Toys, Toys, Toys ... A Timely Contribution

I was up near 730a and still dealing with a head cold. Sleeping soundly has been anything but easy. The house was quiet. I spent the first hour or so alone downstairs completing my exercises, walking Frankie, & then enjoying coffee. Sometime near 845a the Kidney Foundation rep knocked at our door. Frankie went berserk. Her barking woke Mindy, who was the one that asked them to knock on the door since we had so much stuff to donate in the basement. I greeted the KF guy then put Frankie in her pen. Said he used to raise pugs. I went to check on Mindy’s status. She was dressing and promised to meet me downstairs momentarily. We must’ve carried up 25 trash bags full of toys, many still in their original packaging, some unopened, and some very expensive. Mindy had a list attached to each bag as well as a separate list for us to keep for tax purposes. It took about 20 minutes to get it loaded up. Glad to see that stuff gone! After the KF left, I fooled around on the computer while sipping coffee for another 30 minutes before preparing for a run. It was quite warm, already in the low 50’s. I felt naked running without hand and ear covers. I ran the full 4.1 miles, this the last run of 2010. Felt good to put that one in the completed pile. After my run, I unloaded all of our skis from the Thule. Noticed that my edges were already beginning to rust from sitting in there wet since Tuesday. And then, not wanting to waste the warmth, I got out the shop-vac and vacuumed the Honda, front and back. It’s needed it for some time. I thought about washing it afterwards but remembered we had heavy rain coming on New Year’s Day. We were expecting the kids home around noon, and noon came fast. In fact, the last couple of days moved almost too fast. The kids headed out to play almost immediately in the door. It was sunny and approaching 60. Gone almost entirely was any sign of our very wintry December. Just a few small stubborn piles of snow scattered here and there. The day’s nemesis was mud. Mindy spent the early afternoon taking down Xmas. Afterwards, the only decoration remaining downstairs was the Xmas tree. After a shower, I headed off to the Giant Eagle Market District in Arlington. I planned to pick-up a few items for the New Year’s Eve parties we’d be attending. Mindy asked that I get a couple other items too. I took the Honda. The Market District has been crowded at every visit, but this was by far the worst I’ve seen. Hardly enough room to move. I had to circle the lot for a parking spot, eventually parking at the far reaches of the lot out by the Macy’s. I might’ve gathered 15 items, including a six-pack of the new Sam Adams IPA, some hummus, pita chips, whipped cream, and a shrimp tray. I checked out in the alcohol department. That little trick saved bundles of time. The main check-out lines we backed up well into the aisles. It was probably near 4pm when I got back home. Mindy & I discussed the logistics of our evening knowing that both the Gardner’s and Schultz’s were having NYE get togethers. The kids, especially Bella, wanted to spent their NYE with Kenny & Chrissy’s kids. Mindy and I wanted to keep with tradition and spend it with Pat & Lisa. We decided to do both, going to Pat & Lisa’s first. Bella & Jacob later inserted that the O’Connell’s were having a party too, and that they were lighting off fireworks at midnight. I didn’t do much through the late afternoon. Wrote in my blog and did some reading. Took a Pseudoephedrine around 5p hoping to curb my drippy sinuses. We left for the Schultz’s at 645p. Turned out, we were early arrivers, but others began to arrive within the next hour. Best guess, there were 15-20 guests including kids. Both Jacob & Bella eventually found others their own age to pal and play with. We had a really nice time. Good people. Good food. Around 10p we left for the neighbors. Jacob wanted to stay and play with the friends he made. I was surprised when Mindy handed him her cell phone. Yikes! Bella was still eager to leave, especially after running into their sliding glass patio door not recognizing the glass. She was crying, but for the most part, we think her pride was hurt more than anything else. And unless I misunderstood, she ran into three times.  We arrived at Kenny & Chrissy’s after a very brief stop home to get Frankie. Chrissy, as it turned out, was already passed out with her head on the counter. Wouldn’t budge. Mindy hung out with Julie while I hung with Mike M. and Kenny. Around 11p we collectively walked down to the O’Connell’s house two doorss down. They were having a really good time. Quite the lively bunch. The kids were very excited to be there because Mike O. promised to light off fireworks at midnight. Got a little crazy around midnight; fireworks, champagne, and Mike’s drum set. I think we celebrated until 1a. I was smart and stuck with beer all evening. Not even one sip of champagne. I remember seeing a couple of the kids drinking real champagne too, although they had the fake stuff intended for them. Mindy stopped at Kenny & Chrissy’s to fetch Frankie on the way home. I walked through the back yard and straight home. We were in bed minutes later.

Mindy's in the Basement

I'll bet I didn't sleep for more than an hour straight and woke several times during the night either to blow my nose or pee - you choose. Unable to sleep with a stuffy head, I rolled out of bed around 9a. This, the latest I've slept in a really long time. Already I felt as though I had wasted the precious morning away. Yet as bad as I felt, I knew I had to motivate and carry on with my routine like normal. After all, only a wussie would use a head cold as an excuse not to exercise and run. Calisthenics took all I had. My whole body ached, no doubt a result of my cold. Somhow though I perservered. After exercise, I took Frankie out. It was already slightly warmer than freezing and raining ever so lightly. Frankie finally took care of business out under the tree house. I could see most of the lawn for the first time in almost three weeks. This would be our first day over 32 degrees since December 11th. Glenn was up shortly after me, thinking he needed to be ready for dad's pick-up just after 9a. In reality, he wasn't expected until 10a. Soon everyone was up. Bella asked about the odds of us making it to the movie to see Little Fockers. The way I felt, I seriously doubted it. Dad arrived around 10a to fetch Glenn. He agreed to drive him down to mom's. I told Glenn he was welcome to drive the Trooper as long as he was back Sunday, or in time for me to drive it to work Monday AM. Dad and Glenn hung out for a while, and long enough for Glenn to enjoy one of Mindy's breakfast burritos. While talking, I decided it time to head out for my run. The day's run would be accomplished on will alone. I had no energy whatsoever. I headed out thinking I might cut the run to three miles, but as the three mile turn neared I decided to tough it out and do the entire thing. Didn't want to close out the year with excuses. Besides, I had no deadlines or anywhere to be. I made it home feeling OK, but I knew from past experience that it was just a matter of time before I'd feel zapped. Despite having a head cold, my appetite was still strong. I made a taco burrito with the leftover taco meat from Xmas Eve. It was good. The kids were whining/complaining when I returned from my run. Apparently Kenny called, and shared that he and neighbor Mike were taking their kids to MRM despite the less than desirable weather. They wanted to go too. I was too ill to go, and Mindy had no desire. Bella used her new favorite line, "this is the worst day ever". Mindy headed back to the basement, again working in the kids playroom, or more aptly put, working on the big toy purge. She and Jacob were butting heads most of the day. He was sent to his room at least twice, and the second time for about two hours. He was being mean & defiant. Bella, on the other hand, was well behaved and helped her mother in the basement. I spent time writing in my blog and napping, not much else. Been using the Vikings snuggie we were gifted from niece Julie. It's awesome. Frankie napped right along beside me whether I liked it or not. Mindy stayed down the basement all day long. Don't think she came up more than twice for a bathroom break. Well, come to think of it, she came up & made the kids lunch too. We were expecting Jimaken around 5p to pick-up the kids for a short overnight. Was said to be brining them back home at noon Friday. I took a shower soon after Jimaken picked up the kids. Mindy & I hadn't firmed any plans butI figured we'd go somewhere for dinner. Around 545p we decided that would be CBC. Planned to leave around 630p. Mindy invited Chrissy to join us since Kenny and the kids were still at MRM skiing, but she declined. Honestly, I didn't feel very good but didn't want to waste away at home either. I took another generic sinus tablet and sprayed Sinex up my nose. The Sinex works for a short amount of time but the generic sinus tablets not at all. The bar was chalked full of patrons leaving standing room only. We hovered shamelessly nearby waiting on a couple of stools to free. Jamie and Kate were tending bar and were attentive from jump. Not only were they out of the 12 Hops, but they just blew the last keg of Winter Warmer too. Jamie shared that it's her personal favorite, and was beside herself for not taking a jug full home the night before. As luck would have it, we blew the IPA keg too, but they had more. I just had to wait for a new one to be put into service. After about 30 minutes a few stools freed up. In fact, shortly thereafter the entire bar area cleared out. Must've been a happy-hour crowd. We ordered food. Me, their spinach artichoke dip and flat bread, and Mindy their salmon dinner. The beer, while some of my favorite, just wasn't tasting good. Almost certainly a product of my cold symptoms. However, the cold didn't stop me from woofing down the spinach dip. I ate the entire dish myself. I stopped drinking beer after 1.5 - unusual. Mindy had a second Oatmeal Stout, their newest entry. I had a sip of that. It was really good - mellow. Around 8p we called for our check. Much to my surprise, it was only $23. Kate and Jamie gave us a wink and wished us a happy new year. I tipped them very well. They are good people and great servers. Always happy and attentive. I drove us home. At home we sat on the sofa, me under our Viking snuggly watching football. Mindy seemed surprised when I shared that I planned to watch the late bowl game too, Washington vs. Nebraska. I dosed off a time or two during the earlier game but like I did all day long, I bounced back for more. Mindy headed to bed around 1030p-11p. As planned, I stayed up to watch the late game. I headed to bed after the third quarter which had to be near 1a, but once I was in bed I felt wide awake, miserable, but still wide awake. :) Mindy gruffed a little when I got back up and headed downstairs again, but I knew that was the only way (watching TV) that I would fall asleep. I watched the end of the Washington/Nebraska game. Washington won. Then I watched some History Channel, though I can't recall exactly what. Anyway, it served its purpose. I fell asleep. I woke and headed back to bed around 3a.

