Fermenting Cantaloupe

I wasn’t out of bed until 540am, pretty much continuing my latest streak of sleeping well past 530a. I had the coffee prepped but had to hit the go button. I glanced out back to clear skies. After exercise I was at the PC reading headlines and the weather forecast. Should be really nice for the next several days with highs in the 70s and 80s with oodles of sunshine. And no crappy weather in the ten day forecast.

It was almost 615am by the time I left the PC and headed to the family room for meditation. At the outset I wasn’t in the best frame of mind, several work related matters were dominating my thinking. And on this particular day, I didn’t do a good job letting go. It was more like going through the motions but never really accomplishing anything. I accept that there will be days like that. I just need to make sure that it’s the exception, not the rule.

Woke Mindy ahead of a stretch. I turned off the ceiling fan entering the room. Back downstairs to stretch and prep for a run. Got out the door near 635am, or just after I heard the trash truck pull up and empty our garbage. It was in the mid 50s, so I wore my fleece over a light wicking shirt. I was comfortable. It was a gorgeous morning. As I ran back toward the east the sun was rising seemingly over the center of our street, a sure sign that summer is near. I ran the full 4.1 miles rather easily.

Back at the house Mindy shared that Jacob was staying home again with a fever and headache. I walked Eiknarf dodging several piles of goose poop all along the sidewalk for a stretch of about 5 houses. What an unsightly mess. This was potluck for Mindy. She had 6lbs of taco meat cooked and ready to take to school. She was also taking two trays of Pillsbury brownies from Sam’s Club. I cut myself one the night before after she went to bed. I was hopeful that she wouldn’t mind. Didn’t seem bothered by it. 

I complained about the fermenting cantaloupe. Mindy realized it too and said she may not buy it anymore. Seems they’re bad about half the time these days. She was soon off to work and me off to the shower. I dressed comfortably in black Dockers and a pink Polo. I looked good.

Bella and I headed to the bus stop at 808am. Again, Jacob wasn’t going to school. The bus was late by 5 or more minutes. Mrs. Vanorder said traffic was a mess. It was near 820am when I got back to the house and started the dishwasher before leaving. I already had my laptop, mouse, and power cord packed up for the go. Had my lunch together too. Left the house around 835am destined for new Albany. It was an easy drive through downtown and east then north. No traffic problems at all. I was going at least 55mph in the 45 mph construction zone in the heart of downtown when I happened upon a police cruiser tucked off to the side. I worried that I might get a ticket. He didn’t flinch. Lucky me!

I arrived near 9am and enjoyed a leisurely walk into the facility. Our regular 10am meeting was moved back to 1030am. Not a problem. There were no urgent pressing matters to discuss, but there were a couple concerns to work through. I was worried all morning how one of those might unfold. But as it turned out, it went far better than I expected. That was good news.

During the call my boss was pinging wanting me to join yet another call with one of my new customer account teams. I joined that call already in progress once my call was done. As usual, lots of asks from the account team for the customer. I decided that call wasn’t the place to disagree or debate. I mainly just listened.

I had a rare headache plaguing me since mid-morning. I took three Advil that I kept stashed in my backpack. The Advil took the sharp edge off but fully addressed the dull stress-related headache. Near1230pm I left for lunch driving first to Lowes at Easton where I planned to pick-up some herbs and an inexpensive planter for Mindy as well as the proper nails and caulk to complete the cedar siding job. I couldn’t find a long plastic horizontal planter like I envisioned, or the stainless steel nails I wanted for the cedar siding. I figured I’d look for both at the Home Depot. I did buy caulk and a plant stand for the front porch. Mindy expressed a desire for that too.

Gone only about 30 minutes, I decided that I had plenty of time to head up the road a ways to the Home Depot. Home Depot didn’t have stainless steel nails either. I caved and bought galvanized. I’ll bet they sell them at The Anderson’s. By the time I got back to the office it was 130pm. I had another conference call scheduled for 4pm. Ahead of that call, I took care of several nagging to-dos.

Joined the 4pm call. It lasted about 30 minutes. I handled an escalated issue after the call then packed up for home. Left the office around 450pm. I phoned Mindy once on 270. She shared that she was taking Jacob in to see Dr Craig. Planned to ask Kenny to keep an eye on Bella until I got home. She called me again as I sat in heavy traffic out front of my office building on 270 in Hilliard. She wanted to tell me that Bella was playing with Evan & Emily and that her and Jacob were on their way to Craig’s. Told me what Bella wanted for dinner – her Barley leftovers from the evening before. That sounded good. I planned to have mine too.

As soon as I was home and had taken care of unloading my pack I walked down to the O’Connell’s to find Bella. I shared that I was going to reheat her Barley leftovers and to plan to be home in 15 minutes. She asked if she could skip dinner. No -15 minutes. I headed back home and put our leftovers on the pizza stone then prepped Thursday coffee. It was nearing 6pm by the time our leftovers were properly warmed. I whistled and hollered for Bella more than once. She came home for dinner five minutes later.

Mindy & Jacob got home while we were eating. Jacob wasn’t long for the downstairs, apparently still feeling poorly he asked his mom for a Gatorade then headed for his room and bed. Mindy shared that Dr Craig thinks he has a virus and suggested she keep him home for the rest of the school week. And if he’s not better by the weekend, he asked that she bring him back on Monday for blood work, not ruling out something like mono. Yikes!

After dinner Bella headed upstairs to ready for gymnastics. Mindy planned on running an errand or two while out. Can’t recall where she planned to go. I cut myself a square of brownies, leftovers from Mindy’s potluck. Yummy! About the same time that Mindy & Bella left, I headed upstairs to change into my PJs. Felt good to get out of my work clothes. Downstairs, I went to the family room chair with my book. I read and napped for more than an hour. I heard Mindy come back home sometime after 8pm. I remained half asleep despite her making all sorts of noise putting stuff away and then starting some laundry.

A few minutes later she headed off to pick-up Bella, a job typically reserved for me. I’m glad she took the chore though. I was completely zonked and zapped of any energy. I woke and continued reading a couple minutes after she left and continued doing so until their return when they turned on the TV to watch American Idol already more than 30 minutes into the program. I briefly toyed with the idea of heading in the other room to continue reading but opted to watch with the family instead. Mindy dispatched Bella to the shower at some point, and Mindy headed for bed well before Idol was over citing the need for sleep for being overtly tired. I, on the other hand, got my second wind. Bella and I watched the rest of Idol. On her own accord, she headed up to bed immediately after Idol. I stayed up for another 20-30 minutes but half falling asleep. As usual, I delivered the pug to bed room before retiring to my own. She was in bed but busy playing with her make-up, though none of it opened. Good thing, too. We have clear rules about that.