A Return to Almost Normal

After staying up until midnight, I wasn't out of bed Tuesday morning until just after 6am. I felt fine but more sleep certainly would've been nice. Downstairs, I glanced out back seeing clear skies but a wet deck. It looked as if it rained during the overnight. It was cold too. In fact, there was ice in the puddles formed by the rain that collected on the deck chair cushions. I wondered if that might be the end of our deck flowers. Inside, I checked the coffee maker, which was set up but hadn't yet brewed. Forgot to preset the go button the night before.

Completed calisthenics next. Waited a few minutes then poured coffee. No need to wake Mindy, she wasn't going to school. She was taking a day off to catch up on her rest. Now near 620am, decided to do meditation before PC time thinking that might help quell the demons swirling madly in my mind.

Since I was left to driving the BM'er, I didn't plan on leaving for work until 10am or so. Figured I would give it time to warm up a little. At the time, it was only 33 degrees. In addition, I decided not to run until after Bella was safely on the bus. Spent the next hour or so at my PC and laptop enjoying coffee and digging into work. Despite the chill in the air, it was a beautiful morning and was expected to stay that way for most of the day. The day's high, however, was only expected to reach about 54 degrees.

Much to my surprise, Bella was up near 7am all on her own. That's a minor miracle. She told me that she slept on her bedroom floor, and well at that. Mindy slept through Bella's ready and our heading out to the bus. I dress for my run before the bus stop but hadn't yet stretched. I left for a run near 830am. By then it was a bit warmer but still chilly. I ran in the usual fall attire doing 4.1 miles. It was a good run.

Back home shortly after 9am, my dad was sitting out front in his minivan. He walked inside with me. I wasn't sure why he was there. Wondered if we might have our wires crossed. I was sure he said he couldn't take Glenn down to meet my mom due to a doctor's appointment. I asked. Nope. Just stopped by to see what was up. The house was quiet. Glenn & Mindy were still asleep. I started my breakfast then offered dad a cup of coffee. He accepted. Dad sat there with me through breakfast. Mindy came downstairs shortly thereafter. Said she thought she heard us talking. Glenn was up before I left for work. I confirmed that he expected to be back at our house sometime Friday. I'm pretty sure that dad left before me, though thinking back, I can't be certain. I didn't leave the house until almost 1030am,

It was an easy drive across town and into work. I don't really like driving the BM'er across town on 670. Often times a lot of stop and go, and that's never fun with a standard shift. But given the later hour the traffic was light. I checked the near door parking lot but it was full, which was what I expected. I ended up parking at the very back of the deep lot. Not kidding - about a 1/4 walk to the entrance. Meh!

My former cube was occupied by the new acct manager. I stopped by and said hello but then went and found a spot near the engineering team. It was a cramped work spot with lots of gear scattered about the cube but I made do. Soon I was lost in my work. I joined a biweekly call with another customer at 1130am. That went pretty well. At 1pm I headed to our weekly technical meeting upstairs. I had an important call I needed to join at 2pm as well. Our 1pm meeting often goes over. I had to watch the time. A couple others in the meeting were in my same situation. We had just enough time to get back to our desks before the 2pm call. That call lasted about an hour. It was 3pm in the bat of an eye. My meetings weren't done. Had to join our weekly staff call at 415pm. That lasted until 445pm.

Wrapped up my day by 520pm and made my way out to the waiting BM'er. Of course I was driving it with the top up, which is very rare. I used to say I wouldn't drive it with the top up. Only done it 4 or 5 times. I didn't bother calling Mindy. Too difficult to drive and chat. Made good time around 270. Arrived home to an empty house. Mindy was off running Bella to gymnastics. I was on the phone with Alarm Force squaring away a billing sanfu when she and my dad filed in. Wasn't sure what my dad was doing here. Mindy had a pot of chili simmering on the stove. She called and invited him to join us for dinner again.

I wrapped up the Alarm Force call then joined those two in the kitchen. If everything went well, I hoped to call the IRS later that night too. I'm itching to get all of my personal issues taken care of in the next couple of days: Alarm Force, IRS, and the boat. Got knock 'em down when I can so when new ones pop up I don't come unglued. :)
The chili was good. The sweet corn bread even better. I had 1.5 bowls of chili. I topped both with sharp shredded cheese and sour cream. We used paper bowls so clean-up was a snap. We left the pot of chili on the stove for both Jacob & Bella. Jacob was at soccer.

We chatted after dinner until I needed to leave to fetch the peanut. Dad wasn't sure if he'd still be there when we returned. Made good time arriving at the gym by 725pm. I got to see a little bit of her trampoline routine. I was sure she'd ask for a fast food stop but she didn't. Just as I told Mindy I was going to do, I addressed the back talking from the evening before. When I advised her of her bedtime she retorted that it was my bedtime too, or something like that. I jest, I told her that she would have to pay the consequences and that, I decided, would be sacrificing her iPhone. Of course she doesn't have an iPhone, and quickly reminded me as much. This I already knew. I acknowledged the faux pas then asked what her punishment should be. She suggested two nights without her remote (no TV). Good enough.

At home Bella & Jacob both enjoyed some chili. Bella not only enjoyed chili, but a host of other foods, too. Mindy thinks she's going through a growth spurt. Likely so, I can tell she's getting taller, but I think the real culprit of her insatiable hunger is her coming down off her meds each evening. Never know her to eat so much. Just after 8pm I plopped down on the sofa and tuned the TV to the Science Channel catching a program about the Universe, and more specifically about our expanded knowledge of galaxies. It was interesting but my eyelids grew too heavy and in a hurry. I woke from the sofa around 9pm and headed up to bed. I was the only one currently downstairs. Mindy was in bed playing with her phone, which becoming an all to familiar thing. Not sure what she's doing or playing.
Regardless, I was so tired that her nightstand light had no impact on my ability to go right to sleep. I was out in a hurry.