooler hi- temps (mid 60’s) but also brilliant sunshine.

We arrived home by 8pm. Mindy readied Bella for bed promptly. We weren’t far behind either. I was eager to get a good night’s sleep before returning to work. Without question, I had a very enjoyable five days off of work and got quite a bit completed. Perhaps more importantly, I rarely thought about work and almost lost track of the days. That’s always a good sign. But in the end, I realize how much I like the structure and frame work that work inherently provides. Plus, it makes the weekends more meaningful. Good night moon!

Excuse Me Imbecile

For what it’s worth, it was Memorial Day. Admittedly, I have never paid much attention to the reason for the holiday, but do know its intended purpose. Hey, we weren’t as much of a military family, or for that matter, we didn’t ooze of patriotism either. For me, Memorial Day represented something far different. It signaled the beginning of summer and the end of school. Two things I’ve cherished even into my adulthood, and something certainly worth constructing a memorial to.

It was overcast at dawn but that soon gave way to lovely sunshine. Weatherwise, it was much more like what I had hoped for. It was in the low 60’s and humid. It felt like a summer morning. Perfect!

I proceeded through my morning ritual of exercise, walking Ykraps and enjoying a relaxing cup of coffee all before anyone else was up and about. I spent that time at the PC catching up on blog entries. Later, once Mindy was up, we discussed the day’s plans a little more in depth. For starters, Jimaken made arrangements to come pick-up the kids and take them swimming around 1pm. Mindy wanted to attend a graduation party in Grove City for one of her former students afterwards. On the way, we planned to drop Ashley’s planter. But before all of that I needed to run. Mindy asked if I was planning to grocery shop afterwards. At that point I wasn’t sure but really wanted to.

My run went well. Afterwards, I planted our double-knockout rose bush in the planter that I finished painting yesterday. That took just a handful of minutes. I was soon in the shower and ready to head to Wal-Mart to grocery shop. Mindy had a list all ready to go. When I lived alone, I grocery shopped every other week. But now with an expanded family, Mindy goes almost weekly. I used to enjoy my trips, and only needed a list for exceptions. I was a creature of habit. It was very easy and fun.

Today, I wasn’t sure what to expect crowd-wise. But thankfully,Wal-Mart didn’t appear to be too crowded at all. I started in the health and beauty aisle gathering the goods highlighted on the list. And much to my chagrin, those feminine products showed up again. Dang it! I wasn’t at all looking forward to seeking them out. Somehow I managed. I did it out of love, because I really didn’t want to. It wasn’t too long before I wrapped my way around the store over to the food section. I started in produce and worked my way around back like old times. It was there that I realized Mindy’s list was not necessarily in the order in which the items appear on the shelves. That made shopping a challenge, not to mention all of the incompetent shoppers who body block the aisles either with their carts or their wide-bodies. Incidentally, I heard more than one person refer to their cart as a buggy, a term rarely used in these parts.

Generally speaking, I leave my cart at the end of an aisle and then walk down the side of an aisle seeking/gathering the goods I need. It’s far more guest friendly, leaving room for others to get by. What really gets me are the couples that block an entire aisle while they peruse the goods. On one side rests their cart, and then, on the other side, their spouse stands hopelessly staring off at nothing. Mindy say’s that’s why they invented the phrase excuse me. But I say that’s why they invented the word imbecile! I will typically shout out something like, clog in aisle three!

After making several returns to various aisles, I got everything on the list save for donuts. I realized this at checkout but by then there was no way I was going back. While there, I picked up a couple things for daughter Ashley, too, one being an oscillating fan.

Mindy phoned while I was loading everything into the Trooper. She wondered where the hell I was. It took an inordinate amount of time to finish the grocery shopping. I’ll admit it. I’m way out of practice.

Jimaken was there by the time I returned home. He was just preparing to depart with the children. They were excited about going swimming. Mindy put away most of the groceries after I carried them in. We wasted little time preparing to depart for Grove City. I loaded Ashley’s flowers along with the items from Wal-Mart. We left the house around 1:30pm. It doesn’t take long at all getting to Grove City via I-270. No sir!

