Leaping Lizards it's the Quadrennial

Thunder shook the house several times about an hour or so before my preferred wake time. As a consequence, we were soon joined in bed by Bella and Eiknarf. Mindy welcomed the two, but dispatched Bella to the foot of the bed. Despite the interruption, I slept fairly well and was up on time, or right at 530am. It's good to be back in track! I guess it just takes longer for our circadian rhythm to readjust the older we get. I was downstairs exercising in short order where I whipped out sit-ups and push-ups before 545am. Soon, I was sitting at my PC with a hot cup of fresh coffee.

There was steady rain with an occasion heavy downpour sprinkled in. I checked the radar revealing that the heavy stuff was about to move east of us. That gave me hope for at least a somewhat dry run. The forecasted high was expected to approach 70 degrees under partly cloudy skies once the storm passed.

Played around online until just after 6am when I headed to the family room for meditation. That went well. Because I was on schedule, I took care of stretching too before delivering Mindy’s coffee. Even though the radar showed the main storm past us, there were a couple heavy bouts of rain just ahead of my run. My spirits were somewhat dampened at the thought of setting out in the rain. J

Lucky for me, the rain was reduced to a mere sprinkle immediately out the door, and it stopped almost completely a few minutes into it. By the way, the temperature was around 43 degrees. I started to get a little too warm as the end neared. To combat the warmth, I unzipped my fleece and rolled the edges of my toboggan above my ears. That helped considerably.

Due to the spring like warmth, I didn’t bother starting the Pilot. Of course, I still walked Eiknarf. She took her dear old time, seemingly more interested in a walk rather than taking care of business. I had to hurry her along. She finally took care of business so we could return home.

Mindy made arrangements to have my dad see the kids off the bus so she could make her first physical therapy appointment near Grandview after school. She left for work at her usual time of 730am. I was off to the shower shortly thereafter.

As I readied for work, the sky was already starting to brighten. Was back downstairs to put the finishing touches on my lunch by 755am and then out the door with the kids at 810am. Jacob was actually out the door well ahead of me. I noticed him at the bus stop in a short sleeved shirt and no jacket.  I abruptly dispatched him back to the house to get one. He complied, albeit sheepishly.

The bus was a few minutes early again. There by 812am. Soon Eiknarf and I were heading back to the house where I paid a few bills then headed off to work. This being Wednesday, work would be in New Albany again. Weather not really an issue, I decided to take 670 east to 270 north. That worked out fine. Made terrific time. Didn’t take but about 25 minutes driveway to parking spot.

Once at work, it didn’t take long to get connected and logged on. Was all set by 915am. Our regular 10am issues call went as planned but there were no issues needing addressed, which is always a good thing. I had another call scheduled at 11am with another customer of mine as well as a 3^rd party vendor. That meeting went well too. I was very happy about that.

Rather than leave for lunch, I decided to use the time to do a little writing. I also wanted to get over to see and talk with Max, but never did. All in all, it was a fairly calm day. I left the office for home near 430p. It was nice and warm, but with one big harmless cloud directly overhead. According to my car, it was 66 degrees when I initially set out, but by the time I got home the sun was out again and the temperature reached 68. According to Yahoo, it reached 70 degrees around 3pm – fitting for what any other year would’ve been March 1. As it was, it was Leap Day – Feb 29.

Called Mindy. She was just leaving the Giant Eagle in Grandview after physical therapy. She got answers to most of her questions about the pain, healing process, and so on. Said she ran into Pat S. at the Giant Eagle. We talked briefly about dinner, me suggesting we simplify and eat leftovers – chicken & noodles. She agreed that made more sense while on the phone, but by the time I arrived home, probably 10 minutes later, she apparently changed her mind again and was busy preparing the chicken and pasta dish she originally spoke of making.

I chatted with dad some. Mindy shared that she bought me more Krave and hoped that would make me happy. Jacob quickly chimed in was a few disparaging comments for which I promptly sent him to his room, my goal to show him I will not take any smart talk at all, effectively supporting what Mindy asked me to do more of last weekend.

Dad asked if there was word from mom regarding her recent Dr.’s appointment to have her kidney’s checked. No. I only knew that she had an appointment. Ironically, though, a few minutes later I saw an email via my Droid sharing those results. Said she has 55% functionality. Sounds like they want her drinking lots of water and possibly sending her for more testing. You keep looking, you'll eventually find something wrong.

Jacob called to Mindy and me more than once asking if he could come down. Five minutes hadn’t passed. I wasn’t about to let him off that easy. Maybe if he was five. I figured 30 minutes minimum. I headed up to talk with him at 535pm, which was just a few minutes before dinner was ready. He acknowledged his mistake and promised to curtail the poor behavior. Good enough.

Bella, meanwhile, was outside playing in the woods with her peeps. They came running up to the house around 545pm, their feet very muddy.  I made sure they took off their shoes from the deck. They headed up to Bella’s room where they played until dinner was ready, which was only a short five minutes later.

This marked the third or fourth time Mindy’s made the chicken and pasta dish, and this rendition was probably her best yet, at least to my taste buds. She baked crescent rolls and made a garden salad too. Everybody seemed to like it, both kids included.

This was a gymnastics night for Bella. They were ready to depart shortly after I finished clean-up. Dad said his goodbyes to the three of them figuring to be gone by their return. Mindy planned to make a few stops while out, including a stop to get Jacob new soccer cleats, and would likely be out long enough to pick Bella up on her way back.

After Mindy left, dad shared that his hearing is going, especially in one ear (can’t recall which). Come to think of it, numerous times over the last year or so I’ve noticed him seemingly oblivious to conversation going around him. We also talked about the ever evasive basement finishing project that I still plan to get moving on. I shared how I have been working on the plans for several years now and revised them many times over. My latest version significantly simplifies the design. We went to my PC where I showed him the ever changing plans created in Excel. Dad departed just after 700p.

I had the house all to myself for more than an hour and a half. During that time I published more than ten days worth of blog postings. I thought I might crack one of my new books too but quickly ran out of leisure time. Mindy and the kids were back around 845pm. Jacob showed me his new soccer cleats. Bright and colorful. 

Mindy quickly dispatched Bella to the shower while she & Jacob tuned into Idol. It was the 12 girls competing this time. I caught bits and pieces and wasn’t impressed but with one or two. Once again, we all headed for bed at the same time – right after Idol.

Epic Event

                  Happy 5th Landon James!

I was up just ahead of 530am for the 2^nd day in a row. Wahoo! And after shaking off the cob webs I felt energized and ready to go. Downstairs, the coffee had just begun its brewing cycle. I slipped into my exercise shoes then glanced out back towards the sky. The sky was clear but the deck frosty. I didn’t think it was supposed to get that cold.

I completed 50 sit-ups then 20 curls with 15lb dumbbells.  Coffee was ready by the time I was done. Poured coffee then took to the internet for some play. Checked the weather. It was a cold 23 degrees, but with an expected high in the low 50’s under mostly sunny skies. Looks like Wednesday will be even warmer (67 degrees) but also rainy.

Mindful of loftier goals, I walked away from the PC at 6am to meditate. That went well. Spent a little more than ten minutes doing that. Instead of waking Mindy immediately after, I went ahead and completed my stretch routine, too. Both went well. Headed upstairs to wake Mindy near 620am. She woke slowly, seemed out of it. She didn’t ask me to turn up the heat either, but I still cranked it up a notch or two when I headed back downstairs.

I dressed for a run and was out the door at 629am. I’m thinking that was the first time before 630am since late last year. It was cold but I was dressed for it. I felt pretty comfortable throughout. It was daybreak well before the first mile was under my belt. Ran the full 4.1 miles and was back at home a few minutes past 7am. Mindy wasn’t even downstairs yet. I knew she got a late start. I went for Eiknarf’s leash and a bag then called for the pug. She came after a short pause.

