Harry & Lloyd

Up at 545am – better, but still not as early as I wanted Clear and warm – 70 degrees Exercise, coffee, Frankie Meditate, stretch, run Make breakfast, pack lunch – the usual: veggies, tuna, yogurt, banana Shower – pack shorts and ballcap for golf. Arrive to work at 845am – busy early morning Staff meeting at 10am – work straight through hoping to leave early for golf Day gets busy. Bob I. emails asking for confirmation of golf plans. I respond but can’t promise that I can get away. Bob B. responds that he’d prefer Thursday – easier to get off at Split Rock. As 330pm approaches I share that I won’t be able to make it. Too busy. Bob suggests we golf Thursday, but I share plans to take kids and G-kids to zoo. Call Mindy to advise that I won’t be golfing after all. She asks if I we plan on golfing tomorrow (Thursday). I remind her about our zoo plans. She then shares that she and the kids are currently at the zoo with her pal Teri. Great! I wasn’t pleased with that news. Sent the Bob’s an email indicating that I should be able to golf Thursday afternoon after all. Boss cuts out early. I won’t see him again until August 2nd. He’s leaving for St Marteen’s on Saturday, and I’m off until Monday. At work until 545pm catching up on several administrative tasks Home just after 6pm. Kids gone to dinner with Jimaken. Mindy and I discuss options, including going to Barley’s, but ultimately decide to stay home and relax. Feels good knowing I have the next four days off work. Spent an hour or more reading. Kids home at 830pm. Jacob wants to watch a movie. We agree to watch Dumb and Dumber (Jim Carey). I sip a beer, a Racer 5 IPA. To bed after the movie – 1030pm.

If I had another son his name might be Hewlett

Up just before 6am –is becoming habit? Exercise, Coffee, Frankie time Warm – already 73 degrees and mightily humid! Meditate, Stretch, Run 4 miles Make breakfast – pack lunch Take HP laptop to work Boss approves Thursday on-call comp day – looks like a 3 day work week – Yeah! Bob I. emails asking which day works best for golf – Wednesday or Thursday. I explain either. Lunchtime spent chatting online with HP repair. Testing HD, RAM, battery out – AC only. Kept chat going most of the afternoon all the while working. After physically removing RAM and retesting, HP determines there to be a RAM card or slot issue. They will repair under warranty. Agreed to send a box and instructions – nine day turn around. Didn’t leave work until 715pm. Dad over for dinner – Mindy made pasta topped with chicken, spaghetti sauce, veggies, and feta – good stuff Everyone had already eaten by the time I arrived home. We invite Dad to go boating on Friday. I want to try the wake board. Dad agrees to join us but asks that we call Thursday to confirm. Walk Frankie after dinner and after dad departs Spent evening reading while Mindy and kids watch a movie, Bruce Almighty. I headed for bed at 10pm. Movie still whirling.

Seeing Dr Julie

After a reasonably sound 7.5 hours of sleep I was up and raring to go by 6am. Gone were the storms from Sunday afternoon and evening. In their place were clear skies and warm temps. I exercised and then dealt with Frankie. She was quick to finish her business. After coffee, mediation, and stretching I was off on my run. It was just before 7am. Like most days, I ran four miles with little trouble. Back at home around 730am I quickly prepared my breakfast and packed a lunch. I was off to the shower just after 8am with coffee and Frankie in tow for Mindy. Mindy got up and out of bed to see me off to work. In some respects, it didn't feel much like a Monday after spending the weekend on-call. I arrived at work around 845am. I was busy all morning long. I had my final LASIK follow-up eye exam scheduled for 145pm - I left the office at 115pm to make it there Dr Julie looked terrific, especially after just having a baby 7 weeks ago. Showed me some proud momma pics. Eyes were slightly better than last visit – almost perfect – ever so slightly near sighted but not enough for a prescription. Should consider reading glasses (1.0 – 1.25) down the road. I’ve noted much less dryness since vacation. Talked about my pterygium and any new options. She put the dreaded yellow dye in my eyes to check pressure. I hate that! Scheduled next visit for March 2011. I used drops to rinse the yellow dye out before pulling away. Back at the office, I ate my packed lunch while working. The afternoon went by quickly. Soon 530pm was here. Headed home. Mindy was busy putting the finishing touches on dinner, grilled beef kabobs. They looked delicious but lacked flavor and the steak was tough. I suggested we had them before and they were much better. Mindy insisted that the earlier batch was from the Anderson’s. Note to self. After dinner Mindy and Jacob were busy fooling around with the kids’ laptop. Wouldn’t boot up fully. Mindy volunteered that it had been like that for a while. I asked to take a look. Three hours later I gave up. Planned to take it to work with me Tuesday and contact the HP helpdesk after verifying that it was still under warranty. Exhausted and frustrated, I headed to bed around 1030pm.