We were at Ashley’s ten minutes later. She and Olivia were outside waiting for us. We phoned first. I hadn’t seen her apartment since delivering/hooking up her washer and dryer. After carrying the somewhat heavy flower pot around front and placing it on her stoop, I ventured inside where I was happy to see how clean it was. Clean and neat! Perfect! She got the gene! It’s often said that the closets, bathrooms, and laundry room tell the real tale. I casually observed each. They were all equally neat and tidy.

After putting together the new fan, and then playing with Olivia, Mindy and I left for the graduation party, which was literally right around the corner. This was Tyler’s graduation party. As I understand it, Mindy taught him in both second and third grades. He’s chosen Mindy to present him with his diploma next Saturday afternoon. Plus, he comes back each June to help her take her classroom apart, and then returns in late August to help get it put back together again. There’s a boy with a crush somewhere!

I noticed the beautiful landscaping right away. The house was nothing spectacular but it was neat and clean. The landscaping, on the other hand, was creative, colorful, bountiful, and very well-planned. I could tell by observing that she (Tyler’s mom) must spend hours each day keeping it this way. Mindy informed me that she’s won awards from the city for the work. Again, I could tell. What’s more, their yard was very small. In fact, it’s very similar to brother Glenn’s. There’s essentially no back yard (about eight feet deep) and they’re on a corner lot. Most of the lawn is side yard. They, however, made the utmost of every square inch, yet somehow managed to not make anything look too overdone. The crowned jewel was a large pond in the southeast corner complete with a waterfall, landscaping stone, large orange coy, and beautiful water plants. Again, it was very nicely-done. I took a couple of photos.

We didn’t stay at the party long. This was Mindy’s first outing since her surgery some 12 days prior. She was tuckered, although she looked very nice. I asked if we could stop at Ohio Mulch on our way home so I could by some gravel for the yard drain project. She agreed.

It didn’t take long at all. I wasn’t there five minutes before we were loaded and on our way home. Jimaken phoned just before we got there stating that he and the kids were already on their way home from the pool. It was near 3:30pm and the sky was threatening rain, but it was very spotty. The kids pulled up just before we arrived home. Jim didn’t even bother coming in. He said hello, dropped the kids and left.

Rather than carry the seven 50lb bags of stone to the back yard, I lazily got out my tractor and trailer to make the trip easy and also save wear & tear on my ass, literally. Turned out, I used only 4.5 of the 7 bags to completely cover the ten feet of 4” drain pipe. I then raked the dug-up soil over top. Jacob helped. He said he was bored. It was warm. Mindy fetched all of us bomb pops! Yummy!

I kept working the soil until the entire was spread evenly over the area. I was careful to tamp it down every so often to hopefully avoid too much sinking. I decided after the sweaty yard work that it made sense to get another shower. After a quick one, I fired up the grill for thick pork chops. We ate dinner around 6pm. It was delicious!

After the kids got their baths and were placed into bed, Mindy and I spent some time together in the family room & kitchen. There, I enjoyed a couple of beers. It was my last casual night before returning to the grind. We headed for bed around 10pm.

Time For the 1 o'clock Rest Period ...

Sunday marked our first visit to the Hilltop Swim Club in 2008. And just in time, it felt like summer for the very first time.

On auto-pilot, I woke around 5:30am but went back to sleep a couple of times until 7:30am, which is my body’s preferred time of waking. It was another lovely morning, only this time there wasn’t as much of a chill lingering in the air. However, on a summer scale, it wasn’t warm either.

Downstairs, I went about the business of making coffee and beginning my calisthenics. I was very focused on extending my push-up nose to the floor. Ever since the shoulder injury I incurred while snow skiing, I’ve had alligator arms. It’s simply a leftover habit from the healing process. Now that I’m exercising pain-free it’s time to get low to floor once again. And believe me, it’s a much tougher push-up dipping that extra few inches.

Ykraps and I took our typical morning stroll. Nothing out of the ordinary. I looked forward to my morning coffee. Saturday, I failed to mention that when I opened a new bottle of Coffee-mate Vanilla Caramel creamer I noticed that the foil seal had been violated. This temporarily threw my morning routine into a tailspin. I had little choice but to use Mindy’s creamer. Somehow I survived. Having not yet gone to grocery, I had few other choices again today.