We walked to the east, her finally taking care of business in Alex and Tanya’s yard. I cleaned it up. Back at home, Mindy had my eggs ready - a plain omelet. She’s been doing a good job mixing up my morning eggs so I don’t tire of one particular style. Thanks dear! The kids weren’t sure what to have for breakfast, though Jacob quickly settled on chocolate donuts. Given his druthers, he’d have chocolate everything. J Bella enjoyed a couple chocolate donuts too.

Mindy left around 730am or just before sharing that she’d end up at her offsite meeting early. Reminded Bella to bus home with Noah. Jacob would be staying after school for catapult practice. He needed picked up by 430pm. I suggested that I would call Mindy if I was able to leave work early enough to do the pick-up thus saving her the trouble. I couldn’t commit though, given my normal 5-530pm quitting time.

After sliding some eggs on top of Eiknarf’s regular dog food,  I was soon off to the shower. And I am certain it was before 735am. Since I shaved to the skin the morning before, I didn’t need to bother with any of that. I took my time but was still back downstairs by 756am. I finished packing a lunch that consisted of a fruit medley and sliced cheese. My salad was already made thanks to Mindy.

Jacob shared that he’d be going out through the garage since his catapult was already out there and he was taking it to school again. With the few minutes I had before bus time, I paid a couple bills online. Damn cable company. Raised the rates once again. It’s getting ridiculous. Up about 10%.  

We headed out to the bus stop at 810am. Met Kenny and the girls there. The bus showed up a couple minutes early for a change. Nice! Chatted briefly with Kenny before heading back home. Enjoyed another half cup of coffee then ran the dishwasher. Left for the office at 822am.

It was a lovely drive in under mostly sunny skies. Listened to XM’s SPA in lieu of ESPN radio. That was a good choice. Far more relaxing. Parked up front in the same spot I typically get. At my desk and logged in by 850am. Right away, I saw an email from one of the customer’s I was covering in my peer’s absence. Oh boy! That ended up eating most of my day. I was too busy, really. Too many to-do’s. Not complaining, though. Instead, just sharing. :)

I didn’t take a lunch but did eat my packed food. The day went really fast. Talked with Mindy sometime after 3pm. I let her know how busy I was and that leaving early to pick-up Jacob was in all likelihood not going to happen. She made plans to do it, but before ending our call I shared that I would call if that somehow changed. We still planned to do dinner out since this was a Jimaken night with the kids.

Before I knew it, it was after 5pm. I started wrapping up for the day having accomplished much. I left the office at 515pm. It was nice out, and even warmer than it was on Monday. Called Mindy shortly after pulling out of the lot. The kids were already gone with their dad and Mindy was busy vacuuming. She asked where I wanted to do dinner. I suggested Barley’s. Hadn’t stopped in on a week night since before our Oregon ski trip.

Arrived home near 530pm. I noticed two Canada geese in our front yard. I thought about tearing out after them but decided to let them live another day. J Immediately in the door, I took care of a handful of routine chores then quickly readied for dinner out. I only needed to brush my teeth, hair, and change my shirt. We left the house ahead of 6pm. We took the Accord.

Arrived at Barley’s just after 6pm. I noticed their sign promoting Oysters & Stout set for Feb 29^th – tomorrow. Guess we’ll miss it. Got a parking spot along the front and just a few paces from the main entrance. Decent crowd, especially for a Tuesday. We managed to squeeze into two stools along the bar after others made room. I quickly ordered Barley’s Fortune Teller imperial porter recently added back to the tower while Mindy went with an Epic Stout. 

We sat next to Jim Bosch. Mindy talked with him quite a bit. I sent a text to Pat Shultz asking if there was a grand baby yet. He phoned back right away asking if I had checked my VM. Nope, I hadn’t. Jamie gave birth Monday at 6am to Oscar Mathew – 20” and 6lbs 6 ounces. It’s official, Pat & Lisa are grand parents!

We ordered food after about 30 minutes, Mindy going with a salad topped with chicken, and me going with KC wings. Meanwhile, the twins, Kurt & Kent, put in anchor at the corner of the bar. We chatted a bit with them as well. Mindy eventually went over to chat with Christa and Rebecca some too. I ended up ordering a 2^nd beer, this time a Bitter Dan IIPA. It was a bit buttery. Before we left, we put in an order for chicken tenders to take home to Jacob – my idea. I picked up the tab.

Arrived home around 745pm. I pulled the trash can to the curb before heading inside. As an after thought, I placed the broken kitchen chair in the can too. There was plenty of room. Inside, Mindy and I quickly changed out of our work uniforms and into lounging clothes. The kids were home shortly after I sat down at my PC. They were happy that we brought them home chicken tenders. Good thing we got the Gates of Hell on the side. That way Bella could have some, too.

Mindy and the kids tuned into American Idol while I played on my PC. I popped in from time to time when I heard a really good audition just to see who it was coming from. But I was more interested in getting my blog entries caught up. I still haven’t published anything for the last 9 or 10 days. I also spent some time editing photos from our Oregon trip. I am happy to report that I finally figured out how to remove unwanted objects in photos using Photo Shop Element 8.0 editing tools, a skill that has eluded me for several years. It’s really quite simple.

I joined the family just as Idol was wrapping up. It was already 10pm. We all headed to bed at the same time. It started to rain just before we headed upstairs.

Venus, Jupiter Rendezvous with a Crescent Moon

For the first time in recent weeks, I was up just ahead of 530am. It’s not like I slept that great either, in fact, I slept rather poorly. Regardless, I felt surprisingly well rested. The coffee kicked on just as I was making my way into the kitchen.  I gazed out the back door seeing nothing but clear skies. NO sign of frost. Couldn’t gauge the temperature. 

I whipped out sit-ups and push-ups by 540am then waited a couple more minutes for the coffee to finish brewing. Spent about 15 minutes online, including a check of the weather and forecast. It was 35 degrees with an expected high in the low 50s. Supposed to warm for most of the week with Wednesday reaching into the mid to upper 60s. Goodbye MRM snowpack!

I broke away from the PC at 6am and headed in to meditate, the earliest such doings in quite some time. Meditation went well. Finished at 613am. Prepped & delivered Mindy’s coffee a couple minutes later. Back downstairs to stretch by 620am with a goal to be out of the house by 630am. Took about 7 minutes to complete the entire stretch routine. Had just a couple minutes to get dressed and head out. Bottom line, I didn’t get out the door until 631am but that’s still the best I’ve done over the past few weeks.

Daybreak was apparent on the horizon but at least for the next ten minutes or so it remained dark overhead. About a mile into the run I realized that it was daylight. Funny how it just happens. I ran the full 4.1 miles feeling good the entire way. Mindy was and scampering around the kitchen when I returned home. She hollered for Bella to wake Eiknarf while I went for the leash, a bag, and Mindy’s keys. After starting the Pilot I headed in to leash up the dog. We walked west, with Eiknarf taking her dear old time. We were probably out there for a solid ten minutes.

It was already 725am by the time we made it back inside. One of the kids, Jacob presumably, needs to start walking the dog in the mornings. I feel like I’m doing too much and the kids not enough. Mindy left a couple minutes later I was back. Reminded both kids to bus home with Noah, which was met with a groan.

My farm fresh fried eggs were waiting in the microwave. I made quick work of my breakfast and really enjoyed the fresh fruit, something that’s been largely missing since we got back from Oregon. Off to the shower near 740am. For the first time in several months, I decided to shave with a razor. Don’t ask me why. Don’t know. Was showered, dressed, and ready by 757am. Back downstairs to finish packing my lunch.  I threw together a fruit medley and some sliced cheese – three varieties. The kids and I headed out at 810am.

Met Kenny & the girls at the bus stop. Asked Kenny about the bachelor party. Said it was pretty tame, but what else was he gonna tell me? The bus was late. Didn’t show up until 820am. Kenny must’ve really needed to be somewhere. He practically ran back to the house. I headed back home with the dog where I took care of a few last minute to-dos before heading off to work. Left the house at 829am.