Pabina to Boston / Larry on Mary

I was up around 7am. We had a busy day planned: run, cut the lawn, Pabina's going away party, then brother-in law Larry's open house. I skipped sit-ups and push-ups because it was Sunday. I left for my run around 830am running along Trabue and Hague. For one reason or another, there was an in ordinate amount of traffic to contend with running south on Hague. It was already quite steamy even before 9am. Was gonna be a hot day behind the mower! Mindy was up when I got back. We piddled around the house for the next hour or so. She needed to pick-up food for Pabina's party at City Barbeque after 12noon. I started on the lawn around 11am. Running low on mower gas, I asked Mindy if she wouldstop and refill my 5 gallon container after picking up the food. She agreed and soon departed. I waited to use the John Deere until Mindy returned with the gas. The time waiting wasn't wasted, however. I blew the drive and trimmed the overgrown deciduous shrubs from the front landscape. When Mindy finally returned I quickly finished the mowing. It was about 100pm. Mindy took the food down to Chrissy's, who agreed to host Pabina's going away event. The party started around 2pm. I showered and changed, then relaxed for a few before heading down. It must've been around 230pm when I walked down to join the party already in progress. The guest of honor, Pabina and family, were already there, and so were lots of their Indian friends. Most we'd met once before, mid-Spring at Isha's birthday party. I couldn't pronounce most of their names at first pass. They understood and simply laughed it off. However, I do remember two Banai (sp), and then Kapil's med school mate, Neil. I made myself comfy on Chrissy's leather sofa and tuned their TV to the Reds game. Several others joined me watching. Well, it didn't take long for me to get sleepy and dose off. Sometime during the mid-afternoon a strong storm blew through. Rained hard for a few. Soon, however, the skies transitioned back to sunny and most folks headed out on the deck and the backyard to hangout and/or play cornhole. We left the party around 430pm. We had plans to leave for Larry's open house around 530pm. I took a nap beforehand. It started to storm again as we made our way to the Westgate area. The open house was being held at Larry's childhood home in honor of his now deceased parents. The event was intended to serve as a last hoorah for family & friends as the house recently sold and the closing now fast approaching. I thought the idea a good one. Immediately in the door I spotted a familiar face, Pat Heston from time Warner, who used to be the admin to the current president of the Mid-Ohio division. Pat shared that she no longer serves in that capacity but is still there in IT. We talked for awhile. Actually, though, my connection with Pat ran even deeper. There are toes to Kelly, my ex. Pat's husband, Bobby, is the older brother of Kelly's once best friend Chris. Perhaps Kelly's only friend these days. Bobby shared a story of a recent encounter with Kelly where he kidded her about getting fat. Said she wasn't amused. I found it amusing! We talked about Kelly's parents too. Bobby worked for Al, Kelly's father, at Lazarus for years. Loves Al and Rosemary. During our visit, it stormed hard - Florida style rain. Lots of thunder and lightning directly overhead. Harrowing for the kids. We probably stayed until 7pm or so. I asked if we could pit stop at Ashley's since we were so close but Mindy nixed the idea. Wanted to get home. I understood. It had been a long, busy day. The kids played for about 30 minutes before being called back inside. At some point we put in a DVD, although the title presently escapes me. We've watched a lot of movies with the kids lately. I headed to bed around 10pm.