Like a lot of summer mornings, I moved to the deck to drink in the morning sunshine. There are few things that feel as good as a sunny summer morning from our deck. The family ultimately gathered there with me. Later, before my run, we hung Mindy’s new finch feeder from the pergola. The bird seed came in a sealed zip lock bag advertised as ‘easy open”. Well, the zip lock feature would’ve been swell had we been able to beat the deal beneath. Mindy & I both gave it a try. Eventually, I gave up and cut the bag with scissors rendering the zip lock feature useless. I placed the opened bag of seed in a large Hefty ziploc bag. Go figure!

I left for my run around 9:00am. I kept my run inside the subdivision, and once again kept it abbreviated to just three miles. My leg/ass was really stiff this morning after quite a bit of activity on Saturday. I wouldn’t describe it as painful, however. Instead, it was just very stiff. At some point soon I’ve got to ratchet my run back up to the usual four miles. I want to be running pain free for a week before making the change.

I finished my run around 9:30am. The kids were immediately on me to commit to an afternoon at the Hilltop Swim Club. But I can’t complain too much, I’m the one that suggested such an outing on Saturday. Given Mindy’s condition, it was doubtful that she’d be going along. I proclaimed that we would most likely head to the pool after I got a little bit of home project work done. Speaking of which, my goal for the day was to start digging the yard drain. I gathered my ‘drain stuff’ and headed out back to make it happen. During a recent heavy rain I mustered enough foresight to venture out into the back yard to monitor where exactly the water puddled. That, I decided, would be where I put the drain. Hey, it’s not rocket science.

I dug a ten foot trench from that very spot to the edge of the stream. As best I could, I tried to dig it with a gentle slope towards the stream. That, of course, is easier said than done. Still, I managed. Satisfied with the rough results, I decided to call it an afternoon and began getting ready for a trip to the pool. That pleased the kids much. As we prepped to go, Mindy suggested that she might join us after all. But after getting the kids in their suits and all of our gear packed, I think she had a change of heart. Sitting in the hot sun wouldn’t have been the best thing for her at this point, anyhow. She decided to stay home. I would’ve preferred she go, but also understood how she must’ve felt. The kids and I left for the pool at 12:45pm.

It’s a quick drive out of the subdivision and then down Hague to Valleyview. We were there in no time flat. I was a little surprised at small number of vehicles/people there given the lovely weather. The kids were excited. We expected Uncle Larry and Aunt Jodie to be there. We saw them basking from their usual perch. We checked in at the office and picked up our family tickets. Jimmy Campbell, the new owner, was a little confused with the three different last names on our memberships. He wasn’t sure under which name they were filed. It took just a couple extra minutes to sort it out.

I felt the water temperature as we entered. Despite the warm sunshine, the water temperature was cold, but I knew the kids wouldn’t mind. We no sooner placed our gear on a bench and the kids were in the water. Because it was cold they weren’t in very long. Like most young children, they had their towels soaked in minutes. Bella asked for mine. I love them but was not giving mine up for nothing. No sir! I must’ve picked their wet wadded towels up fifty times. Each time I hung them over the back of the bench. Too, I told them just before we left the house that we wouldn’t be doing concessions from the pool. As always, they said they understood, but once we got there the inevitable questions soon surfaced. “Can we get snacks?” Lucky for them, I brought a few from home. They ate all of those in five minutes. I stuck to my guns.

We stayed at the pool for almost three hours. During our stay, the sun was warm & ripe. It never did reach 80, but hd to be in the mid to upper 70’s. We bagged it at the 4 o’clock rest period – 4 o’clock rest period. As we were leaving, Peter Fisher pulled up. He knows Jodie & Larry well. I greeted him too. He said he didn’t recognize me. More than likely, he did his darnedest to forget about me & my peeps. We gave him a hard time when we were very young. Always liked him, though.

Ashley called as we were pulling out of the lot and heading for home. She wanted to know if she could come over to pick-up her flower pot. Sure! I was eager to see her & Olivia. We hadn’t seen either of them for about 12 days (the day before Mindy’s surgery). We weren’t home long when Ash & Olivia arrived. They both looked so cute walking up the walk with their sunglasses on. Olivia seemed a little shy and wasn’t too keen on coming to Mindy or I. Mindy, of course, still couldn’t pick her up.

