Trimming My Do

Summing up January
5 days above 60
2 days above 50
5 days above 40
10 days above 32 but below 40
9 days below 32
low 7
high 67
6 ski days
In what's seemingly becoming the new norm, I wasn't up and out of bed until almost 550am. The return of cold and snow was visible from the master bath window. I could see a light coating of snow blowing around on neighboring rooftops. In no time at all, I whipped out sit-ups, windmills, then curls. Exercise behind me, I headed to the PC with a hot cup of coffee.

There I played for about 25 minutes. It was cold alright, 25 degrees and very breezy. The wind chill was 1 above. It was snowing a little bit, too, but wasn't expected to accumulate beyond what we currently had, which amounted to little more than a dusting. Meditation and stretching were next. I took my dear old time, not finishing until 645am or so. I dressed warmly for my run, once again sliding into my long johns, gloves and ear covers. I opted to skip an extra upper layer, going with just two, a thick winter wicking shirt and light jacket. The cold wind cut right through it, especially right out the door. I adjusted quickly, however, and then was comfortable for most of the 4.1 mile run.

Back at home, I went after the pug, who was still sleeping with Bella. Speaking of Bella, she was staying home from school with Mindy. Both now sick. The night before, Jacob and I accused Bella of faking but Mindy said her temperature was 102.1. Hmm? After a quick walk of the pug, I returned for a shower and then breakfast. That's right. I changed things up a bit, not having my eggs until after a shower.

After my shower, Mindy was awake and decided to get up and come downstairs with me. Still felt bad but better than the prior two days. She sat and had coffee at the table while I enjoyed breakfast. Said she had to find the strength to return to school on Friday to finish grade cards and data entry.

I warmed the Accord then headed upstairs to brush my teeth and gargle after eating breakfast. I also garnered the courage to attempt a fix of my bad haircut. The girl at Saturday's left my bangs uneven and way too long. A few places along my part were too long as well. Looked like a nugget head after the usual blow dry. I didn't trim away that much but the front looked far better when I was done. I left for the office around 845am, but not before grabbing my Macy's gift card and the 15% off coupon that came in the mail. Bella was still in bed and without as much as a peep.

Arrived at the office near 905am. Had a couple calls I needed to join and then a one on one with my boss to go over my 2012 performance review. That wasn't until 130pm which put a crimp in my plan to run to Macy's at 1pm. I waited until our brief meeting was over. No surprises. I was happy with my review. Back to my office, I followed up on a couple emails then bolted for Macy's.

A customer exec called my blackberry during my drive to Macy's. I apologized for being out of pocket but still did my best to help his issue remotely. I sent an email to the NOC supporting his corporation asking them to assist. Promised to look into it further upon my return to the office.

My plan was to pick out a new pair of jeans, possibly a new pair of casual dress shoes, and possibly even a couple new bath towels. I went for the jeans first. All along, my plan was to go with something other than the standard blue Levi's. I tried on four or five pairs and ended up buying two - a pair of tan Levi's and then some trendy jeans that have to be washed inside out and hung to dry. Looked at shoes next, but found none that I absolutely loved. Opted to bail on the shoes. Picked up four thirsty new bath towels - two violet, two deep purple. Back to work.

I brought a pack of tuna and cheese chunks for lunch. I ate that as soon as I was back in my office. I also followed up on that escalated problem from earlier. Things were moving along just as I hoped. It turned out being a very active afternoon. I worked through a few escalated issues and then joined the weekly staff call at 415pm. I had to drop a call from Mindy on my personal cell phone while in route to Macy's earlier to take that Blackberry call. I finally got around to calling her back right after our staff call.

Said Bella seemed to be doing a little better but that she would be staying home again Friday. Wanted to know if I would stay at home/work from home. As for herself, said she was feeling a little bit better but still tired and coughing. She sounded better than she did all week. Was even making dinner for the first time all week - sloppy joe's. When pressed, I figured I would be leaving the office for home around 5pm.


Things got a little busy towards the end of my day and subsequently wasn't able to wrap things up until 525pm. When I left, there was close to a 1/2" of fresh fluffy snow on the ground and the temperature approaching the teens. The roads were extremely slick. In fact, I darn near slid into the intersection leaving our lot. Hit a few heavy snow squalls on the drive home.

I called Mindy to let her know that I was going to be later than originally thought. We didn't talk long. I called my mom next, who I hadn't talked with for more than a week. She sounded good. Talked about her knee/leg issue. Her doctor put her in some ankle brace but she doesn't think it's helping much. Otherwise, though, she said the swelling in her knee has gone down significantly. She knew from Facebook that Mindy was sick and wanted to make sure that I wished her well. She also shared that she sent a happy adoption day wish to Bella via Facebook. She asked if I had seen it. Nope, not a Facebook guy. We talked until I arrived home. Wished her well, told her that I love her.

Inside, Mindy was busy in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on our sloppy joe's. Bella was lounging on the sofa and Jacob apparently up in his room. It wasn't too long before dinner was ready. I opted to put together my own sloppy joe. Mindy baked frozen crunchy french fries too. They were decent. I had two sloppy joe's , the second with only half a bun.

I took care of clean-up right after dinner, which was comparatively simple. Mindy and Bella were in the family room watching Disney TV when I slipped off to the living room to read and nap. I slept for just a flick, waking around 715pm and quietly slipping upstairs and into bed. I turned on the bedroom TV watching an episode of How It's Made. I fell asleep again too. I woke around 810pm and watched The Universe. Come 9pm, just as Mindy & Bella were finishing up watching American Idol and preparing for bed, I rolled out of bed catching my second wind.

I was anxious to head back downstairs to play and possibly even have a drink. I ended up pouring a Jack & Coke. After tucking Bella into bed, Mindy joined me downstairs but only briefly. I'll bet it wasn't even 5 minutes. Was sad to read online that the boy we saw wreck in the X-games last Thursday died from complications from his injuries. I remember thinking when he got up and walked away that he probably shouldn't be walking. Yikes!

Mindy headed up to bed around 915pm, and I moved to the sofa where I tuned into The Universe again. There were at least two hour long episodes back to back. I just can't get enough of it. Love it! I watched until I started getting sleepy again, which was right at 10pm. I finished what was left of my drink then headed up to bed.

Malingering?

 

 

I woke plenty early enough, but come 530am I simply wasn’t ready to get up and out of bed. Told myself that sleeping to 6am would be fine. Well, 6am rolled around and I told myself that even sleeping until 630am would be OK. After all, it was a scheduled late start morning for the kids and Mindy was staying home from school again sick. Well, 630am came around and still wasn’t ready to get up. In the end, I wasn’t out of bed until 650am. And even then, I could’ve slept longer.

Downstairs a few minutes later, I whipped out calisthenics, including push-ups. I wasn’t at the PC with coffee until 705am. And there I played until almost 740am. I did meditation and stretching next, not finishing both of those until almost 805am about the same time I heard Jacob getting in the shower.

It was a balmy 65 degrees and raining. At times the rain pounded against the house. I’ll admit that it was tough to get excited about running in a torrential downpour, but at least there wasn’t any lightning. I left the house near 815am still perhaps a little over dressed. I didn’t bother backing down to the thinner wicking shirt. I was in my thickest wicking shirt and my thing jacket. If it wasn’t for the rain I would’ve way too warm.

I ran the full 4.1 miles and was completely drenched not more than halfway into it. You reach a certain point where the rain no longer matters. For me, that’s usually as soon as my socks are thoroughly soaked. Jacob was just leaving for the bus when I got back home. It had to be close to 9am. I asked if he would do me a favor and fetch Eiknarf from Bella’s bed. He did so willingly. I didn’t want to drip all over the carpet.

Eiknarf took care of her business in record time. We were back after just five minutes. She was good and wet by then, too. I stripped out of my sopping wet running clothes in the kitchen and tossed them into the dryer. I put my wet running shoes upside down over the register vent in the bay window then put my PJs back on.

Last I knew, I was supposed to keep Makayla for late start too. I went upstairs to wake Bella. This time I remembered to turn on her ceiling light, just like Mindy does. :) At first I couldn’t understand a work she said, but she popped up quickly. Once she repeated I understood. Kenny was staying home with Makayla.

Downstairs, I started my breakfast and then got Bella going. I was already logged onto my laptop which I had set-up prior to my run. Because it was Wednesday, I was still planning on heading to New Albany. I let my main contacts know that I’d be joining our 10am call from home and then in the office about an hour later.

Finished breakfast by 930am and quickly dashed off to the shower. I delivered Mindy a cup of coffee along the way. Still sick. Was back downstairs by 950am. I reminded Bella of my 10am call and suggested that she be ready to head out by herself. She was fine with that. Just before my call started she declared herself fully ready and started to head out. But it was only 957am. I made sure she knew the bus wouldn’t be there until 1015am. She opted to wait a while longer.

My call was very brief, no more than five minutes. Bella was out the door without me. I think she was looking forward to the independence. I heard the bus pull up a minute or two later. Logged off my laptop and made double sure I packed my power cord and mouse. Went upstairs to say goodbye to Mindy. She let me know that she talked with Bella and took away her bedroom TV privileges. Mindy caught her watching TV around 1130pm the night before. Bella, Bella, Bella!

I left the house around 1030am. I took 670 east to 270 north. Traffic didn’t pose even a single problem. Tried calling brother Tommy during my drive. Wanted to talk about our Utah trip. Went to VM. Arrived at the customer’s campus around 1055am. Had to park far removed from the walk into the building for the late arrival. No biggie. By then the rain had stopped completely.

