Kids Ski - Vikes Lose

After an 11-day break it was time to jump back on the horse that got me here. As usual, the time away went incredibly fast. Long story short, it began with a visit to the dentist's chair and ended with a holiday celebration at Brother Bob’s. I woke a number of times after 4am paranoid that I might oversleep. Come 515am I decided it was time to get up and moving. I felt pretty good despite a dry throat and a clogged head. After brushing my teeth and gathering my running clothes I headed downstairs to begin my exercise routine. At a quick glance it didn’t appear to have snowed much more overnight, maybe a half an inch more than when I went to bed. After sit-ups I checked the temperature online. It was a cold 18 degrees. Next, I did 53 push-ups then bundled warmly for a walk with Ykraps. The drive and walk were incredibly slippery. A thin coat of ice lied just beneath the light snow cover. For the first time all season, I wore my snow boots. The lawn might have had about two inches of snow cover. The walks and road much less. Ykraps struggled to sniff out his favorite spots, a typical winter time problem, yet somehow he managed. I wondered if his recent breathing troubles might also impact his ability to smell. Thankfully, he managed through it. Even though he doesn’t eat them any longer, Ykraps still waits by the pantry door for us to toss him a Milkbone treat after a walk. Any more I simply pick them up and put them back in the box a few minutes later. This morning was no exception. Once the coffee was done brewing I poured a cup and headed to my PC. It was still early – about 540am. I had oodles of time to relax and play, or so it seemed. The time went fast. It was 610am and time to meditate and stretch before I knew it. Being the disciplined one that I am, I peeled myself away right on queue. It felt good to get back to morning meditation. For whatever reason, I rarely do it while on vacation. After a solid ten minutes of meditation I moved on to stretching, something I’m proud to say I kept up during my 11-day holiday break. There’s something about doing both (mediation and stretching) before daybreak that makes me feel so much better. It was 640am when I wrapped it up and readied for a cold wintry run. I decided to wear cold weather running tights for the first time all year. They’re significantly warmer than the looser variety – not allowing cold air to flow freely around my skin. Other than that, I wore my typical three upper layers along with hand and ear covers. I ran four miles, the entire time remaining mindful of the treacherous footing. The roads and walks were slick with the ice/snow combo. Happily, I completed my run without incident, although much slower than normal. Without hesitation, I moved from running to shoveling mode. I cleared the entire drive and walk, although I might’ve made it worse by revealing the icy layer underneath. Before heading inside, I took a few minutes to ready the Honda for a day of skiing. Not for me, but for Mindy, the kids, and uncle Glenn. I removed the child safety seat, and configured the seating to accept her skis. I also loaded her skis, boots and poles. It was already after 730am. I decided to take my time and prepare a healthy breakfast for Ykraps and I – scrambled eggs. At the same time I threw together a quick lunch: nuts, cheese, and a can of tuna and noodle soup. Ykraps loves eggs. They’re one of the few things he’s able to choke them down despite his throat issue. I headed up for a shower at 755am. I took Mindy coffee. She, Glenn, and the kids planned to go snow skiing at Mad River, otherwise I would’ve left her sleep. I was showered and dressed by 810am. I started the Trooper and left it thaw for a good 10 minutes before heading out. Not wanting to forget anything after being off for 11 days, I took a quick inventory of my necessary work belongings just before exiting the house. The roads were slick. I proceeded cautiously. Arriving at work it felt as though I’d been gone no more than a day or two. It’s funny how that works. On one hand, I was happy to be back at work after 11 days of gluttonous celebration, yet the holiday blues hovered in the background too. I spent the lion’s share of the morning chatting with my team and then catching up on administrative tasks. Mindy phoned late morning to let me know that they were on their way to Der Dutchman in Plain City and then ultimately Mad River. She sounded excited. I was at least somewhat envious. My day was a blur. Not only was I a bit overwhelmed with work, but I was also suffering minor cold symptoms. Instead of taking a lunch, I closed my door, turned off the light, and took a 30 minute siesta. I felt a whole lot better afterwards. Mindy phoned again during a ski break- just after the kids finished their lesson and while they gathered for beer and food. I guess Rene joined them as well. She said the kids did great, and more importantly, Jacob finally learned to snow plow and turn. They planned to take the kids up the real lifts after their food break. Wasn’t sure how long they’d last. I left the office around 515pm and headed straight home. And while I wasn’t sure when exactly Mindy & the kids would be home, I expected them around 6pm. I hurried through my chores: walking Ykraps, placing the Xmas trash at the curb, unloading the dishwasher, along with some general tidying up. I was finally able to relax come 640pm. Mindy phoned around 7pm to let me know that they had just finished skiing and were heading home. Honestly, I was surprised they stayed that long. It was pretty cold and windy, and I didn’t think the kids would want to ski that long. She shared that both kids did great and both skied lots of blue runs with relatively little trouble. That’s great news. She offered to bring a pizza home. That sounded good to me having snacked only a few Triscuits and cheese. The family didn’t get home until 8pm. I had just tuned the TV to ESPN in preparation for the big Vikings game. The kids looked totally whipped but also were eager to share stories about their skiing adventure. I listened and ate pizza at the same time. Glenn shared that the rental skies they gave him were poorly adjusted – came off easily when going over jumps/bumps. This also marked his first time skiing with a helmet - complements of Jimindy. Soon it was 830pm and time for kickoff. By then the kids had their showers and were at my side for kick off. I had all the confidence in the world that the Vikings would win the game. However, almost a mirror image of two of the last three games, the offense looked inept while the defense struggled even worse. With so much at stake, I was beside myself. Come halftime, we trailed 16-0 to the hapless Bears. Good grief! We received the kick off after halftime and it looked, at least temporarily, like we might have some fire power. That fizzled in a hurry. Crap! However, the defense dug in holding the Bears to a 3 and out. We got the ball back and finally scored a touchdown. Unfortunately, our extra point was blocked. That would prove big. It was 16-6. Then, my worst fears came true. The Bears returned the ensuing kickoff all way down to our 20 yard line and scored two plays later going up 23-6, pretty much recapturing any momentum we might’ve gained the drive before. Ugh! I didn’t lose faith, however. I knew that if we stayed focused we could turn this thing around, and turn it around we did. Brett Favre was simply amazing in the final 20+ minutes rallying the Vikings to a 23-23 tie, and then a 30-30 tie with a touchdown pass on 4th down with 12 seconds left. Overtime! I just knew this game was ours. The Bears won the OT toss and took the ball. The Vikings allowed them to drive all the way to the 25 yard line before the drive fizzled. They sent in the field goal team for a 45 yard attempt. Mindy was certain they’d miss, and miss they did. Just wide right. Holy cow! The Vikings got the ball on their 35 but couldn’t do anything. They punted. Luck y for us, the Bears had to punt back to us. Favre looked rattled on the next series, but somehow managed to get a drive going. Adrian Peterson caught a pass and scampered for a first down and then some. He was fighting for extra yards when all of the sudden he had the ball jarred loose. It looked at first glance like his knee was down. It wasn’t. It was a fumble. The Bears were already near field goal range. That was a dagger in my heart. One play touchdown – Bears win 36-30. I was speechless. Now after midnight, Glenn, Mindy and I all headed to bed. I knew I would have trouble falling asleep after that emotional roller coaster. Mindy rubbed my head to help bring on sleep. It worked only marginally. I know I was up until at least 1am constantly reliving the what if’s.