Wanna Meet me at a Block Party?

8 Years of Bliss!

In undisciplined fashion, I remained in bed until 6am. However, I knew by staying focused I could remain on track despite sleeping a little late. Once downstairs I stepped out on the deck for a second, long enough to gaze starward. A few seconds later I was fully engaged in calisthenics. It was Tuesday, so push-ups wouldn't be in the mix. Yeah! :)

Finished exercise by 615am. Poured two coffees then delivered Mindy's. After a quick hug I was back downstairs for a little fun and relaxation. Was good about staying on track. I didn't really want to but still pulled myself away from the PC by 630am. Spent 10 minutes doing meditation and stretching. By the way, my left forehead and eye looked horrible, still swollen from Monday's painful sting. I held an ice pack to my face for a few minutes before leaving on a run.

At the same time that I was preparing for my run, Jacob was downstairs having breakfast and preparing to depart for the bus. I headed out a minute or two before him. It was chilly, this I already knew. I wore a light running jacket. By the time I finished my warm-up lap Jacob and some others were waiting at the bus stop. Being funny, he stuck his leg out as if to trip me as I passed, even commenting as much. Cute!

Ran 4.1 miles. Felt great. I am truly blessed that at 44 I can still run like a deer - well - maybe not so much a deer. How about a squirrel? Got home near 725am. Mindy was just loading her school gear into the Pilot. Inside, I asked if Eiknarf had been walked. She hadn't, In fact, she was still upstairs lounging in our bed. Bella went up and got her. She can't get out of our bed unattended. Too high. She and I headed out for a walk and we were out for about 8 minutes. Mindy left for school while we were off on the walk. Said our goodbyes prior.

Returned home where I nuked my fried eggs for 12 seconds and placed my toast back in the toaster for a handful of seconds. It needed crisped up a bit. Perfect. Breakfast was good. It was 740am by the time I finished eating. Too late to consider a shower before Bella headed out for the bus. Remember right then that I was supposed to join an 8am work call from home. Asked Bella how she'd feel about going to the bus stop alone. She was indifferent. I promised to listen and watch for the bus from near the front door. Shortly after she headed out I prepared for the call, pulling up all of my documentation.

I heard the bus come and go. The call was a bust. Only me and another peer joined. The two more critical participants blew off the call. I wasn't pleased. No mind. I was off to the shower near 845am. Let hot water run over my swollen forehead. Felt good. Was showered, dressed and ready to leave for work by 915am. It was a gorgeous morning - sunny, not a cloud in the sky and warming quickly. Expecting an autumn-like high of 74 degrees. I wasn't prepared for the rerouted traffic pattern to access 670 east of downtown. Ended up on 71N and unable to bail. Crap! Ended up taking 71N to Morse Rd and the Morse Rd East for several mile. All good. It was a beautiful morning and I am a beautiful person. Just ask! Must've arrived around 945am.

Got myself settled in relatively short order. Didn't have calls or meetings scheduled until 1pm. Used the next few hours constructively. Had a couple execs thank me helping big last Friday during the Colorado crisis. Sure. That's what I do! The 1pm meeting for me was cut short when I received a call from a peer for some immediate help. I excused myself and went to his rescue.

I contemplated leaving for a lunch break and possibly even getting a hair cut but nixed that notion in a hurry. Ended up work straight through but leaving the customer's campus early and heading for home. I left with intending to stop on my way home and get flowers and a card for Mindy celebrating our 8 year - glad I met you - anniversary. She presented me with a card earlier that morning after my run. She thought I forgot but hadn't. Somehow, though, on my drive home I got sidetracked and was exiting towards home. Just then Jacob celled sharing that the Orkin guy was at the house a little early and wanting to come in and do our bimonthly treatment. It was then that I realized that I forgot to stop and get the flowers. I designed a plan 'b'. Figured I would stop for flowers and a card when I go later to fetch Bella from gymnastics. Yeah, that'd work.

Keith, the Orkin guy, opted to treat the outside of the house while waiting for me to arrive home .I pulled up at home near 4pm. We headed inside together. Bella was quick to ask if she could run off with Makayla. I had a lot on my mind dealing the Orkin guy and setting up for work, but still remembered to ask about homework. Said she had none other than studying for a test. I agreed to let her run off but only if she were back home by 430pm to check in.

Jacob asked if he could run off with friends too. Sure. He'd have to be back before 5pm though to leave for soccer practice with his dad.

Keith was in and out of the house in less than 5 minutes. Mindy called a few minutes later. She said she was right around the corner after stopping to grocery shop on her way home. I hustled out to help carry in the food. Jacob returned home a couple minutes later and helped carry in the rest. Thanks Jacob.

After putting away the groceries Mindy whipped up a quick dinner for Bella, who would be leaving for gymnastics near 530pm. It must've been near 5pm when Jimaken arrived to get Jacob. He changed into soccer practice clothes upstairs with Jacob. I asked Jimaken if he was aware of Jacob's foot issues. Couldn't walk when he got home Sunday after soccer. He apparently has and had similar issues with his feet. I suggested orthotics of some sort. He and Jacob both pretty much pooh-poohed the idea just before heading off to practice.

Our dinner plans all along were to enjoy the rest of our Chinese from Sunday. Mindy placed my war su gai and her sweet & sour chicken on the pizza stone in the oven for warming then left to run Bella to gymnastics. We'd eat when she got back. While she was away, I updated my blog from Monday. It had to be near 610pm when she got back home and she and I enjoyed our Chinese leftovers. Everything was good, though not as good as it was Sunday evening when it was fresh. To be expected, I guess.

After dinner, we jointly unloaded the dishwasher and tidied up the kitchen. By then it was 640pm. I had roughly 30 minutes to enjoy before heading off to get the peanut. I used that time to add a YouTube video to my blog. I was laughing the entire time I was editing and posting. Left to get Bella near 710pm Immediately out the door I wasn't sure if I would stop for flowers on the way there or back. Last second I opted for the way back. With next to know traffic snarls, I arrived at the gym by 720pm.

Once Bella spotted me in attendance, she ran over and asked that I watch her on the trampoline. She did great, doing a front & back flip combo. Looking good, Bella! Practice was soon over and she and I on our way to the car. I more than half expected her to ask for Wendy's. She didn't disappoint. I shared that perhaps we would stop but only after stopping first at Kroger for flowers and a card. I thought she might growl at the thought of a Kroger stop but she didn't. In fact, it was just the opposite. She was eager for the stop and even asked if she could pick out the flowers. Said she could help.

Rarely ever in this particular Kroger, we struggled to find both the flowers and cards. They're at the opposite end from where we entered. We picked a card first. That didn't take long. Over in the floral shop, Bella was like a kid in a candy shop. All the colorful bouquets caught her eye. I suggested we get roses. Bella picked out one of the pricier bouquets with traditional red roses and added fluff. It was awfully pretty. We went with that one.

Wendy's sits just north across the parking lot from Kroger. Bella cheered when we pulled out of the Kroger lot and instead of heading left for the freeway, we headed right for the Wendy's drive-thru. Said she wanted the regular - chicken nuggets, BBQ sauce, fries, and sprite. Picked up a spicy chicken sandwich &fries for Jacob, too. Reckoned he'd be home from soccer practice about the time we pulled up.

It was just before 8pm when we arrived home. Jacob was back and both kids dug into their Wendy's. I headed upstairs eager to get out of my clothes and into the comfy stuff. Ahh! Spent the evening relaxing, reading, and playing. After everyone else was off to bed, I cracked open a new box of Cap'n Crunch eating it dry and by the handfuls. Man, was it ever good! Headed for bed near 1015pm.