I was very surprised to find my office being used as a storage room while they replaced carpet squares. I went to one of the managers asking where they wished for me to set-up shop. They provided me a new cube way in the back with a low wall and right on a major aisle. I didn’t mind, but as you might expect, I had several folks stop by just to chat. Lots of folks were shuffling offices to accommodate the carpet replacement project.

I had a lot on my plate and subsequently stayed really busy. Because I arrived so late, I opted to skip taking a formal lunch break and worked straight through. In fact, the only thing I brought to eat was almonds and cheese. I ate those around 2pm.

Thought I might leave around 445pm but just 4 minutes before then I got an IM from a project manager I’ve been working with asking me to join an important conference bridge. Ugh! I joined and ended up being on the call until 545pm, and couldn’t get wrapped up until 6pm. There will be days like that. As soon as the call ended I phoned Mindy to let her know I’d be home a little late. The kids were already off with Jimaken. We didn’t plan on going out to dinner, however, since she was sick.

It was dark when I left the office. I decided to take 670 since it was at the tail end of rush hour. Traffic was a little heavy near downtown but never a delay. In kind, I made excellent time heading home. Arrived by 622pm.

Mindy was resting on the sofa still in her PJs. Said she spent most of the day in bed yet was still tired. Asked me if I would make cream of chicken over rice for dinner. Sure. I cooked the rice and then heated the cream of chicken using the microwave – efficient. I made 4 servings of rice. We are it all. Despite being ill, she still ate as much as me. I think the dinner weighed heavily in her tummy. She headed for bed again shortly thereafter.

Shared my plan to put some of the new SW Sawdust paint on the livingroom wall so we could see what it was going to look like. Using a computer monitor and even the paint chips are often misleading. Case and point, the same color looks tan on my monitor, but more like a cool gray on my work laptop. Yikes!

Mindy was already up in bed when I did the test area. I knew soon after opening the paint can that the color was very close to the look I was seeking. I used a brush to cover a small area between the front door and the light switch. Of course it looks really dark against the existing bright white wall color, but still warm and nice. I hollered for Mindy to come take a peak if she cared to. She did, and liked it. Back to bed for her. To the basement to clean the paint brush for me.

I did some reading in the quiet of the livingroom with Soundscapes playing very, very softly in the background. Read about 10 pages before taking a short nap. Woke just before the kids returned home.

Immediately in the door, I asked Bella for a hug. She was very dramatic in sharing that she felt horrible. Said she was sick and ran upstairs to Mindy. Jacob, however, insisted that she was faking. About ten minutes later I got a text from Mindy saying she wanted me. I went to see what about. Snuggled in bed with her was Bella. I kidded Bella about faking a cough. Mindy said she was warm. Bella was in no mood for funning around. I only reminded her that she was in MY bed.

They were watching American Idol, which I promised myself I wouldn’t become slave to this season. Instead, I headed back downstairs to do more reading. More reading lead to more napping. I headed up to bed for good just before 10pm.

Get in My Pork Belly

Was up and out of bed near 540am after a very restful night of sleep. I didn’t prep coffee the night before so that was my first priority once downstairs. With coffee finally underway, I was quickly off to the livingroom for calisthenics. I did sit-ups, windmills, and curls. Did my best to stretch my back and shoulders, too.

Headed to my PC with coffee near 555am where I checked the weather. It was a warm 56 degrees with an expected high in the low 60s along with intermittent rain. Supposed to be similar on Wednesday but then dip below freezing again Wednesday night and remain that way through the weekend.

I played around online until roughly 615am when I headed to the family room to meditate and stretch. I didn’t plan to wake Mindy since she was ill & staying home from school. I heard Jacob up showering about the same time I abandoned my PC. Meditation and stretching went well. Didn’t finish up until almost 640am.

Dressed for a run leaving the long johns, gloves, and ear covers behind. Just before heading out the door I went upstairs to wake Bella, who the night before asked to be up at 650am.She also said she planned to set her alarm, but I wasn’t going to trust that. I turned off her fan and closed her bedroom window. Both she and Jacob like to crack their bedroom windows. She growled at me for trying to wake her. 

I was out the door near 655am. Jacob’s bus was barreling down the road just as he was exiting the house. I witnessed all of this as I passed the house after my warm-up lap. I ran the full 4.1 miles getting a little warm by about the two mile point. In hind sight, I guess I should’ve opted for a lighter weight wicking shirt. An older gentleman that I see running most mornings quipped “welcome summer”, as he passed.

Was back from my run near 735am. I quickly headed up to get the pug from Bella’s room. I wasn’t too surprised to find her still sound asleep. She freaked out when I woke her, blaming me for her over sleeping. Oh boy! I assured her that she had plenty of time as long as she wasn’t pokey. I headed downstairs and out the door with Eiknarf. We were out just briefly, her taking care of business quickly.

Bella was still loafing around when we got back. I had to ask her more than once to focus on getting ready. Said she didn’t want anything for breakfast. Would eat at school. She also added that I should’ve turned on her bedroom light when I woke her. Apparently that’s what Mindy does.

I made three eggs: two for me, one for Eiknarf. After eggs I decided I better wait and shower after seeing Bella on the bus again. It was already 755am. By then, Bella was in a far better mood. We headed out together at 810am. Makayla joined us at the bus stop before the bus showed. The first time that’s happened for about a week. The bus arrived on time, and Eiknarf and I headed back to the house.
I was soon off to the shower, slipping by a sleeping Mindy trying not to disturb her sleep. After a shower Mindy asked me to bring her coffee. She didn’t get up and out of bed. Her cough was still gnarly. I suggested that should she find the energy, she could remove the contents from the leaning shelves and curio cabinet in preparation for the livingroom paint project. It was near 850am when I finally left for work.

Arrived just after 9am. Got an up close parking spot. It was raining but very lightly. Had a fairly easy morning, spending most of my time on an escalation and then leading a weekly conference call for a short term project I am working on, and one that I hope to have wrapped up before Utah.

I didn’t plan to take a formal lunch break. I did, however, take an hour or so to address some personal stuff online. Didn’t hear from Mindy until late in the afternoon, or somewhere close to 330pm. Said she didn’t get up until almost 230pm and planned to head back to bed soon after our brief call. She asked if I would agree to take Bella to and from gymnastics. Yes. She also shared that Chipotle sounded good.
To make sure I had enough time to get Bella to gymnastics on time without having to rush, I left the office at 5pm. It was an easy drive home. No traffic jams to speak of. Was home by 525pm. The house was eerily quiet. Bella finally emerged from upstairs. I asked what time we needed to leave. She soon shared between 530-535pm. I suggested she get a move on. As it was, she was nowhere near ready.

Mindy remained in bed. I said goodbye from downstairs on our way out the door to gymnastics. Mindy called and sent a text while I was driving. I didn’t answer or immediately read and respond. I figured she was inquiring about the Chipotle order she mentioned earlier. Bella hadn’t eaten either. Figured to eat after gymnastics.

Got Bella to gymnastics by 655pm. Once she was safely inside I read Mindy’s text. Sure enough, it was she and Jacob’s Chipotle order. It dawned on me then that we have eaten out every night dating back to last Friday. I didn’t want to subject myself to another night of that, so once at Chipotle I ordered for Mindy & Jacob only. I was peeved to see that guacamole is now $1.85 extra per burrito. That, along with the fact that the portions, short of rice, are getting ridiculously small, which only further strengthened my resistance to ordering something for myself.

Mindy and Jacob came downstairs shortly after my return home. Must’ve smelt the Chipotle. Mindy was still in her PJs and her eyes glassy. Was coughing up a storm still, too. While the two of them enjoyed the Chipotle, I warmed last week’s leftover spaghetti and meatballs. It was good. Mindy shed a few tears for feeling so poorly. Said she wanted me to take care of her. Geesh, I thought I was. Said she wanted me to sit with her. OK, I sat with her.

It wasn’t too long before she headed back up to bed. I don’t think she was downstairs for more than 40 minutes. I played around on the computer, downloading Sunday’s GoPro videos. I didn’t get much of a chance to view them, however, before I needed to bolt after Bella.

Arrived at the gym right at 730pm. Bella was just coming out the door. I didn’t even need to go inside. She said she hurt her foot tumbling and was walking with a visible limp. Immediately in the car her concern turned towards her hunger, and rightfully so. Again, she hadn’t eaten any dinner. I asked where she wanted to stop – Wendy’s or McDonalds? She soon settled on Wendy’s.

She ordered chicken nuggets and fries, pretty much the same thing she gets every other time. She asked me to change the music to XM, The Pulse. That, however, I refused to do. Arrived home by 745pm. Bella sat down to eat her dinner while Jacob played on their laptop. While they did that, I headed upstairs to change into my PJs, check-in on Mindy, and brush my teeth. Mindy was half asleep. Chatted only briefly before heading back downstairs.

Downstairs, I spent a little time viewing the newest GoPro videos. Still not that impressed with the quality. Among other things, they all seem a little washed out. Thought I might check the settings again, but didn’t feel like fooling with the clunky settings menu right then. Instead, I headed to the family room to watch a little knowledge TV.

At the same time, Bella was off to the shower. I watched an episode or two of How It’s Made. Bella joined me after her shower watching how bacon is made. Interesting. She asked if I wanted to share some popcorn. Why not? I wasn’t that hungry, but agreed to it anyhow. I like the fact that she’s in to popping it. Not sure what she did, but she burnt it a little. No matter, I still ate quite a bit, and definitely more than she did. She headed up to bed near 930pm while I stayed downstairs watching TV. Like usual, though, I did more sleeping than TV viewing. I upped for bed around 1045pm.

