It was Wednesday, the first of eight straight days away from the office. I was out of bed around 715a. Before I could slip away, Mindy insisted on a hug and that I deliver coffee bedside. Mindful of Bella and Kaileigh sleeping in the guest room, I tip-toed down the hall & closed their bedroom door to minimize any chance of waking them while carrying out my routine.
I started a pot of coffee then my calisthenics. It was partly clear but cold. Only 27 degrees. I finished my sit-ups and push-ups then poured a cup of coffee. I freed Frankie from her pen then sipped a cup of coffee while playing on the internet. I took Frankie out just before 8am. She did a lot of sniffing but no joy. We were out there for a while too. We headed back inside where I quickly delivered Mindy's coffee.
It wasn't too long before Mindy joined me downstairs. Then, not long after Mindy, the girls got up and came downstairs. Mindy asked the girls to keep it down until Jacob was awake. Jacob was the last to wake. The girls spent their early morning putting on a dog show and 'training' Frankie. Cute!
We planned to see a movie, which one we weren't entirely sure. Our choices were Tangled, Harry Potter, and Megaminds. Our kids had already seen Megaminds (Kaileigh's choice) with Jimaken so that one was quickly ruled out. Bella really wanted to see Tangled. I joked that we could each see separate movies. Mindy didn't like the sound of that, but I was only kidding. Mindy didn't plan to go anyway. Instead, she planned to take her Honda in for a oil change and then make a stop at the flower factory. We settled on Tangled, a Disney movie based on the story of Rapunzel. I can't say I was thrilled about the choice, but it wasn't about me. Jacob determined early on that he was gonna skip the movie.
Having settled on a movie, I readied and left for my run. By the time I headed out, it was 30 degrees and sunny. Because of the chill, it was back to hand and ear covers along with my light winter attire. I ran the full 4.1 mile track enjoying it much. I was back home around 10a best guess. The kids were out playing in the tree house. I asked if anyone had taken Frankie out again. Yes, but Mindy reported that Frankie pooped in the house after her cries to be taken out went unanswered. Bella took her out earlier but for something less than a minute (classic). Most of Frankie's accidents can be traced back to just after a Bella walk. :)
I headed for a shower planning to leave for the movie around 1115a. We wanted to hit the 1155a show. Again, Jacob opted not to join us. It would be just me, Bella, and Kaileigh. We left near 1115a just as I planned winding our way through Arlington to the Lennox theatre. I wasn't sure what to expect crowd-wise. It was early, so I hoped there wouldn't be too big a crowd. There wasn't a crowd at all. The lot only about half full. The human ticket line was about 3 or 4 customers deep. We opted to do that versus using the automated ticket kiosk. Because it was the early show, the tickets were only $5 each. Not bad.
We stood in line for popcorn and soda next. There wasn't much of a line there either. We wanted a large popcorn and two sodas. That was a whopping $18! I had a bottled water for myself in my jacket pocket. The girls wanted butter on their popcorn, which is taken care of at the self-serve station. We headed into the theatre with 20+ minutes to go before show time. There was only three other folks in the theatre, a father and two small kids. We sat in the same row, which was about half way up with a large aisle just in front of us. We ate most of the popcorn even before the previews started. I'll bet there weren't another 12 people in the theatre once the movie started. Fine with me.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the movie too much, after all, I figured myself a little too jaded for a Disney animated movie about Rapunzel. But in true Disney fashion, they made the movie with adults and children in mind. I actually enjoyed the story and the animation. The movie ran for about 100 minutes. The girls left for the bathroom once. I worried that perhaps I should've went with even though they insisted not. Turns out, they found their way back just fine and were only gone for two or three minutes.
All three of us hit the bathroom on the way out. I checked my phone. Mindy sent a text sharing that Jacob went ice skating with the neighbors, and she was at the Honda dealership. The girls immediately requested that we got skating too. Nope, we had our fun. Even after that huge bag of popcorn, the girls wanted to go somewhere for lunch. I suggested the Rusty Bucket where nephew Joe works. We headed there. The girls were just OK with the choice. But once we got there and discovered that Joe wasn't working we opted for another venue. Where, we weren't yet sure.
