Contrast of Cloudy Gray, Milky White and Orange

After waking up twice before midnight, I slept soundly through the rest of the night and was up around 605am. I could see from the master bath window that it was cloudy. Supposed to be warm though. Downstairs, I could smell freshly brewed coffee. Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy any until my calisthenics were complete. However, before doing them, I noticed three geese in our back yard. I chased them away by clapping from the deck. I’ve got them trained to scatter simply by employing the clapper technology. 

Sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups were wrapped up over the next few minutes. I poured coffee then delivered Mindy’s bedside. Already 625am, I felt a little self-inflicted pressure to get a move on. There’s no doubt I like having more time to lollygag than my new rise time affords me. I guess I need to do a cost/benefit analysis of the extra sleep versus the rush to run. Perhaps I can find a compromise, something like getting up at 555am. We’ll see.

Enjoyed coffee and internet until 640am. At that point I plopped down on the floor, first for a brief meditation but then ending with some healthy stretching. Headed out for my run somewhere close to 7am. Headed upstairs to bid Mindy farewell just before. And since it was cloudy, I checked the radar beforehand, too. No rain anywhere close. By the way, it was 64 and humid.

Ran the full 4.1 miles and felt pretty good throughout. Nice and sweaty by the run’s end. Inside, Bella must’ve been upstairs. I leashed up the pug and headed right back out. Mindful of the bitter neighbor lady’s request to not let our dog walk in her yard, I walked her past her house anyway. Turned out, she pooped and peed elsewhere. Once again, I made sure to keep a huge smile about my face just in case she was peering out the window.

Back home, Bella informed me that she’d already fed the pug and that my eggs were waiting. She didn’t cook ‘em, though Mindy did. Bella was out the door at her usual time, or while I was finishing my breakfast. Before dashing off to the shower, I packed a lunch and enjoyed a 2nd cup of coffee. I clapped the geese away again too. Relentless rats with wings.

Out of the shower, dressed and ready to go by 830am. Took my time making sure that I was fully ready for departure. Hit the road near 840am. It was a smooth drive across town and up 270N. Arrived just after 9am.

Because it was monthly service review day, I expected my boss and a peer or two to show up sometime early on, too. They both showed up around 1020am or just 10 minutes before I was set to present. The review went well, lasting longer than most (over an hour). My boss and peer bolted immediately after. I worked for another 45 minutes or so but then left for a lunch break.

Since the day before, I planned on making a trip back to the New Albany Oakland Nursery. Of them all, it’s my favorite. As luck would have it, the sky darkened on my drive there, which is only about 4 miles from the office. And by the time I parked the sky broke loose. I waited in the car for the downpour to lessen. The heavy stuff came down for no more than 5 minutes. After, it was reduced to little more than a light sprinkle, and certainly not enough to change my plans.

My plan was to buy another hydrangea for our backyard landscape, and hoped to find one in purple. Of course they had many sizes, types and colors. I settled on a medium-sized endless summer bloomer (one that shows flowers on new wood and flowers until frost). And I found one in purple though it’s still considered blue.

I looked at all sorts of other stuff, too, but the only other thing I bought was another orange Rieger begonia. My plan is to use it inside as a house plant in our “Lola” pot.

I wasn’t gone from the office much longer than about 45 minutes. I was content with my break, and really that’s all that matters. I spent most of the afternoon making some changes to the service review data. That took some doing. Decided to wrap up my day a little earlier than usual, wrapping up and heading home near 410pm. Didn’t bother celling Mindy since she was attending a retirement party after school. In fact, I figured I would ask the kids what and where they wanted for dinner. I was leaning towards the Skyward Grill again.

Got home around 450pm. Traffic was briefly a little tight just north of Hilliard. At home Bella was kicked back in the family room watching her kiddie soaps. Ugh! Hate ‘em. Jacob was up in his room. I’d just gotten settled when Mindy phoned sharing that she was already on her way home from the retirement party. Caught me off guard. She said the crowd had already died down. Oh, OK. Change of plans.

She arrived home a few minutes later. It was about then that I moved over into one of the recliners with my Kindle. I read and napped for maybe the next 30-45 minutes. I wasn’t hungry for dinner, but did snack on peanuts, too many probably. Mindy got busy with dinner despite my not being hungry. I had no idea what she planned to make. She hollered out asking what if any kind of cheese I wanted on my chicken shortly after I woke. Any! We had boneless chicken topped with cheese and rice. It was good and also fairly light.

After dinner, Mindy shared that Jacob needed to be at basketball at 730pm. She asked if I wanted to take, pick-up, or both. I offered that I would do dinner clean-up and pick-up. She jumped at it, and quickly got started on school report cards while I finished clean-up. She’s been stressing for the last week or so with so many deadlines and things coming to end in the coming week. I suggested that many would trade for what lies just beyond, namely an entire summer off work.

She left with Jacob around 715pm. While she was away I got out of my work clothes and into comfy summer lounging attire, which I also sleep in. Strummed my guitar a little and then settled back for more reading. Read for about an hour, or until it was near time to go after Jacob. Open gym was over at 9pm. I left the house at 840pm. The sky looked amazing, a contrast of cloudy gray, milky white and orange.

Arrived at the school with plenty of time to spare. While waiting for Jacob to come out I pulled out my Accord owner’s manual looking for a solution to the USB not recognized prompt on my stereo whenever I plug in my Galaxy3. In those few short minutes, I couldn’t find a solution. I’d Google it another time. Jacob came out around 905pm. By then it was near dark, though a glow remained in the sky for the duration of the drive home. Largely silent, the only spoken words were how warm it was in the gym, and how hot it would be once summer really kicks in. Apparently they don’t run the AC in the summer for lack of efficiency.

Got home around 920pm. Mindy was in good spirits having put the wraps on report cards save for a couple loose ends. She said she was really tired and was heading to bed. I planned to enjoy some popcorn and TV until about 10pm. While enjoying popcorn and a root beer, I watched Big Bang, a very funny episode I hadn’t yet seen.

At 10pm I turned off to the TV and headed upstairs for bed, but not before topping off my water glass. Bella followed me into our room carrying the pug. She must’ve put her down in her bed twice, but each time Eiknarf would scurry off to her room again. Mindy and I found it hilarious. We watched another episode of Big Bang before I fell asleep. Lights out before 1030pm.