Catching Cold

I must've woke around 730a. I didn't feel right. My left nostril completely clogged and my head fuzzy. I wasn't sure but worried I might have a cold coming on. Sometimes, symptoms such as these subside once I am up and about and are never to be heard from again. I hoped that was the case today. It wasn't. Meanwhile, it was back to my routine after three days of no sit-ups and push-ups. Both came easy despite not feeling so well. I played around online then took Frankie out. Everybody else remained in bed and asleep for at least another 45 minutes. Aside from doing my run, I had no pressing plans, although the kids and I talked about going to the movies, but those plans were never firmed. Jacob was the first to wake then the others. Bella was last up. I left on a run around 930a. My legs were stiff. I guessed it more from the uphill HV running than the skiing. Running 4 miles on flat ground was almost effortless. Mindy made breakfast burritos with chorizo while I was out. They were ready soon after my return. I made my own. Meanwhile, my sinuses were getting worse. No longer was there any doubt about my symptoms. I had a cold. I used some sinus spray to alleviate the runny nose but all that did was open them up. It didn't stop the incessant running. My head was fuzzy-buzzy too. Ugh! I headed upstairs to our bed for a nap after breakfast. While I was sleeping, Glenn left with his long time friend Scott Brown. At the time I wasn't sure if he would be coming back or staying the night with Scott. I spent the lion's share of the afternoon sofa surfing while Mindy started the harrowing task of sorting through the kids toys in the basement playroom, the idea being to purge our home of most of them. I did nothing all day other than nurse my cold. The kids were bored. Jacob asked repeatedly if we could do Barleys for dinner. Around 5p I agreed to go. Even a cold couldn't keep me away from my IPA. I'm guessing that I showered around 4 or 5p. We were preparing to leave for Barleys around 630p. At the same time, Glenn returned from an afternoon with Scott. Said they visited the OSU campus, the Wexner Center, and the oval. Was agreeable to dinner/beer at Barleys. I took some Benadryl and used sinus spray to help hold back the cold symptoms while we headed to dinner. We arrived at Barleys a few minutes later. Pretty good crowd for Xmas week. Glenn ordered their Xmas ale, me a Centennial. Not sure about Mindy. The kids ordered their food right away. I opted to skip ordering dinner. Just beer for me. Well, I knew I'd be snacking from the kids and Mindy's plate. While sipping my Centennial, I saw that they had the Brew Kettle's double IPA on the guest tap. I was eager to have one, or possibly even two. I ordered one of those next. Mindy had a hummus plate and a meatloaf sandwich. I sampled some of each. Good. Glenn tried some of the hummus as well. Glenn struck up a conversation with a guy at the bar. Talked for the better part of our visit. The same guy informed me that Sam Adams is now brewing and bottling an IPA - Latitude 48 IPA. Says it's good, worth trying. Available at most Kroger stores. Hmm? I'll have to give it a try. Mindy & I struck up a conversation with Tina, one of the young Barely servers. Found out we have more in common than we knew. Tina is the daughter of my Ophthalmologist, Steven Curtis. Get a family news letter each Xmas that shares a little about his family's life. Apparently the family isn't aware, or doesn't acknowledge that Tina is gay. Talking further, Mindy uncovered that her grandmother is a Semour, the Guatemalan woman we met at Bella's adoption Day party at Minelli's last January. Mindy's known them her entire life, or since she was very young. I had a third beer, a second Brew Kettle IIPA. Again, very hoppy, very good. Mindy picked up the check. We left Barleys for home around 8-830p. We called the neighbors to see if they were up for a visit. Had to be around 9p. They were not. Kenny had a splitting headache, Chrissy I presume. :) Glenn and I enjoyed a couple more beers. It wasn't long before I moved to the sofa and fell asleep. Out for the night!

Ski NY in the Morning & Watch the Vikings from home at Night

Similar to the morning before, I was up by 7a. I quietly slipped out of bed and into the bathroom where I dressed for a run then headed down to the lobby. After pouring a cup of coffee I checked on Tuesday night room availability at the front desk. Still no rooms available. Booked full. After hearing that I decided to simply let it be. We'd be heading home sometime around 2p. It was still early in the day, however, and time to do my run. After finishing my half cup of coffee I headed out into the cool morning air for my run. I ran the same trail I ran the day before up Holiday Valley Rd towards the Tannenbaum Lodge. I could feel the effects of the uphill run in my arches the most. Since it stopped snowing around 4p the day before, the road was only wet this time, thus traction a lot surer. That helped significantly. Like the day before, I headed back to the room directly after my run but only long enough to slip out of my outer layer, grab my book and then return to the lobby for coffee and reading. The lobby is very cozy and inviting. While reading I heard the front desk talking about the crowd expected in that day, and then a number of guests inquiring where they might get a more traditional breakfast. For the time being anyway, there isn't that option within the resort area itself. Sounds like an opportunity knocking for someone. ... Me? While pouring my coffee a gentlemen about my age stopped to talk about running. More specifically, he asked what I do to keep my knees in good shape. He said he used to run but recently had meniscus surgery and hasn't been able to do much since. Said he can ski but not aggressively. Was impressed that I run four miles then ski all day. It's such a perfect day, the animals are in the zoo! The hotel had XM radio Xmas music blaring through the lobby and hallways all week long. Still Xmas at HV. I hung out in the lobby until 845a when I headed back to our room. Mindy was lying in bed but awake. I shared that there were no room options. Heading home. She agreed with me, probably for the best. It wasn't long before everyone was up and we were preparing to check out of our room. Can't recall who did and didn't shower. I know I didn't. We ate leftover breakfast casserole then packed for home. We were ready to vacate the room just after 10a. Glenn & I took two loads down to the Honda via a hotel cart. We packed our gear such that our wet ski gear could go in last after another day on the mountain. Mindy went to do the lobby to do the formal check out. We hit the slopes just after 1030a. once again, Jacob reported feeling under the weather and didn't want to ski. Problem was, everyone else did, including Mindy. He didn't want to sit in the lodge or hotel lobby either. Mindy, I could see, was getting pretty aggravated with him. The Mardi Gras lift line was ridiculously long. We opted for Cindy's instead. Both Glenn and I worked up quite a sweat loading the Honda and as a result were a little stiff and cold. We skied down Cindy's and Maple Leaf first, then Glenn and I skied over to the Wall. It was open and looked about as groomed as I've ever seen it, although the usual amount of icy patches (normal). Mindy and the kids skied by taking one of the long winding runs down to the bottom of the Wall lift. Glenn, surprisingly went first, although he purposefully skidded down sideways for about half the run before turning himself loose. I've never seen him more intimidated on skis. I, too, was admittedly nervous but decided what the hell. After skidding a few feet I turned facing the bottom of the mountain and skied down like I know how. I skied it with authority and control. I was quite pleased with myself. I met up with everyone else at the bottom. Mindy suggested we do Tannenbaum next, so we made our way back to the western edge of the park. After Tannenbaum, we did Spruce Lake twice. It was very cold and windy at the top, always is. After a brief pee break we rode up Yodeler and did Champagne, even Bella. She did a good job keeping her composure and skiing within herself. I was proud of her. At the runs base, we agreed to take a food break at the Yodeler Lodge. Learned that Jacob bit it good on an easy run. Not sure what happened, but Mindy said he went head over heels three times. He looked flushed. Good time for a break. I had a bowl of chili and Mt Dew. no alcohol for me. I would be driving us home a couple hours later. After our 45 minute break it was 1p. We did a couple more blacks and blues before agreeing on one last run. Mindy, the kids and I chose Northwind. Glenn wanted to do Independence again. Agreed to meet us at the base of Mardi Gras. The lines on all the lifts were longer than I've ever seen them before. Yuck! Glad we weren't staying another night. Plus, my legs were getting tired. After waiting at the base of Mardi Gras for 5 minutes, Mindy and the kids decided to head to the gift shop while I waited on Glenn. Must've waited a good 20 minutes but still no Glenn. This happens a lot when making a meet point with him. Rarely, if ever, on time. Mindy wasn't pleased. She phoned my cell about 5-10 minutes later sharing that Glenn was with them just outside the gift shop. Guessing it was about 215p when we walked off the slopes through the Tamarack and into the parking garage to load up our skis. I had everyone lay their skis out systematically and had Glenn hand them up to me one pair at a time until they were all stowed neatly in the Thule. Our mesh ski bags then went in the Honda last. By 240p everyone had peed and we were ready to leave HV for home. We stopped in Salamanca for gas. $3.09 per gallon full serve. Mindy picked up some snacks there too. We didn't stop again until we were just across the Ohio border where everybody peed. The roads were dry and clear. Weather wasn't a factor like it was on the drive up. From my perspective, the drive home went faster than the drive up. We were making good time. Mindy urged me to stop for food once on I-71. The kids were fussing about being hungry. I begrudgingly obliged her request. We stopped at Wendy's. Despite the brief stops, we still made good time and were home by 815p. Everyone helped carry the gear into the home making rather quick work of the giant chore. Mindy started laundry almost immediately and Jacob and I walked down to the neighbors to fetch Frankie. As soon as we got back with Frankie I tuned into the TNF game featuring my beloved Vikings against the Eagles. The Vikings already trailed 7-0 seven minutes into the game. That would soon change for the good. The Vikings rookie quarterback, Joe Webb, looked pretty good. I was impressed. Just before halftime, the Vikings Antoine Winfield sacked Mike Vick, recovered his fumble, and scampered into the end zone to tie the game at 7-7. During halftime I took a much needed shower. The Vikings took a 10 point lead in the 3rd quarter. This was the best game I've seen the Vikings play since last year. Everything looked good, the offense, the defense, and special teams. We sacked Vick six times and harassed seven other times. The Vikings held on to win 24-14. After the game everyone headed to bed. I stayed up watching the after game coverage. Mindy woke me on the sofa a hour or so later. I headed up to our comfortable bed.

