Goodbye Ground Hog & Hello Crocus

I woke feeling well slept and somewhere north of 530a. All through the night there were severe thunderstorms rolling through, and some rivaling those that we get midsummer. Can’t recall ever seeing/hearing storms like that in February before. In kind, we had both kids on our bed a couple of times, though it didn’t bother me in the least. Again, I slept well. The rain, wind lightning and thunder continued all through my calisthenics and coffee. I checked the weather online. It was a sultry 63 degrees. Happily, the last of the red storm was finally moving past us. I waited until 600a to take Frankie out. By then, the rain had stopped and the lightning was well to our east. However, I could still hear faint rumbles of thunder off in the distance. The back yard was a big puddle. I walked Frankie out front. That proved fruitful. She did both. Back inside I did meditation and a stretch. Both went well. I think my sprained shoulder is all but healed. The four straight days of scheduled Ibuprofen seems to have done the trick. Even still, I decided to take three more ahead of my run just to be safe. I delivered the pug and coffee to Mindy who was just about to enter the shower. I headed out for my run at 635a. There might’ve been a light sprinkle and a stiff breeze but that was nothing compared to the weather earlier. I ran the full 4.1 miles without any issues. I was got really warm during the early part of my run, so much so that about the 2 mile mark I started to remove my pullover fleece. But once it was off I realized that the temperature had dropped significantly. I quickly pulled it back on. Back at home I started Mindy’s Honda. She and the kids were already gathered at the breakfast table. After being asked, I shared how my run went then scooted off to the familyroom to check the temperature again. Just as I suspected, the temperature dropped dramatically. It was already down to 47 degrees. That's a 16 degree drop in just two short hours. According to the forecast, it was expected to keep dropping through the day, too, all the way down to a nighttime low of 25. Mindy left for work at her usual time and I headed off to the shower. I needed a shave. I used both the electric and manual razor and cream. I was ready and downstairs by 750a. Still with a few minutes, I packed my lunch. The kids were downstairs and ready by 755a. We headed out the door a few minutes later. It was still relatively warm but only in the 40's. We had the kids wear their winter coats knowing that the temperature was expected to keep dropping throughout the day. Kenny was at the bus stop with Lillian and Makayla. The bus showed up at 804a. I walked Frankie out front before heading inside. She only peed. I left for work at 810a determined to be in my office before 830a so I could join a conference call that started promptly at 830a. I was in the office with time to spare and joined the scheduled call. The call didn't go well at all. Too much jockeying for position and not enough teamwork. You'll have that, I suppose. The work day went fast. There was a lot going on. I didn’t get out of the office until 545p. Long day. I called Mindy as soon as I had the Trooper pointing the proper direction. Said dinner was just about ready. We were having pork chops, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. Sounded good. I was really hungry. Must have arrived home a little after 6p. Everyone was already at the dinner table eating their salads. I quickly emptied my work back pack, washed my hands and joined the others already at the dinner table. Everything was really good. The cornbread was exceptional, thicker richer than the Jiffy mix Mindy typically makes. The kids liked their dinner too. Clean up took a while. Lots of stove top clean-up (pots, pans, and mess). After dinner I spent time at the PC, but then retreated to the family room with Mindy & Bella where we watched How It’s Made and then a show about the formation of the universe. Seen it before but still found it fascinating. Jacob was a little PO’d at the rest of us. Found the programs boring. He loves to cite his boredom. It was a lazy evening. We all headed to bed before 10p. Good night moon. Good bye February!

Union of the Mind

Comparatively speaking, I slept really late. I didn’t get out of bed until 840a. More than anything, I was surprised that the grandkids were still sleeping. They’re usually up at the crack of dawn. As quietly as I could, I started a pot of coffee then went to my PC. Because it was Sunday, I wouldn’t be doing push-ups or sit-ups. I still planned a run, however. About the time the coffee was ready, the grandkids were awake and downstairs. So much for morning peace. I asked them numerous times to whisper in lieu of hollering. I’m not sure that Rocky and Olivia know how to whisper. Both are very loud. Soon all the kids were up and playing in the basement. I took Mindy a cup of coffee near 10a. I noticed that she had ear plugs in. Couldn’t hear a thing. Smart! She was up a short time later. Once she had a little time to get acclimated to the noise, I begged off for my run. Jacob asked if he could join me. But as quickly as I agreed, he immediately retracted his request. It was nice and sunny, but the yard was still a muddy mess. Mindy had denied his repeated requests to play out back. It must’ve been 11a when I headed out for a run. For the first time in a long while, I was able to comfortably run with out hand and ear covers. Like most Sunday’s, I ran three miles. Jacob & Rocky eventually headed over to Evans to play. Bella went to Makayla’s. We kept the wee ones (Landon and Olivia) inside. Shortly after my run I got in the shower. We were expecting Ashley and Stephen between 12-1p. Ashley called at some point to share that she couldn’t get a hold of Lindsey. Planned to come without her. Fine. Ashley & Stephen arrived as planned just as Mindy was making grilled cheese for the kids. Ashley had one too. Earlier, I asked Ashley to have Stephen bring his hair cutting equipment so he could cut my hair. Said he brought it. Cool. Stephen agreed to cut my hair but seemed really nervous. He later admitted as much. I reminded him that it wasn’t that big a deal. After all, hair grows back. He did a decent job, but it took twice as long as the girls do at Saturday’s. He’s still learning. He left it longer than I would typically have it cut, but I understood his position – leave room for error. After finishing my hair, Mindy called Chrissy and asked that she send Bella home. Mindy asked Stephen to trim Bella’s dead ends. Again, he was very slow and methodical but did a good job. I gave him $20 for both. After the hair cuts we celebrated Ashley & Landon’s birthdays by having cake and opening presents. Landon seemed embarrassed by all the attention. Too cute! And he really loved his gifts. Wanted to head outside and play with his skate board immediately. The weather was nicer than forecasted, all the kids headed out front to skate board. Mindy & I soon followed with Frankie. It was gorgeous – sunny and 60. Frankie insisted on walking down to Woody’s. I went to the door and asked if we could have him for a while. Chrissy handed him over on his leash. We hung outside for a good hour. As is often the case on the first few warm days of the year, the neighbors were out in droves, some walking their dogs and others walking with their families. Saw more people outdoors than I have since trick-or-treat. Ashley, Stephen, Olivia and the boys left around 230-3p. Jacob & Bella stayed out playing with their friends while Mindy & I headed back inside to tidy up the house. I even took a mini nap, and put both my running and ski clothes in the washer. Mindy started preparing sides for our dinner with the neighbors. Kenny was grilling steaks, the first such event since last October. Been a while. Both of us were craving a Kenny grilled steak. After my nap, Mindy & I both enjoyed a pint of the Southern Tier porter. Mindy was just finishing up the green bean casserole and the baked potatoes. We walked down to the neighbors with the food and both pugs around 515p. I took another beer too. There we watched the last ten minutes of the Buckeye/Hoosier basketball game. Wasn’t even close - a blow out. Buckeyes won by 20 points. Kenny grilled the steaks around 6p. Neighbor Teri came over too- Evan and Emily’s mom. She brought a salad. My steak was grilled to perfection – a T-bone, and as big as my entire plate. There wasn’t any room for sides. During dinner, we got into a heated discussion about unions, and based largely on the Wisconsin Governor’s efforts to squash collective bargaining rights for all state employees in an effort to balance the state’s budget. Having just read a lengthy overview of his position and reasoning, I simply wanted to clarify his position and share his logic. I then went on to share some of my personal views, which Mindy wasn’t happy with at all. In fact, she even launched some verbal barbs my way in front of our friends. I was a little taken back but ultimately undaunted. I believe what I believe. Still angry 30 minutes later, Mindy rounded up the kids and headed for home. I soon followed behind with Frankie. It was obvious that she was still holding grudge. At home we went about our usual business of preparing for the following day. At some point Bella and I sat on the sofa watching one of the knowledge channels – a show about biblical events and how science could explain what some have largely proclaimed as miracles. Interesting spin. I watched intently until 10p or so. Mindy and the kids were already in bed, though Bella rejoined me briefly, or long enough to get a snack.

