Leaf Management

Unable to sleep any longer, I rolled out of bed around 730am. I quickly brushed my teeth then headed downstairs where I immediately started some coffee before spending a little time on the internet. While sipping coffee I sent the Hyundai owner, Thomas, an email offering the low end of what he was asking for his car.

I spent the next hour or so reviewing college football scores and then reading another long suppressed molestation story, only this one in major league baseball. It was a sad, but very well written story. I prepared and left for a run around 930am. Mindy was still sleeping when I left.

I ran the usual Sunday trail of 3 miles. The weather wasn't very pretty, but at least it wasn't raining. It was 55 degrees and cloudy. Just as I was finishing up my run I happened upon Mike & Kenny unloading gear from their overnight hunting trip. I stopped briefly to chat. I asked if they got one. Mike told me to open his tailgate. inside was a big ol' buck. They both looked tired, but Kenny more so than Mike. Mike joked that Kenny celebrated more.

I remembered telling Mindy the night before that she wouldn't likely be up until 1045am. It was more like 1015am when she came downstairs, or just a few minutes after I returned from my run. It wasn't long before she started a grocery list while I started making breakfast: sausage patties and a cheese, green pepper, and onion omelet.

We ate breakfast near 11am, or maybe a smidge after. As soon as I was done eating and the kitchen cleaned up, I headed out to do some leaf management. Kenny was already out with his Billy Goat sucking up the leaves in his yard. I used my blower first, getting all the leaves out of the rear flower beds around the deck. I did my best to get them into a manageable area. I then headed around front where once again I had to blow a tarp load of oak leaves from the front yard and into the street.  Not sure whose tree those are coming from. I then blew them along the curb into a pile easily raked onto a tarp.

Soon after I dumped the tarp in the compost pile, Kenny brought over the Billy Goat for my use. Asked me to run it out of gas, or so I thought, so he could clean the carburetor. Said he just recently filled it up. I made quick work of the leaf piles that remained in my own yard. I had removed most with the rake and tarp. I decided to run the Billy Goat over most of my yard as well as neighbor Trena's even though the remaining leaf coverage was scant. I cleaned Trena's yard even better than my own. It took a long time to run the thing out of gas. Holy smoke! I was a whipped puppy by the time I was finished. Kenny later told me that he didn't really intend for me to run it out of gas. just didn't want me to add more. No biggie. I got a good workout and a leaf free yard. All that remains now are the honeysuckle bushes and the neighbor's pear tree. Both typically hold their leaves until after Thanksgiving.

Tired and sweaty, I headed inside for a shower and a snack. Mindy was still shopping. Not only was she going to the grocery, but also making a stop at Target. I'm thinking it was near 230-3pm when she got home. Can't recall for sure. I know I was out of the shower, and helped her lug in the groceries. At some point she made arrangements for us to cookout with the neighbors, something we haven't done at their house for quite some time. I'm thinking all the way back into Late July possibly.

Don't think I heard from Lindsey all day. Mindy did, however. She wanted to know what days, if any, we could get the kids after school. Mindy shared with me our busy after work agenda for the coming week. Mindy commented about me not saying anything to Lindsey about the car offer. I shared that I didn't plant to say anything until it's a completely done deal. Don't want her nagging me about it.

I watched a little of the Bengals and Browns games, but only passively. I got a little nappy but never fell asleep. Just sat/laid around casually. Washed my running clothes as well as the small load Lindsey sent home with us Saturday evening.

Our contribution to the cookout was baked potatoes. Mindy baked about 10 of them. As I understood it, Kenny & Chrissy were supplying the steaks. What a good deal. At the same time, Mindy was kneading a meatloaf for Monday's dinner. We headed down to the neighbors house around 530pm. I was drinking ice water at the time, but took along one White Rajah for later.

 Kenny was just heading out to grill when we arrived. I decided to hang out on the deck with Kenny. Mindy went home to get a glass of wine and then joined Kenny and I on the deck. Took about 15 minutes to grill the meat. Most of the kids were having chicken.

Teri O'Connell came down to the neighbors just as we were preparing to eat. Said she'd already eaten. I still offered to share my steak. She declined. Chrissy whipped up some green beans too. Dinner was quick and good. While Chrissy and I cleaned up the kitchen, Mindy headed home to bake some chocolate cookies for dessert. Jacob went with her. They weren't gone long. They were slice and bakes.

Hung at the neighbors chatting about the Penn St. scandal until 830pm when Mindy declared it time to go. Said we needed to get home and get the kids ready for Monday. While the kids got ready for bed,  I tuned to the SNF game - Patriots/Jets. The Patriots looked good. As she does most times, Mindy headed for bed well before halftime.  I remained up until just before half, but then rejoined the game from our bedroom, a rare occurrence, indeed. Mindy reached for the remote two or three times.  I was still awake watching when I finally allowed her to turn it off. It was after 1030pm and I really needed some sleep.