Brew Dog Hardcore IIPA

I was up a few minutes early but only after a lot of tossing and turning during my last couple hours of sleep. I woke angry from a dream where two of my brothers, Tom & Glenn, were using my boat and sunk it. What really got me was that they exhibited little to no remorse for bringing about such peril, basically walking away almost like, oh well! My dad had to help me resurrect it from the river’s bottom only to discover the hull was also broken almost in two. I remained angry even in my woken state. Kind of silly thinking about it now.

I headed downstairs and started my routine in earnest. The snow from Wednesday was still covering the ground. After sit-ups, I discovered that it was only 25 degrees, but expected to make it up to 42 my mid-day (way below average). I busted out 55 push-ups before pouring some coffee. My right wrist had a pinch in it again. The push-ups didn’t help. Ouch! After enjoying a few brief minutes with coffee I leashed up Frankie and headed out back for a walk in the snow. Even amongst the snow cover, she managed to sniff out some goose poop. It really gets me angry watching her eat that crap. More often than not, I give her a good yank. She finally took care of business, but we’d been out there for more than ten minutes. What ever happened to the out and done thing?

Inside, it was already 605a. I hurried through a meditation and stretch routine faster than I would’ve preferred. I then poured and delivered a cup of coffee to Mindy, who was already mid-shower. Back downstairs to prepare for my run. I dressed in full winter attire. Going by looks alone, it could just as easily have been mid-January.

The front stoop was a little slick. I had to be careful. I ran the full 4.1 miles in what seemed like no time at all. I was lost so deep in thought that I had to think hard to remember the previous couple miles. I love it when that happens. I returned home to start the Honda. I checked the garbage can. Still full. Trash dude must’ve been running late. Inside, Mindy had my eggs ready and waiting. Jacob argued about not wanting to wear a winter coat again. Mindy had to put the hammer down. It was still really cold.

Mindy shared that she had a dental appointment right after school, but still hoped to be home in time to intercept the kids from the bus. I felt a tad bad because I talked her out of calling and asking my dad to help. We call him all the time for such tasks. I asked Mindy if she had the jogging stroller loaded for Karianne. She did. Figured out how to collapse it on her own (small obscure button on one side). Mindy left for school near 730a.

The kids were playing Wii basketball when I headed up for a shower. I noticed that Bella hadn’t yet brushed her teeth or made her bed. I went to the balcony and reminded her. She promised to address both while I readied for work.

I was back downstairs by 750a. With the few minutes I had ahead of bus stop time, I prepped my lunch. That was made easier than usual since Mindy prepped a salad for me the night before. Thanks dear! The kids and I headed out the door at 757a. Jacob harassed Bella with snow balls the entire time. He could use a little bullying back. He didn’t get too out of hand, though. The bus pulled up on time. Chrissy and I chatted only briefly before she headed back to her place.

Frankie and I walked more out front. She peed. I had the Trooper warming as I headed back inside. I made quick work of gathering my gear and running the dishwasher. I wore my brand new fleece to work. I left the house at 810a.

I found it humorous that this was opening day for baseball and the Cincinnati Reds. Not sure they had the same snow on the ground we had but I’m sure it was chilly just the same. I arrived at work around 825a and in my office a few minutes later.

I was very busy through the entire day. I didn’t leave for lunch, turning down an invite to dine out with my boss and peer. Instead, I closed my door for about 50 minutes some time just after 1p and did some writing. That felt really good. I ate my packed salad, cheese and fruit too. The salad was really tasty. Mindy sprinkled chopped ham and feta cheese over top. Yum-yum.

Mindy called just as I was leaving work. She shared how her dental appointment went as well as how the kids arrived home before her. Luckily, Chrissy’s father-in-law, Bill, took them home with him when he picked up Makayla. It was a kidless Thursday. Jimaken had already picked up the kids. Mindy asked about dinner out or in. I recommended staying in since we’d be out and at a concert Friday night (Todd Rundgren).

Ashley beeped in as we talked. I called her back as soon as Mindy and I hung up. Ashley said that it was actually Olivia who called to chat, but she had just left on a walk with her daddy. We chatted only briefly. She said every thing is going OK. At home, Mindy asked again about dinner. I asked what she’d prefer to do. She wanted to go out and recommended Barley’s, especially since we had another gift certificate, this one compliments of Karianne, a gift for giving her our jogging stroller. I acquiesced.

We arrived at Barley's around 630p. We squeezed into a couple stools available at the bar and next to a couple familiar faces, Kurt & Tom. As I perused the beer menu, Janet brought to light that they had Centennial back on the tower. That made my decision easy. One of those for me please. Mindy eventually settled on a St Joan's Nitro. I tasted my Centennial with some trepidation. Sadly, these days one never knows if it will be good or bad. Never consistent. I deemed this batch good, however! Yippie!

We ordered food. I ordered the Thursday special, reuben and fries. Mindy ordered the roasted half chicken. Kurt, sitting next to me, ordered a bottled guest IPA, Brew Dog Hardcore IIPA. Said it's incredibly good. Gave me a sample. Wow. He's right. Strong citrus, pine, floral aroma and an equally strong flavor. I asked for one as well. It comes in a 22oz rocket. Most surprising is that it's brewed in Scotland. Granted, Great Britain is the home of IPA, but their version is typically maltier and less hoppy than the American IPA's I've come to love. This one is the exception. Yummy!

As we finished up dinner and me my second beer, we got to sharing the story of catching Bella in bed with a vibrating back massager. Said she was massaging her stiff/injured leg. By then there were just a few patrons in the bar, and each one was listening/laughing. By the way, that same night, Mindy busted her playing with her DS in bed too. We had to hurry settling up our bar tab. It was darn near 8p. The kids would be home any minute. Sure enough, Jacob phoned during our drive home asking of our whereabouts. A mile out, we shared.

We arrived home just a minute or two ahead of 8p. We all four gathered in the familyroom where we quickly tuned in to Idol elimination night. The hour went fast. The evening's guest musician was Fantasia, a former Idol winner. Her normal talking voice scares me a little, drives me up a wall, like nails on a chalk board. Her singing voice, however, is powerful and strong. It looks like she's eaten a couple past contestants though, and she wears a hot dog bun on her head.

I wasn't surprised that Thia was one of the two sent packing. I was hoping the 2nd would be Paul, but guessed it would be country boy, Scottie. I was wrong. It was Naima (pronounced ny-eema), the exotic looking reggae girl. Paul and Scottie will be the next two to go. The kids headed to bed after Idol. It was 9p. Mindy & I started watching the next Fox show, Mobbed, but I fell asleep probably about 25-30 minutes into it. Don't remember if I headed to bed with Mindy or slightly after. In any case, I was in bed sometime near 10p.

Dinner with Dad

I made a concerted effort to be out of bed ahead of 530a and was successful. I was downstairs even before the coffee maker kicked on. I felt pretty good cruising right through my sit-ups. I checked the temperature after sit-ups. It was a balmy 34 degrees. I noticed that snow was in the forecast and that the day’s high wasn’t expected to soar much beyond where it currently stood. No sign of spring in the near term forecast. :(

I completed push-ups, enjoyed a little coffee, then leashed up Frankie and headed out back. Hadn’t walked her out there for a while. She did a lot of sniffing but also took care of business back by the tree house.

Inside, I enjoyed a little more coffee then did a meditation and stretch. It was 630a in a hurry. Not sure where all of my time went. Dang it! I delivered Mindy’s coffee and dropped off the pug. I wasn’t out the door for my run until 638a. I was bundled warmly. The stiff north breeze was much calmer than the morning before. I ran the full 4.1 mile track in about 35 minutes. No problems.

I started the Honda then headed in for eggs. I was incredibly hungry. I woofed my plate clean in minutes. Sorry Frankie. Mindy reminded me that there were leftover scrambled eggs in the fridge for Frankie. That’s right. She was in luck. I warmed and served them as soon as I was finished. Mindy asked if I planned on meeting them at Jacob’s soccer practice after work (630p). I was noncommittal. Promised to call her sometime in the afternoon. Mindy zipped off to work.

It wasn’t five minutes later that I was off to the shower. Felt terrific. I was in good spirits and hoped to remain that way all day. Downstairs ahead of 750a, I spent the next five minutes readying my lunch. I opted to skip the usual salad and replaced it with a can of tuna. Everything else the same; cheese, fruit, and a banana.

Kids and I headed out at 758a. Jacob wasn’t happy about having to wear his winter coat. He gave Mindy an earful about it earlier. She wouldn’t budge. I asked him how much money he had, but only jokingly. Frankie took a dump out front while waiting on the bus. I asked Bella to retrieve the shovel from our deck. I praised her for her willingness to help. Chrissy teased Jacob about his unbrushed hair. It did look out of control. The bus soon swooped up the kids. Had to be about 804a. Frankie gave the bus driver the dickens.

We headed back home with Frankie getting the opportunity to relieve herself again out front where she ultimately peed. Mindy had a beef roast in the crock-pot and asked me to peel off the frozen cardboard and then season it before heading out. I followed her directions. Afterwards, and just before heading out, I paid monthly bills online. I was very happy to have that stressful task completed.

I didn’t pull away from the house until 823a. In kind, I didn’t arrive at work until 839a. It wasn’t long before I was on our weekly staff meeting call. That lasted about 60 minutes. That call rolled right into another call, which lasted yet another hour. It was after 11a in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

After those two calls, I spent the lion’s share of the day running reports and analyzing some data. The data consumed me. Spawned all sorts of ideas. I stayed at it until well after 530p. I chatted with my boss until 545p and didn’t get out of the office until it was almost 555p. I called Mindy as soon as I was off the elevator.