26 years ago today ... "throttle up"

I slept extremely well and was up for keeps a couple minutes ahead of 530am. I didn’t prep coffee the night before so that was task number one immediately after brushing my teeth. After getting coffee started I whipped out sit-ups, windmills and push-ups. As usual, the 50 push-ups left me a bit winded.

Soon the coffee was ready and I was parked at my PC. Checked the weather first thing. Already a whopping 38 degrees. A quick glance out the front window I noticed much of the weekend’s snow pack already gone. Expecting a high in the 50s with period of heavy rain – 60s Tuesday & Wednesday.

Headed upstairs to wake Mindy with coffee near 610am. She didn’t cough that much during the overnight after taking some of that cough syrup with codeine. I asked if she was going into school. Yep! I was hesitant to hug and kiss fearing getting her germs.

Back downstairs I moved on to meditation then stretching. Both went reasonably well. I heard the recycling truck come by around 630am. I wasn’t feeling in any particular hurry and didn’t finish my stretch until 645am. And by the time I donned my running attire it was darn near 7am. In fact, Jacob was already out at the bus stop.

Despite the above freezing temps, the front stoop was incredibly slick. Good thing I was careful stepping out. The secondary subdivision roads that weren’t salted and scraped clean on Saturday were nothing but wet slush. The main roads were only wet. During my run I worried about Mindy unexpectedly taking a spill on the front stoop. However, I did move the thick mat over the icy patch.

I ran into a couple more slick spots on the neighborhood sidewalks during my 4.1 mile run but managed to run slip free. Because of my late start, Mindy was already gone by the time I was back at home. I had Bella help me get the pug leashed up since she had her collar off and in her room. We walked for about 8 minutes.

Back at the house Bella had Mindy on the phone. Said she wanted to talk with me. Mindy shared that she felt like crap and planned to leave school right after classes, skipping her regular Monday staff meeting and heading up north to see Craig. By describing her symptoms and as fast as the onset, he guessed she might even have the real flu virus. He planned to test her for it. Mindy coughed near the phone a time or two while we talked. Her cough always sounds horrible – much like an old man who’s smoked two packs a day for life. Drives me up a wall.

I asked about Bella’s adoption day dinner we had planned. Understandably, she wasn’t sure. Speaking of being unsure, Bella still hadn’t named or decided on a venue. After eating my two eggs it was 755am. I figured I’d wait and shower after seeing Bella onto the bus. My work laptop was still on the network after working from home Friday. I checked in and even responded to an email or two while waiting on school bus time.

We headed out at 810am. Last second, Eiknarf decided she wanted to go again after all. I almost left her behind. The bus arrived around 815am. Just before it arrived, Bella asked if I would bring cookies/brownies to her class to celebrate adoption day. She added that Mindy was supposed to discuss it with me. But after Mrs. Leach almost bit my head off on her b-day for bringing sweets, I wasn’t too excited about the prospect of doing the deed. I told her not to expect it.

Once Bella was on the bus Eiknarf and I headed back home but not before she took another dump in our own yard. Man! Inside, I was quickly off to the shower. Was back downstairs prepping my lunch by 840am. Left for the office near 855am after powering down my laptop.

The sky was show signs of clearing. Spent most of my day creating a quarterly report for a customer. Opted to take a real lunch break at 105pm and headed to the Hilliard Sherwin William where I bought three gallons of pain for our livingroom. Didn’t take nearly as long as I expected. Gone only about 20 minutes, I decided to make two more stops, Home Depot and then Target which are right next to one another near the office. At Home Depot I bought Frog masking tape for the painting project. At Target I bought some almonds, gum, and pretzel M&M’s for Bella.

Got back to work near 2pm. Grabbed my lunch from the fridge and ate while working. Used the last of my ranch dressing. Mindy called on her way to see Craig and then soon after to share that she didn’t have the flu. Still sick, though. He said there are two other viruses going around and likely what she has. Said they don’t test for them because you simply need to let them run their course. With a fever and bad cough, she already made plans to stay home on Wednesday. She asked me to pick-up some orange juice on my way home. Said I would.

I left the office near 5pm stopping at the nearby Hilliard Kroger. I picked up two bouquets of flowers: a dozen roses for Mindy, and mixed bouquet for Bella. I knew she’d like that. Of course I picked up some orange juice too. Traffic wasn’t a problem whatsoever. Arrived home near 535pm. Save for a bit of snow along the gutters, there was next to no sign of Friday’s storm remaining. Felt like spring out, too.

Presented Mindy with the roses. Bella wasn’t immediately available to receive hers. Headed back to my car to carry in the paint as well as the stuff I picked up at Target and home Depot. Mindy suggested we order Sporano’s for dinner and then take Bella to her restaurant of choice another evening when she’s not feeling under the weather. Fine by me. Makayla was over playing with Bella. Gave her flowers. She gushed over them, and even helped her mom get them arranged in a vase.

I took a brief nap while Mindy ordered food from Sporano’s – spaghetti & meatballs for Bella, and two Michael Angelo’s for the rest of us to share. Didn’t take too long for delivery. Sometimes they can get way behind. But I guess it was a Monday. The sub was good, but it seems to me that they’ve cheapened it. Why do pizza shops do that? Used to be the best sub anywhere. After dinner, Mindy candled up some Sam’s Club brownies and we sang happy adoption day to Bella. Emily came down, so tow of Bella’s peeps were on hand for the festivities.

Mindy presented both Jacob & Bella small adoption day gifts, Bella, a thing of Reese Cups, and Jacob a bag of Lindt truffles. There was a family gift, too, a 100 piece jig saw puzzle. I had to wonder what I did to deserve that. I abhor jigsaw puzzles. :)

I ate two brownies. Yum! After dessert, I headed upstairs and changed into my PJs. While Mindy, Bella and Makayla got started on the jigsaw puzzle, I cracked my book in the living room recliner. I read about 5 pages before taking another brief nap. I woke with stiff neck. Yikes! I plopped down on the floor lying flat on my back for a spell. Ahh! Now that felt great.

Afterwards, I did a little surfing but eventually joined Mindy & Bella in the family room. It was somewhere near 830pm when Mindy headed up to bed. She asked that I make sure Bella was in bed by 9pm. We watched an episode of How It’s Made. Can’t recall just what though. Bella headed up to bed as requested while I stretched out on the sofa. I, of course, fell asleep again but woke around 1015pm and headed up to bed.

My Little Dumplins

I was awake and out of bed around 730am then quickly downstairs to start coffee. The sun was just creeping up over the tree tops on what looked like another cold morning. But I was still surprised when I learned that it was only 13 degrees – far colder than I assumed, especially since it was supposed to bust through the freezing barrier by afternoon. I enjoyed coffee and internet for about an hour before taking Mindy coffee then heading out for a run. Our plan was to head up to MRM, and the earlier the better.

Landon & Rocky were up shortly after me. I made them both a coffee, chocolate milk drink. Lindsey was supposed to come over to work on her laundry. Mindy sent her text letting her know that we’d be leaving as soon as she showed up.

Was back from a run before 10am. Mindy was up and had already started to gather our gear and prep snacks. She opted to leave the kids sleep as long as possible, though she woke Bella & Makayla far earlier than Jacob citing the fact that Jacob can be ready in five minutes. True!

The boys wanted omelets. I made eggs for them, Mindy and myself. Landon had two. I took a shower then dressed in my ski base layer. By then it was 1045am. Mindy woke Jacob and had him ready for skiing. Everybody else was pretty much ready. Mindy came downstairs and shared that Jacob wanted a bacon and cheese omelet too. What? He should’ve gotten up with everybody else! I went ahead and made him one. While I did that, Mindy loaded our gear into the Pilot.

Lindsey still wasn’t there. Dang it! Let’s go! We didn’t have any time constraints other than it being a work night, so we didn’t feel rushed. Let me rephrase that. She didn’t feel rushed. I always feel in somewhat of a rush. :) Jacob and I headed to the Pilot after Mindy shared that Lindsey was on her way. It was after 1130am by the time we were finally on the road.

We made decent time heading up to MRM. By noon, the temperature was hovering around 28 degrees. We left our skis and boots in the car all weekend since we knew we were coming back up. I was a little worried that my boots might’ve shrunk but that wasn’t the case. They fit just like any other day. And while the parking lot was fuller than Friday night, thankfully, the initial lift lines were far shorter.

The surface was packed powder. Not bad, but nothing close to the loose powder we were fortunate enough to ski Friday night. At the top of Four Star we found our peeps: Bob & Tina, and then Bob I. out with the son of an old friend, Jake. A bit later we met up with Scott & Zach. Our kids skied off to the mini terrain park. Scott’s son Zach, and Bob & Tina’s son Cameron were doing jumps off the big air ramp. Holy smoke!

We did several turns before considering a break. I had a pocket beer and enjoyed that early on. Scott brought some black cherry nip that was quite tasty. Mindy and I headed inside around 3pm for a break. We each got a bowl of their yummy chicken & dumplings and then bloody Mary’s from the bar. After drinking about a 1/3 of my drink I had Mindy add some of our own vodka. We took about an hour break.

