Mockumenatary

I woke when the irrigation system initially kicked on then a couple more times when it switched zones. I got up for good at 520am. I quickly brushed my teeth and snatched up my running clothes then headed downstairs.

It was another clear morning, and I can happily report no geese in the back yard. I slipped into my exercise tennies then headed to the living room where I whipped out 55 sit-ups. I checked the weather and headlines afterwards. It was 66 degrees and expected to be sunny and 86 during the afternoon.

By 545am I was done with push-ups and prepping my first cup of coffee. I headed out onto the deck for a brief stint but did my meditation from the familyroom in complete silence. Nice! Stretching was next, and it never felt better. By 615am I was ready for my run.

I headed out the door a few minutes later. I ran the full 4.1 miles mostly contemplating my new job, assessing my life as well as the state of my marriage. Life’s fleeting. Engage in it. Otherwise, it’ll pass you by.

It was a gorgeous morning and ideal for a summer run.  I was back at home once again just ahead of 7am.

I started prepping my breakfast and lunch right away. I saw that Mindy made some pasta salad. I thought about packing some for lunch, but wasn’t sure who/what it was intended for. I opted not. I went with the old standby instead (cheese, fruit, banana). I still have a couple packets of tuna on my desk at work.

It was near 720am when I finished breakfast and headed up for a shower. I didn’t bother taking Mindy any coffee. Because I would be meeting a customer, I dressed extra nice in tailored slacks and a button up dress shirt. I quietly and quickly readied, then stealthily crept out of the room and headed downstairs for some last minute prep. Mindy woke and quickly joined me downstairs.

Our conversation was rather brief, me asking about her daytime plans. Mindy was having school friends over. Hmm? I wrongfully assumed they’d be heading back to Lake Choctaw. I headed off for work near 745am. 

Ahead of my customer visit, I was supposed to meet with the guy who’s been doing my new job for the last year or so. He was coming up form Cincinnati, though I had no idea what time to expect him. Mid-morning my boss called and asked if I’d seen him yet. Nope! He didn’t sound happy.

Near 11am he showed up. We spent a little time together before we needed to depart with my new boss for lunch and the customer visit. My boss drove. Our meeting was slated for 1pm. We were running out of time quickly, and by the time we made it across town our lunch options were whittled down to two fast food restaurants: Wendy’s & McDonald’s. The Wendy’s was absolutely jam packed, cars completely encircling the venue. That left only McDonald’s, and that was in the local Wal-Mart. Oh boy! I wasn’t planning to eat anything anyway, but my boss and peer were. We headed inside. I ordered a lemonade. They ordered food. They ate quickly all the while discussing work and family. At 1245pm we made a bee line for the parking lot and headed directly to the customer facility just up the road. It’s a very large place. I’ll need to get used to that.

We checked in with security and were just in time for our meeting. The customer came looking for us since the conference room changed from the original evite. I was introduced to five customer reps, and I must say, I got a positive vibe from all of them.

We met for the next couple hours reviewing May results and then discussing how we might better format the data to their liking. Quite frankly, I was a little surprised that we hadn’t already accomplished that. An opportunity to be a hero, I suppose.

I had to pee mid way through the meeting, and badly. No longer able to hold it, I respectfully asked for directions to the facilities. They were right around the corner. I felt 100 times better after.

The customer showed me where my visitor’s office will be. It’s a cubical environment but pretty nice. I’ll be fine. After some back and forth, they decided that Wednesday’s would work best for them. Fine with me. I’m thinking it was about 330pm when we finished up and headed back to the office.

The rest of the day flew by and was spent learning from my peer that’s handing off the account. I ended up at the office as late as I’ve been all week – 540pm.

I didn’t bother calling Mindy, choosing instead to keep both hands on the wheel and shifter. The house was clean and silent on arrival. Mindy’s Honda was in the driveway but no sign of her presence. No kids or Eiknarf either. It was Thursday, Jimaken’s usual kid night. I eventually thought to peer out back to Mindy’s patio. Sure enough, there she was, sitting on her bench by the pond, and Eiknarf on her red lead.

I headed out to see what was up. I wasn’t sure if Barley’s was in the cards, but surmised not. I took a seat next to Mindy on the bench where we chatted for quite a while. We talked about last evening’s argument, and how poorly we both handled it. I also shared a little about my day, and then an update on my quest for a new car. After about an hour I headed in to change out my work clothes and then make myself something for dinner. I made a burrito with leftover taco meat.

I called my mom at some point confirming her plans to come up and stay for the weekend. Said she’d be there Friday around noon. OK. Called Rocky, too. He wanted to know if I’d take them to the fireworks. As of then, we weren’t sure if we wanted to fight that whole mess.

After I ate my dinner, Mindy and I walked Eiknarf out front. During the walk I phoned my dad to see how his knee appointment went. Long story short, he’s an excellent candidate for knee replacement and will likely have both taken care of in the foreseeable future.

We headed back outside where we sat on the deck with Eiknarf until the kids got home. I’m guessing it was near 8pm when Mindy walked down to chat with Chrissy. I went inside and updated my blog. Both kids were in good spirits, especially Jacob. Bella was off playing with Lillian and Emily for most of the evening. We didn’t see her again until almost 915pm when she asked if she could have a sleepover at Lillian’s.

It wasn’t long before they returned to our house asking if they could have it at our place. Mindy nipped that in the bud quickly. Nope! It’s most likely gonna be a hectic weekend with my mom coming up to stay and, most likely, the grandkids coming over. We needed a quiet house Thursday night.

It was about 9pm.I was ready to get comfy on the sofa. Jacob and I sat and watched two back-to-back episodes of Office. Very funny. Mindy hates the show but I like it. Mindy headed for bed after the first episode was over. Jacob and I headed to bed after the 2^nd. Jacob took Eiknarf to bed with him. She’s getting spoiled sleeping with her humans.

Headed for bed at 1005pm. Good night Michael Scott.

Farming Aphids, Mother Would be so Proud

OK, this is totally cool!

Ant mutualism

Some species of ants "farm" aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat, eating the honeydew that the aphids release from the terminations of their alimentary canals. This is a "mutualistic relationship". These "dairying ants" "milk" the aphids by stroking them with their antennae.

I woke a time or two during the irrigation system's watering cycle, but that didn’t disrupt my sleep to any great degree. I woke feeling rested around 525am and quickly peed, brushed my teeth, then headed downstairs with my running clothes tightly in hand.

While slipping into my running shoes I glanced out the back door. What caught my eye first wasn't the clear sky, but instead those pesky geese slowly and methodically making there way up and out of the pond and into our yard. Grrr!  I noticed the sky was clear too. I thought about heading out to shoot at the geese but I was more determined to get my morning calisthenics underway.

I completed 55 sit-ups then got online where I checked the weather and headlines. It was only 63 degrees, or about 10 degrees cooler than the morning before. Still expecting a high around 85 under sunny skies – a nice summer day. After a little PC time, I headed to the family room where I whipped out 55 push-ups.

Time for coffee. I enjoyed some coffee on the deck, but took my BB gun too. I headed out to the middle yard, my aim to drive the geese away. There must’ve been about 12 of them eating at my grass and pooping. I don’t like the geese and I don't like their feces. They must go now! Be on your way!