I already knew that Jacob’s soccer practice was canceled. She emailed earlier. It had been snowing hard for the last couple of hours. There was about 2” inches on the ground. At times, I couldn’t even see out my office window. Mindy reminded me that we were having roast and that my dad was there for dinner. They were waiting on me.

I arrived home near 610p. Thankfully, the streets were only wet. It was 34 degrees. I met Jacob & Frankie at the side of the house. I was there to roll the trashcan to the curb for Thursday’s pick-up.

Inside, I greeted dad & Mindy. In an email sent by Mindy earlier, I learned that Bella would be grounded yet again. This time for getting in some trouble at school for talking too much. The nerve of that girl! :) Talking too much was my Achilles heel in elementary school too. I am on the fence with that one. Not sure that it’s such a bad thing, as long as it’s not couple with defiance. Still, I questioned Bella as if I talked with her teacher. I wanted to hear her side. Jacob, of course, always feels compelled to add his two cents.

Soon dinner was served. The roast looked and smelt terrific. And after the first bite, really tender too. During dinner conversation, dad shared news of his recent acquisition of four cemetery plots, and how he intended on dispersing them. I didn’t once let on that I already knew he sold one to Glenn, having read about it on his blog earlier. Little does dad realize that Glenn's having a little buyer’s remorse, thinking instead that his final resting place should be in Portland. Another of the plots will be set aside for my mom, certainly a kind gesture on behalf of dad. I think he said one of the other two was offered to Bobby. Not sure about the last one. Perhaps Vicki, I don’t know. :))

We talked about my kitchen faucet dilemma too. And after dinner and clean-up, dad offered that we simply try snugging up the ring shrouding the seat springs, something I recently contemplated as well. I wrapped the stainless steel ring in a rubber jar removing pad and took my channel locks to it. It snugged a little. I could tell by the loss of side to side movement. But unfortunately, turning the water back on revealed the same pesky drip. Earlier in the day I called Ferguson Plumbing Supply and learned that I can buy a new handle, screw, and plug for about $35. But how much more time, effort, and money do I want to invest in this drippy faucet? I am leaning towards simply replacing it, effectively kissing $200 good bye, but also the constant drip, drip, drip.

Jacob played Wii while we hung out talking. Dad stayed around until 740p. Mindy was laughing profusely on the phone just before he left. I forgot to share that there was a young raccoon on our deck all through dinner. At one point he rose to his hind legs and peeked in the deck door. Bella let out one heck of a yelp.

After dad left, I sat down at my computer to work on my blog. I heard Mindy and the kids talking about it being Idol night. Almost forgot. They hollered for me as the program got underway.

Another interesting week – Elton John night. For my money, five folks separated themselves from the pack: Haley (my fave), Casey, Lauren, Pia, & Jacob. Close behind were Stefano & Naimi. The others are OK but not at the same level. My prediction? Scotty and Thia will be sent packing Thursday night. We all headed to bed right after idol.

Punishing Dinner - Weeki Wachee

I was up a little late. Not sure why I overslept. Perhaps because I still wasn’t 100%. It wasn’t that late, only 540a. I started my routine but with caution. I was concerned that the dizziness would strike again suddenly, just like it did the past two days. Happily, though, it never did, at least not to the degree which it had the days prior. I got online after sit-ups and checked the weather, headlines, and the Daily OM. Once again, only in the mid 20’s and cloudy. Expecting a high of around 40 degrees later in the day. I did push-ups and then took Frankie out. Our walk ate up a good 10 minutes. Back inside, I poured coffee, although I wasn’t as eager to drink it as I usually am. No doubt a byproduct from the recent nausea. I spent about 15 minutes on meditation & stretching ahead of delivering coffee to Mindy. She wondered how I was feeling. OK, I replied. I headed out on my run a few minutes later. I wore my heaviest wicking shirt under my pullover fleece, the one I typically use for snow skiing. I quickly became convinced that wearing two thinner shirts is much cozier than one thick shirt. Not a huge deal. I was fine after a warm-up. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Mindy and the kids were quick to ask how I felt upon my return and after starting the Honda. Decent, but very sweaty. Mindy made plain scrambled eggs. There was enough for Frankie to have her own serving. Even still, I couldn’t finish all of those on my own plate and ended up sharing them with Frankie anyway. I went ahead and stowed Frankie’s intended portion for the following morning. Mindy left for school after reminding me and the kids that we’d be on our own for dinner. It was our punishment, but also a Bella gymnastics night. I was shaved and showered by 750a. I quickly prepped a lunch just ahead of the bus stop. Kenny was out with the girls. Kenny shared that he was heading to the doctor with an elbow issue. Not sure why it hurts and feels weak. The kids now on the bus, Frankie and I headed back home, but not before spending a few more minutes walking out front. Can’t recall if she used the time wisely. Probably not. I gathered my gear, including my monthly bills, and headed off to work at 810a. I arrived at work just before 830a. Several folks stopped by my office to ask how I was feeling. I had to jump on a scheduled weekly call right out of the shoot. The morning flew by. I headed to Lowes at lunch hoping to pick-up lawn fertilizer and also to look at new kitchen faucets just in case I decide to replace our existing dripper. Still fairly chilly. Wasn’t even 40 degrees. I was surprised to discover that the Scott’s w/Halts 15K sq ft bag was $60 this year. I already knew it was only $54 at Home Depot. And I thought that was high. Geesh! I wouldn’t be buying it at Lowe’s. I still perused their faucets and replacement lawn furniture cushions. I found some similar to the ones I like at Home Depot. I bought nothing. I left figuring to stop at Home Depot on my drive back to the office to get the fertilizer there. Not only was it $6 cheaper at Home Depot, but they were giving away a gallon jug of Weed- B-Gone with a 15K sq ft bag purchase. What a deal! I shared my delight with the sales associate. Back at the office the afternoon was a bear. It’s that way more often than not these days. I was busy at work until the minute I left, which was 550p. I called Lindsey on my drive home. We talked for about 10 minutes. She was in fairly good spirits but shared how rude both her mother and sister Courtney have been to her lately. These days, I am very careful about inciting more bitterness. I simply encourage her to take the high road and remain as calm as possible. Truth be told, I don’t know how anyone could live with Kelly. She’s a very bitter woman. The house was empty, at least for a few minutes. Noticed quickly that it was a Rachel day. House was bright, shiny and clean. I was only half way through my evening chores when Mindy got home from dropping Bella at gymnastics. Said Jacob was off playing with Evan. Again, Mindy wasn't making or buying dinner. She did make Bella a couple hot dogs earlier. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t that hungry anyway. I snacked on cheese, pita chips, and salsa. Mindy asked if I would be willing to fetch Bella. Mindy sounded as if she might be coming down with the same thing I had. I agreed to do the deed, thinking how much I’d appreciate it if it were me. I left around 650p. It didn’t take long at all to get to the dance studio, five minutes tops. Bella wasn’t quite finished. I waited in the Honda until 702p. The studio stunk of sweat when I finally headed in. Baaaad! Bella asked if I knew where the Smoothie place was, apparently she wanted one. I did not. She quickly asked that I forget it. We headed straight home. The kids and I each had a bowl of cereal, me Cocoa Krispies. Mindy found it humorous. Not sure why. We tuned the TV to the History Channel where we watched about 90 minutes of Larry the Cable Guy’s new TV show where he travels around the country taking in a little Americana. It was both funny and educational. He spent time at NASA, Weeki Wachee Mermaids, Demolition Derby, a Dog racing track, and the world’s largest Truck Stop somewhere in Iowa. We were all huddled on the sofa until I could take it no more. The four of us and the dog were too much for me. I ended up throwing a big pillow on the floor and plopping my rear down there. I fell asleep in a hurry. I woke only to find everyone else already in bed. It was still before 10p. Geesh! I tucked in Bella, who still wide awake. Jacob was already sound asleep. Mindy was reading.