Golf n' Seafood

Come 7am I found myself still tired yet unable to sleep. So, with few reasonable alternatives, I slipped out of bed and headed downstairs where I started some coffee, exercised, and then took care of Frankie. Around 8am I settled in front of my work laptop where I found things running smoothly. Thankfully! I did some blogging before finally heading out for a run around 930am. Mindy was still in bed. I ran four miles in very sultry conditions. I was challenged nicely! I don’t recall the exact time when Mindy finally woke, but I’m guessing near 1030am. At some point, however brief, I joined her on the deck for some conversation while she sipped coffee and played with the pug. I left Bob I another VM inquiring about Saturday golf. I hadn’t received any word, electronic or voice advising either way. Meanwhile, I stayed busy with work and play through the late morning and early afternoon. After a shower I finally nailed down some golf plans with Kenny and Tom C. We’d be playing at Indian Springs, agreeing to get there around 2pm. I received a VM from Bob I around 1230pm. Called him back. Wires crossed. He passed on golf. Meanwhile, I had told Tom C. that I’d call him just before Kenny and I left for Indian Springs. Long story short, forgot to call Tom before leaving. Kenny drove. We dropped his daughter, Makayla at her grandpas on our way. We arrived just after 2pm. I called Tom to see if he was already there. Said he was still at home. At first I thought he was joking, but then he said he was waiting on my call! Shit! Totally my bad. Told him we would wait … at the bar! Kenny and I sipped 24oz Labatt Blue's while waiting on Tom all the while chatting with Dan, the club pro – real nice guy. Tom arrived just after 230pm. Said he droove 70-80mph most of the way. Unbeknownst to me, Tom picked up all three green fees. Thanks Tom! Said Dan gave us a decent discount – all three for $80. Now that’s a deal! From the outset, I was smoking my driver all afternoon, hitting the center of the fairway and fairly long, at least for me – 250-260. Both Kenny & Tom struggled with their drivers. But as good as I was driving most of my second shots were just off the mark. I had only one "bad hole" on the front and that was sadly number nine where I carded an eight. The back nine was going pretty well for the first six holes. I had two pars and four bogeys. Unfortunately, the final three holes went as follows: 6, 7, 7. I finished with a 97. During our round of golf, I invited Kenny and Chrissy to join Mindy & I at the Columbus Fish Market for dinner. Via text, Kenny made the necessary arrangements with Chrissy. I talked with Mindy to let her know, too. Turns out, she was already sitting with Chrissy back home. We arrived home around 730pm. Mindy was all but ready to go. I needed a shower, but took one fast. We were ready to depart by 815pm. We drove down to the neighbors to fetch them. We didn’t have a reservation, and as it turned out, we didn’t really need one. They seated us at comfy table right away. By then it was 845pm. The dinner rush was over. We ordered appetizers and drinks – me at CBC IPA from the tap. Yummy! Mindy & I shared calamari and bowl of lobster bisque. Kenny ordered raw oysters. Chrissy – no appetizers. Doesn’t do seafood. :) Our meals: Mindy ordered their Chilean sea bass, Kenny there blue trout, Chrissy their filet mignon butterflied and extra well done. Me, their grilled shrimp and scallops served with mashed taters and veggies. All delicious! I had a 2nd IPA too. We passed on dessert, although the fin pie looked scrumptious. I picked up the check. Kenny will get next time. After dropping the neighbors, we snatched Frankie and a beer and headed back down to their place for a relaxing evening on the deck. While expecting others, it ended up being just us four. We didn’t stay out late, however. Mindy & I walked home even before midnight. After allowing Frankie some time to romp around the yard, Mindy and I watched Saturday Night Live from bed. We were up until 1230am or so.