Arrived at the office around 850am. Parked in the front lot. It was 9am by the time I was logged in, had my lunch stowed and a fresh pitcher of ice water. Ready, set, go! I expected to be busy again this entire week since I’d be covering for a peer out on vacation this week. And right out of the shoot I had an email from one of his customers asking for some assistance. That issue kept me hopping all day long.

Mid- morning I received a call from the guy I covered for last week wanting to catch-up on anything he might’ve missed. We talked for a while. He shared that he and his wife spent the week in Arizona celebrating their 24^th wedding anniversary – Feb 20^th.

I had to take care of my own stuff too. Needless to say, I was very busy. I used my lunch hour to do some writing, something that always calms me and simply makes me feel good. I noticed that the stock market was flirting with 13K all day. Been hovering near there for the past few sessions, but just can’t seem to pierce the 13K ceiling. Give it time. It will.

I kept extremely busy all day long. Word had it that it was gorgeous outside – sunny and mid 50s. I didn’t get a chance to breathe any of it until I left for the day. Headed for home close to 520pm. I called Mindy but we chatted only for a few seconds. She was busy writing sub plans for Tuesday as well as making dinner.

Traffic was crawling on 270 southbound, but it often is near the 5pm rush hour, especially since late fall when they started the 270 construction. However, it only got worse. A flashing sign just ahead read that 270 was closed and to exit on 70. We crawled all the way to my exit,

Roberts Rd

, one exit prior to I-70. The closing had all the minor arteries backed up too – Roberts, Wilson Trabue. They were all bumper to bumper. Mindy called to check my whereabouts just as I approached our subdivision from the north.

Traffic was so heavy on

Wilson Rd

that the chicken lane for turning into our subdivision was being used by northbound traffic. I had to rely on good Samaritans to allow me to slip through and get home. Mindy was busy at the stove stirring the chicken and noodles. Smelt good. Sounded good, too.  Dinner was ready in short order. Heck, it was already just after 6pm.

Along with the chicken & noodles, Mindy prepared a fresh garden salad along with fresh rolls and bread. I had 1.5 helpings of the noodles. Mid clean-up, I asked mindy if she wanted me to run Bella to gymnastics. Nope, she wanted to do it. Of course, that was so I would do the pick-up. We both agreed that if traffic was still an issue, we’d cancel gymnastics. Mindy left with Bella near 650pm. They weren’t back in the first few minutes. I could only conclude that traffic must’ve cleared.

The two books I ordered from Amazon arrived today. Mindy set the box on my computer chair. I can’t wait to crack ‘em open. While Mindy was out, I edited a couple recent blog entries. Once again, I way behind on publishing, but caught up with the initial drafts. After the editing I actually fell asleep for about ten minutes in my computer chair. It’s not the most comfortable place to nap but it sure felt good. It was 8pm in a hurry and I needed to leave to fetch Bella in 20 short minutes. I fooled around online until it was time to leave.

Traffic was nonexistent all the way to DCW. I had just walked in when the owner/manager pulled me aside to tell me that there was a mistake with the recent fees Mindy paid. Apparently she told Mindy that we needed to buy a new outfit for the March competition, but that wasn’t the case. If we didn’t want it, they owed us a $5 credit. I told her to work it out with Mindy. I didn’t see it as a big deal.

I headed to the gym to see Bella. She was already getting her street shoes on. We left after a minute or two. Bella asked if we could stop at McDonalds. No, but I did offer to make any snack she might want. She didn’t commit. It was a remarkably clear night. I  pointed out Venus & Jupiter just below the crescent moon. Bella found it fascinating and asked how we could be sure they were planets. Good point. I guess it comes down to trust. J After all, they don’t look much different than the nearby stars.

Inside, Bella headed upstairs for a shower. It was 9pm in a hurry. Jacob spent most of his evening in the basement playing mini basketball. It makes a ridiculous amount of noise. Sounds like thunder. I do my best to ignore it. My only request is that it ends by 9pm. Mindy & Jacob headed to bed at 930pm or about the time that Bella was out of the shower and heading down for a snack. Mindy asked that I see her to bed at a reasonable hour and soon after a snack. Yes dear.

I was tired, too, so I didn’t expect it to be too long. Bella wanted a bowl of cereal, Krave. The very cereal I requested mindy buy for me on Sunday. The box of double chocolate was already all but gone thanks to Jacob eating four bowls in one day.  I wasn’t at all pleased, especially since I’m the one that specifically requested it. Mindy bought the 2^nd box later that same day since Jacob devoured the first box as soon as they got home from Target. Now it was almost gone and I still hadn’t had any from either box. After Bella poured a bowl, I poured one for myself. Good thing I did because that was the end of the 2^nd box. We both enjoyed our cereal from the sofa then headed up to bed.

Bella was quick to point out that this was Jacob’s night to have Eiknarf.  It’s sad that they squabble over NOT having the dog. I was tired, but struggled to fall quickly asleep. Under normal circumstances, I fall asleep within five minutes of my head hitting the pillow, however, that hasn’t been the case so much of late. Good night solar system.

Celebrating Landon @ 5

I woke several times through the night, but each time only briefly. I have no idea why. I didn’t get up for good until almost 8am. By then I felt good. Downstairs I prepped some coffee then washed the few dishes around the sink after remembering that the dishwasher was full of clean dishes needing put away. I wasn’t averse to putting them away, but didn’t really want to fool with it right then.

I sipped coffee at my PC while I downloaded Saturday’s ski photos and read a few headlines. Mindy asked that I bring her coffee and Advil just as I was slipping out the door at 8am. I think it was 835am when I took her both.

I can’t say for certain what time it was when Mindy joined me downstairs but I’ll guess that it was nearing 10am. Jacob was the first kid up. I asked to see his right cheek. It looked a lot better than I thought it might. No bruising at all - merely a flesh wound. I asked Jacob to walk the pug and her graciously did. Mindy had laundry going in a hurry. We laughed at a text from Lindsey asking if she could come over at 11am to start her laundry so she wouldn’t have to finish so late. Nope! Asked her to hold off until 2pm since Mindy was busy doing our own laundry.

I headed out for a run later than I typically would on a Sunday. Thinking it was near 1045am. It was below freezing, but sunny. I added sun glasses to my regular winter garb. I wreaked to high heaven but it didn't make sense to dirty a new set when  I planned to launder my running clothes a little later. Figured I might as well get another day out of them. Like most Sunday’s, I ran just 3 miles. It was a fun, easy run.

Back at home, Mindy was on the war path. Told me she had to ground Jacob after he tossed all his clean clothes about his room when she asked him to put them away neatly. At some point Mindy called a family meeting. Fresh back from my run, I couldn’t sit down at the table, but did participate. Mindy did most, if not all the talking initially, first addressing Bella. Comparatively, she had very little to share with Bella, but went on  about and the few things she’s repeatedly falling short on since our return from Oregon. I think Jacob knew it was coming. He was the catalyst. Mindy ripped into him like there was no tomorrow. Top on her list his back talking and the bullying of Bella. I only added that the minor mischief he’s gotten into at school (twice in the last week) and was spoken to by the principal both times was not a good trend. Of course he wasn’t without words. Wanted to know if they/he could complain about us too. Mindy let him. I could hear him but didn't really listen.

Mindy soon headed up for a shower in preparation for a trip to Target and Colonial Music with the kids, Colonial Music so Jacob could be fitted for various instruments for 6th grade band class. They all left around noon with Mindy still planning to bring the kids back before heading off to the grocery store. I napped in there somewhere but only briefly and from our bed, which is very rare.

Mindy asked that I vacuum while she was gone. But once I was up and showered it seemed to make more sense for me to unload the dishwasher and then make some guacamole. With all the grandkids coming over, vacuuming seemed like a waste of time. I called Mindy while she was out asking if she would add Tostito chips to the grocery list.  I also let her know that I was making guacamole. She agreed but reiterated her intentions to come home before the grocery. However, she did say that she’d likely pick-up the chips at Target since they’re often cheaper there than at Kroger.

