Talking Back to your Mother Will Get You Nowhere... Learning the Hard Way

I don’t recall exactly what time I woke but do know that it was before 5:30am. In kind, my morning routine must’ve been like most others as well, since I can’t recall anything out of the ordinary about it either. Most of all, I remember that the weather was nice. It was another clear and chilly in the morning. It was expected to warm nicely through the day making it into the low 60s. 

After a run, breakfast, and shower I walked Jacob to the bus stop. I left for work at what must’ve been almost 8:10am. Arriving to work on time, I planned a trip to Home Depot at lunch. There, I bought a new pot for the fern that rests on our soaking tub. The current pot is much too small – just eight inches across. More water runs out than in when watering. I chose one of those faux fiberglass pots that has the same look and feel as ceramic, yet it weighs considerably less and won’t break. I also bought a pair of quality yard work gloves that fit snugly. This, just before serious leaf raking begins. Smart! Last minute I grabbed a four-pack of florescent 40watt-equivalent bulbs & a longer, more robust hose for my relatively new air compressor. All of that set me back $57. 

I was gone a little longer than expected, but was back at work by 2:30pm. Some time during the afternoon, Nationwide Irrigation phoned to let me know that they’d be out in the next 4-6 days to winterize my sprinkler system. They asked only that I turn the water off inside until then. Cool! I spoke with Mindy during the afternoon. She was stopping at Kroger on her way home and wanted to know if I cared for anything special. I did not. She also gave me several dinner options. I was at a loss. I told her to make whatever she felt like making. I then promised that I would not later complain. J 

I left work at 5:30pm and was home within 20 minutes. Mindy had boneless chicken breasts on the stove in the grill pan. I walked Ykraps alone since Mindy needed to tend to the meat. Dinner was good. In addition to chicken, we had tater tots, too. Mindy did all of the cooking and prepping while complaining of a sore throat. She didn’t feel well at all. Good wife!

 Later, after dinner and clean-up, she and Jacob had a brief altercation. He was unusually brash and wouldn’t stop running his trap even after being warned a couple of times. She eventually sent him to his room where we could hear even more negative comments. Mindy came to where I was sitting in part to calm down but also to seek my advice. I suggested a spanking in addition to her suggestion of losing screens. We rarely spank, but today, I felt, he earned it. There needed to be both immediate and long term repercussions for his actions. Mindy agreed, and after calming a bit she paid him a visit with the dreaded plastic spoon in hand. He got two whacks. He wasn’t pleased. 

What’s interesting, neither of us could remember what the entire exchange was about. All we remembered was his unusual brashness. He also threatened that he wanted to live with his daddy. And so it begins… Mindy and I’ve discussed this many times. That’ll be a weapon we’ll surely hear more than once. Angry kids use that often, especially in their teenage years. Jacob refused to get his shower and instead went right to bed. Choosing our battles wisely, we left him be. 

We relaxed on the sofa watching Thursday night football. There, Mindy came clean about the cooking oil she used on my Wednesday morning eggs. Turns out it was vegetable oil. But what she didn’t know was that it was recycled vegetable oil from the fry pappy. I was almost sure of this. Mindy didn’t feel well and went to bed early. I wasn’t far behind.