Perhaps that wasn’t the best segue into meditation but it is what it is. I did my best to let go of any angst and collected myself through meditation. Near 610am I moved on to stretching. That went well and felt terrific.

It was just after 615am when I headed out the door for my run. I ran the full 4.1 miles feeling good and running strong. I took special notice of how far north the sunrise took place here in late June. I have learned to appreciate all the seasons but there’s no denying that I feel most connected to the summer. Id say it’s the beauty, the smells, and the easy going feeling a warm summer morning fosters. Awesome!

I finished my run just ahead of 7am. I was happy to see that the geese had yet to return. I proceeded to make my breakfast and lunch. That’s a 20 minute ordeal at a minimum depending on how efficient I am. I took an extra few minutes to prepare a nice garden salad in addition to a fruit medley and cheese.

I took Mindy a cup of coffee and gave her hug. I headed to the shower determined to be out the door close to 745am. I wore khaki Dockers and a red polo shirt. As I prepped to depart, I stuffed the latest Golf Galaxy coupon and my F.D. gift card into my back pack thinking I might pay them a visit come lunch time. I left for work pretty close to 745am, but needed to stop for gas at Thornton’s.

Dang it! My gas procrastination cost me $.26 per gallon. It was $3.19 last evening but $.3.45 then. The BM’er took about 11 gallons, so I figure the procrastination cost me an extra $3 bucks.

I was in my office by 805am. Curious, I pulled up my team in IM to see who else was in that early. I was the only one in. Hmm? My new boss stopped by for a chat mid morning. He took me around and introduced me to several other team members, most of whom I’ve seen around for years but had never actually talked with. We then spent a little time going over expectations. Because our team’s so new, I get the feeling I’ll be learning the ropes via baptism by fire. But that’s OK. Sometimes that’s best, and it’s something I’d like to think I am rather adept at.

Around 1230pm I left for Golf Galaxy and possibly a haircut. I was hoping to find some nice golf (think wicking) polos on sale to add to my wardrobe, but found none that struck my fancy at a reasonable price. The few that I did like were as much as $70 each. Hell no! I decided to buy nothing despite having a $100 gift card.

I left G.G. then headed to Mill Run. So far I’d been gone from the office for about 30 minutes. I headed in Great Clips first, but they had a wait of at least 20 minutes. That was too long, plus, the last time I was in, the wait was far longer than I was told. I shared that I was on a tight schedule and would need to move on. I headed a few store fronts down to  the tried and true Saturday’s. They were backed up too – 20-30 minute wait. No thanks. Can’t wait. I’d have to get a haircut another time, perhaps after work, or possibly on Friday. Thursday definitely wouldn’t work.

I headed back to the office a tad frustrated that both trips proved unfruitful. However, all wasn’t lost. What the lunch did do was provide the break in my day that I sorely need.

As soon as I was back, I went for my packed lunch (salad, cheese, and fruit). It was really good. I stayed busy through most of the afternoon familiarizing myself with my new customer's product mix and then some of the tools necessary to support them. I managed to keep busy until sometime after 5pm when I up and left for home.

I hadn’t heard a peep from Mindy all day long. I arrived home near 515-520p. Mindy’s car was home but the house completely silent. There was taco meat cooking in a crock pot on the island. I rinsed my lunch dishes then hurried upstairs to dress for lawn work. I figured I’d go ahead and get started on the lawn while I still had some energy.

I bounced back a step when Mindy emerged from the shower just as I was entering the masterbath. She startled me. I quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt then headed out to get started on the grass. I cut it on Sunday, or just three days prior, but it definitely needed it again.

I decided to mow first, doing the push then the tractor. Because we've had three days of dry weather, the lawn was drier than it was Sunday. That made the cutting easier. However, despite cutting it just three days prior, parts of the front were so thick and lush that it bogged the mower and left clumps of clippings, especially in the area I rebuilt a couple years back. That part of the lawn is very healthy these days.

I managed to finish all the mowing in about an hour. I thought about stopping, but decided to keep going and did the trimming and blowing too. That took another 10-15  minutes or so. I topped off my ice water beforehand. While in the kitchen I spotted a note on the island from Mindy indicating that she was off to Giant Eagle.

She pulled up at home while I was busy watering the front flowers. She asked if I planned to shower before dinner. Said I didn’t plan to. Somehow I managed to remain relatively free of the yard debris that I typically pick-up.

I ended up watering all the flowers front and back (beds, baskets, and pots). It took about 25 minutes. I was hungry and looking forward to the tacos/burritos. The kids were already eating and Mindy busy preparing her burrito. I waited until they were seated then made mine. It was good. The kids finished quickly then begged off outside with their friends. Mindy must’ve been waiting for such an opportunity to light into me for giving her the silent treatment over what she deemed a foolish reason. Let’s just say that we argued unproductively for about 15-20 minutes and both said things we probably shouldn’t have said. Mindy even went out on the deck and knocked over two of my prized flower pots to show her frustration.

In an argument, getting one's own point across is always the goal, but rarely if ever is it successful when both parties insist on being in a talk-only mode and neither doing much if any real listening. Just my observation. Fair to say that was us.

Mindy headed upstairs and I headed outside to tend to more yard work. Before anything else I picked up the knocked over flower pots. I then headed out to deadhead the knock-out rose bushes mid back yard. While doing so, I noticed that deer or rabbits have started to eat away at some of my perennials. Grrrrrrrr!

Next, I headed to my tomato plants where at long last I finally thinned then from about 30 plants to just the 5 I planted. The rest were volunteers. They were growing in so thick that they were crowding out the desired set and causing some to get eaten by insects, aphids I think.  Hopefully I got to them soon enough that they still can recover.

The kids were next door tossing the baseball. They asked a couple times if everything was OK. They obviously caught part of our earlier argument. Yes, of course. I felt bad that Mindy was so upset. When she finally regained her composure, came downstairs, and headed out to her patio to sit and reflect, I followed and apologized for basically utilizing poor arguing skills.

We hung on the patio long enough that I started getting attacked by mosquitoes. It was dusk, the worst time for them. At the same time, there were oodles of fireflies about the yard. The girls, Bella and Lillian, were having a hey day chasing them around. I headed inside to save my ankles from attack.

Inside, I spent time updating my blog then checking on the Reds score. I couldn’t believe it when I checked the time and saw that it was already near 10pm. Holy smoke! Where did the evening go? Mindy had the kids get showers earlier. Bella came down and asked me to tuck her in. I headed up around 1005p and tucked both kids into bed.

I headed back downstairs to watch a little TV until 1030p. I watched, In Through the Worm Hole, and episode about string theory and the potential for dimensions beyond the three we’re aware of.   Although interesting, I soon fell asleep. I woke at 1030p and headed up to bed. Mindy was already snoozing. Good night aphids.

One Hot Summer Night

Though I haven't seen you for something like 20 months, I still love you.
             Happy 29th b-day Courtney
                                    &
                   Happy 24th Joe-Joe

After more than 10 hours of sleep, I was up for work at 520am. As expected, I was still a little groggy, no doubt a byproduct of almost too much sleep. Otherwise, I felt fine. On my way downstairs I realized I didn’t do any coughing through the night and didn’t feel the need to blow my nose. It’s the little things.