Hooked up with the kids just before heading out again. Learned that Bob & Tina’s oldest son, Trevor fell backwards while catching big air and cracked his helmet. Yikes! After a handful of runs Jacob and I headed to the Pilot to get our clear goggles after clouds moved in and the daylight dimmed. I grabbed another pocket beer too. Bob & Scott had pocket beers too. We shared those over the next hour. The snow, meanwhile, went from packed powder to hard pack over the afternoon. By then the conditions were better suited for my AC30s, but I didn’t bring em. Stayed on my Mantras.

Around 530pm Mindy declared it her last run. I was a little surprised given the hour but didn’t question it. She developed a cough during the overnight and said she was feeling sleepy. Thought she might be getting sick. Uh oh! I watched her last run. She skied with perhaps the best form ever. Seems to like her new Auras.

I skied four or five more runs with the boys. Appeared as though Bob I. was feeling no pain as the day wound down. For that matter, all three of us were feeling fine! Scott showed us the weather radar on his smart phone. A storm was in western Ohio and quickly coming our way. They were predicting icy sleet but then eventually turning to all rain over night. Officially moving out of the freezer we’ve been in since last Sunday. Expecting highs in the low 60s Tuesday & Wednesday before slipping back into the freezer later in the week.

Mindy sent a text about 20 minutes earlier asking how much longer. I knew she wanted to leave. I did one last run with Scott & Bob then headed into the loft. Mindy was sitting there with both kids. We quickly headed for the Pilot. Mindy reluctantly agreed to drive. She wasn’t feeling that great due to her cough/cold, but I wasn’t in any condition to be driving from the beers. I’m thinking that it was about 615pm when we headed for home.

Once at home, everybody helped unload the Pilot. Carried in all our gear. Mindy went right for the shower and then some hot tea. Seemingly out of nowhere she was sounding awful. Mindy & Jacob headed to bed well before 9pm. Bella and I stayed up a bit later, but all of us were in bed by 930pm.

Fittingly with Pizza

 

 

Celebrating Bella

as up at 745am a little disappointed that I slept that late. I felt good though, and after brushing my teeth I headed downstairs and started a pot of coffee. Cloudy, cold and still some intermittent snow flurries. Looked to be a banner ski day. Too bad we weren’t going. As it was, our Saturday was almost completely spoken for. Mindy was going for a massage at 11am. Jacob had a 3pm indoor soccer game, and then we all had Bella’s adoption day party at her mom’s around 5pm. Notice, I was the only one that left my day unblocked. I guess you could say that I was taking one for the team. 

I took Mindy coffee around 930am. Around 10am I headed out for a run. It was still snowing and about 26 degrees, one heck of a lot warmer than it had been all week. It was a fun 3 mile run. Bella was up shortly before Mindy left. At least four times, I asked Bella to walk the dog. Instead of cooperating, she insisted that it was Jacob’s turn. She then chose to ignore my subsequent requests by burying her face in their iPhone. Oh heck no! After ask #4 I relieve her of iPhone privileges for the day and made her walk the dog right then. She complained to Mindy, who gave me a bunch of crap about my handling of the situation. I asked Mindy to stop because she wasn’t going to win (change my mind). She wasn’t part of the discussion and didn’t have all the facts. I was at peace with my decision. Mindy left for her massage.
Jacob was still asleep and remained that way until well past 11am. But after Friday’s late night skiing, I wasn’t surprised.

Lindsey and the boys stopped by long enough to pick-up Rocky’s regatta boat we built together. Saturday was race day at cub scouts. She planned to bring the boys back to our house around 4-430pm after we agreed to keep them overnight so Lindsey could have some alone time. Jacob was up shortly after Lindsey and the boys left.
I got a shower around 1230pm. And by the time I was back downstairs, Mindy was already home from her massage. I asked how it went. She said it was really good. She soon headed up for a shower since per instructions, she didn’t shower ahead of time. She was still noticeably angry with me after the dog walking incident earlier.

Jimaken stopped by to pick-up Jacob for soccer around 230pm. Expected to be home around 4-430pm.
My afternoon plan was to make a run to Sherwin Williams to buy paint for our livingroom painting project. Mindy, however, must’ve had other plans. Soon after her shower, she said she was heading to Target and asked me to have Bella get a shower for her adoption day party art 345pm. When I shared my intentions she made some snarky remark and headed off anyway. Let’s just say we didn’t have a very kind or pretty exchange.

To say I was angry and frustrated was an understatement. However, I don’t like being angry so I did what I could do to calm myself. I poured some ice water and took to family room for some reading. Bella checked in at 3pm just as she was told. I reminded her to be home again at 345pm for a shower. Mindy wasn’t at Target for too long. Suggested I could run to Sherwin Williams after all.

Fearing that I might say something unkind or something I might regret, I opted to not say anything. Instead I kept to myself for most of the late afternoon, or until the boys arrived around 415pm. Rocky shared that his boat didn’t fare too well in the regatta. Oh well. Landon was selling candy bars for school and asked me to buy some. Cute! I bought two.

Mindy ordered two pizzas from Minelli’s to take with us to her mom’s. Instructions were to bring a pizza of your liking. I packed a six-pack of various beers: 3 White Rajah’s, two CBC IPA’s, and one Hop Slam. I doubted seriously that I would drink all 6, but after my day …  We picked up the pizzas on the way.

Arrived at Gloria’s near 515pm. In addition to all of Mindy’s sibs, her college buddy, Chris and his family were there to celebrate Bella too. Haven’t seen those guys for a couple years. Gloria had euchre tables set-up on one side of the lower level. Set up a pizza station on the other. There must’ve been about 10 pies of various makes. I cracked a Rajah right away to help wash down my pizza.

I spent the first couple hours just visiting, talking. Some began to play euchre after an hour or so. Larry & I eventually teamed up and played two matches against Todd & Gloria. We won one, lost one. Didn’t bother playing any others.

The night was about family and more specifically a family celebration of Bella. Gloria announced fudge for Bella (adoption day)& Josh (new job). However, perhaps the highlight of the night was Chris telling his own family stories. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Let’s just day that it would be hard to top his tales.

It had to be after 10pm when we finally bailed for home. Everybody was tired. Bella asked if she could have a sleep over. Makayla was to meet us at our house as soon as we arrived home. Jacob went right to bed and was asleep moments later. Took a few minutes to get the boys situated in the spare room. No big deal. Mindy and I were in bed by 1030pm. We talked for about an hour then watched some of SNL after learning that we missed the X Games. Didn’t get to sleep until almost 1am. Yikes!

Happy Hour @ MRM ... bad ass skiing!

Already Friday. Man, the work week went fast! Out of bed near 540am. After sit-ups, I decided to skip push-ups in hopes of helping my aching shoulder. Figured a three day rest might help quell the dull pain.

After some coffee and PC time I headed upstairs to wake Mindy. She asked if there was any snow. Nope, not yet. Back downstairs I had already pretty decided that I was going to work from home. Accordingly, I didn’t even try to get out for my run near 630am. However, I still thought I might run before getting Bella on the bus. That didn’t happen.

Got logged onto my fairly early and took care of a few easy tasks. It started to snow around 7am. I told Mindy not to worry about making me eggs since I decided to work from home. She reminded me that Joe was cleaning the house and would be over near 11am. I don’t typically want to be there while he’s cleaning and I am sure he’d prefer no one be home too, but I didn’t let that alter my plans.

I had our trash can at the curb but noticed that most neighbors didn’t. Either I was one of the few tuned into the ever rotating schedule or else I missed the most recent shift. I would later learn that I was out of synch. Our trash day is now on Monday’s.

Started to snow about the time that Mindy left for school. I took care of some bills before seeing Bella on the school bus. By then It was snowing a harder. There might’ve been about an inch on the ground by the time the bus showed up.

I headed back to the house for a couple minutes before leaving for my run. It was a fun run in the snow. I worked for a couple hours before deciding to take a shower. I don’t think Joe showed up until almost noon. He said he was a little concerned about disarming the security system, happy he didn’t have to. Made me laugh.

We chatted for a while but did my best to stay out of Joe’s way while he cleaned the downstairs. Told him that I would take a break when he was ready to clean the livingroom (aka my office). Snow tapered off shortly after Joe arrived. By then we had about 3 inches on the ground.

As is always the case when I work from home, the day flew by. Couldn’t believe it when Jacob walked in the door. Immediately, I asked that he shovel the driveway and walk for Mindy, who we hoped would be home by 4pm so we could get ready and leave for snow skiing. After a quick snack, Jacob did the deed.
To be fair, I think that was the first time he’d ever shoveled the drive and walk all by himself. He didn’t do a very good job, but I opted not criticize. Mindy was home shortly after Bella, who arrived right at 4pm. She was very eager to go skiing. We hoped Mindy would feel the same way when she got home, too.

Mindy was home between 4-430pm. Said she was still game for skiing. I sent Darwin and Bob I. texts letting them know our plans. Darwin responded asking if we would be willing to take Lane along. After conferring with Mindy I responded that we would. Neighbor Kenny called to ask if we were going skiing. Sounded like they were going, as were the O’Connell’s.

Everybody was getting ready for an evening of skiing when Emily sent a text to Bella sharing that there was a wreck on 270 causing a huge traffic jam. Not wanting to risk bad communication, Mindy gave Mike O. a call and learned that there was a jack knifed semi on 270 south but causing a delay northbound too. Suggested we take an alternative route.