I'm So Dizzy My Head is Spinnin'

I woke a few times in the night for water and to pee. The dizziness was still an issue. Didn’t think there was any way I'd be going to work. Nonetheless, come 525a I still got myself up & out of bed trying my damndest to make a go of it. I started coffee and completed sit-ups and push-ups. Doing sit-ups made me really dizzy. I even took Frankie out for a walk. The cold air did me some good. It was only 23 degrees. Back inside, I was facing a tough decision. Do I run or do I collapse on the sofa? The sofa won, at least for the time being. I fell asleep in a hurry and didn’t wake again until I heard Mindy milling around in the kitchen. I heard her wake the kids, too. One of them asked who’d be taking them to the bus stop. I think it was Bella. Mindy said it would either be me or themselves. But I planned to get up and see them on the bus come that time. Mindy asked if I needed anything before she left. No. I sent my boss and peer an email at some point indicating that I was ill. I planned to follow that up with a call later. I headed out to the bus stop with the kids and Frankie. I felt even worse that I did earlier. I wanted nothing more than to sleep. As soon as the kids were on the bus I headed inside and immediately went horizontal on the sofa. Frankie soon joined me making me really uncomfortable. But I was too tired to move. I slept for about two hours, but remained on the sofa going in and out of sleep for the next 30 minutes. Concerned about my run, I mustered the energy to get moving around 1030a. I didn’t give it a second thought and headed out the door a couple minutes later. I had little if any energy. I could’ve cut my run to three miles but didn’t. And honestly, the longer I was out in the cold the better I felt. I did the entire 4.1 mike track. I was exhausted at the run’s conclusion. Inside, I changed out of my sweaty running clothes and back into my PJs. I then called my boss, who said things were crazy. I felt bad but what could I do? He understood. I promised to call early Tuesday if my issue persisted. I took another hour long snooze. It must’ve been around noon. I felt a bit better, well enough to make myself a snack. I ate three heaping tablespoons of peanut butter as well as a few chunks of cheese. I had a cup of chocolate milk too. Feeling a tad better, I tried drilling out the stripped kitchen faucet set screw with the Sears back-out kit my dad left for me to try. After about 15 minutes of trying, it was once again apparent that it wasn’t going to work. The broken off back-out bit was dulling the tip of the new back-out bit. No more patience, it’s now time for a new faucet. I spent the afternoon napping and watching the History Channel. Like the day before, time flew by. Aside from doing my run, it was two days of napping and TV. Not exactly my idea of being productive. Before I knew it, Mindy was home from school. And a few minutes later, Bella was too. Bella asked how I was feeling right away. Very cute. Jacob was still at school, this being a Beacon Ambassador night. Noah’s dad would bring him home around 5p. Mindy thought she might grill gourmet burgers for dinner. I seconded the motion. However, there was a problem. The propane tank was empty. Crap! I double checked it after Mindy struggled to get it to light. Yep, it was empty, although it wasn't empty the last time we used it. Must’ve leaked out over the cold winter. Mindy’s plan “B” was frying them in the grill pan. I asked that mine be broiled. That seemed to ruffle Mindy some. As expected, Jacob was home around 5p. He started his homework right away, but made some of the same old careless mistakes. I tried to help him but he mocked me. Didn’t realize I saw/heard it. I wasn’t amused. After Bella finished her reading and Jacob finished correcting his homework, they both headed out to play. They were out until Mindy asked me to call them in for dinner. I let out a big ol’ dad whistle. They both came a calling. In addition to the burgers, Mindy served tater tots, broccoli, and leftover macaroni salad. Unfortunately, the regular Kroger burger buns weren’t up to the task of the large gourmet burgers. They turned to mush in a hurry. I suggested deli style buns and toasting the inner skin next time. I think Mindy began to feel unappreciated. Jacob refused to finish his. Mindy said she wouldn’t cook for us ever again. That made Bella cry. Very dramatic. Mindy later recanted stating that she’d cook only for Bella. Jacob and I be damend. Despite being under the weather, I still managed clean-up through to its finish. The kids, meanwhile, headed back outside to play with the neighbors. Mindy told them to be home by 730p. Mindy shared the large piece of butter scotch pie she brought home from her mom’s Sunday evening. It was goooood! After clean-up, I got cozy on the sofa. Chrissy called at some point asking if we could watch Makayla while she and Kenny went grocery shopping. Sure. She ran off with Bella. It was soon almost 750p and the kids weren’t back. I let out the dad whistle once again. Five minutes later the kids came running home. I noticed Makayla was running in her socks. Had her shoes in hand. Oh boy! Mindy asked the kids to get showers, Jacob went first. Chrissy came to fetch Makayla near 830p. Mindy and I were watching the Science Channel, How the Universe was Made, a program about the life and death of stars. Fascinating. We watched all evening long (7-10p). The next hour was about black holes, and the last hour about moons. All good stuff. The kids were in bed around 9p. I tucked in both when I headed up to bed near 10p. Jacob was already out. Bella, on the other hand, was still awake and using our back massager on her sore leg. What? Mindy was reading when I made my way into bed. Just before she fell asleep she asked if I could hear a game going. No. She got up and checked anyway. She returned with Bella’s DS in hand. Busted! Taken away indefinitely. I defended Bella, at least at some level. I asked what she expected her to do when she can’t sleep. She’s a night owl. But she still needs to follow the rules and not be sneaky. That’s always been her undoing - being sneaky. Turns out, I couldn’t sleep either. Mindy rubbed my head for a while and it almost put me to sleep. But when she stopped, I excused myself and headed downstairs to my computer for about 15 minutes. I needed something to make me sleepy. That worked only marginally. By 1045p I felt tired enough to fall asleep. I headed back to bed and fell asleep with relative ease.

Dizzy, Nauseous, Sleepy

I was up, out of bed, and downstairs by 750a. I should've felt well rested, but instead I was still surprisingly tired. I started coffee then went to my PC. It was a Sunday so I didn’t plan any calisthenics. Not sure what I was doing when it hit me, but all of the sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, the room started to spin. I had to close my eyes to get it to stop. Ugh! It happened again while I was stretching my neck side to side and front to back. It seemed that every time I'd touch the back and right side of my neck the dizzy spells would start up yet again. Being dizzy made me feel nauseous and subsequently sleepy. I went directly for the sofa where I buried my face in a pillow and eventually fell back asleep. I didn’t wake again until Mindy came down to pour some coffee. I woke and shared my dilemma. I had no other symptoms other than being intermittently dizzy. In the back of my mind I knew that I needed to run, but for the time being more sleep was the only thing I cared about. Once the kids were up Mindy started making bacon and pancakes, just as she had promised the night before. I remained stretched out on the sofa until I could smell the bacon. I got up to pee for like the 5th time and still felt light headed and nauseous. Surprisingly, I was hungry. The bacon now done, I snatched myself a slice. Mindy pointed out that grease was dripping from its end as I scampered back across the kitchen. Oops! I still didn’t feel good but couldn’t stand the thought of my run looming over my head indefinitely. I grabbed my running clothes and headed upstairs to change. The thought of cold air rushing against my body sounded good. I managed to complete a brief stretch ahead of my run, although doing so made the room spin even more. For the first quarter mile or so I wasn’t sure if I was gonna be able to pull of the entire run. I still had the spins and my feet felt completely out of synch with my eyes and brain. As time went along, however, I slowly began to feel better. And by the run's end I had no ill feeling whatsoever. Back at the house, the kids had already finished their breakfast. I started feeling dizzy again as soon as I moved my head slightly back. Mindy alerted me to the fact that there were numerous pancakes waiting for me in the microwave. But I opted out of the pancakes, citing a hankering for fried eggs instead. Knowing I felt bad, Mindy offered to make ‘em. I thanked her but opted to fry them myself. Honestly, I was surprised that I was that hungry given my ill feeling ways. The eggs and bacon were yummy, but by the time I was finished, I started feeling nauseous and sleepy once again. I hurried through kitchen clean-up then moved to the sofa. At some point Mindy encouraged me to head back to bed. After another 30 minutes or so I took her up on that idea. She warned that she’d be up for a shower soon. I didn’t care. I figured I could sleep right through it. I turned the TV on just to help me get back to sleep. Worked like a charm. Lost track of time in a hurry. I heard Mindy come in for a shower but wasn’t bothered. I must’ve drifted in and out of sleep 3 or 4 times. And at some point she came to tell me that she was heading to ghetto Kohl’s to see if they might have the fleece I wanted. She also asked if I might be skipping Sunday dinner. At that point I wanted to do nothing but sleep. The afternoon flew by. Every time I glanced at the clock another hour or more had passed. It was already 330p in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Mindy was home from Kohl’s in there somewhere. She showed me this off brand fleece she picked up. Said she got it for a steal. I wasn’t too impressed. It wasn’t what I asked for or wanted, though I didn’t want to sound or seem ungrateful either. She asked about Sunday dinner again, too. I begged out. I wanted to sleep! She and the kids left sometime after 4p. They took Frankie too. I’m thinking I got up and took a shower around 430p hoping it might make me feel better. It did for a while. I was incredibly hungry again too. After a shower I watered bedroom plants and then headed downstairs where I took refuge on the sofa. Around 5p I got up and ate some food. This time I ate a donut, some pita chips, cheese, and salsa. I tuned the TV to the Science Channel watching who knows what. My stomach now satisfied, I drifted in and out of sleep again for another couple hours. Mindy and the kids were home between 730-8p. The entire day absolutely flew by, but that’s what happens when you sleep most of it away. Mindy asked about work. I wasn’t sure, but knew I wouldn’t be going if I continued feeling as bad as I did right then. We continued watching the Science Channel through the evening. For the life of me, though, I can’t much recall the program. We all headed to bed before 10p. Thinking it closer to 930p.

Xmas Lights Down - Ale House #1

I was surprised when I ended up sleeping to almost 9am. I was even more surprised that aside from me, the house remained motionless for at least another hour after that. I guess everyone was sleeping in. Truth is, I could've slept longer myself, but got up because that innate fear of sleeping the entire day away over took me. Even Frankie remained snuggled up in her pen well after I was up and about. I started coffee and completed my calisthenics by 915a.

I spent the next hour or so sipping coffee while playing around on the internet. It was just before 10a when I all but forced Frankie to get up and out of her pen. We walked out back and then later out front. She took care of business after a long ten minutes outdoors. It was sunny but deceptively cold. It wasn't much more than 25 degrees. Mindy wasn't up until almost 1030a. And even then, the children remained sleeping.

Between then and 11a I finally mustered the energy to head out on a run. I dressed warmly in full winter attire including a pair of sun glasses to protect my eyes from the brilliant springtime sunshine. It was a lovely morning for a run. The mix of cool, crisp air & sunshine felt terrific. During my run, and as long as there wasn't any frost on the roof, I planned to take down the Xmas lights outlining our north facing roof line. They had been up for four months now, or since late November. Hard to believe it's been that long.

