Where Are My Wrenches

I woke on time, or just before 5:30am. The streets were dry but the threat of rain persisted. I did a full complement of exercises: sit-ups, push-ups, and curls. I felt pretty darn good. Ykraps and I headed out for our walk at 5:45am. Like usual, I fooled around on the PC before waking Mindy & delivering her coffee. While prepping Mindy’s coffee, out the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a giant bug (roach looking thing) scurrying across our ceramic tile floor. I must’ve leaped four feet into the air. I swear it was 2.5” long and ¾” wide, and that’s not counting its long tentacles. I wanted to find him and toss him outside but couldn’t locate him, which is the worst of all possibilities. I shared the bug sighting with Mindy. God forbid Bella has an encounter with it. I returned for more PC time afterwards, but just long enough to read the Daily OM. I did a meditation before an inside stretch. I dressed and left for a run at 6:35am. I wore long running pants and a regular, long-sleeved wicking shirt. It was 54 degrees. I was comfortable. There were a few spits of rain but no more. I considered myself fortunate given the forecast. By the way, are we in Oregon? There’s nothing but rain forecasted for the next week or so. But at least the temperatures will be hovering around 70 degrees. The biggest problem with the extended rain is the inability to get the lawn mowed and the rest of my dirt spread and tamped. The prolonged stretch of rain has potential to throw off my spring yard project schedule quite severely. Mindy had my fried eggs ready when I got home. She’s getting so much better at preparing them just how I like them. She and Bella scooted out around 7:30am. I showered and was back downstairs ready for work by 7:55am. Jacob headed out by himself. It began to rain. I watched him onto the bus from the porch. I left for work at 8:10am. The workday wasn’t bad at all. Steady but tolerable. I left for lunch around 1pm and headed to Home Depot. I bought a few things: a new blade for my edger, a new pair of yard gloves, and a 2-pack of fluorescent flood lights. They’re now less expensive than their incandescent counterparts, and they’re supposed to last at least twice as long and burn far less energy (about ¼). I spent $20. I wasn’t sure that I bought the correct blade, but figured if it didn’t fit I’d simply return it on Friday. Back at work I ate my lunch while working the afternoon away. I left for home just after 5pm. Things were well under control. I didn’t phone Mindy. Instead, I phoned brother Tommy. Haven’t talked with him for a couple of weeks. We talked about family, the YouTube Domino’s thing, business sales, and yard work. Things are going well, it sounded. We parted ways as I pulled into the drive. Mindy seemed surprised to have me home a little early. She was busy prepping dinner, hamburgers. I walked Ykraps while she toiled with the food. Meanwhile, the sky brightened enough that several neighbors rushed out and cut their lawns. I wished I would’ve, too. I saw a snapping turtle in the pond munching on a carp that some boys caught and cut in half. I wished I had my camera in hand for that. Dinner still wasn’t ready. I decided to replace the burned out floodlights out back. That was a snap. Next, I decided to try the new edger blade. That’s when I discovered that my 12mm and ½” combination box wrenches were missing. I began looking everywhere. It’s so unlike me to not put them back after each use. They have a specific place on the peg board. Dammit. I searched high and low. I remembered using them a couple weeks ago and seemed to recall placing them aside for later but couldn’t remember where. Anyone who knows me certainly must realize that I will obsess over such things. I just can’t help it. Something seemingly so small can turn my world upside down. It can alter my mood from good to bad in a hurry. That was the case in this instance, too. I couldn’t shake it. I was in a bad mood all through dinner. After dinner I looked around the yard, where I believed I used them last. Then I feared that I might’ve mistakenly thrown them away. I eventually surfed the Sears webpage to see how much it would cost to buy replacements. They are $7.29 each. Not exactly a catastrophe. Still, there was no denying that I was frustrated. And sadly, I obsessed about it all night long, even after I went to bed I laid there thinking about where I might’ve put them. I did get a temporary reprieve when I watched Office and 30 Rock. Both are quite funny. Mindy doesn’t care much for either and went to be around 9:45pm. I didn’t head up until 10:30pm.

Dentist & Dirt

I guess all the hard work of moving dirt around the yard finally caught up with me. Despite a fairly decent night’s sleep, I woke Wednesday morning craving more pillow time. But from bed, I battled through the desire and got up and started my day. I completed my exercise routine of sit-ups and push-ups. I headed out with Ykraps. It was 52 degrees. I expected it to feel cooler. My fleece jacket felt a bit heavy. I poured coffee for Mindy and I when I got back. After delivering Mindy’s I returned downstairs where I caved to my desire for more sleep. I went horizontal on the sofa at 6:14am. I fell asleep quickly waking again at 6:30am. I could’ve slept longer, but being the disciplined one that I am I leaped to my feet and started my stretch routine. I skipped meditation. By the time it was all said and done I didn’t get out the door for my run until 6:45am, and probably didn’t hit the pavement until 6:50am since I still had to stretch outdoors. It was dry when I initially woke, but rained somewhere between my walk with Ykraps and my run. It didn’t rain during my run, though. I finished around 7:25am. Mindy and Bella were preparing to depart. Mindy said she figured I must’ve taken a brief nap. She had my eggs waiting for the ready. She and Bella headed out late – 7:35am. In no way was I thinking about Wednesday golf. The weather forecast called for rain through the next 4 or 5 days, but I told Mindy that I’d let her know for certain later. I was behind my normal schedule by 5-10 minutes. I didn’t worry too much, however. Jacob knows his routine well, and will head to the bus stop with or without me. I took the extra few minutes to floss under my retainer since I had a dental appointment later in the afternoon. I floss everyday, but rarely under my retainer these days. Jacob headed out just as I was heading down the stairs. It was raining again. He didn’t seem to mind – never does. I saw he and Jake onto the bus from afar. Before leaving for work I wrote two checks, one for boat storage and the other to the backflow meter inspector. I only write about 10 checks a year these days. No complaints! I drove off to work in the rain. I was setting at an eighth of a tank. I needed gas but didn’t stop. Crap. The prices went up $.20 overnight. I hate it when that happens, especially when I knew I should’ve filled up yesterday. Nothing I could do about it now. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about my dental appointment. It wasn’t until exiting the freeway that I remembered and realized that I’ll need to refuel. Double crap! The work day went along rather nicely. My dental appointment was set for 3pm, so I didn’t take a lunch. However, I did eat the nuts I brought around 10am, just like always. I left the office at 2:30pm destined for Dr March’s. I stopped at the Mill Run Shell to fill-up with gas. I guess I could’ve made it there and back after all. The Trooper took just a hair more than 18 gallons. It holds just over 20. Unlike most other times, I didn’t bother brushing my teeth ahead of time, but did gargle with Scope. Good enough! I arrived a few minutes early. Dr March wasn’t in, but this was something I already knew. Colleen left me a VM indicating as much. I didn’t really care since this was my semi-annual cleaning. I could tell things were a bit looser around the office without Tim around. That’s just how it is. Faith got started on my teeth right away. She used the ultra sound cleaner for the area around my retainer. She always gives me grief for plaque build up there. But then again, she gave me the same grief when I flossed around it everyday. I must be one who’s prone to plaque. She was done in about half the time as usual. I wasn’t surprised. I made my next appointment for November 2nd. That brought on a brief, but gloomy feeling. I was on my way just before 3:30pm. Cool! I had made plans not to return to work. I headed home. The sky looked like it might be brightening, but just then it started to rain. It rained during my entire commute home. I was eager, at a minimum, to get home and clean the thick coating of dirt off of our driveway. If it wasn’t Wednesday, I would’ve planned to move the rest of the dirt. I knew Mindy would appreciate dinner out since it was a Jimaken night. I hurried into my dirt moving attire and gathered up my gloves, a shovel, and the hose. As soon as I got started on the driveway my dad pulled up. Hmmm? He said Mindy called asking him to get Jacob off the bus. I hadn‘t yet talked with Mindy. He stayed long enough to see Jacob and we look at my dirt project. He made a few recommendations where I might place the last two yards of dirt. I appreciated the feedback. He left well before Mindy got home. I had the driveway cleared, save for the covered dirt pile by 4:20pm or so. The sky was clearing overhead so I decided to do some tamping along the falloff of the new grade. That took some doing at such a steep angle. Plus, it was humid with all the rain and sudden sunshine. Mindy & Bella got home a little after 4:30pm. I kept working (tamping) on the dirt. Mindy came out and asked what the plans were. The kids were already gone with Jimaken. I offered that she walk Ykraps while I cleaned up, and then we’d go to Barley’s. And that’s exactly what we did. We must’ve made it to Barley’s before 6pm. I had my Blackberry with me. I saw an email from Bob Imber that he and Bob were taking their chance on golf at Split Rock after all. Sky was looking surprisingly clear, too. As much as I wanted to golf, my desire to clear our driveway superseded. I ordered a pint of Extreme IPA. Mindy went with water. She admitted to having an offsite teacher’s meeting at Applebee’s after work. She ran into daughter Courtney. She also had a margarita. Calvin came in, and so did Monica. I ordered Gates of Hell wings and sauerkraut balls. Mindy ordered a mini brisket quesadilla. She eventually caved and ordered a St Joan’s Revenge. I had another Extreme IPA, too. Our tab was $28 before tip. Not bad! We left for home at 7:20pm. We weren’t home but a couple of minutes before the kids came flying in. They were in high spirits and dashed off to play with friends out back. I joined them, Jacob and Jake, to play some football. I was all-time quarterback. Those two fight like crazy and do all sorts of trash talking. I honestly don’t remember doing any trash talking when we were kids. Spiking the ball was about it. I find the trash talking and fighting troubling. We played until 8:30pm or so. After Jacob went inside I headed back out and called for Bella. She came running from Emily & Evans place. Mindy made both kids shower. Actually, Bella took a bath. It was 9pm by the time they were both in bed. Mindy & I watched Idol elimination night. As expected, Matt was sent packing. I’ve been dead on this season at projecting who will go. We headed to bed at 10:05pm.