I glanced out back. It was clear, but awfully humid. There was moisture covering all the windows/glass. I had sit-ups and push-ups out of the way by 540am. I took my coffee out onto the deck where I encountered a yard full of geese. Dammit! I went for my BB gun and fired off a few rounds. After they scattered, I headed back inside to my PC and coffee.

It was already warm, 72 degrees. Expecting a high of 85 with mostly sunny skies. I read the Daily OM then did a brief meditation. Without giving it any thought, I went from meditation to prepping for my run. I forgot to stretch. I didn’t even think about it until I was stretching my hamstrings on the front stoop just before taking off. It was early, only 615am when I headed off into the warm humid morning air.

I ran the full 4.1 miles again without encountering much if any traffic. It was a good run. I was back at the house ahead of 7am. Don’t know that that happens too often. Like the day before, I got busy right away cooking my breakfast and prepping my lunch. For some reason, it took quite a bit longer than usual. It was 730am by the time I finished my breakfast and was heading upstairs for a shower, although I did head out to fire on the geese a second time. They just keep coming back for more. They’ve made the back half of my yard darn near unusable. There are hundreds of piles of goose crap lying around.

I took Mindy a cup of coffee before getting in the shower. And after I was showered and dressed she got up and headed downstairs with me. I’d temporarily forgotten about her hair appointment. She asked if Eiknarf had been out. Nope. I also shared that I don’t really have time to take the dog out, make my lunch, and cook my breakfast.

It was almost 750am, I needed to leave if there was any hope of getting to work near 8am. Mindy asked if I had time to have coffee with her on the deck. No. I explained my goal of being at work by 8am. She didn’t seem pleased. Just before heading to the garage to depart I walked back to the kitchen where Mindy stood and gave her a hug.

It was a nice drive in. Thought about stopping for gas having just under a quarter tank. Last second I opted not. Should’ve though. Gas was down to $3.19 per gallon. Arrived in my office at 808am.

I spent most of my morning working on gaining access to work related tools and systems. Around 1230pm I left for a formal lunch break. Drove to Hatfield Hyundai to test drive the new 2012 Sonata. I looked over the 8-10 new Sonata’s they had out front then headed inside to find someone who could assist me with the test drive. There I met Vince Miller, a nice middle aged fella. He got me all squared away to drive the 2012 Sonata Limited. It didn’t appear that they had one in black on black, but then again, I wasn’t test driving a color. I wanted to see if it handled as nice as it looks, and if all the positive press is warranted.

As I pulled out of their lot I heard a phone ringing. It was their version of Onstar. An operator asked me how she might assist me. I told her that I was simply test driving the car and didn’t mean to initiate a call. I then asked how I might’ve done so. She asked if I adjusted the rearview mirror. Yes I did. On closer inspection, there’s a red phone button just to the left of where I grabbed the rear view mirror for adjustment.  Ah hah. Probably in a bad spot.

I put the Sonata through the ringer racing the engine and taking lots of curves out

Norton Rd

near brother-in-law Todd’s place. In fact, I made my turn around in his subdivision. I enjoyed the ride, but noticed a lot of the interior features seemed almost oy like (think cheap plastic). The last thing I want to do is choose a new car for price alone, saving a few thousand now only to regret it later. That weighed heavy on my mind as I finished my test drive. Mechanically it handled well.

Back at the dealership, I found Vince and we talked about the car. He shared mostly what I already knew. Hyundai’s come with the industry’s best warranty: 3yr bumper to bumper, 5yr limited bumper to bumper, and 10yr powertrain. Hyundai has financing available too, but their current rate for their 2012 inventory is 3.9%. I made mention that Honda just announced 0.9% on all their vehicles through July 4^th. To give you an idea, that equates to about a $40 a month difference on a 60 month term on a $30K loan. In other words, I could spend $2K more on a Honda and get the same payment.

Though I headed to Hyundai excited about the Sonata, I left somewhat worried about long term quality. It seems to me they’ve dumped lots of money into the design/looks but cut corners on the interior trim thus why they can sell their comparable car for $2-3K less than Toyota and Honda. If and when I buy a new car I don’t want to have any worry about quality despite having a warranty.

I headed back to the office after being gone just over an hour. Right away, I grabbed my packed lunch from the fridge. I ate cheese and fruit, but skipped opening a packet of tuna. Didn’t want that strong fish smell to emanate down the hall giving rise to my presence.

I spent the afternoon taking another technical training course online. The course was the toughest yet. I finished the material around 430pm and tested immediately after. I blew through the first 9 or 10 questions without any trouble. However, I knew I blew four of the next five and failed by one question. Crap! That’s a first. I reviewed some of the material again real quick then opted for the allowable second chance, which pulled a mix of new questions along with some I had the first go round. This time I passed getting 14/15. Yeah!

I spent the last 20 minutes of my day organizing myself for Wednesday. I left for home at 505pm. Mindy called as I was heading to the elevator. We talked until I got to my car where I excused myself from the conversation so I could drive with both hands. Mindy and the kids were with her friend Tara and Doug boating/skiing on Lake Choctaw. Said they were presently at the house having dinner but heading back out afterwards. Asked if I wanted to join them. No. Lastly, she shared that they had Eiknarf with ‘em too.

The house was clean and quiet. I went through my usual paces prepping coffee for the next day and rinsing my lunch containers. The backyard was full of Canada geese. Fed up with them, I headed out with my BB gun and shot them 5 or 6 times at close range. We repeated that same process at least three different times. They leave but come back for more 15-30 minutes later.

While outback, I noticed that counter to Mindy telling me she watered all the flowers, several were wilting/drying out in the brilliant sunshine. Dang it! I turned on the water spigot and watered all the backyard pots, bed, and baskets thoroughly. Her Hydrangea looked as if it might not recover but it slowly did – thankfully.

Back inside, I spent about 90 minutes editing and publishing several recent blog entries. I had the last 10 days written but unpublished. I’m thinking it was near 8p when I finished and decided to dedicate the rest of my evening to reading. I finished my Deepak book and picked up where I left off in my latest Brian Green book, The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes & the Deep Laws of the Cosmos. I read his first book, the Elegant Universe a few years ago and loved it. I read up until 930pm or so. I was surprised that Mindy & the kids weren’t home. And while she shared that they might very well be home late, I figured that to mean 730-8pm.

Once darkness set in I headed to bed but turned on the TV and watched a program about gold. I think it was on the History Channel. I’d seen parts of it before. I heard Mindy & the kids come in around 10pm. Mindy started a load of laundry and sent the kids to ready for bed almost instantly. Suddenly there was no peace and tranquility. She also wanted to chat, which I wanted no part of. Instead, I headed downstairs to watch TV in peace until I could fall asleep. Sleep came over me around 11pm. That’s when I turned the TV off and headed for bed. Good night Canada geese. You go now!

New Week New Job

I woke at 520am and decided it made little sense to try and get another 10 minutes of sleep. I felt fully rested so I got up, peed, and brushed my teeth. I was downstairs making coffee by 525am.