Excellent Conditions - Ski All Day

I was awake around 7a and eager to get my ski day underway. Because I wisely laid out my entire running ensemble in the bathroom the night before, I was able to prepare for my run without interrupting anyone else's sleep. Smart! I did have to fumble through my gym bag for my door key, however, but I did that successfully in the dark. I woke Mindy to let her know that I was heading out. In the hotel lobby, I made myself a small cup of coffee before heading out in the cold. It was barely dawn, cloudy, windy, and still snowing. I did a brief stretch just outside the main entrance then headed up Holiday Valley Rd towards the Tannenbaum Lodge. Very beautiful! The homes lining the road are quite lovely decked out in Xmas lights against a foot or two of recent snow. The run along Holiday Valley Rd is an incredible workout, uphill the entire way out. Not only that, but footing on the icy snow presented a challenge, too. I worked up quite a sweat on the run out. But anyone who has ever run hilly terrain knows the challenge the downhill portion presents as well. It works out an entirely different group of muscles. I had to be mindful of my footing while running downhill. I was back at the Tamarack around 8a. I made myself another cup of coffee then headed up to the room. Everyone was still asleep and the room totally dark. I stripped out of my outer layer, grabbed my book and Droid then headed back to the lobby. I sipped coffee, did some reading, and caught up on a few headlines from the comfort of the Tamarack lobby, which is finely appointed and decorated festively. It must've been near 845a when I headed back to our room. The others were just beginning to stir. I slipped into my swim suit and headed down to the pool and hot tub. I got in the heated indoor pool first then swam outside through the weather flap then hopped over to one of two hot tubs. I was the only person in the pool or hot tub. The cold wind was whipping the snow around creating a surreal winter scene. I stayed in the hot tub for ten minutes max. Just after 9a, I headed back to the room, only this time everyone was awake. I believe that Glenn was fresh out of the shower and Mindy just preparing for one. I decided to make breakfast, bacon and eggs. Because I had hot tubbed, I didn't plan to shower until the day's end and after skiing. By the time we finished breakfast and were ready for the slopes, it was 11a. We started out the day on Cindy's Run, and at some point early on, I took Glenn to the Wall. Unfortunately it was closed. It's so steep that you can't see the face even looking over the edge. We skied Cindy's and Maple Leaf a number times before heading west to Yodeler, Northwind, Morning Star, and Moon Shadow. They were making snow on a number of runs including Moon Shadow. We decided to ski it anyway. Honestly, though, it wasn't worth it. Couldn't enjoy its hilly jumps due to a lack of visibility. Mindy & the kids agreed to do Northwind and Morning Star while Glenn & I skied the four black runs off of the Eagle lift. We did each of them all once and then repeated Falcon, one of my favorites in the entire park. At some point mid-day we agreed to do lunch in our room. I was just getting my ski legs, so I did a run or two by myself. I met everyone else already back in the room. I enjoyed two beers, a CBC IPA and Great Lakes Burning River. I ate a couple cheese sticks but that's it. We headed back out for a couple more hours of skiing. Everyone wanted to ski Champagne including Bella. I didn't think it a good choice for Bella, but what do I know. Not really unexpected, she fell and became very discouraged. I insisted that Mindy ski on and allow me to work with her. I asked her to focus only on the terrain immediately in front of her and to make big sweeping S turns. That helped a lot. She made it down without incident. Next, we skied Independence, which runs just to the left of Champagne. Wow, it was very mogully and way more difficult than any of the other nearby black diamonds, and it's considered a blue run. Jacob bit it on the moguls. We took an evening break in the Yodeler Lodge. We had to wait for a table but got one after waiting about 5 minutes. Mindy & the kids went after food while Glenn and I sipped beers. We took maybe an hour to relax and warm before heading back out. Can't recall the runs we took after break but we all skied hard. Mindy & the kids decided to call it a day and headed back to the room and pool around 6p. Glenn and I stayed out doing Champagne and Yodeler numerous times. We ended up heading in for yet another beer break in Yodeler Lodge. There, we met a young woman from Florida, although her roots were local. We chatted with her for a while. After our break, we skied a few more black runs but with me bagging the blacks for a cruise down Mardi Gras. Glenn, meanwhile, begged off for another run or two down Independence, his favorite run. We met at the base of Mardi Gras and headed to the room. Earlier in the day we collectively decided to try and book an extra night in the Tamarack. Why not? All of us were on vacation all week. Mindy checked with the desk mid-day where they told her they had no openings but to check back later. Mindy headed down to the lobby to make dinner reservations at John Harvard's Brew House and also checked on our room's availability. Still a no go, but now we were on a waiting list four people deep. We headed to dinner somewhere near 8-830p. We were seated at a table next to the one we sat at last January. I ordered a John Harvard's Pale ale. Mindy ordered two appetizers, calamari and spinach artichoke dip. Jacob and I agreed to share a large order of wings. Bella wanted a pizza. Mindy ordered their steak special. Can't recall what Glenn ordered. The wings were good, but Jacob ended up being too tired after eating only 4. Bella, meanwhile, complained that her pizza tasted funny. Didn't eat but one slice. Mindy ended up being full after half her steak. Gave the rest to Glenn. Mindy willingly picked up the check after we filled a couple to-go boxes with pizza and wings. It wasn't long before I was under the covers and falling asleep. Probably just after 10p.

Belly Full of Barf

I woke several times during the night, the first time I'm guessing not long after midnight. What woke both Mindy & I was a dull whine coming from Jacob. Mindy went to his aid on two occasions. He was sick, a stomach ache but couldn't puke. He woke us a third time around 2a. And being the gentleman I am, I decided it was my turn to check on him. I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see. In the dark, Jacob was sitting up in his bed with dark puke all down his front with a deep puddle of barf resting in his lap. He mumbled that he wanted/needed his momma. I couldn't have agreed more! I went for Mindy! :) I hated to wake her but knew she needed to take care of him and the mess, a job only a mother could handle. As I expected she might, she leaped from bed and headed to his aid in a hurry. I headed back to bed knowing I would be driving 320 miles in just a few hours. Not sure what time it was when Mindy returned to bed but figuring she was up at least 30 minutes getting Jacob and his room back in some semblance of order. She said he felt better when he laid back down. As planned, I was up at 540a. We said we wanted to leave at 6a, but secretly agreed that being on the road by 730a was OK. Because it was Sunday, I didn't have to exercise. You know, my day off. So, after a brief stretch and a cup of coffee I left for a 3 mile run. The run went well. I was back home by 640a. I took Mindy a cup of coffee around 7a. As expected, she wanted more sleep after taking care of Jacob numerous times through the night. I got in the shower. Mindy asked that I let Bella sleep too, even after promising to wake her when I got up. I heard a few moans from Jacob. After my shower, Mindy permitted me to wake Bella. I woke Glenn about the same time. It was already 720a. Mindy finally got up and showered but chose to let Jacob sleep as long as he could. When she finally woke him the news wasn't good. Still ill and refusing to get up, much less get in the car for 320 mile drive. I can relate. What an awful feeling it is to be pukie sick. Mindy was frustrated, but what could she do? She actually phoned Jimaken but got his VM. At that point Jacob was saying he simply couldn't go. Wanted to, but couldn't. He cried. Not wasting time, I moved forward with packing our coolers and loading the Honda. We were all but ready by 8a. Mindy kept checking on Jacob to see if he felt better. At one point she called me upstairs to review our options. She said there were three. One, he could stay home with Jimaken or Gloria. Two, she could stay home and Glennie, Bella and I could go to HV. Or three, we could coax him into the Honda ill or not. I didn't want to leave him home. All of us had been looking forward to our family ski trip for several weeks. I did my best to remain calm. I knew that Mindy would come up with a viable solution. Around 845a Jacob emerged still in his PJs citing a strong desire to go. Great! We loaded the last of our gear and pulled out of the drive at 9a sharp! We stopped for gas and ice at Thorntons, paying $2.99 per gallon. It was snowing and continued doing so for pretty much the entire drive. In fact, the snow only got heavier as we neared Cleveland. We stopped along I-71 so Glenn could pee (not a rest stop). We stopped for lunch at a sleazy Burger King in Mentor off I-90. We passed the Wendy's we like to visit off of I-271. We stopped for a pee break on I-90 somewhere in PA then cruised the rest of the way into Ellicottville arriving at 3p on the nose - perfect timing for immediate check-in. The front desk was more that cordial. Very friendly, warm and accommodating. We were very pleased to learn we had a slope side room on the 4th floor - room 423. We were settled into our room and readying for skiing by 340p. It took another 30 minutes or more before we were on our way to the ski lift. It was cold, windy, and snowy. We still had some daylight, but it was slipping away fast. We rode up the Mardi Gras lift then took the Laurel run. We took Laurel to the Tannenbaum lift then up to the signature Tannenbaum run. Heavenly. Because of wind, the trees were dropping/tossing globs of snow on us unsuspecting skiers below. After two runs through the trees, we did some blue runs, including the kids favorite, Northwind. We took a beer break around 630p at Yodeler where Glenn & I enjoyed a couple EBC Pale ales. Yum-yum. Mindy had a rum and Coke. Surprisingly, Jacob ordered pizza and fries. We must've broke for about an hour before heading out for more skiing. We ended up skiing Cindy's and Maple Leaf a number of times. Both kids were skiing rather well. Mindy and the kids bagged it around 730p. Glenn and I stayed out until almost 9p skiing Edelweiss and the Chute countless times. Never anyone on that lift and two of my favorite runs. Back at the room, I figured we'd tune into SNF, but Glenn wanted to visit John Harvard's brew house on level 3. Mindy and the kids weren't interested. It would be just Glenn and I. I changed out of ski gear and into civis then Glenn & I headed down to the bar. At the bar, I had a bowl of chili and Glenn a Mediterranean platter. We enjoyed another two beers each. Glenn picked up the check. I took my Holiday Valley pint glass back to the room - a keepsake of sorts. Back in the room it wasn't long before it was lights out for everyone.

It's Xmas!!!

Our Family to Yours, Merry Xmas!!