We made our way onto the deck where we played for about an hour. We broke out the mini-popsicles, which Olivia went bonkers for. It was too cute. She must’ve had five or six, all at my prompting. We offered Ashley a little help to make it through the month. She was very happy to have the assistance. Ashley realized how heavy the flower pot was. Instead of cramming it into her car, I agreed to delver it on Monday when we attend a graduation party for one of Mindy’s former student’s right around the corner from her apartment.

As soon as they departed, Mindy and I began prepping steaks for the grill. It wasn’t long before we were enjoying dinner from the deck. Ahh – summertime! Gotta love it!
After dinner I spent a little time watering the front flowers. There were oodles of couples out walking the neighborhood and congregating on the bridge by our house. Happens often this time of year. While I watered the flowers, the kids ran around the yard playing somewhat wildly. Mindy really wanted them in to bathe right after dinner, but I begged for another fifteen minutes of fun time. After all, it’s a holiday weekend.

Once we finally got the kids inside and bathed, they were both being pills. Mindy reminded me that her intuition told her that they really should’ve been in earlier. She just knows when they’re over tired. I hate to say it but she was right! They were a handful. Bella was really over tired, which equates to very whiney. Finally, we got the kids to bed. Must’ve been about 8:45pm.

Mindy and I sat on the deck where I enjoyed a drink. We didn’t stay out there too long, however. Mindy was getting chilly. She went in and to bed around 9:30pm. I stayed up probably later than I have for the last couple of weeks. I enjoyed a bowl of popcorn along with my second Jack & Coke. At the same time I updated my blog and added pictures for the last ten days or so. I headed for bed just before midnight.

Gaze Into My Eyes

Not wanting to be out done by Friday, Saturday was a much sunnier, warmer day.

As anticipated, I was up between 7-7:30am. I wasted little time moving immediately to prep the morning coffee. While the coffee brewed, I exercised in an otherwise quiet house. I love the stillness of the morning, especially when it’s sunny & warm. I just feel so alive and happy while going about my routine. All seems right with the world.

Ykraps and I headed out for our walk like any other morning. It was only about 50 degrees so I wore a fleece jacket to keep warm. After our return I poured my first cup of coffee then took to the PC to read/blog. About my second cup of coffee, Mindy & the kids made their way downstairs. Eventually, all four of us made our way out onto the deck. I took my guitar. The three of them were all wrapped up in their jammies and robes. The air was still quite cool but the sunshine felt terrific.

Mindy asked about my goals for the day. I hoped to get the lawn cut and possibly start on my lawn-drain project. I thought that I might make a trip to the grocery store as well. There were two family events planned. Brother Bob was hosting a summer kick-off party at 2pm, and Mindy’s brother was hosting a b-day party for his daughters at 4pm. I wasn’t sure if we’d make either or both. However, I knew for certain that Mindy would not be going.

Mindy wisely encouraged the kids to clean the basement playroom early-on so not to impede into their playtime. It’s looking much like a bomb went off down there. As they often do, the kids moaned and groaned, but Mindy stayed after them. She allowed them many breaks but also held firmly to her earlier declaration that they wouldn’t be able to go out and play with their friends until it was done. That eventually did the trick. She’s much more patient than I when dealing with those types of things. Come to think of it, she’s simply more patient that I - period!

I left for a run around 9am. And once again I ran along Trabue and down Hague. For the third day in a row I ran almost pain free. This pleased me very, very much. It seemed I was back from my run in no time at all. I was surprised to see that the kids, along with Mindy, got the playroom looking “normal” again. It was 10am and time to get crackin’ on the lawn. Mindy complained of feeling light headed so she went upstairs to lie down. She asked that I bring her pain meds up before heading out to do my chores. I did.

I spent the next two hours wacking, edging, & mowing. Meanwhile, the kids ran from yard to yard doing their own thing. I kept a loose eye on them. After finishing up the lawn I decided to wash the Trooper. It really needed a detailed cleaning, especially the wheels. I spent the next 1.5 hours cleaning it thoroughly. It badly needs a coat of wax/polish. I’ll get to that soon – but not today, I thought. After washing the Trooper I watered the front flower beds. It was already about 2pm or even a little after. There wasn’t anyway I was going to make it to brother Bob’s. And by the way, Mindy was still sleeping.

