Nintendo DS, Barley's, and Lowes

It was Thursday, and I was up right on time. Because it was my Friday, I proceeded with a little extra bounce in my step. I completed sit-ups and push-ups and then spent about ten minutes on the PC. It wasn't very pleasant  weather-wise, only 53 degrees with light rain. Thankfully, the forecast was much brighter. Calling for clearing skies and seasonable temps. I was counting on good weather for the long four day weekend, when I planned to stain the deck and overseed some thin/bare spots in the lawn.

I grumbled mildly over the rain but also anticipated it.  As usual, I woke Mindy with coffee at 610am. After meditation and a stretch it was time to run. I dressed warmly with a short sleeved wicking shirt and a pullover fleece.  I headed out the door at 632am.

Drippy and dark at the outset, the skies eventually brightened, though the rain continued to fall. I ran the full 4.1 miles track.  Mindy and I still planned to swap cars, so shortly after breakfast she left for work in the Accord.

Off to the shower by 735am. It didn't take me long. I was shaved, showered and dressed by 755am. Thankfully, the rain had stopped by the time the kids and I headed out for the bus stop. However, not realizing that immediately out the door, I had my umbrella fully employed. Jacob was embarrassed as I danced and twirled my umbrella all the way to the bus stop. He turned away as if he didn't know me.

Soon we were joined by the neighbors. I celebrated gleefully the fact that this was my Friday. Soon the bus came and rescued the kids. By then, I had already shut my umbrella and helped Makayla and Lillian do the same with theirs. Eiknarf and I walked out front where she finally took a dump.

I made a few last minute preparations before heading off the work the in the Pilot. Unless I am mistaken, that was the first time I'd driven the Pilot to work. I parked in my usual spot far removed from other cars. By the time I arrived at work the sky had brightened considerably. No longer did there appear to be a threat of rain.

It wasn't long before I was settled in. My boss sent the team an email advising that he was taking  Thursday & Friday to be with his daughter who was giving an induced birth. I spent the first couple hours of my day dealing with a mini crisis, and once gain not doing the work I planned. But around 11am I was able to free myself from the urgent/emergency quadrant and turn my attention to the proactive stuff I had originally planned. I stayed focused on all of that for almost 2 hours, or until I deemed it time for lunch, and more precisely, my trip to Lowes to get the long weekend's project materials.

I went to the paint department first where I searched out a clerk to mix up a five gallon bucket of deck stain. Just like the last two or three times, I went with Olympic Maximum - dessert sand semi-transparent deck stain. I carried the five gallon bucket of base tint to the counter for the gentleman. He thanked me and then joked around about me working with him. While he mixed the stain , I went for the other staining supplies.

I picked up 3 six-count bags of 2" sponge brushes, 2 good quality paint/stain brushes ( 2" & 4"), a gallon of mineral spirits, and a stain pad made specifically for staining decks. As past results have proven, using a paint pad is the way to go when staining the deck surface itself - fast and efficient. The pad made especially for decks has a much thicker nap as well as a coarser sponge underbody. I bought an extra pad, too. By the time I gathered all the ancillary staining materials my 5 gallons of stain was ready for the cart. I thanked the clerk and moved on to the home garden section.

There I picked up a 15K sq ft bag of Scott's fertilizer, seven 40lb bags of top soil, 3 lbs of Pennington grass seed - a mix of fescue and blue grass. On the way to the check out, I picked up a new leaf rake and then a can of bee-bop just in case the yellow jackets bother me while staining the deck.

I guessed I'd spend $300. My total was actually something less - $282. I felt good about that. I loaded my haul and headed back to the office, but not before almost running over a guy riding a ten speed bicycle, who chose not to honor his stop sign. Good thing I was paying careful attention. I had to hit the brakes pretty hard, too. And guess how he thanked me. Yeah, he turned around and flipped me off. What? I pointed to the stop sign he'd just ran. He turned around once he cleared the intersection and flipped me off again. Really?

I proceeded on, still a little frustrated with his foolish arrogance. I got stopped first in line at the traffic light at Mill Run and Fishinger Rd. And who comes barreling along? The ten speed guy. Uh-oh! I could see worry in his eyes as I made sure he saw my big over done smile. He peddled hard through the traffic light and eventually begged off the street and up on the sidewalk where he must've figured he'd be safe from an angry motorist. Once the light changed to green, I stepped on the gas and followed the path of the foolish biker. I decided what the hell, and jumped the curb proceeding along down the grassy strip and sidewalk. I scared the begezzies out of that guy!

OK, the part about stepping on the gas and jumping the curb isn't true. He went on as did I. I let it go. He's the fool.

Back at the office around 215pm, I ate my packed lunch. After lunch I split my time between proactive monthly reports and organizing a meeting for the following week. As the day wound down I got dragged into a couple issues I really had no purpose being involved beyond just knowing about them. Not wanting to leave for 4 days with the issues in limbo, I had no choice but to spend time getting those two issues squared away and on the right track.

As 5pm neared I set up my out-of-office for both email and blackberry. I talked with Mindy sometime during the last hour of my day. Shared that she found Bella's Nintendo DS in her backpack even though Bella knows she' not allowed to take it to school.  I could tell that Mindy was pissed. Told Bella that we'd collectively decide her punishment. That's Bella!

 I left for home sometime just after 530pm arriving home near 550pm. By then the sky was partly cloudy with dappled sunlight and temps only in the low 60's. Jacob was at soccer practice, so the three of us had plans to have dinner at Barley's. Soon after arriving home I headed out to carry all my project material to the garage.

We left for Barley's a few minutes later talking about the DS incident during our drive there. Bottom line, Bella initially said she didn't give thought to whether she was allowed to take it on the bus, and honestly, I don't recall her being told not to take it to school, either.  But when asked what was fair punishment,  Bella said no screens for five days. We agreed, but it also included one day with no friends. In addition, we explained why we don't want her taking it on the bus or to school. Could come up missing, stolen, or lost.

Arrived at Barley's a few minutes later. I was in a great mood. Can't think of a better place to start a long four day weekend. We took a small barside table. Missing off the menu for about the last month,  Centennial was finally back. Janet brought me one of those. I think Mindy had only water, and Bella, a Dr Pepper. We shared an order of smothered fries then ordered dinner. I went with the Reuben special, and Mindy ordered the muscles. Bella ordered chicken tenders with buffalo sauce on the side.

I washed down the reuben with a second Centennial. It was goooood! We didn't stay too late at all. Mindy placed a to-go order for gates of hell wings to take home to Jacob. Just before we were ready to leave we noticed Bob Imber standing right next to our table. Said he'd been sitting at the corner of the bar for a while. Had been golfing at Split Rock with Bob B. earlier. We chatted briefly. Mindy picked up the tab and also drove us home. We arrived there a couple minutes after Jacob and Jimaken.

Bella and I walked down to the neighbors so I could ask Kenny about weekend golf. In what was a historic moment, Chirssy was actually standing over the stove making dinner - tacos - while Kenny stood nearby enjoying a beer.  Chrissy was quite proud of herself. So much so that she offered Bella and I some. We both declined, however, citing bellies full of Barley's. We didn't stay too long. Kenny and I agreed that Sunday would work best for both of us. We planned to ask two others to join us.

It was just after 830pm and time to slip into our PJs. I was looking forward to another beer and then Thursday night college football. The game featured LSU vs. Mississippi St. LSU was ahead when we joined already in progress. Mindy and the kids headed off to bed shortly after 9pm.  I stayed up slightly past 10pm enjoying another beer and football.