Spot Free Car Wash Never Lasts

I wasn’t up and out of bed until 815am. I thought I might wake with a headache but that wasn’t to be. Felt fine. The sun was up but guarded by random clouds. There were even a few scattered sprinkles. I started a pot of coffee then checked in with work and played on the internet. 

Decided to head out on my run at 930am. By then the sky was starting to clear. It was a lovely spring run with temps near 60 degrees. I was home near 10am. I heard Mindy stirring around upstairs. I poured her a cup of coffee and had it waiting when she joined me downstairs. After a couple minutes we took Eiknarf on a morning walk going quite a bit further and longer than we usually do. As we approached home, we ran into Connie (Darwin’s wife) out doing her morning walk. We chatted briefly. She, Darwin and Jordan spent a few days in New York city the week prior. Sounds like Jordan has some modeling opportunities. 

At some point Mindy talked with Chrissy learning some very sad news. One of the groom’s best friends who was at the wedding Saturday passed away overnight in the hotel. He was 31 years old and leaves behind 3 small kids along with a wife. His passing was a shock to all, and an obvious heart break for Josh on what is supposed to be a very special memory. 

We were expecting the kids home before noon. Mindy worked on a grocery list but because the weather was so lovely she decided, temporarily anyway, to set grocery shopping aside so she could instead enjoy the spring day. I headed out to power wash the front porch and walkway, something I typically wouldn’t get to until June, if at all. I checked in with work once again finding everything quiet.

I wheeled the power washer out front then drug the hose around. I couldn’t get the spray nozzle loose from the hose. I ended up cutting it off and replacing the male end. Good thing I keep a supply of those around. Took a while, but I finally got the power washer started. I spent the next two hours power washing the porch, walk and both of our cars. The porch was coated with algae or green slime for getting so little sunlight. I don’t think I power washed last year, so there was two years worth of build up.

The kids got home while I was power washing. I asked that they enter through the garage. Lindsey and the boys came over to do laundry too. I asked the same of them. I had Mindy fill a bucket with Dawn and warm water so I could wash the cars. I washed her Pilot first. We hadn’t given it a bath since last summer. I washed the Accord before using he shami since they were right next to one another. I kept the Pilot wet while washing the Accord so it wouldn’t spot. 

Landon wanted to fish. I encouraged as much but insisted Lindsey help him in between loads of laundry. I was a little irritated that I had to ask. She could see that I was busy with chores. Mindy helped get Landon’s fishing pole set-up. Somehow or another the line was snagged inside the reel.

I spent another 30 minutes detailing both the Pilot and Accord. After getting both cars cleaned up, I got the bikes down from the garage ceiling and put air in all the tires. Lindsey and boys left around 130pm to attend Rocky’s confirmation, an important rite of passage for Catholics (first confession). Said she’d be back afterwards to finish up her laundry. Next on my agenda was spraying the many weeds sprouting in our flower beds with Round-Up.

Mindy decided to head to grocery store after all.  I’m thinking it was around 3pm. While she was away, Jacob was off playing with friends while Bella was giving bike riding another go round. Both Mindy & Emily were giving her some pointers. After tiring of trying the bike, all the girls switched to scooters. However, Bella eventually came moping back home sad because her friends were scootering faster than her. She was feeling sorry for herself and went in the house. 

Before I wrapped up outside she came to Jacob’s bedroom window to ask if I would take her to the park. Yep! Let’s go. I insisted she hurry before Lindsey and the boys got back. All three neighbor girls came a calling about the same time. Bella invited them to join us but only after asking their mom’s. I suggested we head down by Chrissy’s while they asked. I decided to take Eiknarf along too. And just as we were walking away, Mindy returned from the grocery store. Bella gave her the low down on our plan. Said she’d likely join us on her bike after putting groceries away. All the girls got a thumbs up from their parents and joined us. The girls rode their scooters while Eiknarf and I walked. Obviously they were much faster than the two of us but waited at every street crossing.

The girls played at the park for at least 30 minutes, probably longer. While there, a scary storm was brewing just to our north while remaining mostly sunny directly overhead. It wasn’t moving away from us very fast at all, and even seemed to be expanding in size. We figured it wise to bag the park and head back home.

Mindy was in the kitchen and busy starting dinner. Her original plan was to grill chicken but with the threat of storms she opted instead for the grill pan and stove. The storm just to our north continued to grow, and soon there were sirens warning of an approaching thunderstorm. The kids, especially Rocky, were freaking out. We tuned the TV to the news where the weather prognosticators were busy sensationalizing the storms intensity. Just to our north in Hilliard and Dublin there were reports of golf ball sized hail, heavy winds and rain. Next to come was a tornado warning, which used to mean one was cited, but not any longer. Now all that means is that conditions are ripe for one.  

The southern edge of the storm eventually crept down towards us. In kind, we got brief heavy rain and widely scattered pea-sized hail. It didn’t last any more than 10 minutes. I had to laugh because once again, I washed my car and didn’t get to drive it spot free.  

The passing storm shook Rocky to his core despite everyone consoling him. His overt anxiousness was grating my nerves. Thankfully, once it cleared overhead, Lindsey and the boys headed home. I failed to mention that the neighbors joined us for dinner, too. They headed home around 7pm. It was nice to have a quiet house again. Once the storm passed and darkness set in, the sky cleared making for a muggy spring evening.  

I spent the remaining hours playing on the computer and then took a brief nap on the livingroom floor. We headed to bed at pretty much the same time with Mindy wanting some snuggle time. When she rolled over to fall asleep, I got up from bed and headed downstairs to do a little reading. I read for about 30 minutes before getting really sleepy. I’m thinking it was 11pm when I headed up to bed for the second time.