Somewhat surprising, Kaileigh was totally against fast food, but couldn't offer up a good restaurant close by. We drove around Grandview for a while without a plan. I rolled my eyes when they both lobbied for a return to the Rusty Bucket. No. I suggested we head to Minelli's close to our home. Kaileigh shared that she knows people that work there and didn't want to go. Said she'd be too embarrassed. What? Yep, said she'd be embarrassed to be there with me. :) We eventually settled on the new Grandview BW3's.
Like the movie theatre, we were one of just a few customers scattered about the place. The girls both wanted selections from the kids menu. I wasn't planning to eat too much. After all, Mindy promised the kids that we'd be doing dinner at Barley's. I ended up ordering 12 hot wings and water. While waiting on our food, the girls asked if they could go play video games. Bella offered that she had money of her own. She shook her wallet so I could hear the change (quarters). Sure, OK. Said they didn't need my help.
The girls were back before our food arrived, and I'm guessing it wasn't even ten minutes. As we talked, Bella shared that she spent a whopping $15 on the games. I about choked on my wings! What? Surely you're mistaken. Do you mean $3? Nope, three 5 dollar bills. Yikes! What a complete waste of money. I went to the machine to see if there were still pending credits, and sure enough, there were. They had 10 game credits remaining. I even used one of them playing PacMan, something I've played maybe five times in my entire life. Never was much of a video game head. I went back to the table and advised the girls that they still had credits. They asked if they could go play more. Yes. Before heading that way, Bella asked if she was grounded for spending all of her money. No. However, I did reiterate that she had wasted her money.
It was spitting snow when we left BW3's, now near 230p. It was only 33 degrees, cloudy, and windy. Seemed appropriate for the season. We arrived home about 10 minutes later. Mindy was home and napping on the sofa with Frankie. Jacob was still off with the neighbors. Bella and Kaileigh continued their dog training game. Poor Frankie. :) Jacob arrived home around 330p. Shelly came to fetch Kaileigh around 4-430p. By then, Mindy was again busy decorating for Xmas, only this time working on the leaning shelves.
I spent most of the afternoon/evening writing in my blog and playing on the computer. We readied for dinner sometime after 6p even though I was still full from the 12 BW3 wings I ate earlier. It was pouring rain as we headed off for Barley's. Driving proved incredibly difficult due to the rain and whatever the Honda dealership put on our windshield. I guessed it hot wax from their drive-thru carwash. I couldn't see the white lines between lanes at all. It was a very harrowing experience. Under the few scattered street lights it was a bit easier to see.
Barley's was moderately crowded, fairly typical for a TG eve. We grabbed two, 2-person barside tables. I ordered a Centennial. Mindy went with water, and the kids soda pop. I couldn't talk myself into eating again. I passed on a menu while the others ordered entrees. Jacob went with Gates of Hell wings, Bella, a corn dog and fries, and Mindy a California burger. Her burger looked to be topped with bacon and avocado. I had a second Centennial.
We didn't stay too long. Not much past 730p. But I'd be back in the morning to pick-up Friday's Thanksgiving feast. Mindy used a couple Barley hand wipes to try and clean her windshield before driving off. It worked only marginally. She drove home. Still fairly early, we called the neighbors to see what they were up to. We invited ourselves down. I took a couple beers and what remained of a Xmas ale growler. It was still raining. I took my umbrella.
We visited with the neighbors for an hour or so before Kapil and Pabina came over. We hadn't seen Pabina for many months, ever since she left for Boston. Missed her during her brief Labor Day visit. Talked a little bit about her dental schooling and how we now have other friends in the Boston area. Pabina will be there for 2 years.
At some point, I walked back home to get another beer for myself and another glass of wine for Mindy. I had a warm buzz. We might've stayed another hour or so, and Mindy the kids headed for home 15-20 minutes ahead of me. I took a couple Advil before heading to bed.