Meanwhile, the two avocados in the fridge were a tad overripe but still good. Didn’t take long to whip up guacamole, perhaps 10 minutes. The dishwasher now unloaded and guacamole made, I decided to trim and frame two color 4X6 photos of Timberline that I printed from our recent Oregon ski trip. Mindy & the kids got back just as I was finishing up the framing.

Mindy was quick to show me that she found the double chocolate Krave cereal at Target that I asked for. That made me really happy. Of course she picked up the Tostitos I asked for, too, and we quickly dug into the fresh guacamole. Jacob, however, had other ideas. Much to my despair, he tore open my box of Krave and ended up eating three bowls. I gave him holy hell since it was something that I asked for specifically. Mindy quickly interjected that all the food she buys is for everyone. I held my tongue but was pissed. Felt betrayed even. The pantry is full of crap cereal the kids ask for and then don’t eat. And it wasn’t that Jacob wanted a bowl. Instead, it was that he devoured damn near the entire box in one sitting. I was miffed at Mindy too for her loose comment about what she buys is for everyone. We’ll just have to see how far that extends. A ton of devious ideas swirled in my brain. J

One of the main reasons Mindy went to Target was to get Landon’s b-day gift. She got him an X-box game – a non-violent one. She got that wrapped up in a gift bag in short order.

It wasn’t too long before Lindsey and the grandkids were over, Olivia included. She apparently spent the night with the boys on Saturday night. Lindsey said Ashley was at a funeral or wake and would be stopping by later to pick-up Olivia. As usual, our house got loud and bouncy in a hurry. As planned, Mindy headed off for the grocery store leaving me there with Lindsey and all the kids. Just before she left, she asked if I wanted her to invite dad to join us for dinner too. Sure, why not?

It wasn’t too long before Lindsey asked if she could go tanning. I agreed. The kids played inside and out through most of the afternoon. Mindy was gone only about an hour. I asked that the boys, Rocky & Jacob help carry in the haul. They did just as I asked. I looked devilishly for what I might mass consume that was more geared for the kids.  I thought about putting the 8 pack of Blue Gatorade Jacob likes in my Accord and taking it to work. After all, it’s for ALL of us. And then there’s the chocolate milk. Hmmm?

Mindy picked up three rotisserie chickens to serve as the main course of Landon’s birthday dinner. Of course she also got a b-day cake – white cake with yellow icing. Along with the chicken, Mindy planned to warm some Bob Evans mashed potatoes and gravy.

Dad showed just before the Buckeye basketball game was set to begin around 4pm. I asked him to the basement so he could look at the secondary water meter shut-off valve that’s constantly dripping.  I wanted his thoughts on how to replace it. If I plan to use standard plumbing valves (the solder type) there will be a problem with getting rid of the water in the ¾” vertical pipe feeding the shut-off. Bottom line, the solder will never take as long as water is close. I need to find a way to bleed it dry after shutting off the main. Dad suggested backing off the connection to the main water meter. Said that would allow enough of the water to drain. That made me cringe, because if I can’t get it back on correctly, I’ll have an even bigger mess on my hands. I may check and see if shark bit valves are available, but I’d have to use a pipe cutter to remove the old valve first. I hate stuff like that.

I could only watch so much of the Buckeyes. Despite their decent record and high ranking, they’re not that fun to watch. What little I’ve seen so far this year, I am not impressed with their explosiveness as well as their ability to pull away. Instead, I see a lot of missed opportunities and bone head turnovers.

Mindy called me to help prepare dinner just after halftime, which was more than fine by me. I carved all three rotisserie chickens leaving the carcasses for boiling down later since Mindy planned to make chicken & noodles on Monday. Dinner was served around 515-530pm. By then Ashley was over, too.

Dinner was superb. The chicken was really tasty as were the mashed potatoes and salad. As soon as I got the kitchen cleaned up we did cake, candles, and presents. Landon struggled to blow out the candles. I worry about his shallow breathing. When it came time for gifts, he was very animated. He liked the Xbox game but innocently asked if that was it.

Dad peeled off first, then Ashley & Olivia weren't that far behind. Lindsey, meanwhile, still had a load of laundry in the dryer. They stuck around for at least another half hour. By then I was busy sweeping and mopping the tile floor. Ended up mopping it three times thanks to the neighbors and Bella bringing their muddy feet in through the back door.

As the evening wound down and shortly after Lindsey and the boys left we tuned into Storage Wars, a Discovery Channel program about folks bidding on abandoned storage containers. Word on the street is that the show is fixed. Still funny, suspenseful, and entertaining. Watched for an hour, or until bedtime. Thinking it was 930 when we all headed to bed.

Ski Ya Next Year

Woke and headed downstairs somewhere near 730am. I slept soundly enough, but probably could’ve slept for another hour or more had I not forced myself up and out of bed. Despite a sluggish start, I felt good and quickly started a pot of coffee. It was bright and sunny and looked cold. There was even a light coating of snow on the deck.

I spent the first 30 minutes enjoying coffee and playing on the internet before remembering that I needed to renew our Norton anti-virus subscription. Only 4 days left. Decided to do it right then while everyone else remained asleep. Took care of the primary PC first which went fairly smoothly. Once that PC was updated, I headed to the kitchen to take care of Mindy’s laptop. Unfortunately, that took a while. No matter what I did it wouldn’t accept the 25 character product key, and I knew that I typed it in correctly. I quickly became irritated. After fooling around for ten or fifteen minutes I discovered the missing step, which was logging into my Norton account online first. Perhaps I missed that in the instructions. Once I figured that piece out the rest went smoothly. I still needed to upgrade the kids laptop but planned to take care of it later.

Mindy was up just after I finished upgrading the anti-virus on her laptop. I’m thinking it was somewhere near 930am. Enjoyed some more coffee then headed out on a walk with Eiknarf. It was really cold, especially with the wind blowing in my face from the west. It was just before 10am when I headed out on a run.

I ran the usual weekend trail – only three miles. It was nice and sunny but also cold and windy.  I didn’t mind. It was almost certain that I'd be heading up to MRM that afternoon. However, because the kids were still sleeping, I didn’t know whether that would be alone or with them. The night before, Bella was game but Jacob was not.

Saw Kenny standing in his driveway. As I ran by, I asked if he was still planning to head up to MRM. Yep. Me too, though about 90 minutes out. At home I asked Mindy if the kids were up and if they were planning to join me. She knew they were up but wasn’t sure of their decision. I headed up to ask. Stopped in Jacob’s room first. He was still half asleep and said he wasn't interested in going. Fine. I wasn’t going to push him/them. Went to Bella’s room next. She was lying in bed watching TV while also playing on her Kindle Fire. Said she didn’t want to go, and then curtly told me not to even try to talk her into it. Oh heck no! I wasn’t trying to talk her into it at all. I simply was letting her know that Makayla, Lillian, and Cassidy would be there. Because of her sassy attitude, I took her Kindle Fire and told her she wouldn’t be seeing it anytime soon.

I went downstairs to begin gathering my equipment. Mindy heard what transpired. She went up to let both kids know how their day might otherwise unfold. She was going to a wedding shower and wanted them to know that they’d be going with her. Bella was now upstairs sobbing. Always the dramatic one.

Long story short, both kids decided that they wanted to go. I only insisted that they truly want to be there because I definitely didn’t want to hear whining all day. I spent the next half hour preparing and packing food: cheese, nuts, sandwich, water, soda, and Gatorade. I put a couple White Rajah’s in the cooler too, and refilled my flask with lemon nip.

I headed up for a shower around 1140am and was dressed and ready just ahead of noon. We only needed to load the Pilot after Mindy and I agreed to swap cars for the day. She figured to be hanging at the Wedding shower and then heading up to meet us at MRM around 4 or 5pm. Like me, she wasn't too interested in doing the bachelorette party afterwards.