When the Weekend Isn't

I didn’t get up until just before 6am even though I went to bed planning to get up closer to 530am. Haven’t been successful at getting up that early all week. Freed Frankie after completing my exercise routine. She and I were outside for about ten minutes while she took care of business. Meditate, stretch, and prep for run. Put Frankie back in her pen before taking off. Ran four miles. Older woman walking her dog in front of our house just as I was finishing my run. I know I scared the begeezies out of her as I approached from behind then promptly stopped. I mustered a quick good morning, but that’s it. I was tuckered and warm! Inside I started breakfast, a two eggs, bacon and cheese omelet. Took Frankie out for a second romp before heading up for a shower. She’s been averaging at least one accident per day of late. Not liking that at all. Dropped Frankie with Mindy along with a cup of coffee. Decided to drive the Trooper, chance of scattered thunderstorms. Work again very busy. I needed to be even more diligent than usual given that I would be on-call for the weekend. Any thoughts of taking lunch were dashed. I had nothing pressing, however, although I thought I might escape for a haircut. It’s been about 6 weeks. I talked with Mindy mid-afternoon. She and the kids were at the pool. Could hear the whistles blowin’. Shared that Ashley didn’t need us to care for Olivia on Saturday after all. She’s taking her to work, instead. Stayed focused all afternoon long. Never had a chance to respond to nail down weekend golf plans with Bob. Left the office at 520pm. And while I was leaving the office, I wasn’t really leaving work – taking it with me.  The house was quiet and clean. Mindy was upstairs for the first ten minutes that I was home. Kids were already gone with their daddy. After greeting Mindy, reviewing mail, and checking out Bella’s bedroom enhancements I asked for a little decompress time. I spent an hour napping and then working on my blog. I set up my work laptop too. I went to freshen up around 7pm. Mindy was down at the neighbors until 710pm or so. She returned to find me all but ready to head to Barley’s. Said missy was down at Chrissy’s. I walked down with Mindy to say hello. Saw Kenny for the first time all week. Invited us down after Barley’s. We headed out around 725pm. Mindy and I both received text messages from Tom C. asking if we were going to Barley’s. We hoped to see him there. I was hoping to see Bob there too so we could firm up golf plans. Not too crowded – about what I’ve come to expect mid-summer, however. We easily found seating at the bar. And since I was on-call, I planned to steer clear of any high powered guest brews. They had Great Lakes Monster on tap. Instead, I stuck with Centennial IPA. Mindy ordered food, a tuna wrap, and a glass of wine right away. I wasn’t too hungry. I didn’t order any food, but planned to a little later. Tom C. joined us about 30 minutes later. I hadn’t seen him for a few weeks and well before vacation. Tom, Mindy & I hung out for about 1.5 hours. I eventually ordered a brisket quesadilla but ate on ¾’s of it. I had the rest boxed up for travel home. After 3 IPA’s, we left for home. It had to be near 1015pm. Told Tom C. I’d call him Saturday AM regarding any golf plans. Left Bob I. a VM shortly after arriving home. Mindy & I walked down to the neighbors. They were up watching TV. We felt a tad uncomfortable as the two of them bickered about kid related issues. Mindy’s, always willing to throw in her two cents worth, gave some advice. I, on the other hand, stayed out of it and even tried to divert the conversation elsewhere. Mindy and I walked home after maybe a 45 minute visit. After getting Frankie settled in her pen new headed for bed.

Short N' Sweet

Up around 6am – the usual: exercise, coffee, Frankie, run 4 miles Sunny, hot and humid Drive the BM’er - took my clubs to work again although didn’t really anticipate that I’d be golfing Work was crazy busy – skipped lunch Bob I. emails. He asks about weekend golf. I share that I’m on-call but could likely play mid-day Saturday if work is calm. No final plans. Ashley calls, asks about us watching Olivia Saturday morning. Advise that I need to discuss with Mindy. Talk with Mindy mid-afternoon asks about golf – no golf. She shares that we’re having leftovers for dinner – chicken enchiladas. Leave work for home at 540pm. Dinner is garden salad and leftover chicken enchiladas. Call Ashley to let her know that Mindy and I will keep Olivia on Saturday morning while she works OT, but Ashley says she may now take her to work. Will let us know for certain Friday AM. Spend the evening reading Spontaneous Evolution Head to bed just after 10pm.

