Not Emilio Estevez

I was up at 545am and downstairs knocking out calisthenics a few minutes later. It was a push-up day, so any cob webs lingering in my head were soon a thing of the past. I planned to work from home and started checking email along with enjoying internet and coffee. Woke Mindy around 615am.

Back downstairs I spent the next 90+ minutes enjoying coffee, internet, but with a little work sprinkled in, too. And speaking of sprinkles, a brief but strong thunderstorm moved through the area just before dawn. At the time it was just humid, cloudy, and 60 degrees. Was supposed to clear up by day’s end. Saw Jacob, Mindy, then Bella off to school before heading out for a run.

Wore shorts and the new bright (traffic cone) orange running shirt Mindy bought for me last week. By run time the sun was already busting through the cloud cover. It looked like our weather was coming out of the west again after almost a week of an east moving system. I ran 4.1 miles and felt good the entire time. Worked up a good sweat in the near 100% humidity.

Back at the house I enjoyed some fresh fruit and a 3rd cup of coffee all while working. Planned an early lunch near noon and headed off to the westside Strader’s, Home Depot, & Lowes. I haven’t been to the Hillliard-Rome & West Broad St Strader’s for years (formerly Franks). I hoped to find some really nice large hibiscus for the deck. They didn’t have even one hibiscus, but they did have some small Althea (aka Rose of Sharon) in one gallon containers marked half off, or $5 each. I’ve been thinking about planting them along the water’s edge along with the honey suckle to add some brilliant summer color. I bought three. I also bought two large geraniums basket for the deck hanging baskets. Mindy really wanted to try something other than geraniums, but I’m convinced nothing will endure the long summer better than Strader’s lovely giant geraniums. The fact that there was only one register opened inside was somewhat of an annoyance.

Just a mile or so to the east, I headed to the West Broad St. Home Depot next. Surprisingly, they had some of the healthiest large hibiscus I’ve seen anywhere. I bought two, one red and one orange. A woman in front of me at the outdoor checkout had a large hibiscus, too, but not quite as full and a lesser price point. The only problem was it wasn’t bar coded so the cashier couldn’t scan it. The customer refused to go back to the outdoor display where she got it and get the SKU, and the cashier said it was too far for her to go as she wasn’t permitted to abandon register by that distance. They were engaged in what seemed like an endless stare down when I agreed to go after it to get the line moving. Good grief! The customer pointed me in the general direction and the cashier told me what to look for.

I found then in a hurry but rather than commit the SKU to memory, I pulled a tag and handed it to the cashier. Finally, I was on my way to Lowes. At Lowes I knew what I wanted. I quickly grabbed two of the purple ivy geranium hanging baskets that I planned to gift to Mindy for Mother’s Day. I also got a new sprayer for the hose. I went through two of them last season. After loading my Lowes purchase, the Accord was packed full of summer flora. At home I quickly unloaded my haul and got back to work. I planned to knock off around 1pm to make up for all the extra time I put in late evenings earlier in the week.

Ended up working until 130pm, but who’s counting? I headed out to do a little planting. I did the two giant red pots first, filling them both about 3/4s full then stuffing them each with three small hibiscus. After topping off the potting soil, I added two cannas bulbs to the center of each and then a couple sweet potato vines. Potted the giant geraniums next in the two new moss laden baskets. Stuffed with flowers and potting soil, they must weigh about 30lbs each. At finishing touch, I added two vinca vines to each. Given the size, I think I’ll add two more to each. But later.

Headed inside where I made myself a burrito. I was really hungry having not eaten anything other than fruit so far. That proved filling. I ran out of potting soil, and that’s after buying two of the 64 quart bags. I couldn’t do anymore. I thought I might run to Lowes at Mill Run to get another bag. A brief, but strong storm kicked up moments later complete with heavy rain, hail and wind. At times the gutters looked more like a waterfall. I waited to see if the storm would blow over before heading again to Lowes. Sure enough, the rain stopped and the sky brightened. I headed off to Lowes.

Started to spit rain again just as I pulled up at Lowes. Looked dark to our immediate west. I hustled into the garden center where I grabbed a 64 qt. bag of potting soil. The checkout woman asked if it might storm. I shared that it hit just south of there 30 minutes prior.

I was on 270 when another brief storm hit. It rained so hard that I almost pulled over. I could hardly see 10’ in front of me. Not only was it raining hard but the wind was blowing almost sideways. By the time I got back home the rain had all but stopped. I waited for the sky to brighten before heading back out to the deck for more planting. That was around 3pm. This time I potted the two hanging baskets in the maple trees.