Drink like an Ogre

I was up at 715a feeling about as good as one could possibly expect. No hangover and no shoulder pain. I quietly headed downstairs to start coffee and exercise. After sit-ups I checked the weather online. It was a whopping 28 degrees – about normal. After push-ups I poured some coffee. It felt really good to have no real agenda for the early part of the day. All I had planned before the grandkids arrived at 4 or 5p was to do my run and then take apart the garage door opener to see if the needed repair was something I could easily do. I enjoyed my coffee then played on the computer. I spent most of my time writing for my blog. Bella was up around 9a. When I took Mindy a cup of coffee both kids were snuggled up in our bed. I encouraged Bella to take Frankie out for her morning walk and she willingly agreed. Great! I didn’t motivate for my Saturday run until 1030a. By then, Mindy had already headed up for a shower in preparation for some shopping. As I understood it, she & Bella were heading to Target initially, but then Mindy would be heading to the grocery alone. She wasn’t sure if she’d be there when I got back from my run. Turned out, she was, but not for long. I wasted no time heading out to the garage still in my running clothes. Jacob was out back playing in the tree house with Evan. They eventually came to the garage looking to get out the skate board ramps. I methodically brought the garage door opener motor down from its bracket. I temporarily suspended the chain track from the bracket using lashing wire. I found the part quite easily online. Now my objective was to see how easily I could remove the damaged part from the motor housing. It took me about 30 minutes to figure out how to remove the part in question. Came out rather easily once I identified this mysterious little clip holding it in place. I headed inside to order the part. Mindy left me her credit card so I could order the camera she wanted to get me for our anniversary. I ordered that first. I got a memory card, a book, and the HDMI cable for Jacob’s new TV too (she approved all). I searched for the garage door opener part and found it right away - $30. I checked the online vendors shipping charges. Wow, a whopping $11. I thought I’d check around for a better deal Turned out, glad I did. Amazon had the part for $6 cheaper and only wanted $3 for shipping. I order it through them instead, the same place I got my camera. It wasn’t long before Mindy and Bella returned home from Target. They brought home lunch, too. Brought me a Double Stacker from Wendy’s. I ate it up in a hurry even though I had recently eaten some of my leftover Barley’s quesadilla. The burger was good. Mindy didn’t stick around at home too long. She departed for the grocery store and Bella headed over to the neighbors. I spent the next half hour refilling the leaky hot tub. It was down about 10” again. Mindy was home around 330p. With the garage door out of commission, we had to carry groceries in through the front door. Pain in the rear, especially considering all the stuff we store in the garage. With the temperature above freezing, the yard was a muddy mess. The kids know the drill well, but still managed to track in oodles of mud through the afternoon. Ashley brought the grandkids over around 430p. She didn’t stay too long. Planned to come back Sunday to celebrate the birthdays. There was some confusion as to when we’d celebrate – Saturday evening versus Sunday. I could tell that Mindy was irritated with me because of it. Mindy reminded me that one of us needed to take Kenny & Chrissy to their concert at Nationwide Arena near 5p. Can’t recall the artist. We both agreed that it would be me. I think Mindy was sick of driving around. That’s cool. I didn’t mind at all, and actually wanted to make a run to Whole Food anyway, where I planned to get some CBC Creeper. I grabbed an empty Barely jug and left to fetch the neighbors at 450p. They were ready to go by 5p. Had me drop them off near the entrance to NW Arena. They were meeting friends at the bar next door. Offered a ride home later with a call. I headed towards Whole Foods. I hadn’t yet had a growler filled at Whole Foods, but have read and heard about it via word of mouth. Said to have CBC Creeper on tap. Sadly, though, they were out of the Creeper. Instead, I saw they had some Southern Tier Porter. I had ‘em fill our jug with that. I knew Mindy would appreciate it. I also picked up a dozen roses for her. They looked extra healthy. And for me, I picked up a six pack of Southern Tier XXIPA. I headed home. Mindy, I could tell, was surprised with the roses and the Porter. We both enjoyed a pint. We ordered two Minelli’s pizzas a short time later. Mindy agreed to fetch them. We were eating pizza by 620p. Mindy bought a large pepperoni and an extra-large pep, pepper rings, sausage, and extra cheese. It was really, really good. After dinner all the kids had ice cream. All of them ate really well. After dinner we agreed to watch a movie. Everybody but Jacob was in agreement with the latest Shrek movie. We ordered it via PPV. The kids were restless throughout the entire movie. A lot of talking and moving around. They wanted popcorn almost immediately even though we had just eaten pizza and ice cream. We made them wait until we were almost an hour into the movie, and then I wisely popped two bags. More than once, I had to remind Landon that the community popcorn bowl wasn’t his personal trough.  That boy can eat! After the movie we made sleeping arrangements somewhat on the fly. The kids were undecided how they wanted to proceed. We eventually decided for them. All three Gkids would sleep together in the guest room. That made Landon and Rocky happy. Somehow having Olivia with them took their unfounded fears away. They are both terrified to sleep with the lights out and TV off. Very telling of their home life. That went OK at first, but all three Gkids kept getting back up and coming to the balcony to ask silly questions until Mindy asserted herself and read them the riot act. That was pretty much the end of that.  Mindy headed to bed a short time later. I stayed up to watch Saturday Night Live for the first time in over a year. Bella eventually joined me, but watched for only the first 10 minutes before heading back to bed. Anne Hathaway was the guest host. Cute! I eventually fell asleep, and woke again just after midnight and headed up to bed. I left Frankie sleeping comfortably on the sofa.

Baby I'm a Mayes'd

I was up on time, and thankfully it was already Friday. A short work week to be sure. I could hear it raining/icing as I made my way into the kitchen and eventually to the family room to start my exercise regimen. It continued through my time outback with Frankie. The yard was a giant puddle. A splish-splash everywhere I stepped. Yuck! Lucky for me, Frankie was quick to take care of business. We weren’t inside long before the icy rain morphed into fairly heavy snow. And by the time I finished coffee, meditation, and stretching, we had more than an inch already on the ground. Mindy’s phone rang just as I was preparing her coffee. I answered. It was a VM from the kids school sharing that they were operating under a two hour delay due to the weather. Before heading upstairs, I checked local school closings on the Fox website to see if Mindy’s district had any delays. They did not. I headed up with Frankie, coffee, and the news. Mindy wondered what we might do. I only shared that I was committed to an 830a conference call with a customer. I then headed out for my run. I did the full 4.1 miles without any issues. Kind of fun running in the wintry weather. Mindy had the Honda already warming when I got back home. The kids were still in bed. Mindy said that we could send the kids down to Kenny’s if I couldn’t stay home, but I planned to make it work. I planned to join my 830a call via Blackberry. Mindy thanked me and headed off to work. I ate my breakfast then played on the PC. Bella woke around 8a and asked about school. She thought it might be canceled completely. Nope - just a two hour delay. I reviewed our plan and asked that she be ready to head out the door at 955a. Said Jacob was still sound asleep. 830a came quick. I joined the call as planned. I had to shew Frankie out of the living room when she started barking at a person walking by with their dog. The call lasted until 915a. As soon as the call was over I headed upstairs to get the kids squared away. Jacob was awake, but still in his PJs reading from bed. Bella was watching TV. No surprise there. I reminded both that they needed to eat, dress, and be ready by 955a. We headed out at 955a. We met Kenny & the girls at the bus stop. By then the snow had all but stopped. – about two inches. After the kids were off to school I walked Frankie and then shoveled the drive and walks. Out of most foods I frequently take to work for lunch, I cut up some cheese and grabbed a can of chicken noodle soup from the pantry. I paid some bills online then left for work. It was 1015a. What remained of the morning went really fast. My boss stopped by asking if I wanted to join he and my peer for lunch at Grinders. What the heck. Why not? Said they’d be heading out near noon. The sun was shining when we left the building. That warmed things considerably. Boss drove to the Grinders on Sawmill Rd. Hadn’t eaten at Grinders in at least five years, maybe longer. I ordered their 10” Italian offering with a soda. While my boss and peer squabbled over who was getting the check, I went ahead and paid for all three of us. Yum-yum. The toasted Italian sub was pretty darn good, and right up there with Sporano’s. We retuned from lunch around 1p. It was suddenly much cooler now with clouds overhead. Burr! The afternoon seemed to move slowly; perhaps a result of going to lunch early. I left the office for home around 520p. I stopped at Target to get Landon’s birthday present. I was in there for a while. I got him a fishing pole, baseball glove and ball, skate board and pads, candy and a giant box containing 36 bags of various potato chips. I talked with Ashley on my drive home to confirm arrangements to have Olivia Saturday night. We made similar arrangements with Lindsey to have the boys that way we could celebrate Landon and Ashley’s birthdays. I suggested celebrating the birthdays on Sunday but still having the kids over night Saturday. She knew nothing about Rosemary doing something Sunday as Lindsey mentioned. At home, Mindy had the house in good order. All the weekly clutter put away. She even put away my Xmas gifts that had become all but permanent fixtures in our family room. She shared that her work peep and friend, Keri & family would be joining us at Barley’s for dinner. I didn’t realize that we had plans to go, although I do acknowledge briefly chatting about it while dining there the evening before. Mindy even called ahead and made a reservation, while also asking for Tina or Sarah to be our server. I took a brief rest in the recliner but didn’t sleep. I’m guessing it was 645p when we all readied for Barley’s, kids included. Surprisingly, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as it often is on a Friday. We got a spot in the main lot. Inside, Keri, Kevin & Garrett already had a booth. Cool, no wait for dinner seating. I walked around to greet a few peeps but quickly joined our friends. I ordered a White Rajah to start, and Mindy had a Russian. Kevin was drinking the Scottish Export. It was about 30 minutes before we ordered food. I went with a brisket quesadilla. Mindy ordered her old favorite, the southwestern salad. Jacob ordered the chicken tenders covered in gates, and Bella ordered a corn dog and fries. My second beer was a Pale Ale. Haven’t had one of those in a long time. It was really good. My third and last was an Avery Dugana. Mindy picked up our dinner tab since I got Thursday’s. I’m thinking that it was 930p when we headed for home. Mindy phoned the neighbors on our drive home. Talked with Chrissy. Mindy asked Chrissy about Kenny’s cut nose, the injury he incurred in a “bar fight”. Jacob and I were in stitches as we sold the fabricated story well. In truth, he cut it out back while leashing up Woody. Personally, I like the bar fight story much better.  We agreed to head over to the neighbors once we were home. They were on their way home at the same time. We were home for no more than 10 minutes when we walked down with beers and Frankie. Two of Kenny’s employees were there, too, Scott and Ivan. We hung out at the neighbors long enough for me to have two more beers. Jacob was tired. We left for home at 11pm. We weren’t up for very long after returning home. Everyone right to bed.

