Sperm Whales

For whatever the reason, I was still really tired even after 7.5 hours of luxurious sleep. Even the calisthenics didn’t snap me out of it. It was already 50 degrees when I headed out with Ykraps. It actually smelt like spring. Plus, lots of different birds were singing, many I hadn’t heard the likes of for months. But even the promise of spring didn’t shake me out of the funk. I hoped my coffee would do the trick, and by and large it did, at least temporarily. I did my usual pre-run routine, and ended up out the door at 6:35am – right on schedule. Aside from feeling tired, I felt great. My legs and groin were loose, and so was my back. I need to thank Mindy for the awesome back rub the night before. That, and the four Advil I took. :) I dressed down considerably given the warm temps, but even then I ran up one heck of a sweat. I was sweating profusely. I didn’t have my usual energy level either. I worried that I might be coming down with something. Hopefully not. By the time I made it back home my wicking shirt was completely soaked in sweat. I practically had to peel it off. Yuck! Mindy wasn’t in the best of moods. I picked up on that right away. Having four kids is wearing on her, I know. It’s admittedly more impacting to her day than my own. She and the wee ones departed at 7:30am like normal. I finished my breakfast then dashed off for a shower. I was ready to go by 7:50am. Once again this morning, I tidied up the kitchen with the few my extra minutes. Jacob and I left for the bus stop at 7:56am. Our wait seemed excruciatingly long. Jake & Jacob read the neighborhood newspaper left on the neighbor’s driveway. They were mostly interested in an article pertaining to their school. I was impressed with Jake’s ability to read so fluidly and with all the proper emphasis. Kudos! The bus finally arrived. The boys put the paper back in the plastic bag it was delivered in and boarded the bus. I returned home and eventually left for work. I arrived at work by 8:22am. I made a fresh pot of Folgers coffee and shared it with my peeps. The morning moved swiftly. Soon it was afternoon. I didn’t take a lunch. I worked straight through. I did make a can of soup for lunch. I called daughter Ashley mid-afternoon to invite her and Olivia over to celebrate Landon’s 2nd birthday on Saturday. I didn’t know the time so I committed to calling her back. I didn’t leave for home until 5:35pm. In the parking lot I talked to a fellow Isuzu owner, who had nothing but praise for his 1998 Rodeo. That was encouraging to hear. I’m happy with my Trooper, too. I was home by 6pm. Mindy was busy making dinner and had the three wee ones playing in the basement. She apparently told them that they had to play down there until dinner was ready. Even then, Rocky tried everything to get access to the upstairs, including wanting to give me a welcome home hug. I went to him instead. After walking Ykraps in the rain I returned to the kitchen. I could still sense tension in Mindy’s body language. She asked Landon numerous times to go down the basement stairs on his bottom (safely) but he told her no. Young ones don’t tell Mindy no with out repercussion. She went after him, putting him in time out (in the big family room chair). He wasn’t pleased. Eventually, dinner was ready (chicken wings) and it was time to eat. Mindy went to Landon and asked several times that he apologize for telling both of us no. He repeatedly refused. Ok, longer time out. His stubbornness reminds me much of his uncle Charles who was much the same way as a very young boy. I thought for sure he’d cave and apologize. He’s done it before. But this time, for whatever reason, he continued to refuse all the while crying for me and Rocky. He cried pretty much through our entire dinner, which he wasn’t permitted to be part of. The crying was getting to me and the others. Eventually Mindy took him to his room to cry. This went on for about 20-25 minutes total. I was bothered that he was missing dinner. Plus, I hadn’t really had a chance to bond with him yet tonight. I excused myself from the dinner table and went to retrieve him. He was still crying. I gave him a reprieve despite his unwillingness to say he was sorry. The thing was, he didn’t tell Mindy no to be mean. He did it so nonchalantly. I felt that he had paid his dues and likely had no idea what he was in trouble for. He’s only two. I also knew that Mindy wouldn’t be pleased to know I released him without the apology. I told her and the kids that he did, just so she wouldn’t lose face in front of the kids. Any other time I would honor that exclusively. Landon was more than happy to be sitting down for dinner. He ate apple sauce and then some of his chicken. For dessert he had a lollipop. Mindy let me know that she didn’t like what I did. I knew she wouldn’t but felt it the righter thing to do under the circumstances. She wasn’t in the best frame of mind from the outset. She seemed to get over it. As far as the rest of the kids, they understood that he apologized from his room. After the mini-crisis and clean-up, I took Rocky & Landon up for a bath. In the meantime, Mindy contended with the never-ending laundry. I dislike giving kids baths but knew that Mindy would appreciate the help. After baths, we read with all the kids. Once again, putting Landon down in his own bed was a battle. I won. It was about 8:20pm. This was Idol results night. I was anxious to see which three would move on. And just like last night, Mindy rubbed my back which had just started aching again around dinner time. After she rubbed mine, I rubbed hers. After Idol we tuned into the Science Channel to watch a program about the secrets of the Atlantic Ocean. The primary subjects were sperm whales. Very cool! We headed for bed at 10:05pm.