Bye-bye Sunshine and 80s

Turning on the AC was the smartest thing we did Monday evening. That gave us a chance to get a good night’s sleep. However, despite the cozy climate, I still tossed and turned through the night, the product of an achy right shoulder. Mindy rubbed it early on, and it eventually stopped barking enough to allow me to fall asleep. I woke to begin my day at 5:25am. I toyed with going back to sleep but never did. After moving 26 yards of dirt over the last three days I expected to wake really stiff, but thanks to Ibuprofen that wasn’t the case. I completed only sit-ups choosing to skip my push-ups. My arms got one hell fo a workout form lifting/hauling dirt. Soon I was out walking Ykraps. It was still fairly warm, too. It was 64 degrees. I checked the radar and forecast after our walk. Rain was forecasted along with falling temps. The consecutive days of sunshine and mid 80s was coming to an abrupt end. Truth is, we needed the rain after 5 straight days of sunshine and warm temps, not to mention the all the wear and tear my lawn’s taken the last few days with the dirt project. Of course, the down side is all the dirt on my driveway will become a muddy mess. But what’s a guy to do? I woke Mindy at 6:05am with coffee in hand. It was already daybreak. I returned downstairs to stretch, meditate, and prepare for my run. I wore only shorts and shoes once again for my run. I was just a tad chilly at the outset but that changed quickly. I was comfortable for the duration. I toyed with the thought of scraping the compacted dirt off my approach and back onto the remaining pile of dirt at my run’s conclusion. However, last minute I decided against it. Instead, I went inside to enjoy my breakfast. Mindy reminded me about soccer practice after work. Oh yeah. However, with the forecast calling for rain, practice was iffy. She promised to watch her email and let me know if she heard anything. She & Bella left for school at 7:35am – later than usual. I was done with my shower and ready to go by 7:50am. Jacob dashed out the door without me. I kept busy organizing for my day at work but also kept an ear out for the bus. I spotted Jacob’s math homework still lying on the kitchen table. I ran it out to him all the while checking it on the way. A great deal of it was incorrect. Because of that, he opted to leave it at home and correct it after school and soccer. I knew Mindy wouldn’t be pleased. At 8:15am I left the house for work. With a quarter tank of gas I should’ve stopped for a fill-up but didn’t. Gas was only $1.85 per gallon – as cheap as it’s been in two weeks. I arrived at work just before 8:30am. The next time I glanced out the window it was raining at a good clip. The rain was intermittent for the remainder of the day. I didn’t take a formal lunch break, but did eat at my desk. Mindy called mid-afternoon but I was busy. I phoned her back around 4:30pm. She hadn’t heard any status on soccer practice, and no news means it’s on. The skies were hit or miss. She thought she’d try to reach the coach via email or cell and let me know just before leaving the house. I checked with her again around 5:25pm. They were just preparing to leave the house for soccer practice. I stayed at work until almost 6pm since I can get to the soccer field so quickly from the office. I stopped at the ATM on the way, yet I still arrived early – 6:10am. Instead of sitting in the lot waiting, I made a quick stop in Darby Creek Nursery, which is right across the street. I checked out their sod quality and prices along with a few other plants/flowers. Their prices are the same as Straders - $4 per sq. yard. I didn’t stay long and still beat Mindy & the kids to the soccer field. Not a lot of practice going on as compared to most other Tuesday’s, probably around ten teams. Mindy and the kids arrived a minute or two after me. She brought me a Wendy’s combo meal. I jumped in the Honda with Bella and Mindy while Jacob ran off with his team. We couldn’t see their practice from where we sat. The rain held off for the next hour but the temperature dipped into the mid 50s. We stayed in the vehicle the entire time. After eating my dinner I took a brief nap, however, I didn’t sleep that deeply thanks to Bella making lots of racket. As usual, Jacob’s team was the last off the field. We left for home at 7:35pm. Both kids rode with Mindy. I had to walk Ykraps as soon as we arrived home. Courtney came barreling down the road while I was out with Ykraps. She was over for a short visit. Courtney didn’t stay much more than fifteen minutes. As soon as she left, Mindy got the kids ready for bed. Afterwards, I completed a few household chores. By then American Idol was on. Mindy let Jacob watch Idol with us until about 8:40pm. Bella was in her room watching her own programming. I went up to tuck both in a few minutes later. Based on the night’s performances, my guess was that Matt will be gone. At 9pm it was time for Fringe. About 15 minutes into the program, I popped some popcorn. Even though Mindy warned Bella against getting out of bed after being tucked in, she must’ve done it about three times between 9-9:30pm. The last attempt she asked to come down for popcorn. NO! Fringe was really good once again. After the program ended Mindy & I headed for bed.

More Dirt

I tossed and turned through most of the night never once sleeping as deeply as I am accustomed to. It was 5:35am when I rolled out of bed. I forgot to prep coffee so I had to spend a few minutes getting that going. No problem. Despite being a tad sore and tired, I felt pretty good, especially after glancing outside and seeing another glorious day unfolding. It cooled to the low 60s overnight. It was 64 degrees. After a little time on the PC, I delivered Mindy’s coffee. Downstairs I followed my usual model of stretching and mediation before leaving for my run. I wore just shorts, socks, and shoes. I was quite comfortable, too. I was back early – about 7:12am. I put our trash can back in its place before heading in. Mindy had a big plate of eggs awaiting my return. Mindy & Bella left at their usual time. Jacob and I followed our usual routines. We were at the bus stop at 7:57am. I took my camera along and took a couple photos. As soon as the boys boarded their bus I returned home to wrap up some last minute details before heading off myself. I planned to ask my boss if I could work from home that afternoon, but found out he wasn’t in. He was dealing with car issues after returning from his vacation. He was checking email, however. Add to that, two of my peers were off for various reasons. I still asked and my boss agreed. Cool! I called Jones Top Soil and ordered another 14 yards of dirt for afternoon delivery. I worked diligently in my office until 12:45pm. It was sunny and warm – 82 degrees – when I left for home. As soon as I got home I booted up my laptop and got busy with work. I didn’t want to leave anyone hanging. The dirt guy called around 1:15pm and showed up around 1:40pm. He dumped the 14 yards in about the same place his peer did Saturday. I left the dirt lie and returned inside to work through the afternoon from the kitchen table. Mindy & Bella got home around 4:30pm. Mindy left Jacob at Noah’s for a while longer. I stayed busy with work until 5:00pm. Afterwards, I ventured to the recliner to take a brief nap. I was suddenly overcome with sleepiness. I didn’t sleep long, however. I got busy moving dirt. Kenny again promised his help after work, but I started by myself. My arms got weary fast shoveling dirt into my trailer. Thankfully, Kenny came over after my first load. Mindy left to fetch Jacob. The kids were once again crawling all over the dirt pile. It took Kenny and I a couple trips to regain our rhythm, but we ultimately did. Once Mindy got home she helped by shoveling up our spillage helping keep the large pile neat and tidy. Jake, Kenny’s stepson, worked the tamper. I was very impressed with his efforts. He stayed after it through the evening. We worked until dark and got all but about two yards loaded, dumped, and contoured. It finally looked close to what I had envisioned. It only took twice as much dirt as I originally envisioned. J Already, I could see the errors of my planning and how I might’ve done it differently given the chance. But all in all, I accomplished the main goal of giving myself firm footing on the west side of the house. I was more convinced than ever that I should use sod versus sowing seed to complete the project. I don’t have the patience to watch seed grow all summer. But we’ll see. It was completely dark by the time I had the tools all put away and headed into the house. Mindy saw to it that the dirt was covered with a tarp. Word has it that rain’s on its way tomorrow. I may not get to the remaining dirt moved until the weekend, and that’s if the forecast is decent. I hadn’t yet looked at the weekend forecast. Inside, I wanted more water and some food. I hadn’t eaten much all day other than nuts, cheese and a few Triscuits. I was also craving soda, so I chugged some Diet Coke from a two-liter bottle. However, before eating anything of substance, I badly needed a shower, just like everyone else. All four of us were covered with dirt head to toe. That was truly a family project. My shower felt incredible. After my shower I devoured the remains of a submarine sandwich Kenny & Crissy left at our place Friday night. It was from Sparano’s on Hague. It was tops, perhaps the best sub I’ve ever tasted. Note to self! In the end, the sub left me tired. We agreed to turn on the AC this time, even though it was expected to cool considerably on Tuesday. We headed to bed around 10pm.