Something a little different

I slept until almost 6am again. And while I don't really want to make it a habit, the extra sleep feels so good as I am still catching up after partying perhaps a little too much and too late Sunday night. It rained again overnight, hard by the looks of it. It was clearing at sunrise, however. A light fog hung over the back yards. It was extra steamy as the sun beams forced their way through. My routine was much the same as the day before. After exercise, Frankie, coffee, meditation and a stretch, I headed out for my run around 7am. My legs were still a tad stiff, but already I could tell a difference. I should be back to normal in another day or two. Instead of fried eggs, I whipped up a bacon and cheese omelet. That was a nice change of pace. I took full advantage of all the fresh fruit Mindy has cut up too; pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, and watermelon. She hasn't been buying cantaloupe a lot recently. More often than not they've been bad. Not sure why. This batch, however, was sweet and delicious! I made sure to pack some in my lunch too. After a shower, I had enough forethought to grab some shorts and socks just in case Wednesday would end up being our golf day. Mindy asked if we'd be golfing that evening . I wasn't sure but wanted to be prepared should the opportunity present itself. To that end, I loaded my clubs in the BM'er before driving off to work. Early on at work, I received an email from Bob B asking if we'd be interested in golfing tonight versus Thursday (he had an appointment Thursday evening). I could only smile after planning for such an occurrence. The option was left open as Bob I. didn't have his gear in tow, and wasn't sure about his schedule. The work day was busy but I still hoped to get away for golf around 4pm if I could. But as the day wore on it was looking less and less likely. Damn it! Bob I. emailed around 3pm that he was in after running home at lunch to fetch his gear. Just before 4pm I sent off an emailing letting the two of them know that I was regrettably out - too busy. I let Mindy know too since the kids were doing dinner with Jimaken. Since golf was out, Mindy asked if I wanted to go out or dine in. My preference was for a quiet evening at home. I left work at 530pm. Mindy was just starting the grill when I walked in the door. We were having salmon and salad. The grill, however, was giving her fits. Couldn't get it to light. Instead of kicking back, I went out to assist. For whatever reason, the sparker feeding the main burners wasn't working, though the two others were. I monkeyed with that for five minutes or more. I ended up taking off the grate and then emptying the now flooded with rain water grease tray. I was a tad agitated. We ended up lighting the grill with a lighter. Mindy grilled the salmon while I worked on my blog. She called me for dinner 20 minutes later. ON my plate was enough salmon to feed two or three. It looked good but smelt extra fishy. I think my expression made Mindy feel bad, although I didn't intend it to. The salmon didn't taste bad at all. It was quite good and cooked like I like it - crunchy brown on the outside, pink and juicy inside. The spinach/lettuce salad was good too. After dinner, Mindy and I took Frankie on a walk pretty much following the old Ykraps trail. As we anticipated, Jimaken showed up with the kids just as were making our way back towards the house. It was near 830pm. While Mindy and the kids spent a few minutes with the neighbors, I got busy on my blog updating through Sunday and then adding pictures dating back to our Florida vacation. I must've spent about an hour or so working on the blog. Sometime after 930pm I retired to the big chair where I did some reading while Mindy worked on her Sudoku puzzles. I read until I feel asleep. I headed for bed ahead of Mindy.

My Awakening

After 9 or 10 hours of sleep I woke Tuesday at 6am still feeling tired. It wasn't that I didn't get enough sleep, however. Instead, it might've been the opposite, too much sleep. After sit-ups, push-ups and coffee, I felt a lot better. Frankie and I headed outside around 620am. The steamy, warm, and sunny was back. AFter heading back inside I started meditation and stretching almost immediately. Like she often does, Frankie chewed on my ballcap all the while I stretched. Daily run: After re-kenneling Frankie, I headed out for a run. I t was just after 7am. My thighs still burned and the arches of both feet burned, but neither enough to cause much concern. They loosened up just fine during my run. I ran four miles and was home by 740am or so. Unlike Monday, it felt really good to have my run out of the way early. Make breakfast: I started breakfast and threw together my lunch. I finished eating at 805am. I made Mindy a cup of coffee then headed up to get a shower. Frankie followed. She's always very excited to go up and wake Mindy. Mindy got up before I left and even offered to move the Honda so I could back the BM'er out of the garage. As it was, the Honda was setting in the middle of the driveway. Off to work. Work: Work was again very busy. I still wasn't close to being caught up after being on vacation for two weeks. I did manage to get more in the flow of things. That first day back everything seemed to move at a much faster pace than I was comfortable with. My peer and I spent considerable time working on a new scheduling model we're calling "follow-the-sun". I didn't bother taking a formal lunch break. I had no errands needing run. I opted to eat my packed lunch around 1pm while working. Don't recall if I talked with Mindy during the day. I know her phone was still giving her problems on and off. Leaving for home & dinner: By day's end it was as if I hadn't been gone at all. Life was indeed back to normal. Funny how that works. I left the office late, around 600pm, and arrived home around 620pm. The house smelt of Mexican. I guess tacos but was incorrect. Instead, Mindy made chicken enchiladas and Mexican rice. Dinner weighed heavy in my stomach. Halfway through clean-up I begged off for a nap. I was tired. Mindy & the kids slipped off to see what the neighbors were doing. Evening play: I woke after maybe 20-30 minutes and finished the kitchen clean-up. There wasn't much left to do. With a quiet house I spent a little time reading, writing in my blog, and surfing the net. Around 9pm, I tuned the TV to the Science Channel watching more of the Through the Wormhole series with Morgan Freeman. Fascinating! Mindy and the kids came in just after 9pm. I watched TV until 1030pm then headed for bed.

