Sunny Sunday / Twin Creeks / Big Fat

It was Sunday. I slept like a rock and till 8am. Thank God for the roll back, otherwise it would’ve been 9am. Mindy asked that I please bring her coffee in a little while. I was eager for some alone time sipping coffee and playing on the internet.

I started coffee and gazed out back. Hooray, it was another sunny start. I played around on my PC for about 30 minutes before taking Mindy some coffee. I must’ve spent another hour or so online enjoying coffee before readying myself for a run. It was warming nicely, and already near 50 by the time I set out on my run.

I ran the usual 3 mile track. Mindy was already up by the time I got back home. Lindsey was already calling to ask that we remember to bring her finished laundry. Mindy planned on going grocery shopping before any Lindsey stuff. Up to that point, she hadn’t done anything for herself or our household over the weekend.  I took a shower next.

Just before she left, I helped Mindy load the recycling into the Honda. I didn’t have a whole lot planned. The grass didn’t need cut and it didn’t make sense to rake leaves with as many still to fall as were lying on the ground. I decided to take Jacob for a haircut. Besides, I was due for one too. Bella was going along too. We headed to Great Clips on

Hilliard-Rome Rd.

Having just washed and waxed the Accord, I was bummed that I had to drive on the make-shift gravel/dirt access road to turn off of Hilliard-Rome while the repave. Just like that the car was covered in dust.

There were no customers in queue at Great Clips. Called Jacob and I back simultaneously. I didn’t recognize but one of the stylists. Neither one cutting our air looked familiar. I gave explicit instruction for Jacob’s cut – short back/sides – trim the bangs. I didn’t see him again until he was done.

My cut went quick. Same as always,  but perhaps a tad shorter. Bella popped back and forth from my stall to Jacob’s during our cuts. She spun on the chair in between the two of us for a while. Thought they might yell at her for it, but they didn’t. Jacob was done a minute or so before me. Oh boy! She butchered his bangs. Took some guts to ask me how it looked. He already knew it was bad. Surprisingly, he took it well. Despite the poor cut, I tipped the girls well - $4 each.

We headed out towards the car and home. Jacob shared how bad a job she did as we exited. It’ll grow back! During our drive home we ducked into two different subdivisions along Trabue just on the chance we might see a car or two for sale. No joy! No cars for sale. We headed for home.

We weren’t home long before we headed out to throw the Frisbee and the football. Bella gave up on the Frisbee fairly quickly, so Jacob and I tossed the football. His arm is as already stronger than mine and he’s only 11. Bella and Makayla asked if they could rake leaves, not so much to help but for a play pile. Sure. I grabbed both of them a rake from the garage.

Around 1pm I headed inside and tuned into Sunday NFL action. The Vikings had a bye so the pressure was off. I watched part of the Browns game. They looked pitiful. Mindy got home between 1-2pm. I helped carry in the groceries. Not too much time went by before we headed down to the O’Connell’s to pick-up the table & chairs they had for Lindsey. They tossed in two old brass lamps too. They weren’t home. Left the slider open for us. The kids, meanwhile, opted to stay home under Chrissy’s watchful eye.

We loaded the table, chairs and lamps and headed over to Lindsey’s. I had some tools packed so I could hang curtain rods and valances. Looking good, although no furniture yet beyond our air mattress and a table and TV. Mindy had the kitchen looking nice. Made me smile. The kids were restless.  I occupied Landon asking him to be my assistant while Rocky did his homework. He was fussing about not feeling well the entire time.

Lindsey was waiting on the cable guy to show up. I won’t get on that bus again. I hung five curtain rods and three valances. Need to find two more for the boys’ room. Lindsey baked Rocky chicken breasts for lunch. I was surprised to see her bake and perhaps even more surprised that’s what the kids wanted.

The cable guy showed up while Mindy was putting together the laundry sorter she bought. I could only imagine what was going through his head. An all but empty apartment with two TVs wanting cable. I saw it time and time again during my years at Time Warner. Basically, families living in complete poverty and squalor yet ordering the entire cable TV package.  He was kind and efficient, fixing up the boys little 13” bedroom TV first. I had to chuckle when he tuned it to the NASCAR race. He looked like that kinda guy. Hey, I’m just sayin’.

I could hear Lindsey going round and round about the additional cost of roadrunner. I could only shake my head. Mindy reminded me more than once not to get negative. Lindsey had put some of the clothes away either on hanger or shelves she does have more than enough closet space). However, there were still 3 or 4 large trash bags of clothes in the kids room. I told Mindy to tell Lindsey that we’d take the boys home with us while she finished putting the clothes away. She bit. Basically, I want her to do all the chores and get used to it. She sent us home with a couple more pair of jeans needing washed too.

Landon cried. Didn’t want to leave his house. I was surprised Lindsey didn’t’ cave and let him stay. He was fine as soon as we pulled out of the parking spot. Always is. Rocky was psyched, eager to play with Jacob and Bella. The kids were no trouble at all. They all played outside, and mostly around the tree house. I watched some NFL. Mindy left right away, going after more shelf liner for Lindsey’s cabinets. She planned to make another stop by to finish the work before returning home.

We had toyed with the idea of going to visit dad and then heading to dinner. Mindy insisted on the Big Fat, in part as reward for enduring Lindsey all weekend. J  I was more in favor or the Vaq. Mindy won. She was right. She deserved to choose. We walked down to the O’Connell’s where all the kids were engaged in a game of kick ball. We used that as Eiknarf’s evening walk too. Can you say efficient?

We hung only briefly, thanking the O’Connell’s for the table, chairs and lamps. I’m thinking it was 530pm when we headed towards Lindsey’s. it was already starting to get dark. We all infiltrated Lindsey’s place. The kids, especially Bella, were eager to see the new digs. I was happy to see that she got most of the clothes put away. The table looks nice – perfect size and shape for the area. Took a couple photos to document the look. We’ll see how it holds up over time.

We didn’t stay long. We headed off to the Big Fat. At my prompting, Mindy called my dad on our cruise up

Riverside Dr

. Said he was doing good. Bella wanted to talk. Heard her ask him if he’d eaten all the Snicker bars yet. Cute! It was completely dark by the time we arrived at the Big Fat.

Johnny was working, and so was our favorite serve, Katarina. We were quickly greeted and seated. Jacob and I both ordered scallops. Bella ordered pasta - no sauce- but with parmesan cheese. Mindy ordered the salmon. Mindy, Jacob and I ordered side salads too. It was Sunday – a work night. I drank orange soda. Katarina was in NYC the last tie Mindy and I was in. She shared a little about her trip.

My scallops weren’t very good. Lots of pieces instead of whole scallops. I didn’t bother sharing that with Katarina or Johnny. Honestly, the quality seems to have slipped the moment they opened the new place at Polaris. Mindy ordered two slices of cake to go – one lemon and the other chocolate. Katarina shared that Johnny insisted one piece was on the house. I paid the check. We drove home.

It was near 745pm when we got home. Over the next 15 minutes each of readied for bed, slipping into our comfy PJs. I wasn’t ready for the weekend to be over. Happening a lot lately.  Depressing feeling. Felt like it should still be Saturday. Yuck! We watched some of the SNF game between Baltimore and Pittsburgh. All of us got tired early, this being the first full day of roll the clocks back. Can trick the mind but not the body. I stayed up slightly longer than the others, falling asleep on the sofa shortly they headed up. Good night Twin Creek.