Mindy made me a egg, bacon and cheese sandwich before we left. That hit the spot. The kids and I headed off some time just ahead of 12noon, though we needed to stop at Thornton’s for gas on the way. Took $52 to fill-up. Mindy made out. The Accord was darn near full. It was a fast easy rive up 33 west to MRM. It had to be near 1230pm when we pulled in the lot. Not too crowded. We didn’t spend a lot of time trying to get the closest spot. Instead, I took one 6 or 7 rows out, but a straight shot to the ski shop. If the kids have learned anything this ski season it’s how to gear up on their own. That’s a big deal for parents!

It was demo day at MRM. Most of the complimentary ski racks were taken up with demo equipment. We leaned our stuff against the wooden fence then headed in to get our lift tickets. Soon we were headed up Four Star. Ran into all of our peeps atop the main run. The runs looked icy and thin. Hard to imagine it making it through yet another week where we’re expecting temps in the 50s and 60s with both rain and sunshine.

My kids bolted down the back heading off with their own peeps. I skied down with Tina, Bob, and Bob. Kenny and Mike O. went down the backside with the kids. The runs were a combination of ice and loose granular. I didn’t mind any of it. I was just happy to be skiing. As warm as our winter’s been, the weekends have been surprisingly cold week after week. We haven’t missed skiing even one weekend since Xmas.

Both Bob’s tried out some demos. Bob K tried two different pair. The first pair was made by Icelantic and were crazy wide According to Bob, though wide, extra light. They were grossly ugly too! Come 230pm, Bob & Tina said they were ready to head in for a break. Bob headed in first. Tina was riding with Bob I and I when, just like the week before, they shut down the race course and started regrooming it for the public. We did a couple other runs while they finished grooming it. We were the first skiers to get to rip through the freshly groomed corduroy. We did it twice. It was fast and fun. But just like the week before, it got torn up pretty quickly.

I went to the Pilot to fetch my cooler then headed into the lodge. I knew the Kubra’s were in the lower level but didn’t see them.  I headed to the upper lodge and bar area. There I found Bob I., Kenny, and his ex-wife Michelle. She was there to pick-up Makayla and Lillian, but also planned to stick around for a while. There didn’t appear to be any tables available, at least big ones. Bob K and I eventually managed to commandeer a small one while Bob I. went after a pitcher of beer.

I shared my cheese and pita chips with the others. Bob K gave Tina a little grief for not coming in when she said she was. I called Mindy to check on her ETA. She was still at the wedding shower but expected to be leaving soon. Said she knew very few of the girls there. Thought she’d be at MRM by 5pm. We ended our break I’m guessing even before 4pm. Might’ve been about the shortest one we’ve taken all year. Bob K. said they’d been there since 9am and he was getting really tired just sitting.

We gave our table to others just coming in for a break. I let the guy know we were leaving our cooler under the table. I finally spotted Jacob and Bella and let them know that their momma was on her way up. We skied another hour or so before I got a text from Mindy sharing that she was there. We skied until 530pm before heading in to greet her. By then, Bob & Tina were ready to call it a day. However, they wanted to head inside to see Mindy before leaving. Mindy was sitting at the table we had earlier. Michelle was with her too. After a few short minutes Bob & Tina headed out. Said the kids were already in the car waiting on them. If nothing else, we agreed to hook-up over the summer. We learned they have a boat and like to play at Salt Fork. Not too long after, Michelle headed out with Lillian and Makayla.

I saw a work peep who’s also a MRM ski instructor sitting at a table with another park employee. I took Mindy over to introduce. We chatted for about 5 minutes.

Bob Imber stuck around maybe another 15 minutes before heading out to do a couple more runs then leave to meet Mary Ann at home. After eating a pizza, both of our kids professed that they were done skiing/boarding for the day. Jacob had some serious road rash on his face (right cheek) after falling while attempting to ride a rail at the terrain park. Ouch!

Mindy, the kids and I sat around for a few, me eventually asking the kids if either were game for a few more runs. After all, I shared, this might very well be our last opportunity this season. Jacob was a no. Bella, however, was up to the challenge. She and I headed out to do a few more runs.

I’m pretty sure that we skied the face three times before I suggested that be our last. Bella easily agreed. We stowed our skis then headed up to the lodge to fetch Mindy & Jacob. Mindy & Jacob were sitting at another table away from our stuff talking to some other folks. Mindy said she’d prefer to drive her own vehicle home. Bella, Jacob and I headed out to the Pilot to stow our gear. I assumed Mindy would drive the Accord to the Pilot where I not only was stowing everybody’s gear, but also changing out of my ski attire. However, Mindy walked to the Pilot meaning I had to walk and find the Accord on my own. I didn’t say anything but wasn’t pleased. Both kids opted to ride with Mindy in the Pilot.

The drive home went quickly. Gets faster with each passing trip. Traffic was uncharacteristically slow on 270 south of Cemetery Rd. Looked like an accident south of Roberts Rd. was the cause. It was near 8pm when I arrived home. Mindy and the kids presumably arrived just ahead of me. They were still sitting in the Pilot in the driveway.

Everybody helped carry in gear then Mindy must’ve asked Jacob to walk the dog. I was pretty hungry. Woofed down a couple slices of stale pizza still in the fridge from last Sunday. Headed up to change out of my base layers a few minutes later. Always feels better than good to get out of the snug fitting base layer and then into something loose and leisure.  I brushed my teeth too, then headed to the kitchen where I poured a Jack & Coke and made a plate of nachos topped with melted cheese. They hit the spot. Mindy and the kids were already watching Idiot Abroad. I joined them.

I’m thinking we watched something else afterwards but can’t recall just what it was. I enjoyed a second Jack & Coke just before Mindy & I headed up to bed. We turned on the TV from bed. Can’t recall what we watched from bed either.

Beering with the Boss

Woke pretty much on time and more importantly feeling well rested. It was Friday and that alone made it easier to get moving. I didn’t prep coffee the night before so I had to take care of that real quick just ahead of calisthenics.

Glanced out back to a nondescript partly cloudy sky. Knocked out sit-ups and push-ups by 550am then waited a couple more minutes for the coffee’s brewing cycle to conclude. Sat at the PC enjoying coffee and internet until 605am. Checked the weather just before walking away. It was 36 degrees with an expected high in the mid 40’s but with dropping temps and a chance of evening/overnight snow.  Supposed to be below freezing all day Saturday.

Meditation was next. That went OK. Finished up around 615a then delivered Mindy’s coffee. She asked that I turn up the heat, but I had already done so. Back downstairs for stretching and a run. Still didn’t get out of the house until just after 635am. By then, the sky was mostly clear and as a consequence it brightened in a hurry. Kind of nice to run in  daylight for more than half my run again. I know it’s short lived thanks to the coming time change. After finishing my run I walked the dog. Didn’t bother starting Mindy’s Pilot since there wasn’t any frost on the windows. Not used to starting her own car, Mindy tried leaving without her keys. That’ll never work. J

Headed to the shower near 740am. And because it was Friday, it was also jean day. I wore jeans and a black button down dress shirt. I haven’t weighed myself in quite a while, but can tell that I’ve gained a few pounds over the winter. I'm not one to get too caught up in the actual number. Instead, I go by feel and fit. Generally works pretty well.

The kids and I headed out at 810am. Met Kenny and the girls at the bus stop. Kenny asked if I planned to join them for the Saturday bachelor party. Perhaps for dinner, but not the limo and strip club thing.  Bus was on time. Back home to load up my laptop, which was still connected and logged into work. Packed my iTouch, too. Left for work around 825am.

I was hoping for an easy Friday, but the fact that I was covering for a peer who was out on vacation all week, and the same guy that covered for me the week prior, the chances of that were pretty slim. So far through Thursday, I had to get involved in very little on his behalf. As soon as I logged on Friday morning, another peer pinged me and asked if I’d cover him for the day. Sure thing. Between my own customers and the two guys I was covering, I knew things could get bumpy in a hurry. 

I wouldn’t say things got crazy, but I was definitely busy, and with stuff normally not my own. I didn’t mind, though. They cover for me when I'm off. Add to that, the fact that I wasn’t the weekend on-call< I knew that I could let it all go near 5pm. Stayed busy all morning and afternoon. Ate my lunch in my office.

