Mental Health Monday - 73 & Sunny

I didn’t get out of bed until 550a. I already knew that I wasn’t going to work. Instead, I’d be taking a sorely needed mental health day. However, I was intent on keeping my routine as close to a regular work day as possible so not to waste the day away. I started coffee and completed calisthenics all before 615a.

Outside, the sky was crystal clear and the temperature around 47 degrees. It was supposed to head well into the 70s later. That sounded awesome. I sent my boss and peer an email around 630a letting them know that I wouldn’t be in to work. I walked Eiknarf next. We took our usual path where she only peed. I woke Mindy around 630a. She asked if I planned on staying home, and if I was gonna run before getting the kids on the bus. I was fairly certain that I would wait until the kids were off to school before running. That was my aim from that point forward.

I took my time enjoying coffee and some internet. Mindy was downstairs around 705a. The kids soon followed. Mindy asked if I would be home to see the kids off the bus. Yes. Soon both kids were downstairs for breakfast. Both looked and acted tired, especially Bella, who was pouting and coughing. Jacob teased her incessantly.

Mindy left around 730am. Wished me well, Mindy left for school at 730a. I went back to my PC while the kids played in their rooms. We headed to the bus stop at 758a. What a gorgeous morning. Definitely haven’t had too many of those – clear blue skies and warm sunshine. Kenny was out with Makayla and Woody. Wasn’t sure what his day would entail. Yard work therapy for me.

I headed back home where I readied for a run. Again, I couldn’t stand the thought of letting an hour or two to slip by. I headed out for my run around 820a. I ran the full 4.1 miles in about 36 minutes. It was lovely!

Now 9am, I poured another cup of coffee, checked email, then gathered my wallet and phone and headed off to Ohio Mulch to get another load of playground mulch. Not knowing how much more we’d need, this time I paid for only 1 cubic yard. The kid running the Bobcat loaded me up with more than each of the first two loads. Cool! I headed back home to unload.

Before getting started, I made myself a quick turkey and cheese sandwich. I was super hungry. After inhaling the sandwich, I headed out to dump the mulch. It had to be near 10a. I moved the 3rd load of mulch fairly quickly. It took no more than 45 minutes to get it all in place and spread. It took all of three cubic yards to cover the entire area at the desired depth. I was quite pleased with the outcome.

 Next, I carted the four bags of topsoil, sand, and peat mixture I bought a couple weeks ago from Darby Creek nursery around to the back yard to the area that I plan to over seed. I used an old flower pot to spread the mixture about ½” thick over the desired area. I depleted three of the four bags.

My plan all along was to use grass seed better suited to the area: slope, dry, wet, high traffic. Unfortunately, blue grass has proved futile. Instead, I planned to use a tall fescue blend. I secured my tractor in the shed, locked the house, and then headed off to Home Depot. Didn’t take long to get there.

At Home Depot, I bought a 3lb bag of Scott’s tall fescue and a box of four ant traps (thanks for the tip Craig!). I hurried back home to complete my over seeding project.  Before spreading the first seed, I leashed Eiknarf up outside. It was gorgeous. She seemed pleased to be out there with me. Took my time spreading the seed and then stepping it into the soil, sand, peat mixture. I watered it in gently. Supposed to germinate in 6 to 10 days.

After a Gatorade break, I fetched the purple flamingo spray paint and the flat black speckled spray paint I bought to touch up our deck table base. I took the two plastic flamingos back behind the shed and hit them with a fresh coat of the purple paint. I left them there to dry while I touched up the table base. That went well, too. After touching up the table base I Windexed the table’s glass top.