It was just after 715a, and like most others days, I was the first one up. Merry Xmas Jimmy! I brushed my teeth and gathered my running clothes then headed downstairs for exercise and coffee. I started a pot of Starbucks then completed my sit-ups. Instead of computer time, I shifted into Santa mode going to the basement for the rest of Mindy's gifts that were stashed between several large boxes. I had two Xmas cards for her too, One I've had stashed for the last three Xmases. The sun was just coming up in a clear sky. We received about an inch of fresh snow the night before. Perfect! It was cold, too, about 20 degrees. I took Frankie out next. She was quick to take care of business. Neighbor Mike O. was out back with Emily & Evan pulling them around on what looked like a snow board. I walked over to say hello. Turns out the snow board was one of Evan's Xmas gifts. When Frankie and I headed back inside, Mindy and the kids were up and about ready to open gifts. Mindy opened the front door to signal that we were open for business just in case my dad drove by. Turns out, he was just pulling up out front. Good timing. Now near 830a, everyone was up save for brother Glenn. We started opening gifts. The kids went first moving through their boxes at a fairly quick pace. There weren't nearly as many as in years past, but I have a strong feeling that Santa dropped a pretty dime on what they hauled in. Jacob unwrapped a 32" LCD TV, a lava lamp, a new sled, and a mesh ski pack. In his stocking he found all sorts of goodies like an LED flashlight, a can of anti-Justin Bieber spray, and a hair brush. Bella opened got an American Girl doll with numerous accessories. In addition, she got a 3/4 sized Yamaha acoustic guitar, a new sled, and mesh ski pack. The kids made out pretty well. Mindy and I opened gifts after the kids were done. The kids gifted Mindy some special charms for her Pandora bracelet - a sterling silver pug and a family of four on a ski lift. In addition, Mindy got new purple ski goggles, two new sports bras, pajamas, purple Longaberger dishes, and a purple mesh ski pack. Santa didn't forget me either. I got new ski goggles, running socks and gloves, Sarah McLachlan CD, and some bright green Grinch PJs. We gave Dad his gift on Friday, Anthony Thomas candy and a Bob Evans gift card. Glenn was up before the gift exchange ended. He opened last. Glenn got three long sleeved cotton t-shirts (red, black, and gray), two wicking mocks for skiing, and a new pair of ski socks. Glenn gifted us last. We got a home brew kit along with the ingredients to make oatmeal stout. Cool! Something I've always wanted to try. As the gift opening wound down, Mindy baked cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole. I didn't plan to eat any until I was back from my run. Now almost 10am, it was time to head out for my Xmas run. I slipped into my usual winter attire and headed out. The only new addition being sun glasses. Because it was Saturday, I ran only three miles. It was a nice comfortable run on a cushion of new snow. I had to be extra careful, however, as there were numerous icy stretches hiding under freshly fallen snow. I was back at home by 1030a, and the breakfast casserole was just being served. Mindy poured mimosas too. The adults drank those, even dad had one. After breakfast, the kids headed out back to play in the snow along with the neighbors and their new sleds. Looked like they were having a really good time. We planned to be at Mindy's mom's somewhere near 2p. Leading up to our departure, the middle day went fast. I used the time to organize more of my ski gear for our Sunday morning trip. Mindy invited Glenn to join us at Gloria's, but he opted instead to remain at our place alone catching up on personal matters. We loaded up a huge box of gifts and a carton full of wine, beer, and rum, and Frankie then headed out just ahead of 2p. I called Ashley in route to Gloria's to see how their Xmas was going at Rosemary & Al's. Sounded like everyone was having fun. Good! I guess Kelly and Lindsey were playing well for the time being. As is tradition at Gloria's, Xmas was celebrated on the lower level with a modest spread of food on the one side and the family gathered on the other. Mindy mixed she & I a rum and eggnog. It was strong but tasty. We waited for all of Mindy's siblings to arrive before beginning the gift exchange. Everyone was present by 245p. We started the gifting right away. I had a second rum drink only this time on ice. Good! As usual, the kids cleaned up. Gloria gifted me two black sweaters and black socks. Perfect! Mindy got a purple sweater and scarf. Again, keeping with tradition, there wouldn't be a formal dinner. Instead, we simply snacked on the many available appetizers. Around 630p we headed upstairs for the traditional icebox cookies and two games of Apples to Apples. We had a fun time playing Apples to Apples. I think there were 11 of us playing. I suggested we head home sometime just before 8p. We still had lots of preparation to do ahead of our scheduled 6am departure. Glenn was sitting quietly at the kitchen table upon our return. We quickly carried in the Xmas haul then immediately switched gears to ski vacation mode. Mindy, the kids and I carried Frankie and her pen down to Chrissy & Kenny's around 930p. They agreed to keep her in our absence. We didn't stay long. I was super tired and still had a little packing to do. Three days of go-go-go and drinking were catching up to me. I felt like I could collapse. Aside from our ski gear, we agreed to pack simple. For me, however, I still had to pack a multitude of gear (running, skiing, and casual). That always takes some doing because I have to create a running kit for departure day that doesn't include any of my packed running gear assuring it remains fresh in my pack. Oh boy! I think it was 11p when I finally headed to bed. But like I guessed might happen, I had a difficult time falling asleep. Too wired!

Xmasing

Xmas Eve morning I was up at 740a. Mindy didn't ask for coffee and come to think of it, didn't budge. Little wonder. She was up extra late the night before. I started a pot of Starbucks then whipped out my calisthenics. It was cloudy and 28 degrees. Expecting a high of 29 with an inch of snow developing later in the evening. I took Frankie out just after 8a. Despite being outside for an extra long time, she only peed. I think she was distracted for a minute or two after seeing her brother Woody and Molly outside. inside, I enjoyed a cup of coffee while playing around on the internet. I could hear Mindy stirring upstairs around 830a. She was downstairs shortly thereafter. We had a busy day ahead with brothers, daughters, parents grand kids, and neighbors. We planned to have a lot of fun. I left for a run around 9a. I ran the full 4.1 miles, the whole time taking in the spirit of Xmas. As soon as I was back home I placed the Thule on top of the Honda. Because our driveway is on a significant incline, I decided to pull the road where it's more level before placing it atop the vehicle. Aside from watching for oncoming traffic, that made the job so much easier and doable with one person. It then occurred to me that I might as well load our skis saving us the trouble later. It took some doing but I was able to get all five pair in the carrier. Glad that was done. Inside, Glenn was just getting up. Not sure what Mindy was doing. I think she was already prepping the meat for our taco bar. Next, with Glenn's help, I spent a little time making an anti- Justin Bieber Spray label to cover a can of silly string. This to fulfill one of Jacob's Xmas wishes. I needed to fetch Kaileigh at 130p. I thought I'd be picking up Lindsey and the boys, too, but after a call to confirm I learned that Ashley agreed to bring them. I helped Mindy get the house ready and took a shower over the next hour or two. It was time to fetch Kaileigh in a hurry. I left the house at 110p. Visited briefly with Joey, Shelly, Sienna ,Kaileigh, and her great uncle Charlie who was up from Alabama with a banjo on his knee. Roll tide! Left for home after ten minutes. Kaileigh and I chat during the drive home, laughing about a number of things. She's getting so big. As we were pulling up in front of the house, so was Ashley and all the others. Perfect timing. As expected, Rocky was all about opening his Xmas presents. Must've asked five or six times. Wanted to wait for the others to arrive first. The kids played and the adults talked. I started drinking Jack Daniels once I was cleared of any further driving responsibilities. Dad, Mom, Tommy and Wally arrived around 3p. The taco/burrito bar was a big hit, although a couple of the kids opted instead for chicken & noodles. That was fine. They needed eaten up. We opened gifts near 4p. Instead of the usual free for all, Mindy took charge and suggested we begin with the grandkids targeting one at a time. That worked well. Kaileigh, being the oldest, went first. Needless to say, she was very happy with her American Girl doll. Not sure who went next, Olivia, Rocky, or Landon. But all four g-kids were excited with their gifts. When it was all said and done we had gifted everyone. No one left out or forgotten. Fun. Ashley & Olivia gifted Mindy & I a Dick's gift card and a picture. Kaileigh gave us some lovely pictures and a Bath & Body candle. Ashley & Stephen were the first to depart having other holiday obligations. Shelly & Joey arrived to fetch Kaileigh around 530p. We gifted them as well, along with Sienna. I've got to admit, I started getting a pretty good buzz going early evening. Jack Daniels cuts through just about everything! Mindy took Lindsey & the boys home. And when she got back home it wasn't long before Kenny, Chrissy & family arrived. We had al o just talked with Tom Clark in the phone. He and his sister and her husband were stopping by. Great! Hadn't seen Tom since the Wisconsin game. We did a gift exchange with the neighbors. Chrissy & Kenny gifted me a Sony Blu-Ray player. Wow! They gifted Mindy the Longaberger salad plates to match the set I bought for her. We partied with the neighbors and friends until 1030p. Fairly wild Xmas eve. After everyone left it became more traditional-like. We prepped Santa's cookie plate and tucked the kids into bed. then did the Santa thing. As midnight approached, we tuned into the Xmas mass live from St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and starring the pope. Wow! Nobody puts on a Xmas performance quite like these guys, Nobody! Not even Mannheim. Before it was over I stuffed stockings for both Mindy & Glenn then headed to bed. It had to be near 1a.