Bobcat Kenny

Waking was a little easier than it was Saturday morning. I was up once again before 7:30am. As anticipated, I could see nothing but clear blue skies out the half round bedroom window. That was more than enough to get me motivated for another summery day in the yard. Downstairs, I made coffee, completed my exercises, and took Ykraps on his morning walk. I spent just a little while on the PC before turning my attention to my run. I didn’t want to let the hours get away from me. I knew I’d have Kenny’s help this morning but only until noon. He had a 1pm tee time. He invited me along, but I had too much work to do. I left for my run again around 8:30am. I shortened the day’s run to three miles like many Sunday’s. I also ran along Trabue & Hague. It was a very lovely run. Kenny’s Bobcat was parked out front when I got back. Mindy was busy making cinnamon French Toast with real French bread. Kenny was over ready to get to work a few minutes later. We insisted he eat something first. We ate in a hurry. It took us a couple runs to get our system down, but after that it was smooth sailing. We parked our trailers back to back, which together held a full scoop from his Bobcat. I was certain that we wouldn’t need all the dirt and even asked Kenny if he needed some. He countered that we would likely use it all. Load after load, we kept heaping more dirt to alter the contour from a fairly steep slope to a gentle grade away from the deck to the stream. Soon it was obvious that I would need more dirt to have it turn out like I envisioned. Imagine my surprise. Kenny figured something just less than what we just went through. Kenny left for home and golf while I stayed behind scraping the last of the compressed dirt off the driveway. That was some tough sledding, especially in the hot sun. It was 86 degrees, by the way, and I was sun burned to beat all get out. Mid-afternoon I asked Mindy to bring me a t-shirt, something I should’ve done from the outset. After getting as much of the dirt scrapped off as I could with a shovel I got the hose out and washed what was left away with water. That took nearly an hour. With so much work yet to do, I chose not to relax. Instead, I tamped/compacted the dirt we placed earlier. Then, after a short break, I edged around the deck flower beds in the hot sun. By then Mindy had invited my dad over for dinner – steaks on the grill. I finished my yard work around 5pm and headed up for a shower. I was dirty, hot, and tired. After my shower I asked Mindy to join me walking Ykraps. She did. We talked with the neighbors while we walked. Dad drove by while we were walking. He eventually met us along our trek. Once back home I showed him our grade change. I told him that I planned to get more dirt on Monday. We sat on the deck enjoying the late afternoon sun. It was still well into the 80s and even a bit uncomfortable against my sun burnt skin. I started the grill in short order. Mindy had me grill a variety of meats: two filets, two NY strips, two chicken breasts, and four hot dogs. Inside, the put the finishing touches on a fruit & veggie tray, along with baked potatoes. Last minute we learned neighbor Jake would be dining with us. We had plenty of food. Dad and I had strip steaks while Mindy enjoyed the filet. Jacob & Jake had chicken, and Bella ate a hot dog. Everyone but Bella had a baked potato. Mindy bought a fancy apple pie while at the Anderson’s earlier in the afternoon. We had some of that for dessert. It was good. I warmed mine in the microwave. Dad stayed until about 8pm. During his visit, he shared that he was heading down to Florida once again to visit U.K. in about ten days. I asked if he would keep after Ykraps while we’re off to Mexico. He agreed. Lastly, I gave him three, short 2”X8” treated boards that I needed cut to specification (3” wide by 18” long) for the boat. We checked out my weed infested lawn restoral project from last fall just before he pulled away. That’s another long story. Ugh! Mindy got the kids bathed while I got the trash to the curb. I was still sucking down the ice water trying to cure an insatiable thirst. The house was really too warm for comfort. We debated turning on the AC but didn’t, although we should’ve. Later, when we headed for bed, we both were too hot and uncomfortable. I ended up getting back up and heading to the PC. I was wide awake and it was 11:30pm. Damn! It was much cooler downstairs. I spent about 45 minutes researching Ohio lawn weeds. I was determined to learn what the heck had taken over my new grass out front. It’s so thick that you can hardly see any of the new grass underneath, but it’s only where I restored the lawn. I love Google, and especially Google images. I learned that it is a form of chickweed. While there, I also found the weed that pops up every summer along the edges of my flower beds. It’s spurge. More research pointed out that chickweed is most often introduced by grass seed. Go figure! The good news is that it is manageable with Weed-B-Gone, and that it’s a cold weather weed that will begin to die once the days get and stay hot. I don’t really want to spray any weed killer on the new grass just yet. I’ll probably wait another couple weeks, giving the new grass more time to mature. Back to bed after midnight. I laid there again struggling to get some sleep.

Dirt & Draft

Even though I wasn’t feeling at 100%, I rolled out of bed at 7:15am. The promise of summery weather was enough to get me going. Besides, I was expecting 14 yards of dirt to be delivered sometime that morning. I made coffee and then completed my exercise routine. I took three Ibuprofen before heading out with Ykraps. I didn’t feel bad, however. Instead, I took them for preventative purposes, knowing that I’d be moving dirt all day long. It was already 68 degrees. There wasn’t even a hint of coolness to the morning air. It smelt more like a summer morning. It was awesome. I poured some coffee and then grabbed my guitar and headed out onto the deck. There’s nothing like sipping coffee and strumming the guitar while basking in warm morning sunshine. I kept a close eye on the clock. I went in at 8:10am to get my phone since Jones Top Soil said they’d call first. Before leaving for my run I did some blogging. At 8:40am I took my phone to Mindy and woke her up. I wanted her to field their call if it came while I was out running. I didn’t think to take her coffee. She was still sleeping. I just knew that she’d ding me for it later, however. For the first time since early last fall, I wore shorts and a sleeveless wicking shirt for my run. It was a fantastic run. I forgot to emphasize to Mindy that I had already paid for the dirt. If they showed up in my absence, I hoped she wouldn’t pay them again. I half expected the dirt to be there by the time I made it home, but it wasn’t. It was 9:30am. Mindy was finally up and busy making bacon and pancakes. The house smelt terrific. Mindy bought me some real maple syrup after I complained that the Aunt Jemima wasn’t nothing more colored corn syrup. However, turns out, pure maple syrup isn’t as flavorful as I expected. Still, my breakfast was delicious. After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, I went to the computer. Mindy & the kids headed upstairs to get dressed. The ‘dirt man’ called around 10:15am to tell me he was no more than 30 minutes out. Cool. I nicknamed him Dirty Bob. When he called, I couldn’t understand much of what he said, including his name. The dirt guy showed up before 11am. He wasn’t real sure how to dump 14 yards of dirt on our driveway given its steepness without scraping his trailer on the drive. I certainly didn’t want that. Although, we did it without any trouble. The pile was about what I expected. Mindy photographed the entire event. Like sugar to ants, it didn’t take long for the dirt pile to attract kids. Before I could load the first trailer full, Jacob, Bella, and all their neighborhood friends were crawling and riding their bikes all over the huge pile of dirt. Initially, the bikes sunk into the soft top soil, but it didn’t take long for it to get packed down pretty tight. Mindy was a Trooper. She shoveled dirt all afternoon and drove the tractor pulling the trailer behind. I hauled dirt via the wheel barrow. Meanwhile, the temperature soared well into the 80s under brilliantly blue skies. I could feel my skin beginning to burn but didn’t stop. We moved dirt until about 4pm. And the kids played in the dirt pile the entire time. Neighbor Kenny came over just as Mindy & I were dumping the day’s final load. We were beat. More than anything, our arms were sore from all the shoveling, let alone the dumping and spreading. Kenny offered to bring his Bobcat over tomorrow morning to use as a top loader. In addition, he’d bring his tractor and trailer over as well. I accepted. At the rate we were going, I’d be at it all day Sunday and still not finish. And Mindy was already complaining of being too sore to continue. By the time I got everything put away it was after 5pm. We made plans to cookout with Kenny & Crissy at their place. I checked the NFL draft status. The Viking had yet to make their first pick. But by the time I got my shower their pick was in. They took Percy Harvin, wide receiver from Florida. He’s said to be a huge talent but comes to us with baggage. Mindy walked Ykraps with me before we headed over to the neighbors. We took hot dogs, chicken, and brats. We also took about six good beers, including a couple that neighbors David and Becky brought us earlier in the day. That was nice! We watched the rest of the NFL draft while at Kenny & Crissy’s. I love following it. Mindy & I were pretty tired come 9:00pm. We called it a night and headed home with the kids. Back at home, we debated the pros and cons of turning on the AC. The house was warm and we were both sunburned. We opted not. We headed to bed around 10pm since we had so much dirt yet to move on Sunday. I’d say a little more than half remained.

T.G.I.F. ... really

It was finally Friday, and I couldn’t have been happier. The work week was all I could handle and then some; it ate me alive. We were expecting mid 80s and sunshine all weekend long. My plans to have dirt delivered and then move it around the yard looked like a go. Like most other days, I exercised and then walked Ykraps. Different from most recent mornings, it was already in the upper 50s. For that I was happy. My run was extremely nice. No jacket necessary, but I still wore my long running pants and a long sleeved shirt. Good run! The sun was up and shining brightly. Mindy made fried eggs for breakfast. They were good. I planned to drive the BM’er to work. I hung with Jacob & Jake at the bus stop. It was gorgeous, and the smell of spring flowers lingered heavily in the fresh morning air. My drive into work was most pleasant. I was juiced about the weekend. Work was again very challenging, but with the weekend practically upon us, it was a bit more tolerable. For lunch, I drove to Home Depot where I bought grass seed for the back yard grade change I planned to make over the weekend. I also bought a can of purple spray paint. Mindy & I agreed to paint our faded pink flamingos purple! That ought to be fun. Meanwhile, it was sunny and as warm as advertised – mid 80s. The afternoon couldn’t go fast enough. I was ready for a weekend. I finally left the office around 5:05pm. An old work buddy who has since left was getting ready to fish in one of the huge ponds on premise. We chatted for a while. He really likes his new gig just up the road. I was a little disappointed that clouds hung overhead, almost like they were waiting for me. In fact, it sprinkled a little on my commute home. Still, I drove with the top down. Mindy and the kids were playing at home. I took a short nap before doing much else. Neighbors Kenny & Crissy came over around 7pm. We drank beers on the deck. I shared my weekend project plans with Kenny. He offered his help. We ended up drinking beer and hanging with them as well as our other neighbors until 11pm or so. The kids stayed up just as late. I made a snack before going to bed. Mindy was already asleep when I headed up.

In Lieu of Golf ...