Corned Beef & Dugana

I was up on time – right at 530a -- but that was after waking originally around 3a feeling fully rested. From that point forward sleep was light and on & off. That, no doubt, a byproduct of going to bed too early, I’m sure. My shoulder felt fine. The 4 Advil every six hours seemed to be doing the trick. Downstairs, I completed my sit-ups and push-ups. Frankie was asleep in her pen although the door wide open. I noticed my anniversary card still lying on the island. Oops, forgot to open it the evening before. I had a lot on my mind. I checked the weather. It was 33 degrees. Expecting it to reach 40 or so later in the day. After coffee, Frankie and I headed out back where she took care of business, but only pooped. She didn’t want to hang outside long, so we headed back inside. The hot tub was calling, gurgling for water again. It never stops. Ugh! Inside, I enjoyed more coffee. Meanwhile, it was already 610a. Couldn't believe it. I did a brief meditation, but it wasn’t a good one. Too much stuff whirling around in my brain. Stretching went well, though. I’m sure the scheduled Advil helped with that. Next up, I delivered coffee and the pug while Mindy was mid shower. I gave her a kiss then headed back downstairs to ready for my run. I dressed in the same running clothes that I had worn for the past five days. Getting dicey! I ran the full circuit, 4.1 miles. I started the Honda as soon as I was back home. I missed the trash truck, but didn't think we had much, if any, after being out of town all week. Mindy reminded the kids to go to Dena's after school. The reason, I think, was to accommodate a couple more parent/teacher conferences. She left at 730a. Our fresh food options were all but nonexistent. We were out of fruit and lettuce for salads. I packed a small piece of inferno chicken along with some cheese. Off to the shower. I was ready to go by 750a. Not sure what I did with the extra few minutes. The kids came down on their own and we soon headed out the door. Chrissy was out with the girls again. Jacob was being a pill, throwing chunks of ice at the girls. The bus soon swooped up the kids. Frankie and I headed back towards home, but only after spending a few more minutes out front where she peed for the second time since daybreak. Off to work by 810a. I arrived a few minutes early and was settled in even before 830a. The work day was a busy one and included an impromptu meeting with several of my new team members. For the time being anyway, I have 25 direct reports. That's way too many. They had lots of questions. I was upfront and honest with my answers. The day went by quickly. I heard from Mindy around 4-430p. We discussed our evening plans. It was a Jimaken night, so we wouldn't have the kids until 8p. I wanted to visit Barleys. Mindy concurred. I didn't get out of the office until 545p. I called Mindy to let her know. Mindy gave me an earful for not yet opening my anniversary card, and wanted to know why I was such an ass the evening before. I explained that I was feeling overwhelmed. And relative to the card, I simply forgot. She wasn't amused. It was just after 6p when I made it home. We both freshened up then headed out arriving at Barley's near 630p. The bar was very crowded. We opted for a barside table. I was impressed to see CBC's Creeper on tap. I ordered one of those. Mindy ordered a Russian stout. Janet returned with only half of a CBC Creeper. Said it was the bitter end. :( I opted for an Avery Dugana IPA instead. We soon ordered food. Mindy ordered KC wings & Black Mussels, and I ordered their reuben special with a bowl of cheese & broccoli soup. Yummy stuff! We both opted out of 2nd beers. Mindy's birthday is next week. We discussed options for celebrating. I offered that she and I rush off to HV one more time. She wasn't too keen on that unless another couple comes/goes along. Prefers to celebrate with friends on Friday, then her & I out to dinner on Saturday. It was 745p. Time to head home to intercept the children. We beat the kids home by at least five minutes. Once they arrived they were eager to catch American Idol. I decided to watch this time. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was the final cut down to 24 (12 girls and 12 boys). Lots of talent this year. I've watched passively for maybe five of the ten seasons. This year's group seems far more talented than ever before. The show went on for 2 hours. At 10p we abruptly shut down the house and all of us went to bed at the same time. Bella once again expressed frustration over me going to bed before she was even asleep. It's a security thing. Good night moon!

Four Years of Marital Bliss

I woke at 540a after an OK night of sleep. Once again, shoulder pain woke me middle of the night. I kept readjusting my sleeping position in an effort to minimize the constant discomfort. All things considered, I was ready to jump back into my standard routine of sit-ups then push-ups. I completed both in the course of about ten minutes. These were the first push-ups I’d done since last Thursday morning, and only the second time since I injured my shoulder two Saturday’s ago at MRM. I decided it time to up my Advil dosage to four 200mg tablets before taking Frankie out back. Frankie didn’t waste any time taking care of business. Back inside, it was already 610a. My how the time flies. I completed a brief but effective meditation just ahead of stretching, which felt absolutely terrific. Everything cracked! At 630a I headed upstairs to deliver Mindy’s coffee. Frankie followed close behind eager to see her momma. It was in the upper 20’s, but nothing I am not used to. I bundled in my typical winter layers & headed out the door at 640a. I ran the usual 4.1 miles with no problems. I wished I were still running in the mountains instead of at home, but hey … . Mindy had her Honda started and warming in the drive. She also had my eggs ready and waiting. Mindy had already opened the anniversary card I left on the island. We exchanged anniversary pleasantries. She soon hurried off to work while I scurried off to the shower. The kids and I headed out for the bus at 757a. There we met Chrissy and girls. She asked about our trip. Truthfully, at least in my mind, I was still in vacation mode. Once the kids were on the bus I walked Frankie out front for a while. She never did go. I started the Trooper for the first time since last Wednesday evening. It started fine. Most notable was that the check engine light wasn’t lit. Hmmm? I was low on gas but figured I could make it to work fine. I decided to skip Thornton’s on the drive in but planned to stop on the way home. Gas prices were up, $3.29 per gallon. Yikes! I arrived at work around 835a. It took a while to get my PC fired up. Holy cow. I had 4000 emails waiting for me. That was enough to make me wanna take another vacation.  After a few minutes online, my boss and peer pinged me, asked me to join them for a meeting. I kidded them about working remote from Oregon, but quickly headed their way to join their meeting already in progress. Discussing reorg stuff. It’s almost a cliché, I know, but the day went really fast. I enjoyed my packed lunch from my desk around 1p. I was unusually hungry. The day was over before I knew it. Through the day I managed to whittle my email inbox down to about 500. I left for home at 530p. I stopped at Thornton’s for a fill-up. I was happy that my check engine light was still off and it remained that way even after filling up. Not holding my breath, however. As I pulled down our street I noticed the kids (neighbors included) sledding on the front hill. I quickly nixed that worried most about their well being. The were rolling off their sleds in the easement and just before the street. Double yikes! Jacob quickly shared that Mindy gave them permission. Told them that I didn’t care. No more sledding out front. He wasn’t pleased, but I didn’t really care. Immediately in the door, I told Mindy that I nixed the sledding. Said she didn’t even consider the danger. Really? She was busy making dinner and it smelt really good – inferno chicken. I wasn’t in the best of spirits this being my first day back to work. I felt a little overwhelmed. Dinner was good. The inferno chicken was a hit with everyone, even Bella. I hurried through dinner clean-up so I could spend some time investigating the broken garage door opener. Bella asked if she could go down to the neighbors to play. Mindy said she could go after her homework and reading was done. I headed out to the garage. Once up the ladder I could see what was wrong right away. The plastic teeth on the main gear were ground completely off and lying in the shroud covering the opener in a powdery consistency. Holy smoke! My guess is that the door was frozen and stuck while someone kept pushing the open button. I spent about an hour out there trying to figure out how to remove the plastic or nylon gear. Wasn’t readily apparent. If I could get it off, figured I might be able to order another online and make the simple repair versus buying an entirely new opener. I eventually came to the conclusion that I would need to remove the unit from the bracket first. To do so, however, would require some finagling, including finding a way to keep the chain and guide suspended. I definitely didn’t want it to drop on my BM’er. I decided to bag the repair until the weekend when I'd have more time and hopefully find myself in a better frame of mind. In the meantime, I planned to price a new openers just in case. I also showed Mindy what the problem was. When Mindy greeted Bella at the door on her return from Chrissy’s she asked if I moved her Honda. No, why? It had slid about 8’ further down the drive on the ice. Yikes again! She and Jacob headed out to shovel/remove some ice. I didn’t have the energy or mind to help. My give a damn was busted! It was only 830p. Somewhere in there I took 4 more Advil. Mindy and the kids had American Idol whirling loudly in the family room. Wanting no part of that, I decided to head up to bed. I turned on the TV, but in no time at all, fell asleep. I was out for the night.