MRM v4 w/Glenn

It was the first day of my 2010 Xmas vacation, and no big surprise, I was up sometime just after 7a. Mindy woke as I slipped out of the room. I told her that I'd return with coffee soon. She seemed good with that. I felt OK, but could definitely feel last night's beers. Thankfully, though, that faded fast, especially after whipping out 55 sit-ups and 55 push-ups. I left Frankie's pen open the night before. In fact, she was sleeping on the sofa when i headed for bed. This morning, however, she was curled up on her bed in her pen. She joined me at my PC, where I spent the next 10-15 minutes ahead of delivering Mindy's coffee. Frankie and I headed outside a few minutes later. It took some doing but she finally did both. I had nearly resorted to begging. :) I didn't intend on taking Frankie upstairs, but she was so excited when I poured Mindy's coffee, I didn't want to disappoint. Mindy was happy to see me & Frankie, and probably even more happy to have coffee delivered bedside. Frankie was in one of those crazy dog modes. Mindy coaxed me back into bed for some snuggling. However, weighing on n my mind was my daily run. Frankie was in bed with us but was a terror. Mindy got angry and took her back downstairs. Of course she cried from the bottom of the stairs for half an hour. Back downstairs near 9a, I immediately dressed for a run then completed my daily stretch. I thinking I hit the door running at 920a. It was cloudy and 28 degrees with a few scattered snow flakes. I ran the full 4.1 miles and made it back home by 10a. Mindy was in the shower preparing for her day with Gloria & Bella at the Nutcracker. Without stopping, I went from running to preparing the Trooper for a possible drive to MRM. It's funny how I don't trust it for longer trips anymore. For one, I topped off the oil. Thinking it was early October when I changed the oil last. And knowing that it burns oil, I figured it had to be low. It was, but only by a quart. I topped off the windshield washer fluid too. Glenn was up around 1020a. Not long after he was up we discussed the logistics of skiing. I wanted to have a clear, realistic plan. One, we knew we needed to be home by 530p in order to make it to brother Bobby's by 630p. We also knew it would be after 11a when we left the house. Add an hour of travel to and from, and we'd have about 4 hours of ski time. Glenn was OK with that, so we agreed to go. I quickly dressed for skiing, skipping a full blown shower. Instead, I did a 'Tippler'. I was dressed for skiing by 1045a. I took care of loading all of our ski gear into the Trooper while Glenn readied. While we were readying for our ski trip, Mindy left to pick-up Bella from Jimaken's place. They were back just before Glenn and I left. I talked with Pat S., who was just out on his daily walk while loading the Trooper. Among other things, talked about the girl that hit my tree. Glenn and I left for MRM around 1130a. We stopped at Thornton's where I topped off the gas tank - 13 gallons at $2.99 per. It was a fast drive up Rt 33. Talked about my daughters mostly. Like always, it felt about 5 degrees cooler up there. We geared up from the car then walked up to the ticket window to get our lift tickets. We were on the slopes 5 minutes later. To warm the legs we took a quick blue run then took numerous runs down the various black runs, however, not fully engaged until run number 4 or 5. Somewhere in there we did some shots of Gold Schlager. That warmed us quick. Glenn was eager for more. I handed over the cough syrup bottle while I ran in to pee. He was enjoying the hump-de-hump hill, and trying to catch air. We probably did 7 or 8 runs, maybe more, before declaring it beer 30. The lodge was packed, the most crowded yet this season. We were lucky, however, and got a recently vacated table right by the bar. I fetched a pitcher of Sam Adams. Some time during our hour long break, I spotted Zach sitting at the same table we corralled last Saturday. Appeared to be by himself. Waived him over. We chatted briefly. His father, Scott, was in the bathroom. Said they had been up Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and now today (Thursday). Confirmed what I suspected, this being the busiest day yet. Glenn and I chatted with some folks tabling beside us who were sporting old HV lift tickets on their jackets. I shared our plans to be there December 26th. They gushed about it the park to Glenn, who hasn't been there before. Never hear anyone give it poor reviews. Make no mistake, though, it can't compare with true mountain skiing but it is very fun, very nice. After break, we skied more balls to the wall (of course). We took the original double chair lift numerous times descending the hill via the gladed trail that is riddled with bumps and jumps. Glenn really liked that run. We must've skied it five times in the last half hour we were there. We headed to our car at 435p. While stowing our gear my cell phone rang but I couldn't answer at that very moment. I waited until we were ready to pull out of the lot. It was Mindy. She shared that she was stuck in the Ohio Theatre parking garage, and had been for the last 20 minutes. Only moved down one level. Meanwhile, Gloria was waiting in the lobby with Bella, Dena, and Willow. Mindy had lots of driving to do - dropping Gloria, running Bella back to Jim's, etc. We agreed that making it to Bobby's by 630p might be too aggressive. I called Bobby to advise that we'd be late. He appreciated the heads up call. We made decent time heading home. We made a brief pits stop at the Hilliard Cemetery Kroger where I picked up a few ingredients for our Xmas Eve Taco bar and then a bottle of Gold Schlager for our HV trip. Glenn bought some Rumple Minze and a gift card for the white elephant gift exchange at Bobby's. Talked with Mindy again from the Kroger lot. She was at home contemplating the chauffeur logistics - take Bella home first, leave her with me, take Gloria home. She took her mom home first then took Bella back to Jim's. Said we'd be later than we originally thought getting to Bob's. We arrived home around 6p. Neighbor Trena walked over bearing gifts just as we were carrying in our gear. She came with beer and a gift basket. Very nice! I introduced her to Glenn and even left them alone while I carried in more of my gear. She hung out for about 15 minutes sharing a little bit about herself. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She soon left and Glenn headed up for a shower. As soon as I heard Glenn was out of the shower, I headed up for one of my own. And boy did it feel good having not had one since the morning prior. It was 640p. Glenn and I wrapped our white elephant gifts while waiting on Mindy to get home. Mindy called again this time advising that she had been rerouted off Rt 33 along the river to the back streets of Arlington to get around an accident. I called Bob yet again to advise that we were running even later. He appreciated the update. Mindy got home just after 7p. I had everything ready to go so we could leave as soon as Mindy felt ready. Mindy wasn't home for 5 minutes when we turned around and left for Bobby's. Must've arrived at Bob's close to 730p. As expected, it was a small gathering, Bob & April, their family (younger kids), dad, Mindy & I. Bob wasn't there right off, however - off picking up pizzas. We had a nice time talking, eating pizza, drinking a few beers. We didn't do our gift exchange until late. We've referred to it as a white elephant but it's really not. Rather, just a $25 limit and an unknown recipient. We picked numbers and I got to go first. Mindy and I were one entity. The more I thought about it, buying gift cards for such events takes the fun out of it since the rules allow for stealing, or trading. Mindy & I picked first and opened an oscillating tool (think Dremel). Nice! No one stole or traded. The others were gift cards, and the last, a jar with $20 worth of lottery tickets. Fun. We hung out with Bob and family until almost midnight. Tired when we left. I drove home. All three of us were sleepy. I think I had another beer but headed for bed before 1a.

Who Knew Glenn Could Fly? CBC & Bodega

I slept until about 540a then hustled through brushing my teeth and gathering up my running clothes. The last work day of the year had arrived, but honestly, I didn't give it much thought that early in the day. Instead, my focus was on my exercise routine, run, and everything else I needed to do leading up to Xmas. My exercises were soon behind me and so was walking Frankie. The snow that fell on the 12th is looking pretty ragged. And in our back yard it's packed down to the consistency of ice from all the foot traffic and play. There are several thin spots too. We could really use a fresh storm to dress it up a bit before Xmas. Although still in the cards just a few days ago, no longer does it appear we'll be getting any new Xmas snow. Oh well. I was running behind only because I was taking a more leisurely approach to each phase of my morning. 630a came and went in the middle of meditation, and I didn't get around to my daily stretch until 640a. I took Mindy coffee at some point but can't recall exactly when. This was Mindy's last day of school too. She'll be out until the 5th. I dressed and left for a run just before 7a. I knew Mindy would most likely be gone by the time I made it back home. I ran the full 4.1 miles remaining in the moment thinking about all of my to-dos and then a little bit about work, which I'll admit I was a little angry about. You'll have that. Sure enough, Mindy's Honda was gone by the time I made it back home. This was a Rachel day. Mindy left her a check on the counter along with a note. The check included a handsome tip/bonus. I tacked on to the thank you note. Mindy also left me a note on the microwave pointing inside to my breakfast. That was a nice surprise - scrambled eggs topped with cheese and an English muffin. I woofed down my breakfast but saved a little for Frankie. She was very excited that I shared. Before heading off for a shower, I got the spiral sliced ham out of the fridge and then rolled two carving knives up in a clean kitchen towel for easy transport. The ham would be my contribution to our office Xmas potluck. I was showered and ready just after 8a. I was in great shape time wise. I found a large foil tray in the basement that would serve as storage for the ham then headed off to work. I sent brother Glenn a text asking that he stay thirsty and travel well. His flight was departing Portland at 615a PT. Guessed him almost certainly at the airport by now. Work was low-key, but not nearly as slow as it's been Xmas' past. Mentally, I was already on Xmas vacation. Lots going on over the next week. My peer and I presented my boss with his Xmas gift in my office. Nothing big, a bottle of Asti, chocolates, and a gift card to Barnes & Noble. He gifted us as well. Somewhat of a surprise, my peer gifted me too. I felt bad given that I didn't get him anything this year, although I have in years past. I sliced up the ham around 1130a, and about an hour later the potluck began in earnest. Lots and lots of party type food, and plenty of festive desserts. I tried to avoid over eating, but wanted to enjoy some of those delicious looking Xmas cookies just the same. I mean come on, it's Christmas! Overall I didn't eat that much, but probably ate a few too many cookies. Early on, I reminded myself that we'd most likely be dining out later that evening so I curtailed the snacking early. I could feel my stomach talking to me - the hiatal hernia/schatzki ring thing. I delivered gifts to each of my team members mid-day. The afternoon was quite enjoyable with lots of holiday banter. The afternoon went really fast. Before I knew it was 3p. Mindy phoned shortly after that sharing her excitement over being officially on Xmas break. The last couple hours of my day was spent cleaning up some administrative tasks - nothing too involved. My boss cut out a little early. I stuck around until about 510p. I called and left daughter Courtney a VM encouraging her to come spend Xmas eve with the rest of us. I was hopeful, but in no way confident that she would. She's still bitter with Mindy and I. Holding a grudge for some reason. I was home even before it was completely dark. That was nice. The house was sparkling after a Rachel day. Perfect! She left us a lovely plate of holiday cookies. She's an excellent cook. Runs in her family - mother, brother, etc. Dad phoned from the airport cell phone lot around 6p concerned that he hadn't yet received a call from Glenn, who was supposed to land at 515p. With dad still on the phone, I pulled up the Southwest website to check the flight status - landed gate A2. Relayed that data to dad. After hanging up I called Glenn's cell. He answered and shared that he'd tried calling dad but got no answer. I assured him dad was there and waiting on the call. I called dad back and shared that Glenn was indeed on the ground and ready in the passenger pick-up area. I never fully confirmed it, but assumed dad would be bringing him by our place. Mindy and I sat quietly at the kitchen table, her sipping a glass of wine and me a glass of water. I figured to be driving to dinner. Didn't want to drink and drive. For selfish reasons, I suggested CBC, so I could have more that yummy 12 Hops! Dad phoned around 630p to let us know that they were in Grandview and would be over shortly. OK? Must've arrived around 7p. We hung out for an hour or so before leaving for dinner. Dad opted out of dinner out, citing things to do. We left for CBC at 805p. The lot about 3/4 full, I could see there was plenty of bar seating. Whoop! Kate was tending bar. She shared that the 12 Hops keg blew an hour prior. I was disappointed, momentarily speechless, and sad. :( I opted instead for a regular IPA, which is still pretty darn good. Glenn opted for their Winter Warmer. Mindy started with water but ended up with a Warmer too. We ordered appetizers as well, calamari and spinach artichoke dip. Jamie and Stella were working too, but serving tables. We chatted with both briefly. The dip was fantastic. I enjoyed three IPAs before it was said and done. We asked Kate where the CBC brewery might've distributed their 12 Hops aside from Columbus Fish Market (already blew their keg Sunday). Another employee, who we've yet to meet, shared Bodega as a strong possibility. Mindy immediately Googled Bodega and then called from her smart phone. Yep, they had it on tap! We made plans to stop there before home. Not sure the time but guessing it just after 10p. We headed north up High St to the short north. We parked around back and then walked through a dark an iced over alley to get there. Bodega was parked body to body, not exactly my cup of tea, but if they had the 12 Hops I was good with it. :) Glenn and I both had a 12 hops served in a unique 10oz glass. Unfortunately, my pallet was gone after 3 prior IPAs, spinach dip, and most recently a peppermint. Consequently, I could barely taste the brew. I had just one but then ordered a Rogue Mogul Masher Black IPA. It was OK. Mindy drove us home. Mindy headed for bed while Glenn and I opted for another beer and a movie. I put in the Grown Ups DVD. I fell asleep during the movie and dropped my beer, spilling it all over the carpeted floor. I woke instantly and in a huff and cleaned the mess. Dammit! I woke again at 3a, Glenn apparently off to the guest room. I secured the house and headed to bed.