It was Thursday. But more importantly, the sky was crystal clear and the promise of warm weather was in the air. It was still pretty chilly at 5:30am (42 degrees), but that I could tolerate, especially knowing that the mercury was expected to rise to near 70 by mid afternoon. Effortlessly, I pushed through my exercise routine then headed out with Ykraps. Stars dominated the dark morning sky, but daylight was easily visible on the eastern horizon. Coffee was the perfect complement to the beautiful morning. I played on my PC for the next few minutes before delivering coffee and waking Mindy. I did my usual meditation and stretching before dressing for a run. I left the house at 6:40am. The sky was already a lovely pale blue at the outset, but that quickly changed to a deeper blue as the sun came up not even a mile into my run. My legs, again, felt a wee bit weary reminded that it’s always something. You simply have to make the decision to run through it. Otherwise there will always be an ache here or there that could easily serve as an excuse to skip. Not I. My run ended in a furry. I got after it down the home stretch, but slowed two or three houses from our drive. That’s the difference I notice from 23 years ago when I started doing any sort of distance running. I used to run from Valleyview Dr down Hague to Broad St. Out Broad St to Wilson rd. then back to Valleyview Dr. and then home. It seemed long but was only three miles. I would kick it into high gear around Sylvan Ave all the way home – about a half mile. I would barely break a sweat. Today, I don’t have that same top end; it’s not even close. Today it’s more about consistency. Inside, Mindy had my eggs ready. Bella had eggs too. That’s rare. There was no Jacob. He spent the night with his daddy. So after Mindy and Bella departed, I had the house to myself. I took my time getting ready and planned to drive the BM’er. It was still in the 40s but warming by the minute. My drive in was spirited. I jammed to the Muffs all the way in. I often observe the faces of those driving past me in the opposite direction. And rarely do I see anyone that appears even remotely happy. Tired? Hate their jobs? Too much debit? Can’t be sure, but it serves as a reminder how blessed I am. I, more often than not, sing and smile during my drive in, especially when it’s sunny and warm The day moved by at a good clip. At lunch I went to Saturday’s and got a hair cut. I let them cut it shorter than I have in a while. Afterwards I stopped in Jack’s to pick-up some crickets and meal worms for Bella. No, I mean the lizards. J I was gonna head back to work to eat my lunch but decided last minute to treat myself to a Quiznno’s sub – a $4 Torpedo. I’ve wanted to try one of their oven baked beauties for a few years but never have. It’s right next door to Saturday’s and just two store fronts form Jack’s. Each place I wanted to visit during lunch was right next to one another. How convenient! The afternoon was busy. I was still dealing with an issue I carried into my on-call weekend. Crazy, I tell you. Also, at some point during the day I ordered 14 yards of topsoil for a Saturday morning delivery. I also scheduled our water meter inspection with the city now that our backflow meter’s been inspected and passed. They’re coming out next Friday morning before I head into work. I was relieved to have those two issues dealt with. I worked hard and still accomplished a handful of personal matters. It was a very productive day, indeed. I left for home around 5:45pm. I followed my big work issue through the evening via my Blackberry. Mindy was having dinner with Bella at the Big Fat Greek. She made those plans since there was a chance I might be golfing, but I never heard from Bob. I wasn’t disappointed, however. Instead, I planned to use the time constructively to cut the grass, saving myself the hassle over the weekend when I’d prefer to be moving the 14 yards of dirt. I walked Ykraps as soon as I got home. I thought for a minute about napping first but ultimately decided against it. Instead, I got moving on the lawn chores. I took my time trimming and edging before mowing. I used the push mower on most of the front. Where the grass is extra thick, my Toro bogged down with all the grass clippings caught up under the deck. I had to move to the sidewalk a number of times and clap the mower against the concrete just to break the clogs free. Mindy got home just before I moved around back. She brought me a gyro and fries. I wasn’t all that hungry at the moment, especially after eating that sub earlier, but as time went on it sounded better and better. I finished my yard chores around 7:40pm. It looked nice. More importantly, I saved myself from having to do it this coming weekend. Mindy was just getting Bella ready for bed when I went inside for the night. She had my gyro and fries in the oven in a stone baking dish. That kept the fires crunchy and the gyro hot. It was delicious! I ate the entire thing, too. I took a shower a few minutes later. I had lots of lawn debris clinging to my legs and clothes. By the way, the high temperature reached 69 degrees. It’s supposed to be in the 80s Friday through Tuesday. That sounded terrific! Bella went to bed around 8:40pm. She began to fuss about missing Jacob. She whined for several minutes while Mindy & I did some reading. I eventually dosed off. I woke when Jacob got home from the hockey game. I heard Mindy tucking him in. He sounded very excited about the game. I still didn’t know who won, however. I got up for a few and tuned the TV to Office & 30 Rock. Mindy hates both shows. Mindy came down and told me that the Jackets lost, and then she went to bed. They’re done, but at least they made it to the playoffs. I fell asleep on the couch. I got up around 11pm and headed for bed.

Extreme IPA

It was Wednesday. Like most days, I was out of bed by 5:30am and soon flying through my exercise routine, walking Ykraps, and sipping some heavenly coffee. I was anxious for the day on a number of fronts. One, this was expected to be the last of a four day stretch of dreary spring weather, and two, it represented the halfway point of a long work week that’s effectively been two melded into one for me. The sky was hit or miss in that one minute we were socked in under clouds and the next under a clearing patch. However, according to the forecast, more rain was guaranteed. My run went easily after another one of those brief naps on the sofa after PC time. I’ve got to be careful that it doesn’t become habit. Yikes! Mindy had a big pile of eggs waiting my return. They were really tasty. She asked about the possibility of golf. I didn’t think we would but I offered that the possibility still existed, especially if the weather turned more favorable. If not, we’d have a dinner date since this was a ‘daddy night’ for the kids. Either way, I couldn’t lose. Work kept me on edge. I worked via my Blackberry even before leaving the house. But that’s been the case all week, really. I am so looking forward to the weekend. Let’s just leave it at that. I blazed through my day and skipped a formal lunch hour. I did eat at my desk, however. Rarely do I allow myself to go hungry. I sent Bob Imber an email asking about golf mid-afternoon. It was about 52 degrees under partly cloudy skies, and there hadn’t been any appreciable rain for hours. He responded relatively quickly that they were shooting for Thursday evening instead as more rain was moving in from the west. Just as well. I really wanted to get out of work a tad early but didn’t. My day in the office ended at 530pm. But just like I have all week, I remained involved via my tether (the Blackberry). Mindy and I dashed off to Barley’s for happy hour. There wasn’t a big crowd, and for that I was pleased. Janet was working the bar. She immediately put a sample of the new Barley’s Extreme IPA in front of me. It was very bitter and hoppy – perfect. I ordered a pint! Mindy ordered a St Joan’s. Our pals Calvin & Dan were there. We chatted it up with them for a while. I kept checking in with work until Mindy asked that I put my Blackberry away and relax. Just then it rang. It was my boss calling from Myrtle Beach. I stepped outside on the patio to talk. He was curious how things were going. I gave him the scoop. Hurry back!!! He took his Blackberry on vacation and was reading email. That’s something he shouldn’t have done because it was obviously preventing him from letting go. Note to self. Mindy & I shared an order of sauerkraut balls and a Barley burger. Both were superb – unmatched anywhere else. Mindy picked up the tab and we left for home at 7:25pm. Jimaken and the kids were waiting out front. Jacob was on his bike and had his new plastic ramp on the sidewalk. Jimaken took him to Toys R Us this evening to spend his birthday money. He bought the ramp, an inexpensive video camera, and some other stuff. He was going over his new ramp but doing it more like a hill than a ramp. No balls! I thought about role modeling how one should pull up on the handle bars just as you head up the ramp but thought better of it. What good could come of it? None. And worst case, I’d hurt myself. I need to remember that I’m not 18 anymore. The kids didn’t play too long. After all, Jacob was leaving with his daddy – spending the night. Tomorrow was take=your-kid to work day. Jacob was going to work with his daddy. They left around 8pm. We wouldn’t see Jacob until late Thursday night since they were also going to the Blue Jackets playoff game Thursday evening. Mindy got Bella ready for bed. After tucking her in, I updated my blog and then watched Idol elimination night. Two were sent packing: Lil & Anoop. No big surprise. Mindy & I headed to bed after - 10pm.

Soggy Soccer

Holding out for better weather, that’s this week’s mantra. I was up on time after a really good night’s sleep. I exercised and walked Ykraps. It wasn’t raining but the sky was half threatening. After delivering Mindy’s coffee I decided to sofa dive for a few minutes prior to running. I was suddenly overcome with sleepiness. The extra winks served me well. I did some heavy dreaming in those ten or so minutes, too. I stretched then left for my run. The roads were a little damp but no puddles. I wore my new running shoes. It was hovering in the low 40’s, and it’s expected to be much the same through Thursday morning. My run went well – no problems; no worries. Mindy had fried eggs just about ready upon my return. One of them busted. I didn’t mind. This was soccer practice night, but the forecast called for moderate rain all day. Practice has been canceled the last two Tuesday’s. Sounds like we’re at risk once more, although the sky was clearing at least somewhat already this AM. I watched Jacob onto the bus before heading off to work. I was feeling a lot better about work. Monday was a bear. My work life was still a bit topsy-turvy but I managed through the day. I left the office at lunch time and drove to Sears and Lowes looking for another edging shovel. I bought one at Lowes. It has a big surface for the boot kick and a tougher edge to help pierce small rocks. It should serve me well. The work day flew by faster than ever. I stayed at the office until 5:55pm. I needed to meet Mindy & the kids at soccer practice by 6:30pm. The sky changed several times throughout the day, and showers were scattered about, but it was partly cloud when I left work. I arrived at 6:10pm. No Mindy. She didn’t arrive until 6:25pm. She brought me Steak & Shake (burger, fries and a drink). It was chilly – only 47 degrees. A shower moved in just after practice got started. It came down in buckets too, but only for a minute or two. Jacob’s team stayed on the field. Many others bagged it. Mindy, Bella, and I waited and watched from the Trooper. We gave Bella some basic math word problems to solve. She did well. Rather than simply giving her numbers, we gave her objects for real world application. Time moved slowly at first but eventually moved a bit quicker. Mindy and Bella headed out just in front of Jacob and I. We caught them at the light. We took Scioto Darby to Walcutt then home. Jacob already walked Ykraps before they left the house for soccer practice. I appreciated the help. But I’m sure Ykraps appreciated it even more. J It was almost 8pm already. Mindy had Jacob take a shower. I think Bella was allowed to skip. We got the kids tucked in pretty quickly then tuned the TV to Fringe, one of our favorite shows. It was good. Next up was Idol. It was disco night. I told Mindy that Lil and Anoop would be going home (two this week). We headed to be soon after Idol ended.

