Counting my Blessings

Up near 615am.

Ran 4.1 miles.

Sunny and in the 70s. No real chance of rain. Drove the BM’er

Worked in Hilliard office. Arrived near 930am.

Boss shared that he recently switched home ISP from Time Warner to AT&T U-verse. Got a much lower price, more channels, a $250 rebate, and a price lock for 2 years. Having trouble getting Remote Access client working, though.

Worked straight through the day. By mid-day the office floor was a ghost town. Only a few other heads visible over the cube farm walls.

Left for home near 5pm.

At home, Mindy was busy in the kitchen whipping up a few dishes for her school party slated for the next day. She was making cucumber salad and chicken pasta and pesto. To make the pasta dish she bought two rotisserie chickens, which we were also having for dinner that evening. She also invited my dad over for dinner. He showed up sometime between 530-6pm. She gifted me an instant lottery ticket, and based on my requested blessing I was certain it would be a winner. Drats! It wasn’t. Still, I very much appreciated the gift.

Dinner consisted of rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and salad. Yum! Dad asked how mom was doing, Shared her most recent malady.

After dinner clean-up, Mindy asked for help deboning what remained of the two rotisserie chickens. I pulled off quite a bit even after she declared herself done. I knew that Eiknarf would very much appreciate the extra effort. 

Dad left for home around 7pm. He took our extra can of recyclables with him. Planned to drop it off at the local firehouse. Around 730pm, Mindy and Jacob left for Dick’s Sporting goods in hopes of finding new soccer cleats. No sooner had Mindy departed when my dad knocked on the door. Said he was dropping off the extra recycling can after emptying it at the firehouse. I didn’t realize he was taking care of it immediately. Thanks dad!

Spent the next 45 minutes to an hour writing for my blog and reading about the my beloved Vikings training camp. Excited for the new season, new coach, and new players. Mindy and Jacob were back at home around 815pm but without soccer cleats. Didn’t have his size, so they were apparently having them shipped or transferred in from elsewhere. Mindy said she bought a gift for me, a new short sleeved Nike wicking shirt. I wasn’t expecting anything. Thanks dear! My third blessing in only 24 hours.

Considered having a beer but in the end opted for only ice water and later some popcorn. I was certain that Bella would come calling once she got a whiff but she never did. Instead, I had the bowl all to myself. I headed to bed near 10pm.

Manifest My Destiny

I slept OK but still didn’t want to get up once morning rolled around. I’ll bet I woke 8 times between 530 and 630am before finally getting up around 645am. Downstairs the coffee was long since brewed. After disabling the security system I launched into calisthenics completing sit-ups, push-ups, and windmills. As usual, once they were knocked out I felt much more awake.
As a result of sleeping late, it was 7am by the time I was settled at my desk with coffee. I played around online until 735am which is when I forced myself away from my desk for meditation and a stretch. As a result of my late start, it was close to 8a when I launched my run. It was sunny and 60 degrees immediately out the door. A few clouds moved in during my 4.1 miles run. Feeling really good of late. No pain.

Like I often do during a run, I spent my brain cycles contemplated life. A couple of things were at the forefront of my mind. One of which was setting and achieving goals. I thought about how one goes about achieving seemingly unachievable, long term goals, be them financial, educational, career, fitness, etc. Take my running streak as an example. I doubt it would be where it’s at today had my stated goal been to run every day for 17.5+ years. Instead, I simply set a goal to run every day. It may seem like a play on words but it’s not. By stating simply that I would run everyday kept my focus only on the day ahead. Not too daunting, right? On the other hand, had I stated from the outset that I was going to run every day for 17.5 years I would have been able to see the end goal being achieved and would ultimately have failed. .

And the same can be said for financial goals, say, retiring with X amount of dollars. It’s far easier to set smaller, target goals where progress is apparent so success can be achieved, and then tweaks can be made if necessary without considering failure. This thinking works for any kind of long term goal setting. In the same vein, And carrying this thought process further, I believe the same thinking can be applied to undoing ugly habits as well, like smoking, drugs, etc. That said, I’m not oblivious to the fact that some addictions run deep. However, it’s not impossible to beat them. Start simple. “I am not going to smoke today”. The same the next day, and so on.

Running by Darwin’s place, it looked as if they’re ready to hit the road for their beach vacation. I made a mental note to ping him later and also to keep a close eye out for any unusual behavior in or around his home. Arrived back at the house near 830-840am. No one was up but then again, I didn’t expect anyone else to be up either. I took care of a couple work emails then it was off to the kitchen where I I quickly prepped breakfast and lunch.

A shower was next. I took Mindy coffee and dripped a little on the white bedroom carpet in so doing. Dang it! Thankfully, it’s not something I do with regularity – spill it that is. I quickly cleaned up the few spots with a wet rag. Felt better heading into the shower confident that I got the mess before it became permanent. Ready to go by 930am. Mindy joined me downstairs for a few minutes before I needed to leave. She said she and the kids would be spending the day cleaning the house. Jacob was at an overnight at Cody & Zach’s but Mindy was going after him around 11am.

I headed off to work near 950am stopping first at the Circle K for a fill-up. Gas was $3.27 and the Accord took 14.2 gallons. That’s about 25 mpg. Made good time crossing town. For some reason, there were a number of cars going under the speed limit in the fast lane. That’s very unusual. Arrived across town around 1015am and got quickly situated and busy.

I didn’t plan to take lunch. Instead, I figured to plow straight through the work day. I had a number of two-dos scrawled out and dug in right away. Amongst them was joining an online live class at 1130am. I was familiar with the material which afforded me the opportunity to multitask. By day’s end, I made a huge dent in my to-do list. Felt really good with all I was able to accomplish. I packed my gear and headed for home around 415pm fully intending to do a little more work from home.

Instead of calling Mindy, I called my mom instead. Hadn’t talked with her for a couple of weeks. She sounded a little rough at first. I wasn’t sure if she was sick or just caught off guard. I guess a little of both. She went on about her latest ailment. As I understood it, they performed an ultra sound on her kidneys and found an unusual spot that they want to have checked more thoroughly via an outpatient hospital visit. She gave me more details on her last hospital stay, which included a kidney stone and dehydration. I joked but don’t think she caught the comment about she having the kidney stone because dad had one too. It’s simply uncanny how often she ends up with the same problems as dad. We’re talking back, heart, knees, and now stones. Perhaps they’re kindred spirits, connected in a dimension we’re not equipped to readily see.  Though I think it’s fair to say that dad always seems to heal better, faster. We talked about a few other issues on her mind, too, but I won’t divulge details here. We wrapped up the call as I neared my 270 exit.

I called Mindy at the exit ramp but Bella answered. She sounded like she was in an really good mood. She shared that Mindy was upstairs “spot” cleaning her room. And then after our call got disconnected and she called me back, she continued to describe what her mother was into. She insisted that I not go upstairs once home for the mess in the hallway. As I understood things, Mindy have everything out of Bella’s room. Ugh!!!

Arrived home around 450pm. I got situated downstairs with a snack (cashews) and work. Bella greeted me and reiterated that I shouldn’t go upstairs. She even shared that when she was last up there she hurt her foot. What? Jimaken was at the door a minute or two later. He was there to pick-up the kids for date night – theirs and ours. 

I noticed that Rocky’s 2nd bday gifts arrived, both from Walmart.com. Heck, I ordered them on Sunday and had them both by Wednesday when the promise date was yet a week out. The few times I’ve ordered from them I’ve received similar results. Way to go, Wally!

Just before Jimaken left with the kids, Mindy came downstairs. I’m not sure that she knew I was home until then. By then I was relaxing in the recliner with a glass of water and my Kindle reading. After bidding the children farewell, she greeted me then headed back upstairs. A few minutes later she asked if I wanted to go out or stay home. I was indifferent at first but soon changed my tune suggesting we go out. She was OK either way, but needed to know so she could shower real quick if we were going out.

