Sunshine abounds

I was up a couple minutes late, but nothing that would impact my routine. After a glance out the deck door at the clear skies, I headed to my PC to play until coffee was ready. I checked the weather forecast. It was 50 degrees under crystal clear skies. Expecting a high approaching 80.

After making a cup of coffee I spent another ten minutes or more at the PC. I walked away to stretch just after 6am. After a good stretch, I delivered Mindy’s coffee before heading back downstairs to meditate and then run.

I dressed in a long sleeved wicking shirt and pullover fleece. I don’t think I wore hand covers, and know I didn’t use ear covers. It was a lovely morning and an easy run – 4.1 miles. Like the day before, I could almost see the sky turn from deep blue to orange right before my eyes. Very cool! 

Back at the house, I looked over my newly planted grass. Looked about the same as the day before, maybe a few more sprouts. I headed inside without dampening it with more water. Mindy was making scrambled eggs. That was a welcome change of pace. Soon they were ready. She made clear that there were some left in the pan for Eiknarf. Eiknarf did her best to hide from Jacob after he finished breakfast knowing that a walk was up next.

She likes going out but wants eggs worse. Bella and I helped get her leashed up. They weren’t out long. Soon she was back inside and hungry for some scrambled eggs. I finished all of mine but fetched her those left in the pan. There were plenty. She was very excited.

Mindy was off to work at 730am. I was off to the shower. Being my offsite work day, I dressed extra nice wearing my new black summer wool slacks along with my new black button up. I looked a bit like a waiter, I guess, but really like the dressy black on black look. If it were a typical work day, I would’ve planned to drive the BM’er, but because I thought I might be going to visit my mom at the hospital down in Chillicothe I thought better of it.

Headed out with the kids at 810am and as soon as they were on the bus I scurried back home to head off to work. I backed out the drive by 820am. I needed to be settled and on a staff call by 9am. I met next to no traffic jams driving around I-270, arriving near 948am. Still, by the time I was at my desk and logging into my machine it was already 9am. I joined the staff call via Blackberry and my Bluetooth headset.

Our call was brief. For that I was happy. Best of all, no new to-do’s. That’s good because I already had a lot on my plate, including 3 more meetings. I stayed really busy in my office away from the office. Lots going on.

At 115pm I drove over to another building on the customer’s campus where I met my peer, the account manager. She and I reviewed some strategic stuff for the coming months but then headed into a meeting with one of our customer’s newest directors. I heard he was tough, and he was, but also very reasonable.  We met for about 30-40 minutes. I walked away with a couple more to-do’s but nothing too difficult.

Before heading back to the other building and office, I walked around with the sole purpose of talking face to face with folks I do a lot of emailing back and forth with, and many are former employees where I work. I was there for another 30 minutes bonding, building relationships.

By the time I was back it was after 3pm. It was an awfully nice afternoon, one of the first nice days at my customer’s office since I started this routine. The last part of the day was no walk in the park. As it’s intended, their staff engaged me on a couple big concerns looking for my immediate help and direction. I did my level best to get things righted.

It wasn’t until almost 4pm that I remembered I hadn’t eaten my lunch. By then I decided to skip it. And while I planned to visit my mom, and even texted her friend Denise for the room number, I remembered my cold. Crap!  I couldn’t visit my mom with a cold. Bad idea! I called Mindy around 515pm or just before I left for home to tell her that I wasn’t going to Adena after all. By then she and Bella were already on their way to dinner at the Rusty Bucket where Joe works. Asked if I wanted to meet them or if I wanted her to bring me something home. No to both.

I was happy just to be leaving work in the sunshine. I called my mom from the Accord while on the freeway. She sounded pretty good. I apologized for not comin’ down, explaining that I had a cold. She could already tell, since my voice was kaput. Shared that she had arrangements to go to a rehab center in Wellston.  Still unclear when she’ll be getting out of the hospital though. We talked for about 20 minutes. Told her I’d call again on Friday. Apparently my dad and Charles were both there the day of the surgery. Others had visited, too, including uncle Chuck.

Arrived home just before 6pm. Had the house all to myself for a good hour or more. Jacob was off at soccer practice. After getting settled, I headed outside where I watered all the new grass seedlings as well as the flower pots. Felt it a shame to let them wither in this new dry spell now after keeping them thriving since the end of May. Took about 20 minutes.

Inside, I put some fried chicken in the oven on the pizza stone. I set the oven to 300 for 30 minutes. While it baked, I worked on updating my blog. Mindy & Bella were home about the time my chicken was reheated. They brought home Rusty Bucket food for Jacob. Nothing for me, but that was my doing. I told her not to. I was fine, and the chicken was tasty. I ate five pieces.

Jacob got home about 10-15 minutes after those two. Said he was starving. Woofed down whatever it was Mindy brought him home. Soon the kids were tasked with getting showers. At the same time I headed to familyroom to catch some TV. Thursday night college football wasn't due to start until 9pm given that it was two west coast teams, Cal vs. Oregon. In the interim, I watched some Science Channel program about draining the world’s oceans. Actually, I’ve seen it before. Pretty cool. Explained the geography of the sea floor and all the cool discoveries there over the last decade. 

Come 920pm I tuned into the football game already in progress. It was close for a while, and Oregon trailed 15-14 at the half, which is when I headed for bed.

I wasn’t in bed for 10 minutes when I realized I wasn’t going to fall asleep. Rather than toss and turn, I got up and headed down to watch more of the game. In that short amount of time Oregon turned the tables and was ahead 36-14. Wow! I think it was 1110pm when I felt sleepy enough to head back to bed. Good night moon! Feels so good to say that.