We didn’t leave the house until 545pm. We headed by Darwin’s house first to pick-up Lane. Finally on the road, we took Trabue to Hilliard Rome Rd which turns into Avery Rd and then to 33W. Everybody was hungry so we stopped at the Wendy’s drive-thru on the way. Didn’t get to MRM until 630pm.
The lot wasn’t full but a huge crowd nonetheless. It was 7pm by the time we were in line at the Four Star. In addition to it being college night, there must’ve been 15 ski club buses in the lot. In turn, the lift lines might’ve been the longest we’ve ever seen – no kidding! Not only that, but they were comprised of teenagers and college kids. Not exactly your best behaved bunch!

While the lines were long, the lift operators and line control was top notch. The snow conditions might’ve been the best I’ve ever witnessed. About 6-8” of chunked up powder virtually everywhere. The runs were fun-fun! Mantras got a work out!

Mindy and I took four or five runs before heading in for a break hoping that the lines might die down. Inside we found neighbors Chrissy & Teri. All the kids, meanwhile, were in and out multiple times. Teri was planning to ski for her first time but chickened out. Probably a good choice given the raucous crowd. Best she comes during the day and takes a lesson, I suggested.

After a couple beers we checked the lift lines. If anything, they were even longer. Holy Smoke! Spotted my work buddy, Chris and his girlfriend Tammy. Mindy and I walked to chat. Ended up hanging with the two of them for more than an hour. Mindy & Tammy hit it off. MRM was having Midnight Madness and that means they shut the lifts down at 930pm, regroom, then reopen at 10-1030pm. Our hope was that the lift lines would shrink exponentially. That wasn’t the case. If anything, they were even longer.

The mere suggestion of leaving set the kids off. They wanted to stay. What the heck. Mindy & I were having a ton of fun. We headed back out for more skiing. Again, while the lines were long, the snow was incredible. We ended up skiing until midnight. Holy cow! Mindy drove home. And by the time we dropped Lane and got to our house it was 1am.

Gyros & Heros

I slept well and woke feeling rested after about 7.5 hours of sleep. I didn't get out of bed until 540am after playing cat & mouse with the clock for the last 30 minutes. It was Thursday which is routinely a non-push-up day. Downstairs, I quickly whizzed through sit-ups, windmills and curls then headed to the PC with coffee. I enjoyed about 15 minutes of quiet time before heading upstairs to wake Mindy.

I needed to be at the office earlier than normal since my boss and I were riding together to New Albany for a quarterly presentation. I kept that in the back of my mind throughout my entire morning routine. I did meditation and stretching then dressed for a run. It was again pretty cold so I dressed warmly. Yahoo said it was 18 degrees, but later I learned it was closer to 14 degrees and still snowing ever so lightly. But there was little more than a half inch of snow on the ground. The snow was light and fluffy and nice to run on. Provided a little extra cushion for my tired old feet.

Finished my run and was back home before Mindy needed to depart. I started the Pilot then scraped/brushed the snow off all the windows. Because it was light and fluffy, it came off easily. Inside, I immediately leashed up the pug and headed out again on our morning walk.

Mindy noticed me nuking my eggs then shared that she had just pulled them from the frying pan. I stopped the microwave and checked. Yep, still piping hot. Headed for a shower near 740am, which is about as early as I've been able to manage since the holiday break. In kind, I was downstairs afterwards by 757am.

I used the time efficiently, managing to pack my lunch, start the Accord, and start the dishwasher all before heading out to the bus stop with Bella. My plan was to leave as soon as she was on the bus. I set the security system as we headed out. The bus was there near 815am. I walked home to the waiting and warm Accord and left for the office. Having less than a quarter tank of gas, I stopped at Thornton's for a fill-up. My low tire indicator was illuminated and has been since the cold snap Monday. I checked the pressure in my driver's side front. It was at 26 psi. I suspect it has a small nail in it as the same thing happened in the early autumn during our first appreciable cold snap. I planned to address the air pressure issue later after work.

Accord took 13.9 gallons after traveling 270 miles for an average of 19.4 mpg. Considering I let the car warm on average of 10 minutes each morning, I'm not too surprised that my mileage is down. Despite the stop for fuel, I was still at the office earlier than every other day in the last quarter or so. I was there near 830am. AFter setting up in my office I sought out my boss to discuss our departure time and then which one of us was driving. He wanted to leave at 9am and offered to drive. Cool!

I logged onto my laptop but didn't get much accomplished in what amounted to little more than 15 minutes. We headed out to his Jeep Cherokee at 855am. We jumped on 270north/east at Tuttle mall. Arrived early but missed out on any one of the 20 or so guest parking spots up close to the building. We had to park in the deepest lot - at least a 300 yard walk. It was colder than anticipated being dressed in casual work attire. Burr!

The boss wanted coffee so he stopped at the resident Starbucks cafe on the lower level. I had a bottle of water in tow and was good with that. I rarely if ever drink coffee after leaving home. It was just me, my boss, and a couple peers for the first 10 minutes or so. While a peer got set-up for the presentation the rest of us talked a little shop until the first customer rep showed up. Got the presentation started pretty much on time - 10am.

I was the fourth presenter - about 15 slides in. I don't particularly like being sandwiched in the middle but have gotten somewhat used to it. My piece went well (usually does), just a couple simple questions. Presentation was over after about 40 minutes. Spent another 5 minutes talking with one of the mangers about a problem we've been working on together over the last week. Expressed gratitude for my diligence. Always nice to hear.

My boss and I headed for our car just before 11am. Another long, cold walk. We talked a little more shop on the drive back and then debated where we might stop for lunch. Knowing how much he loves gyros. I suggested that. We stopped at the gyro shop off Britton well north of Tuttle mall and just past the Century Link campus. It's been nearly a year since I was last there.

I ordered a gyro platter, which comes with fries and a drink. My boss did the same, except he ordered the platter with two mini gyros. It was good. We were there no more than 25 minutes and soon on our way back to the office. He's never one to take too long a long lunch break.

I'm think we were back in the office by 1215pm. Seemed odd to be in my office with a full belly around noon. As I dug into my work routine I was overcome with the sleepies, no doubt a result of eating a filling, fast food style lunch. I battled it all afternoon. No longer able to fight it, near 130pm I closed my door and took about a 10 minute nap. Woke feeling refreshed.

The rest of my day went well. I followed up on a couple escalations as well as a couple administrative tasks. The only text I received all day was from Tommy sharing his SW air rapid rewards number. Wants it added to his SLC flight coming up in February. Not sure I can add it, but offered to try. I know for certain he can during flight check-in.

Left for home around 520pm. Still cold but no longer in the bitter cold category. Called Mindy once i was safely rolling down the road. She was making dinner. I didn't as what. We talked a little shop talk but about nothing too heavy. Said she'd be leaving to take Bella to gymnastics very soon.

Arrived home around 540pm. Mindy was cooking dinner - chicken and something else. I guess her leftovers suggestion the evening before fell by the wayside. She soon revealed that we were having chicken over rice topped with salsa. She and I opted for the yummy peach mango salsa. Before finishing dinner, Mindy left to run Bella to gymnastics. Jacob opted to ride along.

I was a bit aggravated with all the unnecessary clutter scattered about the house, and I am as guilty as the rest. The house seems to be shrinking around me. Ugh! While the others were away, I pulled the Accord half way in to the garage to air up my tires. As I figured, only the driver's side was low, but I brought them all to 32 psi. While out in the garage, I stowed the large cooler back up on the camping equipment shelf and then removed the garage wreath timer from the electrical outlet. Killed three birds with one stone.

Inside, I went through my pile of junk mail but not thoroughly. I was able to rid my pile of the easy, low hanging fruit before Mindy got back. They were home shortly after 6pm. While she put the finishing touches on our dinner, I showed Jacob how to spot clean the carpet with Resolve since he put his dirty tennis shoes on while sitting on the steps and left three mud prints. He did a decent job. I suggested that we not allow the kids to keep their shoes on the front door drip tray - only for guests or when heading back out quickly as in the case of Bella going to gymnastics. I carried my snow boots from the back drip tray to the basement. Haven't needed since the Xmas snow storm melt off. And even if we got the 2 inches they were predicting for Friday, I wouldn't really need the boots. Declutter was the goal.

Dinner was good, but I could eat only half of what Mindy served me. Not only had I eaten a gyro at 1130am but I ate several almonds just before leaving the office for home. During dinner clean-up Mindy wanted to discuss plans for the coming weekend. The weather's expected to be ideal for skiing. I let Mindy share her thoughts first.
We have Bella's adoption day thing at her mom's Saturday night so that pretty much rules out spending our Saturday at MRM's winterfest. Even Bella was begging for us to find a way to make it up. :) I suggested we ski Friday night and then Sunday. Lindsey asked us to keep the boys one night this weekend. I suggested that be Saturday and then we could take them to Bella's adoption day celebration.

Mindy's said her biggest concern about having the boys on Saturday night was my disposition or temperament, which admittedly more often than not is less than pleasant when they stay over. It's not them, though. Rather, it's the chaos that leaves me unsettled. The older I get the more prevalent that feeling is. To her credit, it was a good call to discuss our plans.

Before I left to fetch Bella, we looked over livingroom paint colors again. The color we chose a week earlier was no longer my preference. Instead, I showed the one that was by using the SW color visualizer. We learned a long time ago that they way colors appear on a computer monitor is more often than not far different than real life. But Mindy's response was that if it wasn't what we liked, worst case is we repaint it. True. In other words, it's not the end of the world. The advantage of the new color I liked, we actually saw it in play at the High Street Brewery. It's called Sawdust - and from the green color family. However, depending on the lighting, it can take on a gray, tans, or green hue.