She was showered and back downstairs around 550pm. Ahead of that I was completely absorbed in my latest Kindle book essentially about manifesting. It’s called, E Squared. Before blow drying her hair Mindy came downstairs brining me the two Ultimate Lithium batteries I’d been looking for for two months. She said she found them in Bella’s room. Oh boy! I had them stashed in my desk and was driving myself crazy trying to locate them. Mindy remembered me asking Bella more than once if she might’ve taken them. Each time she was adamant that she hadn’t. Before we left for Barley’s, which we’d only settled on the venue moments prior, I suggested she take the batteries back upstairs and insist that Bella bring them to me later once we were all home again. She agreed.

Arrived at Barley’s around 620pm and bellied up to the bar which was about ½ attended. Daniel was tending bar. I ordered their flagship Pale Ale, which for my money is the best anywhere in the country. Mindy opted for a Green Flash IPA only to later ask for something different after we both agreed that it was darn near flat. She opted for a Stone IPA in its place. Much better!

Mindy wanted an appetizer and in turn asked if I was interested in sharing either kettle chips or French fries. I wanted neither, basically putting my foot down on real bad for you snacks, at least for now. She went with the kettle chips. Daniel soon shared that the Xmas in July has been a big success. In fact so much so that they’re already out of the Xmas ale of which I believe they had three kegs. They still have the St Nicks, however, although not sure how much longer it will last.

Around 7pm I ordered a 2nd beer along with food. Stuck in a wing craze lately, going for 10 K.C. wings well done. Mindy went with a burger and asparagus. This time I went with a ZIPA, their zesty summer IPA, which has an excellent bite that comes in a 6% abv. Good stuff!

My wings were prepared to perfection and as a result, I ate all ten of them. I’m proud of myself. I didn’t touch even one of the yummy looking kettle chips sitting right next to me. Mindy cut her burger into quarters and ate all but one section, taking what was left home for Jacob. She agreed to pick-up the t ab. Through dinner I exchanged texts with David and Darwin. Darwin shared that they were already in VA. Wished them a happy one. David shared that the backyard barbeque we tentatively planned with his son and grandkids for next week during their visit was off due to issues with his son. Hey, it happens. I am sure we’ll fill the time with lots of fun stuff.

Left for home near 8pm. As we entered the subdivision and passed the first cul-de-sac, Mindy shared that she saw a couple of deer in the front yard of a neighbor and was certain one of them was pooping. We turned around to validate her somewhat peculiar citing. Sure enough, in the front yard of a former coworker of mine were three deer – a doe and two fawns. And just as Mindy suggested, the doe was taking a dump. I asserted that Mindy hurry and snap a photo. All sorts of funnies could come of that.:) Sadly, I think we spooked them as we got within a house in the car.

At home the kids were already back from dinner with dad. When Mindy offered Jacob her leftovers he quickly rejected them after taking a look. I quickly changed into my PJs and brushed my teeth then went to my PC to do more writing for my blog. Mindy headed upstairs to work on putting Bella’s room back in some semblance of order, enough at least that she could sleep in her own bed. As it was, her carpet was still a little damp.

Before I headed to bed, which would’ve been around 930pm, Mindy asked that I take a look at Bella’s room, now ridded of much of the clutter. Way less clutter, that’s for sure. Among other things, she’s getting rid of her Barbie apartment and accessories. I checked with Mindy to make sure that she would take care of securing the home before joining me in bed.

As a sleep aid, I tuned the TV to The Universe. I barely saw any of it though, and as a result can’t recall one bit of what the episode was about. Mindy joined me in bed around 10pm. I remember her removing the remote from my grippers but that’s about it.

Sleep Interuptus

Even though I went to bed early, I didn't fall asleep until after 10pm again. And then around midnight Bella came rushing into our room again hysterical that our home alarm was going off. Really? Dang it!!!! Mindy and I could hear nothing, but like any other night, Mindy had the bathroom exhaust fan going as well as the mini window fan running on high. Between the two, they drowned out most noises.

Sure enough, after turning off the fan I could the alarm loudly blaring "alarm, phone line cut". To be certain, I grabbed the ball bat then asked both Mindy and Bella to get into our agreed positions which included Mindy having a phone in hand ready to call 911. One problem, it would have to be the cell if indeed our phone line was cut. Duh!!! I told her to check on Jacob too. I didn't want to club somebody in the kitchen only to learn that it was Jacob and or one of his two overnight guests.

I had my cell phone in my pajama pocket too. And as soon as I cleared the downstairs of any criminal activity my phone rang. It was the security company inquiring about the alarm and asking if everything was OK and if we wanted them to pursue or cancel the dispatch. Cancel, We're good. Via my PC, I confirmed that the cable was out, which caused the alarm to go off. Lucky for us we have cell back-up, so we're never without security.

Shortly after hanging up I decided I wanted to sweep the garage of any criminal intent too, forgetting to disable the alarm. Sure enough, as soon as I opened the door to the garage the alarm went off again. Mindy disabled the alarm but it was too late. By design the full intrusion alarm sounded and was followed again by a call from the security company. Same guy too. I shared what I had done, choosing to make double sure the coast was clear before returning to bed. He understood and took me on face value. I'd talked with him only two minutes earlier. We reset the alarm then headed for bed. By then it was closing in on 1am. I lad there for what must've been half an hour before I gave up any hope of falling back asleep and headed downstairs to read. I read until 240am. It still took another 15-20 minutes to get back to sleep. Oh boy! Another botched night of sleep.

Feeling sleep deprived, I allowed myself to sleep in until 630am or slightly after. While brushing my teeth I heard the security announce that the phone line was restored, which most likely meant that Time Warner's maintenance window ended. Downstairs I proceeded with my usual routine of calisthenics. coffee, internet, meditation and a stretch. Hit the road for a 4.1 mile run around 740am. The skies were partly cloudy and the temperature in the mid 50s, again, well below normal. Felt nice, though. Wore a short sleeved wicking shirt, same one as the day before. Back home after run near 820am.

Fairly quickly I whipped up breakfast and packed a lunch, setting aside an extra fried egg for Eiknarf. I was already logged into work and saw something needing my attention fairly soon. I jumped on it right away. I also got an email canceling our standing 1pm meeting across town. That and the fact that I was already working from home lead to an eventual decision to work from home all day.

Mindy was up near 9am and soon out on the deck enjoying her first cup of coffee. While she did that, I joined two conference calls with my boss, one at 930a and then another at 1015a. The second call wrapped up around 1045am. I spent the rest of the work day preparing my piece of a customer facing quarterly presentation. Mindy left for her lunch date with teacher pals around noon. The kids were home with me but of little bother. Both were of playing with their pals. Bella had a dental appointment to address a tooth that’s been giving her fits arranged for 4pm in Westerville with Dr Scott. Mindy asked that Bella be ready to go by 330pm.

I took a break around 1pm and carried Jacob’s bedroom rug from the garage back to the deck so it could dry out a bit more in the sunshine. Still damp from our scrubbing it last Friday or Saturday. I sprayed it down with a heavy dose of Lysol too. As it was, it smelt similar to a pair of Jacob’s stinky tennis shoes.

For lunch, I enjoyed some of Gloria’s tuna salad. I must admit, it was scrumptious! I’m thinking that Mindy was home from lunch around 3pm. She and Bella soon left for the dental appointment. Before she left, Mindy thanked me for putting Jacob’s rug out. Said that was on her list of things to do too. She also pulled some frozen cod from the freezer for dinner.

I stayed busy with work until sometime after 5pm when Mindy and Bella returned. Sandwiched somewhere in there was a much needed shower. All fresh and clean by the time the two of them were back home.

Early evening I watered all the deck flowers then cleaned both large coolers, the one we leave on the deck pretty much year round and then the new travel cooler. Both were overdue for a cleaning. While Mindy prepared dinner I wrote for my blog. At Jacob’s prompting, Mindy set the deck table up for dinner. Why not? The conditions were ideal for dining outside – sunny and in the 70s.

Bella was having a hot dog in lieu of fish. It was a Ball Park, not the Hebrew National she prefers. Despite Dr. Scott filling a cavity in the molar that was bothering her, she continued to complain of localized tooth pain. The cod was really good – not at all fishy and nice and flaky. Along with the cod, Mindy prepped corn-on-the-cob and brown rice. All good. After dinner, I jokingly asked for chocolate pie fully anticipating that she would tell me that it was gone. But one piece remained and she gave it to me. Yum!