It turned out to be the perfect afternoon. Nothing but blue skies, sunshine and 73 degrees.  I decided to give the BM’er a bath next. Been a long time. Didn’t take long. Had it clean and detailed in less than 30 minutes. Feeling energetic, I decided to wash the Trooper too, something I haven’t done since last summer. I used to wash it every Saturday. Now it gets a bath once a year whether it needs it or not. J There was still remnants of egg running down the driver’s side from two months ago. Actually, it came off easier than I suspected it might. I could sure tell the Troopers getting old. Found some rust around one of the doors, and the luggage carrier’s starting to fall apart. I guess that’s the price of not having a car payment. At this point my plan is to drive it until it starts costing me money to keep.

It was getting close to the time the kids get off the bus. I put away all of my lawn tools and tractor and headed in for a shower. The kids got off the bus at 405p and quickly ran off with their friends. I didn’t see Jacob but for 5 seconds. Bella at least came in to chat and to ask if she could do her home work later (math and reading) so she could enjoy some of the rare summery weather. In a weak moment I agreed. She ran off.

It wasn’t five minutes later that I realized that she was going to gymnastics from 730p to 9p. I spotted her out in the yard and called her back inside to do her home work. She understood my rationale. I saw Jacob out there too. I asked if he had any homework. Said he did not.

I watched Bella do her math homework (double digit addition). She got them all right without my intervention. Mindy called while we were negotiating what book Bella would read. Bella tried pulling a fast one. Said she was going to read her seek and find book. Mindy was just leaving school and heading to Kroger to pick-up a rotisserie chicken. She was curious to learn what all I accomplished, and how the kids were doing.

Bella finished her reading then she, Eiknarf, and I headed outside. We headed out by the treehouse where Makayla and Bella showed me how they jump off the treehouse platform. Holy smoke! I asked that they cease and desist, and went on to share that one of them will end up hurt, and possibly even break a leg. I thought they were jumping from 8 feet up, but they weren’t.  Instead, they hang from the edge then drop effectively cutting the fall to about 4’. Still, getting out there is tricky, and will almost certainly end poorly for one of them at some point. But how do you stop kids from having fun? It’s a tree house. I asked that they be extra careful.

Mindy was now home from school and Kroger and was busy inside making dinner. We talked while she warmed Bob Evan’s mashed potatoes in the microwave. Asked if I would be willing to fetch Bella from gymnastics at 9p. Yes. This was just a trial run with the competitive gymnastics team. If Bella likes it, she’ll start officially in August, and have practice two nights per week from 745 – 9p. There will be weekend competitions too.  That will coincide with Jacob starting competitive soccer with a similar practice and game schedule. If all that happens, our after work lives will change dramatically. Ugh!

Dinner was good. Can’t miss with rotisserie chicken. I managed the clean-up while Mindy ran Bella to gymnastics. Jacob headed out to play with his airsoft rifle. When Mindy got back home we walked down to the neighbors to watch Chrissy’s 2^nd speech. Once again, she was required to give the speech to an audience of at least 5 adults. She had to video tape it too. Kapil showed up shortly after us. That made four counting Kenny. Chrissy called neighbor Terri. She came in a jiffy. This was an informative speech, the topic King William the 4^th.

After fighting through a myriad of technical issues, including finding her printer out of ink, our printer out of ink, and Kenny’s camera dying, she finally got underway. Did a much better job than she did on the first one. I could’ve picked it to death but didn’t. Instead, I gave her props for doing it. 

Now around 815p Mindy & I headed home. Mindy reminded me that I needed to leave to fetch Bella soon. She said 845p, but I said 850p. Didn’t want to wait around. I wrote in my blog until 850p then left to fetch Bella. Pulled up right at 9p. Good timing.  They were still going at it. Grandma Sharon greeted me with a hug and kiss right away. Said she saw me on the news. Too funny!

Bella asked if I would stop for dinner. No. It was after 9p. Plus, we already had dinner. It was time for snack and bed. At home, Mindy had Bella get a quick shower and then a snack. Both kids were off to bed before 930p. Mindy headed up to bed minutes later. I followed closely behind, but not before taking 4 more Advil. I could feel stiffness creeping in after another day of arduous yard work. Good night clear sky!