Shearing the Mop Top

I woke around 4am after having some very peculiar dreams. I was wide awake and felt fully rested. I forced myself to go back to sleep anyway. I woke again near 5am realizing that I wasn’t going back to sleep again anytime soon. I quietly slipped out of bed. My waking and brushing my teeth woke Mindy. She asked why I was up. Told her I was wide awake then headed downstairs.

I started a pot of coffee then glanced outside. It was still raining but only lightly. Looked like we’d gotten quite a bit of rain during the overnight. I headed to my PC where I poked around aimlessly until the coffee was ready. During that brief time, I checked the weather. Looked like the rain was all but out of our area, and it was expected to clear throughout the day.

With coffee in hand, I returned to my PC where I searched YouTube for videos about framing a basement. I found a treasure trove of how-to videos. I must’ve watched how-to videos for almost 2 hours ranging from basic framing tips to design ideas. Near 7am I headed to the familyroom and sofa to watch a little TV and possibly a return to sleep. I managed to fall asleep but only for a handful of minutes. I was up again just before 8am, or about the same time that Mindy was up and downstairs.

Not sure her motivation for being up so early. To my knowledge, she had nowhere to be that morning. So for her to be up before 8am should be considered almost miraculous. By then the sky was clearing, though there were as many period of clouds as there were with sunshine. Mindy started laundry right away effectively ending the peaceful early AM. Something about the sound of a washing machine running ruins the peace and quiet. 

I eventually dressed and left for a run and completed my typical 3 mile weekend trail. Back at the house I inspected the flower bed nearest the drive where I sprayed another dose of Round-Up just the day before on yet another young crop of that pesky Canadian thistle. Everybody was up by the time I was back and inside. Jacob had a soccer game at noon that my dad agreed to take him to so that Mindy and I could go to a wedding for one of her former students. We were expecting dad to show up around 11-1130am. Before then, Mindy had Bella actively involved in household chores. She was vacuuming the entire downstairs. Mindy was giving her an earful for poor performance. I felt bad for Bella and tried defending her. Mindy got angry with me, and shared that it wasn’t so much the poor work as it was the back talk that I somehow missed. Yikes!

Jacob, meanwhile, asked if I was still willing to trim his hair. The sides are getting so long and curly that even he thinks it looks goofy. I agreed but also made it clear that I’d never cut anyone’s hair before, including my own. I fetched my electric clipper kit and we took an island stool out on the deck to do the shearing. I opted to use a #4 guard. I was a little nervous but tried not to act as much. My only goal was to shear off the long, curly sides. I did so somewhat successfully. Jacob went to take a look and returned asking for more to be taken off the back. Sure! Mindy eventually helped to by trimming his long bangs. He wasn’t thrilled with the shearing, but was happy to have the mop top gone.

Mindy soon headed off to the shower while Jacob and I awaited dad. While waiting on dad, I Windexed the front and back door glass. Dad showed up near 1130am. Jacob was ready to leave for the soccer as soon as dad walked in. Jacob was happy that his mother and I weren’t going, once again insisting that we’re bad luck charms. I wished them well as they shoved off for soccer.

The Buckeye game kicked off at 12noon. I tuned the TV to the pregame on the BTN at 1150am. We didn’t need to leave for the wedding until 1pm. I watched the first couple possessions for both teams. We didn’t look very crisp to say the least. In fact, we trailed early. I headed for a shower around 1220pm. By then Mindy was completely ready to go. Bella was back home again too, and getting ready to go to Uncle Larry’s, Aunt Jodie’s to watch the Buckeye game. Lindsey and the boys showed up just before we left by design. They were there to do laundry. By the time we left the house the Buckeyes trailed 9-0.

Arrived at Jodie and Larry’s around 1240pm. They had a house full of family there already watching the game. We had some time yet so we stuck around for about 15 minutes. By the time we left the Buckeyes had come from behind and lead 21-12. We left for the wedding just after 1pm. We didn’t have that far to go. Probably about 4 miles. We pulled up at the church, which is pretty close to Mindy’s school, around 130pm. Before heading inside I decided to check my blackberry. Had an email and VM from my boss asking that I call. He assumed I was covering for him over the weekend. Oh boy! This was a surprise to me. I agreed to shut off my out of office and headed into the wedding.

We sat in the last pew next to a friend of Mindy’s. They chatted quite a bit. As you might expect, several of Mindy’s former students were there for the wedding, including the bride. The ceremony was short and sweet, though nut the fastest one we’ve attended. Anymore, most go pretty quickly. I’m guessing it was no more than 25 minutes. Hadn’t given it much thought prior, but the last pew doesn’t exit the sanctuary until last. As a consequence, we were almost the last group to greet the new couple as we exited. Immediately outside the doors we were handed bird seed. I thanked them for the offer but shared that I ate before I came. :) Just kidding! I’ve seen rice, bubbles and rocks, but never before bird seed. Good idea though. We tossed the bird seed as the couple exited the church. How fun.

