Double Dog Dare Ya To Have Fun

I planned to work from home. As a result, I didn’t need to be up quite as early as I would otherwise. I remained in bed until 615am. Downstairs, I completed Friday calisthenics, which included 50 push-ups. Easier than I imagined. Took Mindy coffee then hurried back downstairs. Enjoyed coffee and internet for the next 45 minutes. Jacob headed out the door for school at 655am.

Started working at 715am. Worked until it was time to walk Bella to the bus stop. Bus arrived near 8am again. It was right at the freezing mark, but felt warm given where we’d been a couple days prior. Expecting a high near 40 by late afternoon and then even warm over the weekend. I walked the pug after the kids left on the bus.

Enjoyed a 2nd cup of coffee while doing a little work until 845am when I headed out for a run. Ran just three miles. Didn’t bother with hand and ear covers. Spent most of the work day on my monthly report. Remembered that I’d be covering for a peer the following week. Assuming I’ll be really busy. Sent a text to Bob I. asking if he/they planned on skiing Sunday. He wasn’t sure. The weather forecast, while on the warm side, was supposed to be sunny and nice on Sunday. Slushy – fun – snow!

Tough afternoon. Unexpected work issue. Not necessarily the way I wanted to spend a Friday. Stayed busy all day/afternoon. Got a call from Mindy around 345pm, or just before Bella was set to arrive home from school. And by the way, Jacob was home at his usual 250pm. Wasn’t in the house 5 minutes before he asked if he could head out to play. I specifically asked if he’d completed his required chores. He rushed back up the stairs for no more than 2 or 3 minutes to presumably address his bedroom then out he went.

Once Mindy was home, I shared my rough work day story. She listened with an empathetic ear. We made tentative plans to do dinner at Barley’s but not before figuring out what to do about Jacob’s make-up Friday night basketball practice scheduled from 8-930pm. Neither of us was too thrilled with the idea. Turned out, Jacob wasn’t either and didn’t want to go. We made plans to do dinner at Barley’s as a family. As expected, Bella asked if Makayla could join us. Yes.

I didn’t get a shower until 6pm or so. Felt great once I did. We left for Barley’s near 645m. Mindy invited brother Tommy to meet us there. The lot was packed to the edges. We parked in the back 40. Inside, Mindy and the kids got a bar side booth, but I took up refuge near the bar with a handful of longtime Barley peeps, including Steve Wonn & Rick Coffing. Mindy shared her time between the booth and where I stood. I opted for a Double Dog IPA. Very hoppy, and very delicious!

I’m guessing we were there nearly an hour before Tommy arrived. Like Mindy, he shared his time in the booth and then at the bar with us. I ordered a 2nd Double Dog at some point. I didn’t bother ordering food like the kids and Mindy, though I did snack on a few fries.

Later, and shortly before we prepared to depart, I noticed they had pork bellies on the specials menu. Opted to give them a whirl, see if they were anything close to those served at 229. Turns out, they looked almost identical, down to the bed of butter nut squash they came served on. However, beyond presentation, they didn’t stack up anywhere close to those at 229. Honestly, they were almost pure fat and without the dazzling flavor we’ve grown to love from the pork bellies at 229.

At home near 9pm, Jacob dashed off to hang with neighbor Jake. And not too much later, Bella asked if she could have a sleep over at Makayla’s. Mindy agreed. I poured myself a beer, one of the Sam Adams Juniper IPAs David gifted me. I’ll bet 15 didn’t pass before Jacob called or texted asking if he could stay the night at Jake’s too. Mindy agreed. Jacob rarely does overnight’s, and certainly nowhere near as much as Bella does.

Mindy put on one of her Xmas presents while I put on some bica-chawa music. We then danced the rest of the evening away on the living room the floor. We headed upstairs to bed around 1015pm. Mindy was falling asleep easily. Me, however, not so much. O got up from bed around 1040pm and headed back downstairs to my PC. At the time my mind was racing and I was wide awake. I spent at least an hour once again reading ski reviews. Before I got sleepy again and headed back to bed, Jacob came home. I asked why. Said he wanted to sleep in his own bed, which is something Mindy predicted would happen. She knows her son well, indeed.