We All Like Coffee

I somehow misread the read the bedroom clock thinking it was about 745am when in reality it was about an hour earlier. I didn't catch the faux pas until about 35 minutes later while I was enjoying coffee and was playing on the internet. I happened to notice the clock on my PC read 723am. I knew that could be right so I checked my phone. Yep, sure enough. It was still before 730am. Hmm? I felt like I gained a full hour. It was good feeling.

I played around online and then followed up on a work issue. At 8am I stretched then headed out on a run. It was partly sunny and seasonably warm - about 57 degrees. It was the earliest I've run on a Saturday in quite a while. I ran just three miles and was back at home close to 840am. Mindy was out front just heading out on a walk with the pug. I kidded her about timing it so she would happen upon me at the finish line.

After walking the pug we hung out on the deck and in the backyard enjoying coffee for at least 45 minutes. Eiknarf was outside with us and begged for coffee. Rather than pour a small puddle on the freshly stained deck, I went inside I fetched a paper bowl and mixed up a small batch just for her. She lapped it up in a hurry. Within five minutes she was crazy pug, running around barking at, and chasing everything insight, including a couple large sticks. It was quite comical.

With no clear agenda until much later in the day, I suggested we work in the yard together, readying the deck and planting flowers. We started by cleaning the deck table. After that I fetched all the deck cushions stowed in giant trash bags in the shed. It had to be about 1030-11am when we got started on the flowers. We spent about an hour preparing the beds, me raking, feathering the recent edgings into the beds and Mindy digging out the few tough weeds. We planted four new May salvia first, then planted the Wave petunias we bought the evening prior. We had a good system down, me digging the holes and Mindy sinking and back filling around the flowers.

We had the pug tied up out front with us, but had to keep an eye out for passersby, as she would bark and go after all of them. We took her inside after it got a bit annoying. About halfway through the sinking of petunias, a suspicious looking character walked by and stopped on the bridge. He had a few unmistakable tattoos that matched the description of the guy that broke in our neighbors home in early December. Namely, he had a tear drop tattoo by his right eye and three snakes on his neck. There were several others too, but those are the ones I recall. I watched him carefully until he finally walked away. He's been known to do his burglaries during broad daylight and while on foot.

He eventually walked on and we watched him until he left the subdivision. About 20 minutes passed and then Mindy shared that he was coming by again from the other direction. We watched him walk by and down a couple blocks. Mindy was certain she saw him get in a black Suburban. I saw the Suburban but wasn't convinced it was him getting in it. Mindy walked down and talked with the neighbors whose house was broken into to compare descriptions. Yep, it had to be him. Mindy called the nonemergency police number sharing the situation. They promised to send a patrol car by.

We finished planting flowers out front and then headed inside for a 15-20 minute break where Mindy made sandwiches. The cops called to ask if we wanted them to stop by. We said yes, and they stopped by 2 minutes later. We shared the facts described above. They shared that they didn't see him, but offered that we call in immediately if he showed up again.

After our break we headed to the eastside flower bed where we keep firewood. There we planned to plant a flat of colorful Zinnias. I started simply by raking the edgings from the bed but then decided to unstack all the firewood to free and clear the loose impediments that have built up over the past two seasons. When doing so we could see where mice had once nested behind the wood and against the foundation. Before restacking the wood we dumped 3 or 4 5 gallon buckets full of edgings over the are to level it off. I then pulled up the rotting 2X4s we had the firewood stacked on and replaced them with treated 2X2's. Spent a good 90 minutes working on the bed before planting the first flower. By the time we finished planting the flat of Zinnias both of us were beat and sore.
It was 330pm and time to ready for dinner at Minelli's and then dessert at maw-maws.

Mindy suggested we leave a little early and stop at Targhetto to pick-up a few things, including looking at their selection of outdoor pillows for our deck. We left the house near 435pm. Inside Targhetto, I noticed I had two missed calls, one from Ashley and another from neighbor Pat S. Listened to a VM left by Olivia. She wanted to have a sleep over, she and the boys. Called Ashley. We talked for a few with me sharing that we didn't have the kids and that we were getting up early and heading to the OSU graduation. Agreed to another weekend soon. Called Pat back next. He invited over for some neighborly fun. Had others coming over. Prior, we had thoughts of heading to the gallery hop after Minelli's and maw-maws. We left open the possibility of stopping by later.

Arrived at Minelli's around 535pm. Because there were close to 16, they gave us the banquet room all to ourselves. I was incredibly thirsty, apparently a little dehydrated after working in the yard all day. I couldn't suck down enough iced tea. I'll bet I drank four glasses. It was a good 30 minutes before the young lady took our food orders. Originally, I didn't plan to eat, thinking that I would eat later once in the short north, but Mindy said she was going to eat, so I went ahead and ordered a side salad and an italian sub. Mindy ordered spaghetti & meatballs.

My sub was pretty tasty. In fact, everybody's food looked good. Mindy's family used to dine at Minelli's fairly regularly when they were kids, much like we used to eat at the Biltmore. Something about the venue and the food that keeps one coming back. Memories I suppose. Our checks were split up by micro family. The plan was to head to maw-maws for dessert (I.E. fudge). I'm thinking it was 645-7pm when we left for there.

As soon as we arrived at maw-maws, I gave two bags of cannas bulbs to Missy. I know she'll use them. Not a lot of sitting room so I took up refuge on the floor against a wall. Shortly thereafter maw-maw served dessert (bad fudge, chocolate chip cookie cake, and something else. I had one piece of the chocolate chip cookie thing. It was good. Mindy and I had plans to hang with the neighbors or possibly Ben & Ryan. We didn't hear back from Ben & Ryan so by we figured to be heading home and hanging with neighbor Pat. Mindy was more inclined to do that anyhow given that we needed to be up early the next morning to make the OSU graduation.

We left for home near 810pm. At home we took care of a few things, including me stuffing a cooler with four beers, and then walked over to Pat & Lisa's. I could see that they were sitting out on the deck and had a fire going too. Lisa was on the deck with daughter Jamie and her husband Paul along with baby Oscar. Also there were Peggy & Joe, long time friends of Pat & Lisa. Max, Pat's son, was there too. The only person missing was Pat. Lisa shared that he was inside getting a much needed shower.

Pat joined us on the deck about 10-15 minutes later. We had fun hanging out with the neighbors telling stories, laughing, and drinking a few beers. Peggy & Joe left probably 45 minutes after we showed up. Peggy said Joe rarely makes it past 10pm. The rest of us hung out until 1115pm or so, but Mindy shared that she was tired and ready to leave around 1045pm. I finished my third beer then we walked home. Mindy agreed to watch SNL from bed. We caught the monologue and then the first skit before sleep came over me.