It wasn’t long before we were on our way to the reception just another mile or so up the road at the Grove City Elk Lodge. We listened to the Buckeye game on our drive there. They were still leading but only by a slim margin, 21-15. Geesh, that was almost a moral victory for UAB. Inside the Elk, I we quickly found our assigned seats. I was name tagged as Jim Thompson. While Mindy socialized, I got a plate of appetizers – cheese, crackers, and carrots. Mindy introduced me to a couple former students and their parents. Those sitting near us, I’ve met more than a time or two past. Been to many of their homes for graduation parties and what not. By the way, Mindy was sporting a little black dress that had more than a few people staring at her cleavage, including a few women.

A highlight of the wedding reception was a photo booth similar to what you would’ve found in the department stores back in the day. All guests, families, couples were encouraged to have their photos taken and were given a strip of proofs. Another copy was left for the wedding party scrap book along with a signature and well wishes. I thought that a novel idea.

There for about 30 minutes, I sent nephew Joe a text asking for a Buckeye score. He responded promptly 29-15. I didn’t ask if that was a final. Later, I checked the score via my Droid and saw that it was. That was a relief.

They were serving City Barbeque, but I opted to pass on anything beyond the appetizers and M&Ms I snacked on earlier. Mindy and I ducked out of the reception after about 90 minutes. I’m thinking that it was near 430p when we wished the new couple well and headed for our car. We listened to the Buckeye recap on our drive back to Jodie & Larry’s. Mindy wasn’t sure if Bella would still be there or not. She was planning on going home with Gloria after the game. Gloria’s car wasn’t there, nor was any other. We went up and in anyway.

It was just Jodie and Larry sitting quietly in the family room. We enjoyed a pleasant 30 minute visit before heading on to Gloria’s. I took notice of an old wooden icebox they have in their family room. Larry shared that his grandpa was an iceman back in the day. I, in turn, shared that my great-grandpa was an iceman too, and did his deliveries by horse and buggy in the bottoms. Anyway, the old icebox is one’ cool’ piece. Essentially a stand-up cooler with two compartments – one on top and one like a refrigerator door below. They use it for storage and as a conversation piece.

We left to go fetch Bella near 5pm. Last second, I suggested we swing in Hugh White Honda to check-out the new 2013 Accord. They had a few out front, and lucky for us, the dealership was closed. We were able to take look without fear of being approached.  The new body style looks more elegant than mine, the most noticeable change is the rear end and taillight design. Otherswise, it looks very, very similar. We weren’t there more than 2 or 3 minutes before moving on. I didn’t realize it until then that one can take that road all the way to Hall Rd now. Hmm? Lindsey texted Mindy about that same time wanting to know if we would keep the boys overnight. We talked it over and agreed to keep them thinking that we’d take them apple picking with us Sunday morning, too. We showed up at Gloria’s place about 10 minutes later.

Gloria said that Bella was busy in her office, which is really nothing more than a storage closet in the hallway. Too funny. Sure enough, Mindy opened the door to find Bella in there up on a shelf coloring. We visited for a few minutes before heading home. As much fun as she may have had, I knew that Bella, was eager to get home to see and hang with her friends. By the time we arrived home, Lindsey was there again to drop the boys. She didn’t stay long at all, and the kids all ran off to play. I checked in with work since I was covering for my boss and got involved in an escalation. I wasn’t happy but also didn’t want to leave my boss in a lurch. While I was working, Mindy walked down to the neighbors, who were having a get together with friends. A few minutes later Ben & Ryan walked in with Mindy. We haven’t hung with those two in a long while.

I finished the work I was in the middle of but then joined Ben, Ryan and Mindy in the kitchen and poured myself a beer. After my first beer, Ben & I shared a rocket of Pumking, my first pumpkin ale of the season. We must’ve hung out for about an hour before walking down to Kenny & Chrissy’s place. Before that, however, both Mindy & I changed into jeans.

Chrissy had quite a spread going, brisket, ribs, meatballs, Ben’s spinach artichoke dip, and much , much more. I was hungry too! Hadn’t eaten much of anything all day. I tried some of everything and I especially fell for the Jason’s smoked brisket. Jason is Kenny’s ex-wife’s new husband. They were both there. We watched the Notre Dame / Michigan game that kicked off near 8pm. Score was 0-0 for quite a while. I must’ve enjoyed two more beers during our stay. Mindy and I agreed to head home with all four kids – Jacob, Bella, Rocky, and Landon just after 930pm.

We made sure Landon got into a pull-up and then made them comfy in the spare room with Eiknarf. After seeing the kids into bed I hung out downstairs just a little while longer, which included one last follow-up on that work issue from earlier. I headed up to bed not much after 10pm. Mindy agreed to watch the rest of the Notre Dame / Michigan game. We were probably awake until 11pm or so, but once again not late enough to catch any of SNL. Good night half moon and first day of autumn!