After dinner and clean-up I did read from a living room recliner. While did that, Mindy was out front. At the time I wasn’t sure why or just what she was doing, but later learned she was pulling weeds and topping the blue salvia for the third time. If one dead heads the spent flowers they’ll continue to bloom. Such a task is right up Mindy’s alley. She’s far more patient than I.

When she came in she shared with Bella that she talked with Teri, Dr. Scott’s wife. They weren’t surprised that she was still feeling a little pain since the cavity they filled was fairly deep. Expected it to subside in a day or two. I read until 915p or so. Once again, I headed for bed before the others, again very much looking forward to a solid night of sleep.

Taco Night!

I didn't sleep well so it was no surprise that I woke tired and listless. Any sleep I got Sunday night was light and spotty, but interestingly enough, riddled with dreams. I didn't get out of bed until almost 630am. And once I did I had to talk myself into calisthenics. Hadn't done a sit-up or push-up for ten days or so. And because I gave myself a vacation from calisthenics I decided it made sense to do both curls and push-ups along with the daily windmills and sit-ups.

After knocking out calisthenics it was time for coffee and internet. By then it was already 650am - later than I'm used to. I spent a solid 30 minutes online enjoying every single minute of it. At 720am I forced myself to the floor for meditation and later a healthy stretch. I always feel better after both of those, and Monday was no exception. It was cloudy and moderately warm - 63 degrees. I headed out the door near 730an wearing a short sleeved running shirt. The day's high, by the way, wasn't expected to escape the low 70s.

Mindy and Jacob were up and out the door shortly before I left on a run. They were up early so Mindy could run Jacob to basketball conditioning, which required him to be at Weaver Middle School by 8am. And later, after he was back from conditioning, they were all going to the great Ohio State Fair and hooking up with her pal, Teri.

I ran 4.1 miles for the first time in about ten days, but believe me, the 3.2 mile runs in SC are far tougher than my flat 4.1 mile track here at home. No humidity to deal with either, at least not of late. I completed the run feeling good, but that's what I've come to expect. Mindy was back and busy making my breakfast upon my return. While she put the finish touches on my breakfast, I packed a lunch.

I ate my breakfast before a shower. And it was close to 9am by the time I was ready and headed out the door for work. The new parking lot they've been building since winter finally opened while I was on vacation. That left ample parking in the old lot, which is where I parked. Once I am at work I don't mind being there. It's just getting there - the idea of it after 10 days vacation.

New work rule requires badging in at the door. I had enough foresight to confirm my access code two weeks ago since i hadn't used it in more than a year. Surprised that I remembered it. Turns out, there were technical difficulties with the door, so one of the security personnel had to let me and a few others in. So much for the requirement. :) I'm sure they'll get it squared away.

My boss was there and smiling ear to ear, and expressed how happy he was that I was back from vacation. We chatted for a while, first about vacation and then the how the week went with me and others off on vacation. We also talked about several dangling to-dos we're both involved in. I have a really good boss. Lots of qualities I admire in a leader.

My first order of business was sorting my email by sender then prioritizing whose I'd read first. Spent most of the morning getting email cleaned up along with taking care of a couple important and time-critical to-dos. The day went pretty fast. I didn't bother taking a formal lunch break. Instead, I plowed straight through my work day. I did take a mid morning break to walk around the building for both a mental and physical stretch. I was very excited to happen upon a former direct report of mine who's back with the company after a one or two year hiatus. Sweet! We chatted for 30 minutes or so.

Back at my desk I continued cleaning up email and knocking tasks off my to-do list, which included a few things my boss threw at me immediately in the door. I left for home around 430pm temporarily forgetting that Mindy and the kids wouldn't be there. They were still at the fair. So was home to a quiet and empty house. After a short respite, I walked the pug then logged onto my work computer. Stayed busy until about 530pm. Before she left for the fair, Mindy made taco meat and had it warming in the crockpot on the island. Smelt terrific. I decided to wait until they were home before eating.

It was near 6pm when Mindy sent a text sharing that they were heading for the car and home. She planned to drop off Jacob's friends on the way, so I figured they'd be about an hour yet. That hunch proved accurate. It was near 7pm when they finally walked in the door. I cheated a little bit by sneaking a spoonful or two of the steamy hot taco meat, but otherwise waited. Mindy spent the next 20-30 minutes making rice and black beans as well as getting out all the burrito/taco fixins. We sat down for dinner near 730pm. I had two tacos and a heaping pile of rice with taco meat over the top. Delicious and filling. During dinner Mindy shared that Jacob was having two friends spend the night. She also added it would be the last sleepover of the summer since they/we need to begin school acclimation training (getting up earlier staring next week). Thankfully, clean-up was a snap. For a few minutes all I could think about was a nap. After a poor night's sleep Sunday and now a full belly, I was cooked!

Once the kitchen was in order I retreated to the living room recliner with my Kindle. There I read and napped for the next half hour or so. Mindy joined me in the neighboring recliner playing on her phone. By 830pm I was ready for bed. Mindy said she'd be joining me soon. I didn't go right to sleep. Instead, I tuned the TV to Family Guy and watched back to back episodes. Very funny, always is.

Kohl's, Sam's, Giants, Tommy & Rocky

 

 

 

I was out of bed near 730am and promptly downstairs where I started some coffee. I remembered the forecast calling for clouds and heavy rain but at the time it was mostly clear. While the coffee brewed I was overcome with the sleepies again, but rather than return upstairs for bed, I plopped down on the living room floor with one of the recliner pillows. I might’ve stolen another 5-10 minutes of sleep before bouncing to my feet and getting on with my morning.

I enjoyed coffee and internet for the next hour or so. I don’t believe I entertained a run until 10am. By the time I did it had clouded over, just as the weather prognosticators had predicted. It was fairly warm, though, a sultry 75 degrees. As a result, I ran shirtless very much enjoying the air splashing against my bare skin.

After my run I returned to my PC where I searched for the pitching net Rocky said he wanted for his birthday then ordered it from Wal-Mart.com. It wouldn’t arrive until Aug 7 or 8, but it wasn’t available in stores so this was the best option. We ordered a bucket of baseballs too. Mindy agreed that we’d simply capture the picture of the contraption and make it into a card and put it in a gift bag he would open at our house later that afternoon.

We were celebrating Rocky & Tommy’s birthday’s beginning at 4pm. It sounded like two of the girls were coming for sure, we were uncertain about Courtney. She didn’t respond to our invite. Of course Tommy was coming, and later confirmed that Wally would be accompanying him. Dad was coming over also. Before our company arrived we had an active agenda. Mindy wanted to run to Kohl’s, Giant Eagle, and Sam’s Club.

We showered and left the house for Kohl’s around noon. Our main reason for shopping at Kohl’s was to get Mindy a new pair of slippers. She goes through 2 or 3 pair a year. Don’t ask me how, but her big toe always wears through the front. She also wanted to get another wicking shirt or two for Bella. Speaking of Bella, since about Xmas, she’s become increasingly concerned about her wardrobe and insists on wearing items that are non-girly. No glitter, bling, or dresses. I convinced Mindy it’s best to let her ride out the phase rather than push back. It won’t last too long.

While in Kohl’s I picked out a few tops for Mindy that I really liked. It’s the return of the paisley, hippy look with an updated styling. She liked what I picked a lot. I think she ended up buying all three. We found only one wicking shirt for Bella – gray. She’s sensitive to wearing bright colors now too.  We left Kohl’s and headed next door to Sam’s Club where we picked up some pork ribs – hopefully the same variety that David grilled for us in SC. They were the best ever! We also picked up a tray of brownies and a 12-pack of brats for out birthday cookout later that afternoon. We looked for the yellow saffron rice, too, but they didn’t have it. 

Across the street to Giant Eagle next. It started to storm while we were in Giant Eagle – heavy rain and thunder. There we picked up a birthday cake, an OSU ball-cap for Rocky, and a small bag of yellow saffron rice. We headed home in the on again, off again rain storm. I told Mindy that before doing any party prep, I needed to take a nap. I grabbed my Kindle and plopped down in the recliner. It was 225pm. I didn’t have a lot of time to nap, especially since I told Tommy he could come over around 3pm.