Meatball Subs & Rainbows

It was Monday morning. I slept like a rock. I didn’t wake until 5:45am. That was 15 minutes late. The first thing I noticed was the sound of rain pounding against the skylights and windows. Lovely! I was actually happy for the rain. We needed it for the ongoing health of our lawns. I hurried through my exercise routine then leashed up Ykraps. We headed out into the rainy weather. I used the umbrella. I rushed through PC time and then woke Mindy and delivered her coffee even before sipping some of my own. Mindy came immediately downstairs and said she was staying home. She didn’t feel well. Despite not feeling well, she still had to stay up and prepare sub plans then email ‘em off to her school. I skipped meditation for the lack of time and quiet. Though I still managed to stretch indoors and out before leaving on my run. Despite the rain, I made the best of it. Oh, I wore my old running shoes, too, by the way. The rain came down hard at about the halfway point. Once I was soaked it no longer mattered. I wasn’t cold and there wasn’t any lightning. I was simply wet! Mindy had a towel hanging on the newel post just inside the door. I toweled off in the foyer to avoid dripping water through the house. She still made my eggs and lunch. She headed back to bed while I showered and primped. I saw Jacob onto the bus. He insisted on waiting at the bus stop even in the rain. Not me. I waited inside and saw him get on. Good enough. I said goodbye to both Mindy & Bella. I packed up and left for work at 8:10am. I had already been working online some from home. It rained through my commute. In fact, it rained all day long. Work was a blur. I was busy from go, and stressed a little too. I had a big issue that carried over from the weekend that wasn’t going well. I literally looked up and it was 5:00pm. Where’d the day go? I left for home at 5:45pm. I called Mindy. She said we were having homemade meatball subs for dinner. That’s a first, but it sounded good. I walked Ykraps as soon as I got home. And yes, it was still raining. But looking west, there was clearing on the horizon. It was moving in fast, too. By the time we sat for dinner the sun was shining against an almost purple sky to our immediate east. And just like several other times this year, there was a double rainbow. Nice! The meatball subs were good. I had two; they were small (served on hot dog buns). Clean-up was quick. Not a lot of dirty dishes. I took a nap on the family room floor soon after dinner clean-up. I woke myself snoring. I was dreaming heavily although I can’t recall what about. Mindy asked if I was OK. I was, of course. She then offered to rub my back. I accepted. It felt good. Loosened me up some. While she readied the children for bed, I worked on my blog. She went to bed at 8:55pm. I used the time wisely doing some reading. I read until I fell asleep. I woke after a few minutes and headed up to bed. It was still just 9:35pm.

Edging

Jacob's Birthday Celebration continued As pretty as it was Saturday morning and afternoon, it clouded up late into the evening. Sunday’s forecast called for cooler temps and rain showers virtually all day long. Imagine then my surprise when I woke Sunday morning to completely blue skies and sunshine. I began the day just a few minutes after 7:30am. I started some coffee, checked my Blackberry, and completed my exercise routine all before 8am. It was warm, too - about 58 degrees. But as nice as it was, I could see clouds approaching from the southwest. I chose to enjoy the sunshine while it lasted. I checked the forecast, it called for rain starting around 10am and then lasting through the night. That would certainly put a damper on Jacob’s birthday party that was scheduled to begin at 2pm. I checked the weather radar, it didn’t look like any significant rain was anywhere near Columbus. Mindy got up on her own around 8:30am. She poured herself some coffee then started decorating for Jacob’s party. I dressed and left for a run before 9am. I didn’t wear a jacket of any kind for the first time in weeks. Like I often do on Sunday’s, I shortened my run to three miles. I ran along Trabue and Hague. Meanwhile, the sky was overcast but not threatening rain. I could deal with that. Back at home I snacked on some of Saturday night’s pizza while Mindy toiled with party prep. I asked if there was anything I could do to help before heading out to do more edging. She offered that I do the edging then but help inside later. Cool! That’s what I did. I headed out to pick-up where I left off Saturday afternoon. I noticed almost immediately that the plastic d-handle on my garden spade was cracked all the way through. Not sure how/when that happened. I made do, being careful not to break it any further. I was able to complete the edging out front and along the westside of the house. I knew I had to watch for the irrigation system lines in the narrow channel between my pines and flower bed. I found it only 3 inches or so below the sod line. I dumped all of my edgings along the new retaining wall as well as over the stairs I built last summer that create easy access to the pond for pumping. I felt like I was making good time, but was surprised to find it only 11:30am when I finished for the day. There’s more edging to do out there, but I planned to do that during the week or next weekend. I’m still on schedule. Inside, Mindy asked that I mop the tile floor. Before I could do that, however, I needed to shower. I had lots of mud caked on my bare legs and arms. I returned downstairs fresh and clean and ready to mop. Like I often do, I used a rough textured cloth, hot water and orange scented Pinesol. Instead of a mop, I use my leg as the mop handle and the cloth as the mop head. That works far better than a real mop. I was done in ten minutes or so. Clean and fresh! Next, I readied a cooler with bottled water. I also put six beers in the fridge, although knowing this party wouldn’t be a beer fest. After all, most of Jacob’s friends don’t drink beer. J We had lots of pop, but Mindy prefers the 2-litre thing with cups and an ice tub. No need to cooler all of that. Time flew by after that. Soon guests began to show up. Her mother was first. We had a house full by 2:15pm. Just about the right amount of kids to have fun. Lucky for us, the weather (rain) held off for the better part of the afternoon. The kids played outdoors for most of the party. I got some of the piñata event on video. In fact, it’s now on Youtube. Jacob cleaned up gift-wise. Lots of cool toys, clothes, cash, and shopping cards. Almost like Xmas. We provided oodles of snack food and even ordered pizza for our guests that decided to stay around. I was full even before the pizza was ordered. We ordered four. I went to pick them up. While there, I caught the first two outs of the ninth inning of the Reds/Astros game. The Reds won. The counter help seemed more interested in the Reds game than getting my order. I didn’t mind, though. Back home, I was largely detached from the guests as my on-call duties begged attention. I had my laptop setting side-by-side with my desktop. Everyone left by 6:30pm. Gloria was the last to leave. Mindy and I spent an hour or so getting the house back to normal. It took some doing. The kids got ready for bed before 8pm. Where had the weekend gone? Mindy poured me a Hop Devil IPA after the dust settled. It tasted really good. I was disappointed in myself for eating so darn much. I was stuffed, something I don’t often do. Mindy headed to bed even before 10pm. I stayed up working until 11pm. By then I was ready for some good sleep.