Near 3pm my boss invited me to join him for a beer after work. He planned to leave at 430p.

I talked with Mindy near 4pm and let her know about the ‘beer’ invite. She encouraged me to go. I was busy so our conversation was brief. Among other things, I still needed to do my weekly time entry. 430pm came and went. I wasn’t able to head out with the others, but did manage to get out of the office around 5pm. It was spitting snow as I left the office, and much cooler than it was earlier. That made me happy. In fact, I was hoping to make it up to MRM on Saturday.

Showed up at Yogi’s (formerly Cosmo’s) sometime shortly after 5pm. Been many years since I’ve been in there. The place was packed. Good thing a peer was in the doorway on a call. He pointed me to the table near the back where three co-workers were sharing a bucket of beers - Yuenglings. I opted to go ‘outside the bucket’ and chose a Great Lakes Burning River pale ale. Looking around, the new ownership has obviously dumped some cash into the place. I stuck around nursing just the one beer for about an hour. Left $10 to cover my beer and a tip.

Called Mindy once I was on the road for home. Said the boys were there and visiting until 9pm or so. My dad was over earlier too, but had since left. Was near 630pm when I got home. All the kids were outside playing in the cold. Mindy caught me up on all the goings on while I snacked on the leftovers she brought home from her after school event at some Mexican place in Grove City. They were all good. I ate them all.

Mindy poured a glass of wine while I poured a White Rajah. Felt a bit odd to be kicking back at home on a Friday evening. We’re usually off to Barley’s, and if not, then CBC. After a beer, I took a brief nap on the sofa. Slept maybe 15 minutes. Felt terrific. Mindy made the kids come in around 8pm. Jacob and the boys played upstairs in his room until Lindsey go there to pick them up around 9pm.By then I was changed into my PJs. Before Lindsey left with the boys we made arrangements to celebrate Landon’s b-day on Sunday, though his actual b-day is Tuesday, Feb 28th.

Even though I was feeling really sleepy, I eventually poured a 2^nd White Rajah to enjoy while watching TV from the sofa. I ended up falling asleep after drinking no more than a 1/3 of my 2nd beer. Must’ve slept for an hour or so. I woke around 11pm and headed up to bed.

Five Years of Marital Bliss

Like many recent mornings, I woke sometime between 430-5am only to realize I had another hour or so to sleep. I know that going back to sleep can easily lead to oversleeping, but I've been pretty darn good about waking up again within a few minutes of 530am. However, Thursday morning that backfired. I didn’t wake again until almost 6am.

At first I started to scramble until I remembered that I’d very likely be working from home since Jacob was ill.  I didn’t allow myself too much complacency, however. Even if I was staying home, I still wanted to have my run out of the way no later than 745am. Thankfully, I didn’t have to prep coffee. It was already brewed and waiting. After sit-ups and curls, I headed to the PC with a hot cup of coffee in hand.

Played around online until 620am. By then I figured I needed to get moving. I did a quick mediation then headed upstairs to wake Mindy and deliver her coffee. I dropped off her coffee and wished her a happy anniversary. I asked if she wanted me to wake Jacob and ask how he felt. No. She wanted to let him sleep and stay home. OK.

Back downstairs I stretched then readied for a run. I could see that I wasn’t going to get out the door until almost 7am.  I headed upstairs to tell Mindy goodbye since she’d almost certainly be gone by my return. Just before heading out I sent my boss an email sharing that I’d be working from home.

It was a nice 4.1 mile run. The time went by quickly with my mind racing over several things all at once. As I hit the final stretch before home, I spotted Bella up ahead walking Eiknarf. I stopped for a hug and a pet but then continued on home. However, before heading inside I figured I’d better make sure Eiknarf went potty. You never know with Bella. I started back towards Bella until I saw that Eiknarf was in the ‘dump’ position. I turned around and headed in.

My eggs were ready and waiting in the microwave. I hurried through my breakfast then checked in on work. Near 805am I went to make preparations to walk to the bus stop with Bella. I turned around and noticed Jacob sitting at the breakfast table eating yogurt, groomed and ready to leave for school. I asked his intentions. Said he was going to school. Great! Said he felt fine. He headed out to the bus stop with Bella while I struggled to leash up Eiknarf so we could meet them out there. Sure enough, Jacob boarded the bus for school.

Already logged onto work from home and still in my running clothes, I opted to go ahead and work from home as planned. It didn’t seem to make much sense to scramble and change plans. I dug into work from home and stayed busy all morning long. I was asked to recheck some numbers on that quarterly report I completed on Monday and ended up spending the entire morning redoing it.

Sometime mid-morning and just after a work related call, Darwin stopped by to chat and drop off an anniversary card. Cool. Thanks Darwin! Said he’d stop by later with a check to cover his portion of the Oregon ski trip.

I took lunch around 1pm. Over the next hour I replaced the dimmer switch feeding the kitchen spots and then printed five black & white winter ski photos to go in the picture frames I bought for Mindy as an anniversary gift. I took a few minutes to load the pictures into the frames as well then put them in a gift bag. I felt a large weight lifted from my shoulders after getting that task taken care of.

I had two conference call meetings I needed to join. They were essentially back to back. One at 230pm, the other at 330p. The second call lasted until 430p. By then, Mindy and the kids were home from school. I had to ask that they stay quiet so not to disrupt the call. Once the call ended, I greeted the family, but kept working until just after 5pm. Once done, I then presented Mindy with her card and gift.

We planned on doing to dinner at Milestone 229 down along the river. We’d be taking the kids too. They didn’t’ seem too excited at all. Bella went as far as citing a not so pleasant smell she remembered coming from a visit to the adjacent fountain park last summer. Mindy assured her that the restaurant was nice and that she’d like it. We planned to leave the house at 6pm.

Jacob emerged groomed about as nicely as I’ve ever seen him pull off on his own. OK, where’s the real Jacob? As planned, we were all ready to go just before 6pm so we headed out in the Accord. Traffic was a little heavy as we neared the

Front St

exit off 70E but it wasn’t too big a deal.

We turned east on Main St and parked at a meter along the fountain park's southend. There was only one other car along the entire expanse. Mindy & Jacob headed immediately to the restaurant while Bella and I walked towards the river to check out the newest bridge still under construction. I snapped a couple photos before she and I headed in. By then, Mindy and Jacob already had a table picked out. Having eaten there three or four times prior, this would be the first time sitting in the main dining area.

Our servers name was Rusty. We recognized one of the managers from CBC working there too. We couldn't recall her name, so Mindy asked Rusty. Her name is Danielle. Mindy ordered two pretzel breads as an appetizer. Through appetizers, Jacob picked on Bella incessantly, pointing out all sorts of faults while overlooking his own. We placed our food order after enjoying the pretzel bread. Mindy ordered the scallops, me the special (Mahi-mahi). Jacob ordered the Three Little Pigs, and Bella ordered a cheeseburger with pickles. I drank a CBC IPA while Mindy went with a glass of wine.

The food was really good and the service excellent. Rusty offered to comp us one dessert. We ordered two, the chocolate cake and banana pudding. However, when he brought them, he shared that Danielle insisted they comp both in recognition of our anniversary. That was nice.

It had to be near 730pm by the time we finished and left for home. Looked like it rained while we dined. The once barren row of parking meters was now all but full. I guess we beat the dinner rush. We headed west crossing over the new bridge into the bottoms. We took West Broad St all the way to the 70W entrance ramp then home.

Everybody got changed into pajamas as soon as we were home. Mindy and the kids tuned into American Idol. I watched some but not all. I ended up falling asleep with my head in Mindy's lap while she stretched her leg out across the sofa. I woke for bed around 10pm heading up with all the others.

A Sunny Wednesday

I was up about ten minutes late again, but that was more about being lazy than about the need for more sleep. I started calisthenics somewhere near 545am and it took me until 555am to finish. I didn’t sit down in front of my PC until almost 6am.