Proletariat

Ugh! It was difficult to face the reality of returning to work after 17 days of freedom. I slept as late as I could. I got up just before 6am. I failed to prep coffee the night before and the kitchen was still a mess from yesterday’s cookout. Not the most desirable conditions from which to return to work after my two week hiatus. It is what it is, however. I exercised and then released Frankie, who was whining incessantly from her pen. She hasn’t done that since her first week with us. She must’ve really needed out! Meanwhile, it was pouring rain complete with thunder and lightning. Great! Frankie and I headed out into the storm with an umbrella. We used one of the trees for additional shelter. That worked only marginally. Frankie didn’t like being out in the rain at all, but neither did I. It was 630am by the time she and I got back inside. With coffee in hand, I went to the computer to check the weather, but also to look at email and the headlines. Looked like more severe weather on the way and as far back as Dayton. I waited until 710am before calling off my run. It was killing me to think I’d have to delay running until lunch or possibly even to the end of the work day. Felt as though my entire world was turned upside down. My initial plan was to take my running gear to work and run at lunch like the old days. The only problem with that was that I had an eye exam scheduled with Dr Julie for 130pm. I wasn’t quite sure how I might balance the two. I hoped to do both, but given that it would be my first day back after two weeks vacation, I didn’t feel good about the prospect of being gone for more than two hours. What's more, my legs and feet were killing me after running around in the yard barefooted last evening playing ball tag. I regretted last evening’s craziness big time! This was the first time I sat to do meditation and stretching back-to-back since before vacation. It felt really good. I must admit, work provides structure to my daily life that would otherwise be missing. Running and exercise provide some of that, but I am far more disciplined on work days – it’s not close! If and when I retire, I will need to adjust accordingly. I went ahead and fried two eggs and packed my lunch. I headed for a shower at 745am. By the time I was ready to depart the sky was already showing signs of clearing. I thought briefly about dropping my gear and doing a run before leaving for work after all, but didn’t. I couldn’t bare the thought of being late my first day back. One of the first things I did at work was cancel my eye appointment. I just didn’t want to deal with any unnecessary stress. Dr Julie’s office was very gracious rescheduling me for next Monday at 145pm. Now I could focus on running at lunch. The morning was hectic. I had over 4800 email in my inbox, plus all the usual morning crises. Come 1230pm I grabbed my gym bag and headed for the gym. I hadn’t done a run from work for two years, and only once in the last three. I ran into the same guys that I would see down there everyday for ten years. They heckled me for not showing up for so long. Most know that I run in the morning’s now. A couple asked about the streak. Yep, still alive! Turns out, running in the Florida heat and humidity two weeks ago was a blessing considering that i was heading out into 88 degrees with 67% humidity. As mentioned earlier, my legs were stiff as boards. It took a lot of extra energy to do my run. I ran the same familiar route I’ve probably run two thousand other times. The last mile or so was hardest as the humidity kicked in good. I made it through. After a shower I weighed myself on the old medical scales in the fitness center. Wow – a whopping 177lbs. The last time I weighed in at home I was flirting with 170lbs. That was motivation to get it in gear and shake some of this excess weight. It doesn’t take much – vacation, more beer, fast/restaurant food, snacks, etc. Before you know it, you’re pudgy! Ideally, I want to be 168-169lbs. That’s very realistic. I felt so much better hobbling back to my office with my run now out of the way. I felt ready to tackle the world and my lunch! I had forgotten how much the endorphins would fire me up for work. The afternoon breezed by. We were busy but I managed it well. I don’t think I talked with Mindy all day. In fact, I know I hadn’t. She left her phone outside the night before and it got wet and wasn't working. I took the battery out and placed it on top of my stereo receiver before i left. I arrived home around 615pm. The house was empty. Mindy and the kids were at the neighbors for Wendy’s mother’s wake. I welcomed the serene silence and took full advantage by collapsing on the sofa for a much needed nap. I might’ve snacked on a chunk or two of cheese and a bite of leftover chicken breast beforehand. Not sure what time Mindy came in to greet me and ask if I was coming down. Said dinner was down at Chrissy’s. Not me. I wanted and needed the rest. She seemed to understand. She and the kids headed back down to the neighbors. I slept on and off until 9pm or so. Finally feeling somewhat rested I got up and snacked on a bit more leftover chicken. I even watched a little Science Channel before heading to bed for good just before 11pm.