I finished my 3 mile run then changed out of my good running shoes and into an older pair before heading back out through the garage bent on getting to those lights. I drug the aluminum extension ladder around back and up on the deck where I typically mount the roof. I took a medium sized Target bag along to hold the light clips. It took no more than ten minutes to have the lights off the house and rolled into three separate strands and all the clips in the bag. Went much faster than I envisioned. I couldn't help but notice the interesting view from up on the roof. I wished I had my camera. And I thought why not? Why not go inside and get my camera and return to take some pictures.

I did just that. I grabbed my new camera then headed back up the ladder to the peak of the roof. There I took aerial view photos of the front and back yards. I took a shot of the Xmas lights all coiled up too. You might recall, I took down all the supporting extension cords and timer more than a month ago. That made the process go that much faster. With the Xmas lights finally down, I will no longer be the talk of the subdivision. I decided to tend to the jogging stroller next. I carried it up from the basement and out into the garage where I could add air to the tires and spray WD-40 on all of its moving parts, as well as clean it up a little better in the natural lighting. I spent about 15-20 minutes doing that.

Once done, I headed inside to fetch Mindy's keys so I could load it into the back of the Honda for delivery. Mindy stopped me, however, citing a trip to the grocery. We'd have to put it in later, after the grocery store trip. Mindy headed off to the grocery while both kids ran off to play with the neighbors. While she was gone I took a shower and wrote Friday's blog entry. She was gone for just over an hour. I helped carry in the groceries.

Sometime during the afternoon, Teri, Emily and Evan's mom, called to make arrangements to take Jacob & Bella along with her kids to the movies, but only after Emily's softball game. Said to be leaving around 330p. Kids would need to head towards their house around 3p. We had talked about having the boys and/or Olivia over, but without the kids being home it made little sense, and furthermore, I had mixed emotions about having a house full of wee ones already. I love them all dearly but having them over would zap all of my energy.

Mindy headed out shopping again, this time to Target and Kohl's. Asked if I wanted anything. I needed nothing but mentioned wanting a new black Columbia fleece from Kohl's. My current fleece's zipper handle broke off some time ago (second time that's happened). While Mindy was off shopping, the kids played up in their rooms. Mindy phoned around 245p to share that Teri called to tell her that Emily's game was going long and that they'd have to skip the 330p movie. Wasn't sure about a later showing.

I knew the kids would be disappointed. Five minutes later both kids came stormin' down the stairs eager to head off to the neighbors and eventually to the movies. I quickly shared that the movie thing was canceled and why. Bella didn't believe me at first. Mindy was back from her shopping a while later. Said they had no Columbia fleece's at Kohl's. She bought herself a new spring purse, though. Not sure if there was anything else. That reminds me, I need a new spring wallet. :) After an hour or so, Teri called again. Said they had plans to go to the movies at 630p. Would be leaving at 6p. Still wanted to take Jacob & Bella.

Mindy and I thought we might take advantage of that and go out to dinner at the same time. I suggested Barley's but not the Smokehouse. Instead, I wanted to visit Ale House #1 in the short north. Rumor has it, they've got some good IPA on tap, something noticeably missing from the Smokehouse ever since Scott Francis left, their longtime brewmaster. We haven't been to Ale House #1 in a long, long time. The kids left for the neighbors just before 6p. I think Mindy walked them down. She took Frankie along, too. Mindy was back a couple minutes later and we quickly prepared for our dinner date.

We left the house near 615p. By then it was completely clouded over and chilly. The temperature was somewhere between 35-40 degrees. We had to circle the area close to Barley's after I mistakenly allowed Mindy to lead us astray. We ended up parking at a meter on Vine St right next to the North Market and real close to Barley's back entrance. We had to feed a parking meter that still had 42 minutes remaining from the prior feed. This marked the first such time that I've encountered parking meters that accept Visa here in CMH. I used the scant pocket change I had (about $.40). I hollered out to Mindy to see if she might have a little more. She scurried back and put in a little more giving us a total of about 100 minutes. That seemed fine.

We rushed off to the rear entrance. Again, it was chilly! Barley's was stacked. It looked like we might need a table after finding the bar full, but just then I spotted two stools in the very back, one directly behind the firkin barrel. We pounced. We studied the beer menu until we were served. I ordered Mindy the Oatmeal stout and me the Blurry Bike IPA. Mindy abruptly stopped the order for herself, instead requesting just a sample. Honestly, I didn't care too much for the way she did it (no tact). Said it with a disapproving tone and look.

The Blurry Bike IPA was very good. Don't think I could design a better tasting version. That made me very happy. It wasn't long before the two stools next to us freed. Mindy quickly moved down two stools. Now on my right, she effectively freed herself from behind the firkin barrel. The crowd only thickened. Standing room only. We eventually ordered food. Mindy ordered the daily dinner special, seared scallops, and I ordered a reuben and fries.

The menu carries some of the same entrees as the Smokehouse, but also some stuff unavailable there. We both ended up having 2nd beers, me before Mindy even finished her first. Mindy ordered a 2nd only after confirming that I was done and would be driving home. Whirling on the big screen just behind us was the NCAA tournament. We saw Butler beat Florida. Mindy agreed to get the check. It was cold and breezy. There was only 12 minutes left on the meter. Good timing. We headed home.

Forgot to mention, Teri texted Mindy during dinner. Said they had to movie somewhere other than the movie/restaurant house. Ended up at the movieplex near Wal-Mart. Thought they'd be home around 830p. Mindy and I tuned to the History Channel once at home. I snuggled up with a Southern Tier XXIPA. We both changed into our PJs, too. We watched a fascinating program about marijuana. The kids arrived home close to its end. Jacob watched the tail end along with us. Bella headed off to her room to presumably enjoy some of her own contraband. :) We stayed tuned-in after the pot show ended watching Alaskan Troopers. We all headed to bed around 10p. I was already starting to dose from the sofa, but Mindy had other plans.

Smellin' like Beer & Cheese

I slept later than intended, not waking until almost 545a. When I did finally wake, I felt like I needed at least another hour of sleep. That wasn't to be, however. I coaxed myself out of bed and into the bathroom where I brushed my teeth and gathered my running clothes before heading downstairs to start my Friday. I glanced out back into a dark, cloud filled sky. I had no idea the temperature, although I expected it to be below freezing. By the time my push-ups were in the bag it was already pushing 6a. I hurried through PC time, checking the weather and a few headlines. I didn't dwell on any one thing. It was 26 degrees. Burr! After push-ups and coffee I leashed up Frankie. We walked out front and down about two blocks and back. Through it all, she only managed to pee. It was 615p. I didn't want to skip any part of my routine. I did a quick meditation and a full stretch. Doing so left me behind considerably but I already decided that I wasn't going to worry about it. Not having bus stop duty left me a 15 minute pad anyway. It was 640a when I delivered the pug and coffee to Mindy who was still in the shower. My shoulder was bothering me some but I didn't take any Advil - hadn't since last weekend's skiing. I dressed warmly for my run and headed out the door around 645-650a. Through the clouds, I could detect a brightening sky (daybreak). Any thought of trimming a mile off my run was quickly nixed. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Again, the chilly temps actually felt pretty good. I wasn't the slightest bit uncomfortable. During my run I thought myself angry thinking about work. Back at home, I noticed that Mindy took care of starting the Honda. It had to be near her departure time. Inside, Mindy had scrambled eggs waiting at my place at the table. She had already eaten and also shared that Frankie already had a batch too. When she asked how my run went I raged on about work, effectively letting out all the anger that built up during my run. It even made me laugh. I so wanted to win the $300 million Mega Millions! Mindy left near 730a, and I soon headed off to the shower. I shaved with my electric razor ahead of the shower. I was ready and back downstairs by 7:50a. I quickly packed a light snack consisting of cheese, nuts, banana, and fruit. I packed my iTouch, my Dec 2010 winning lottery ticket, as well as checks from brother Glenn and Tom S. that I planned to deposit sometime during the day. Still waiting on brother Tommy's check. Walked Frankie briefly again out front. She didn't go, but at least I gave her the opportunity. I started the Trooper while out then too. It was 810a when I left the house. I stopped at the Convenient store at the corner to cash in my $7 winning lottery ticket. With the proceeds, I bought five Mega Millions tickets and pocketed the remaining $2. I told the cashier that I would bring her a million dollars if I won the whole thing. She thanked me but gave me a look of doubt. Probably heard that a hundred times past. Heading towards work, I wondered if my bank's drive-thru might be open at that hour. I decided to check. It wasn't that far out of my way, anyhow. Sure enough, it was open. I deposited both checks before work. Cool. Felt like I accomplished something. I arrived at the office just after 830a. The sun was fighting with the clouds for air time, but it was still quite chilly. For a Friday, it actually wasn't too bad. Some of the changes we've implemented are making a difference. I kept busy all day long but never let the day overrun me. That can happen if I'm not careful. My boss was working from home. He and I chatted a couple of times. Having taken care of my errands before coming into work, I didn't bother leaving for lunch. Instead, I closed my door for about 50 minutes and did some writing. During the afternoon, the guy that organized the lottery pool distributed our numbers. Must of had 300 sets of numbers. I talked with Mindy sometime after 3p. I encouraged her to stop and buy at least one lottery ticket too. We both want to retire early. Why not throw a couple of bucks and these huge jackpots. You never know, and why NOT us? Mindy was expecting the kids home around 4p but hadn't yet heard from Jimaken. She and the kids would most likely be heading back to her school for their annual spring carnival. Said I'd have some alone time. Yeah!!! She wondered if I wanted to do Barley's with the kids when they got home. I didn't think so. Told her that I would most likely stop at Whole Foods on the way home for some Southern Tier XXIPA. Mindy added that Chrissy invited us over to watch the Buckeye basketball sweet sixteen match-up against Kentucky. That wouldn't start until almost 10p. I left work 30 minutes early at 5p. Felt good to get out a few minutes early. Like I planned, I headed across the river and through Arlington towards Whole Foods. Grabbed a cart and quickly found the XXIPA as well as a four pack of the Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn's Brewery that Mindy loves so much. I wandered over to the deli counter and asked what brews they had on tap and available for growlers. Thought they might have CBC's March Hop Odyssey. They didn't. However, they did have Founder's Centennial IPA. I thought about it, but opted for nothing. While at the deli counter, I bought some cheese: a wedge of smoked gruyere and smoked cheddar. Spent $40 on beer and cheese. Yikes! Headed home arriving around 545p. No Mindy, of course. She left a note attached to the drippy faucet advising of their whereabouts. I was happy to have a couple hours of alone time. I cut up some of my new cheese, grabbed the garlic pita chips and some beef sticks and water and headed to my PC where I spent the next couple hours updating my blog with text and pictures through Thursday. I listened to iTunes music, too. Sometime around 8p, I could take the dull shoulder pain no more and took 4 Advil. It didn't take long for it to kick in like magic! Mindy & the kids didn't get home until 830p or slightly after. Makayla was with them. Apparently Emily & Evan were along, too, but she already dropped them at home. They all won cakes at the carnival. We gathered some beers and headed down to the neighbors. Frankie went too. She was excited. Unbeknownst to me, Mindy had already called Kenny and asked that he order some pizzas. She dropped $30 on their island counter to help cover the cost. I wasn't that hungry having eaten lots of cheese and pita chips. Josh was over to watch the game as well. We had nearly an hour before tip-off. That time flew by. We enjoyed some pizza and beer just prior. The XXIPA was going down easy. I had two of those in tow along with a rocket of Hoppin' Frog's Mean Manalishi IIPA. The Buckeye's took an early 7 point lead, but that quickly vanished. It was nip and tuck throughout the entire first half. Tied at the half, 30-30. The lead changed hands five or six times in the 2nd half. Bottom line, though, the Buckeyes lost 62-60, effectively ending their dream season three games shorter than hoped. Caught up in the frenzy, I was naturally a little disappointed, but not distraught. I can't afford to live vicariously through a bunch of teenagers. :) Had to be near midnight. We headed home just two doors down.