There was more to be done but I was done. Figured I would do the rest – or some more – over the weekend. I headed in and upstairs for a shower. Jacob was going home from school with a friend. Bella got home around 4pm, or soon after my shower. She asked if she could go next door and play with Makayla. I asked the big question - is a parent home? Bella knows the drill. If there isn’t, she can’t stay. She was gone for just a couple minutes. Came home crying. Through the tears, I detected that a parent wasn’t home. She stormed off to her room and then called Mindy. Speaking of Mindy, it was 430pm and she wasn’t home from school. Figured she must’ve stopped for appetizers and beers with teacher peers.

Mindy got home around 515pm. Turned out, she made planned stops at Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart. She apparently told me about them the evening before.

Our Friday evening plans included having the grandkids overnight. Olivia was staying just because, and Rocky & Landon so Lindsey could work OT on Saturday. Figured it was far easier to have them overnight than to be at the front door at 7-730am to greet them. We were expecting Olivia at 630pm and then the boys around 8pm. Mindy suggested that she, Bella and I do dinner at Barley’s. I called Ashley to request that she simply drop Olivia there on their way to the Funny Bone. Despite her poor sense of direction, she agreed. I insisted it wouldn’t be out of her way (off 670 – on 670). Bella, meanwhile, asked if she could stay home at Makayla’s now that Kenny was home. Kenny agreed, so Mindy agreed. Mindy and I left for Barley’s at 6pm.

We got a barside table that would accommodate three. Justin was our server. The bar was surprisingly empty. Zach’s replacement, David, walked by. I stopped him asking where I might know him from. It hit me as soon as I asked. He was our server at BJ’s our first time there. He left a positive and lasting impression on us then. Good guy! Congratulated him on his new job. Mindy and I both ordered the new Barley’s Hopiate IPA, only Mindy went with one off the firkin while I had one off the tower. Very good!!

Ashley called a couple minutes later to let me know that she was in the lot. I went out to intercept Olivia. Olivia joined us at our table. She pointed out that she only recently – the day before – got her cast off. In fact, she was holding her arm as if it were still in the cast. I guess that’s common. She was sensitive to anyone touching/bumping it too. Said she’d already eaten dinner but was eager to have a Dr Pepper.

Mindy ordered a carnivore sampler – all brisket and I ordered bowl of the soup-of-the-day, which was bacon cheese potato. Yum! Mindy agreed to drive, and subsequently had just the one beer. I had two, but bought a jug of the Hopiate to take home. Steve Wonn showed up shortly before we left. Hadn’t seen him for a couple weeks.

We left for home by 730pm. We needed to be home before 8pm to intercept the boys. We weren’t home 5 minutes before Mindy & Olivia headed down to the neighbors. I wasn’t far behind but took my dear old time. I’m pretty sure that Mindy texted Lindsey letting her know that’s where we’d be. I took the new jug of IPA along.

I’d finished just half a beer when Kenny & Mike insisted I tag along to go after pizza for the kids. Mindy was OK with me going. Once in Kenny’s Jeep they shared that we were going to Emellio’s, a long standing westside tradition. I let Mike & Kenny know that I left my wallet at home and asked that they stop so I could get it. Said not to worry about it. Cool!

I’m pretty sure the last time I was in Emellio’s I was married to Kelly and was there for pizza and beer with longtime friend Joe Dooley. I love their pizza but it usually gives me horrible heart burn. The beers were on Kenny or Mike. They handed me a Yeungling while we waited on our pizzas. Was there only two or three minutes before I recognized grandma Sharon and Pappy Dick sitting at the bar. I greeted them both and ended talking with the two of them for quite a long time. They’re great people. A little bit later I recognized Mr. Bowman, Skip Bowman’s dad sitting at the other end of the bar. I hadn’t seen him for at least 10 years but walked down to talk with him too. Mr. Bowman owns a book binding company on the hilltop. I learned that Skip works there with his dad. We talked for a while. He recently lost his younger brother, Joe. I believe Dad attended Joe’s funeral. They worked together for years at National Graphics. Before heading out I asked Ron to say hello to Skip.

Sure that Mindy had to be wondering where the heck I was, I called to let her know my whereabouts and that I was hanging with grandma Sharon. I drank two beers during our visit. It was fun. Headed back to Kenny’s place with 3 or 4 pizzas in tow around 945pm. By then my grandsons were there now too. Mindy was about asleep on the sofa and didn’t last too much longer after our return. She headed home with Olivia and Landon I’m guessing around 10pm. She left Rocky and Bella with me.

I stayed for maybe another 30-45 minutes. Mike & Kenny kept topping off my beer from my jug of IPA. We were having a pretty good time. Not wanting to aggravate the wife, I headed home with the two kids around 1030pm.