Dreading the Shredding, Rio Grande - Mom & Dakota's

Even though we didn’t plan to leave for Rio Grande and the gymnastics meet until 11am, I wanted to be up no later than 7am to allow myself enough time to relax, have coffee, and then run to the semi-annual Shred-It event at the Schottenstein Center. In reality, I wasn’t out of bed until 715am. Still not bad. I had plenty of time, or so I thought.

I enjoyed coffee an internet for about 35 minutes before readying myself for a run. Was out the door near 8am. It was sunny but also quite chilly, only 36 degrees. Like most Saturday’s, I ran 3 miles. Was home near 830am. Before Mindy was up, I carried the three boxes up from the basement that I planned to have shredded. Mindy was soon up and gave me change for a $20 so I could donate money at the Shred-It event. You may recall, I headed there last April only to find that it was canceled last minute due to Obama being in town at the Schott. I’ve had these boxes ready at the bottom of the stairs for a year now.

Two years ago I successfully dropped off like 5 banker boxes full. They were very busy but did a great job of traffic control. Had me in and out of there in 15 minutes. This year’s event was on the Schottenstein Center lot but at the far back lot pretty much off Ackerman Rd. Poor signage too. Yikes! Took me a few minutes to find the event. Once I did, I joined the long line of cars just south of the OSY baseball stadium. I still had no idea just how long this line was and how slow it was moving.

An hour passed and I had moved maybe 1000’. I called Mindy to let her know that I was still in line. I still couldn’t see where it ended. It was now approaching 10am, and knowing that we were planning to leave for Bella’s event at 11am I felt a great deal of pressure. At the same time I could finally see where we were headed. Good lord! At the current pace it would be at least another hour. I was furious. In a haste, I cut out of the line and emptied onto Ackerman Rd and headed for home still with my shredding documents on board. I was pissed.
Got home around 1015pm. It didn’t take long. I let Mindy know what a debacle the vent was. Dropped a couple not so nice words, too. After venting I felt a bit better. I woofed down a few sections of old sub that were in the fridge - I was starving – then headed off to the shower.

Mindy was fussing with Jacob who was whining about having to go to Bella’s gym meet. He apparently texted his dad asking him to come get him. Mindy had already nixed that notion the night before. In a perfect world, we would’ve left the house at 1045am so we could ensure that Bella was on site a few minutes early. But as it was, we didn’t leave until 11am. We needed to stop for gas too. Filled up the Pilot at the Circle K. On the road at 1105am. Mindy suggested we bypass as much of I-270 as possible given all the construction. Probably wide advice. We took 70E to 71S to 270E to Rt 23S.

All that went smoothly until a funeral procession joined in the 270 fray coming up from 71N. A funeral cop on a motorcycle popped over in our lane and stopped suddenly nearly causing a collision. Of course it exited 270 at Rt 23 obviously destined for St Joseph’s cemetery. He kept our lane slowed for the entire length of Rt 23S until they turned in.

After that it was smooth sailing again – a lovely drive down Rt 23 and an even prettier drive east on Rt 35 through the rolling hills all the way into Rio Grande. And even though we didn’t leave the house until 11am, we still made it there before 1pm. I’m thinking that it was 1252pm when we parked. Earlier in the drive, Mindy exchanged texts with Connie, lane’s mom. They spent the night locally and were already done and on their way home. His events were extra early. Bella’s were fairly late, with her first not officially beginning until 130pm.

We got settled in bleacher after forking over $16 for the three of us to watch. It wasn’t too long before Bella was in line for her first event – the double-mini - and pretty much right on schedule. Turns out, that was her best event of the day netting a 2nd place finish. Yeah, Bella! We sat in the bleachers with coach Kelly’s husband Marshall, and their daughter Laurel. Laurel somehow lost/misplaced her iTouch. Kelly wasn’t pleased. We helped them look for it, but to no avail.

Bella’s 2nd event was ‘floor’. She’s still struggling with her consecutive back handsprings thus didn’t score very well. Jacob insisted it a last place finish. He wasn’t very kind. It was a while before her third and final event. It wasn’t scheduled until 330pm. As it was, it was about 230pm. Overcome with a bad case of the sleepies, at 250pm I headed out to the Pilot for a brief nap. On the way out, I sent mom an email letting her know our status. Promised to call once we were done and on our way.

I woke from my nap at 325pm. Thinking my timing perfect, I headed in to catch Bella’s trampoline event. According to Jacob, they started it early. I just missed it. Said she changed her routine at the coach’s suggestion and did too many of one thing and not enough of another. Despite beautiful flips, a ridiculously low score. Too bad!

Like most of these gymnastics meets, the time between the actual event and when they have the scores posted for awards is staggeringly long. An hour passed and they still didn’t have the trampoline scores posted. In fact, Bella had just received her floor trophy. Jacob was adamant about leaving. I was game for whatever Mindy decided. With no end in sight, she eventually asked coach Kelly if she would bring Bella’s trophy to practice on Tuesday. We left the Rio Grande gym at 430pm. Mindy called mom from the lot just as we were exiting.

It’s no more than a 25-30 minute drive to Dakota’s from Rio Grande and almost all highway. We arrived at Dakota’s near 5pm. Didn’t see mom’s car anywhere in the lot. We headed in and got a table just as we did the year prior. Took a few minutes for a table and server. No worries. We ordered drinks and ate complementary peanuts. I went to check the lot for mom. Sure enough, she was sitting waiting in her car.
Our server’s name was Nicole. She was very pleasant and attentive. After greeting mom, we ordered a bloomin’ onion and eventually our entrées. Jacob ordered a ½ rack of ribs. Bella ordered steak bites. I ordered prime rib, Mom and Mindy ordered the Ribeyes, I think. My prime rib was delicious. I could eat only about a 1/3. Everybody seemed to enjoy their food. We weren’t there but an hour, a relatively short visit with mom.

Talked for a few minutes then headed our separate ways from the parking lot. It had to be about 620pm. It was a lovely evening for a drive – about 54 degrees and sunny. Looked warmer than it was. Arrived home at 755pm.

Lindsey and the boys were gone by the time we got home, but unfortunately their earlier presence visibly apparently by mud on the carpet, toys left in the yard and deck, along with a few other telltale signs. Mindy and I were both a little frustrated with the way she left the house. One of the kids walked the pug. Not sure which one.

Bella soon headed down to play with Makayla. She wasn’t there for half an hour when she called home to ask if she could spend the night. Yes! We knew that would make her happy. Come about 830pm I poured a Jack & Coke. I perused the cable line-up to see what was on Palladia. Bruce Springsteen live. I wasn’t interested. Jacob was off playing basketball, so I watched Tosh.0. Very funny , but also very inappropriate. When Bella came home to get PJs Mindy asked that I change the channel.

Bella and friends were soon gone. I tuned back to Tosh. Jacob came in and Mindy once again asked that I turn it off. Thing is, Jacob has seem Tosh numerous times. I changed the channel but to Family Guy. Mindy turned the TV off.  We agreed to watch Red Neck Vacation on CMT. That’s pretty funny, too.

Mindy headed to bed around 930pm. Jacob asked for the channel and headed to his room. I poured a 2nd Jack & Coke and stayed up for another 30 minutes. Fell asleep on the sofa and woke near 11pm. Headed to bed where I joined Mindy already sound asleep.