Making Way for Spring & Meeting Riley

 

Seriously jet lagged, I slept in until almost 9am. Downstairs I started coffee then played on my PC for quite a while before finally heading off on for a run around 1030am. It was a partly cloudy start but with a coating of snow and slush on the lawn, streets, and walks. I ran the usual Sunday three miles.

Back home but before heading inside, I shoveled the thin coat of ice and snow off the stoop and steps. Elsewhere most of Saturday night’s snow had already melted, at least what was exposed to the spring sunshine. Mindy worked on a grocery list while I fooled with photos on my PC. Because of my somewhat late start, it was early afternoon in a hurry.

I finished more unpacking from vacation, and while unpacking and putting away all of my clean clothes I noticed that several articles of running/ski clothes were inexplicably missing. I checked and double checked before telling Mindy that I was completely convinced that I somehow left them behind in the Govy Camp condo. And believe me, just the thought of leaving something behind drives me crazy. I simply can’t let it go. All the trouble I go through making sure that everything is packed, including checking and double checking everybody else’s rooms and drawers. In fact, I even went back in the condo once everybody was out and waiting in the car for one last once over. But thinking back, I checked every room and drawer other than my own. Moreover, I remember thinking that the amount of clothes in my suitcase looked somewhat less than what I packed. At the time I simply shrugged it off.

I think Mindy was humored by the fact that I knew just what was missing down to the color of running socks. To calm the torment, I headed to the garage to unpack and stow our skis. Still bothered, Mindy came asking if I wanted her to call Collins Lake and ask them to check the condo. Why not? Couldn’t hurt. They called back ten minutes later sharing that they had in fact found my stuff and wanted to know if they should ship it home, of course at my expense. Without question, yes. Cool! I probably should’ve asked how much and for an inventory of items but failed to. I was simply elated that they had my stuff and that they agreed to ship it home. According to my mental inventory, it was three quality wicking shirts, a base layer, running shorts, and two pair of running socks. Granted, some of the stuff more than a few years old but by estimates a couple hundred dollars to replace.

Mindy soon left for the grocery citing the fact that she’d be gone for a while. I headed out to the garage where I took the time to collapse a couple large cardboard boxes so they would fit in the recycling can for Monday’s pick-up. Like a lot of weekend days, once I got the blood flowing I felt much more energetic. In fact, so much so that I thought I would get busy in the back yard chopping down last season’s tall grasses and then toting all the cuttings to the compost pile.

Cutting the thick grasses with electric hedge trimmers is becoming a pain. More than ever I am seriously considering buying a high quality gas powered model. However, for the time being, the electric hedge trimmers would have to suffice.

While getting a rake from the shed, I decided to try starting the tractor. Bought a new battery last spring so I expected it to be start without jumping. And despite our brutally frigid winter it did. I let it run for about 20 minutes while whacking down the giant grasses in the flower bed near the shed. By the time all the grasses were chopped down, I had amassed quite the pile. Took some doing dragging and dumping it in the compost pile. Felt good with my accomplishments. Soon headed inside, carrying my snow skis up the spare room for summer storage.

At some point the boys called and asked if they could come over and play. I agreed. I left the front door opened so I could see them arrive. I noticed a small silver sedan slow in front of the house but stop in front of Trena’s place instead of our house. It was similar to Lindsey’s Civic, but definitely different. And then here came the boys running up the drive. Immediately I leaped to my feet to look at what car dropped them. However, before I could get out there she was out of site. Obviously she didn’t want me to see the non-Civic. Just what in the world was going on, I was determined to find out. I quickly quizzed the boys. Rocky, of course, was quick to fabricate a story, sharing that she dropped it off for cleaning. Uh, no! Almost at the same time Landon shared a different, more believable story. His story was that his momma ran up over a curb and tore something off the underside that needed fixed and that it was being taken care of. Rocky insisted otherwise.

Unfortunately, Rocky lies all the time, and often to either save his own hide or to protect his mother, the truth be damned. I decided that I would text Lindsey to find out. She promptly responded that the car was at the Honda dealership having those deep scratches taken care of and that alone, nothing else. OK. In the end, the only reason I care is that I am the one paying for the car. It’s my financial burden.

The boys and I played until Mindy got home from the grocery. Once she was home, I enlisted their help carrying all the groceries inside. With the boys out of sight, I told Mindy about the Honda issue. She understood my frustration. Hell, she was frustrated with it, too.

Soon Jacob & Bella were home from their dad’s. Jacob’s girlfriend, Riley was apparently coming over to hang out and have dinner with us that evening. Up to that point Mindy or I hadn’t yet met her, this his third girlfriend in the last six months. For the time being, all the kids headed out to play. While they did that, I headed upstairs for a quick nap. I might’ve slept for 3- minutes or so.

I had to be near 5pm when I rejoined the family downstairs. By then Mindy was readying dinner – rotisserie chicken, salad, rolls, mashed potatoes. I asked if Jacob’s girlfriend showed up. Yep. Seconds later Rocky & Landon rushed in from out back. Rocky quickly shared that Jacob and Riley were making out in the tree house. Oh boy! From the dining room window I can easily see the treehouse but no sign of those two. Rocky went on that they were lying down. Ugh!

Mindy and I agreed that I should head out and check things out. I grabbed my camera and headed out back. Of course the boys followed. First Jacob, then Riley popped up. Jacob had dried leaves sticking to his clothes. I introduced myself to Riley and then asked what was up. He unabashedly shared that they were simply kissing. I didn’t make too big a deal of it. I let them know dinner would be ready shortly then headed back inside.

Soon dinner was ready so Mindy hollered out to Jacob & Riley, who exited the treehouse and came in pretty quickly. The boys, it seemed, were enamored with Riley, especially Rocky, both vying for her attention. Sorta cute! She was quiet but polite. We quizzed her on a few benign topics (grade, sports, etc) but were careful not to sound like we were prying.

Dinner was scrumptious, but then again, I love rotisserie chicken. The kids moved to the family room after dinner and during clean-up. Mindy promised to bake some chocolate chip cookies. She took care of that while I cleaned up. Didn’t take too long. Sometime during clean-up, Mindy sent Lindsey a text sharing that she would bring the boys home around 8pm and after dessert. She also agreed to take Riley home. The kids made quick work of the two dozen cookies. Gone!

Bella opted to stick home with me while Mindy ran the boys and Riley home. Of course Jacob went with.
While they were gone, I read my Kindle book. They were home pretty quick, certainly faster than I expected. Mindy shared that she chatted with Lindsey about the car and got a slightly modified story from what her text said. Apparently Landon’s version was in fact dead on. While having the scratches detailed out, she was having something that got knocked loose on the underside taken care of. She also shared that it had been there for 11 days and she didn’t know when it might be ready for pick-up. Oh boy!
While toiled for her return to work, I finished my Kindle book. We headed to bed early, all of us extremely exhausted and still a little jet lagged.