Columbus Clippers Ring Your Bell

Saturday: I was up fairly early, 7:30am to be exact. I was excited about the warm sunny weather forecasted for our area. I hurried through an entire gauntlet of exercises before heading out with Ykraps. Ahh, yes, lovely indeed. The sun was just coming up over the horizon providing a breath taking view looking east. Back at home I poured coffee and tinkered on the internet for a while, but I never lost site of the clock. I also checked in with work. So far, so good. I was determined to get my run in earlier than usual for a Saturday. I didn’t want to waste a minute. I left at approximately 8:30am. My lower legs were a little tight, which is odd. I haven’t experienced that in years, but I guess you’ll have that from time to time. Reckon I was dehydrated from the four beers the night before. Mindy got up soon after I returned home from my run. We enjoyed a little time together before I got busy with some flower bed edging. That was something I could easily do and still manage any work related issues that might arise. I headed out with square shovel in hand by 10am. This year I started where I usually finish, the white pine out front, and then worked my way along the eastside of the house. I filled three wheel barrow’s full of edgings there alone. It’s funny how quickly that stuff adds up. I used the first two wheel barrows full as fill along the water’s edge again. Something dug into the dead mulch I used there a couple weeks ago. But this time I used my tamper to compact it tightly. After a break and checking in with work I started on the beds out front. I took my time digging a nice deep edge and filling the wheel barrow as I went along. This time I used the edgings along the retaining wall that I built last weekend. It barely made a dent but at least it covered the gap between the first 2X8 and the ground. Ashley & Olivia stopped by while I was toiling out front. I was very happy to see them both. Haven’t spent much time at all with Olivia this year. She was cute as a button, too, dressed in pig tails, sun dress and sun glasses. She’s such a girly-girl. She was mesmerized with what I was doing – putting edgings into the wheel barrow. She wanted to help but only with gloves. I shared mine. I took her inside to give her her Easter basket. In it, among other things, was a pair of gardening gloves and a shovel just for kids. Perfect. She couldn’t wait to get back outside to help dig. We fixed a snack first. While snacking, Mindy returned home from the grocery store. Olivia was eager to help carry in the groceries. Too cute! Mindy brought home Burger King. I offered to share mine with Olivia, but she was more interested in Mindy’s. We hung out until almost 1:30pm. I headed back out to finish what I was doing. After all I needed to be in the shower in short order since I was taking Rocky to the Clipper’s home opening in their new digs. Outside, I finished picking up the edgings then took the wheel barrow out back to the shed. Olivia wanted a ride. I carted her around the yard a few times. When I got on the tractor to put it back in the shed, she asked for a ride. I gave her one. She liked that too. Meanwhile, there were three boys fishing in our backyard. It’s just something we’ve gotten used to having property along the water. Well, they caught one of those big carp. I knew that they were getting big, but even I was surprised at the size of this one. Must’ve been 18 inches long and about ten pounds. Olivia was impressed to be sure. And it just so happens that Mindy was coming out to snap a picture of Olivia and me tractoring around the yard. She took a picture of the boys with the big carp, too. Ashley & Olivia soon left, and I darted off to the shower. I left to fetch Rocky around 3pm. First pitch was moved up from 7:05pm to 4:05pm to accommodate the Fleetwood Mac concert taking place at Nationwide arena. This was a picture perfect day for baseball. It was sunny & 73 degrees. Rocky & I arrived in the arena district around 3:20pm. We parked in a lot right across the street from where Mindy & I parked only a week ago for the Todd Rundgren concert. We made a beeline for Huntington Field. Our tickets were standing room only, but we didn’t care. Again, not only was this the first ball game in the new stadium, but also opening day for the Clippers home schedule 2009, so it was a full house with all the dignitaries that one might expect to find at such an historical event. There was even an F-14 fly over right after the national anthem – cool! Rocky wanted a hot dog as soon as we got through the gate. I asked only that he wait long enough for the anthem to play. Meanwhile, the new stadium was everything everyone said it was, very beautiful and lots of cool features. To commemorate the event Rocky & I received free Clippers ball caps – nice ones, too. Sadly, the park will forever be remembered for surrendering a base hit on the first pitch ever thrown in it. Sadly, I say, because it was by the opposing team, the Toledo Mud Hens. One of the nicest features is that you needn’t leave the area to get food and drink. You’re still part of the action. During the first few innings Rocky had a hot dog, soda, popcorn, another soda, and cotton candy. We moved around place to place since we didn’t have actual seats. Turns out, they have a nice lawn area, too. But even those tickets were more money. I didn’t mind. I liked being mobile and people watching. We stayed through five innings. I let Rocky decided when we’d leave. For a better part of the game I worked via my Blackberry. There was a lot going on. Rocky had a nice time and must’ve thanked me ten times. I had fun too. He’s a very sweet boy, especially when it’s a one on one thing. I dropped Rocky at home around 6:15pm. He asked for his allowance before I left, which is something we always gave him at our house. I didn’t balk. I arrived home around 6:30pm. Mindy asked if I was up for dining out. Not really. I suggested a Minelli’s pizza instead. She agreed. We both drove to pick it up. We ate pizza for the next half hour quietly talking about the next day ahead. We spotted neighbor Crissy on her deck with her bff Julie. Mindy celled her. I guess you could say that we invited ourselves over. They were celebrating their one year anniversary. Wahoo! In fact, we were at their wedding a year ago. I poured myself a Jack & Coke before we headed over. Mindy poured herself a glass of wine. We joked and drank with the neighbors for the next two plus hours. Like always, we had a jim-dandy good time. But Mindy was fading fast. She insisted it time to go around 11:00pm. Once in bed I insisted on watching some TV from bed, Saturday Night Live. It was a rerun – best of Amy Poehler. As soon as I started to dose, Mindy shut it down. I didn’t fight it. Off to sleep. Good night moon!

Four IPAs

I woke at 5:30am to another gloriously beautiful spring morning. Not only was it lovely, but it was Friday too. The only drag on my happiness was the sobering knowledge that I’d be on-call for the weekend. Because of that, I postponed the notion of getting a dump truck load of dirt delivered since I couldn’t count on having enough free time to move it. I completed my exercise regimen and then set out on our morning walk. The temperature was expected to climb towards 70. I was looking forward to that. For the time being, however, it was still a little cool – about 44 degrees. My morning moved along as planned. I played on the PC for a while and then delivered some coffee to Mindy. After a brief meditation and stretch, I left for my run. It was an awesome run under clear skies and constantly warming temps. I finished strong. Per the usual, Mindy had my eggs ready when I got home. Mindy & Bella left before 7:30am. If there ever was a day to stay home, Friday was the day. It was gorgeous! That was a nice thought, but that’s all it was. I couldn’t take it off. Jacob and I left for the bus stop at 7:55am. We enjoyed every minute of our time basking in the early sunshine. And given the lovely weather, I planned to drive the BM’er. I pulled out of the garage around 8:10am. The fuel indicator light was on, a stark reminder that I needed gas. I stopped at Thornton’s for a fill-up- 12 gallons and $23.00. Work was busy. We had a couple lingering issues to be dealt with. Come 12:45pm I forced myself away for lunch. I drove to Home Depot and simply walked around, mostly in the nursery. I checked out their mulch offerings compared to Ohio Mulch’s – same price, comparable quality. I toyed briefly with heading to Saturday’s to get my hair cut but didn’t. Maybe next week, I figured. The afternoon moved fast. I did my level best to keep on top of the issues that I knew would follow me into my weekend on-call. Adding to my apprehension was the fact that I’d be covering for my boss, too. Yikes! More work! I left for home around 5:10pm. Without any hesitation, I drove to Kroger to fetch Mindy some long overdue roses. There, I decided to buy two dozen. I got a dozen orange and a dozen dark pink. I knew that they’d look good together. Homeward bound! The kids already gone with Jimaken, Mindy was home alone and down the basement cleaning the kids’ playroom. Prior, to that it looked like a tornado went through. She was very pleased to see two dozen roses resting on island counter. I worked on my blog while Mindy continued her cleaning ways. We were planning an evening at Barley’s. We left around 7:40pm but not before I grabbed the Ale Feast ticket I found on their floor a couple weeks ago to return to its rightful owner. We got a parking spot just outside the main entrance. There wasn’t much of a crowd. Steve was there. He was wearing the EBC shirt we brought him home from Holiday Valley. Pat & Lisa Schultz called a short time after we arrived. I invited them to join us. They showed up about an hour later. We hadn’t hung out with them since New Year’s Eve, sadly. We ordered food after our first beers. Mindy ordered half a chicken dinner. I ordered a brisket quesadilla. Well after we finished eating, Rene showed up. Haven’t seen her since her birthday dinner at the Big Fat more than a month ago. Mindy drank just the one beer. I had a total of four. That’s one more than I usually have, but then again, none of them were double IPAs. I picked up the evening’s tab. Mindy drove home. We headed to bed as soon as we got in the door.

Becoming Nine

Happy 9th Birthday Jacoby!!! The last 30 minutes of sleep felt incredibly good. I didn’t want to get out of bed given my druthers. But, in order to provide the lifestyle I’ve grown accustom to, getting up was the only real option. I was downstairs getting after my exercise routine by 5:30am. I did sit-ups, push-ups, and curls. A look outside revealed bright moonshine and stars, something we’ve been lacking all week long. Before heading out with Ykraps I choked down three more Ibuprofen, part of my ‘scheduled Ibuprofen’ as Mindy likes to call it. Of late, my neck spasms occur while working at my desk, and by the time I head home from work I’ve got knots as big as Texas in my upper middle back. It was a tad chilly but the clear skies more than made up for what the cool temps. We had it on good word that spring would be back in abundance by mid-afternoon. Yahoo! We haven’t seen 70 in quite a while now. Back home, I sipped coffee and enjoyed time in front of the PC. The day’s OM was enlightening - a reminder that our collective intentions can have a profound impact on the world around us. What are you intending today? Like most other days, I delivered coffee to Mindy’s bedside. I played until 6:10am when I went to stretch and meditate. I left for my run feeling really good. Because the sky was clear for the first time in almost a week, I was surprised at the abundance of daylight at my run’s outset. The sky was already blue. We’ve made it! My run went very well. I felt really good. Mindy had a pile of scrambled eggs awaiting my return. Jacob stood quietly staring out the back door. It was his birthday. I gave him a hug and wished him a happy 9th b-day. Bella was going to grandma Sharon’s (no school on Thursday’s). Mindy and I discussed our dinner plans briefly just as she and Bella were leaving. We planned to meet at Red Lobster around 5:45pm for Jacob’s b-day dinner. I headed up for shower at 7:35am. I returned downstairs ready to go by 7:50am. With the few minutes I had before bus stop time, I pulled the Trooper onto the street making way for the BM’er. Jacob and I walked to the bus stop at 7:55am. I took my camera along, mostly so I’d have it later at dinner. But since I had it out, I took a few pictures from the bus stop. What a lovely morning it was. Just gorgeous! I secured the house and made sure I had all of my gear in hand. Off to work in the BM’er. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a perfect BM’er morning. Work was busy, just as I expected. The weather only got nicer and nicer. I manufactured a reason to leave the office for lunch. I decided to make my annual early season trip to Strader’s on Riverside Dr. just to walk the nursery and check out flowers as well as their other offerings. Ohio Mulch is directly across the street, I drove their first to look at natural stepping stone varieties and their various grades of mulch. I spent just five minutes there. I was at Strader’s far longer – about 40 minutes. It was uplifting to be amongst my friends – the flora. I drove back to work with all sorts of planning/planting ideas for the 2009 version of our yard. I ate some tuna and fruit for lunch. I heard from Mindy somewhere mid-afternoon. She was picking up her mother and still planning to meet me at Red Lobster around 5:45pm. I organized myself to leave work at 5:15pm. And as luck would have it, I-270 was backed up almost to a stand still. I reminded myself to remain calm. That helped tremendously. Let’s face it, sometimes we get all worked up when nothing’s really at stake. I used the time to reflect positively. Even in spite of the gnarly traffic, I still arrived at Red Lobster early – 5:35pm. Mindy & company wasn’t yet there either. I walked around the outside of the place taking pictures. I kept myself preoccupied. They arrived around 5:55pm. That Georgesville ramp off of I-270 gets backed up more than any other that comes to mind. I was lucky. The restaurant wasn’t nearly as busy as it can be around the dinner hour. We were seated quickly, and in an extra large booth. Bella and Jacob both clamored to sit by their mother leaving their grandmother awkwardly sitting alone on one side. Jacob finally gave in and moved. I almost did. Amanda was our waitress. She was aptly attentive. Jacob ordered first, after all, it was his birthday dinner. He ordered the Ultimate Feast, which comes with crab legs, lobster tail, and two styles of shrimp. He always asks that both be scampi. Mindy duplicated Jacob’s order with the exception of the side. She went with broccoli while he went with a baked potato. He eats an awful lot for a young boy. I quipped that the only place I wanted to eat out at nine years of age was BBF. Bella ordered from their kid’s menu – macaroni and cheese with fries. Gloria went only with a baked potato. That’s it. I ordered a new menu item: wood grilled peach bourbon BBQ shrimp & scallops over a bed of rice pilaf served with a garden salad.Jacob and Mindy had salads, too. I mentioned that it was Jacob’s b-day to Amanda. The food was pretty good, especially for Red Lobster. Jacob ate all of his meal in quick fashion. Hard to believe, but he was still hungry. Asked whether or not we’d be doing dessert, Jacob replied, yes! He ordered their chocolate lava cake. Amanda brought extra spoons for the table. A couple other waiters/waitresses joined for the singing of happy birthday. Jacob ran out of gas about halfway through his treat. I jumped in after and was awestruck by its warm, gooey texture and scrumptious flavor. All totaled, I had about 5 or 6 bites.