I napped for 15-20 minutes, and that was just about perfect. Before anyone arrived I helped Mindy with some prep, though we were keeping this event pretty simple. We laid out limited snacks – fresh fruit. Along with brats we’d be grilling hot dogs and having pastas salad as a side. All of our guests arrived between 3-4pm – Tommy, Wally, Dad, Ash, Steven, Olivia, Lindsey, Rocky, and Landon. Our kids got home around 415pm from their overnight with Jimaken.

Almost immediately, the neighbor girls came over to intercept Bella. I only asked that she be sociable and not run off with her peeps. We boiled the brats ahead of time so all we needed to do was grill them for a brief time along with the hot dogs. Didn’t take long at all. Our propane tank ran dry not a minute or two into the grilling. Good thing I always keep a spare ready for the go! We were eating by 530pm. I ate somewhat light. Wasn’t really that hungry.

Rocky predictably badgered us about opening his gift. He’s all about presents.  Tommy gifted him a bag full of stuff that kids love – sparklers, silly string, etc. We gifted him a ball-cap, some candy bars, and of course the pitch back net and balls, but only in picture form. He said he understood that it would be shipping. We gifted Tommy his CBC shirt, too.

Next up was singing, cake and pie. All afternoon I was snapping photos using my 70D. I love how responsive the shutter is as compared to my S120. I shot only in auto mode to keep it simple. I think I got some pretty decent shots for indoor photography. The small sheet cake we bought was just about the perfect size. Just a few pieces remained, which we planned to send home with Rocky anyway. About half the guests opted for chocolate pie, which was extra yummy. Lindsey agreed to run Olivia home, that way she was able to stay a little longer, She loves hanging out at our house. Tommy, Wally and dad were the last to leave. We talked around the kitchen table for a while after the others left.

I paid Wally a shiny dollar for cleaning up every bit of the silly string the kids sprayed all over the back yard. I’m impressed that he was patient enough to gather it all up. There was quite a bit of it out there. Tommy shared that Wally is very much into organizing and cleaning. Hmm?

Had a nice time. Everybody was gone by 730pm. And after everybody left I snuggled up in the recliner and finished my latest book. We headed for bed around 10pm but I struggled to get to sleep. That might have something to do with me drinking a cup of coffee late afternoon.

Phoenix & CBC

Slept in until almost 8am. I woke to another spectacularly clear morning, and this one more than 10 degrees warmer than Friday. The clear skies weren’t expected to last and there was a significant chance of rain later in the day. Steven and I made plans to golf, however, other than figuring on playing Phoenix, I hadn’t yet reserved a tee-time. I checked online and the earliest they had was 110pm for a twosome.

I headed out for a run around 9am doing my usual three mile weekend run. When I got back to the house Steven and I volleyed a few texts back and forth, me sharing that we’d be playing at Phoenix at 110pm. I waited before committing to that time because I invited neighbor Kenny and brother Tommy. I never did hear back from Kenny and Tommy had too many work related commitments.

When I called Phoenix to book the 110pm they told me 230pm would be the earliest possible tee time for three, which I quoted so to avoid being teamed with strangers, which I abhor. No sweat. I accepted and then sent another text to Steven sharing as much. Agreed to meet there near 2pm.

Between 10am and 130pm, I dilly-dallied around the house. Mindy and the kids were going to Gloria’s fudge party, where she would teach the family how to make her famous peanut butter fudge. The event was slated to begin at 2pm and would go until about 5pm. Mindy made pasta salad and sandwiches too. Everybody was brining something.

I pulled some weeds and trimmed a few dead branches from the sweetgum tree out front but little else. I didn’t feel that great. I wouldn’t say I felt sick. Instead, I felt lethargic and tired. I showered up for golf around 1pm and left the house near 135pm. Made great time arriving no more than 15 minutes later. By then it had turned mostly cloudy but with scattered sunshine and no immediate threat of rain. Steven showed up about 10 minute after me. Once I saw him pull in I headed inside to pay.

I was a little surprised with the back-up. Must’ve been 4 or 5 groups waiting in front of us. They said they were out of working carts and would get us all out as soon as carts started coming in. Aside from the cool links layout of Phoenix, one of the main reasons I like it is because there’s rarely ever a back-up, so I was a little bummed that it looked like we’d be waiting lots.

The starter also shared that they had a large outing earlier but that they were just finishing up. Carts came in one after the other, and soon we were headed up to the 1st tee box. There were still two groups, a foursome and a twosome waiting in front of us. Ugh!

Despite the wait, which we made the best of by chatting and joking with the starter, the groups immediately in front of us teed off and moved quickly. Even by the 2nd hole the foursome in front of the twosome was nowhere in sight. Steven struggled early losing at least a half dozen balls. Me, I had a rough first hole but recovered nicely with a string of pars and bogeys. But for some reason that doggone par three, I believe #6, I hit a nasty sharp fade from the tee box. Do that an awful lot on that hole for some reason. I lost three balls between hole #1 and hole #6 but also found about a half dozen. More often than not, I find more balls than I lose at Phoenix.

Hole #7 is a relatively short par 4 but even still, I was very impressed with Stevens drive which rolled up on the green leaving him pin high and putting for an eagle. I, on the other hand, hit my tee shot into the neighboring heather and then struggled to get out. All of the sudden it felt like my golf swing had gotten away from me, no matter what I did. Steven left his 20’ eagle putt about 8’ short. He quickly regrouped and sunk the birdie putt ,though. 

For some reason that twosome in front of us started playing really slow. We had a considerable wait on the tee box on holes 7 through 9. The heather it seemed, was getting the best of their tee shots. Played 8 and 9 OK and seemed to find my swing, but my accuracy was still a little shaken. By the time we finished 9, the skies were looking a little scary and rain imminent. We noticed, too, that there was a back-up on the #10 tee box. The foursome and twosome in front of us were both waiting for the group in front of them. Oh boy!

Neither one of us were in the mood to wait, and with the sky threating to storm we decided to bag it. I suggested we peak at hole #1 again and play a few more if it was clear. It wasn’t. Still groups teeing off. You drive past the par 3 #17, which is their signature hole – down a steep drop off, maybe 50-60 feet to a narrow green surrounded by moat-like creek. No one was on it or coming towards it off of #16 so we opted to play 17 &18.

The tee box was moved and the pin about 165 yards out. Steven went first and went long and left far off the back of the green, but still safe from the water. I hit pin high with a 6-iron but off the side of the hill, which kindly released until coming to stop about 5 or 6 feet off the green. 

We both bogeyed the hole. Number 18 requires a tee shot over 150-180 yards of water, and preferable with a little right to left bend lest you end up where Steven’s drive landed, which was in the thick brush and trees across the fairway. I hit a superb drive leaving me center of the fairway and perhaps 130 yards out. I was excited for my 2nd shot. 4 shots later I was on the green – 2 in the water – what an epic collapse. We’ll call it the yips. I dunno.

We got in 11 holes and felt good about it. It was about 430pm. With rain imminent, we decided to bag it. At our cars, Steven handed off the camping dining canopy I let them borrow, and I handed off Olivia’s baseball cleats she left at our place the day before. As soon as we pulled out of the lot it began to pour. And by the time I arrived home it was an all-out thunderstorm. Good timing!

Mindy and the kids were apparently still at Gloria’s. I made myself a snack and then enjoyed some reading and a nap. It was nice having the house all to myself. Mindy called around 6pm letting me know that she was on the way home to pick-up the kids things and then taking them to Jimaken’s for an overnight. She asked if I wanted to ride along. I passed on that and instead opted for a 2nd shower in preparation for our dinner date at CBC.

Thinking it was near 730pm by the time Mindy was back from dropping the kids and both of us ready for dinner. We left for CBC shortly thereafter. I at least attempted to find parking in their main lot but it was packed. We ended parking in the adjacent parking lot directly across the street like we do most other times. Mindy brought along a mini-chocolate pie for Vince. She made enough for one large pie as well a few mini pies. Like me, Vince told Mindy some time ago that chocolate pie is his all-time fave.

Seating at the bar was at a premium. After all, it was restaurant week in Columbus, which always packs ‘em in. Soon the couple closest to us at the bar were paged and seated for dinner. We took their stools. Vince was apologetic for being out of Bodhi, but we didn’t mind. Anymore, they carry an excellent array of quality guest beers. I happily went with the Hoof Hearted IIPA, which they called Wangbar. We ordered some risotto balls too, and they were superb.