Good Friends, Good Food, & Good Beer

I was up by 7am after a rock solid night of sleep. It was sunny and warm. Yep, another steamy day appeared to be in the offing. Since it was Sunday, it was a no sit-ups/no push-ups day. After taking care of Frankie and then enjoying coffee, I headed out for a run close to 830am. I chose to take Frankie to Mindy since she’d spent most of Saturday in her pen. I ran along Trabue and Hague for the first time in quite a while. I stopped by my dad’s after seeing his garage door open. His dog, Archie, gave me holy hell. Thought I was gonna be attacked even. Dad quickly came to my rescue by calling/holding him back. Thankfully, he listens to my dad pretty well. Dad shared that he and Glenn didn’t get home from Alum Creek until almost midnight. Left me a VM indicating that he wouldn’t be dropping our cooler till Sunday. I told him that I didn’t get the message, but that I wasn't worried about it, either. Glenn had just gotten up. They were preparing to head to breakfast. Still didn’t have definitive plans for our Sunday gathering. Figured I’d know more when he and Dad dropped off the cooler after breakfast. I continued on with my run. Mindy and the kids were up when I got home. Jacob asked if we could go fetch donuts at Tim Horton’s. He and I hopped in the BM’er for the short drive to Tim’s. We bought a dozen donuts, 20 Tim Bits, and then a bagel and cream cheese for Mindy. We were home after being gone only 20 minutes. I pulled the boat tarp back so the interior could dry out some in the hot sun. Still damp inside form all the recent rain while parked in front of the house. I enjoyed a crème filled donut before heading out to start on the lawn. Mindy heard from the Imber’s. They were in. She hadn’t heard back from the Jump’s yet. She planned to call them again later. As for my lawn work, I reverted to my old plan, whack, edge, mow, ride, and blow. It took me until about 1pm to finish my chores. In the middle of mowing, and right before Mindy ran to Kroger to get cookout supplies, Dad and Glenn stopped by to drop our cooler. We shared our cookout plans. Dad wasn’t sure he’d be joining us. Glenn, of course, would be. Mindy got home after I finished the lawn and had taken a shower. I left to take the boat back to storage and then to Giant Eagle for beer. I forgot the boat building key. Briefly thought I was stuck. Lucky for me, Ed was at the onsite apartment and let me use his key. On to Grandview and Giant Eagle. I bought two six packs – Racer 5 IPA and CBC IPA. Back at home Mindy asked for my help prepping food. I did a little of that but mostly helped organize and tidy up for the outing, which she arranged for 530pm. She shared that the Jump’s would in fact be joining us. Kenny and Chrissy said they’d join us too. Mindy had me put the corn on the grill around 4pm. The corn cooked for an hour, turning it two or three times in between. As soon as the corn came off I started grilling the chicken. Mindy marinated half in some unknown concoction, probably Italian dressing. The rest was plain. We had burgers and hot dogs to cook too. Our guests arrived around 530pm as planned. Jeremy & Courtney, Porter and Ella. They brought some of their home brew, which is always good, an IPA, of course. They also brought some of Jeremy’s famous smoked salsa. Bob & Mary Ann arrived a few minutes later. As always, Bob brought a very happy selection of brews, most in 22z bottles. He also brought some marinated beef and zucchini for grilling. And I think they whipped up a cucumber salad as well. There was plenty of good eats available. Jeremy & Courtney shared that they were headed to Lake Hope the following day for vacation – renting a cabin. Sounds like fun, and definitely a much deserved vacation for Jeremy. He works hard and puts in a lot of hours. Both their kids are very cute, smart, and well-behaved. Both toe heads, too! We enjoyed dinner, dessert, and some social time after. The beer was good too. The Jumps left around 8pm best guess. Busy day ahead with vacation and all. Hopefully we’ll see them all again soon. Dad left around the same time. Bob and Mary Ann hung out until late. Glenn stuck around as long as they did. We had an absolute ball playing in the yard with the neighbors, drinking beer, and yucking it up a little. The fact that I had to return to work the following morning after being off 17 days in row was the only damper.  We ended up polishing off almost all the beer and hung out until after midnight. I'm quite sure that everyone had a dandy time. Glenn offered his place as refuge to the Imber’s should they desire during their fast approaching trip to the Oregon coast. Typically, Mindy & I clean up after everyone departs. This time we did not. We were exhausted. Mindy didn’t want to bother. Said she'd tend to it in the AM. We headed to bed around 1230am. Uh-Oh - 530am comes fast!