I got a shower just after 3pm. Mindy finally got up and got the kids dressed for her brother’s get-together. I loaded up the kids and headed out around 3:45pm. Mindy asked that I stop at Bob Evans on my way home to get her some comfort food (chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes & gravy, rolls, and blueberry bread). Mindy’s niece Lindy works there as a hostess. Both the kids and I were looking forward to seeing her. She works most Sunday’s these days thus missing the family dinner.

I had never been to the Georgesville Square Bob Evans. It’s tucked back in there along with BW3s & Applebee’s. I found Lindy right away. The kids were very excited to see their cousin Lin-lin. After exchanging hugs, I placed Mindy’s to-go order at the counter. I was certain she’d be disappointed to learn that they took blueberry bread off the menu. They had the order ready in less than five minutes. I expected to wait 30. I was impressed. We wished Lindy well and congratulated her on her graduation even though it was still a week away.

At home Mindy was up and waiting our arrival. More accurately stated, she was awaiting her food! She knew we were on our way. We phoned as we were leaving Bob E.s. It was already 7:30pm. The kids professed being hungry. I think they talked their mother into a snack. It wasn’t long before they were off to bed. I spent the evening largely alone. Mindy went to bed really early once again. She’s yet to muster enough energy to hang all day. Perhaps soon.

I enjoyed a couple of beers while downloading the day’s pictures. I took plenty – about 110. I stayed up writing in my blog and playing on the PC until almost 11pm.

Don't Forget to Dance

1) Mindy's poppies

2) My new pet flamingos

3) New hangin' basket of geraniums

4) My new bike

It was Friday. I was up at 6:30am after a very pleasant night’s sleep. I was eager to greet my first day off, and the first of five in-a-row. I went about my exercise routine and then walked Ykraps. Next, I woke Jacob for school. After enjoying my own cup of coffee, I delivered one to Mindy’s bedside. So far, the day wasn’t much different from a work day save for the later waking.

It was sunny but still chilly. The weather forecasters promised temps approaching 70 degrees, but one can hardly trust those clowns these days. They just can’t get it right, regardless. I walked Jacob to the bus stop. Alanna pointed out immediately that it was hat and jammie day. Cleverly, she was wearing her older brother’s graduation cap. Suddenly remembering, Jacob hurried back home to grab a hat. He made it back before the bus arrived adorning his Devil Rays ballcap. Pat & I briefly discussed our day’s plans before heading our separate ways to make it happen.

I spent a little time on the PC before getting ready for a run. I was surprised that Mindy came downstairs when she did. She & Bella, that is. I readied and departed for my run at a little after 9am. I ran along Trabue and down Hague back into Western Run and then ultimately Scioto Woods. It was a lovely run. If it wasn’t for the danger factor, I’d do that run everyday.

Back at home I was eager to get busy with my yard projects. But before starting on any of them, I took a spin on my new bike. I took a short one-mile ride and ended up stopping by Pat’s who was trimming his shrubbery. I didn’t stay long, just long enough to briefly discuss the possibility of hooking up later.

Focus! My mental project list was long but my expectations reasonable. I knew I wouldn’t get everything done in one day. First on my list was getting our decks pots done. Meanwhile, Mindy went back to bed for more rest. She wasn’t feeling so swift. Bella came out with me. She even found her own planting gloves. She and I arranged four or five pots with flowers. We used spikes, vinca, coleous, large begonias, and even Wave petunias in some. We did one for Ashley, too, who just the day before expressed her desire to have some flowers on her front porch. That makes me happy that she’s thinking as such. For me, it represents expanded thinking and her appreciation for life, color, and art, although I am certain she doesn’t think of it so deeply. But still … .

I was very pleased with the double bloom knock-out roses I got at Wal-Mart for an amazing $10 each. Given that my yard/landscape is full, I wasn’t sure I had the spot for mine (the other I bought expecting to give it to Gloria). And even if there was a place in our landscape, we have few extra-sunny, well-drained spots, which roses love. The one place I felt would work was in the old willow tree bed. But the spot I had in mind was taken by a large root from the old tree. I scrapped that idea for the time being.