I went through the usual paces. I slipped into my exercise tennies, glanced at the weather out back, then doused my eyes with lubricating drops. I then headed for the livingroom to start calisthenics. I breezed through 55 sit-ups in no time. Hadn’t done a single sit-up or push-up since Friday, June 17th. Felt good. Before doing push-ups I checked the weather, headlines and email. Expecting a slight chance of rain and a high of 81. Still, it was a far better forecast that as recent as the evening before when they were calling for strong storms with hail and heavy rain.

Completed push-ups next. Easy. I am sure it does my body good to take a week off every so often. Time for coffee. I listened for Eiknarf, who was sleeping with Bella. I didn’t hear her stirring so I didn’t bother pursuing her for a walk. I figured that Mindy and the kids could do it later when she wakes naturally. That would save me about ten minutes too.

I enjoyed coffee in front of the PC. I thought about paying monthly bills but didn’t. Instead, I read the Daily OM and checked out a few more favorite websites. I moved on to meditation, only this time decided to do it from the deck. It was comfortable, about 65 degrees with just a hint of the sunrise. Very nice! The only distraction were the loud cries coming from the Canada geese.

I headed inside for a stretch around 610am. And while I stretched some on the beach each morning before my run, this marked the first full stretch routine I'd completed in almost ten days. Felt terrific.

I felt that familiar itch building around my inner thigh area after running for a week in the heat & humidity of the beach. I lubed up appropriately to lessen any additional irritation then headed out for my run in shorts and a sleeveless wicking shirt. That felt about perfect.

The run went well. I ran the full 4.1 mile track. I left the house near 620am. That seemed to make a big difference in the amount of commute traffic I encountered – only 2 cars. I passed two other runners too, both towards the end of my run.

Back at home I quickly put some olive oil in the small frying pan and preheated it for eggs. While waiting, I started prepping my lunch, which included a salad, cheese, and fruit. However, my fruit options were limited to only strawberries and raspberries. There was watermelon and cantaloupe too, but neither one of them were cut up. I’d survive.

My lunch was packed and breakfast over by 720am. I quietly headed up for shower trying not to disturb the kids, Mindy, or Eiknarf. I figured Mindy would wake once I started my shower. I tried being as quiet as possible. I was quick too. I was ready to go by 738am. This being my first day on the new job, I dressed a bit nicer than I typically have for the past couple years. I wore no pleat Dockers and a black button up summer shirt.

Mindy asked that I bring her a cup of coffee before leaving. I agreed.  I would’ve taken it up earlier but didn’t think she’d want to get up so early. I planned to leave by 745a to facilitate a self-imposed 8am arrival. I said goodbye to Mindy then sailed. Mindy said they didn’t have a lot planned for the day.

Arrived at work right at 8am. I tossed my stuff into my new office then walked over to see if my new boss was in. He wasn’t. I then headed to my old office to start moving my office gear, including both work stations. I talked with my old peeps some too. Among other things, they shared what’s changed in the ten days since I was last in the office.

Took me about 2 hours to get everything moved to my new office. My new boss stopped by a couple times as did a couple new co-workers, including one who used to report to me a few years ago. We chatted about his current role and then about his recent doings on Match.com. Funny stuff. Through the early afternoon my boss brought a few others around for introductions. Gave me a rough idea of what my week would entail.

I spent the lions share of the afternoon requesting access to the tools I felt necessary to complete my job. I didn’t take a lunch hour per se but did take some time to do some personal writing later in the afternoon. A former direct report sent me an IM mid afternoon advising that it looked like rain and that I might want to put the top up on my BM’er. Thanks Darin! My new office lacks a window to the outside world. I had no idea. I walked out and put my top up.

The day moved pretty fast. I left for home around 450pm. I hadn’t talked with Mindy all day, and didn’t bother calling on my drive home either since I drove the BM’er and really neeed both hands on the wheel for safety purposes.

Bella was out walking Eiknarf as I pulled up. She and I walked in through the garage together. Mindy was busy in the kitchen making dinner, chicken and pasta. Shared that my dad would soon be joining us. Jacob was out playing in the tree house. It was mostly cloudy at the time, but the skies appeared to be clearing to our immediate west.

I snacked on peanuts and suddenly felt tired. While waiting on dinner, I went to the recliner and cracked open the Deepak book I’ve yet to finish. Just a handful of pages to go. I read about three pages before starting to drift. I heard my dad come in a few minutes later. I remained in the recliner with my eyes closed. I stayed that way until Mindy called me in for dinner. I heard my dad comment that he didn’t even know that I was home.

The chicken over pasta was quite good. I couldn’t finish all that was on my plate, however, but gave it a college try. It left me even sleepier. During dinner we chatted about a number things, including dad’s progress on his trailer as well as mom’s potential visit this coming weekend. The kids, I learned, will be spending Sunday evening with Jimaken and attending the Hilliard fireworks. We’re still not sure what our plans include. Red, White & Boom is this coming Friday, July 1^st.

Both kids headed out to fish while I did kitchen clean-up. All I could think about was getting to the sofa for a nap. As soon as the clean-up was complete I did just that – took a sofa dive. I can’t be certain, but think it was around 7pm when dad up and departed. I forgot that I was supposed to show him how to program his cable box to come on to a specific channel.

I remained sleeping on the sofa after dad left and later after Mindy and Jacob headed off on a walk with Eiknarf. I woke suddenly scared and all out of breath. Not sure why. It’s almost like I couldn’t get a breath. It took a few seconds to recover. Still sleepy, I headed upstairs for bed, but not before slipping into my sawed off flannel PJ bottoms. My pillow felt so doggone good!

A Freshly Cut Lawn

I was up 705am. I felt great and was eager to get downstairs and make some coffee. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and raining, albeit only lightly.

Downstairs I started a pot of starbucks then headed to the PC. I didn’t plan to do any calisthenics until Monday. Hadn’t done a single sit-up or push-up since last Friday. I enjoyed coffee and internet for the next 45 minutes. Around 8am I went to check on Eiknarf who was bedding with Jacob. She was awake and wanted to head downstairs with me.

She was more than eager to head out on our walk. It was sprinkling but not enough to justify an umbrella. According to the radar, it looked the rain would be ending soon. As soon as we were back in the house, Eiknarf headed upstairs again.

I enjoyed more coffee and then walked the entire yard. I readied and left for a run at 9am. I ran without the benefit of a ball cap for the first time in months. Not a big deal, but worthy of a mention. After running on the beach for seven straight days, the run on the concrete and pavement was almost effortless. I love running on the beach, and would choose it over concrete/pavement anytime, but that extra little give works muscles not usually used.

I was back at home near 940am. Everyone remained sleeping until approximately 10am when Mindy joined me downstairs. We spent the next hour doing more unpacking/organizing. I made myself, Mindy & Jacob egg sandwiches. Bella wanted a chipped beef sandwich. Mindy agreed to make Bella’s. It was after 11am in a hurry.

I planned to cut the lawn while Mindy planned to go grocery shopping. Parts of our lawn were as long as 10-12”. Then again, some parts (mostly in the far back) looked as if they hadn’t grown at all. Most of those areas are due to the Canada geese. I did all the push mowing first. Some areas were so long and thick that they really needed cut a second time, but that would have to wait. I did adjust the blade height up a notch in a few areas.