Pumped Up Pale Ale

I was up a little early, enough to afford me the opportunity to surf at leisure while enjoying my coffee after exercise. Speaking of exercise, I had both sit-ups and push-ups in the bag before 540a. Meanwhile, it was another cloudy day and the temperature was below freezing – 30 degrees – as cold as it’s been in a couple of weeks. Frankie came calling as I made my way to the family for meditation. I held her at bay until I was through. I took her out ahead of a stretch. We exited via the deck but walked out front. She was slow to relieve herself, instead spending a great deal of time sniffing and chewing. She eventually only peed. We headed back inside where I did a 7 minute stretch routine. By then, it was already 620a. Where had my hour gone? I whipped up a cup of coffee for Mindy and headed upstairs with Frankie. Once again, Mindy was already mid-shower. I fell a bit short in my effort to get out the door for my run by 630a. It was more like 635a. Not a big deal though. For the first time in a while, I was dressed in full winter attire, including hat, hand and ear covers. I was a little worried about going back into winter’s chill but it wasn’t bad at all. Actually felt pretty good. I ran the full 4.1 miles without incident. Run was over in no time at all. Back at home, Mindy already had her Honda warming in the drive. Frankie was waiting patiently for my return by the door. Too cute. Mindy had eggs ready and waiting. It felt odd to be without the children. They spent the night with Jimaken. Mindy left for school around 720a citing an early meeting. Done with breakfast and still well ahead of 730a, I went ahead and packed my lunch before heading up for a shower. After my shower I headed to the basement to look over the running stroller I promised to Mindy’s friend, Karianne. It was covered in dust bunnies and all three tires flat. I wiped away the dust, but didn’t have time to take care of the tires. Hoped to do it later that evening. Still ahead of 8a, I walked Frankie again out front. This time she pooped. Back inside, I prepped and started the dishwasher, penned Frankie, then gathered my work gear and headed off somewhere near 810a. Work was stressful from jump. Got caught up in a personnel matter right away. Not fun. Dealt with the fall out from that until almost 11a. Plenty of talk at the office about the huge Mega Millions jackpot. Up over $300 million. Wow! There was a kitty started to buy tickets. How could I not get in? I mean how I could I face myself if they won and I didn’t play? I put in my $10. Come on baby!!! I also planned to cash in my $7 winning Power Ball ticket from the Dec. 28th drawing and use those funds to buy more tickets of my own. I closed my office door and took a formal lunch break, spending about 50 minutes doing some personal writing. Even with my door closed, I was interrupted to deal with a couple work issues. But that happens all the time. The afternoon went really fast. I spent most of it analyzing work related stats/numbers, something I really enjoy doing. I talked with Mindy late in the afternoon. She wondered if I was up to doing dinner out since we didn’t have the kids. I quickly answered that I wasn’t. After all, we were out to dinner just the night before, and figured we’d almost certainly do something similar Friday night too. However, before hanging up, I changed that to a maybe thinking that it might be important to Mindy. I ended up at the office until 550p holed up talking with my boss. I was happy to be heading home. Traffic was tight but moving the entire time. I was home by 610p. Mindy was out front walking Frankie when I pulled up. Shared that she’d talked with Shelly about having Kaileigh over Saturday night. But turns out, they’re in Myrtle Beach this week. Bella will be disappointed. Said she also talked at length with Lindsey, who is seemingly doing better. Apparently Lindsey shared several negative comments her mother made about Mindy and I. Let’s face it. Kelly’s a very unhappy person. She’s never going to refer to me/us in a positive light. I’m fine with that. Mindy also talked with my dad, thanking him for taking care of the house while we were in NY last weekend, and also expressing our sympathy, this being the fourth anniversary of Sheila’s death. Dad went on and on about the four grave plots available at Greenlawn cemetery. Mindy asked me again about going to dinner. I asked if it was important to her. She shared that it was. We decided to go to CBC. Haven’t been there in a month or so. We freshened up and headed out at 630p. There fairly quickly, the lot about ¾ full. The bar was near capacity. We hovered until two stools freed. Our friend Jamie was working the bar. She poured me their March Hop Odyssey offering, an Arnold: Pumped Up Pale Ale. Because they didn’t have a porter or stout on tap, Mindy went with a glass of wine. We ended up ordering two appetizers: calamari & spinach artichoke dip. I ordered a second Arnold while enjoying my dip. It was quite flavorful. Mindy picked up the tab and we left for home around 745p. We arrived home just in time to tune into American Idol elimination night. Who’d be going home? We had no clue. Tonight’s guests included Stevie Wonder, Hulk Hogan, and Jennifer Hudson. Stevie’s starting to look really old. Had a surprise birthday cake for Steven Tyler, too. He’s 63. When it was all said and done, one of our faves, Casey was sent packing. Haley was safe.  And just as I suspected they might do, the judges used their lone season save to bring Casey back again next week. Didn’t even make him sing for his survival, making for a very dramatic ending. Idol was over at 9p. Like a lot of America, I’m sure, we stayed tuned to Fox and watched Bones. We headed to bed at 10p.