Aubre’ was back working as a server after having a baby just six weeks prior. Said she was only helping out because of restaurant week, but still officially on leave. Cute and sweet as ever! She and Mindy made plans for her to bring the baby over. We talked at length with Jen, too, who is also expecting a baby with her partner, Keri.

We hung out for quite a while before ordering any more food. And even though I had thoughts of going with the yummy walleye or a steak, I ended up going with their tried and true wings. In the end, I guess I have a very simple palette. The wings came exactly as I ordered them, well done and extra saucy. I appreciate that. By night’s end I consumed three of those Wangbars, and Mindy two of the guest stouts. Before we left, we purchased a new blue CBC t-shirt for Tommy. She opted to drive. Wise choice.

Tucked under our windshield wiper was a small yellow envelope from a parking lot vendor sharing that we owed them $2 for parking as well as a $50 penalty. Having none of that, Mindy walked back into CBC and presented it to Kevin and Vince, who have always shared that we could park in that lot if theirs was full. They immediately agreed to take the envelope and take care of any misunderstandings. Friends, that’s service!

At home we were quickly off to bed, both of us incredibly tired.

Home to a Thick Lush Lawn

I slept great and woke feeling like a champ to blue skies and seasonably cool temps – only 53 degrees at 730am. I started a pot of coffee then played around online for an hour or more before heading out on a run. Opted to skip calisthenics like I’d done all week. I still took the time to meditate and stretch, both of which provide just as much or more benefit as the calisthenics.

Completed my run before any of the overnight guests were up. Mindy was already up by the time I got back home from my three mile run. We both expressed surprise that Olivia wasn’t up, while not at all surprised that the older girls remained asleep. Guessing it was somewhere near 10am when Olivia joined us. She asked for coffee. We obliged her request by making her kiddie coffee (coffee, chocolate milk, whipped cream).

Once the others were awake, Mindy gleefully whipped up a batch of pancakes while I toiled with our vacation photos. The biggest thing on my Friday agenda was getting the lawn in shape. I got started on that around 11am, or shortly after a few pancakes. The plan was for Olivia to stick around until Ashley came to get her after work.

She and the other girls played all day long, occasionally outdoors, and then back inside. The lawn was lush and thick. I decided to change things up a bit by trimming, edging and blowing first. Although I knew I’d have to blow a second time after the mowing. The problem with doing it only once at the end is that the leaves that almost continuously fall from our weeping mulberry trash the freshly groomed lawn. I wanted to get them blown out from the beds before the mowing.

We were blessed with temps in the low 70s, at least while I was mowing. Never once did I break into the soaking sweat that I’m used to. The lawn looked fantastic by the time I finished. Before putting the tractor away, I let Livy drive it around the yard. Problem was, she’s too light to keep the engine running. Against her desires, we had no choice but to ride together. I let her steer.

I did an emergency watering soon after arriving home Thursday evening, but opted to water everything again Friday afternoon, giving all the flowers a premium soaking. Olivia helped and had me douse her with the hose. By then it was approaching 80 degrees. It was really nice! We noticed to sizeable critters floating in the pond back near the treehouse. Wasn’t really sure what they were but suspected them to be raccoons.

Ashley came after Olivia near 5pm. I gave Olivia a few dollars so she could get a Happy Meal from McD’s on the way home. And speaking of dinner, Mindy, the kids and I made plans to go to Barley’s, but not until 7pm or so. In fact, I didn’t get a shower until almost 6pm.

Even though it was only Friday, I had that sinking feeling in my stomach that often accompanies the end of a vacation – that dreaded return to work. Monday, I knew, would come really fast. Both kids were excited about going to Barley’s. We opted to take the Accord, having not driven it since the Wednesday prior ( I drove the BM’er the previous Thursday).

We opted for community table seating, but at the time we were the only ones there. Steve end up being our server even after Chelsea advised seconds prior that she’d be taking care of us. Steve’s very good! I started with a ZIPA – a zesty IPA, and one I really like. And between the four of us, we went through 3 orders of fries with buffalo sauce before ordering dinner. We decided to wait after getting word from neighbor Pat that he, Lisa and daughter Alaena would be joining us. Thinking they got there around 8pm or maybe even a little after.

Good to see them. We don’t get to hang out that much but when we do we always have a good time. We shared vacation stories, ours now completed, theirs coming up the following week. Alaena is headed for Ireland for a couple of weeks while the two of them head off to Chicago for a handful of days. Sounds fun!

We finally got around to ordering dinner, well, at least everybody but me. I was the lone exception. I wasn’t that hungry and figured I would pick at Mindy and the kids plates. I ended up eating half of Mindy’s Lonestar sandwich. I ordered a 2nd beer, too, a Centennial. But after the ZIPA, it didn’t taste that good. At Barley’s until 930pm or so. Invited the neighbors to join us on our deck. They accepted.

It was a lovely evening, the temperature hovering around 70 degrees under mostly clear skies. While enjoying a couple more beers Jacob and I let off 5 of the roman candles we bought in Tennessee. Each of the five in the variety pack had different features, and all were much nicer than those we’ve purchased elsewhere.

The cops pulled up in front of our next door neighbor’s house shortly after letting off the fireworks. We wondered if someone called them. They never did get out of their car and walk back. The cruised by a couple of times. Pat, Lisa, and Alaena hung out for about an hour. Shortly after their departure we headed up to bed. Guessing it was near 11pm.

A Livy Tug

 

I was up near 645am to clear skies and warm temps. Already 75 degrees, I enjoyed a cup of coffee then headed out for a run. I was determined to complete my run before the sun could make too big of an impact on the temps. It was expected to reach into the mid 90s by afternoon. By then we'd be long gone.

I ran the NW route down past Suede Ln. I decided to take one extra hill this go round, and it was a steep one, too. Not much left in the tank when I got back to the house. Instead of heading immediately inside, I headed to the dock for a short meditation. Despite the humid sunshine, there was relatively cool breeze blowing in off the lake that felt heavenly. Once my head was in the right place, I headed inside where among other things I enjoyed a second cup of coffee while chatting it up with David & Anita.

At some point I went to check on Mindy only to find her already up, showered, and packing. While she headed out to be social, I packed my things and took a quick shower. It didn't take more than 10 minutes collectively.

Our stated goal was to be on the road by 1030am but that was never intended to be a hard, fast deadline. David asked if there was anything we wanted to do or squeeze in before leaving. Nope. I mentioned that it would be hard to top Thursday day on the lake. And besides, once I have departure and home on my mind I tend to zero in on that like a laser.

While Mindy woke the kids and organized their stuff, I casually loaded our larger stuff for home, including golf clubs, the large cooler and Jacobs wake board. Mindy strategically packed what remained of my IPAs and then some pop between the two rear bench seats. Turns out, we had lots more space for the trip home. David was gracious enough to whip Jacob up some scrambled eggs even though Anita had just finished cleaning up our breakfast dishes. Thanks David and Anita. You guys are simply the best! At David's request, I scribbled an entry into their guest diary then loaded the rest of our gear in the Pilot. Thinking it was close to 1045am when we were completely packed and ready to pull out. We made loose arrangements for them to come visit sometime in August, preferably before school starts for Mindy.

I made note of the miles traveled so far then reset the trip odometer to zero. Up to that point we'd traveled 725 miles since leaving home. From David's place it's roughly 500 miles to home. This time we didn't miss the jog and turns to get back to state route 200 and then I-77. We stopped for a fill-up at the Shell, just like we did after last month's visit.

We made excellent time heading north out of SC and into and through Charlotte. Before we knew it, we were in Va. By then we'd already driven through a handful of brief showers. Not wanting to stop for food too early, we agreed to stop around 230pm. That put us 280 miles out and somewhere between the 1st and 2nd toll booths on the WV turnpike. We stopped in Beckley WV at the Wendy's, and just like the drive down, we opted to eat inside. Something rang familiar about the venue to Mindy, who said she was certain we'd stopped there before. I didn't think so but soon realized that she was right. We stopped at the very same Wendy's three summers ago on our drive to Myrtle Beach. I waited in the car, thus why it didn't look familiar to me. While stopped for lunch we filled the gas tank again too.