Letter to Santa - Eclipse/Solstice

Even though I wasn’t out of bed until 550a, I didn’t consider it late because it’s the time I wanted to get up. Late implies missing a predetermined deadline. Considering I didn’t get to bed until after midnight, I felt pretty good. It was cloudy overhead. Because of that, I didn’t even bother getting up at 2am to watch the lunar eclipse. Too bad, too, because this was one of the rarest, a full lunar eclipse on the winter solstice. I slipped into my exercise shoes and started my regimen. Like most days, I did 55 sit-ups then 55 push-ups. All but gone is the stiffness in my left shoulder that had bothered me for the last few months. If memory serves, it started during the building of the tree house. I let Frankie out of her pen around 6a, and then took her out a few minutes later. She peed but that’s it. I gave her ample time to change her mind but it became obvious she had no further intentions. Inside, I gave her treat then took Mindy her coffee. Like the day before, it was already after 630a and I hadn’t yet done a meditation or stretch. It was 645a by the time meditation and stretching was behind me. I dressed and left for a run by 650a. It was noticeably warmer, about 25 degrees. There were a few snow squalls but not much accumulation, maybe a ¼”. I ran the full 4.1 miles without much effort. Came easy. Like the day before, Mindy and the kids were already gone by the time I made it back home. Today, the kids were going to stay with Grandma Sharon, something both were looking forward to, especially Bella. As soon as I stripped off a few layers I sent my boss and peer an email sharing that I’d be about 90 minutes late. I planned to use the time to wrap Mindy’s Xmas presents. For some reason, I was a tense ball of stress. If I had to narrow it down to one thing I’d say it’s the holiday/winter clutter. I feel like it’s eating me alive! Everywhere I look there’s Xmas excess taking up space. Then, parked by the back door are everybody’s snow boots. I feel like we need a bigger house. I sought out the materials I needed then retrieved all the gifts from the various hiding spots. It took a while to get into the swing of it but eventually did. At first Frankie was following my every move at my ankles. I hollered a few expletives that I believe finally sank in. Sorry Frankie! I felt considerably better when I finished the wrapping, but I still needed to dress ‘em up, stash 'em, then pick up my big mess. By then, it was already 945a. I had to send another email indicating that I’d be yet another hour late. I decided not to cut corners simply to save time. Instead, I took my time dressing up the packages with bows and curling ribbon. After clean-up I even took the time to fry a couple eggs. Glad I did. I felt much better after eating. By the time I was showered and dressed, it was 1030a. I still had to load my team’s gifts into the Trooper, so bottom line I didn’t arrive at work until almost 11am. That was a fast morning. I spent the first hour checking on a few pressing work related matters then an hour later my boss, peer and I left for our previously planned holiday lunch. A couple of us needed to be back for a 2p meeting, so we couldn’t make an entire afternoon of it. We decided to keep it simple and went to Wind Chimes. We’ve been there a number of times past. Wind Chimes was boppin’. We had to wait about five minutes for a table, but it didn't seem that long. I ordered the same thing I get every time I go, War Su Gai combo with a bowl of Won-Ton soup. I drank only ice water. The food was good and filling. I was hungry and was a clean plater. We were back in the office before 115p. I ended up gifting only one of my team members, the rest I agreed to hold off on until Wednesday so my peer didn’t look bad to his team.  Too funny. The afternoon went fast aided along by Mannheim Steamroller from my iTouch. I talked with Mindy soon after leaving work. She reminded me that she’d be taking Bella to gymnastics and that Jacob was going to the Blue Jackets game with his dad. I reminded her that I had to run three Xmas related errands including a stop at Kroger to get a ham for tomorrow’s holiday potluck, then to Kohl’s to get Stephen’s gift, and lastly a stop at Target for more holiday gift tissue. I was in & out of Kroger in no more than 10 minutes. Traffic to Kohl’s turned out being less snarled then I presumed, which is always nice! After looking hard, I found the gifts we wanted to get for Stephen. Leaving there, I bounced across the street to Target where I got some of the last Xmas colored gift tissue. It was only 615p. I made great time. I was a tad surprised to find Mindy still not back from dropping Bella when I pulled up at home at 630p. I was able to complete all of my after work chores before she finally returned at 640p. She wasn’t home long before she needed to head right back out to get Bella. She asked me to stir the chicken & noodles left boiling on the stove. Sure, dear! I played on the internet and watched the noodles. Mindy was back in what seemed like a minute. In reality, it was more like 10. The three of us ate chicken & noodles together, although Bella did little more than play in hers. Wasn’t real excited a bout ‘em. And come to think of it, she wasn’t in the best of moods. Complaining about everything. After dinner her mood was elevated a bit when I suggested we edit the final version of her Xmas list by adding a note to Santa. We printed it off, addressed an envelope to his place in the North Pole, then Bella took it to the mailbox. And we’ve got pictures to prove it!  We were expecting Jimaken to return for Bella around 10p, or right after the Blue Jacket game. He’s keeping the kids until Friday (Bella until Thursday when she and Mindy go to the Nutcracker). I ended up falling asleep on the sofa while Mindy wrapped gifts from her make-shift wrapping center in the basement. I woke briefly when Jimaken and Jacob arrived to get Bella. I didn’t budge. Too tired. I can’t recall the time when I finally got up off the couch and headed for bed.

