Skatin' Party

I was up for keeps at 730a. The sky looked halfway clear from the master bath window. That was encouraging to see. I quietly slipped out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. I could hear Bella’s TV going. I wasn’t sure if she and Olivia slept with it on, or if they were awake and watching already again.

I started coffee then took a more thorough glance out back towards the sky. It was partly sunny and very breezy. I went to the PC while waiting on the coffee to brew. It was chilly, only 41 degrees. Wasn’t expected to reach even 60 that afternoon. Checked the Reds score. They won 11-2. Frankie was already scratching at the door. She and I headed out even before my first cup of coffee.

We walked to the west passing by the new neighbors who moved into David and Tessa's old house. They still own it, I believe. Of course that’s right where Frankie decided to take a dump. I scooped it up and toted it back home. By then the sun was out but the air still quite chilly. I had my new fleece zipped all the way up. Burr!

Back inside, it wasn’t long before I was greeted by Olivia who slipped down the stairs long enough to get some chocolate milk and cereal. She didn’t hang out long. She headed back upstairs to get Bella. Mindy was up a little later and already starting laundry and breakfast burritos. I readied for a run around 9am and headed out a couple minutes later.

It warmed up a few degrees but was still on the chilly side. I wore running gloves but no ear covers. I ran three miles just like most other Sunday’s. I was back home a little after 10a. Mindy was serving up the breakfast burritos and the kids were watching Bolt, one of Olivia’s favorite movies. Mindy offered to make me a burrito but I opted to make my own.
I joined everyone else already at the table, taking Jacob’s usual seat. Olivia asked if I would push her in the tree swing after breakfast. Yes. Jacob asked if he could shoot his rifle. Yes. Me and the kids headed out back a few minutes later. I took a tool bucket full of tools planning to tighten the rope railing of the tree house. However, I climbed up only to find the ropes all taught. I figured that Kenny must’ve taken care of them. I swung Olivia from the tree swing all the while Jacob fired his new rifle at a tree stump far removed from the girls.

Everybody occupied, I took care of a few yard chores, including ripping out last year's old pepper and tomato plants. Olivia and Bella helped. Just as I was finishing up, Mindy advised that she was gonna run to Toys R Us to pick-up Jacob’s new bike, a gift from Jimaken. He asked us to pick it up since we have the SUV. Mindy asked me to be prepared to take the kids to soccer in the event that she was late getting back. It really didn’t make sense to me. In fact, I offered to pick it up during lunch on Monday. Mindy insisted on going after it right then. I headed in for a shower.
By the time I was out of the shower and dressed, Bella let me know that her momma called and was already on her way back home. I had the kids ready themselves for departure ahead of Mindy’s return. Mindy was back by 1230p and we left for Jacob’s soccer game about ten minutes later. I bundled warmly, remembering how cold it typically is there. I sat out a heavier winter coat for Olivia, too but forgot it. Oops!

Ashley called earlier that afternoon to tell Olivia that she was taking her to a skating party that evening. That’s all Olivia talked about the rest of the afternoon. Everything came back to the skating party. As expected, it felt 10 degrees colder, and the wind more than twice as stiff. Holy smoke was it ever chilly! Mindy went back to the Honda for her parka. She bundled Olivia up in a stadium blanket. Jacob played goalie for the first time all year. Did really well, though his team got behind in the 2nd half and could never recover.

Mindy commented that Jacob was playing goalie when Olivia asked where she could find him. We about fell out of our chairs laughing when she responded by saying I thought he was playing soccer. Good point! 
After soccer we headed to Ashley’s to deliver Olivia. On the way, she went on and on about the skating party. At some point I told her that we were heading to the moon when she asked where we were going. She shared that she can’t go to the moon because she’s gotta go to a skating party. She added that we’d need a rocket ship to get to the moon. Again, too cute!

After dropping Olivia at home we headed back to our house. Once at home, Mindy and Bella promptly headed for the grocery store. Jacob and I planned on heading outside but not before making some lunch. Jacob had a breakfast burrito and I ate my leftover Chipotle that Mindy brought for me yesterday. After a yummy lunch we headed outside, Jacob to play, me to work in the yard.

Jacob took off on his new bike while I pulled weeds out of the front flower beds. While in the flower beds, I transplanted a number of volunteer blue May Salvia. Must’ve been about 10 of them. I was careful not to get my clothes dirty so I wouldn’t have to change before heading to dinner at Red Lobster. The plan was to be there at 530p. Jacob brought his new bike to me with a couple problems needing addressed: a frayed brake cable and his seat needing adjusted. I fixed both. I gave him an evil stare when he let the bike fall over seemingly without care two different times.

With the exception of the two hanging baskets in the Ash trees, I ridded all the deck pots and hanging baskets of their dead foliage. Before calling it an afternoon, I took inventory of the burning bush damage. Looks like 2 of 10 are completely dead, and then a couple more limping along. They were ringed by low crawling varmints, most likely rabbits or mice taking up shelter in amongst the thick English Ivy.

5 o’clock came upon us fast. Mindy & Bella were back from the grocery. It was time to leave for Red Lobster, Jacob’s birthday dinner venue. Nephew Joe was said to be meeting us there. We arrived a couple minutes late, but still ahead of Joe. He arrived no more than a couple minutes after we were seated.

As luck would have it, it was Lobsterfest, a time when they have all sorts of lobster specials on their menu. Mindy, Jacob and I each opted for one of those while Joe went with shrimp and pasta. Bella, on the other hand, chose mac & cheese from their kiddie menu. We ordered langostino nachos as an appetizer.

Our servers name was Jonathon, and he did a good job of keeping us happy. Dinner was good, and probably the best Red Lobster experience for me in a long while – no greasy fried stuff. Mindy pointed out a boy at the booth across the aisle staring at Bella in bewilderment. Looked mesmerized. Funny!
Bella, meanwhile, was oblivious to his lustful eyes. She was too busy playing with the lobster carcasses. 

Mindy picked up the dinner check, but Jacob chipped in too with his Red Lobster gift card. Thanks Princess. Thanks Jacoby!

Nephew Joe invited us to come see his new place after dinner. We accepted and followed him south to the new digs. Wow, impressive lot. Impressive house. Must be sitting on a full acre or perhaps even more. Met a couple of his roommate, Ryan and Nick I think. There was a female guest visiting, too, whose name currently escapes me. They were nice folks.

Joe has the master suite all to himself, complete with a large soaking tub seemingly in the middle of the bedroom. The kids thought that was coolest thing ever. We didn’t stay long, 10 minutes tops.

Instead of heading directly home, we decided to drive further south and down towards Grove City Rd. I was curious to see how close we were to an old girlfriend’s house, Jennifer Eickel, from way back in my early high school years. We stopped in a nice subdivision along the way that sports huge 4 or 5 acre lots and big beautiful homes. Can’t recall the name. One of Mindy’s teacher pals lives there. We headed on to Neff Rd, where Jennifer used to live. Honestly, though, nothing looked too familiar. I hadn’t been there for 37 years. Much has changed. I guessed which house it was. They all look so much smaller these days. Back then I remember it seeming huge.

After our little trip in time we headed back towards home. There was a gorgeous sunset. Sky looked like it was on fire. Arrived home just after 8p. Mindy agreed that the kids could play until 830p. I was surprised that she said yes. Jacob rode his new bike. Bella, I think, ran off to Makayla’s.

I eventually settled on the sofa with a big glass of ice water where we watched the Science Channel, Human Planet. I watched for over two hours and even after Mindy and the kids headed to bed. I joined Mindy in bed around 1015p.