I did the whacking and edging last. Plus, I had to put fresh line in the weed whacker head. The lawn looked good, but there were clumps of grass clippings scattered about the front yard. I made sure to scatter them with the blower.

Just before Mindy left for the grocery, I had her help me get the golf clubs from the Thule. I took Kenny his as soon as I unloaded them. On Saturday, Ashley shared that she would be stopping by to bring me a Father’s Day gift. I called her around 3-330p to see if she was still coming. Said she was heading our way. Mindy was still at the grocery when Ashley & Olivia arrived. They gifted me right away – Minnesota Vikings chef hat and apron. Nice! I put it on. Olivia insisted on playing on the tree swing. We headed out to play for a while. We fed the ducks some moldy bread too. She loves feeding the ducks. She asked if I had any of that cracked corn. Nope!

Mindy was home around 330pm. We spent time visiting with Ashley & Olivia. Ashley finally agreed to make a return visit to see Dr Monfort, our orthodontist. Her lower bite is all out of whack and apparently causing her jaw pain. Despite having a glued on retainer, her teeth have moved a great deal.

Later, when Mindy got home from the grocery and Ashley and Olivia had heft, Mindy helped me remove the Thule then I carried it to the shed and stowed it in its saddle.

It was about 4pm. Before taking a shower, I confirmed the time Mindy wanted to leave for Joe’s b-day dinner party at the Pinnacle golf club. Started at 5pm. We’d be leaving around 430pm. Jacob wouldn’t be joining us. Instead, he was going to meet his new soccer team with his daddy. It would be just me, Mindy, & Bella.

I double-checked the required attire with Mindy. Nothing special. Good. I wore shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. We left the house around 445p. Bella wasn’t happy. Wanted to stay home and play with her friends. Mindy and I both insisted she put on a happy face at the dinner event. She did.

We arrived at the Pinnacle clubhouse around 510pm. Impressive place. Lovely structure and lovely landscaping. The weather was ideal for dinner on the patio, about 73 degrees and sunny. I’m quite sure that we were the last family members to arrive. We met everyone else already socializing on the patio. I talked with Larry first. Told me a story about their Comfest visit, which incidentally culminated on Sunday.

It appeared that most were having drinks from the bar. I, however, went only with iced tea. Mindy ordered a glass of wine, and Bella lemonade. I walked around the clubhouse peering out onto the course up both the 9^th and 18^th fairways watching several groups make their approach shots. The course looks awesome. Never played there, though would like to.

We ordered food after about 30-40 minutes, but the service was fairly slow. Our food didn’t arrive until 7pm or so. I had their club sandwich and spinach. It was just OK. Mindy had their salmon, and Bella had a cheeseburger but ate next to none of it. Still complaining that it hurt her ear to chew. Dr Craig said she needed antibiotic drops for her swimmer’s ear. Also said we're beyond the alcohol drops we bought over the counter.

Jodi & Larry brought iced chocolate chip cookie cakes to celebrate Joe’s b-day.  I enjoyed a slice of that too. Mindy picked up our check. We put Gloria’s on ours too. We left for home around 8pm. It was an awfully nice drive home. Couldn’t ask for nicer weather. Mindy shared that Jacob and Jimaken were waiting at our house after doing soccer and dinner.

Jimaken didn’t hand around too long after we returned. We all walked down to the neighbors to fetch Eiknarf, who was down having a play date with Woody. The O’Connell’s were at Chrissy & Kenny’s having a cookout. We laughed at a few vacation stories. Mike shared that he got a speeding ticket before they even made it out of South Carolina on one of those short 25mph stretches. Also got caught in the same traffic jams that we did only about 90 minutes later.

At 915pm Mindy walked home with Eiknarf. Asked that I bring the kids home at 930pm. I think it was actually 925pm when we left Chrissy & Kenny’s. I checked my email and poured a glass of ice water then tucked the kids into bed. Both Mindy and I were in bed before 10pm. Good night vacation!

Jomeokee Mystery

hApPy 53rd gLeNn

SC, NC, Virginia, WV, Barley's then Home

I was up at 605am. I felt about as good as I have in two weeks. Still a little cough but my sinuses dry. I started a pot of coffee then walked out on the balcony and eventually the beach. The sky was cloudy and the sun not quite up. Very few people out walking the beach.

I enjoyed a little coffee but then left for my run at 635am. I started my run to the north and ran for about 30-35 minutes. By the time I did my turnaround, the sun was up and peaking through the thinning clouds.

Kenny was the only other person up & awake at my run’s conclusion. We chatted briefly, both of us in packing/loading mode. I made Mindy a cup of coffee then headed for a shower. She asked to be up at 7am. It was 710am.

After a shower I started loading some of our gear into the Honda, though I had to wait for Mindy to finish getting ready before I could load the lion’s share of our gear. By 730am all of the adults were up, getting ready, and packing/loading. We left the kids slept till the last few minutes. Our goal departure time was 9am. We were well ahead of that schedule. The Honda was loaded by 8am. We woke the kids and made one last pass through the house. Yikes! There was still quite a bit of odds and ends lying around. I found a black tee-shirt and  a pair of underwear in one of my assigned dresser drawers.

We left the beach house at 830am. We headed to the Shell station right around the corner to fill our gas tank and purchase some driving snacks. Gas was only $3.30 per gallon. I washed all the windows while Mindy headed in for snacks. The gas station was packed. Mindy was in there for what seemed forever. I pulled away from the pumps to wait in the parking lot next door to free up others to get their gas.

We hit the highway closer to 845am. I saw the others drive by us while I was fueling the Honda. We decided to use the Navigation system in lieu of the printed directions, but Mindy compared the two as we went along. It was apparent that we were taking a slightly different route than the one we brought in.

The first hour or first 50-60miles seemed to drag. We hit the first of two traffic jams after about 100 miles. That lasted about 10-15 minutes, or two miles. We agreed to stop for lunch just the other side of Winston-Salem. We’d driven about 220 miles when we stopped at a McDonald’s. I was getting really sleepy prior to our stop.

The stretch felt great and the food was fulfilling. Bella fell asleep right after we left the beach house and aside from lunch, remained that way for most of the day. The drive through North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia was lovely. Somewhere in there we got caught up in the second traffic jam, however this one was far longer (8 miles – 40 minutes). I believe it was at the rt 77 / rt 81 split.

I started getting really sleepy again just into West Virginia. By then we had traveled just under 400 miles. When we stopped for gas and a bathroom break, I asked Mindy to drive for a while so I could get a little sleep. She drove us through all three West Virginia turnpike toll booths. In total, I’m guessing she drove for about two hours.

I woke with about 50 miles to go in West Virginia.  Ashley called a few minutes later asking of our ETA. We figured 730p. Mindy drove us into Ohio and the first rest stop along rt. 33. The toilets there were “pit style”. I drove us the rest of the way in.

Somewhere along the final 50-60 miles, Mindy suggested we stop for dinner at Barley’s before heading home. Sounded good to me and Jacob. Bella woke somewhere around Nelsonville. The last 60 miles went really fast. Since we agreed to eat dinner at Barley’s, we took 315N. Pulled into Barley’s at 740p.