Bella and I planted until 2pm or so. The day went so fast. There were still several things on my to-do list but I also wanted to enjoy my efforts and also relax a little. I chose to chill for a spell. And much to my chagrin, the sky clouded over with thin gray clouds. There was little threat of rain, but more importantly, it really cooled things off. I felt the anger building inside. I really need a week of sunshine and 80 degrees.
Mindy was still in bed resting when I went in. I stunk to high heaven after running and working the yard, not to mention wearing the same running clothes I’d worn all week. P-U! I took a shower pronto! Afterwards, I felt terrific and smelt one heck of a lot better, too.

The unexpected cloudy skies added some gloom to an otherwise nice day. Mindy reminded me that Bella had a make-up dance class that started at 6:30pm and was expected to go 45 minutes. I’d be taking her because Mindy still isn’t approved for driving. Somewhere between my shower and 6pm I took a short nap. Very satisfying. While I napped, the kids went out and played with all their neighbor friends.

Bella and I left after she woofed down a quick snack. Mindy’s expecting me to do this week’s grocery shopping, which I really don’t mind. Hell, she’s still buying! I asked if she wanted me to complete that task after dropping Bella at dance class. She reminded me that it would only be 45 minutes, too short a chunk of time to get to the nearby grocery and complete all the shopping. On second consideration I figured her correct. Those that know me well know that I hate to be rushed! But I don’t like idle time either. I weighed taking a book against using the time to browse a nearby nursery for still more flowers, although we don’t really need any more. I opted for the latter.

I was surprised to see Mindy’s brother at the dance studio with one of his girls. They were there for a make-up class too. I didn’t see any other familiar faces. Finding that odd, I checked with the girl at the desk (Grandma Sharon wasn’t working tonight). Turns out, this was the 3 & 4 year old make-up class. Apparently they wrote the wrong information down on Bella’s slip. She said I could simply bring her back at 7:15pm for the proper class. Heck no! She also offered that she stay and do this class. Bella didn’t seem to care and was eager to dance with her cousin. Besides, she’s going to miss the recital in two weeks anyhow, because of her upcoming vacation with her daddy.

While Bella danced, I drove quickly over to the Hilliard Rome Rd. Meijer’s. I hadn’t been in their nursery for years and years. I wasn’t too impressed with their selection or their prices. I left after a very fast walk through. I drove back to the dance studio. I sat in the Trooper listening to NPR. Can’t remember the topic but I recall it being interesting at the time.

Dance class ended at 7:15pm. Bella and I headed for home. Forgot to mention that I had Mindy’s cell phone as well as my own. Oops! Must’ve grabbed hers in haste. She eventually called me from the extra ‘babysitter’ cell phone. No biggie. We were home by 7:30pm. Mindy asked if I still planned a trip to Barley’s. I did. Neighbor Pat called just before I was leaving to discuss coming over for a visit. I was going to Barley’s to get Mindy some take-out food. She was craving a Barley burger and cheesy fries. Jacob wanted me to bring home some Gate of hell wings, too. I told Mindy that I’d be gone about an hour. I left around 7:50pm.

Barley’s wasn’t too crowded. Rarely is this time of year. Still, I knew almost everyone there at some level. Immediately I was greeted my Rebecca asking about Mindy, curious about her recovery. I sat with my buddy Steve, who works for AOL. We chatted about all sorts of stuff. I ordered a Droughtfire IPA. I didn’t place my food order until I finished my first beer since my plan was to have two. Just after I placed my to-go food order I asked for another Droughtfire. Just then, Bob Imber showed up. And the funny thing was I was just telling Steve how long it’s been since I’ve seen him. Bob’s like a brother. I was happy to see him. He was in alone. Well, not exactly, he brought along two empty jugs for filling. We hung out for the next 30 minutes while I nursed my second IPA and waited for my to-go food order. Just as I was preparing to leave, Bella phoned wondering when I’d be home. It was cute. I let her know that I was on my way.

Pat & Lisa, our friends and neighbors, were there when I arrived. We hadn’t gotten together with the two of them in a long while – since the blizzard as a matter of fact. We hung out for another hour or so. They had to leave at a reasonable hour to meet daughter Alanna at home. She was doing something with a friend. Their twin boys just graduated High school Thursday night. Hard to believe. Time sure flies! Mindy and I weren’t up long after they left. This makes the several Friday’s in a row where I was home and in bed by about 11:00pm.

