Another Friday at the Smokehouse

Hei - Finnish

I think it was pretty close to 615am when I finally rolled out of bed to get my day underway. I felt really groggy having woken in the middle of a dream sequence. I was working from home so it wasn’t a big deal that I slept in a little. Downstairs I completed sit-ups and curls. I planned to do push-ups too, but not right then. Instead, I took Mindy her coffee then plopped down on the bed again. I was still really tired. I slept for another 15 minutes or so. Woke feeling a lot better.

Downstairs again shortly before 7am, I got some coffee then headed to my desk where I played a little but then started working. A few minutes later Mindy woke Bella and then the two of them joined me downstairs. It wasn’t long before Mindy was out the door and off to work, but not before giving Bella her medicine. Before heading out to the bus stop with Bella, I whipped out 50 push-ups. I headed out still in my Pink Floyd pajama bottoms.

I took the pug out with us, and the bus came, I took on her morning walk across the street. Back home by 805am, I sipped a little more coffee before changing into my running clothes and heading off for a run. I had a 9am call that I absolutely needed to join so I was a little more deliberate than usual with my pre-run activities. Got out the door by 820am. Figured to be home by 850am.

Like most Friday’s any more, I ran just three miles. Felt good. As planned, I was home by 850am which was enough time for me to get a fresh cup of coffee then get settled before my call began. Call lasted about 25 minutes. Once that was out of the way, I fried eggs for the pug and I. The morning always goes better after having a healthy breakfast.

Comparatively speaking, it was an uneventful day both at home and work. I thought I might head out in the yard for an hour or so around 1pm to complete a few yard winterization chores. However, just as I was preparing to take a lunch break my boss pinged asking if I could send some critical data. He needed it as soon as possible. Deep breath – sigh. Yes. I spent the next hour pulling together the requested data. By then, it was 2pm. By then I felt like it was too late to head out for yard work. Perhaps Saturday.

Around 230pm I was asked to make a series of revisions to the report I sent earlier. Before getting started, I decided to take a sorely needed break and headed upstairs to take a shower. I’d been going at it for 6 hours straight and was a little tense. The shower felt terrific. Jacob and his friend, Joel were home from school just ahead of 3pm. Mindy phoned about the same time sharing that she and her teacher peeps were going for drinks and appetizers immediately after school. I spent the next hour working on those revisions.

As usual, Bella was home around 4pm. Near 430pm I began to wrap up my work day by taking care of a handful of administrative tasks. Wrapped up for good around 515pm. Mindy didn’t get home from school until sometime around 530pm. We didn’t have solid evening plans, but did commit to taking Jacob and Joel to the mall sometime that evening. Joel’s mom would then pick them up and bring Jacob home.

Shortly before Mindy left to take the boys to the mall, we decided that we’d be going to Barley’s. At the time, Bella was in the family room playing Wii with Makayla and Emily. I heard Bella tell Mindy that she didn’t want to go. Mindy gave her permission to hang with Makayla as long as Chrissy didn’t mind.
I’m thinking that it was near 630pm when Mindy left for the mall with the boys.

Traffic was apparently a mess. Mindy phoned on her way back sharing as much. I think she took the back way home. It had to be fairly close to 7pm by the time that Mindy was back home and she and I were freshening up for an evening at Barley’s. Bella confirmed that Chrissy was OK with keeping an eye on her while we were out for a couple hours.

During our short drive to Barley’s I shared the emails I received from Lindsey earlier in the day. Hasn’t yet paid her auto insurance but insists they told her that she has until the 24th to pay it before it’s considered past due. Mindy in turn shared some Facebook feedback she got from my mom. We also chatted about Saturday’s hiking plans. Thought we’d take the kids to the new Darby Park trails off of Gardner Rd, the trails we couldn’t find without a map the week before.

The Barley’s parking lot was full. We took a spot in the back 40. Smelt terrific! Like the week prior, there was quite a wait for a table and the bar was full too. I spotted Darwin snuggled up at the far corner of the bar playing on his phone. While Mindy chatted with others, I walked over to see Darwin. Another neighbor and Barley’s regular was sitting next to Darwin. Prior to my introduction, they didn’t know one another. It was Bruce, who’s a professor at Capital University. He and Mindy chatted while Darwin and I caught up.

First opportunity, I ordered a Centennial. At the same time, I am pretty sure that Mindy went with ice water. She had a beer or two earlier with her school peeps. I was well into my 2nd Centennial when old pal, Doug showed up. Haven’t seen him for quite a while. He was alone but said other work peeps were on their way. Apparently his girlfriend, Jamie was still at home.

A few minutes later Doug’s friends, Ilija and Susan showed up. We’ve met both of them before, but haven’t seen Ilija for a couple years. Nice guy. Darwin hung with us for a while too, but soon placed a to-go food order then texted son, Jordan to come get him even after we offered to take him home. I’m guessing he had a specific curfew or had promised the family some food.

We hung with our Barley friends until after 10pm. Shortly before we left, Mindy and I agreed to share a Barley burger. Prior to that, I hadn’t eaten a think all night, and for that matter, not much else since breakfast. The burger was delicious. Then, 10 minutes before we left for home, Mindy placed a to-go order for Jacob. He sent a text requesting we bring him home some food. All totaled, I drank 4 Centennials. Yum!

Thinking it was near 1030pm when we got home. Jacob woofed down his Barley’s chicken tenders. Bella came home with Makayla after asking if she could spend the night. I poured myself a Jack & Coke which I quickly enjoyed. Mindy and I headed to bed near 1115pm.