Jacob asked if he could ride home with me in the BM’er. Yes, of course. Mindy had to drop her mother at home. In kind, we beat them home by ten minutes. Mindy promptly prepared the tiny little b-day cake she bought to celebrate Jacob’s birthday. We sang happy b-day again. He’s the only one who ate cake. While Mindy went to change into her PJs, Jacob, Bella, and I went for a walk. We took Ykraps along, too. We walked to the other bridge crossing the creek that winds through our subdivision. Bella was sitting, straddling the metal guard rail when we dubbed it time to cross the street and head back towards home. She’s so small that she couldn’t quite get her feet to touch the ground. In trying to do so she fell scraping her crotch on the rails edge. OUCH! And anyone who knows Bella knows she’s not shy about crying. Oh yeah! But thankfully, more than anything, her ego was bruised. She quickly leaped to my side and stopped crying. We headed home. At home, Mindy got both kids ready for bed while I updated my blog and downloaded pictures. Mindy and I watched Office and 30 Rock. Mindy headed to bed even before 9:40pm. I watched 30 Rock until its end then joined her already in bed.

Taxes, Anniversary, & More Sunlight

I slept darn good once again. I was up and out of bed just before 5:30am. By the time that I got downstairs and ready for exercise it was 5:31am. Also, the streets were wet again this morning, and it was still raining, although lightly. I did sit-ups and skipped the rest in order to give my neck a rest. Soon Ykraps and I were doing our morning walk. It was in the low 40s. The rain was expected to end later in the afternoon and eventually give way to a handful of sunny/warm spring weather days . Here’s to that! After some coffee of my own, I delivered Mindy’s. She was thankful and soon got up. I returned to the PC where I read Glenn’s blog, and more pointedly about his search for a deal on a Honda Fit. At 6:15am I started meditation and later some stretching. I got out for my run on time. It was no later than 6:35am when I headed out. Of course I still had to do my outside leg stretches. The day stood out over others for a number of reasons. First, it’s income tax day, but my taxes have been done for some time. Secondly, it’s the fifteenth anniversary of owning my home. Closed and moved in April 15, 1994. But more relevant to my everyday life, this day marks the return of more morning daylight than I have had sine last fall. If you remember, its progress was halted with the onset of DLST some six weeks ago. Yesterday got us back to where we were the day prior to the time change. I was a bit disappointed that it was cloudy/rainy making it less obvious that there was more daylight for my run. All that aside, my run went exceptionally well. I felt terrific. Mindy was frying eggs when I got home. There was no Bella to contend with since she spent the night with her grandma. And Jacob headed upstairs a couple minutes after I got back from my run. Mindy had a much more leisurely commute to look forward to. She could drive straight to school without any stops or worrying about anyone else’s needs. I enjoyed my fried eggs and fruit. Mindy had my lunch already to go: veggies, fruit, and nuts. I added a can of tuna as well. She left around 7:30am. I headed up for a shower a few minutes later. Because it was raining, I didn’t head out with Jacob again today. Instead, I watched from the door as he boarded the bus. I left for work at 8:10am. Given that it was Wednesday, it was a golf day, but because of the rain, I was 99% sure it wouldn’t happen. But looking at the brighter side of things, Mindy & I would most likely have a dinner date instead. The work day plodded along initially, but by mid-morning things got dicey. Our weekly staff meeting was canceled and a single issue ended up consuming the rest of my work day. Of course that helped the day fly by. I talked with Mindy late afternoon. She was heading to the party store as soon as Jimaken picked up Jacob & Bella to fetch a few things for Jacob’s birthday party this weekend. We made plans to visit CBC’s happy hour. We’d meet at home around 5:30pm. I left work at 5:15pm to ensure that I would make it home in time. I walked Ykraps in a sprinkle. Mindy wasn’t home until 6pm. I used the time to catch up on the day’s activity, including the stock market’s performance. We left for CBC around 6:10pm. We arrived 10-15 minutes later. The bar was almost full, but there were two seats just for us. We didn’t recognize the bartender/server. We haven’t seen Kevin in quite a while. We quickly ordered beers, me an IPA and Mindy a Porter. A few minutes later we ordered some appetizers: calamari & wings. Mindy ordered a spinach salad, too. We ate our food and sipped our beers. We didn’t stay too long. We asked for our check around 7:20pm. Mindy picked it up. Jimaken phoned as we were leaving letting Mindy know that he was on his way back to our house with the kids. I forgot to mention that I booked our adults-only vacation to Cancun earlier in the day. It’s nice to have that out of the way and waiting for us. We’re excited to be staying at one of the nicest resorts in all of Mexico (rated #7 by the Travel Channel). We weren’t home but five minutes before the kids arrived. Jacob was eager to show me his new bike helmet his father bought him. It’s a full helmet. It looks like a storm trooper helmet or a motor cycle helmet complete with a face guard. Jimaken left Mindy & I opening night tickets to the Clipper game for this Saturday. This will be their first game ever in the new stadium (Hunnington Park), and now we’ll be able to say that we were there. Mindy made the kids shower before bed. At the same time, I updated my blog. After blogging and getting the kids tucked into bed, Mindy & I watched Idol elimination night. I popped some corn a little too early. The smell woke both kids. They asked if they could join us for some popcorn. Yes. They were up for an additional 15 minutes. They were rushed back to bed around 9:20pm. Matt was eliminated on Idol, but the judges used their one save to bring him back next week. Still holding at 7. They’ll be two going home after next week. We headed for bed soon after Idol concluded.

Happy & You Know It

I was up at 5:30am. There were thunderstorms predicted overnight, but if there were any, I didn’t hear them. Either way, it was definitely raining now. I followed through with my exercise regimen: push-ups, sit-ups, and curls. I leashed up Ykraps and headed out into the rain immediately after. I didn’t bother with the umbrella. My ball cap, I figured, would suffice. And besides, it wasn’t coming down that hard anymore. I could only hope it would remain that way for my run a little later. I sipped coffee while playing on the internet until 6:05am. I went to wake Mindy with coffee in hand. Even though she reported to school on Monday, there weren’t any kids in class. Today, however, was a different story. This was her first day back with students after spring break. I returned to the PC and played until 6:15am. Then I got started on meditation and stretching. Both went well. I dressed and left for a run around 6:35am. I wore lighter attire. It was a balmy 47 degrees. The rain held out for the entire run. I was lucky, too. It poured really hard not five minutes after I sat down for breakfast. Bella pointed out the heavy downpour. This was her first day back to school. She seemed excited. She and Mindy left around 7:25am. I finished eating my eggs and prepped the dishwasher for running later. I headed off for a shower around 7:35am. It was still raining fairly hard when bus time came around. I advised Jacob against waiting outdoors. The bus would certainly stop in front of the house if he would wait by the door. But he wouldn’t take my advice. Instead, he headed out into the rain. Not me. I waited inside. I heard the bus pull up and pick-up the boys. I saw it pulling away. I did not actually see him get on. I was too slow responding. After another few minutes I started the dishwasher and left for work. It rained through my short commute. In fact, it rained fairly hard all day. It wasn’t expected to let up much if at all, either. I didn’t plan or take a formal lunch break. I worked straight through until 5:40pm, stopping only long enough to eat my packed food. The day went by quickly. I called Mindy during my commute. She baked boneless chicken breasts for dinner. She was still putting the finishing touches on all the food when I arrived home around 6pm. And yes, it was still raining. I walked Ykraps in the light rain. Dinner was ready by the time I returned home. The chicken was baked topped with stuffing and cream of chicken soup. It was really good. We had canned peas, too. Jacob was not in the best frame of mind. I was warned of this on my drive home. Apparently something took place on the bus ride home. The details were sketchy, but it sounded like the driver made him move his seat in an effort to stop what she obviously viewed as a horseplay. At one point during dinner I grabbed my camera to shoot a short video clip of the family singing, If You’re Happy and You Know It. Jacob would not partake. He covered his head instead. In fact, you can view it on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngoz_iM8SFY Clean-up took a little while. I had a few pans to wash. While I finished the clean-up, Mindy ran Bella over to her mother’s. She was spending the night and following day over there. Jacob and I stayed home. While Mindy was gone, I worked on my blog, and Jacob played in the basement. It was nearly time for American Idol when she got back home. I was still blogging – adding photos. I joined Idol one or two contestants into this week’s episode. I got to see Adam do, Born To Be Wild. Another great performance. On tonight’s performances alone, at least the five I saw, I’d vote Lil off the island. We’ll see on Wednesday. After Idol, we stayed tuned to Fox to watch Fringe. This is a great show. Do yourself a favor. Watch it once or twice and see what you think. Fringe ended at 10pm. We headed for bed a few minutes later.