BM'er, Lee's RV, Minelli's, & Wal-Mart

Waking Thursday, I felt terrific. My sunny disposition was largely impacted by the fact that this was actually my Friday and the beginning of a long five-day memorial Day weekend. This pleased me much.

I was up on time and noticed almost immediately that my arse didn’t ache in the least. Could this be the beginning of the end? Have I passed over the hump? Have I finally overcome yet another medical hurdle? I hoped so?

I whizzed through my sit-ups, push-ups, and curls. I was anxious to get this party started. I walked Ykraps on what was yet another chilly morning, but at least the sky was clear. At this point of the year, daylight breaks quickly. We seem to pass from total darkness into daylight in all of about 30 minutes (5:30-6:00am). I made coffee upon our return, and then spent a little time on my PC. I delivered Mindy’s coffee as she requested, but she didn’t as much as even budge. I quietly slipped out and headed back downstairs where I did a meditation and then readied for my daily run.

I was eager to test my non-aching, yet unproven ass. I carefully stretched from the front porch and then launched into my run. The good news was that I felt no pain and very little stiffness – the first in about 6 weeks. The next hurdle will be carrying that over for two-days and then beyond. I finished my run feeling terrific. I could’ve finished stronger but was careful not to push it.

The first thing I did was wake Jacob. It was just after 7:00am. Back downstairs I began prepping my lunch and making my breakfast. I made a roast turkey, swiss, and pepper jack cheese omelet. That was delicious! For lunch I packed a slice of ham and chunks of cheese along with a fruit medley. I also packed mixed nuts for a mid-morning snack.

I was showered and ready to go by 7:55am. I was driving the BM’er so I moved the Trooper to the curb. I met Jacob & the Shultz’s at the bus stop. Afterwards, I made my way back home to get my car.

It was lovely but still a little chilly. I wore a zipped fleece to keep warm. Aside from that it was a fantastic day to be driving the convertible. I arrived at work just before 8:30am. The morning went smoothly. For lunch, I planned to make a trip to Lee’s RV’s to hopefully settle up on my boat storage bill. It’s a quick trip from the office. Ed P. was in the office. I paid my bill. I decided to go back to the storage building and visit my boat. I hadn’t seen it since I winterized and stored it the first weekend of November. She looked good! While there, I took measurements for a bimini top. I have been contemplating one for a few years. They’re really pricey to have installed, about a grand. But you can order one via the internet and install it yourself and save about 60%. That would be the route I’d go. Installation can’t be that difficult. I was gone just under an hour.

The afternoon went as smoothly as the morning. We were all very pleased. I got wrapped up in a management level escalation just before 5:30. That kept me at work until 5:50pm, but I didn’t mind. I’d have five days to relax, and the weather forecast was expected to be very nice. I left with a smile. No more CCDD for a while!

I called Minelli’s and placed an order for an extra-large double pep & double cheese pizza before pulling out of the lot. I arrived there to pick it up 20 minutes later. I was home with our dinner by 6:20pm. The first thing I did was walk Ykraps while Mindy called the kids in from playing with the neighbors. We all enjoyed a little pizza. Well, everyone but Mindy. She didn’t have a pizza appetite. The kids were back outside in a hurry. They wanted to play. They didn’t have much time, however. After all, it was a school night for Jacoby. While ran off to play with neighbors, I dashed off to Wal-Mart. I was hopeful of finding the remaining flowers I wanted for our deck pots and for a reasonable price. I've always been able to find incredible deals on just what I need. This evenign was no different. I found everything I needed ot round out our 2008 planting/growing season. I was gone around an hour.

Mindy was at the neighbors when I got back, but was in the process of gathering the children and herding them back inside. After carrying my haul to the deck, I watered the all the flowers - both in the ground and still in flats. That took about thirty minutes.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Mindy had the kids in their jammies and in bed by 8:10pm. They both fell asleep quickly and easily. Mindy headed to bed at 9:30pm. She asked if I’d be joining her. I said that I wouldn’t, citing a desire to live on the edge a little. J I wanted to stay up and play later than I normally would given that it wasn’t a ‘school’ night, at least for me. I spent some time on the deck playing guitar and then a good while blogging. I stayed up until 11:30pm after enjoying one beer and one stiff Jack & Coke.

