Spooning with Family

I woke around 445am and was happy to see that I had another 45 minutes of sleep time ahead. It seemed like I closed my eyes and opened them again, only to realize that it was time to get up. It was 535am in a hurry. I pulled myself from bed, once again feeling more like it was 2am rather than 530am. I brushed my teeth and grabbed my running clothes from the hooks inside the closet door then headed downstairs.

The coffee smelt great, and was only 50 sit-ups from being realized. I couldn’t wait! After sit-ups I happily poured a cup of coffee then headed to my PC. Before any surfing, I checked the status of Jacob’s iTouch we had soaking in a Ziploc baggie full of rice. It went on the fritz while we were gone. Said he took it skiing and when he pulled it out of his pocket it no longer worked. A buddy of his at school showed him how to do the reset but it was still acting funny after that. Can’t play music or access the internet. Back in the bag of rice.

I fooled around online until 610am or so when I broke free to meditate. That went really well. Delivered Mindy's coffee next. We both commiserated over our sleepiness. She asked about the heat. Foreseeing her request, I already had it cranked up.  

Back downstairs for stretching, which felt terrific. By then I was feeling more alive and ready for my run. I dressed happily and headed out the door near 640am. I was donning full winter attire minus earmuffs, but only because I forgot them. I was fine and ran the full 4.1 miles comfortably despite a steady but light rain. It was wet enough that my running clothes were wet through and through. I stayed in them, however, through my walk with Eiknarf, which went pretty quick. As soon as we were home I stripped out of my wet stuff and reverted to PJs. I would've tossed them in the dryer but there was a load already in there. That's rare. Instead, I hung them over a kitchen chair.

Mindy soon left for school advising all of us that this was a normal day, no appointments.

I enjoyed my eggs then headed up for a shower. Bella was already groomed and filled Eiknarf's bowl without being asked, which is something I reminded her to start doing just the day before. Her follow through wasn't lost on me.

I was out of the shower and downstairs throwing together my lunch by 8am. Because it was raining, we opted to wait for the bus from our garage. Kenny and the girls joined us. First time seeing Kenny since before out trip. Been two weeks. We chatted about Mindy's knee and about them having their carpets cleaned later in the day. Both he and Chrissy were scheduled off Thursday. Lucky them!

The bus arrived on time. Kenny and I chatted for a few more minutes before I needed to bolt for work. Destine for downtown and the Arena district, I took 670east. Just after the 670/70 split traffic in three of the four lanes came to an abrupt halt. The far right hand lane still seemed to be moving. Reluctantly, I moved over that way, still not 100% certain where that lead. I knew there had to be a reason it was moving while the others weren't.

That lane dumped off at 33/315 south while most of the traffic obviously needed to go elsewhere. Lucky for me, the 33 exit would work fine though I typically take 670 all the way to Neil Ave. exit. Initially worried that I might be late, that was all for not.  I made it with a few minutes to spare. I had to park on the seventh floor of the parking garage. My peer with the access badge and meeting room location must've spotted me and called my blackberry just as I was descending the stairs sharing the details.  I waited for him at the entrance.

Good thing I met up with him. Our meeting was on like the 6th floor. I would never have thought it. The meeting was but contentious from jump, but most of the stuff wasn't of particular concern to me. My part was last, and like the others, I was raked over the coals certainly more so than anytime past. I took it in stride. The meeting lasted until almost 945am. I hung out for another 15 minutes with the account manager talking about our ski trips. He and another work peep were at Steamboat while I was at Mt Hood. Said they had a ball.

Walked out around 10am and headed to the 7th floor of the adjacent parking garage. Cost me $5 to park. Headed straight into work after contemplating a brief stop at home. I had no purpose so didn't follow thru.

Because of the customer meeting, I didn't make our weekly team meeting. I felt good to have both customer meeting's behind me. However briefly, I could place my focus elsewhere. I had plenty to do too, especially after being out all of last week. I spent the rest of my day balancing a couple escalations as well as some proactive stuff.  I felt really good about all I accomplished, including getting my new time reporting profile established.

Left for home near 530pm. Called Mindy along the way. Among other things, we shared how one another's day's went. She was busy making dinner but didn't want to share what we were having, though she let me guess wrong a few times. I told her as long as it wasn't a pasta with red sauce I'd be OK with anything.

Arrive home near 545pm. After a quick greeting, I saw our dinner broiling away in the oven. It was baked/broiled chicken quarters, chicken rice and green beans. The chicken skin looked especially brown and crispy, just how Bella and I like it. Made me hungry seeing it. While Mindy put the finishing touches on dinner I headed up to see Bella, who I learned was pouting in her room after withstanding the wrath of her mother for playing outside in the mud in her good tennies. I joked that it was my opportunity to play the good cop role. We chatted briefly. She was OK, but worried that she might be in bigger trouble. I didn't think so. It was just an oversight. Geesh!

It wasn't long before Mindy called us for dinner. I was hungry and flew down the steps. Bella was a bit slower but soon followed.

I cut into my chicken seeing blood run onto my plate. I didn't think much of it even after eating a few bites. The kids, however, complained that their chicken was bloody and not fully cooked. They were right. Apparently Mindy didn't bake it long enough before switching to the broil mode. She gathered up all the chicken quarters and put them back in the oven for another 20 minutes or so. I ate my rice and green beans along with a dinner roll to tie me over. Once my appetite is whetted, it's hard not to want the meat!

Second go around, the chicken was indeed done. It looked delicious, but wasn't nearly as meaty as we hoped. It was good, just not very meaty. Taking Bella's Wednesday night request to heart, I suggested this be family night. Jacob offered that we play Apples to Apples or Chicken & the Egg. Neither sounded good to me. I suggested cards, and someone, I think Bella, suggested spoons. That sounded fun. Haven't played that since the power outage last fall.

Before any of that, I needed to do clean-up. That took about 20 minutes, or until about 645pm.

After the kitchen was back in order we gathered around the table for a game of spoons. We must've played 9 or 10 rounds, long enough for Bella to amass all the letters (not good) and Jacob a few of his own. It was fun, and more importantly it was good family time.

Mindy and the kids were anxious to watch Idol. Me, not so much. While they tuned into Idol, I played around online but only for 30 minutes or so. I eventually caved and joined them after pouring Mindy & I one of the White Rajah's. We split it. This was group performance night on Idol, and they were paring it down to 40 contestants overall. The talent seems to be amazingly better each and every year. Once one starts watching it's hard to walk away.

Mindy asked me to DVR the rest of the show around 840pm advising that it would go until 10pm. I did as she asked, but we ended up watching in its entirety anyways. The whole family headed to bed just after 10pm.