I left to fetch Bella at 719pm. I darted out in the cold. Didn't take me but 10 minutes drive to parking lot. Arrived right at 730pm. Kelly had the kids doing jumping jacks. First I've seen that. A couple minutes later Bella came running. Practice was over. Predictably, once in the car, Bella asked if we could make a stop for fast food. Not tonight. She begged for a minute or two then turned her attention to the radio station. Asked that I change it to XM - The Pulse. I granted her wish. We were home in short order, arriving by 740pm.

Somewhat uncharacteristic of Bella, she professed just how hungry she was. Went on an on about it. Both Mindy and I suggested chicken over rice, but to that she gave a thumbs down. I knew what she'd like. I offered to make her some nachos and cheese. Yep, that's what she wanted. She actually ate two small plates full. She really was hungry.

Mindy and the kids once again tuned into Idol. Objecting to becoming a loyal follower, I headed to the livingroom to recline and read. I read and napped for about 45 minutes, or until 845pm. I then slipped quietly off to bed but planning to watch a little knowledge TV. Disappointed that there wasn't anything interesting on, I was just about to turn it off when I remembered that this was opening night for the X games. I checked the guide and found that it was coming on in five minutes - 9pm. Cool!

Mindy joined me in bed shortly after the competition started live from Aspen. Bella soon joined us too after taking a shower. The three of us watched half pipe elimination and snow mobiling. The very first snow mobile competitor had his snow mobile land on his head after a flip. Gnarly, dude! We got to see Shaun White and Louie Vito do their thing on the half pipe too. Sweet!!

Not sure the exact time when we turned off the TV but I'm guessing that it was near 10pm. Off to bed.

Double Dog Dare - Darwin Turns 49

Happy 49th Darwin
... and anniversay too!

I was up a couple minutes early after more than 10 hours sleep. Not sure why I’ve been so tired the last couple nights but the extra sleep felt great. It was Wednesday which meant push-up day. That also meant my work day would be in New Albany. After disabling the security system and glancing out back, I whipped out calisthenics.

Done by 545am, I headed to the PC with coffee. And there I spent the next 25 minutes. The temperature was still quite frigid – only 12 degrees – but with much calmer winds. Saw that the Buckeyes won their basketball game the night before. Beat Iowa. Hmmm? Didn’t even know they were playing.

Woke Mindy near 610am. Downstairs for meditation and stretch. Both went well. Got out the door for my run around 640am. Dressed in the same configuration as the morning before save for my brand new running shoes – their maiden voyage. I tied them a tad loose, a trick I learned several years ago to avoid foot cramps from a foreign shoe fit.

Ran 4.1 miles without problems. Sure, it was cold, but I was dressed for it. Mindy already had the Pilot warming by the time I returned home. I quickly leashed up the pug and headed out for our walk. Regardless of the temperature, the walk serves as my cool down lap. Mindy was just backing out the drive when we returned. I blew her a kiss from the passenger side window.

Inside, there was a skillet of cheesy scrambled eggs on the stove. Bella was in a panic over no apparent eggs for Eiknarf until I informed her that there were plenty enough to give her some. It was 745am before I was off to the shower.

In short order, I put together my lunch just before we headed out to the bus stop. Eiknarf was in rear form, She barked at every car that passed. Thankfully, the bus was a couple minutes early again sparing us from the brutal winter chill. Like the day before, Makayla rushed out of the house just as the pulled up out front.

I started the Accord on my way back to the house. I let it warm for a solid 10 minutes before heading out. I was a couple miles down 670 when I remembered that I didn’t check my back pack for my laptop power cord and mouse. Crap! I reached in the back pack resting on the passenger seat to check by feel. Not there. Double crap! I thought about exiting and turning around but didn’t. Thinking, thinking, thinking. I then remembered working from home for a couple hours last Thursday. That’s when I used the power cord last. I knew then I was screwed.

I made excellent time and arrived in New Albany just before 9am. My laptop battery will last about an hour, tops. Figured I would try using the Dell laptop power cord that I’ve spotted in my office. If that didn’t work, I’d have to head home after our 10am call. It was chilly walk across the bridge to the building. Tried powering up my laptop suing the Dell power cord. No such luck. Not sure why it doesn’t work, however. The connector looks identical. My power indicator said I had about 54 minutes of power remaining.

Mindy sent me a text while I was in the throws of my power cord issue sharing that we need to talk. I took a deep breath and assured her we would. I walked over to the center managers office and asked if they might have a spare HP laptop power cord I could use. Walked me to their IT guy’s office. Lo and behold, it was Max, neighbor Pat’s son. Nope, only Dell. Darn! The center manager assured me that it was no big deal if I headed home. I waited until after our 10am call then made the long trek back home for my power cord and mouse.

The drive was easy given that rush hour traffic was no more. I wasn’t even gone an hour – 50 minutes in total, and that included me taking a few minutes at home to check email and stuff. Problem solved. Up a running as normal by 11am.

I ended up skipping a formal lunch break, but did eat my packed food around 130pm. Sometime mid- afternoon Lindsey sent a text sharing that she wasn’t going to be able to cover her car insurance bill for at least another two weeks. Bad timing! I responded by congratulating her for taking only one month to dent the new car and two months to renege on paying her car insurance. Obviously, I wasn’t pleased.

Mindy snet another text around 4pm sharing that she wanted to go our for dinner – needed a beer. I only responded that I was again feeling extremely tired. I kept busy until 445pm when I left for home. I remembered that despite it being Wednesday, it wouldn’t be a Jimaken night. He had to be out of town for some case. I didn’t bother calling home, or anyone else for that matter. Made excellent time barreling around 270. No slowdowns to speak of. Arrived home by 520pm.

Mindy seemed surprised when I walked in. She wasn’t in the process of making dinner. I presumed she was still set on dinner out. The drive home only exacerbated my case of the sleepies. After emptying my lunch containers, I went to the recliner for a nap. I slept for a solid 30 minutes or so. I woke hearing Mindy and the kids discussing dinner options. Mindy told them that she was waiting on me to wake from my nap.

Unlike the previous two evenings, the brief nap left me feeling rested. After brushing my teeth and hair, I was ready to go. Mindy sent Makayla home and we left for Barley’s around 625pm taking the Accord. It was flurrying outside but no accumulation. Got a rare front row parking spot. Wasn’t nearly the crowd we’ve grown accustom to. In turn, we got a table right away in Justin’s area. Mindy pointed out Atlanta Tim sitting at a table a couple over. Haven’t seen him for several months, or ever since he moved out of state. Mindy walked over to say hello.

Knowing their mother’s propensity to talk up a storm, both kids went for their phone timers to document how long she’d be gone. Funny! She was gone maybe 5 minutes. I ordered a Double Dog, and so did Mindy. We went through two baskets of fries as appetizers while deciding on dinner. Mindy perused a menu. The kids and I didn’t need one.

Sent Darwin a text wishing him a happy 49th b-day. He responded sharing that he was in Barley’s earlier. Having not shared that we were at Barley’s, I could only assume that Mindy had texted him with more details.

Jacob ordered what he always orders. Mindy ordered a series of three small sandwiches: one each with brisket, pork, and chicken. I ordered K.C. wings well done. Bella ordered boneless wings, buffalo. When the time came, Justin offered a 2nd Double Dog. I passed so Mindy could enjoy a 2nd. I’m guessing that we were there for about 70-80 minutes. Mindy disappeared again, this time to talk with Christa. The kids set the timer again.  Mindy paid the tab. We left for home around 8pm.

A little surprised to find our car covered in snow when we left for home. Snow was still coming down too. Probably about a ½” on the ground. Bella was eager to get home and tune into American Idol auditions. Not me, not this year. I’ve sworn it off. Not gonna get sucked in. I want to use the time more constructively. After we all got changed, I toiled on my computer while Mindy and the kids watched Idol. I read through my GoPro documentation again picking up a few more nuggets.

I eventually joined the family for the last 30-40 minutes of Idol auditions, not so much to watch, but instead to hang out with the family. That IS a good use of time. Bella DVR’d the show just in case she got shut down for bed early. I stretched out on the floor. My left shoulder ached all day. Come 10pm we all headed for bed.

Sleepy New Running Shoes

I headed to bed the night before near 8pm and slept until just after 530am. Perhaps I got too much sleep as I woke feeling tired as ever. I shook it off and quickly started calisthenics whipping out 50 sit-ups, windmills, and curls. Headed for my PC with coffee near 550am.

I took Mindy her coffee near 610am. Once she was awake I headed back downstairs. And despite more than 10 hours of sleep the night before, I decided to stretch out on the sofa again for a few minutes. I never did fall asleep. I popped up after about 10 minutes and did both meditation and a stretch. Jacob was upstairs blow drying his do. It was a tad bothersome at first but I eventually tuned it out and found the peace I sought.

It was cold, only 7 degrees and with that ever present cold wind from the west. Wind chills were said to be around 10 below. I dressed warmly for a run. Not only did I add long johns, but added a pull over fleece to my three existing upper layers. Aside from the initial shock of the cold air slamming against my uncovered face, I was very comfortable. Of course, my face warmed by default not even a half mile into the run.

About the 1 mile mark, I noticed that a thick coat of frost formed on my shoulders, living proof that this wicking stuff really works. The last mile was almost completely into the cold wind. By then I was like a mini furnace. Finished the 4.1 miles strong.

Mindy was still at home, the Pilot warming in the driveway. I headed inside and leashed up the pug. We headed off into the cold. She only peed, and even that took some coaxing. I’m sure the cold impacted her thinking too. Mindy departed for school while we were off on our walk.

