Liquid Sunshine

I slept in until almost 930am, which for me is really late. By then, Mindy was already up as was at least one of the kids. No doubt the four Creepers from the night before played a large part in my sleeping so late. However, as it was, I felt pretty good, but was moving slow.

I sucked down a cup of coffee then retreated to my PC where I hung out for at least 45 minutes before taking the initiative to ready for a run. I had a number of things I hoped to accomplish during the day. I knew that if I didn’t get a move on the day might slip away in a hurry.

I headed out for a run around 1030-1040am. At the time it was pretty nice outside, partly cloudy and close to 70 degrees. I ran the usual weekend 3 mile trail. Was back at the house around 11am. Mindy was busy cleaning the house, a job that takes most of an entire day. We’re still looking for someone new to clean our house every other week. Mindy was still in her night gown, by the way, which is a dull, muted blue. Let’s just say, not my favorite color.

She was noticeably agitated with all she wanted/needed to accomplish ahead of Bella’s birthday party/sleepover slated to begin at 4pm that afternoon. Around noon I headed out back to get started on my to-do’s which included moving all the ground stump mulch back by the tree house and then filling the many holes left in the yard by fallen branches. To complete the task, I used the tractor and trailer for the hauling. Loaded the trailer with the mulch using a pitch fork.

Needless to say, the labor wore me out. Took its toll. It was humid as all get out too. Mindy left around 1pm, I think, to make several stops for party stuff. I asked if she would make a Lowe’s run and pick out a new fire ring since Bella’s camp out included making smores, and our existing fire ring was no more – rusted the entire bottom out. Threw it in the trash last week. She agreed to add the additional stop. Included in her stops was a rare home soccer game for Jacob. I was staying home to finish readying the yard for Bella’s big event. She was home too, but not much help.

While Mindy was away, I finished moving most of the mulch but leaving a slight hump where the stumps once were in anticipation of further sinking/decomposition. At one point I thought I might collapse from exhaustion. I headed inside to make something to eat. Other than beer and coffee, I hadn’t put a thing in my stomach since last evening around 8pm.

I made a chicken wrap with cheese. Yum! While I ate my lunch it started to rain liquid sunshine. Came down hard, too. The entire time it remained sunny. Gorgeous. I snapped a couple photos, though still not sure how well the rain will show up. It rained for no more than 5-10 minutes. I headed out back to finish and then put away my tractor. I mixed some of the mulch with two bags of topsoil I had in the shed from spring 2012. I used the mix to fill all those holes referenced earlier.

I headed inside for much needed shower. Mindy cleaned and mopped the tile floor earlier. I made quite a mess going in for food. I hurried to clean it before she returned home. Had plenty of time to clean-up my mess and even enough time for a shower. I even snuck in a very small nap. Mindy got back with something less than an hour before Bella’s overnight guests were set to arrive. She carried in most of the purchases by herself. She said the fire ring was in the garage leaning against my work bench.

I headed out to put it together and then move it to our little patio. Didn’t take too much time to assemble Just a handful of parts. Once the fire ring was together I got busy setting up the tent Bella borrowed from her daddy. She insisted on using his even though we have three others. What troubled me was the fact that there were no instructions with Jimaken’s tent whereas ours I could do it almost blind folded. Neither kid knew how either. But rather than complain I just got busy trying to figure it out. I recruited Jacob to at least help me spread it out. Ben was over visiting neighbor Kenny (they’re cousins). He saw me slaving away and came over to lend a hand. Thanks Ben! We figured it out without too much trouble. Agreed to hook up a little later. Kenny & Chrissy were hosting a Buckeye game party later that night on their backyard blow up TV screen. Of course it rained briefly during the tent set-up but not that hard and not for that long. If the weather forecast was correct, it was going to start raining anytime and continue into Sunday afternoon. And they were forecasting as much as 3” locally!!!

Bella’s friends began arriving around 4pm, and I think there were 5 slated to spend the night. They all brought sleeping bags. The novelty of the tent served us well. The kids spent almost all their time out back in and around the tent. I checked the weather radar numerous times. The storm front was moving up – NE - from Texas but appeared to be just to our west. For most of the day and early evening we avoided most of the rain.

Mindy ordered Papa John’s pizza for the girls, Sporano’s subs for she, Jacob, and I. Both delivery drivers arrived at almost the same time. Came upon one another in our driveway. The Michael Angelo sub was delicious – always is. I thought I might started throwing back a few beers as the 8pm kickoff neared, but never did. I was tired and, yes, a little hung over from Friday night. I was happy to simply enjoy ice water.

For most of the Buckeye game, it was just Mindy and I in the house, though the kids went in and out a few times. The evening wasn’t without drama either, and I’m not taking about the Buckeye game, either. Bella and her campout peeps were feuding with Makayla and her soccer friends. For one reason or another, Makayla opted to skip Bella’s party and instead have her own sleepover. As I understood things, they were spying on Bella and company and later shaking the tent. Oh boy! The feuding eventually lead to some tears and in fighting amongst the overnighters. Mindy & I had to console Bella, but the consoling soon turned to some curt advice – get yourself together. From our vantage point, she was manufacturing the drama. Imagine that, Bella and drama!

By night’s end Mindy had had it. Said no more sleep overs of this magnitude and certainly no birthday parties bookending two successive weekends. She worked her tail off making this party happen. We never did build a fire and I wasn’t going to bring it up if Bella didn’t. That would mean more work for little or short term payback.

As I thought he might, Ben stopped over at halftime. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in any kind of party mood. Instead, I was already in my comfy lounging clothes and comfortably buried in the family room chair. He visited for about 15 minutes before heading back down to Kenny & Chrissy’s.

The Buckeyes were doing all they could to contribute to our stress. They were behind for most of the game. By the 4th quarter we were ready to call this one simply not our day. Somehow or another, the Buckeye’s pulled it out. The offense ran harder, tougher and then our defense stiffened too. We won 40-30 after recovering a fumble in the endzone as time expired. It was far closer than that.

It was approaching midnight, and by then it was raining steadily, although still only lightly. Mindy headed to bed as soon as the game was over and after telling the campers goodnight. I stayed up a little later unwinding and watching a little more of a late football game.