Mindy took over the driving duties from that point home. It was nice to sit and relax. I started to dose off at one point but quickly woke and felt wide awake for the duration. I didn't quite know what to do with myself. Nice to let the mind wander and check out the scenery, though I was a little tense with Mindy driving those winding narrows through the WV mountains. Once we cleared the mountains (just south of Charleston) I was much more relaxed.

Like our trip June, it was much cooler in Ohio than it was in SC. It was only 73 degrees when we crossed over into Ohio near 530-6pm. It rained most of the day but sunny as we entered. Stay that way, too. More than once I commented on how lush everything looked. As we past Lancaster I could smell home. At first Mindy's plan was to drop Bella and I at home while she and Jacob went after Eiknarf. But those plans soon morphed into all of us stopping on our way home. With that change, we opted to take 33 to 270 and exited on Georgesville Rd. It was close to 720pm when we pulled up at Gloria's. Mindy promised we wouldn't stay long. She was as eager to get home as I was.

In and out in record time. I'll be we weren't there but 10 minutes. Pulled in our own driveway at 755pm and promptly switched into unload/unpack mode. I did a quick survey of the home, which was fine and then a check of my flowers. Most looked amazing but there were three pots that dad must've missed. I doused the thirsty ones with water before continuing on with the unpacking.

Forgot to mention that daughter Ashley texted and phoned while we were on the road for home confirming any plans to have Olivia overnight. I'd forgotten that I talked with Olivia the prior Saturday while we were in Ashville and she asked about staying overnight when we got back. home. According to Ashley, she was crushed when we told Ashley that we wouldn't be home until 8pm or so. Not wanting to disappoint my grand baby, we talked it over and decided that we'd have Ashley bring her over after her ballgame which would likely end around 730pm.

We weren't home but 15 minutes when three of Bella's peeps came over - Makayla, Lillian, and Emily. Soon Evan came over to see Jacob, too. Bam, just like that, we had a house full. Olivia showed up around 830pm. She was psyched to be staying the night and meshed in nicely with all the other girls. We let them play on the island until 10pm or so. By then Mindy and I were completely unpacked and put away. I contemplated having a beer or Jack & Coke but decided to skip it in favor of ice water. Wise choice. Mindy and I headed ot bed around 1030pm because b and put away. I contemplated having a beer or Jack & Coke but decided to skip it in favor of ice water. Wise choice. Mindy and I headed to bed around 1030pm because by then my eyelids felt as though they had fishing weights hanging from them. Crawling into our own bed was heavenly. Couldn't wait to slobber on my pillow! :)

Prop Crop

I was up around 7am surprisingly to an empty family room and kitchen. I started a pot of coffee then was soon joined by David. I guess Anita out on her power walk but that wasn't the case. She was taking the day off. This time the sky was partly sunny, but thankfully it was a little cooler too, only about 70 degrees. After a cup of coffee and some friendly banter I was out the door for my run.

I ran to the SE all the way to River Rd. which is round trip is about 3.2 miles or 5K. Felt good and ran it well. Worked up one heck of a sweat. A large predatory bird swooped down maybe 15-20' in front of my run which caused me to take pause and follow it to its landing perch, which was only 50' beyond my path. I'm pretty sure it was nothing more than a vulture, though it's father coloring was more tan and brown as compared to those in Ohio. It's ugly red head was the giveaway. At first I thought it might've been an eagle.

Enjoyed scrambled eggs for breakfast. Mindy slept much later than usual, not getting up until after 9am. It was a gorgeous morning, nothing but blue skies overhead. David and I were soon in our swimsuits and headed out to ride the jet skis in search of eagles. Given that it was mid week and still well before noon, there were just a few scattered fishing boats on the lake. Felt we had it all to ourselves.

We tore it up, crisscrossing the lake and taking in many of the large coves in search of eagles. Never did find any. I'll be we put 15-20 miles on the jet skis and most of that going near top speed, which is 50+ mph. We were out for more than an hour, I am sure. Our last trek took us to Colonel's Creek, over near where the Retreat resides. However, instead of making that turn we kept going. And for most of the trip I let David lead, me lagging just behind. Only a few times did I let him get no more than a few hundred yards in front of me. And one would think with that close proximity that it would be nearly impossible to get separated, but we did. Near what I thought was the back of the Colonel's Creek cove I took a more leisurely turn than did David. No more than five second later he was nowhere to be found. I scanned the lake, both far and near, and even listened for the tell-tale sounds of a revving jet ski. Nothing!

The gauges on the jet skis are somewhat blurred from age so checking the fuel level was a challenge, but my best estimate was something less than a 1/4 tank. Add to it that I wasn't super sure where we were or exactly how to get back after so many twists and turns. Moreover, I didn't have any money, credit cards, or ID on board. I guess I let that spook me enough to attempt heading back by my lonesome. Before setting out I scanned the horizon for familiar landmarks, this being our 45th trip to Wateree. I was 75% confident that I had a bead on the way home. More than once, and probably at least three times, I turned around briefly to look for David but still, he was nowhere in sight.

Hugging near the shore I spotted a house that left me certain that I was on the right track home. I felt a lot better save for my missing jet ski partner. But with low fuel, my main concern was getting back to the lake house. For all I knew, David was already back. I made it back no problem, but it became clear as I approached the dock that David wasn't back ahead of me. I explained to Anita & Mindy, who were floating in the water, that David and I got separated. Anita figured we'd go look for him with the boat if he didn't show up soon.

I headed inside to pee and get some water. Upon my return to the dock, Mindy & Anita were untying the pontoon, apparently in preparation to go look for David. Just about the same time Mindy thought she heard the unmistakable sound of a revving jet ski motor off in the distance. Yep, sure enough, here came David. We joked that he would light into me for bailing, but he didn't. Instead, he said he went around the corner from where I did my slow turnaround and stopped at a friend's dock to chat. I guess the cover went further back than I thought - another turn or two. Said he began to worry that I might've gotten lost. Too funny.

A short while later both kids were up and outside and in the lake, just as they had the past couple of days. We collaborated on the day's agenda, ultimately agreeing to take the jet skis and boat for refueling and then lunch at the Dockside grill - the best burgers on the lake. On the trip out, David rode one jet ski while Mindy & Jacob tag teamed on the other. Bella and I rode in the pontoon with Anita at the helm. Of course they were long gone and far in front of us shortly after setting out from the dock. Just before exiting the cove and hitting the open waters of the lake, we struck something with the underside of the pontoon - bu-bump! Anita instantly felt that she'd struck a submerged stump. To my ears it sounded more like it bump the pontoon rather than the engine and prop.

Slowly but surely we putzed our way across the lake to the Dockside grill proceeding at a snail's pace. David had the jet skis all but filled by the time we pulled up. Opted to top off the pontoon too, and I agreed to take care of all the fuel. Heck, we'd rode the snot out of those machines. Since I was covering the fuel, David insisted on getting lunch. At the time it was sunny and hot, but there was one large dark cloud just overhead. Looked like it might storm anytime.

Inside, I paid for the gas while Mindy and Anita ordered up our food. I'm pretty sure that all of us opted for their famous burger. I headed back to the boat to wait with David and Scarlett. The girls and Jacob were another ten minutes getting the food. And shortly after we had our food on board it started to rain, but lucky for us the rain was brief - no more than five minutes. After that one burst the sun returned. Unlike the steaks, the burgers didn't disappoint. They were incredibly good. For the trip back to the lake house, I took a jet ski while Mindy & Jacob took the other. Bella, for some reason, wasn't having anything to do with jet skiing, at least not right then. She opted for the pontoon with David and Anita.

Had a blast on the ride home. Rather than a straight beeline, I opted to make the ride a bit more interesting by making lots of curvy turns much like I might navigate a ski slope. And from the looks of it, any apprehension or fear that Mindy & Jacob might've had with the jet skis was a thing of the past. They were going balls to the wall.