Heading Home Too Soon

I woke around 130a and then kept waking every 20 minutes or so until it was time to get up for good. This was the first time I used the alarm on my Droid X. Worked well. I bounced out of bed right at 330a and quickly prepared for my run then started the coffee maker that I prepped the night before. I headed out the door at 345a. I felt a little uneasy running the streets of town at that hour, although it’s something I’ve done in the Couv numerous times past. I ran to the freeway viaduct and then back tapping the head of the iron statue I passed it in Esther Short park – again something I’ve been doing for nearly ten years now. I was back at Glenn’s place 30 minutes later and then off to the shower with a cup of coffee in hand. I couldn’t find any clean bath towels so I used a beach towel. There are usually plenty of them in the bathroom cupboards. After my shower I woke Mindy. However, Tommy got up about the same time and headed for the shower first. Mindy used the time to anxiously organized her stuff. Asked me to let her know once he was out. While those two readied, I made each of us a sandwich to-go. That four hour flight to Chicago can be long without something substantial to tie one over. I woke Glenn five minutes before we needed to leave to say goodbye as well as get directions to the nearest gas station. He drew a map on a piece of notebook paper. It was on the way to the freeway entrance. We pulled away right at 530a. I photo’d the moon shining brightly overhead. Rare. Glenn had his white Xmas lights lit, too. The drive to the Port of Portland went without a hitch. We returned the minivan with no surprises and were dropped at the terminal by 6a. We checked our baggage and found our gate by 625a. We shopped for souvenir t-shirts for the kids. I bought Mindy & I matching Oregon t-shirts too. Hungry, I went to the Wendy’s just around the corner from our gate to get a breakfast sandwich. I wanted to save my homemade sandwich for the plane. Mindy & Tommy passed on Wendy’s. We boarded our plane at 7a, and it sounded like we were about to get the obligatory preflight safety instructions when instead they announced that the plane had a flat tire and we all needed to deboard. They said it might be an hour, or that we might even need to change to another plane. He asked that we remember our seats numbers and that they would board the rear of the plane first upon rentry. Made sense to everyone save for these three chicks from Michigan. Let’s just say, they weren’t the brightest bulbs in the batch. In fact, they didn’t even have a filament. And much worse, they were the only ones who didn’t realize it. These three girls were at the rear of the plane and figured they needed to get off first. I asked her what she was doing. She got red & nasty. Mindy quietly asked that I allow her to pass. She started quoting what the flight attendant had said. Others looked on in disbelief as she talked about needing to pee and such. They were awfully loud too. Obnoxious is most fitting. The rest of the passengers deboarded in an orderly fashion. We were asked to hang loose but close by. We did. I sat on the floor and eventually took a brief nap. Ended up only being a 40 minute delay. And because we were scheduled for a 3 hour layover in Chicago, we didn’t mind at all. I emailed Glenn about our flight delay. By the time we reboarded and then took off it was 8a or slightly after, and also completely cloudy. Couldn’t see any of the majestic Cascades peaking through like one can other times. Bummer! Like the trip out, I read and napped throughout the entire flight, though I was far more comfortable than I was flying out. Not sure why. Maybe because my wife was beside me. :) I ate my packed sandwich somewhere over eastern South Dakota. Unless I’m mistaken, we landed in Chicago at 2p CT. To kill the two hour layover, I wrote in my blog using Mindy’s laptop. The time flew by. Soon it was 4p and time to board for CMH. Where had the day gone? Because we’d be flying into wintry temps, they deiced our plane, but that took only a few minutes. Soon we were off and above the gray cloud cover over Chicago. Gorgeous sky! The sun was already setting. Again, where did our day go? A little more than an hour later we were making our final approach into CMH. We chuckled at the double cloud cover hovering over our fine city. One could see snow covering everything – a return to winter. Landed at 620p. We had our luggage and were on our way to the Blue lot shuttle 15 minutes later. $42 to park. Our Honda was covered in ice and snow. We agreed to take Tommy home saving someone else the burden of driving to the airport. Mindy phoned dad to let him know that we’d be home after dropping Tommy. The drive to Pick town to drop Tommy went faster than I thought it might be – 15 minutes. We arrived home just a couple minutes after 8p. Dad had the garage door open and waiting. Said he thought we might want to pull in, not realizing that we can’t park inside with the Thule on top. Immediately, he shared that the garage door wasn’t operating properly. Oh dear! Welcome home! I tried not to think about it. Bella heard me enter and came running and leaped into my arms. That was nice. Dad helped us carry in our stuff but then departed for home. Jacob was at a Blue Jackets game with his dad. He arrived home near 9p. Before then, I unpacked my suitcase and back pack and got into my PJs. Mindy was already busy packing the kids’ school lunches for the following day. Talk about jumping right back in the fire! Bella read to Mindy while I downloaded our vacation pictures. By the way, Bella had already brought Frankie home from Chrissy’s. I choked down a couple Advil determined to curb my shoulder pain. We headed to bed at 10p. It felt terrific to crawl into our own bed. Good night Bend!

Desert in the Morning, Rain Forest in the Afternoon

I was up at 620a. Like the past few days, I quickly prepared for a run in a dark condo. It was 640a when I headed out the door. I ran the same route I had the past three mornings. It was cold but clear. Daylight was just becoming apparent. During my run, I pondered the end of our trip and how psychologically I didn’t feel ready. I knew I needed a much longer break. I need the mountains, and I need to ski! Back in the condo I started coffee then woke Mindy with bedside coffee. It wasn’t long before Tom, Tommy & Mindy were up. Unlike the days prior, we didn’t rush. Mindy offered that we skip a condo breakfast and instead focus on packing up and heading out, and then stop in town (Bend) for breakfast. Sounded good to all. We were all showered and packed up for departure by 10a. As luck would have it, it was a blue-bird day, or a perfect day for the slopes. Damn! Could’ve done the Summit. Check-out went without surprise. We headed into Bend and the McMenamin’s St Francis School for breakfast. On our way, we made a quick pit stop at the Powder Room – a local ski shop – just to check out their offerings. Mindy bought a new purple fleece. On to McMenamin’s. We found it easily – 700 Bond St. Like most other McMenamin’s, the place was a gem, lots of cool fixtures and interesting art work. And just as the name implies, it was once a catholic school that’s been recently converted to a hotel, bar, theatre, & restaurant. McMenamin’s does this all over Oregon. Jennifer was our server. The food was especially good. I had a southwestern omelet. Everybody’s breakfast looked delicious. We toured the facility after breakfast. Very, very cool art work, soaking pool, and lodging units. They own three or four houses adjacent to the school that are part of their lodging options. Maybe we’ll stay there the next time. Now near noon, we aimed the minivan towards Portland heading north on Rt 97/26. The day remained sunny and clear until we reached Mt Hood. Along the way we saw some incredibly beautiful scenery that we missed on the drive down due to darkness. Amongst the scenery were the Sisters, Adams, and Smith Rocks. As we ascended towards Timberline we once again were socked in by clouds – a common occurrence due to the geography. We stopped in Govy Camp’s Axe House Grill (formerly Mt Hood Brewing Company) for lunch and a brew. Been there several times past. As we past the entrance to Timberline and then Collins Lake condos, I wanted to stay.  Lunch was good. I had an Ice Axe IPA and a plate of wings. Others shared a pitcher of stout. We stayed for about an hour then drove the rest of the way back to Glenn’s place in the 'Couv'. Traffic wasn’t bad at all considering the holiday and hour, though there were a couple brief back-ups. Once at Glenn’s, we quickly unloaded the minivan. Tom S. didn’t hang out too long, just long enough to say his goodbyes. After Tom departed, I organized and packed our skis for travel home. Glenn let me borrow his ski wax so I could coat our edges. Glenn went down for a brief nap while we used his computer to do early check in. We hoped by checking-in early and printing our boarding passes, we might be able to sit together. Geesh! Despite checking in 12 hours early, we did no better than boarding section B-44-46. However, had we waited til morning, we almost certainly would’ve been sitting in middle seats and apart from one another. I cracked open and enjoyed my last rocket of Hop Henge. At 7p we decided to go out on the town. I asked everybody to remind me to stop and fill-up the minivan before heading back to Glenn’s since we needed to return the minivan with a full tank. We opted for the Asian bar across from Esther Shorts Park – can’t recall the name, though I’ve been there a time or two past. The bar is small but cozy with lots of red sofas for one to melt into. We did just that. We ordered drinks. Glenn and I ordered beers, Tommy & Mindy wine. Almost immediately, we were engaged in conversation with two other couples drinking next to us. Our conversations carried on through the entire evening, with one couple – Ann & Bernard -- sharing all sorts of funny stories. I enjoyed Bernie’s spin on life and parenting – “foot in the ass”.  Interesting relationship for he and Ann. She’s a local school teacher – 2nd grade. Bernard’s, on the other hand, is from Pompano Beach Florida but visits Ann often. His line of business was a bit unclear, something about working with pro athletes. If I recall correctly, they’ve been dating like this for 3 years. 10p came fast. I was first to state that we needed to go. I planned to get up at 330a in order to run, shower, and leave for the airport by 530a. We headed back to Glenn’s place. Forgot to stop for gas. I didn’t remember till morning. Mindy & I headed to bed right away.