Texas Pile-it-on

I woke initially around 430a and then what seemed like every ten minutes or so thereafter. The last time I remember closing my eyes it was 520a. I didn’t wake again until 537a. Not bad, but later than I hoped. I leaped from bed and hurried through brushing my teeth and gathering my running clothes. I quickly headed downstairs to start my exercise regimen. I glanced out back into mostly cloudy skies. I slipped into my recently retired running shoes, which have now become exercise shoes. I headed to the livingroom where I whipped out 55 sit-ups in all of about 3 minutes. After sit-ups, I popped up and into my computer chair where I checked email, the weather, and a few headlines. It was 46 degrees with the day’s high expected to approach 70 once again. However, strong storms with large hail were predicted during the afternoon. And once that passes the bottom’s expected to drop out from under those lofty high temps. Cast back into more winter like conditions for the next four or five days. Expect it and you won’t e disappointed. I did my push-ups next, 55 of them. I felt really good. Next up was coffee. It tasted delicious. Just what I needed. Frankie came out of her pen as I was preparing for meditation. I quickly changed direction and took her out instead. She seemed ready, willing, and eager. We headed out front where she quickly took care of business. Must’ve really had to go. We headed back inside in a hurry. I then proceeded to meditate and stretch. I finished up around 625a and then delivered coffee and the pug to Mindy, who was already mid-shower. A few minutes later I was out the door on my run. Once again, I didn’t wear a jacket or hand and ear covers. I did wear two wicking shirts, however. That was darn near ideal. I was comfortable throughout. The sky cleared directly overhead revealing the ¾ moon. Lovely and bright. I ran the full 4.1 miles without incident. Mindy was putting the finishing touches on scrambled eggs upon my return. Didn’t start the Honda. She planned to leave a few minutes early since she had to drop the kids off at grandma Sharon’s. If I understood correctly, Gloria was picking them up from there around noon and taking them to lunch and then back to her place. We briefly discussed Jacob’s initial soccer practice set for 630p at the Hilliard soccer fields. I shared the strong chance of severe storms for late afternoon. Chance practice will be canceled. Also up in the air was whether or not Jimaken was picking the kids up later that evening. He’s off work Thursday & Friday and made arrangements to have them during that same period. Mindy and the kids departed at 725a. I finished my breakfast then headed up for a shower. I was fast and already back downstairs by 745a. I packed my lunch and tidied up the kitchen, including prepping the dishwasher for running. I waited until my coffee cup was empty and loaded before hitting the ‘go’ button. Because Frankie had become accustom to a second walk to the bus stop, I took her out back for a few minutes before leaving. She did a lot of sniffing but no doing. Not a problem. Just wanted to give her a chance. I started the dishwasher then left for work at 810a. I arrived at the office a few minutes ahead of 830a. My peer came by my office requesting I join him in his office even before I could put my things down. I asked for a couple of minutes to take care of logging on, getting fresh ice water, and stowing my lunch. I went to his office to see what was up. He wanted to meet with me and our shift lead to discuss headcount/work load dispersement. I did a lot of listening and little talking. I sensed something amiss but couldn’t quite place my finger on it. It wasn’t until later that I learned that there was an earlier conflict between the two of them. He did a good job of masking any tension. But that explains why he beckoned my attendance so swiftly in the door. Oh boy! The work day was another busy one. Expect it every day. Mid day I was asked to perform an analysis of sorts on the past few days work results. I was happy to do it as long as others handled the routine stuff. I spent pretty much the rest of my day doing that analysis. Spoke with Mindy late afternoon to review our evening’s plan. I wondered if Jacob would still have soccer practice given that it was storming in Hilliard (lots of lightning, thunder, and rain). Said it was dry at home and that she hadn’t heard otherwise from his coach. Promised to call me back if something changed. We discussed doing dinner at Barley’s with the kids if soccer practice was indeed canceled. She called back a few minutes later to share that it was. Dinner at Barley’s was on. Kids were excited. I ended up working a few minutes late – about 10. I headed for home around 545p arriving there near 6p. After the storm passed the temperature dropped like a rock - 20 degrees to be exact. But on a positive note, it was sunny and mostly clear, but again only in the 40’s. It was 68 just before the storm hit. Mindy rinsed my lunch dishes and I prepped Thursday’s coffee. After about 5-10 minutes at home, we all piled into the Honda and headed off to Barley’s. I asked the kids about their day with Mawmaw. Said they had a good time. Played cards, went to lunch, made no-bake cookies. We arrived at Barley’s around 620p. The lot was close to full but we managed to get a close spot as someone was leaving at just the right time. Mindy opted for a booth near the bar. John was our server. He brought us the NCAA tournament bracket sheet we filled out last week. We’re currently in second place. That won’t last, however. Our elite eight picks will kill us. More than half are already eliminated. Jacob made fun of our picks. Wise guy! I ordered a Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale off the guest tap. Mindy went with a St. Joan’s. The kid each ordered a Dr. Pepper. Karianne called Mindy soon after we arrived, and apparently planned to join us. What I didn’t realize was that she was nearby visiting a friend. We ordered food next. Mindy went with their carnivore platter (chicken and brisket). I went with a Texas Pile it On burger. Jacob ordered chicken tenders with Gates of Hell sauce on the side, and Bella ordered a corn dog. Karianne showed up just after our food arrived. She sat with us but didn’t eat or drink. We talked about giving her our jogging stroller. I bought it when Kaileigh was a toddler but used it only sparingly, two or three times as I recall. She wanted to buy us a Barley’s gift card in trade, nice gesture but totally unnecessary. We simply want to gift it to her. She talked a lot and also very fast – always does. Lots of humorous stories. I ordered a second beer, a Wallop IIPA. John brought me one, but said it was the bottom/end of the keg. The pint glass wasn’t quite full. Said he wouldn’t charge me for it either. Cool. I picked up the check. More than I expected, but Mindy’s dinner entrée alone was almost $20. Yikes! But as Karianne pointed out, at least she didn’t order a $20 glass of wine. We headed for home around 745p. Everybody was looking forward to watching American Idol. Bella ran down to Kayla’s as soon as we parked. Mindy gave her a curfew of 830p. Jimaken planned to come by and pick up the kids after his class lets out (930-1030p). We watched 2 hours of American Idol. This week all eleven contestants were really strong. Although once again, I don’t care for that Paul character. Haley, Haley, Haley. Jimaken showed up to fetch the kids just ahead of 10p. They were gone in a hurry. Suddenly the house was quiet. Mindy headed to bed as soon as Idol was over. I stayed up as the news whirled, though I didn’t really watch. I fell asleep within minutes. I woke and headed up to bed around 1010p.

Carp Diem

I was up a few minutes late, or about 535a. Not big deal. Curled up at the foot of our bed was Bella, who joined us a couple times through the overnight due to another bout of thunderstorms. In fact, I remember her coming in at one point and Mindy rising up and handing her a pillow. Bella said, ‘what? I’m not sleeping on the floor.’ I chuckled even being half asleep. After rolling out of bed, I quickly headed to the masterbath where I brushed my teeth then gathered my running clothes. I was downstairs by 538a. The coffee maker was just about through its cycle. I glanced out back. It was wet but not currently raining. I headed to the livingroom to complete my sit-ups. I checked the weather next. It was 47 degrees, still fairly mild for mid-March. I fooled around online for about ten minutes before heading in to the family room to do my push-ups. You might wonder why I always do my sit-ups in the living room and push-ups in the family room. I like to lock my feet under the edge of the recliner in the living room while doing my sit-ups. On the other hand, I like to do push-ups on a hard surface, like the ceramic tile floor in the kitchen/familyroom area. I enjoyed a cup of coffee before checking on Frankie. She looked comfortable in her pen. I decided to do meditation ahead of our walk. At 615a I coaxed her out of her pen and took her for our walk. We walked two blocks. I was aggravating quickly since she wasn't going pee or poop. But just before I was about to give up, she finally did both. We headed back to the house happy. Inside, I settled in for a stretch wrapping it up at 630a on the nose. I prepped and delivered Mindy’s coffee a minute or two later. Of course, I left Frankie with Mindy. Despite it being a little cooler, after Monday’s profuse sweating, I decided to back off the layers and went with two wicking shirts but no jacket, ear covers, or gloves. I was a tad chilly at the outset but warmed quickly and then remained comfortable throughout the entire 4.1 mile run. I got back home around 720a. Mindy had my eggs ready and waiting. The kids were heading to Gloria’s for their second day of spring break. Both were in good spirits. They all left a couple minutes early. I finished my breakfast then headed upstairs for a shower. I was ready to go by 750a. Because I didn’t have to contend with the bus, I had oodles of time to prep my lunch and walk Frankie one more time. I packed a salad, fruit, banana, and cheese. Frankie and I walked again out front. She did nothing but sniff around. Hey, at least I gave her the chance. I left for work at 810a. Oh, I packed the VZW bill too, prepared to dispute a $9.99 “premium messaging” charge. I arrived at work just ahead of 830a. As usual, I was busy from the outset. Once again, I didn’t bother taking a formal lunch break. I'll get even though. Golf season's coming and I’ll most likely be leaving early once a week. Fore!!!! I enjoyed my packed food sometime around 1p. The afternoon was busy too. I wasn’t able to leave for home until 540p. I called Mindy on my drive home and we talked until I was fairly close. Said she was just leaving to take Bella to gymnastics. Jacob was staying home since he knew I was close. OK. Said we’d have our dinner once she returned. Having tortellini. I had just enough time to unload my work gear and complete my few little chores before Mindy returned home. In that short amount of time alone with Jacob he asked me to fix his fishing pole and play basketball. I agreed to do both but dinner would be first. Mindy quickly dished up dinner soon. The tortellini was delicious, but I couldn’t finish mine. We had a nice garden salad and crescent rolls, too. Mindy had asked if I would be willing to fetch Bella. I agreed to do it just so she wouldn’t have to. That changed, however, when Jacob asked again about fishing and basketball. Mindy said she’d prefer he & I have bonding time. Probably a good call. She left to fetch Bella around 645p. After quickly cleaning up the kitchen I took care of Jacob’s fishing pole. Needed a swivel, hook, sinker, and bobber. Speaking of Jacob, I told Mindy a couple days prior that I thought he might be starting puberty. She doubted me. But I could see/sense something. His face is widening, his hair color darkening, his eye brows thickening, and his complexion oily. Mindy asked him nonchalantly if he had hair under his arms. Wasn’t sure, but was willing to share that it was growing in other places. I gave Mindy an ‘I told you so’. I’ve noticed some subtle psychological changes, too. He’s acting more mature, and much more tolerable all of the sudden. I like that. He’s a still a young boy but change is in the wind, and he’s not quite 11 yet. Yikes! This time next year it’ll be all about girls. Just you watch. Jacob and I headed out to fish. I took Frankie along on her leash. Jacob used old bread as bait. Carp love it. He doubted my technique but tried it anyhow. Sure enough, a minute later he was reeling in his first fish of the year – a 16” carp. I wish I had my camera in my pocket but didn’t. When he asked for another slice of bread a few minutes later, I gladly went for it and returned with my camera as well. He struggled to free the hook from the carp but eventually did, and more importantly, without causing any undue harm to the fish. He fished for about 30 minutes. He didn’t catch another until he used the last piece of available bread. By then it was clouding over and getting noticeably cooler. It was fairly warm earlier – as warm as 58 degrees. He caught another carp, this one a tad smaller than the first. I got a couple decent pictures of this one. I had to laugh when it crapped all down his shirt and pants while he struggled to remove the hook. I didn’t tell him until he completed the task and released it back into the pond. I didn’t want him to drop the fish in disgust. We headed back inside where I had him strip to his skivvies while standing in the garage and just before heading in the house. Mindy quickly tossed his dirty clothes into the washer while Jacob headed up for a shower. I asked of Bella’s whereabouts. She was already down at the neighbors playing with Makayla. I worked on my blog for the next 30 minutes, or until Bella came home. All she said to me was that she had a bad time at gymnastics. I didn’t know why until Mindy shared the details a few minutes later. Apparently, her recital is on the same Saturday that we’re planning to be in Myrtle Beach. She’s bummed. Mindy offered that she could stay home if she desired. Sure we could make those arrangements. She’ll change her mind and want to go. I know Bella well. Like most nights these days, we tuned into the Science Channel watching a program about Ohio prisons – Ross County Correctional and then Lucasville. Gave an insiders view. Interesting program. Hard to imagine anyone coming out of there reformed/corrected. The kids & Mindy peeled off to bed around 9p and 930p respectively. Once again, I stayed up till 10p.