Jacob came to us in the middle of the night sharing that his stomach was upset and wanting Tagament. Mindy upped and fetched it for him. Not an hour later he came in again to let us know that he threw up. Mindy already had the day scheduled off so she could take Bella to an appointment in the AM, so Jacob being ill wasn't the wrench it could've been. I could hear him upstairs still moaning and groaning all the while I did my meditation and stretch routine from the family room near 630am. I knew then that he wouldn’t be going to school.

That in mind, I didn’t bother walking Mindy until just before I headed out the door on my run. That ended up being around 640am. It was 37 degrees under partly cloudy skies. A pretty nice late winter morning, really. The day’s high was forecasted to be in the upper 50s with scattered clouds and sunshine. Spring is definitely in the air early. Before running off, I checked our trash can resting at the curb. It was already emptied. I ran the full 4.1 miles without incident. It was nice run. I passed the older gentleman out walking without his wife. They’re often out there together speed walking regardless of the elements. They both look to be in their 80’s.

Mindy asked about making my breakfast when I woke her just ahead of my run. I shared that she needn't worry about it. I planned to make it myself. To that end, I decided to make a cheese omelet. It was delicious.

Headed up for a shower around 750am and was ready by 810am. And since I didn’t need to see either kid onto the bus, I was ahead of schedule. I went ahead and walked Eiknarf who was now up and ready to go out. Took care of that along with a few prep items just before leaving the house for New Albany.

It was already shaping up to be a lovely Wednesday. Perhaps the tide has finally turned. It was sunny and warming up quickly. I took 670 east and didn’t encounter any traffic problems. Arrived near 855am and was in my office by 9am.

As 10am neared I was surprised not to see a hot topics list for our 10am call. I walked over to see the manager who typically sends the list but stopped by Max Shultz’ desk along the way. He & I talked for a couple minutes. Sister Jamie is due any day. Said his mom, Lisa is dying to hold her new grand baby. Made my way over to see the manager. She was surprised to see me. Said she thought I was on vacation all week, which is why she didn’t send me the hot issues list. Said it was already taken care of. Cool! I explained that I was on vacation two weeks ago.

It was setting up to be a quiet day working remote. And that I was most thankful for. I planned to take a lunch and head to Lowes at Easton. I left the campus just after 1pm. Just down the road, I was there in a few short minutes. I picked up a few CFL spot lights and a CFL dimmer switch to replace a standard dimmer. I made another quick stop too. However, can’t recall where right now. Getting old?

Was back at the campus just after 2pm. The first thing I did was retrieve and eat my packed lunch. By then I was really hungry. Mindy called mid afternoon to share how Bella's appointment went. Said she had just dropped Bella at school and planned to spend the afternoon at home catching up on some mounting to-dos. She left Jacob home alone ill, but called him a couple times to check on him. Said he was doing a lot of sleeping. She asked if I still planned to try and get home early so we could have a normal dinner before our rather hectic evening, which included a meeting with Bella’s teacher, then dropping Bella at gymnastics, and then an informational meeting at the 6^th grade school in preparation for next year. Lastly, we planned to pick Bella up from gymnastics on our way back home.

Things were still fairly quiet so I figured to be leaving at a decent time. Ideally, Mindy wanted to be eating by 530pm. Come 430pm I felt well enough on top of things that I departed for home. I planned to take 670 unless, of course, I encountered an obvious traffic snarl near the on ramp. It was warm – about 58 degrees. But sadly, the sunshine around earlier had finally given way to clouds. I made great time heading home with just one minor slow down near where 670 merges into 70W. Was still home before 5pm.

While Mindy was in the kitchen dealing with dinner (pork chops), I got started on the three surveys I was asked to complete regarding Bella behavior patterns. There must’ve been about a 100 questions on each. The format was simple. (I.E.- Has difficulty making friends. Always, Often, Sometimes, or Never). I completed 1.5 before dinner was ready.

By the way, Mindy shared that Jacob was sound asleep in bed. It was just the three of us for dinner. The pork was extra yummy and was served with mashed potatoes, a garden salad and rolls. Mindy had to bark at Bella to get her to eat. Bella will often play with her food but eat next to nothing.

While I managed the rather simple clean-up, Mindy sent Bella to ready for gymnastics. Once again, we were leaving Jacob home alone. He woke just before we left. Mindy and I briefly discussed who would stay home if he were ill again Thursday. Said I would do it if necessary. We left the house at 610pm and arrived at Bella’s school a few minutes early. We hung out in the hall checking out the class projects hanging on the wall. There were another set of parents in Mrs. Anderson’s class room at the time. We waited patiently.

She was ready for us by 630pm. Mrs. Anderson has a student teacher with her for the rest of the school year. Her name is Mrs. Anthony. She is really cute, pregnant, and doesn’t look a day over 17. Yikes! The conference was very informal. Mrs. Anderson and Mindy talk all the time. We reviewed a number of Bella’s assignments and talked about some of her strengths and weaknesses all the while Bella played on the Apple PC in the back of the classroom.

The meeting was no longer than 15 minutes. Not only were other parents waiting to meet with Mrs. Anderson, but we needed to have Bella at gymnastics by 7pm. No real surprises. We walked out at 645pm while the net couple stood just outside the classroom door waiting. As we turned the corner, Bella pointed out that that was Gabby (Jacob’s girlfriend) and her parents. I suggested that we go back and introduce ourselves.  Mindy didn’t want to, and Bella was mortified at the very suggestion. J Since we were on a hard fixed schedule, I acquiesced. 

We took Leap to Walcutt to Roberts and dropped Bella right at 7pm. Perfect timing! Mindy told her that we might be a few minutes late getting back there to pick her up, but not to worry. We'd definitely be there before the class ends at 9pm. We took the same path back into Hilliard just a little further north to the 6^th grade school. I think we were both surprised that they had assisted parking much like they do at Disney World. They guided us into a particular spot. We were ten minutes early for the 730p session.

Just inside the school we were greeted by a young woman who teased Mindy about her leg brace. Turned out being the principal. Said she tore her own knee up falling with her baby and had to wear a similar brace. It would be the principal and the 6^th grade guidance counselor emceeing the orientation. Hilliard is unique in that they have the 6^th grade-only school with the idea being to transition the children from an elementary environment to a middle school environment gracefully. According to the principal, it works very, very well.

The crux of the meeting was to orient us to the school hours and how the curriculum works. First bell rings at 725a and they’re dismissed at 215p – the earliest school in the district. Each kid must take 6 units, including math, science, language arts, and social studies, which each count as one unit. In addition, they can choose to take band or orchestra as one additional unit, which leaves one unit for electives. The electives are 1/3 unit courses that go for something like 12 weeks each and include gym, technology, music, etc. – six in total to choose from. Mindy said Jacob already indicated that he wouldn’t be taking band or orchestra. Wanted to know if her could take gym 3 times to garner a full unit.

We listened to the full presentation. Sounds like the guidance counselor has done this a time or two. We quickly had our answer without having to ask. No. One can only take an elective during one trimester. If a student opts not to take band or orchestra, they’ll need to take all six electives. I suggested that we all but force Jacob to try band or orchestra as our parental duty.

The presentation piece was over in 15 minutes. The question and answer session went on for almost 30 minutes. The biggest area of concern was the pre-algebra placement and the language/math development classes. The school picks the kids that will be placed into pre-algebra based on MAP scores. And according to the numbers, only 15 of the 600+ kids entering the Hilliard 6^th grade school next year meet the lofty qualifications. Mindy was eager to know if Jacob was one of the 15. I doubted it based on his routine struggles with mathematics. It seems to be his most challenging subject.

The deal finally ended near 815pm. We were quickly on the road to fetch Bella. I think it’s fair to say both Mindy & I were grateful to be nearing the end of our busy day. I suggested Mindy wait in the car while I went in after Bella. That way she wouldn’t have to deal with her bum leg. They were doing stretches and interval training and wanted Bella to see the cycle through to its end. OK. We were there until 835pm.