Once David caught up with us in the cove he shared that his prop was damaged. Instead of docking it, he beached it into the sand at his properties edge and raised the motor. Yep, sure enough, there was a nickel sized notch taken out of the prop. It was a little bent too. In true David fashion, he wasted little time calling the local boat shop, which is a mere two miles from his home. We pulled the old prop first so we could get the exact size. Yep, had one in stock. We wasted little time heading over to get it. I told David it would be a good deal if it was $80-85. Of course I was thinking of a refurbed mercury prop.

David and the fella behind the counter, whom I presume was also the owner, are on a first name basis. I later learned that he's the one who sold David the new Honda outboard 90 HP engine for his pontoon 3 years ago. He was asking $130 for a brand new Honda prop, but offered a 10% military discount. Said he could send the old prop out for repair but it would be $85 for the repair plus shipping. Hardly worth it considering the boat would have to sit idle for however long. David balked at that, and I don't blame him. Still, it would be a good idea to have a spare prop on hand just in case something similar happens again. You spend that much time on the water and it will.

Back at the house in no time flat and quickly busy installing the new prop. While in the lake up to our knees I got a call on my cell from an unidentified number. Often when that's the case I don't answer but we've been anxiously awaiting the National Kidney Foundation's call to schedule a pick-up. I thought it might be them. I left the back of the boat and stepped on dry land to take the call. It wasn't the NKF. Instead, it was Zach, Courtney's boyfriend. He was asking to borrow money to put their dog down and/or have it cremated. I patiently listened to the what he had to say but wasn't feeling generous to the cause. I ended the call by sharing that I was sorry to hear about their dog but that we were away from home and on vacation.

We finished the boat prop installation and David allowed me to take it for a spin to check the performance. Smooth as silk. Drove out to the mouth of the cove and back. Still experienced steering issues where the simple task of turning the wheel takes the might of a gorilla. After increasing/decreasing the speed it subsides and returns to near normal. It occurred to me while on the test drive that David mentioned not having power steering, and then I remembered how the outboard motor steering works, on a shaft of sorts. It hit me that more than likely the problem was a lack of grease. Once docked we checked out the steering shaft. Sure enough, a grease fitting right behind the motor. David intimated that he'd pull the boat out and take it in for a lube very soon. Said he believes he may have skipped the last 50 hour maintenance check.

By the time that was done and the tools put away, it was late afternoon or early evening. Around 5pm Bella and I took the kayaks out. Went on a nice little row out near the mouth of the cove and back. On the row back in I recalled Glenn sharing the rowing technique he learned in Oregon, which if you ask me is at least somewhat counter intuitive. Instead of pulling with the oar end that's in the water you push out with the arm and end that's out of the water. I gave it a whirl. Hmm? Seemed to offer less resistance. I'll try it more back home, I figured.

We called it a day near 530pm. After a full day in the sun, some adult beverages, and vigorous exercise, Mindy and I headed to our room for a much needed nap. Thinking we napped until almost 7pm. After a couple showers we emerged to dinner ready and waiting. In fact, David, Anita and the kids had already eaten. David grilled up perhaps the best pork ribs I've ever had. They were more like steak than pork. Absolutely delicious! Made yellow saffron rice too.

Soon my thoughts turned to Thursday morning and our drive back home to Columbus. Bitter sweet, really. On one hand it's always nice to be heading home after some time away, but on the other hand, I wasn't quite ready for our vacation to end, and even more so, return to work. Of course the good news was that I'd have three days at home before returning to work on Monday. We watched TV until 930pm or so. And like I did most nights, I headed out on the deck to star gaze and listen to the lake sounds before bed. This time the skies were completely clear. I made a beeline for the front lawn to get a better view of the many, many stars out in full force. Sadly, my presence tripped their security spot lights which all but canceled out the darkest night sky. The kids and Mindy joined me. Mindy, Bella and I love star gazing. Jacob, not so much. He was more interesting in lighting off smoke bombs. :) We spent about 10 minutes out front and then headed in for bed.

Bed to Water in No Time Flat

 

This stunning sunset pic is from David and Anita's backyard. The hazy effect was accidental, caused by a seriously fogged lens on my 70D  - after a heavy downpour, 80 some degrees and 90% humidity

Tuesday started off much the same as Monday, though I guess it was technically considered fog rather than pedestrian cloud cover that had the morning skies grayed out. It was a tad cooler too, this time only 74 degrees at 730am. Like most mornings, I enjoyed a cup of coffee and some conversation with David and Anita before I headed out on my run. And it was probably more like an hour of leisure before setting off on my run.

This time I ran NW past bird island and around the main lake body and past Suede Ln. which is about 1.6 miles out. That's the same point where the steeper hills begin. I was marginally concerned that Monday' morning's cramped calf my recur but it didn't. In fact, I felt really good. Like most SC runs, I worked up quite the lather by the time I made it back to the house. My beach towel was handy so I wiped myself down with it once inside.

This time David whipped up sausage patties and eggs sandwiches. I had one and it was delicious. There was more rain in the forecast but only the scattered variety. However, they warned that any pop up storms could be strong/severe. We didn't have anything planned beyond hanging out at the lake house, which for Mindy and me, it's just what the doctor ordered. Guessing it was near 11am when David, Anita, Mindy and me headed down to the dock with a cooler full of adult beverages.

And then, sometime around noon, the kids finally were up. They literally went straight from bed to their swimsuits and into the lake. I know for sure it wasn't more than 5 minutes between bed and water. :) Late morning soon turned into middle afternoon. We had a dandy time hanging at the dock and jet skiing a little bit.

The sky looked threatening around 4-430pm, or about the time we were ready to head in for some snacks and a siesta. I'll bet 15 minutes didn't pass before I looked back outside to nothing but blue skies. Not sure what happened to all those clouds that looked ready to dump on us. Not too much time passed before it clouded over again and the skies dumped. It poured big time!

The dinner menu included the Anderson's NY strips we brought from home. Before any of that, however, I sorely needed/wanted a nap. That was about the same time David gave me a handful of kitchen tasks to take care of. Convinced him that a nap was necessary and slipped off to the guest room where I slept hard for maybe an hour. Woke once to the sound of rain pounding against the roof. Actually helped me sleep. A nap was refreshing, after a shower I rejoined the others in the dining room and helped finish dinner prep.

The steaks we brought were a disappointment. Mine was more like a sirloin - tough and thin. Certainly nothing like the angus NY strips we bought from the Anderson's the same day we purchased our kayaks. Everything else was good and I finished my meal full.

After dinner we watched TV - America's Got Talent - Judgment Week. First time I've ever seen the show. Man, Howard Stern looks creepy and old! After AGT, we watched The Notebook, a love story that almost guarantees tears at some point. I've seen it before, back when I was single and stumbled across it on cable. David, Anita and Mindy peeled off for bed somewhere between 930-10pm. Just like that I was alone in the family room with the TV. Not that sleepy, I stayed up reading from my Kindle. I tried going to bed around 1030pm but couldn't sleep so I got back up for more reading. The cats were scrambling around making all sorts of noises prompting me to keep head on a swivel. Headed to bed for good near 1130pm.

Gee Walleye & a Horrible Lie

I’m guessing that I was up and out of bed somewhere close to 730am. David & Anita were already up. David was up working on breakfast and Anita was out on her morning walk. The sky was soupy and gray. And one step out on the deck revealed just how muggy. According to the David it was already 77 degrees. Believe me, after two chilly mornings in Ashville, the heat & humidity were more than welcome. I would’ve taken some brilliant sunshine too, but that wasn’t in the cards just yet. Just as well, had it been out and shining my run might’ve been unbearable.

Anita was back from her walk before I headed out. She confirmed just how humid it really was. Said it was spitting a little rain too, which was actually a small blessing. I opted to headed towards River Rd, which is a bit hillier, more challenging run than the alternate route. I developed a cramp in my right calf, something that I haven’t contended with in years and years. I suppose I was a little dehydrated. I worked up one hell of a sweat even before the halfway turn around point. Felt good though. And by the time I made it back to the lake house I was soaked with sweat and worn out.

I was a little surprised to find Mindy up and already enjoying coffee. David served breakfast. I think it was eggs bacon and grits. Good eatin! Wasn’t long after breakfast was put away that David and I headed off for a round of golf. David checked the weather radar and aside from a burst around 11am he said it didn’t look like we’d have to contend with any significant rainfall.