Last Ski Day - Cold & Snowy

I was up at 6a and eager to do my run and get back to the mountain. I didn’t have my running attire as organized and I would’ve liked, but I managed to find it all in the dark. Just a dusting of fresh snow overnight and relatively clear skies hovering overhead. I completed my run by 635a. Back at the condo I started some coffee and made a fresh batch of orange juice. By consensus, we planned to have bacon and eggs for breakfast. Also, the day before, we made arrangements to take the resort shuttle to the mountain. Our pick-up was the later of the two available – 930a. However, during breakfast, I suggested we bag the shuttle and drive once again. After all, the weather didn’t seem to be an issue. Everyone agreed. We canceled the shuttle service. I was hopeful that we could get to the mountain even sooner than the prior two days. To help that idea along, I had showered even before the others were awake. However, after breakfast, Tommy declared his need to shower. Good grief! I hate waiting on others. We didn’t get out of the condo until 920a. And even though it was partly sunny over Bend, it looked like the mountain was socked in by clouds. Sure enough, it was socked in even more so than it was on Saturday. The parking lot was fuller too. Holy smoke! Getting geared up was slow, as well. Adding to it, Glenn ran off to the facilities as soon as we were parked. Sad he couldn't wait. I waited for his leisurely return. This time we planned wisely. I suggested we go right to the Red Chair lift. It’s so much closer a walk and a shorter line. All agreed. Mindy, Tom, & Tommy headed towards the lift while I waited on Glenn to gear up. It was already 1030a. By the time we got up to Red Chair, Tom & Tommy notified me that Mindy was in the bathroom and that they were headed over to tamer slopes. OK. Glenn and I waited on Mindy. Unfortunately, the line at Red Chair was long, but it did move fairly quickly. Mindy opted to ski down Leeway and with Glenn and I despite thinking we were gonna go a little easier. Turns out though, she did just fine. As it was the two prior days, the blues were all heavily moguled requiring a more technical ski technique. We eventually worked our way to the Northwest lift and planned once again to take Kangaroo. After one run down Mindy surprisingly agreed to do one of the black runs, Osprey. I took a spill right away, although fairly gentle, at least compared to my recent MRM spill. My skis simply got caught up in the deep powder. We skied it slow but all made it down safely. By the time we rode the NW back up top it was already break time. The skies were almost total white out at the top, making for a dizzying ski back towards the Pine martin lodge. Both Mindy & I felt queasy. We cruised down Thunderbird in order to get down to the lower lodge. Finding a table was tough. Mindy was invited to share one with others who she ended up befriending, but more of their friends showed leaving no room for the rest of us. We ended up finding a table upstairs. Unlike Friday, they had servers working the upstairs tables this time. We ordered two pitchers of beer; Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. We ordered some of their yummy Asiago spinach dip and nachos, too. Our break went well beyond the hour we budgeted, and with such short ski hours, there wasn’t a whole lot of time left when we headed out. It was already 2p. Yikes! We all agreed to ski the eastern mountain during the afternoon, a part of the mountain I had never seen before. And according to Tom, Tommy, and Mindy, groomed blue trails. That sounded good. To date, we had little opportunity to ski fast and fearless with all the powder and moguls. Hitting a cruiser or two was a welcome opportunity. They were correct; the runs were groomed more like home and Holiday Valley. More families over there too, however. We rode back up Rainbow, the eastern most lift. It was slow and long – over 200 chairs. It was a fun ski down, but by the time we skied down to the bottom again, the Sunrise lift was closing. Damn, where had the afternoon gone? At the top, visibility was very poor, not to mention it being extremely cold & windy above the timberline. Tom & Tommy took the green cruiser to the main lodge. Mindy & I took a blue run. I had to chuckle when she and I ended up on Coffee Run, the same trail she struggled mightily with on Friday. This time, however, she skied it fine. Getting used to the conditions, I guess. My legs were toast when we finished. Mindy, surprisingly, said she had something left in the tank. Just like that, our skiing was done. I was sad. Mindy and I plodded over to the ski shop to look for souvenirs. We already knew that Glenn & Tom were waiting at the car and brother Tommy at the rental facility awaiting a pick-up. We had his tennis shoes in the minivan. It was 430p by the time we were done shopping and ready to head back to the condo. The drive back was much easier than the day before. Clean roads and light traffic. Mindy headed to our room for a nap, and the others headed for the hot tub. I decided to stay back, nap and relax while sipping a Hop Henge IIPA. I watched some TV too. The time proved very relaxing. After an hour or so Mindy was up. She & I decided once again that we didn’t feel up to heading into town. We’d simply stay in enjoying beer, snacks, and TV. The others didn’t seem disappointed. I think everyone was tired. Instead, we watched Discovery Channel – Strange Addictions. Mindy & I headed to bed near 9p. Wanted to be rested come Monday morning for our trip back to the 'Couv'.