Alas, we were on our way home arriving near 845pm. Mindy sent Bella for a shower while she relaxed in the familyroom watching American Idol. I didn’t watch much of it at all. Instead, I played on the PC. Jacob was up but professed feeling tired. I suggested that we wait until morning to determine whether he went to school or stayed home. Mindy seemed adamant about having him stay home.

Idol was over at 10pm, I believe. We all headed to bed at the same time. Eiknarf was sleeping with Bella. I had to find her a toy to chew.

White Pink Eye ... Beware!

I slept well waking sometime just after 5am. However, still not feeling fully rested, I played a game of cat & mouse with the clock in an attempt to garner every possible minute of sleep that I could. By the time I was up for good and downstairs in the kitchen it was 542am.

I glanced out back at the weather seeing nothing but cloudy skies. I slipped into my exercise shoes then headed to the livingroom to take care of sit-ups. It was a non-push-up day, so I filled the gap with 15lb dumbbell curls, 20 each arm. My plan is to reintroduce arm curls into my exercise regiment on non-push-up days. However, I’ll be much wiser this go round avoiding over doing it. There’s a fine line between looking fit and feeling good. I want both. One without the other is unacceptable.

I poured some coffee then settled down in front of my PC just after 550am. There I played around for the next 20 minutes or so. A check of the weather revealed that it was right at freezing, or 32 degrees. Expecting rain and gusting wind later in the day. At the time it was dry.

I didn’t start meditation until 610am. I’m feeling a little disappointed in myself for getting started so late the past few weeks. I’ve got to work on getting away from the PC by 6am. And it’s only going to get harder once March 12^th comes around after we spring forward an hour. That’s just 2.5 weeks away. The last 4 months have sure gone fast!

I ended meditation at 620am so I could wake Mindy and deliver her coffee. She said she felt better than the morning prior. Me too. She asked me to turn up the heat as well. After turning up the heat a notch or two I completed a stretch routine. As usual, it felt terrific. It was 630am by the time I wrapped up the stretching and quickly changed into my running clothes. I headed out the door just ahead of 640am wearing full winter garb.

I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. I noticed a couple trash cans at the curb but quickly determined that those that did likely had forgotten about the P.D. holiday. Our trash day should now be Wednesday, and unless I’m mistaken will remain that way through Memorial Day.

I felt a few spits of rain as I headed down the home stretch, but it wasn’t even enough to dot the walks or streets. Mindy had her keys on the stand by the door. I started the Pilot while she retrieved the pug. Eiknarf and I headed out as soon as the Pilot was started. She took her time taking care of business. It required patience on my behalf. Waiting, waiting, waiting. It was close to 730am by the time we were back at home. My breakfast was waiting it the microwave. Mindy was just on her way out the door.

I encouraged Bella to have some breakfast but she didn’t know what she wanted. I don’t think she ate anything. I had her fill Eiknarf’s bowl with dog chow before giving her eggs. Bella heaped the food into her bowl. I skimmed off about 2/3s of it and placed it in a paper bowl on the counter for later. Off to the shower by 740am.

Was downstairs and all but ready to go by 8am. By then it was raining, and pretty hard, too. While I put the finishing touches on my lunch, I told the kids we’d be waiting for the bus from the garage. I helped Jacob get his catapult to the garage. It must weight about 30 lbs. When I turned around I noticed Bella giving me that sheepish -  I just did something wrong -  look and her hands were tucked up under the sofa throw. When I glanced at her feet they were bare. When I asked what she was doing she said looking for somewhere to stash her socks. She had them stashed in between the folds of the throw. Why? She planned to wear her UGGs which are said to be best worn without socks. I wasn’t pleased with her sneaky-like intent or her laggardness. It was already 811am. I hurried her along.

Kenny was walking up the drive with his girls under an umbrella. They overheard me giving Bella the dickens. If that wasn’t enough, perhaps her getting the Razor out to presumably ride around in the garage was. I snapped at her again insisting she put it away. Jacob took his catapult out to the bus stop even in the rain. Didn’t want to have to hurry with it. Not only is it heavy, but it’s awkward to carry as well.

The bus was more than five minutes late. I didn’t really mind. Kenny & I wondered if Mrs. Vanorder would even allow Jacob to board the bus with the catapult. She seemed to recognize it for what it was right off and shared that her son made one too. Still has it in her attic. She watched as Jacob struggled to carry it through the aisle. He declined my help.

Kenny shared that he and Mike O. have been talking about a mid-week ski trip with the kids. Didn’t have specifics on the venue or dates. I shared that Mindy gave me the blessing to go one more time for 3 or 4 days, but I was thinking adult only.

I quickly took care of a few last minute items at home. Off to work. Arrived at the office near 845am. Was settled in just ahead of 9am. I took care of several miscellaneous to-dos during the business day and even took a formal lunch break so I could run to Target. There, I picked up a few things I needed, including gum and eye drops. I wasn’t gone from the office for more than 30-40 minutes. Was back by 2pm.

The afternoon moved swiftly. Mindy sent a text around 2 or 3pm asking if I could pick-up Bella from school. They apparently called stating that she might have pink eye. I was tied up in a meeting and couldn’t immediately respond or get away. I talked with her around 4 pm and learned that Jimaken went after her. And by the time he got to her school, her eyes were fine, white as can be. Please! Mindy also shared that she was heading to Beacon to pick-up Jacob from catapult practice and then taking him to his dad’s.

This was Tuesday, our regular date night. We didn’t plan to do dinner out since we ate out last Thursday, Friday, and then had pizza Sunday. We also plan to have dinner out on Thursday celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary.  The kids will be joining us.

I left for home around 520pm. Instead of calling Mindy, I called my mom, who I hadn’t talked to since two Saturday’s prior from Oregon. She sounded good. Said she was reading the documentation that came with her mail order prescriptions. Detailed everything she’s taking – blood pressure meds, Ibuprofen, nerve meds.  Said her knee still hurts and the doctor recently recommended more physical therapy. No surprise there, and probably the best advice yet. She asked about the kids and then why we didn’t invite Charles on our ski trips. It’s my understanding that he can’t ski anymore due to his wrists/hands. We talked until I pulled in the drive at home.

Mindy was in the kitchen in her brand new tight pink/red jeans tidying up, it appeared. We chatted briefly about her day. Sounded like too much going on. She also shared that Bella looked completely normal when she dropped Jacob at his dad’s. She’d be off work on Wednesday to take Bella to see the specialist evaluating her for any potential learning disability. We agreed to each make our own dinner from the many leftovers lurking in the fridge (roast beef, pizza, and chili). Mindy made a chili burrito while I warmed the leftover roast beef and mashed potatoes. Yum-yum.

After dinner I took a brief nap on the sofa. I heard Mindy head out with Eiknarf at some point. By the time they got back I was up. I slept for no more than 15 minutes. Felt great! I spent the next hour or so on my PC, both writing in my blog and then searching for a couple new books via Amazon.com. I’ve gotten away from evening reading, which is an activity that has always served me well.

Mindy joined me in the livingroom while I played on the PC and asked for my undivided attention. That time was short. The kids were home within the next 10 minutes. Jacob quickly realized that he’d misplaced his book bag and couldn’t do his homework. He searched high and low, including looking in his mom’s car. Nope. Good bet he left it at school while working on the catapult.

Mindy shared that our Thursday evening was going to be hectic. Said we needed to be at Bella’s teacher conference at 630pm then have Bella at gymnastics by 7pm. If that wasn’t enough, we’d then be heading  to Jacob’s 6^th grade orientation. (He’ll be attending the 6^th grade school next year). Sounds tortuous!  We watched a little TV – namely the Buckeyes basketball game against Illinois. We joined in the 2^nd half. The Buckeyes were already ahead by 20 points when we joined. Still hard to watch. They don’t have the same killer instinct they showed early in the season. They still won by something like 16 points.

Just after 930pm I declared that I was heading to bed. I was tired and another good night of sleep sounded awfully good. I headed to bed in front of everybody else. Rare! I turned on the TV to the History Channel. Can’t recall what was on. I only wanted to use it as a pseudo binky.