I'm Ready ... Are You Ready?

 I was up for work right on time and after another good night of sleep. Don’t think I woke even once during the overnight. I was quickly downstairs and tending to the coffee pot, which I failed to prep the night before. It was cloudy outside.

I whizzed through sit-ups then checked the headlines and weather. Expecting a high of 90 with a diminishing chance of showers as the day progressed. At the time, it was 73 degrees with 100% humidity. That explains the steam on the windows and doors.

Nothing new about the NFL labor strike. Waiting on the players to ratify the new CBA. After push-ups I enjoyed some coffee. Spent a little more time on the PC but was careful not to play past 605am, my self-inflicted drop dead time.

Did meditation and stretching next, but then again almost always do. Both went well and felt good. Finished up just ahead of 630am and quickly prepared for a run. Seeing the neighbors had their garbage cans out reminded me to do the same. Good thing. Our can wreaked to high heaven.

After where we’ve been, 73 actually felt comfortable immediately out the door, but the humidity was still quite high and it was only a matter of time before I was dripping with sweat.

During my run I contemplated work, which seems to be going well. Also thought about my looming trip to NYC. Not sure whether to be excited or to fret. I’ve got mixed emotions. I’ll make the best of what ever comes, that’s for sure. Might complain along the way, though. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Finished strong. Felt terrific.

Back home, I started my breakfast and packed my lunch. Mindy let me know the evening before that while she hadn’t prepared and individual salad, there was a bowl full already prepped, so all I had to do was put some in a plastic container. It’s all good. I cut up some cheese: Fontina, Gouda, and smoked cheddar, then filled a container with mixed fruit. All set. I made a spinach and cheese omelet. It was very good.

Off to the shower, but not before prepping some coffee for Mindy. I hustled through a shower and grooming and was ready to go by 800am. I could tell by Mindy’s face that she wasn’t planning to get up and out of bed just yet. Looked tired.

She planned to get a haircut in the morning and then take Ashley to see Dr Scott (dentist) to look at that problematic molar. Said she’d call me later in the day.

I left for work near 810am. The sky was already clearing and sunshine abundant. I arrived at work near 830am. It took a few minutes for my system to boot up. I waited for it to fully boot before heading to the fridge to stow my lunch and then to fetch ice & water. I was settled in by 850am and before doing much of anything put together a daily to-do list, which helps me stay on track.

It was a busy morning with lots of Monday morning pings for help. My major goal for the day was to finalize a ppt presentation for Wednesday and then send it to my boss  for feedback thus leaving myself a day for any changes/additions.

Mindy called after her hair appointment and before meeting Ashley. Said she’d call later to let me know how all that goes/went.

I had a number of important meetings on my calendar. Unfortunately, taking an hour away from the building was virtually impossible. I simply got comfortable with the idea of eating at my desk. I didn’t have any urgent errands needing run, so no biggie.

I worked hard and managed to tackle all the critical items on my to-do list and then some. Read a Yahoo headline that said the NFL labor lockout was over. Players voted in favor of the new CBA. Football is officially back. Let the fun begin! Almost on queue, there was a story about the Eagles possibly courting Brett Favre out of retirement to serve as their back-up QB. Wouldn’t be summer without suck banter.

I left the office for home slightly after 530pm. I called Mindy once I was comfortably on the road. She shared that she was making tacos and that my dad was over for dinner. She also shared that while Scott looked at Ashley’s aching molar, he wasn’t able to do much of anything for her. Said she needs a root canal and crown. Mindy asked if I wanted to call former neighbor and endodontist Jennifer W.. Scott suggested Ashley contact OSU dental school as an alternative.

With her potential ortho rework likely landing in my lap, I’m not up for footing this bill too. I arrived home around 6pm. Checked the mailbox since it’s something Mindy often forgets to do. New Accord plates arrived along with a few other miscellaneous pieces – ut most of it junk.

Said hello to both Mindy and dad. Greeted Jacob too. Right away, Jacob asked if he could join me in NYC. I played ignorant. Mindy soon chimed in that she and the kids might try and join me. What? I left it go for the time being though I wasn’t too warm to the idea. Reason being, I’ll be there to work and will be exhausted working six 12 hour days.

The tacos smelt delicious. Plus, we haven’t had them for a while. I let everybody else get theirs before getting my own. Asked dad if he was excited and ready for next Monday, the day he’ll get his first knee replacement. Yep, excited… eager.

I ate two tacos, which filled me plenty. I would usually have another, but I really wanted to cut the lawn right after dinner. If I ate a third, I would be darn near comatose. I thought better of it. Mindy figured I might want to cut the lawn, so she offered to clean-up dinner so I could head on out and get started.  Thanks dear.

I excused myself from the dinner table, changed clothes, and headed out to get started on the lawn. It was about 630pm and hovering near 90, but it didn’t feel nearly as hot as it has been. Following the pattern I’ve employed for the last month or so, I did the mowing first saving the whacking and edging for after. As usual, I worked up quite a good sweat push mowing  the front and then all the slopes around back. Dad and Mindy were out in the backyard with Eiknarf talking when I worked my way around there. Dad left a few minutes later. I kept mowing giving him a quick wave goodbye.

Despite all the rain and then help from the irrigation system, lots of the new grass I planted this spring turned brown. Plus, the new sod I put in between the sidewalk and curb has a few burn spots from dog pee, no doubt. Can you tell that it irks me?

After doing the rest of the back with the tractor, I whacked, edged, and blew. I skipped edging along the driveway since both vehicles were near the edge. Didn’t want to risk a scratch or small dent. It was 8pm when I finished. Took me 90 minutes beginning to end.

I headed in for a shower, and you have to know just how good it felt after a 90 minute sweat and collecting all that lawn debris head to toe. Mindy and the kids were outside playing. Mindy came in and asked if I cared to join her on the deck. I didn’t have any desire given that I had just showered and didn’t care to re-expose myself to the heat & high humidity.

Instead, I worked on my blog some. Mindy came in ten minutes later asking if something was bugging me. She asked if it was the Ashley dental thing. Yeah, I guess that was part of it, but more than that I shared that I wasn’t pleased with what she said about NYC. I reiterated that this is a work trip, not pleasure. I also shared how tired I’ll be. She seemed to get it, or at least I hope so. To be clear, I am OK if she wants to fly up for a day or three, but we can’t be cramming all four of us into a Manhattan hotel room.

Come 9pm I headed to the family room for some family time. I was there before the kids were down after readying for bed. I had the TV tuned to the Science Channel. Jacob shared that he wanted to watch the 4^th Harry Potter movie (DVD). I agreed that we could do that. Bella asked for popcorn. Jacob prepped it. I was surprised he figured it out. For the first time in a while, I had no desire for popcorn.

I watched maybe the first five or ten minutes, but that’s it. I fell asleep in a hurry. Felt great too. I’m guessing it was just about 930pm. I slept there until 1030pm. When I woke, everybody else was getting up and heading to bed. I knew the movie wasn’t over because I recalled Mindy saying at the outset that it was something like 157 minutes long (2.6 hours). They must’ve paused at an opportune scene.

Bella asked me to carry the baby gate to Jacob’s room to keep Eiknarf in. I obliged her request. That took all the energy I felt I had. I plopped into bed ready for another good night of sleep. Good night Mr Goodell.