Opted to golf at Green Hills, the closest course, and only nine holes. It’s still a significant drive. My guess is about 15 miles and all on back country roads. David picked up our green fees which I think were $13 each with a cart. We bought two small buckets of balls too. The guy working the shop confirmed that we could pay another $2 at the turn and play another 9 holes if we desired. With the skies looking threatening, we weren’t prepared to commit at the outset.

As unusual as it is for me to hit a bucket of balls before a round of golf, I’m glad we did. As a result, my swing felt really good off the first tee. I didn’t play nearly as well as I did my first round of the year a few weeks ago, but not that bad either. Maybe one or two shots I wished I had back. It rained for a couple of holes but it stopped as soon as it started. And shortly thereafter it got partly sunny and as a result extremely humid. In fact, my golf glove was soaked through with sweat.

At the turn I ran a $5 bill into the shop so we could play another nine. There might’ve been one other group on the course but never did we have to wait or for that matter vice-versa. However, we did have to contend with greens keepers weed whacking a ravine along hole #5, I believe. They must’ve had 3 or 4 dozen balls laid up along the bank that they found amongst the deep grasses.

I ragged on David about him being a few strokes behind me on the back. That ragging turned out to be my undoing, falling to pieces once more on hole #7. Dammit! That was really my only bad hole on both the front and back. Still had fund which is what I seek from golf.

Guessing we were back at the lake house by 215-230pm. By then the sun was out and the girls and kids were swimming in the lake hooting and hollering. David suggested since we were grilling walleye for dinner that he grill up some brats for lunch. By the time lunch was over it clouded over and stormed. Like a lot of Wateree rain, it didn’t last too long. Soon the rain stopped and it turned extra humid again.

Sometime late that afternoon we met Eric, David’s neighbor. Nice guy with an extra thick SC accent. It was pure entertainment simply listening to his southern dialect. Half of what he said we couldn’t understand. However, he uttered one particular phrase several times - poor ol’ raggedy dog – a reference to his dog, Stiches. That phrase pretty much became our saying of the week.

I hadn’t showered since Sunday morning in Ashville so I was feeling long overdue. It must’ve been about 630 or 7pm when I finally got a shower. Shortly thereafter David suggested we get to cookin’ the walleye. Nothing worse that two cooks in the kitchen, each of us with our own ideas how it should be prepared. We ended up compromising on the prep, add-ons, and style. We coated with olive oil, rubbed it in mayonnaise, seasoned it with garlic, salt, and pepper, then coated it in Panko bread crumbs. We then baked it for about 20 minutes then broiled it for the last 5 minutes or so.

Baked some taters too along with grillin' some zucchini. Despite needing to put the fish back in the oven for another 5-8 minutes, it turned out really good. In fact, the entire dinner was delicious. We spent the after dinner hours watching TV - Brain Games on NatGeo. Before calling it a night I stepped out on the deck with my phone and recorded the sounds of the lake. Mindy, Mindy, Mindy …

AM in Ashville / PM Wateree Retreat

 

 

Up again around 7am. This time I went to the window first to scope out the weather. More clouds but much thinner than Saturday and no rain. I could see the mountains off in the near distance, too. Like the morning before, I changed into my running gear in the bathroom then woke Mindy to let her know that I was heading out. And once again I enjoyed a cup of coffee in the lobby before taking off on my run.

This time I ran down the hill first towards the highway. I was a little discouraged that there weren’t any sidewalks and running along the berm would’ve been a death wish. I circled through the few hotel and restaurant parking lots then headed back up the hill in the old neighborhood I ran the morning before. And just like then, there was an inordinate amount of traffic flowing through what seemed like a sleepy old neighborhood.

Back to the hotel after approximately 30 of running. Before heading in I walked the grounds taking in the pergola atop the highest point. Unfortunately, the nearby mountains were once again socked in by cloud cover. To say that the Ashville weather was a disappointment was an understatement. We’d simply have to return another time to take in more the stuff to see and do. It was time to look forward to 4 days with David and Anita at the lake house. The forecast for their neck of the woods was about the same rain-wise but much warmer temps (low to mid 80s). But even those temps are chilly for Lake Wateree in July.

I took Mindy coffee. This time she was still sleeping. I read from my Kindle and played on my phone for a bit waiting for her to get up. She didn’t plan to shower since she took one the night before. She and I headed for breakfast after getting our stuff organized for departure. The kids opted to sleep in again despite Bella sharing that she wanted to join us the night before.

Enjoyed pretty much the same entrees – scrambled eggs, sausage, coffee, juice, mini-muffins. Mindy pocketed a few muffins for Bella. Back to our room by 830-840am. Our stated goal was to leave Ashville by 9am but that was never in stone. By the time the kids were up, showered and organized, it was after 930am. We checked out of the Country Inn & Suites at 945am. Mindy pulled the Pilot around to the door while I checked out. She offered to drive to David & Anita’s.

It was raining again and rained for the next two hours – hard at times. Despite the rain, we made excellent time barreling down I-26 towards Colombia, SC. It’s 70mph most of that stretch, and we were out of the Smokies shortly before entering SC. The rain all but stopped 20 miles west of Winnsboro. We even got a few splashes of sunshine which caused the temps to spike up near 80 degrees, which the four of us cheered for.

David asked that we stop somewhere along the way for mustard, the one thing he forgot to pick-up while in town on Saturday. I suggested we stop at the Wal-Mart in Winnsboro. Having stopped there with David back in June I was pretty sure that I could get us there. Turns out I got a little discombobulated in town. We ended up stopping at the local Bi-Lo instead. It was nice and new. I picked up mustard along with a couple bags of chips.

The store was full of folks in their Sunday’s best, apparently on their way home from church and ahead of Sunday dinner. Happened upon Mindy and Bella on my way out. They were heading in to use the facilities. Couldn’t hold it. I phoned David asking for best route to his place from the Bi-Lo. Turns out, we were super close to the Wal-Mart, which is what I figured. Because his directions were counter to the GPS, I suggested I call back as soon as we were on the road again, which was only minutes later.

As soon as we made our left off of 321 and onto 34 I knew where we were. The drive from Winnsboro to David and Anita’s is about 30 miles but went quick. Making it all the more exciting, the sun came out and the temps headed quickly into the 80s. It was near 1pm when we pulled in their drive. Felt so good to get out of the car and feel the warm sticky air.

Having done this a time or two, we were quick to unload our gear and get to relaxing. Mindy poured a cup of coffee and I was going to have one too but that turned into a beer when David handed me a Hop Nosh still there from our June visit. Enjoyed some yummy snacks too, chips, salsa and guacamole.

We hung out for a few hours before boarding the pontoon for dinner at The Retreat. Jacob captained the boat while the rest of us relaxed. Nice ride under partly cloudy skies with no apparent threat of rain. That was very nice! The Retreat’s Sunday menu is pared back from its usual but good nonetheless. I’m pretty sure that everybody opted for soft drinks since they can’t sell booze on Sunday’s.

We ordered a couple appetizers – spicy shrimp and something else. I ordered beef tips and grits just like I have the previous two visits there. They’re always delicious. Hunter, our server, was cute as ever. Unbeknownst to David, I gave Hunter my credit card early on insisting that the dinner check be on me. Dinner was predictably delicious. I ate all my tips (they were small this time around) but couldn’t finish all the grits. I took what remained in a to-go box mixed with Mindy’s leftovers.

Despite already having my card, David still tried paying the bill but Hunter ultimately decided it should be first come first serve. Jacob drove us back to the lake house just as he’d driven there. David suggested we watch a movie – Despicable Me 2. But once I reclined in their comfy leather sofa I knew that I was in trouble. There wasn’t any way possible I was staying awake for the movie’s entirety. Huh-uh! In fact, I am pretty sure that I fell asleep before the main movie even started. We watched several small clips first. I did manage to stay awake for those.

I woke just as the movie ended suggesting to the group that I saw it all. Uh, they knew better.  Before heading to bed, Mindy and I stepped briefly out onto the deck to drink in the sounds only the lake house can provide – a symphony of critters (frogs, crickets, etc). Very loud and very summery! Mindy, Mindy, Mindy - I love it!

Was in bed and asleep in a hurry.