14 hour Conference Call with Family

Woke at 625am feeling rested enough to get on with my morning without feeling cheated out of sleep. Now given my druthers, I would’ve stayed in bed another hour or so. I needed to be on the conference call near 730am so I has little time to make and enjoy coffee then complete my three mile run.

After starting coffee I played on the internet until it was ready. Gulped down some coffee then dressed for a run around 650am. I was out the door right at 7am. It was chilly and gray, not a pretty morning by any stretch.

I ran the three miles and was back at the house right around 730am. During my run I became a tad panicked when I realized that I no longer could remember my access code to the security doors at the office. Using the main entrance as I have for the past year, I haven’t had to use it. My original plan to head into the office for the call after the family woke was probably not going to happen. I took my time getting out of my gear, topping off my coffee, then joining the conference call. Already the customer was calling my blackberry wondering where I was. Geesh, give me a break! I ended up calling the fella back to let him know I was joining. It was 735am when I joined the call.

Sounded a bit chaotic. For one, there were too many people talking all at once. My job was relatively simple – just listen until when and if needed. I was using the Bluetooth head set so only I could hear the conference. That way it wouldn’t distract others in the house. Mindy got up around 830 or 9am. She quietly started making breakfast for Jacob and his three guests. She baked some bacon and made homemade waffles.

Around 10am she asked when I planned to run. Told her that I already had. Jacob and his buddies slept in until almost 10am. Said they stayed up until 3am watching TV and talking. I kept listening in on the call for the rest of the morning. If all went well it would end before 4pm. Another 10 or 11 boys were set to arrive around 1pm for Jacob’s birthday party. Not counting against that total were Rocky & Landon who Mindy invited to come too. I headed up to our bedroom for the next hour or two where I could hear the call so much easier.

With little to do other than listen, I did some reading and eventually some napping. I took a shower around 12noon all the while the conference call whirled in the background. I headed downstairs around 1230pm to help with the party in any small way that I could. Jimaken was over to help, which was nice.

Sure enough, Jacob’s friends began to arrive one by one until they were all accounted for. They all headed out back for the tree house to play. Too bad the weather was so pathetic. It was cloudy, breezy and cool – only 43 degrees at 1pm. For the seven years we’ve celebrated Jacob’s b-day together, I don’t think we’ve had super weather once. I was certain that this year’s was going to be the one with sunshine and 80s, but that wasn’t to be.

Once things were under control I headed back upstairs for some quiet where I could more easily listen in on the conference call. I stayed up stairs through the pizza but rejoined Mindy to get a few photos of the cake and presents. Time moved fast. Mindy asked most parents to be there to pick up their kids around 3pm. Mindy’s family was coming over at 4pm for party #2.

I helped Mindy tidy up the house after all the boys were gone, including rocky & Landon. Lindsey asked if they could stay longer so she could clean the apartment but Mindy said no. As 4pm neared it was pretty clear to me that the call wasn’t going to end anytime soon. There were a few issues that the customer needed to address. Just the same, I needed to remain on the call just in case we were needed.

I was available and downstairs when family arrived, and I think I greeted everyone. I ducked out numerous times to rejoin the call making sure I wasn’t missing anything or that they didn’t need me. Mindy ordered more pizza and subs, only this time not from Poppa John’s, but instead, Sporano’s. Before the pizza arrived I headed back upstairs for some quiet so I could listen in on the call as required. I did that a couple more times through the day’s 2nd birthday celebration. Like earlier, I was downstairs for the cake ceremony.

Family members began departing around 7pm, some maybe a bit earlier. I’d almost forgotten that Lindy planned to cut Jacob and my hair after the party. Next trip downstairs, Jacob was already having his hair cut. It ended up, all four of us had our hair trimmed or cut. Mindy & Bella both got a trim. I went last. Aside from Lindy, Joe was the only remaining family member. I paid for all of the haircuts. Afterwards I helped Mindy with party clean-up, though it wasn’t that bad.

Lindy left for home around 830pm. Joe hung out another hour or so. I stayed on the conference call until just before 930pm when I begged off for the night, but shared they could reach me reactively if necessary. They were agreeable to those conditions.

Jacob liked the airsoft rifle one of his school mates brought to the party. I took note of the name and model and found one online. Jacob opted to buy one with the pile of birthday money he received. Actually, I ordered it and then he paid me. He shared that the brakes on his new bike came off again. That’s the third time. We’re taking it back. Not going to take our chances with that happening. That results of that could be catastrophic.

It must’ve been around 940pm when Joe left for home. Soon after he left we all prepared for bed. Mindy said she was exhausted, and despite a few cat naps earlier in the day, I was really tired too. I did some reading from bed then headed in to tuck in Bella after she made the late request. Mindy reminded me that a day will come when she won’t want tucked in anymore. True that. I temporarily set the book aside and headed in to do the deed. Once back in bed, I read a few more pages before turning off the light.