Nuked my eggs that were waiting in the microwave. Bella was already upstairs. I was a little disappointed to find that we were out of both fresh fruit and orange juice. Thankfully, though, I found an old cup of OJ lurking in the fridge, no doubt one that Bella poured but never finished. Happens often.

Headed to the shower near 745am. Had just enough time to throw together a lunch before we headed out for the bus. I started the Accord on the way to the bus stop. I made it a point to take Eiknarf since she hadn’t yet pooped. As luck would have it, the bus was early. Of course Eiknarf went right in front of the school bus.  Makayla came running just as Bella was boarding. Chrissy popped her head out but ran quickly back inside.

Inside, I quickly organized my things for work then briefly enjoyed a 2nd cup of coffee, though it never tastes as good as the first. Just before heading out, I grabbed my Finishline coupon. I was on the road by 840am. The drive was quite pleasant. Pleasant that is until I had to walk to the building. Yikes, it was cold!

Had a number of issues on my plate including sending out my section of a customer facing quarterly presentation. Near 1230pm I left for lunch and headed to Tuttle mall where I hoped to buy new running shoes. My current pair is worn from a daily running stand point. And for some reason the toe of the sole is completely eaten off my right shoe only.

Parked behind Macy’s. Did a cursory browse as I made my way to the Finishline just outside Macy’s lower level. I found the Asics that I saw online. Asked to try on two pairs – size 11. I liked the feel of the GT-2000’s best. Like the color combination too. I went with those. Picked up some electric lime green shoe strings though since I didn’t really care for the electric blue they came with. I browsed the store before paying and departing. Used my $20 off coupon.

Checked out a few things in Macy’s as I made my back through the store and eventually to my car out back. Enjoyed the time away. It’s always nice to get away for a real lunch break. Was back at the office near 130pm. Before heading in I took the time to remove the blue and lace up my new lime green shoe strings.

Tied up several loose ends during the afternoon. Left for home just after 5pm. It was still quite chilly, only 12 degrees at departure. Called Mindy along my drive home. We talked briefly, but long enough to learn that she went grocery shopping right after school and was already done putting them away and cooking dinner. Confirmed that no one needed to be anywhere that evening. That always feels good.

Arrived home around 525pm. Makayla was over playing with Bella. Mindy was busy making cheese burgers and home fries. While she put the finishing touches on dinner, I checked personal email. Dinner was ready in short order. My burger was topped with pepper jack. I toasted my bun, the only one to do so.

Both the burger and taters were good. Jacob complained about his. Didn’t like it topped with feta cheese. He’s usually has real blue cheese, but we didn’t have any. He ate it after scraping off the feta. Makayla stayed through dinner though didn’t have a burger so not to ruin her own dinner. She did eat some fruit, however.

Like most nights, I managed clean-up right after dinner. All cleaned up by 630pm. Chrissy called for Makayla to come home about that same time. After changing into my PJs, I thought I might do some reading in the family room. Mindy was busy working on report cards, just as she was the evening before. Bella needed to read too, and wanted to read aloud. I opted to put my book aside and listen. Can’t read very well with someone reading aloud.

Instead of asking me, she took her book to Mindy each time she stumbled on a word. Around 7pm I went from the chair to the sofa and quickly fell asleep. I thought I’d simply take one of my famous brief naps and then be back at it all refreshed. That wasn’t the case. Instead, I woke near 815pm and declared it my bedtime. I filled my water glass and headed for bed. Not sure why I’ve felt so tired the past few nights.

Once in bed I turned on the TV looking for something educational and interesting on one of the knowledge channels. I found nothing. Instead of watching mindless TV, I simply turned it off and closed my eyes. Out!

METW @ MRM on MLK

I simply wasn’t ready to get up come 530am, so I slept in until 555am. Even then I was still tired. I drug myself from bed, brushed my teeth, then headed downstairs. I was the only one that needed to be up. The others were on holiday. I didn’t feel rushed or behind.

I disabled the security system then started calisthenics whipping out sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups. Glanced out back. Looked cold. Poured coffee then headed to the PC. It was cold – only 22 degrees. However, the forecast was calling for much colder air on the way. Supposed to be in the single digits for the next couple overnights couple with stiff wind.

I played around online reading a few headlines and checking email until well after 630am. It was after 7am by the time I headed out for a run. I dressed warmly wearing long johns and adding a 2nd thin long-sleeved wicking shirt. That helped quite a bit. The breeze blowing from the west was cold! Ran 4.1 miles.

Home again by 750am. As expected, I was the only one up. I took Mindy coffee on my way to the shower. Showered and dressed by 815am. Headed downstairs to make a couple eggs. Mindy got up and came downstairs with me. By then it was snowing and blowing. Since it was so cold, the snow was sticking right away. It was the light and fluffy variety, blowing away as soon as a gust of wind would sweep in.

Eiknarf must’ve smelled the eggs. She cried for Bella to free her, which she did. She then cried from the loft area. We think she gets confused and forgets that what she’s peering at from the balcony is accessible from the stairs. 

After finishing my eggs I packed a quick lunch. Not a lot of choices. I packed tuna, nuts, and cheese. We didn’t have any fresh fruit or veggies. Mindy needs to grocery shop. Before leaving for work, I asked Mindy to make sure that somebody walks the pug. At the time I left, Mindy still wasn’t sure if they’d be going skiing or not. Jacob was downstairs just before I left for work. By then, it was already almost 9am.
Got to the office around 915am. Still snowing and blowing. The snow fall only intensified as the morning progressed. At times I could barely see out the 6th floor office windows. Mindy called near 1145am to let me know that they were leaving for MRM. She also wanted to know if she should take my ski gear just in case I wanted to join them after work. I opted not. I was still tired and hoped and planned to get to bed early Monday night.

Joined account team calls for each of my three customer accounts. Did a little reporting work too. Didn’t bother taking a formal lunch break. Looked brutally cold outside. Snow, strong wind and cold. Mindy sent a text from MRM sharing that they weren’t sure that they would stay. Apparently the wind was brutal driving the wind chills to near zero. I suggested they suck it up, which they did.

She sent me another text towards the work day’s end sharing that they planned to leave around 5pm. I figured we’d get home at close to the same time. I left for home around 515pm. By then it was 16 degrees with wind gusts at more than 20mph. That felt really cold, especially after our most recent warm spell.
I wasn’t looking forward to it, but since I was the first one home I quickly leashed up the pug for a walk. We headed out in the arctic blast. The first gust of arctic air nearly took all the air from my lungs. I eventually adjusted. Mindy and the kids came barreling down the road while I was out walking Eiknarf. She took care of both #1 & #2. Was very much looking forward to getting back inside. Not used to being out in the cold in street clothes.

Mindy started dinner right away making beef & noodles using Sunday’s leftover roast beef. At the same time, I headed to the living room to mess around on my PC. It was then that I noticed a pile of dog crap on the carpet by the leaning shelves. Dang it! Mindy shared that Bella walked her before they left for skiing and that she went both. I asked Bella. She concurred but also had that look in her eye, you know, the I didn’t tell the truth look. I cleaned up the half hardened pile then scrubbed the spot with Resolve.
I did a Google search on GoPro hero3 looking up. Returned several hits. Did some further digging and learned that many are experiencing the same symptoms as me. Even watched a detailed YouTube video of a customer showing the problem. He determined, like me, that the only way to clear the condition was to remove the battery. He goes on to post a note from GoPro support detailing the permanent fix action with seems ridiculous, essentially reimaging the camera. I copied the detailed instructions and sent it to myself via email.

I then ran through several cycles with my camera and it performed flawlessly. I did notice that the videos I recorded on Saturday and Sunday are time stamped with the incorrect date. The photos I took with it are fine however. Hmm? Very strange. Verdict’s still out. Spent an awful lot of money for this thing. I’ll send it back if there are ongoing issues. Not worth the hassle.

Dinner was ready within the half hour. The beef & noodles hit the spot – hearty! Kids talked about their ski day and all the fun they had. All the neighbor kids were there too with Chrissy & Kenny. Sounds like Chrissy & Kenny are having an ongoing spat.

Bella hasn’t been to school since last Wednesday. After dinner she began to panic about not having her TV & reading log completed as Miss Leahy apparently requested. She got so worked up that she was soon in tears. Unbeknownst to me, Mindy snuck off to shower while I managed dinner clean-up. Both Bella and Jacob worked on homework for the next half hour. Bella was still overwhelmed with her reading assignments. Hard to deal with when she gets like that. Jacob needed my help too. His issue was a technical problem. We figured that our quickly.

I headed upstairs to change out of my work clothes and into winter PJs. Felt terrific. Brushed my teeth too. By then, Mindy was helping Bella get her reading log together as best she could. But no matter what we did, there wasn’t any way it was going to be full. Bella simply didn’t do enough reading while she was off sick and then over the holiday weekend.

I was still tired and had been all day long. I thought about reading and napping but opted instead to get a glass of ice water then sneak off to bed. It wasn’t quite yet 8pm. I turned on the TV and tuned to The Universe on the Science Channel loosely watching a program about the formation of our solar system. I’ve seen it before. I quickly began to dose off. I vaguely remember Mindy joining me in bed around 9pm but I easily fell right back asleep. I was down for the count.

Cold, Hard & Icy

 

Out of bed around 730am, I headed downstairs to start some coffee. We talked about getting a much earlier start and heading up to MRM between 9-10pm. Given the hour, I didn’t expect us to leave before 10am.