It was Wednesday, the first of eight straight days away from the office. I was out of bed around 715a. Before I could slip away, Mindy insisted on a hug and that I deliver coffee bedside. Mindful of Bella and Kaileigh sleeping in the guest room, I tip-toed down the hall & closed their bedroom door to minimize any chance of waking them while carrying out my routine.
I started a pot of coffee then my calisthenics. It was partly clear but cold. Only 27 degrees. I finished my sit-ups and push-ups then poured a cup of coffee. I freed Frankie from her pen then sipped a cup of coffee while playing on the internet. I took Frankie out just before 8am. She did a lot of sniffing but no joy. We were out there for a while too. We headed back inside where I quickly delivered Mindy's coffee.
It wasn't too long before Mindy joined me downstairs. Then, not long after Mindy, the girls got up and came downstairs. Mindy asked the girls to keep it down until Jacob was awake. Jacob was the last to wake. The girls spent their early morning putting on a dog show and 'training' Frankie. Cute!
We planned to see a movie, which one we weren't entirely sure. Our choices were Tangled, Harry Potter, and Megaminds. Our kids had already seen Megaminds (Kaileigh's choice) with Jimaken so that one was quickly ruled out. Bella really wanted to see Tangled. I joked that we could each see separate movies. Mindy didn't like the sound of that, but I was only kidding. Mindy didn't plan to go anyway. Instead, she planned to take her Honda in for a oil change and then make a stop at the flower factory. We settled on Tangled, a Disney movie based on the story of Rapunzel. I can't say I was thrilled about the choice, but it wasn't about me. Jacob determined early on that he was gonna skip the movie.
Having settled on a movie, I readied and left for my run. By the time I headed out, it was 30 degrees and sunny. Because of the chill, it was back to hand and ear covers along with my light winter attire. I ran the full 4.1 mile track enjoying it much. I was back home around 10a best guess. The kids were out playing in the tree house. I asked if anyone had taken Frankie out again. Yes, but Mindy reported that Frankie pooped in the house after her cries to be taken out went unanswered. Bella took her out earlier but for something less than a minute (classic). Most of Frankie's accidents can be traced back to just after a Bella walk. :)
I headed for a shower planning to leave for the movie around 1115a. We wanted to hit the 1155a show. Again, Jacob opted not to join us. It would be just me, Bella, and Kaileigh. We left near 1115a just as I planned winding our way through Arlington to the Lennox theatre. I wasn't sure what to expect crowd-wise. It was early, so I hoped there wouldn't be too big a crowd. There wasn't a crowd at all. The lot only about half full. The human ticket line was about 3 or 4 customers deep. We opted to do that versus using the automated ticket kiosk. Because it was the early show, the tickets were only $5 each. Not bad.
We stood in line for popcorn and soda next. There wasn't much of a line there either. We wanted a large popcorn and two sodas. That was a whopping $18! I had a bottled water for myself in my jacket pocket. The girls wanted butter on their popcorn, which is taken care of at the self-serve station. We headed into the theatre with 20+ minutes to go before show time. There was only three other folks in the theatre, a father and two small kids. We sat in the same row, which was about half way up with a large aisle just in front of us. We ate most of the popcorn even before the previews started. I'll bet there weren't another 12 people in the theatre once the movie started. Fine with me.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the movie too much, after all, I figured myself a little too jaded for a Disney animated movie about Rapunzel. But in true Disney fashion, they made the movie with adults and children in mind. I actually enjoyed the story and the animation. The movie ran for about 100 minutes. The girls left for the bathroom once. I worried that perhaps I should've went with even though they insisted not. Turns out, they found their way back just fine and were only gone for two or three minutes.
All three of us hit the bathroom on the way out. I checked my phone. Mindy sent a text sharing that Jacob went ice skating with the neighbors, and she was at the Honda dealership. The girls immediately requested that we got skating too. Nope, we had our fun. Even after that huge bag of popcorn, the girls wanted to go somewhere for lunch. I suggested the Rusty Bucket where nephew Joe works. We headed there. The girls were just OK with the choice. But once we got there and discovered that Joe wasn't working we opted for another venue. Where, we weren't yet sure.