Felt good to be home. The crowd was much larger than we expected, but we still got a table in Justin’s area. I was very happy to learn that they still had CBC’s Bodhi on tap. And man was it yummy!

Mindy, Jacob, and I all ordered wings. Jacob and I ordered gates of hell. Mindy, K.C. Bella ordered a corndog, but ate next to none. Said her ear was hurting too much to chew (swimmers ear). I ordered a second Bodhi. We shared some loaded fries too.

Dinner was great. Good call dear! Time to head home. All of us were excited to get home and then go get Eiknarf.

Early on, Mindy made it very clear to the kids that they needed to help carry in all of our gear. They were more than helpful. Our lawn and flowers were more lush than they were before we left. But this we already figured once we crossed over into Ohio. And anyone we talked to back home advised that it had rained almost everyday since we left.

While Mindy and Jacob went after Eiknarf, I helped get our gear organized. I also took a walk about the yard. Flowers were gorgeous! Mindy was gone only five-ten minutes. And just after she returned with Eiknarf, my dad stopped by to turn on the spotlights. Said he didn’t expect us back until Sunday.

Dad visited for about 5-10 minutes. It was near dark when he departed. I’m guessing it was near 930p. Mindy and the kids headed to bed around 10p. I stayed up about 30 minutes later than the others uploading photos from both cameras I took on vacation.

I headed up to bed at 1045p. The fresh bedsheets felt incredible. I knew instantly that I was gonna sleep well.

SHARK!!!

                                             Our last full day on the Beach

I was up in the middle of the night. I think it was around 2am. Teri & Mike O. were still up and partying on the beachside balcony. I saw that somebody brought my Bose dock in the house. That was a relief. I went back to bed and slept until almost 730am, the latest I slept all week long.

Once up, I started a pot of coffee then headed out on the balcony waiting for the coffee the finish brewing. I also pulled about 6 dirty coffee cups out of the dishwasher and washed them by hand so everyone would have a fresh cup to drink from.

I enjoyed a cup and a half of coffee before heading out on my run. By then it was around 815am. I ran south and for about 30-35 minutes. Felt terrific. Mindy was drinking coffee on the third floor balcony when I got back. I joined her up there then called my mom.

Around 10-1030am I headed to the pier with Mike O. and a handful of the kids to fish. Thursday’s shark stories were too good to pass up. It’s a short walk. There were 6 of us in total. I paid for everyone’s entrance to the pier. We walked out to the very end where the boys wanted to fish. Mike bought the bait: squid and shrimp.

It wasn’t long before one of the kids reeled in a baby shark (about 10” long). That attracted a throng of others to see it, touch it, and have their photo taken with it. Jacob caught another star fish too, though this one much smaller than the one he caught on Thursday. A little bit later he caught a conk shell.

I stayed out on the pier fishing for about 2 hours. Mike M. headed back to the beach house about 45 minutes before me. All totaled, the kids caught four or five baby sharks. Bella actually caught two at one time (two hooks on each rig).

The two girls (Bella & Emily) bored of the fishing and wanted to head back. I agreed to take ‘em back, but not before stopping for ice cream at the pier entrance. I expected Mike O. and the boys to be maybe 15-20 minutes behind us, but they stayed at least another two hours.

Back at the house we hung out at the pool where I quenched my thirst with pop and ice tea. I didn’t plan to drink any alcohol. I used SPF 8 all afternoon, determined to get some more good rays.

Dinner plans were simple, grilled chicken and leftover steaks. Mindy whipped up some more green beans too. The boys got back from the pier around 4 pm. Said Jacob caught a 6 foot shark but it snapped the line. Mike O. said it was as big around as a basketball.

I took a shower around 5pm. Felt good. Hadn’t had one since early Thursday morning. Between then and dinner I wrote in my blog. Dinner was served around 630p. Everybody was in far better spirits than they were Thursday afternoon. After dinner, Mindy requested a baseball game on the beach. There must’ve been about 12 of us playing. The sun was dipping fast. We only were able to play 2 innings, but it was still fun.

I had already begun the packing process earlier in the evening, and Mindy washed most of our dirty clothes throughout the day. Almost all of our clothes were going home clean. We spent the time before bed further organizing ourselves for an early morning departure. Come morning, I’d need to run, shower, then throw all my electronics in my back pack and I’d be ready.

Mindy made sure the kids got a good night of sleep, declaring 930p bedtime. We weren’t far behind them. We were in bed by 10pm. Good night sharks!

Alligators of Aberdeen

I woke at 6am and felt great. I quickly headed to the restroom where I brushed my teeth and peed. Before making coffee, I changed into my running shorts. I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee before heading off on my run.

I ran north (east) under the fishing pier with a stiff breeze blowing against my back. I ran for about 15 minutes before making a u-turn. After the turn I had that stiff breeze blowing directly in my face. It was blowing so hard that it took the wind right out of my lungs. However, aside from the breeze, it was another beautiful morning.

Back at the beach house, I took a quick dip in the pool before heading in for another cup of coffee and a quick shower. I  After a shower, I spent a little time writing in my blog all the while choking down two strawberry pop-tarts, something I refuse to eat at home.

Soon the others were up and just about ready to leave for golf. I made Mindy a cup of coffee just before we left. It was about 815a when we left the house. It was a quick drive up the strand to Aberdeen golf club. The clubhouse was far removed from the main road in, and the course surrounded  by nice but modest homes.

Aberdeen is another full service golf club. You pull up and someone’s there to greet you and take your clubs. They directed us into the clubhouse to settle up while they prepped our carts. We left the parings up to them.

Green fees were $46, but I spent a few more bucks on a course book that gave details about each hole. Well worth the extra few dollars. Aberdeen has three 9 holes courses. One was closed for aeration.  We played the Woodlands and Highlands. The Wood lands were tight and tree lined with water in play on almost every hole. The greens were the fastest and most undulating yet.

Like the prior two rounds, we played the dot game. Of the 14 driver holes, I hit all but one fairway. My driver was on. Too bad I couldn’t couple my accurate driving with good putting. It seemed like I was three putting damn near every hole. And it wasn’t that I was putting poorly. These greens were something else. There were numerous signs alerting golfers to the presence of alligators and rattle snakes. We encountered an alligator in a pond next to the number 4 hole tee box. Mike Mullins threw him some of his granola. He came for it right away. He was about 6 foot in length, and obviously used to being fed. About 20 turtles came a calling too. I got out my camera and took some pictures.

Dot-wise, I was racking them up. I kept the lead for the entire 18 holes. Scoring wise, I was pretty consistent front and back. I shot a 49 on both. I had an 8 & a 7 on two successive holes on the back that hurt me. Kenny had low score, shooting a 91. It was a scorching hot afternoon. We finished around 2p.

I called Mindy back at the beach house to see what was up and what we might need from the IGA. The list was short: ear drops, ice, and laundry detergent. I agreed to get today’s bounty. We bought another four large bags of ice. That’s about 20 for the week/trip. I asked Mindy to prepare me a sandwich. I was ravenously hungry and hot. Mike Mullins wanted one too. Kenny and Mike O. passed.