I enjoyed coffee while playing on the internet. Did that for about an hour. Downloaded then reviewed the videos and photos from my GoPro. There was an issue with video playback. Looked more like time lapse video – staccato. The audio was fine and so were the still photos. I worried that something was amiss with the camera. It suddenly & inexplicably stopped working towards the end of the evening. That, however, appeared to be nothing more than a drained battery. I charged it again overnight.

I also wondered if it might be my photo software being compatible with the video file type – MP4. I didn’t have time to fool with it then. I needed to go do a run. It cooled off significantly overnight, now only about 30 degrees. Wasn’t cold enough to make snow however, and didn’t drop below freezing about 5am.

I took Mindy coffee then headed off on my run. She planned to shower while I was out. I ran the usual three mile weekend trail . It was chilly and that ever present easterly breeze still blowing strong. However, like the day before, the sky was clear and the sunshine brilliant. It was a really nice run.

The pug was waiting by the door when I got back. Mindy was upstairs finishing her ready. I leashed up the pug and took her on a walk. Gone about 10 minutes, I got in the shower as soon as we were back at home. By then Mindy was heading downstairs.

Mindy and Bella had us all but ready to go by the time I was showered, dressed, and downstairs. Each of us had a ham and cheese sandwich which served as our breakfast. Left the house at 1007am. Fast easy drive to MRM. The more we go the faster the drive seems to get. Arrived around 1045am. This time the lot wasn’t that full at all. That had more to do with the hour than the weather. Speaking of the weather, it was holding steady at 26 degrees under mostly sunny skies.

Mindy texted with Bob & Tina C, & Bob & Mary Ann on the drive up. The Cubra’s were already there. The Imber’s on their way. We were much more efficient with our ready. On the lift by 1110am. The park did the best they could grooming the hill after Saturday night’s midnight madness and freeze, coupled with no new snow.

The surface was hard pack. Certainly much faster than Saturday. After 5 or 6 turns, I headed to the Pilot to swap my Mantra’s for my AC30s. I knew they’d be much better on the hard, icy snow. I was able to carve with the AC30s like nobody’s business. Once again happy to have such diversity with my skis. It was cold, too, especially at the top of the hill with that easterly wind. It was biting even.

The Cubra boys and Zach were all doing the US air bag on site for the entire MLK weekend. We offered Bella the opportunity but she refused. She skied some with Cassie C. Mindy, Bella and I didn’t plan to stay too long since we would be celebrating Lindsey’s birthday with family at home at 5pm. Figured to leave around 3pm. However, as chilly as it was, we took a 30 minute break around 130pm.

During break, Mindy & Mary Ann had bloody Mary’s while I enjoyed a Jack & Coke. Bob C. brought some homemade finger snacks (sausage, crackers, and cheese). They were tasty. Headed back out around 2pm where we did 5 or 6 more runs. Called it quits at 245pm and said our goodbyes.

On the road for home by 3pm. Easy drive. Arrived home near 345pm. Lindsey and the boys were already there presumably doing their laundry. Mindy and I both took showers in the first 30-40 minutes of being home. The NFC championship game was already underway, too. The Falcons had an early 17-0 lead over the 49ers. Before I got in the shower, I did a little research into my video playback issue. Appears I was on to something. Photoshop Elements 8.0 doesn’t support MP4 video. I played the same videos using Quicktime and they appeared almost ideal.

After a quick shower, Mindy asked Landon to help bake brownies that would serve as Lindsey’s birthday cake. Dad arrived just as I was downstairs again after a shower. Dad was sporting a new do, the shortest I’ve seen his hair in quite a few years. Looks good.

Wasn’t long before Ashley, Steven and Olivia arrived. That’s all we were expecting. Failed to share that Mindy put a beef roast in the crock-pot before we left for MRM earlier that morning. That served as our main course. We visited for a while before dinner. We sat to eat around 545pm.

I waited for all others to be served and seated before making a plate of my own. The roast was quite good, as were the sides Mindy made, which included mashed potatoes & green beans. Dinner was good. Watched the end of the NFC championship game. SF beat Atlanta 28-24. Good game. Felt bad for Matt Ryan.
Dinner clean-up was a snap, thanks to using paper plates and plastic utensils. Must’ve been 630pm when we put candles on the tray of brownies and sang happy b-day to Lindsey. Gave her a card with a Kohl’s gift card. Celebration wrapped up around 650pm. Lindsey said she was tired and looked it, too. She and the boys, along with Dad, Ash, Steven, and Olivia departed. Everybody was gone by 7pm.
After everybody was gone we got comfy and cozy in the family room. Bella was already off to the neighbors. Said something about having Emily spend the night. Headed to my PC to spend a little more time with my GoPro. Having some technical difficulties with it locking up. Also looking into upgrading my Photoshop Elements from 8.0 to Premiere 11.0. The upgrade would among other things allow me to edit the GoPro MP4 videos.

Played around with the remote control feature too. Had some technical difficulties with it as well. Awfully pricey to have so many issues. Yikes! Mindy asked Bella to be home by 9pm. She called near her deadline a little worked up. Apparently wanted Lillian and Makayla to spend the night after Emily wasn’t permitted to. Mindy agreed after conferring briefly with me. Why not?

New England lead the AFC championship game at the half, but the Ravens came back in the 3rd quarter and took the lead. Bella came home about 10 minutes later upset saying that Kenny trumped the notion of the girls spending the night. Mindy did her best to calm her.

Mindy and I headed to bed around 945pm. I wasn’t sore, but my body was tired from two days of skiing.

Warm, Soft and Slow

Drinking just two beers the evening before and then hitting the sack by 1030pm, you might have expected me to get up a lot earlier than 745am, but I guess I needed the sleep. I disabled the security system then started coffee.

I played on the internet and then prepared my GoPro for a day at MRM. It was already fairly warm, 40 degrees and sunny at 830am. I headed out on a run near 930am. So much for an early start. The sun was really warm, but still a stiff chilly breeze from the west. Felt like spring facing the south and into the sun.
Mindy was up and walking the pug as I returned from my run. I walked back to the house with them. With few words, Mindy quietly began getting ready for our day at MRM. Bella called at some point to ask what time we’d be on our way.

Having showered just before leaving for dinner the night before. Mindy didn’t bother with another though I did. Took us a while I finish our ready for skiing. Packed snacks and a cooler. I made breakfast too, an egg and cheese sandwich. Mindy had peanut butter toast.

Mindy loaded most of our gear into the Pilot while I made final preparations. Left the house at 1130am, headed to Jimaken’s place to pick-up Bella. Mindy had all of her soft ski gear in a bag. Once at Jim’s, Mindy got Bella ready while I hung out with Jacob and Jim who were playing Xbox soccer. Thinking we left there near noon.

Took Bethel to Sawmill to 161 to 33. Easy drive. Passed the new brew pub, the Pint Room. We’ll have to make a stop there soon. Bella was extremely quiet for the entire drive to MRM. Decent parking spot about 3 rows out and right in line with the gift shop. Geared up and on the Four Star by 1pm.
It was sunny and 46 degrees upon arrival. The north facing slopes were soft but still in decent shape, though a little thin in a few areas. Near the bottom of hill the snow was a bit stickier where it takes more direct sunlight. Fun surface. The Mantras were ideal for this type of snow. The three of us skied several runs together.

At some point we happened upon Scott & Zach. We skied with the two of them for a little while. I’m thinking it was near 230pm when Bob & Mary Ann showed up. With such lovely weather, they opted to take their time getting ready and coming up. Arriving about the same time were neighbors Kenny & Mike who showed up with all the kids. Chrissy was still at home hosting a baby shower. Bella happily skied off with her peeps, Emily & Makayla. Lillian wanted to try snow boarding. Kenny put her in a lesson.
We skied until 4pm or after before taking a break. More than anything, I was thirsty for some water, perhaps a little hungry too. Instead of breaking in the lodge, we set up camp out in the parking lot at the rear of the Imber’s minivan. Bob had his camp chairs out – a little picnic. I experimented around with my GoPro taking a few short videos and then some photos. Drank a beer or two and then enjoyed some snacks. Thinking we were out there for only about 45 minutes.

Slowly but surely, the mushy snow began to firm as the sun sank in the southwestern sky. That made for some very fun skiing. Took my first two spills of the year, once trying to dust Bella and friends and another more treacherous spill flying down the face. I lost both skis and tumbled head over heels two or three times. I was fine. Laughed if off. Not sure what happened. I guess I simply lost an edge.
Scott & Zach headed home. The rest of us took another break around 630-7pm. This time we headed up to the lodge. Bob bought a pitcher of beer. We grabbed half of a long table. Met up with Mike & Kenny. Lillian was done with her snowboard lesson. Wanted to warm up but then head out to ski with the other girls who were already out again.

Our break was relatively short – no more than 45 minutes long. Bob, Mary Ann, Mindy and I headed back out for three, four, five more runs. We all planned to be back up Sunday. Near 830pm we bagged it. Couldn’t have been more timely. We spotted Bella with her peeps just getting off the lift. Called last run. We met at the bottom and headed for home. It was just before 9pm by the time we pulled out of the lot.
By the way, it was still in the 40s and quite breezy. Got home around 945pm. Bella asked if she could stay up and head over to Makayla’s once they got home. Mindy thought not. I thought I might have a beer or a Jack & Coke but had neither. Instead, I had a bowl of cereal then headed for bed. Mindy was already in bed and asleep.