Morning Snow, Great Skiing, and Dinner at Home

I woke at 610a, pretty much the same time as the day prior. It was completely dark in the condo, but because I had my running gear strategically placed, getting dressed was a sanp. By 625a I was ready to head out for my run. It was snowing pretty heavily and there was already a good three inches on the ground. Cold too. However, the snow was fluffy and light. It didn’t hamper my run whatsoever. In fact, it only added an extra element of fun. Daybreak occurred during my run. And by the time I returned to the condo my original tracks were completely covered over by more snow. It was roughly 7a. Like the day before, I quietly went about starting coffee. Soon brother Tommy and Tom S. were awake. I took Mindy coffee. Instead of a traditional breakfast, Mindy made grilled deli-style sandwiches for all. I think Glenn was up last, but still before 730a. Word from home was that it was sunny and 65 on Friday, a far cry from our wintry weather. We called the office to inquire about taking the shuttle up to the mountain. Said it was full and that we should’ve made a reservation. Hmm? We had no idea. They conveniently left that part out when we checked in. Despite the snowy weather, it looked like we’d be driving up to the mountain. We left for the mountain at 915a. The pass up had already been plowed and stoned, but it was still icy and slick, more so in some areas. Bottom line, we made it up safely and without the aid of chains. The lot was packed, but the resort does a masterful job of guiding their patrons to a parking spot. The first thing we did was fetch Glenn’s freshly sharpened and waxed skis. The line at the Pine Martin lift was crazy long, discouraging even. A ski host quickly suggested we use the Red Chair just to the west instead. Said it had next to no line at all. All five of us skied over there for our initial ride up the mountain. He was right, the line was much, much shorter, but it too was backing up quickly. The Red Chair lift took us up the mountain to Leeway & Ed’s Garden, both blue runs. The runs were awesome, and the fresh snow only added to the existing powder base. Lots of soft moguls, too. Once again, that proved to be quite challenging for Mindy & I and perhaps a little too tough for Tom & Tommy. We took several breaks as we headed down the mountain. After that initial run, Tom & Tommy headed to some easier runs while Glenn, Mindy & I did more of the western side of the mountain, including Melbourne and Kangaroo. Those runs were just about perfect for me, doable but still a challenge. All the runs required technical skiing – no casual cruising anywhere really. We all met and took a break at 1230p at the Pine Martin lodge located at the top of the Pine Martin lift. I had two pints – both Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale. I ate a bowl of minestrone soup, too. After our break, Mindy decided that she was gonna ski with Tom & Tommy for the rest of the afternoon, leaving Glenn and I the opportunity to ski “balls to the wall”. We opted to head back down Leeway and work our way over to the Northwest Express lift and all of its trails. We spent our entire afternoon over there. It was exhilarating. We did our first black runs during that stretch, but given all the powder and moguls, it seemed no different than the blue stuff. The 4p stop time came on fast, especially given that I'm used to skiing well into the night. We skied our last two runs as fast as we could. They were incredible! We got one of the last rides back up Northwest where we made our way back towards Pine Martin lodge and then down Thunderbird to the main lodge. By then, my legs were stiff and tired. I was out of gas. Without saying anything, Glenn diverted back up Pine Martin for another run or two. That’s Glenn. While waiting on the others, I paid my first visit to the ski shop. Wow! It was huge and with lots of offerings. I bought nothing, however. Thinking I will buy some souvenirs on Sunday. I spotted Mindy as I exited the shop. Tom & Tommy were already at the car. We waited another five minutes for Glenn then started our trek back to the condo. The pass was still snow covered and icy, plus the traffic was bumper to bumper and slow. We assumed a wreck. Traction was dicey. We must’ve gone 10 miles at a snails pace. We were low on gas too. Crap! I worried that we might run out sitting in traffic. Finally, the traffic cleared and we were able to make some progress, although the pass was still extra slick. We watched the old Mercedes in front of us fish tail all the way down the pass and into Bend. Purposefully, I passed by our condo and headed straight into town to get some fuel and also to make a stop for a dozen eggs. I think everyone was surprised how hard it was snowing in Bend. Their roads were even slicker than the pass. Yikes! I felt much better after fueling up. Instead of stopping at a convenient store, I suggested we stop in the Safeway on the town’s western edge. Tom S and Mindy went inside along with me. We weren’t in there long before Mindy suggested we also pick-up something for dinner thus avoiding any more driving in the relentless snow storm. Made sense to both of us. We picked up plenty more beer, two take & bake pizzas, cookies, hummus, and pita chips. By the time we were done, we’d spent $83. We headed back to our condo. At the condo we enjoyed some beer, pita chips and hummus, along with some chips and salsa. Before baking the pizzas, all five of us headed over to the hot tub where we spent a good hour soaking our stiff muscles. We met several interesting folks and shared many skiing stories. Pruned, we headed back to our room to eat some pizza. Mindy and I stopped in the resorts tiny general store right next door and bought another bag of Tostitos. They gave us some complementary plastic cups and paper plates, too. Nice folks! Tommy took charge of baking the pies. That’s his thing. While eating pizza, we watched a DVD, Grown-Ups. I’ve seen it 3 or 4 times, but was happy to laugh at it again. At the movie’s conclusion, Mindy & I headed off to bed. I’ll bet it was no later than 10p, but back home it would’ve been 1a.

Powder Finger

Our bed was perhaps the most comfortable ‘hotel’ bed ever – a queen size pillow top mattress. I slept fairly well but still was bothered by my injured right shoulder. I rolled out of bed at 615a and headed towards the attached bathroom in total darkness so not to disturb Mindy. I had all of my running gear placed strategically in a bathroom drawer so I could be as stealthy as possible. And since Tom S. was bedding in the livingroom, it was even more important that I move about quietly. Much like a super hero, I emerged from the bathroom fully dressed in my running attire. I grabbed my door card and headed out the door. It snowed overnight but only about another inch of fluff. The sky was just beginning to brighten revealing clear skies overhead. Gorgeous! The scenery gave me goose bumps as I wound my way around the resort forging a path not previously traveled. I ran for about 30 minutes best guess. I worked up a good sweat, too, on the uphill/downhill terrain. The condo was still dark and quiet upon my return. It wasn’t long, however, before both Tom & Tommy were up and stirring. I started some coffee while the others woke. Once Tom S was fully awake I opened the window blinds looking out over the sun splashed mountains. Awesome view. In the course of the next hour everyone showered and enjoyed some of the breakfast strada that Glenn made specifically for our trip. All we had to do was nuke it. Besides me, I can’t remember who did and didn’t shower. What was most important was that everyone was ready to roll by 915a. We nervously headed toward Bachelor, which Glenn estimated another 13 miles up the highway. And since they don’t salt their highways, the going was a little slick, and only got slicker as we got closer. It was more like 15 miles up the road, but no biggie. During the winter months, the highway deadends into the Mt Bachelor Ski resort. Nothing short of breath taking! A blue-bird ski day ahead. Looking out over the Butte one could see the swirling trails left behind by powder skiers. What wasn’t immediately apparent was just how deep. It took a while for everyone to gear up. Brother Tommy had to get rentals. We were on our way up the Pine Martin lift at 10-1015a. Not bad! There wasn’t much of a line at all initially, but it was building as we made our initial ascent. On our initial ascent and then again at the top, we met folks that recommended Scalon's as a dinner destination , a fine restaurant in Bend. Mindy eventually would use her smart phone to make a dinner reservation for 8p. Everybody agreed to take a leisurely green run so we could get our ski legs. Glenn served as our trail guide. Yikes! Unless I’m mistaken, we did two fairly easy runs, and both were fun, just the right amount of exhilaration mixed with groomed powder. Glenn suggested Coffee Run next for He, Mindy & I. It's a blue trail and just east of the Pine Martin lift. Glenn suggested we cut straight across from the top of the lift to the start of the trail. Easy enough, right? Off I went down the slight slope towards the trails head. It was pretty much virgin powder, probably knee deep. I simply leaned back on my skis and cruised to the trail's head. Mindy soon followed, but didn't fair so well. Having no experience with powder, she bit it close to the cut over's end going completely head over heels. It looked like an easy fall, and the snow was deep and powdery, but then again, she did go head over heels. She wasn't very happy and said she hit her head. She blamed both Glenn and I for leading her into dangerous territory. I didn't agree, but let her rip into me a little. We proceeded to the real run - Coffee. Something I see very clearly in Mindy, once she's pissed or frustrated skiing, she doesn't ski well until she regroups or gets beyond it. Well, let's just say that Coffee, typically a blue cruiser, was more like a black diamond with all its powdery moguls. She struggled mightily and was slow getting down the run. I stopped every 100 yards or so to wait her arrival. She proceeded slowly and carefully, falling maybe twice. Perhaps the biggest hurdle of all was her negative disposition. Towards the run's end, I could see that she was growing more frustrated. I spotted a groomed trail to our immediate west. The only problem was that it required us to navigate a mogully black diamond off-shoot to get there. But given that our run was mogully too, it measured it indifferent. I caught an earful for that too, but still figured it the quickest, easiest way to end her misery. She made it down without falling but side stepped (slid) most of the way. Of course Glenn had skied on long before. He was nowhere to be found, so only I was left to catch Mindy's seething wrath. Mindy finally let go. We skied Thunderbird (the only blue groomer we could see) and right below the Pine Martin lift for the next hour or so. Mindy's attitude turned around in a hurry. We were having a nice time on Thunderbird. During one particular run down we happened upon a snow boarder from California who had just fallen. We stopped to check on him. Said he separated his shoulder and needed help. Was able to pop it back in but refused to board any further. Wanted a snow mobile rescue. His girlfriend skied on to get help while Mindy and I hung back with him until the help arrived. Took a while. A safety patrol eventually skied up with a pull behind sled. Once he had things under control, Mindy & I skied on. We all agreed to meet at the mid-mountain Pine Martin lodge @1230p. To that end, everyone was on hand and on time. Sadly though, the Pine Martin upstairs lodge wasn't open. Not sure why. We opted to ski down to the lower lodge bar. And given that it was the only open bar, it was crowded. Our persistence paid off, however, and we found a table upstairs. There we ordered a couple pitchers of Mirror Pond Pale Ale and eventually some food - Asiago spinach dip & a plate of nachos. We spent a little more than an hour drinking and eating. And given that the ski day on Bachelor ends at 4p, I had my eye toward the clock the entire time. We headed back out to ski at 145p. Mindy suggested that Glenn and I ski together while she headed off with Tommy & Tom. After lunch we skied over to the western side of the mountain - Northwest & Outback Express lifts. There we skied Leeway, Kangaroo, and Melbourne runs, all fun blue runs. The afternoon flew by. It was 4p before I knew it. I could've skied longer, but admittedly, my legs were fatigued from a day's worth of technical skiing. We met at the minivan at 410p and headed back to our condo. The road was slick but not ridiculous. We returned to the condo by 5p. Mindy went straight for a nap while the rest of us suited up for the hot tub. I asked Mindy two times if she cared to join us. She did not. We headed over without her. We spent about an hour in the hot tub. Nice! Back in the condo we all agreed on dinner in town, but not the fancy restaurant we made a reservation at earlier. I called Scanlon's and canceled. I suggested we dine at the Deschutes Brew Pub instead. Others agreed. We headed out at roughly 730p not entirely sure where it was, but we found it fairly easily. Deschutes was packed. We were quoted a 30 minute wait. No prob. While waiting, we squeezed our way up to the bar and ordered beers. I couldn't wait to try their Experimental Imperial IIPA - Hop Henge -- that I read about weeks before our arrival. It didn't disappoint. We were called for our table after about 30 minutes. Cool! I ordered a 2nd Hop Henge. I ordered their reuben. Mindy ordered a steak. I was impressed. The food was on par with the beer. Good meal. All agreed. I ordered 2 rockets of Hop Henge to-go. I was surprised that they were only $5. Back home I would expect to pay about $10 per. Becaus e I had two or three beers, I opted to let Tommy drive us back to the condo. We were in bed by 1030p.