Graduation Day & Chilly Baseball

1) Bella and her diploma

2) Bella overlooking something

3) Dad at baseball

4) Jimaken at baseball

5) Jacob about to score from third

Wednesday looked nice enough, but now that we had most of the rain behind us, I was really hoping for some warmth. Sadly, though, that wasn’t going to be the case. We’d be fortunate to hit 65 at best. Saturday’s predicted to be our first day over 70 degrees in quite a while.

I overslept considerably. I checked the clock around 5:15 and saw I had another fifteen minutes of sleep time. Next thing I knew it was 6:00am. Darn it! I scurried about making my way down the stairs and beginning my routine. Often, the first thing that gets cut in such situations is meditation. Today was no exception. However, as I type this, I realize how important it is to meditate on days like this. A dichotomy.

I readied for my run and was heading out the door by 6:45am. Still doing the abbreviated run of three miles, I knew that I‘d recoup the rest of my time by runs end. And that I did. I was back by 7:10am preparing my breakfast and throwing together my lunch. Once again I packed a garden salad – the last of it. I threw a few slices of baked ham in with it. In addition, I packed the traditional fruit medley & mixed nuts.

Jacob and I set out for the bus stop at 7:55am. Again, it was lovely save for the chilly temps. Neighbor Pat & I chatted as we so often do after the bus departed. I was on my way to work by 8:10am. The day’s plan called for me to leave work at 9:30am and head to Bella’s year end pre-school presentation/graduation. I was at work for only an hour.

I arrived at the pres-school by 9:55am. Gloria arrived a few minutes later. She told me that she waited as long as she could for grandson Joe to arrive to pick her up. She ended up driving herself figuring that he overslept. We sat in the front row. The ceremony lasted only 30 minutes. Keeping in mind that it’s 3, 4, & 5 year olds, their attention span isn’t too long. There’s always plenty of unplanned humor at these presentations. Today was no exception. One child kept singing well after all the other kids had stopped. In yet another song, two kids, a boy & a girl, sang ridiculously louder than all the rest, to the point of screaming. I noticed Jimaken made it sitting two rows behind us. As Bella accepted her diploma, I pointed out her daddy and suggested she go show him, too.

As always, there’s cake served for everyone afterwards. I had an 11am staff meeting to make at work. I stayed long enough to see the cake and say hello to everyone but had to bolt. I was on the road by 10:45am.

The rest of the work day went smoothly. We had our previously mentioned staff meeting at 11am. It lasted almost two hours. Because of this, I worked straight through. I did stop and eat my packed lunch but worked while eating. Jacob had a ball game just around the corner slated to begin at 6pm. Mindy earlier intimated that she wouldn’t be there, but she still invited my Dad. Jimaken would be taking Jacob.

I left work at 5:35pm and headed over to the ball diamond. I saw my dad’s vehicle. We were on the SW diamond meaning that we had to walk across the fields to get there. I carried two chairs. I spotted Jimaken easily, but my dad was not anywhere to be seen. But as I turned around, I spotted him walking towards us with his own camp chair over his shoulder. As long as the sunshine landed on us we stayed fairly warm, but once again it sunk behind the trees it was pretty chilly for the third game in a row. Jacob had a great game. He got three hits, scored two runs, and made a few nice defensive stops/plays. Coach recognized this and awarded him the game ball. He was more than excited. Too, they were passing out the baseball pictures we had taken a few weeks ago as well.

As the sun dipped behind the trees, it got really chilly. All three of us were pleased when the game ended. Jacob wanted to ride with his daddy. Jimaken willing obliged him. Since it was on the way, I stopped at Lee’s RV & Boat storage to hopefully pay my semi-annual storage bill. Sadly, they were closed. Note to self, perhaps I’ll stop by Thursday at lunch time.

I arrived home five minutes later. Mindy willingly got both kids a bath. I microwaved a plate of KFC leftovers. I was ravenously hungry. The chicken & mashed potatoes hit the spot. Mindy & I watched the two-hour American Idol finale. It was very entertaining, just as the finales often are. Our favorite contestant won. But in reality, they’re all winners. We went to bed immediately after.