Stand On

Thanks again to the time change, I woke early and well rested. I was downstairs by 520a after 8.5 hours of sleep. Having my calisthenics done by 531a was a huge help. I had plenty of time for all my other activities. After savoring a cup of fru-fru coffee I headed outside with Frankie. She pooped but didn’t pee. Only 545a, I was left with plenty of time for meditation, and did so for a good 20 minutes. But as luck would have it, my mind was racing with a million thoughts. But, sometimes the day's like that. I finished my stretch at 620a and quickly headed upstairs with Frankie and coffee. I was surprised that Mindy was already mid-shower. She must’ve woken a few minutes earlier than usual, too. It was again near freezing, so I dressed in my light weight winter running attire. It smelt terrific, fresh out of the dryer. I headed out at 631a. I ran the full 4.1 miles without any troubles or pain. And judging by my return time, I’ve been running a bit faster. Not sure why. It hasn’t been on purpose. I was back inside by 707a. I entered through the back door. I immediately asked if Frankie had been back out yet. Nope. Knowing that she hadn’t yet pee’d I leashed her up and took her back out. She went right away. Good girl! Inside, Mindy had my eggs ready. Jacob, I think, ate Pop-Tarts while the rest of us ate eggs. Mindy reminded me that it was parent/teacher conference night and consequently wouldn’t be home until near 8p. She reminded the kids that Jimaken would be intercepting them from the bus. After work, I’d have the house to myself until approximately 8p. Wahoo! I headed to the shower soon after Mindy left for school. I wore all black – slacks, sweater, and shoes. I was downstairs throwing together a quick lunch by 745a. I packed cheese, fruit, and leftover fresh steamed green beans. I remembered to throw a banana in my pack too. The kids and I headed out at 757a. I had to be stern with Jacob about wearing a jacket. The pugs fought like the old days and quickly became tangled in each other’s leash. What a mess that is to undo! The bus arrive right on time – 805a. After the kids were on the bus I walked Frankie only briefly before heading back inside. Before heading off to work I started the dishwasher and wiped off the island counter and table. I noticed gas prices were about as high as they’ve been in 2+ years. Almost $3 per gallon. I hate seeing that. I arrived at work ahead of 830a. Another gorgeous day in the offing weather-wise. Supposed to hit 70. Too bad I wouldn’t get to enjoy it. This wasn’t going to be a fun work day no matter how it was spun. It was a very tough day. I’ll leave it at that. I didn’t take a formal lunch but did eat the food I brought from home. The green beans reheated in the microwave were absolutely delicious. The cheese was good too. Speaking of the cheese, Bob I. advised that one can try any cheese before making a purchase at the Market District. I’m strongly considering taking the Fontina back given the price I paid for it. Again, it’s the cheese that tastes like it has freezer burn. Mindy phoned around 430p. My boss was in my office but I took the call anyway. We talked only briefly, Mindy reminding me of her conference schedule. Thought she might be home a bit sooner than originally planned, however. I worked until 535p. I was thrilled to be heading home. I arrived home around 550p. By then the sun was all but set. Right out of the shoot I walked Frankie out back. A doe was tooling around in Kenny’s backyard making his shed’s security light go on and off a couple of times. When it spotted Frankie and I it took off back behind our treehouse. Back inside, I took care of a few chores, including prepping Friday’s coffee, unloading the dishwasher, and rinsing my lunch containers. I was able to kick back by 630p. I used the time to write and play on line. Lindsey & Rocky called around 7p to share that he got all smiley faces again this week at school. Very excited about his success, and really wanted to talk with Mindy. Also asked for some books suitable for his reading level. Mindy called around 720p to let me know she was done with her conferences and on her way home. I let her know that Rocky really wanted to talk with her. She planned to call him after talking with me. The kids must’ve got home around 730p. Mindy got home minutes later. I didn’t bother having dinner, but did snack on pita chips and hummus (roasted red chili pepper). I finished what I was doing on the PC then headed to the family room where I tuned into the college football game. It was Pittsburgh vs. Connecticut. I was tired for some reason, probably work related stress. Again, it was a challenging day. By the time I woke the house was quiet, and only Frankie and I were still downstairs. It was after 11p. I put Frankie in her pen and headed for bed.