And We're Off!

Mindy woke me from the balcony. It was 225a. I acknowledged her presence then popped to my feet. She headed back to bed. I started coffee then completed 55 sit-ups. And then for the first time since Saturday, I did 50 push-ups. And while my shoulder was still achy, the push-ups didn’t seem to aggravate it any further. After a quick cup of coffee I dressed in “B” running attire, including a previously retired pair of tennis shoes, then headed out for an abbreviated travel day run. It was still before 3a. The temperature was quite mild, almost 50 degrees. I ran just three miles. Thinking pacific time zone-wise, I guessed Glenn and Tommy still up drinking beer. It would’ve been around midnight in the ‘Couv’. Back at home before 330a I headed up for a shower. I was getting very excited for our ski trip. Mindy was ready for her shower as I finished. I headed downstairs to make breakfast: an egg, tomato, cheese and lettuce sandwich. I put Mindy’s in the microwave. I wanted to leave the house no later than 430a. After finishing my sandwich I did a little writing in my blog until 410a. I powered down my PC then headed out to load our luggage into the Honda. We secured the home and pulled out the drive just after 430a. To say I didn’t feel a little travel stress would be inaccurate but I wasn’t as amped up as I have been many times past. I was, however, feeling the effects of being short slept. We parked in the airport blue lot. They were fast and efficient; had us parked and on a shuttle in less than five minutes. Dropped us at the terminal 5 minutes later. The Southwest line was long, but it moved fast. An employee scouting the line moved us around to a self serve kiosk that made the wait even less. Cool! With no trouble or surprises, we were quickly on our way to the security check point. The security line moved slowly. This was our first time going through the full body scan. I held my wallet in my hand as a TSA agent approached after I passed through cleanly. He abruptly asked for my wallet. Hell no! I don’t give my wallet to anyone. After some back and forth, I reluctantly gave in to his macho overtures. He wasn’t too friendly. They ran it through the x-ray machine then handed it back. We were at our gate, A5, at 515a. I could’ve slept but didn’t. I thought about getting some coffee but decided against it. I planned on sleeping on the flight to Chicago-Midway. We boarded and left on time, 620a. The flight to Chicago went fast, just over an hour. I slept for most of it. We had more than two hours to kill in Chicago-Midway. I wrote/updated my Wednesday blog via my Droid. That was a painful experience. I scouted the terminal’s book store but found nothing of interest. I did get Mindy a bottled water. Our flight from Chicago to Portland was overbooked. Our boarding group was B-59&60. I worried that we might not get two seats side by side. My concern proved reality. By the time we boarded, our only options were two middle seats across the aisle from one another. The young woman in the aisle I chose decided to take the middle seat leaving me the aisle seat. Cool! As I often do, I fell asleep before take-off, but woke as we left the ground. The 2nd leg of our trip was a long one – 4+ hours. I read and napped on and off for the entire flight. Mindy talked with the two young guys she was sitting between through most of the flight. They were heading to Canada to ski. Both were more fanatical about skiing than us. In fact, one of them has his own ski making business. They were interesting fellas. And even though I was in an aisle seat, I caught a glimpse of Mt Hood & Mt St Helen as we passed above the cloud cover. Beautiful! We landed at PDX at 1110a PT. We had to wait about 10-15 minutes at the luggage claim for our bags to begin rolling through. They all made it. We wheeled our bulky haul out the nearby doors to the waiting Thrifty shuttle. Again, fast and efficient. Thrifty had us in a minivan by noon. To Glenn’s place. Glenn’s place is less than 10 miles from the airport. We were there in about 10 minutes. It was partly sunny and mild, about 45 degrees. Nice! Glenn & Tommy looked to be awaiting our arrival, though both looked a little rough/tired. Late night perhaps. I couldn’t wait to brush my teeth. I went to the main bathroom. Glenn advised that we not use the toilet – down for repairs. We discussed our Bend travel plans then I phoned Tom Shepherd to check on his ETA. Waiting at home for a call. Said he left Glenn a VM requesting as much. No problem. Asked that he meet us at Glenn’s. While waiting, Glenn & I drove the rental minivan to Les Schwab Tires to buy tire chains in case of inclement weather in the mountains, which is fairly commonplace in the Cascades. The beauty of Les Schwab is this, if you don’t use the chains, you can return them come April 1 for a full refund. Sort of like an insurance policy. That took no more than 20 minutes round trip. Fairly close, really. We loaded the minivan for our trip as soon as we got back. It was tight, but we managed. On board, we had four pair of skis and boots along with our luggage and food. Tom S. showed up at Glenn’s about ten minutes later. We squeezed in Tom’s gear then quickly discussed our agenda, which included a quick trip to Council Crest in NW Portland – the site of our wedding—and then lunch before heading towards Bend. The drive into Portland and ultimately Council Crest went smoothly, although traffic was a tad tight through town. No biggie. We relied on Glenn’s memory to guide up to Council Crest. Neither he nor Tom had that specific route down pat, however. It’s a winding drive up through a posh hillside neighborhood. After lots of winding we found the park and quickly headed to the stone center where four years ago we espoused our wedding vows. We took a few pictures and admired the surrounding scenery before loading back into the minivan and back down the hill towards town and lunch. We agreed on the Bridgeport Brewery, the same place we toasted our wedding four years prior. Despite fearing that we might not find nearby parking, we found meter parking easily. Inside, the brewpub looked pretty much as it did in ’07. We were seated on the lower level, the upstairs closed until 4p. It was currently somewhere between 230-3p. Having perused their website a few weeks back, I already knew what beer I wanted to try, their Hop Czar—a newer Imperial IPA. I would only have one since I’d be driving. Mindy ordered a Porter. Not sure about the others. We all ordered food. Mindy & I shared a burger & hummus plate. There were a couple salads ordered too, but not sure who had what. The food was terrific – top notch! Everybody agreed. No one was disappointed. Mindy went into the gift shop just east of our table and bought two six packs to go, a six of the Hop Czar for me and the porter for her. We headed east out of Portland towards the Cascades sometime near 4p taking I-84 east. It was tight going for about 15 miles or until we exited onto Rt 26, which takes you through the foothills and ultimately into the mountains and past Timberline. The roads were fine, at least at the lower elevations. We stopped at a liquor store in Sandy to buy some booze, Gold Schlager, Vodka, and Jack Daniels. A few took a pee break, too. We passed Government Camp and Timberline with the benefit of daylight. The road was a bit snowy/icy but not ridiculous. Thankfully, we didn’t need to use the chains. I felt a slight tug on my heart strings as we passed through. Mindy & I love Timberline and Govy Camp. Probably ten miles past Timberline, route 26 starts to descend the mountain. The roads conditions improved quickly just as darkness was setting in. On the other side of Mt Hood the climate changes in a hurry. While wet, green and lush west of and up to Timberline, it becomes semi-arid to the south and east – mountain high country. Because it was dark, we couldn’t really appreciate the landscape. We wound our way through several small towns, including Madras & Redmond before reaching our final destination of Bend. We arrived in Bend just after 7p. There was quite a bit of snow on the ground but none currently falling. Our resort of choice, Seventh Mountain, is about 5 miles outside of Bend proper in the Deschutes Forest and that much closer to Mt Bachelor. We pulled into Seventh Mountain Resort at 733p. Check in was a snap. No surprises. I liked that! Our condo was in building #11 – unit 1133, on the third or top floor. We worked together to carry in all of our gear minus the skis to the condo. Easy. The condo was nice, one bedroom and bath downstairs, another bedroom and bath upstairs in the loft. The livingroom sofa served as the 3rd bedroom – a pullout. Vaulted ceiling too. I was relieved to be safe and in our condo. I cracked a beer to celebrate. I had been up since 230a, ran three miles, flew another 2500 miles, then drove 200 miles more. Mindy and I headed to bed at 10p PT. I planned to wake near 6a to get our first ski day started.