We passed Haley, Teri O. and the girls walking the strip on our way to the beach house. Mindy had our sandwiches ready but was obviously upset about something.  Apparently, the boys wanted to go with Haley for ice cream, but once the girls caught wind that they were going and threw a fit until Teri O. agreed to take them and walk with Haley. Everybody was in an uproar of sorts. Could cut the tension with a knife. I finished my sandwich, got into my swim suit, and cracked a beer. It was pool time!

Mike O. wisely gathered up Evan and took him fishing at the pier. Went quietly. You could cut the tension at the beach house with a knife. None of the women were talking to one another beyond the necessities. Mindy was probably most upset. More than once said she was ready to head home. Thankfully, though, things calmed as evening set in. Kenny made it clear that he wasn't grillin'. Mike Mullins agreed to do the deed.

Grilled burgers and steaks. I opted for a burger. In fact, I had two. They were thick and juicy. Yummy! After dinner Mike O. took all the boys back to the pier for more fishing.  I decided we sorely needed and tension breaker, so I got out my iTouch for the first time all week and put on some Larry the Cable Guy. Soon, everybody was in stitches. Good call!

Larry the Cable Guy morphed into Jimmy chooses the tunes night on the beach side balcony. I tried my best to play music I knew that everyone would like. My efforts were largely a success. By darkness, everyone was drinking beer and having fun again, even Mindy. We partied until 930-10pm, or right after the boys got home from fishing at the pier. They shared all sorts of stories, including catching several baby sharks and a star fish as big as Jacob's belly.

The others stayed up yucking it up even as Mindy and I called it a night. I only asked that someone remember to bring in my Bose dock. There was a storm brewing out over the ocean. I didn't want it ruined from water/rain/moisture. Good night starving pygmies!

Duff Street Seafood Shack & Star Wars

Wednesday was another beach day, no formal activities planned. I was up later than I had been all week. I’m thinking it was close to 8am. I was still one of the first up. I made coffee and prepared for a run. I didn’t head out until about 830a. I ran south and for about 30-35 minutes. Felt really good. Like the day before, I hopped in the pool as soon as I was back. Felt terrific.

Mindy made breakfast casserole the night before. It was in the oven when I headed out for my run and ready by the time I was back. It was yummy, and everyone else seemed to think so too.

We played at the pool and beach for most of the day, dragging the cornhole boards out to the beach again. We firmed plans to go out to dinner, with Haley staying back watching the all the kids. We agreed to head out around 7p.

Mindy had requested we not plan any more golf, but after a little convincing, she agreed that one more round would be OK as long as she got some snuggle time. That made me happy. I was hoping we could play Aberdeen, another one of the courses we saw along the strand. We called before we left for dinner and got a 906a tee time. Late afternoon, Mindy and I broke the bed during a nap. Damn!

Kenny ordered the kids pizza before we left for dinner. We decided to walk to the Duff Street Seafood Shack about a mile away. No one thought it wise to drive after drinking most of the afternoon. It didn’t take long to get there. As expected, there was a wait, but not as long a line as there was on Sunday. I’m thinking we had to wait 10-15 minutes.

We were seated upstairs. The Duff Street reminds me of the Keg Room only on the beach.  They use old barrels for tables and have peanuts available for snacking. All the shells get pushed to the floor. The difference? They’re known for good seafood as well.

We ordered some appetizers: steamed oysters, crab dip, & fried pickles. Mindy & I ordered the Pirate’s Plate entrée. That came with grouper, shrimp, scallops, and snow crab legs. And since we were in South Carolina, I ordered collared greens as my side and water and lemonade to drink. Mindy ordered corn bread and water.

The appetizers and dinner were really good. The Pirate’s Plate was super good and really too much food for one person. Despite it being Kenny’s quasi birthday dinner, Chrissy wouldn’t let any of us pay. I overheard Mike O’Connell ask the hostess to sing happy b-day after dinner. The girls got a tad rowdy but nothing over the top.

After dinner, three young hostesses gathered around our table and sang the b-day song. Turns out, they were Russian exchange students and all three were super cute. I’m guessing it was near 930p when we walked back to the beach house. The kids were gathered around the large flat screen TV watching a Star Wars movie. I wanted to join them, but before any of that, Mindy and I jointly fixed our bed. I guess you could say we were a little rough on it.

Searching for a resolution, I remembered seeing a stack of extra patio stones in one of the cubbies under the lower deck. I went down in the dark and grabbed three of them. The patio stones worked perfectly propping the bed back to its proper level.

 After fixing the bed, I joined the kids for the end of the movie, the first Star Wars movie of any sort I’ve seen since 1978.

Mindy headed to bed while I watched the conclusion of the movie. Kenny fell asleep on the back of the sofa.  I joined Mindy as soon as the movie was over. It couldn’t have been much later than 10p. I was very much looking forward to our third round of vacation golf come morning.  Good night Duff Street Seafood House.

Crow Creek

To facilitate our 9am tee time, I got up at 600a. That, I figured, would allow me enough time to have some coffee, run on the beach, and shower before leaving around 8a. It was partly cloudy and fairly steamy. After two cups of coffee I left for my run. I ran north. Unlike Sunday and Monday, there wasn’t much of a breeze. The clouds burnt off in a hurry. It ended up being a very sunny run. And there were many other runners on the beach too.

Immediately after my run I took a dip in the pool. Felt terrific. Mike O was up getting coffee. Confirmed our tee time of 9a and plan to leave at 8a. Asked if I slept well. Yep! Little did I know that there was some drama at the beach house after Mindy and I fell asleep.  As the story goes, Julie got arrested after mouthing off to the NMB cops who were hassling the young Philly boys across the street. I guess they  weren’t in any mood to take crap from a bunch of drunk Ohioans. I took a shower and got dressed. As requested, I made Mindy a cup of coffee before we left and then I ate a couple pop-tarts before heading out.

Crow Creek turned out being just across the state-line in North Carolina, but still no more than ten miles from our NMB location. It was a nice course surrounded by homes with the clubhouse at least a mile off the main route in. Several older gentlemen were there to greet us, tend to our clubs, and prep our carts. Green fees were a bit pricier than Sunday’s. I believe it was $54. Still not ridiculous, especially given how nice it appeared.

Even though it was 9a, it was already pretty steamy and only got hotter as the morning wore on. Golf went well. I still wasn’t demonstrating consistency with my driver but was scoring fairly well, playing bogey golf. I was satisfied. Just like Sunday, the other three drank beers on the course. I stuck with water and Gatorade. At the turn I bought a hot dog. I was really hungry.

We played the dot game again, and just like Sunday, I won both by score and by dots. My driver started coming around on the back nine. In fact, after a birdiless round, I birdied the final hole – the perfect way to finish. It was 130p. We called the girls back at the beach to see what if any provisions we needed to pick-up on our way back. Once again, beer & ice were a top priority, but there were a few grocery items they needed/wanted too.

I brought a case of CBC IPA and Southern Tier XXIPA from home. I didn’t need any beer. I was pacing myself drinking on average four a day. Still, I saw they had Harpoon’s IIPA – Leviathon. I bought a 4-pack of that. Don’t think I’ve tried it before.

The women were partying with the kids around the pool. After a fast sandwich, we quickly joined them, and there we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at the pool and in the ocean. Fun times.