Home in the Snow

The night before, I decided that it would be OK if I slept in an extra 10-15 minutes. A lot was in play. For starters, the kids were already out of school so I wouldn't need to get them on the bus. And secondly, it was Xmas week so work would be a bit more low-key, or so I hope. To that end, I slept in guiltlessly until 550a. But after waking things were pretty much on par with any other work day. I brushed my teeth then gathered my running clothes and headed downstairs. It was cloudy with a few scattered flurries and 23 degrees. I slipped into my exercise tennies and started my calisthenics. Sandwiched between 55 sit-ups and 55 push-ups was about 10 minutes of internet time. Yes, I am and addict! :) It was 607a in a hurry, and Frankie was eager to be set free. I didn’t wait long before taking her out back. It took a while longer than I hoped but she finally took care of business under the tree house. Inside, I had to remember that I allowed myself to run behind. My instincts wanted to invoke panic. I sat quietly sipping coffee while enjoying some soft Xmas music. That helped considerably. Come 630a, I hadn’t even meditated or stretched. I figured I’d better head upstairs with Mindy’s coffee. After all, her schedule was still the same. I did just that. Mindy asked why I was running behind. Quickly reminder her that it was planned. She then acknowledged me sharing my plan Sunday evening. Back downstairs I did about 10 minutes of meditation then another 5 stretching. Already 645a, I dressed for a run somewhat hurriedly. I wasn’t out the door until 652a. I headed upstairs a second time to tell Mindy goodbye. She and the kids would be gone upon my return. I ran the full 4.1 miles and felt good doing it. I often write about losing myself during a run, but I took that experience to a new high on this occasion. Just before the two mile marker I snapped out of a “deep think” only to find myself completely baffled with where I was. Had zero recall of my prior trail. Dude, where’s my car? As I approached home I could see that the Honda was missing from the drive, the kids and Mindy already gone. I may not have mentioned it, but the kids were going to school with Mindy. I wondered how well that would work, especially for Jacob. I thought about wrapping Mindy’s Xmas presents but nixed it in favor of more pressing matters, including making my breakfast. I didn’t want to be too late for work. It was 755a when I finished my breakfast and headed for the shower. I was pretty much ready for work and downstairs by 810a. Not any different than when I get back from the bus stop. I left for the office at 820a. The drive in was typical. For what it’s worth, I parked out front. The day went pretty much as expected, although a little busier than anticipated. I worked until 115p when I left for a lunch break. I went to Target where I bought my direct reports Xmas gifts. Each Xmas, Target finds a way to get plenty of my holiday dollars. While there, I picked up some color ink cartridges for my printer. Is it just me, or does ink not last nearly as long s it did in the past? Always buying ink and rarely use the printer. Hmm? One more quick stop before heading back to the office. I went to the Hilliard Hallmark store, but was surprised to discover that they’re closing their doors soon. Everything inside on sale, but the shelves already more than half empty. I bought nothing. Satisfied that I’d knocked a big rock off my list, I headed back to work. I talked with Mindy around 430p. She and the kids were just leaving the grocery store in GC. She confirmed that my dad would be joining us for dinner, rotisserie chicken. I asked that she prepare/sign his b-day card that we’ve had for two weeks now. Said she’d take it up to our room so I can sign it when I get home. I worked until just after 530p. My dad was already at the house when I arrived. After a brief birthday greeting, I slipped upstairs to sign his card. Mindy had Jacob & Bella sign it earlier but hadn’t signed it herself. I went ahead and signed for her too. in too big a hurry, I failed to draft a note in the card. What a goober! Downstairs, I presented Dad with his card as we struck up conversation. Shared a little about his kidney stone, but not that much detail. I’m guessing that he already went over it in greater detail with Mindy. :) Mindy served up the rotisserie chicken while I did my after work chores. Soon we were sitting down to dinner. The chicken was especially good. She warmed Bob Evans mashed potatoes as a side. They’re better than most homemade varieties. During diner we confirmed that dad really wants to pick Glenn up at the airport. No problem. After dinner I printed off his flight itinerary and gave it to Dad. After clean-up, Mindy got a candle and placed it in a single baklava for Dad. We sang the birthday song and snapped a few pictures. Not a big celebration. I asked Dad if he’s done any reflecting on his 75 years and what he feels when he considers it. Do you feel 75? Do you feel old? He shared that many people would be happy to make it to 75 and that he realizes a lot, if not most people, die somewhere between 75-80 years of age. Sobering, but probably true. On a lighter note, we talked about hooking up at Bob’s Thursday evening. It’s pretty much going to be go-go for about a week solid from today on out. Got to make it all fun! Dad must’ve left around 730p. Mindy, Bella and I were all looking forward to watching the Vikings on MNF outdoors at TCF stadium. Supposedly a big snow storm in Minneapolis too. We tuned into the pregame around 745p only to learn that Brett Favre was going to play after all. Cool! Without saying, I wanted the Vikings to win. But sadly, I felt the Bears were going to win it. The game started just after 830p. Bothe Bella and Jacob were with me on the couch. The setting was almost surreal, cold, snowy, and Brett Favre starting. The Vikings used all that positive momentum to score a touchdown on their opening drive. The crowd went wild shooting snow bursts high into the air. Must have some sort of launching tubes. Mindy declared it bed time around 9p. About that same time the Bears tied the score then took the lead 10-7 and later 17-7. Things started looking bleak. A few minutes before the half, the Bears sacked Favre slamming his head into the frozen turf. He went out of the game and never returned. In his place was Joe Webb, a rookie who prior had taken a whopping total of 8 snaps under center. Sure, there’s always hope, but any realistic chance of a win was pretty much gone. Despite the long odds, I stayed with the game through its entirety and long after Mindy headed to bed. n fact, she was in bed before halftime. Sadly, the game was never any closer. Instead, it only got worse. We lost 40-14. We’re 5-9 in what many predicted would be a Super Bowl year. I was worried about that kind of thinking/talking from jump. I headed to bed around midnight.

Kicking Off Xmas with Mannheim

Dad Turns 75 - Happy Birthday I tossed and turned through the wee hours of the morning, then rolled out of bed for good around 740a. For some reason I thought it was later. It was cloudy, this I could see from our master bath window. I couldn’t wait to brush my teeth after eating gobs of Mindy’s cheese ball late the night before. After brushing my teeth, I gathered my running clothes then headed downstairs. My head was clogged with the remains of the cold I contacted a week or so ago. I felt ten times lighter/better after blowing my nose. I prepped a pot of Starbucks then went to the computer. I wasn’t planning any calisthenics given that it was Sunday, my scheduled day of rest. I took Frankie out even before enjoying any coffee. She seemed anxious standing by the door. My hunch was right. She crapped twice and peed once. I checked the water level of the hot tub before we headed back inside. Down about 7 inches after 10 days. I knew I needed to get more water in it that day. I read a few headlines while enjoying coffee. I took Mindy some coffee and the pug. Both kids were up and in our room too. Back downstairs, it wasn’t too long before I heard Mindy up and about, and eventually in the shower. I guessed she was attending church, although she hadn’t said as much. As 930 neared I dressed for my run. I could hear Mindy unloading what the kids perceived as bad news. They were indeed going to church. I had to chuckle when I heard Jacob share that it was pointless and asked why he had to go hang out with a bunch of 90 year olds. Perhaps this is another reason why many kids end up with a skewed perception of God. Not exactly painting it in a positive light. I held my tongue when both pleaded to stay home with me, Bella surprisingly making the most noise. Mindy quickly invoked her parental right over ruling their pleas. Perhaps if they taught the children how to meditate, find their inner being, and then perhaps a little yoga they might start liking it more, and actually ask to go. Hey, I may bring that up to Karen next time I see her.  I stretched then left for my run well ahead of the family leaving for church. It was around 940a as I headed out the door. I ran only three miles, my typical Sunday run. It felt good, not a single ache or pain. I was back at home around 1015a, the Honda running and warm in the drive. Mindy wasn’t in the best of moods, and share a little as to why. Apparently the kids were acting up a ahead of church, and the gifts intended for church had been crushed while rolling around in the back of the Honda for the last 3 weeks. On top of that, she found Bella watching TV when she was supposed to be cleaning her room. Bella was now grounded from screens for the rest of the day.  Jacob, meanwhile, was already waiting in the car. Soon they were off. I wasn’t immediately sure what to do with the time, but thought I might wrap Mindy’s Xmas gifts, but eventually nixed it. Nothing like waiting to the last minute. I ended up doing all sorts of chores. For starters, I made Jacob’s bed with fresh linens, a chore Mindy asked me to complete before leaving. I also topped off the hot tub using the hose in the basement and the hot water tank. This was the first time I used the new hose caddy. The short (cheap) feeder hose leaked a little at the water heater and at the caddy itself, but stopped on its own after a minute or so. I made my breakfast next. I fried up some ham and eggs. They were goooooooood! Next up, I inventoried the gifts I still need to wrap. Plan to do it on Monday or Tuesday morning before leaving for work. I was gonna get in the shower, but once I was upstairs in the master bath I decided it a good time to scrub the white tile and grout on the master bath floor, a chore that Rachel apparently doesn’t do, at least to that degree. She mops but doesn’t scrub the grout lines. Knowing I’d be using bleach, the first thing I did was strip out of my black running attire and changed into nothing more than my light gray sweat shorts. I gathered up an old towel to serve as a knee pad, a bucket, scrub brushes and bleach cleaner. With 4” tiles there’s a lot of grout to scrub. And having done this a time or two I’ve got a decent system. After filling the pail with a bleach and water mixture I use a scrubbing sponge to spread a liberal amount of the mixture over an area about 3’x 3’. After allowing it to set for a minute or so I started scrubbing the tile and grout vigorously with a large scrub brush. Next, I use a narrow scrub brush that resembles a large tooth brush to scrub the grout lines. I then let it swim in the mixture while I moved on to another 3’x 3’ area. After getting halfway done I mopped up the residual with a steaming hot mop. It took about an hour, but it was well worth the effort. Looks almost like new, and this after almost 17 years. I heard Mindy and the kids come in while I was finishing up. Mindy came up to check in just as I was wrapping up. She knew that the floor was driving me crazy, but she had no idea to what degree I had just cleaned it. Not wanting the effort to go unappreciated, I shared the details of my technique. After wrapping up the floor chore I took a much deserved shower. Now around 130p, Jacob asked me to get the snow board and sleds from the shed. Reluctant at first, I remembered my parental duty and headed out to grant his wish. I figured this as good a time as any to get the Thule carrier out and ready for our fast approaching HV trip, too. Although as Mindy pointed out, can’t mount it on the Honda until after the Mannheim show, lest we won’t be able to park in the LeVeque parking garage. Good point! I got the snow toys out first then the Thule. All the kids were out playing in the snow nearby - ours, Kenny & Chrissy’s, as well as the O’Connell’s. While I carried the Thule to the garage, Jacob followed to get his ramps. I knew what he planned even without him saying. Building a mini-terrain park. Good idea! I straddled the Thule across two cooler, remembering how I broke one of the cleats last winter having it set directly on the garage floor. I check it for contents. Empty as expected. Next, in preparation for the Thule, I set the Honda’s cross bars as wide as they’ll go. I headed back to the shed to lock it up and then I went to the back door asking Mindy to bring my Canon camera so I could photo the kids at play in they snow. We put Frankie out on her lead, too. It was only 28 degrees, but the sun was shining and it actually felt warm. I took about ten photos of the kids at play. Evan’s as daring as they come trying hard to ride the snow board down the mild hill and over the two ramp jump they built. Busted his rump a couple times. We planned to leave for Mannheim at 3p. Mindy made arrangements for the kids to stay with Kenny & Chrissy. They in turn, planned to take all the kids to the Zoo in part to see the lights, but more importantly to see both their girls sing in a school sponsored event. While she made sure those plans were still a go, I checked online to see if CBC might be open. I already knew that they’re typically closed on Sunday’s but figured they might be open on this particular one, the final Sunday before Xmas. And I’ll be totally honest. I really wanted some more of their 12 Hops! Nope, closed.  I wasn’t defeated, however. Word on the street (thanks Bob!) was that the Columbus Fish Market has some of their 12 Hops on tap, and their website listed Sunday hours. Whoop-whoop! I thought we might stop there after the show provided we had enough time. Mindy soon confirmed that we’d have the time, and liked the sound of stopping at CFM after the show. Cool! We readied ourselves to depart just ahead of 3p. The kids remained out playing in the snow. We advised them to wear their snow gear to the zoo for added warmth. We stopped quickly at Kenny & Chrissy’s to drop off our zoo membership card then hit the road. We phoned dad during our drive downtown to wish him a happy birthday and to invite him over for Monday dinner. Shared the details surrounding his latest visit to the urologist with Mindy. They talked for about five minutes while I drove. She shared the story as we parked in the LeVeque lot. Apparently the stone dad passed and showed us late summer/early fall was not the biggie. Nope, it’s still in there, and his doctor said it’s not coming out on its own. Needs another sonic procedure to blast it out once and for all. Apparently feels comfortable enough sharing the story with Mindy. We were parked on level 2. Mindy wisely noted that as we headed down the steps towards our venue, the Place Theatre. It was only 330p, or actually just before. The show not schedule to begin until 4p. It took just a minute to get around the corner and into the venue. Not that I mind, but the lobby was overrun with oodles of blue hairs. I reminded Mindy to keep a tight grip on her purse.  Not sure if it’s the venue or what, but this had to be the oldest Mannheim crowd ever, this being my 4th show and 3rd with Mindy. In fact, I had to hold an oxygen tank for the woman sitting beside me, and Mindy more than once had to point the woman sitting next to her back towards the stage, her sense of direction and eye sight apparently all but gone. For a brief moment, my thoughts turned to the Neil Diamond show. The show didn’t start until approximately 410p. The band consisted of five members, along with a small eight piece orchestra and then two guys playing brass horns. Unlike past shows, and much to our liking, the videos, especially those of the Renaissance, were a much smaller part of the show. Instead, the focus was on the music. Bravo! And like it always is, the music was absolutely perfect. Can’t think of a better, more enjoyable way to kick-off the week of Christmas than with a Mannheim concert. They played for about 50 minutes then took a 20-25 minute intermission that was followed by another 45 minutes. Then they added a powerful 4 song encore after getting a roaring standing ovation from the audience. Guess those blue hairs can make some noise when they wanna. Mindy had to turn that same woman towards the stage again. If you get a chance to see this year’s tour …do it! It must’ve been near 610p when we made our way back to the Honda. Similar to the Sarah Mclachlan show, it took several minutes to get out of the parking garage but probably no more than 10 minutes. I made sure that Mindy was still game for CFM and headed that way taking Spring to Twin Rivers to Olentangy. The bar at the Fish Market was pretty full, especially for a Sunday evening. I told Mindy what I wanted then headed for the Men’s room. When I returned a 12 Hops of Xmas awaited me in a large sniffer. I was quite happy! Mindy ordered a glass of wine. The beer was as good as I remembered. Double yummy! It wasn’t long before Janie, the bartender, asked if we wanted appetizers, and also alerted us that they were ½ price until 7p. We ordered two – crab, spinach artichoke dip with flat bread, and then some crab cakes. It didn’t take long and both were fabulous, my preference being the artichoke dip. I soon ordered another sniffer of the 12 Hops. Janie kept warning that the keg was about to blow empty. I got a second sniffer no problem. A few minutes later, though, it was dry.  While sipping our drinks and eating our food, we struck up a conversation with the two guys (Dan & Jim) sitting to our immediate left. After conversing a bit we learned that they were a couple and have been for almost 20 years. Very interesting, and seemingly a lot of fun. We found all sorts of connections. For one, we both came in after the Mannheim show. Secondly, both Jim and I have a brother living in Vancouver, Wa. They know the area but joked that his brother is so damn macho that he never takes them anywhere beautiful when they visit. In addition, Jim used to be room mates with an old pal of Mindy’s, Kim Hull. In fact, he knows the westside fairly well, despite not being from there. As I say, very entertaining. Jim talked a lot about his Italian heritage, and shared many stories of his Italian upbringing. He and Dan have a side business – specialty dessert catering. Showed some sample pics on his smart phone. We’ll hook up with them again, I’m sure. What a good time. We headed home just before 8p. We were probably at home 15 minutes before the kids got back from the zoo. Kenny walked them home. I noticed Kenny was wearing a new ski jacket. Said he just bought it. Very nice! He’s chomping at the bit to get out there. After Kenny split the kids got ready for bed. In fact, we all did. I then watched the Patriots/Packers game on SNF. Bella was a little sad that she missed Faith Hill’s intro song. Sometime during the first half I fell asleep on the sofa. Didn’t wake and head to bed until 10 or so. Mindy, surprisingly, was still awake and reading in bed.