What To Do With All of These Eggs?

I slept great. I woke only once through the night long enough to see I had hours of sleep still ahead of me. It was just before 5:30am when I woke for good. I glanced out at the streets while brushing my teeth looking for that familiar shiny appearance coming off the streets indicating rain. There was none. It was dry. Hooray! The coffee was already brewing. I put on my dog-walkin’ shoes and started my exercise routine. In between sit-ups and push-ups I checked the temperature. It was 39 degrees. We were out the door minutes later. It felt rather mild but with a chilly, stiff breeze coming out of the NW. Our walk was relatively quick. I was back home and at the PC with coffee in hand by 5:49am. It seemed like I had a considerable amount of time to play before moving on to stretching and meditation. I was dressed and ready for my run even before 6:30am. I headed out just a short time later. I wore my new running shoes since the streets were dry and any chance of rain was still a few hours out. They made a significant difference to the overall comfort of my feet. I finished my run, returned the trash can to its resting place, and found my way inside by 7:12am. I was back home ahead of schedule and well before my eggs were ready. Mindy said goodbye to Jacob just before he headed upstairs to his bedroom to watch TV. She was home for another ten minutes before she and Bella finally left. Along with the fruit and nuts that Mindy had staged, I cut up veggies and grabbed a can of tuna out of the pantry for my lunch. I was off to the shower at 7:35am. I was downstairs and ready to go 15 minutes later. It doesn’t take me long. We were at the bus stop at 7:55am. The bus came at its normal time – 8:03am. My drive to work was uneventful up I-270N one exit. I arrived a few minutes early. Among other things, I was eager to read about the sniping of the pirates. Apparently Obama ordered our Navy Seals to shoot if given a good opportunity. That opportunity presented itself overnight ending the multi-day stand-off just off the coast of Somalia. The gall of the pirates. They apparently said that we should now beware, and that they were offended that we would shoot and kill their comrades. Did I miss something? Did they not kidnap an American vessel and threaten to kill the captain? Hellooooo! More on pirates…I found it interesting to listen to the stories surrounding how the sniper fire was carried out. The stories people were sharing were completely false. And this was a fresh news story. Imagine what a couple thousand years and multiple translations could do to a story. Hmmm? The work day moved at a good clip. It began to rain mid-morning and pretty much rained all day. The forecast called for heavier rain on Tuesday almost certainly washing out soccer practice. Darn! I ate lunch at my desk between 1 & 2pm. My afternoon got really busy, especially the last hour or two of the day. One issue in particular drew my ire. In fact, I admit leaving work with an angry attitude. I chatted with Mindy during the commute. She shared that we were having leftover lasagna. I was good with that. I walked Ykraps as soon as I got home. The lasagna was still quite good. We polished off the tray – finally. Clean-up was a snap. Jacob wanted to play a board game after dinner. Chicken or the Egg was his choice. Bella was a bit cranky for some reason. In fact, she was a pill all through dinner and didn’t want to play the game. She went to her room to watch TV while the three of us played the game. We almost didn’t finish the game after Jacob became somewhat unruly and certainly goofy. His behavior was way over the top. Somehow we managed to finish, however. I won again. It was PJ time. While the kids and Mindy headed upstairs, I updated my blog for Friday & Saturday. I even had time to add photos for both nights as well as some others. After blogging and tucking in the kids, I returned downstairs. I tried showing Mindy a couple vacation options in Cancun. For some reason, her PC would not pull up the page in question. I showed her from my PC a few minutes later. We decided on nothing. The latest hook-up is the actual flight times. I am as picky about that as much as anything. After that we tuned into 24 for another intriguing episode. Far fetched, but intriguing. At 10pm we headed up to bed.

Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, ... Rocky & Landon

I pulled myself from bed at 7:30am. No longer did the comfort of our mattress, the softness of my pillow, and the warmth of the blankets sound better than the prospect of exercise, hot coffee, and sunshine. As I exited bed, I asked Mindy if she wanted up at any particular time. She did not but asked that I keep the bedroom door opened. Downstairs, I went about the usual business of making coffee and exercise. Meanwhile, it was gloriously sunny outside, albeit quite chilly. It was hovering just above freezing. Ykraps and I headed out for our walk just before 8am. I wondered if we might happen upon the Easter bunny still busy with his duty, but that never came to pass. He must’ve completed it all under the shroud of darkness. Mindy was up and holding the kids at bay on the stairs by the time Ykraps and I made it back home. She asked that I fetch my camera to capture the annual hunting of the eggs. The kids like it almost as much as Xmas. Looking back, I did too. Camera in hand, the kids were unleashed. They went first to their respective baskets full of goodies, but then within the same minute they prepared to hunt eggs. The eggs were hidden inside. It took them no more than 3 or 4 minutes to find them all. As with most kids at Easter, they started eating candy, their chocolate bunnies included, before their first bite of wholesome food. Again, looking back, I did the same thing. Mindy & I discussed getting one another nothing – a reprieve of sorts. Still, she had a card waiting for me. I did not have one for her. I did forward an Easter greeting via email along with some funny pics. That apparently didn’t count. Because we were going to Easter services, I had little time to tinker. I had to get moving with my run. I wore my old running shoes and ran along Trabue and Hague. It was a nice run. Like I often do on Sunday’s, I trimmed the trail to three miles. I was back in under 30 minutes. Chilly air aside, it was lovely. Mindy had freshly baked cinnamon rolls resting on top of the stove. They were warm and delicious. I ate two. While Mindy dashed off to the shower, I fooled around on the PC. I decided to buy/download Todd’s new CD, Arena (9/2008). I’m digging buying music this way. I save money & time, and the benefits are instantaneous. I headed up for my own shower soon after hearing Mindy’s end. I was dressed and ready before anyone else. We left the house around 10:15am destined for church. We took Rocky, Landon, and Olivia’s Easter baskets along figuring to stop by ex-Kelly’s after church to drop them off. We arrived at Crossroads with five minutes to spare. The two kids sat with their grandma, aunt, and uncle. Mindy and I sat alone. The service bored me to tears. I just can’t get into the whole thing. To make better use of my time, I read the first eight books of Genesis while Pastor Karen sermoned about the rock placed in front of Jesus’ tomb. No disrespect intended, but I don’t like the sit-stand-repeat after me-sit-stand-sing thing. The service ended as quickly as it started. The book of Genesis consumed my thoughts. At its core, a very simple explanation of how we got here. Pastor Karen hugged me before I could sneak out unnoticed. I often feel as though I’ve stolen one of their flock when Mindy doesn’t attend as regularly as she once did. Looking at Sunday services at Crossroads from Mindy’s perspective, I can see where she might get some intrinsic reward, but mostly beyond raw spiritualism. She grew up there and most of the people have been attending there for decades. It’s a close knit group. It must’ve been just before noon when we left church for Kelly’s. Boy, talk about going from heaven to hell! J Kelly’s place is literally just around the corner. Since Kelly’s pretty much made it known that we’re not welcome, we simply pulled up in front and then phoned Lindsey. We’re never invited in, and not that we want to be. Rocky ran out first. Like always, he wanted to be sure and share that he was staying there forever. Kind of funny, but sad at the same time. Landon and Lindsey soon followed. Rocky hugged all of us after some early reservation, almost like he was betraying his mother by hugging Mindy. Landon was much more loving, but also exhibited some confusion as he neared our vehicle. Wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. Mindy & I both picked up on his apprehension right away. We said & did things to ease his concerns. I took a handful of pictures to capture the fun. We didn’t stay long. Soon we loaded back into the Honda and headed home. That’s the first I’ve seen the boys in 17 days. As soon as we arrived home I woofed down some Fritos then warmed a hunk of lasagna. I was tired in church and sleepier than never now. I went for a quick nap in the recliner. That felt terrific. Not sure how long I slept but long enough to feel rested but with an aching shoulder. Mindy was baking au gratin potatoes to take to Gloria’s for Easter dinner. We planned to leave the house at 2:30pm. That was just 20 minutes after waking from my nap. Where had the day gone? We left at 2:30pm. I took both cameras. I have used my new Canon relatively little since Xmas. It takes a much better picture but the greater convenience of my pocket-sized Olympus is undeniable. The whole family was celebrating Easter at Gloria’s. No one was missing in action. Included in the celebration were Pat & Mel, longtime family friends who more often than not spend their TG and Easter with us. They’re very nice folks. A great deal of conversation centered around the quirks and lives of people from Easter service at Crossroads: This persons hideous clothes or hair, or that persons body odor, or even that persons ridiculously loud singing voice. It goes on and on. At one point I poked the crowd by saying, you don’t suppose Jesus would approve of such banter, would you? I was only joking, but like many jokes, there’s always that element of truth. I recognize that it’s our human nature to act like this. Most of us do it at some level. The table was set for nineteen. That’s a lot of body heat! Served was an Easter ham. I’m still not sure why we don’t celebrate the holiday by feasting on the Easter bunny. But the ham was exceptional. Along with the ham were a number of delicious sides: au gratin potatoes, corn pudding, green beans, pasta salad, and more. For dessert we enjoyed lemon cheesecake and icebox cookies. I went with the lemon cheesecake. It was fantastic! We managed the clock well, in part because we arrived so much earlier than usual. We left for home at 7pm. Jacob went with Ykraps and me on our walk. He happened upon some auto parts that apparently fell off of a car. He insisted on bringing them back to the house as toys. What? I refused to allow it, but do understand how a nine year old would find them fascinating. Mindy got the kids ready for bed while I got the trash out to the curb. I picked up the kitchen a little too. Lots of Easter stuff still scattered about. Thinking that there might be something good on the Science Channel, I turned the TV on. I ended up watching something on the Discovery Channel, but can’t remember what it was all about. It happens.