Somewhat surprising, Kaileigh was totally against fast food, but couldn't offer up a good restaurant close by. We drove around Grandview for a while without a plan. I rolled my eyes when they both lobbied for a return to the Rusty Bucket. No. I suggested we head to Minelli's close to our home. Kaileigh shared that she knows people that work there and didn't want to go. Said she'd be too embarrassed. What? Yep, said she'd be embarrassed to be there with me. :) We eventually settled on the new Grandview BW3's.
Like the movie theatre, we were one of just a few customers scattered about the place. The girls both wanted selections from the kids menu. I wasn't planning to eat too much. After all, Mindy promised the kids that we'd be doing dinner at Barley's. I ended up ordering 12 hot wings and water. While waiting on our food, the girls asked if they could go play video games. Bella offered that she had money of her own. She shook her wallet so I could hear the change (quarters). Sure, OK. Said they didn't need my help.
The girls were back before our food arrived, and I'm guessing it wasn't even ten minutes. As we talked, Bella shared that she spent a whopping $15 on the games. I about choked on my wings! What? Surely you're mistaken. Do you mean $3? Nope, three 5 dollar bills. Yikes! What a complete waste of money. I went to the machine to see if there were still pending credits, and sure enough, there were. They had 10 game credits remaining. I even used one of them playing PacMan, something I've played maybe five times in my entire life. Never was much of a video game head. I went back to the table and advised the girls that they still had credits. They asked if they could go play more. Yes. Before heading that way, Bella asked if she was grounded for spending all of her money. No. However, I did reiterate that she had wasted her money.
It was spitting snow when we left BW3's, now near 230p. It was only 33 degrees, cloudy, and windy. Seemed appropriate for the season. We arrived home about 10 minutes later. Mindy was home and napping on the sofa with Frankie. Jacob was still off with the neighbors. Bella and Kaileigh continued their dog training game. Poor Frankie. :) Jacob arrived home around 330p. Shelly came to fetch Kaileigh around 4-430p. By then, Mindy was again busy decorating for Xmas, only this time working on the leaning shelves.
I spent most of the afternoon/evening writing in my blog and playing on the computer. We readied for dinner sometime after 6p even though I was still full from the 12 BW3 wings I ate earlier. It was pouring rain as we headed off for Barley's. Driving proved incredibly difficult due to the rain and whatever the Honda dealership put on our windshield. I guessed it hot wax from their drive-thru carwash. I couldn't see the white lines between lanes at all. It was a very harrowing experience. Under the few scattered street lights it was a bit easier to see.
Barley's was moderately crowded, fairly typical for a TG eve. We grabbed two, 2-person barside tables. I ordered a Centennial. Mindy went with water, and the kids soda pop. I couldn't talk myself into eating again. I passed on a menu while the others ordered entrees. Jacob went with Gates of Hell wings, Bella, a corn dog and fries, and Mindy a California burger. Her burger looked to be topped with bacon and avocado. I had a second Centennial.
We didn't stay too long. Not much past 730p. But I'd be back in the morning to pick-up Friday's Thanksgiving feast. Mindy used a couple Barley hand wipes to try and clean her windshield before driving off. It worked only marginally. She drove home. Still fairly early, we called the neighbors to see what they were up to. We invited ourselves down. I took a couple beers and what remained of a Xmas ale growler. It was still raining. I took my umbrella.
We visited with the neighbors for an hour or so before Kapil and Pabina came over. We hadn't seen Pabina for many months, ever since she left for Boston. Missed her during her brief Labor Day visit. Talked a little bit about her dental schooling and how we now have other friends in the Boston area. Pabina will be there for 2 years.
At some point, I walked back home to get another beer for myself and another glass of wine for Mindy. I had a warm buzz. We might've stayed another hour or so, and Mindy the kids headed for home 15-20 minutes ahead of me. I took a couple Advil before heading to bed.
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