Family Day @ MRM

I was up and out of bed even before 7a hoping to get a jump on the ski day ahead. I started a pot of Starbucks, completed my exercises then freed Frankie. I checked the weather too. It was clear and only 10 degrees. I played around online for about 30 minutes before finally taking Frankie out. She was all about taking care of business. We might’ve been out for 5-7 minutes. It was gorgeous outside, the sun coming up in a clear blue winter sky. Inside, I delivered coffee and the pug to Mindy just ahead of leaving for a run. After a routine stretch, I left for a run. It was near 845a. I planned to run only three miles, this being a Saturday and all. Great run. I was back at home just after 915a. Mindy was already busy in he kitchen prepping ski snacks. I wanted/needed a shower. I asked Mindy if I should leave it run for her. At first she opted not, but then changed her mind. I left it run when I was finished. It didn’t take long for me dress for skiing. I purposefully left off my 3rd upper layer. Didn’t want to be too warm inside. I asked the kids to garb up in their base layers while Mindy finished showering. I headed downstairs to prep the Honda and then carb up. I heated the leftover cream of chicken over rice. And man was it good. I had all of our ski gear ready and loaded by 1020a. I added a couple Great Lakes Burning River’s to our cooler. We were backing out the drive at 1030a. Looked to be a perfect ski day – sunshine and temps in the mid 20s. Mindy phoned Bob I. as we headed north on I-270. Had to leave a VM, though. Bob must’ve been out on his morning run.  We called Tommy next. He answered and sounded eager to join us after a couple early morning errands. We made good time arriving at the ski park by 1115a. Mindy recognized Scott & Zach parked just a few spots east of us. Weren’t 100% sure it was them until I saw Scott’s skis (same as mine). Zach has sure grown a bunch since last season! After z brief meet and greet, we headed to the ticket window to get our daily passes. That didn’t take long. Like most other occasions, Jacob and I headed in to take a leak before hitting the slopes. Jacob and I started through the lift line when I spotted Mindy & Bella coming out of the restroom. I figured we better wait. Jacob wasn’t too thrilled. He was ready to go. At the top of the hill, we hooked up with Scott & Zach. Scott had just talked with Bob, who was just leaving his house and heading our way. Bella wanted to do a Blue run to warm up. Smart thinking. I did the first run or two with her. We waited for Mindy mid-mountain for some time. Apparently, she ended up taking an unexpected spill while hardly moving. We skied for about 90 minutes before we spotted Bob making his maiden run. His style is easy to spot. Excellent form. Tommy texted that his ETA was near 130p. By then, however, we were ready for a break. Mindy and Bella headed in around 120p. I kept skiing with Jacob, Bob, Scott & Zach. Around 140p, we found Tommy preparing to head up the lift. We made two runs together before I received a text from Mindy advising that she had a cold pitcher of Sam Adams waiting. I begged off to take a break with my family while Tommy and the others kept going. Mindy was beginning to worry that her pitcher of beer would go to waste. Never fear, Jimmy is here! It was good to warm up, enjoy some beer, and eat half a sandwich. The others came in about 20 minutes later. Bob immediately went after another pitcher of beer. That’s what I’m talking about! We stayed indoors for maybe another 40 minutes yucking it up. Scott introduced us to his other friend Bob, his son Cameron, and his daughter Cassie. Cassie was taking lessons earlier. Not sure if that was her first time on the slopes or not. Bella was willing to ski with her, perhaps even give her some pointers. It must’ve been between 230-3p when we hit the slopes again. Everybody seemed in top form, Jacob and Bella included. Bella’s now skiing with much more control. After 45 minutes or so, she joined me on a run between the terrain park jumps, which requires an alert skier if you want to avoid any unexpected air. I purposefully took the very bottom edge of a jump with Bella following slowly well behind. I didn’t realize she was mimicking my every move. Suddenly, I heard a scream from Bella. Turning around, I spotted her on the ground with scattered skis about 100yards up the hill. A couple skiers stopped to help as I pegged my way back up. She was OK but was crying. Said she fell going over the same jump that I just completed. Wasn’t prepared for it. Told me she thought she had a concussion. Wanted to go home. I helped her collect herself and then get back onto her skis. We skied back to the lift cautiously, me reminding her to make her big S turns. We headed in the gift shop to warm up and take a little break. I bought Bella what I thought was a jester’s helmet cover. I couldn’t get it to fit over her helmet once outside, however. We found Mindy and she tried too. Turns out, it was just a hat, not a helmet cover. Mindy offered to return it for me. I gave her the receipt and my card. She and Bella headed back in the gift shop while I skied on the with the boys. Jacob, meanwhile, was off skiing with Zach and Cameron, and appeared to be having the time of his life. We notice that he skis more boldly while with the other boys. I’ll be they skied together for nearly two hours, or until our next break. As darkness set in, it started getting pretty cold again. Thinking we broke around 6p. Inside, we shared another pitcher of Sam Adams. Oh yeah, failed to mention that we enjoyed some of Scott’s lemon nip and Mindy’s cough syrup (Goldschlager) on the slopes earlier, too. No wonder Jacob’s skiing so well. After our second break, we skied until almost 730p. Tommy, Jacob and I stayed out for a few extra runs, and then just Jacob and I. He was lovin’ it. We met Mindy and Bella in the lodge having hot cocoa. We left the park for home around 745p. It is funny how away from the slopes Jacob returns to his 10 year old antics almost in an instant. Mindy had to correct him more than once during our drive home. Mindy slept during most of the drive home. We arrived home around 830p. This time everyone helped carry in the gear, although we left some of it in the Honda. Jacob took Frankie out while the rest of us stowed ski gear. Mindy was in bed in a hurry after complaining of a headache and feeling unusually sleepy. The kids and I hung out downstairs on the sofa watching TV. Mindy did get up long enough to see the kids into bed, but then headed right back soon after. I stayed up sipping a Jack & Coke and watching the History Channel. I watched an episode about Hippies, and then another about the Charles Manson Family killings. Manson … what an ass. I liked the way the History Channel segued from the hippy movement right into the Manson killings pointing out the correlation. Made sense, but just hadn’t thought of it in those terms. I was up until 1230a. Surprised even myself.