First Full Day of Spring - 71 degrees

I slept OK but woke a few times in the night with Bella rolling in and out of our bed with each passing thunderstorm. They weren’t nearly as strong as the ones from a week or so ago, but nonetheless, Bella still came a calling. I got up for keeps at 525a. It was still raining fairly heavily as I brushed my teeth and selected my running attire. Like most other days, I glanced out back as I slipped into my exercise shoes after which I promptly headed to the living room to do my sit-ups. After 55 sit-ups I popped up and into my PC chair where I checked the headlines and weather. It was 59 degrees with the rain expected to continue on & off throughout the entire day. Expecting a high of 71 degrees. Nice! After about ten minutes on the internet I headed to the family room to do push-ups. Along the way I spotted yet another pile of dog crap on the carpet. Dammit! That's three times in two weeks. Frankie is definitely out of her routine. I picked it up then spot cleaned the area with Resolve. Coffee was next. Frankie was awake but made no effort to exit her pen. She’s obviously exhausted after spending the weekend with her brother, Woody. In fact, she was still sleeping even after I finished my coffee. I decided to go ahead with meditation. Wouldn't you know, Frankie instantly came to my side once she heard me take refuge on the floor. Happens all the time. I meditated for a solid ten minutes. Felt good. I took Frankie out immediately after. We walked out back. She took her time but pooped and peed. Inside, I gave Frankie a Milkbone then did my daily stretch routine. That felt terrific. Prior, I was still a little stiff from our ski weekend. Now 625a, I prepared Mindy’s coffee then Frankie and I headed upstairs. After a brief greeting and kiss, I was off to ready for my run. Thankfully, the rain had all but stopped. Initially, I dressed in a single layer, but last minute decided I’d better wear my fleece. Not sure why. I ended up being way too warm. I toughed it out though, running the full 4.1 miles without bothering to remove the fleece. I worked up one hell of sweat. It was intensely humid. Back at home, I stripped out of my sweaty outer layers before settling down for breakfast. The pickin’s were slim, but we did have eggs and a little bit of pineapple. Mindy admittedly needed to grocery shop. She and the kids left for grandma Sharon’s around 725a. This being their first day of spring break, they opted to go there. Mindy wished me well just before heading off. I headed for the shower a little after 730a. I took my time getting ready since I didn’t need to get the kids on the bus. It was a shaving day. Used both an electric and manual razor. Because it was so warm, I wore a light-weight short sleeved black button up. Handsome! Downstairs I packed a lunch consisting of an over ripe banana, salad, and cheese. I walked Frankie again before heading off to work. She pooped again. Good girl! I left the house at 810a. Arrived at the office a couple minutes early. I stayed busy all day long. The day was largely a blur. A former direct report stopped by for a brief chat about golf. Says he’s addicted. Lives on a golf course in Granville. Said he's spent lots of time at the range over the winter working on his swing. We talked technique for a while, including what’s ailing my swing. He offered some pointers. I listened. Hell, I’ll take advice from anyone. May not use it. But hey, you never know. I didn’t leave for lunch, but ate while at my desk. I did take about an hour and closed my door and did some writing. That was good for me. I left the office for home right at 530p. I called Mindy as I exited the building. We talked about the work day and the kids. She reminded me that she had a roast in the crock pot. I thought it was pork, but it ended up being one of those nasty turkey roasts. She made one before and we all hated it. She was certain this one would be better. I kept an open mind. Arrived home around 550p. While Mindy put the finishing touches on dinner I did my usual evening chores. I asked the kids how their day went at grandma Sharon’s. As I predicted, Jacob said he was bored to tears. Older now, there’s not a whole lot there for him to do. Dinner was served just after 6p. I tried the turkey roast first. It was nasty, but I tried my best to hide my displeasure. Mindy didn’t seem to recall making one before. It was only a handful of months ago. Mindy tried it next. She didn’t even swallow hers. Spit it into a napkin. Everyone concurred; never again serve a turkey roast. In lieu of the turkey, I ate stuffing and cooked carrots and then made a couple ham and swiss sandwiches with the dinner rolls. We were out of a lot of our weekly staples. To that end, Mindy prepared a “quick hit” grocery list and then left for Kroger around 7p. At the same time, Bella headed off to the neighbors while Jacob stayed home with me. He asked me to play basketball on the deck after the dishes were done, but he took off for Evan’s before I had a chance to finish. Mindy was gone for no more than 45-50 minutes. While she was putting away groceries I was busy working on my blog. Bella came home from the neighbors pretty much on time – about 745p. Around 8p we all sofa surfed and watched the Science Channel. Can’t remember what the program was about. Mindy & the kids were in bed about 15 minutes ahead of me. I locked up the house around 10p.

Spring Skiing - Cookout with the Neighbors

I slept much better Saturday night. I started waking sometime after 6a but didn’t get out of bed until 730a or after. I fumbled around in the dark getting into my running clothes. I felt better than I did Saturday, but still not 100%. Must’ve contacted some sorta bug. I was giddy when I peeked out the curtain toward the lift and sky. Nothing but blue skies over head. Gorgeous! Yahoo! A bluebird ski day @ HV. Out the door, it was chilly. Felt like the upper 20s. I did the same run that I did Saturday, up HV road to Yodeler Lodge then back. The hill ate my lunch, but I persevered. I was stoked with the blue skies and sunshine, although the temperature was expected to reach into the mid 40s by mid afternoon. Wasn’t sure what havoc that might wreak on the slopes. We’d be heading home no later than 2p anyway. Mindy was already up and starting to pack by the time I returned to the room with two cups of coffee. I was surprised. I shared that they had eggs and sausage at the breakfast buffet. We planned to pack before heading to breakfast. Plus, I needed/wanted a shower too. It was 9a by the time we were packed, showered, and ready for breakfast. It didn’t take too long. Breakfast was good. I was careful not to over eat so not to bog myself down. We headed back to the room to load the Honda, check out, then head out to ski. Loading up was a snap, as was check-out. We were in the lift line by 10a exactly. We skied several runs in a short amount of time, including Independence, Mistletoe, Morning Star, Eagle and Falcon. The weather meanwhile was gorgeous, but warming fast. The snow around the bottom of lifts was getting mushy in a hurry. We skied Morning Star and Mardi Gras around 11am. Both face east and both were taking the full brunt of the brilliant springtime sunshine. In kind, both were too mushy for my liking. We headed to the gift shop where I intended to buy my first HV t-shirt. While there, I tried on a couple ski jackets and Mindy some new ski pants. Everything was 40% off. Mindy hated the jacket that I liked. Said I looked like clown. Cool, just the look I was going for. I didn’t think much differently of the pants she tried on. In the end, we bought just the one t-shirt for me. We rode up Cindy’s and skied down Sunrise in an effort to get back to the Inn and ultimately to our car. Sunrise was awesome and fast. I skied it faster than ever. What a rush! It was so much fun that we briefly discussed one more run. We opted not, though. Time to head for home. I took a picture of the lift sign with the clock showing just past noon. Barring an unusual twist of fate, our 2011 ski season was now officially over. We were out of our ski gear and ready to roll by 1215p. At my prompting, we drove into downtown Ellicottville to gas up in lieu of stopping in Salamanca. I felt better about gassing up in town. We also planned a stop at Burger king right across the road from the Inn on our way out of town. While fueling up, I noticed the Holimont ski park just to the west, and probably not even a mile away. Holy crap. I had no idea it was that close. We dropped off the ski keep key back at the Inn after realizing that I still had it in my pocket. Next, we stopped at Burger King and got two double cheeseburgers. Despite being the lone drive-thru customers, the wait was still long. It was just after 1230p as we hit the road for home. It was a gorgeous day for a drive home, sunny and in the mid 40s. Mindy fell asleep soon after crossing Lake Chautauqua. She didn’t wake until we were well into PA. She fell asleep again and didn’t wake until we were well into Ohio, about 10 miles from I-271. Earlier, I had proposed that she drive some of the way home, and we agreed on I-271 and 71. That didn’t happen. I got my second wind and kept going. We were making fabulous time. We never stopped. Neighbor Chrissy called around 5p to see if we still wanted to join them for a cookout. Mindy accepted the invite but shared that we wouldn’t be able to provide any food. Kenny was grilling steaks. Wow, heck yeah! She called Jimaken to let him know that we’d be home much earlier than originally planned. He still wanted to keep the kids until the OSU NCAA tournament game was over. Predicted bringing them home at 730p. We’d have plenty of time to get our stuff put away and organized that way. We arrived home just before 530p. We made it in something just short of 5 hours, a new world record. Over the next hour we unloaded all of our gear, prepped the skis for summer storage (waxed the edges and strapped up the ski keeps), stowed the cooler, started laundry, downloaded pictures, and showered. We walked down to the neighbors at 630p. Kenny was just firing up the grill. The OSU game was already underway and well into the 2nd half. It was another blowout. We were up by 30 points. For a time, we just couldn’t miss. We ended up winning by 29, I think. The steaks were grilled to perfection. Mindy had a filet. I had a t-bone. They had salad, potato salad, and a cheese & meat tray available too. All of it good. I drank just one beer, a Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA. I offered to wash all of the dinner dishes by hand. Mindy ended up drying, and Chrissy put them away. I felt it the least we could do. Jimaken called around 730p to let Mindy know that he was at our place with the kids. Mindy went to retrieve them. We headed home around 845p to ready for a return to work. The forecast for Monday looked decent – 69 and partly cloudy. Cool! Spring is definitely here. However, in true CMH fashion, it’s supposed to get cold again towards the end of the week and remain that way well into the following week. Expect it then you won’t be disappointed. At home we all got into our PJs and then settled onto the sofa where we watched some Science Channel. Mindy let the kids stay up since they were on spring break. We all headed to bed around 10p. Welcome home spring!