Dinner was grilled brats and potato and macaroni salad. Thinking dinner was wrapped up around 730p when everyone headed to the deck overlooking the ocean. Mike O’Connell picked up a basketball at the local Wal-Mart. That was a huge hit not only with the kids, but the adults too. Played several games of Horse/Pig.

Mindy and I watched a PBS special about the ravages of war, pretty much covering World War II forward. It was quite sobering and sad. Made me question our American agenda/motives.  While we watched TV, most of the others hung on the deck drinking beer and listening to music.

Messin' with NMB's Finest

After a much better night of sleep, I was up around 630a.  Just like at home, I brushed my teeth then started a pot of coffee. I pretty much decided to skip calisthenics for the duration of vacation, so there wouldn't be any sit-ups or push-ups.

So after a cup of coffee I outfitted myself in my running attire (shorty shorts) and headed out for my second run on the beach.  This time I decided to run south, or the opposite direction of Sunday. That meant I had a breeze at my face on the way out versus the return. Somewhat of a surprise to me, and relative to the ocean, Myrtle Beach actually faces south/southeast, so the sun comes over your left shoulder when gazing from the balcony out to sea. Ft. Myers Beach in Florida is the same way. It’s a bit of a mind bender.

In total, I ran for about 30 minutes. I’ve become fairly adept at knowing when to turn around. It’s all by feel. No longer do I even concern myself with using a watch. Instead, I simply trust my instincts.  At the turnaround, the real estate changed from vacation rentals to what appeared to be private homes, marked by wider expanses and further set backs from the beach. Nice!

Back at the beach house, several others were up having coffee on the balcony including Mindy and Mike M. We had nothing significant planned for the day, other than enjoying the beach, pool, and perhaps a few libations.

Mindy made her famous breakfast burritos for the masses. They were a big hit. No one seemed to be in too big a hurry to get out on the beach. I think it was me who initiated things by dragging a folding chair, my towel, and back pack from the concrete patio out to the beach. Kenny soon followed with his brand new beach umbrella. Mindy said she’d join me there shortly. I’m guessing it was near 11a. The beach was already getting pretty crowded, populated by lots and lots of young college aged kids.

We hung out on the beach for the entirety of the day heading back up to the house only to refill on liquids. At some point Kenny set-up his cornhole boards between our beach set-up and the house. We played several games.

It was a very active day on the beach with cornhole, football, Frisbee, and capping it off with a game of beach baseball. I believe we grilled chicken Monday evening. Once again, Kenny did the grilling.

At the recommendation of a local, we made a 9am tee time for Tuesday at Crow Creek. I was looking forward to another round of golf. We were in bed early, probably no later than 10pm. I wisely took a few Advil after taking a pounding playing all those sports earlier on the beach. Incidentally, we learned that it was Senior week on the beach, which explains all the kids.

Dad's Day on Black Bear and the Beach

I was up at 545am. My sinuses and cough bothered me all night long. More than anything, I got up early to try to get some relief.  I encountered Mike O’Connell around 615a. Said he and the wife were up until 2am. It was Father’s Day. The guys planned to golf, though I wasn’t sure what time exactly.

I made coffee, cleaned up the back patio, then headed out for a run at 633a. I decided to run north.  Even though it was early there were a ton of folks already out and about, and many of them running. I ended up running about 6 miles, or from one pier to another then back. There were a few thin clouds masking the rising sun making the warm humid air a little more tolerable for duration of my run.

I was back at the house at 730a. Mindy was just walking out to the beach to greet me. We hung out on the back ocean facing deck having coffee and enjoying the view. It turned out to be a lovely morning.

By 8-830am all the adults were up and moving about. Kenny made a tee time at Black Bear golf club for 1048am. According to a local golf course map, there were literally 50-60 courses within 15 miles of our beach house. Once our kids were up, Mindy presented me with Father’s Day cards and gifts. The kids gifted me a Earth DVD (think Science Channel) along with a card. Mindy gifted me Alice Cooper tickets for a mid-August performance at promo west as well as a Golf Galaxy gift card. Wow! Very nice.  

We called my dad around 930am to wish him a happy Father’s Day. We all talked to him, Me, Mindy and the kids. Me, Kenny, Mike and Mike left for golf at 945am. We were all excited to get out on the course together on such a lovely day.

We arrived at Black Bear golf club around 1015a. Nice! While our clubs were graciously taken around to the cart area, we headed inside to pay our fees. We joked with the club pro when he asked if we were locals or out of towners. Kenny answered with ‘whatever’s cheaper’. They ended up giving us a Father’s Day special rate of $36.50 each with cart. Very cool! A course like this at home would cost well over $50.

The starter chased us down as we pulled up to the number one tee box. Said he wanted us to play the back first. Said otherwise, we’d end up in the middle of a tournament already underway. He just about had a coronary! No worries.

I didn’t start very strong and wasn't driving particularly well either, but come the third hole my fortunes turned to the positive. And even though there was water lining almost every hole. I managed to keep my ball dry throughout. I shot a 44 on the front. To spice things up, Mike O’Connell introduced the idea of earning ‘dots’ for various accomplishments including wining the hole, greens in regulation, drives in the fairway, made putts longer than the flag pole, and sand saves.

After about five holes on the front, or the back nine, a storm moved in with lightning and rain. I darn near had to plead with the guys to stop and head to a nearby shelter. We waited under cover for about 30-40 minutes with a couple other groups, one a local group and then a twosome from somewhere close to Lake St Mary’s in NW Ohio. He was wearing Buckeye garb.

The rain delay, however inconvenient, ended up being somewhat of blessing. Before hand it was almost too hot and steamy. Afterwards, it was much more tolerable. We had plenty of time to cool off too. After 18 holes of golf all four of us were able to claim a birdie on our score cards. That doesn’t happen too often. I played well, shooting a 90. And that was after leaving several missed opportunities out there too.  I shot the low round and ended up with the most dots, too. What I was most proud of was that I didn’t fade on the final few holes like I have the last couple years.

It was already after 4p. The girls had phoned a few times asking us to stop and pick up a few things. No problem. Mindy  went to the grocery right after we left for the course, but she apparently forgot a few things.

We stopped at the Duff Street Crab House in NMB before stopping at the local IGA for the items the girls wanted. There, Mike Mullins settled up for losing the dot game. I had only one beer, a Sam Adams, Boston Lager. The others each had two. We ordered some boiled shrimp and a plate of raw oysters as well. I ate two shrimp but none of the oysters. The others were pretty buzzed. I was the only one not drinking on the course.

We stopped at the IGA just a few blocks from our beach house. It might be the nicest IGA I’ve ever seen. There, we picked up cheese, bananas, ice, and a few other items. We were back at the house by 530p.

Mindy said things got a little crazy at the house during the afternoon. Said a strong storm blew through too. We ended up grilling steaks for dinner. As sides we had potato and macaroni salad. The steaks were very good. The first steaks I’ve eaten cooked over charcoal in a really long time.

I didn’t have but two or three beers all evening long and started feeling sleepy sometime around 930p. I headed to bed even before 10p. Kenny, Mike & Julie were out extra early too. Good night SC moon!