Recurring Theme

Up late - 550am - I skipped taking any Advil just before bed .That was a mistake. My shoulder ached and woke me multiple times through the night. Deal with it! It was clear outside again. 55 sit-ups Took Frankie out immediately after. Scratching at the backdoor. That's unusual. Peed and pooped in short ordered. Inside for a treat and coffee. Stretch and meditation went really well. Able to quiet the mind. Big! I took three Advil. They' surely kick in sometime mid run. Ahh Woke Mindy with pug and coffee at 630a. She was already up, mid shower. Wore "B" running attire. Left out the door at 645a Good run - partly cloudy skies. Lots of daylight. Back well ahead of 730a. Mindy had fried eggs waiting. Asked me to peel the bottom paper off the roast and season before leaving for work. Reminded me that we had Bella's parent teacher conference scheduled for 530p. I had a bus work day planned but would join if possible. To be continued ... Off to the shower at 735a Back downstairs at 751a Throw together fruit - yesterday's salad still in fridge at work To the bus stop @ 758a Chrissy out with girls. Kids sliding on icy snow. Lillian takes a spill just as the bus pulls up Chat with Chrissy Walk Frankie out front. No go. Inside, I do some small item packing. All that's left is carry-on stuff. Leave for work at 824a In office by 844a Talked with my peer for an hour then my team Our director was expected in from Cary, NC. Around 2p - team mtg at 3p In meetings from 3 - 6p - missed Bella's teacher conference Left for home @6p Called Mindy She was just arriving home too Dad was there with kids. Staying for dinner. Roast beef - very tender, very good. Being the night before travel, my mind was racing. Dad left probably 7pm - agrees to watch the house, mail, etc Mindy takes Frankie to neighbors near 8pm Jimaken arrives to pick-up kids near 9p Everything was packed - Mindy and I headed to bed at 10p. Although tired, I couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for 45 minutes I got up and headed back downstairs and turned on the TV and laid onthe sofa. I planned on waking at 230a. It was well past 11p when I last remember looking.

Keeping Grandpa Company

I woke a few minutes before 530a and since it was so close I got up for good not willing to risk oversleeping. I was downstairs to hear the coffee maker kick on. I glanced out back only to find more clear skies. I slipped into my exercise tennies then headed to the living room where I whipped out 55 sit-ups. Once again, I planned to skip push-ups thinking/hoping the short break would aid in my shoulder’s recovery. I checked the online forecast next. It was a chilly 22 degrees, a morning temperature I have become much more accustom to this winter, but given that it was in the 40s the morning before I knew I’d have to bundle warmly for my run. Frankie seemed unusually eager to head outside. Tuned into her needs, I passed on coffee for the time being and took her out. The colder temps actually helped make it less slippery. And after Monday’s warm temps, so much more of the lawn was exposed furthering our traction. With little pause, Frankie peed and pooped. No doubt a byproduct of the big melt off. Inside, and after giving her a treat, I poured a cup of coffee that I enjoyed from the sofa for a few minutes of quiet contemplation. At 605a I did a ten plus minute meditation that went better than most recent days. I started my stretch routine at 620a. My right shoulder was stiff and painful but loosened significantly after the stretch. I could hear that Mindy was up and about as I finished up. I poured her some coffee then headed upstairs but with Frankie leading the way. She looks forward to heading upstairs every morning. Mindy was already in the shower. I headed back downstairs to dress for my run. Once again, I wore my “B” grade running clothes, but still bundled warmly. For whatever the reason, I wasn’t able to get out of the house until almost 640a. The predawn sky was quite lovely with an orangeish blue glow in the eastern sky. I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. I started the Honda for Mindy, and while I was out there I took another look at the dent I noticed the night before. I could see that the paint was cracked around the dent, which means proper repair will require paint work too. $$$$. Inside, Mindy had my eggs ready and waiting. She reminded the kids that they were to bus home as normal but that my dad would be there to intercept them. She advised that her conferences could quite possibly keep her there past 9p, not to mention still having to complete sub plans. She helped Bella brush her hair – especially the back - then left for school. I packed some fruit for my lunch then headed up for a shower. Both kids headed to Jacob’s room where they started playing nerf basketball, again. I wouldn’t normally shave again so soon but wanted to pack my electric razor for our trip so I shaved again this morning. It didn’t take too long. I was showered and downstairs again by 748a. I could hear the kids bouncing around wildly in Jacob’s room, but there was no crying and apparently nothing breaking so all’s good. I finished packing my lunch the called for the children. We headed for the bus at 758a. Chrissy was out with Makayla. Said Lillian’s mother hadn’t yet dropped her off. Said if she didn’t make it on time she would insist that she drive her to school. I offered that I could do the deed if it came to that. She pulled up just a few seconds in front of the bus. Lucky her! Chrissy shared that Kenny headed out of town as planned but let his cell phone by mistake. Wasn’t sure what they would do about it, but knows that he depends on it for his business. Said she might even overnight it. Walked Frankie out front. A lot of sniffing but no doing. We headed inside. It was 804a. I spent a few extra minutes organizing my gear before heading off to work. I arrived at work near 840a and parked up front. I spent the first 2 hours of my day visiting with my team in the center. I my opinion, that’s how all good leaders should spend their time – visiting with their respective teams. When I do that, my day always goes better. In today’s world, even as managers we’ve sadly become more task driven. My peer was off on a comp day. The weight of the day rested squarely on my shoulders. However, as best I could, I didn’t allow that sway my day. I met with my boss around 1030a and then spent the rest of the morning in my office dealing with numerous escalations. Ugh! I opted to skip taking a formal lunch, not having any necessary errands or stops. I ate my banana, fruit and cheese. Didn’t get to my salad. I talked with Tommy mid afternoon to touch base about our trip. He leaves a day before us but the same flight I didn't speak with Mindy all day long. I was at work until just after 530p. I remembered that my dad was at the house with the kids. At least I hoped he was. It was 601p when I pulled up at home. Yep, dad was there. Inside, I found Bella and my dad. Jacob was still outback playing in the tree house. Bella said she came in to keep grandpa company. Too cute! Said she took Frankie out several times and that her homework was already and checked. Cool! It was a Rachel day. The house looked great. Needed it too. Hadn't been there for four weeks. I did my after work chores, including prepping Wednesday's coffee. The UPS guy rang the door bell and left a package resting on our stoop. I retrieved and thanked him while he was walking away. I didn't order anything. It was addressed to Mindy. Jacob came in about 10 minutes after dark. I asked him to take off his middy snow boots from the deck thus keeping the freshly mopped floors looking bright and clean. Dad left for home soon after Jacob came inside. I asked the kids numerous times what they wanted for dinner. Jacob shared that he filled up on his giant Valentine's Day Hershey bar and wasn't hungry. Great! Bella didn't want anything either. Later, however, she asked me to call Mindy and request she stop at Kroger for some Hebrew National hot dogs. I told her I would ask if she called us, but that I wasn't going to interrupt her parent conferences for that. After all, we had Ballpark franks in the fridge. She decline one of those. Bella asked if she could head to the neighbors to play with Makayla around 715p. I agreed, but asked that she call as soon as she safely arrived (2 houses down). Instead of a call, she showed up back at the door not 2 minutes later. Said they were home but not answering. Asked me to call, but I didn't have Chrissy's number. She wasn't pleased. Mindy called around 8p to advise that she was on her way home. I asked about the Hebrew National's. As expected, she said no. She did ask that I make sure the kids were showered. No prob. As soon as we hung up I headed upstairs to request the kids start their showers. Jacob went first. As usual, he was done almost too fast. Asked me to smell his hair. It was passable. Bella finished up just before Mindy got home. Ashley and Olivia called just before 8p. Olivia asked if she could have a sleep over when we get home from our trip. Of course! I talked with Ashley at length. Shared how she's struggling to make ends meet. Ashley works hard and is a very good mommy. I want to help. I wish Steven was a bit more motivated. Mindy was home around 830p. Bella whined to her momma about not getting to play with Makayla and not getting dinner. What? Both kids suddenly cited being hungry. Give me a break! At the same time, Mindy asked that I open the UPS box. Said it was my anniversary gift. I reluctantly opened it up. It was a new camera, the newest version of my Canon 20X IS. Perplexed, I shared that I didn't need a new camera, and especially one like that. She was certain that was the same one I showed her at Best Buy around TG. Nope, that was a totally different style/model - PS S95. Mindy's feelings were hurt. But by no means did I mean to insult her. Instead, I didn't want her to spend that kind of money on something I had no need for. On the other hand, I much appreciated the effort she spent trying to please me. After changing into her PJs I think she finally came around and recognized what I was trying to tell her. She spent about 30 minutes figuring out how to do an online return. I felt bad, but I would never get good use out of that camera. I made a Jack & Coke with what was left in my mini bottle of Jack. I backfilled the empty bottle with lemon nip leftover from last Saturday effectively draining one of our pocket flasks for travel. The kids headed up to bed around 9p. I headed up for the tuck in shortly thereafter. Mindy & I talked for a few before I retired to the sofa. I eventually started falling asleep. Mindy headed up to bed ahead of me. Can't recall what I did, sleep maybe. I woke still before 10p and headed to bed myself.