Eagle We Have Landed

The Inn’s bed wasn’t my friend. I tossed and turned all night long. I didn’t feel that great either. Despite the hurdles, I got up at 7a and quickly dressed for a run without disturbing Mindy’s sleep. Just like I did in Oregon, I had my running attire laid out where I could access it all in the dark. I dressed in the restroom. At 715a I headed out for my run. It was cloudy and somewhere close to 30 degrees. What caught my attention right away was the exposed green terrain. On all previous trips, the entire area was blanketed in snow. This time the snow was isolated to the ski trails only. I could see the layout of the golf course that rests along HV road near and around the Tamarack and the Inn. Nice. Plus, the southern facing hills were completely void of snow as was the road itself. Save for the two Snow Pine visits, I ran the same trail I’ve run every other time – straight up the HV road hill to the Yodeler lodge. I mentioned earlier not feeling 100%. That never abated. I was in a cold sweat as I ascended the steep hill. The return trip – all downhill – was a welcome change. Back at the Inn I headed right for the lobby where they serve a complimentary continental breakfast each morning. I poured two cups of starbucks, grabbed a muffin, then headed back to our room. The curtains still drawn, the room was completely dark and Mindy still asleep. She woke as I scrambled around with the coffee. I asked permission to open the curtain and turn on a light. She agreed. I dressed both cups of coffee just like I do at home. It was just after 8a. We sipped coffee and prepared for a day on slopes. Out our balcony, we could hear the lift already running .We could also hear skiers cutting on the icy slopes too. Very loud! I checked the forecast. Still calling for sun and clouds with a high of 35. It was 32 degrees at the time. Mindy eventually opted out of shower, but I still needed one having just ran three miles. We were showered and dressed for breakfast by 845a. Our room was only a few steps from the lobby. They were serving waffles, fruit, juice, muffins, bagels and cereal. We loaded up on the carbs, juice and coffee. It was good, but I still wasn’t feeling right. Mindy suggested a Tagament once back at the room. I took her up on it. I also took 3 Advil earlier to help with any stiffness in my right shoulder. We headed out to ski at 930a – the earliest we’ve made it out yet this year. Got to love the ski in/ski out. We rode up the Sunrise lift. The slopes still only sparsely populated, were sporting lots of fresh corduroy. However, the corduroy was frozen solid. Apparently Friday’s warm and moist conditions lead to this. We skied down Sunrise once then rode up again. I can’t recall a time where I've skied on what I would deem groomed ice. It wasn’t difficult, just different. I definitely didn't want to fall, though. Our freshly sharpened edges did their job. Probably most shocking was the loud sound coming from everyone’s skies as they cut into the icy terrain with their edges. SCRAPE, SCRAPE! The second run down we crossed over to Cindy’s and Mardi Gras. Cindy’s was much softer than Sunrise and all corduroy. Nice! Mardi Gras & Northwind were even nicer, probably due to their eastern exposure. Not only were they groomed and fast, but they were largely vacant too, which we found very odd. Within the first couple of hours we skied all of our favorite runs. There were no lines at any of the lifts. Too cool! The only slight downer was the fact that I didn’t feel 100% (tired and queasy). But I battled through it. We eventually made our way to Eagle/Falcon/Raven. We skied Eagle first, just as Bella requested. None of the black diamonds seemed as intimidating as they did prior to our Mt. Bachelor trip. Even Mindy mentioned as much. Save for the intended mogul fields, all the trails were groomed smooth, which only added to their ease. After two hours or so of skiing we skied back to our room for a break/food. I intended on taking a nap too. Back at the room we watched some TV. I tried sleeping but was lucky if I drifted out for a total of ten minutes. I felt a tad better, though just from that. We cracked a couple of beers, and Mindy made sandwiches. Both the beer and sandwiches were very good. I felt better instantly after sucking down my beer. I’m guessing we headed back out after 90 minutes. We took our flasks this time, mine with lemon nip, and Mindy’s with Gold Schlager. Round #2: We skied our way over to Tannenbaum where we did Laurel, the name sake, Tannenbaum, and Mistletoe. We made our way over to Yodeler next where we skied Yodeler and Champagne a few times each. By then the snow had softened just enough to eliminate any sensation that one was skiing on ice. It was really nice. And more often than not, we had the entire runs to ourselves. Very eerie feeling. Around 330p-4p we headed into Yodeler for another break. This time I had a bowl of chili along with an EBC Pale Ale. Mindy opted for a rum and Coke. The bar was just over half full. Nice to have a little breathing room. After my beer and chili, I made my way over to the leather sofas in front of the fireplace where I took a brief nap. Felt terrific. This time I went right out. We were inside for a total of 60-90 minutes. Round #3: We skied for another hour or so, this round spending a lot of time on the cruisers, Independence, Northwind, & Mardi Gras. Feeling incredibly tired, I suggested we head back to our room then go hot tubbing. We left open the option of heading out again later for some night skiing. I poured an Unearthy IPA then watched Alaskan Gold Rush, or something like that. It was the show that never seemed to end. Went on and on. Must’ve been about 630p-7p when we headed for the hot tub. We met a couple guys, one from Akron and another from PA. The guy from PA was a Penn St. grad. After observing my OSU ball cap he went on and on about Jim Tressel's recent troubles. Seemed to be relishing in the drama. I didn’t debate him. Just acknowledged his point of view. We stayed in the hot tub for about 45 minutes. I think one of the guys in the hot tub told us that this was the last night skiing of the season. He also shared that last weekend was their biggest weekend of the season – Mardi Gras. Always is, according to him. Says room rates double and triple for that weekend every year. Who knew? Hmm? Mindy and I stopped in the sauna on our way back to our room. Mindy didn’t last but two or three minutes. I liked it. Could’ve stayed in longer. Round #4: Back in the room, and now after 8p, we watched a little more of the Gold Rush program until I suggested we head out for another leg of skiing, the last night skiing of the season. I was surprised that Mindy was so agreeable. We dressed in our ski gear and headed back out for another hoorah. We made our way over to the west end of the park skiing Independence (Mindy’s new favorite run) and Champagne. After an hour or so we skied back to Cindy’s taking Northwind. I was absolutely flying when I happened upon a couple hazard flags marking what looked like two sink holes about 6’ in diameter and fairly deep. They weren’t easily visible until I was right up on them. Yikes! As luck would have it, the only other folks on the run were just in front of the markers and I damn near killed them as I made a few quick cuts to avoid the holes. Scary! We did Cindy’s a couple of times then made our way up and over to Sunrise then back to our room. It was near 930p when we called it a night. Our legs were spent. Mindy took a shower and I took a brief nap. We planned to do dinner at Cadillac Jack’s. It’s so close that we decided to walk (right across the street). There were no other customer’s inside at all. They told us they decided to close early. The manager followed us out apologizing and even asked if he could recommend another venue. We were good, but thanked him for his kind gesture. We walked back to get the Honda. I thought we’d go back to EBC. Mindy wasn’t as eager as I. She suggested the Depot instead. It looked dark and empty over there too at first glance. But as our headlights hit the parking lot we could see a number of cars. We headed there instead. Above us was the full moon “super moon”, although shrouded in cloud cover. It made a brief appearance as we made our way inside the Depot. I hung outside long enough to snap a picture or two. Inside, they were about 2/3s full and eager for our company. We were seated right away. I ordered a Harpoon IPA. Mindy only water. I asked for a water too. I ordered 10 hot wings and fries. Mindy ordered wedding soup, onion rings, and a chicken Caesar salad. Our server was cute and quite friendly. The food was good. I ate almost all of mine. Mindy kindly picked up the check. She was fading fast. I think it was nearing 1130 or midnight when we headed for the Inn.