Family Bloating

Happy 48th Birthday Charles I expected Saturday to be busy but fun. We planned to spend the day at Alum Creek with family. To that end, I was up at 630am starting my morning routine. I was thrilled to find completely clear skies in play and the temperature about 5 degrees cooler than the past five or six days. Not only that, but the humidity was much lower too. The day’s high was expected to hit 84, or about ten degrees cooler than it was Monday through Thursday. I stayed on purpose, completing my exercises, enjoying coffee, and taking care of Frankie all before 730am.We had designs on leaving for the lake by 1030am. With that end goal in mind, I left for a run around 8am. Comparably, it was a very comfortable run. I was back by 835am. I woke Mindy then started addressing all sorts of small but important tasks related to our boating outing. I gathered coolers, rigged up my new anchor, added air to the O’Brien tube, and drained the rain water that gathered in our boat over the last day and one half. Must’ve been about 50 gallons! Ashley and Olivia were heading up with us. They arrived just after 10am. Ashley seemed psyched about the prospect of boating for the first time in several years, six to be exact. We left the house at 1030am sharp, but not for the lake. Instead, we had to make three related stops first. Our first stop was at Tara’s house in the Glen to borrow their Wake board. That went smoothly. Second, we stopped at the Silverhorn Kroger to get picnic/boat food. While there, I also planned to gas up both the Honda and the boat using our Kroger perks, which Mindy was sure would save us $.50 per gallon. But like last time, the discount came up as $.10 per gallon. And to add insult to injury, their regular price was already $.26 more per gallon than it was at Thornton’s. Not a chance! I joined Mindy and the others already in Kroger’s getting the food. We stopped at Speedway on Robert’s right before I-270 to get our gas. It was $2.49 there. It was already 1130am when we finally hopped on the freeway. We arrived at the Alum Creek picnic grounds, where Bob had already procured a couple spots at 1208pm. The picnic area in question abuts to the southern most boat swim area – convenient for our dual purposed outing. After unloading our coolers, Mindy & I took the boat to the marina leaving the kids behind with Ashley. Bob mentioned that the marina docks were empty when he last went by. Not sure how long before we arrived that was because it was packed when we got to it. Must have been a line about ten boats deep trying to put-in. I remained calm reminding myself that I was in no hurry. It took about 30 minutes but went rather smoothly. The water was extra choppy even at the docks – not good. We boated over to the swim cove/picnic grounds where we greeted the rest of the family. Soon after we got back, Dad, Glenn, and nephew Shawn and niece Brooklyn arrived. Without a definitive plan, it looked like we’d be grilling and eating before any boating. The kids, meanwhile were chomping at the bit to swim/boat – mostly Jacob and Olivia. We grilled burgers, dogs, and brats. There were plenty of scrumptious sides as well. Without a formal roll call, I’m guessing there were 20+ visitors, although we lost two early. Brother Tommy and son Wally left after staying only 5 minutes. He departed while we were off to put the boat in. Not sure what that was all about, but heard Wally threw a fit. After lunch and just before launching our boats, brother Charles and his son Michael arrived. They had a baby in tow, too. Didn’t realize Michael had a baby daughter. That’s scary! I was stressed given all the people and relatively so few boats – three. I was adamant about not exceeding the recommended passenger limits for our boat and putting our safety and comfort first. Dad hadn’t yet put his boat in. He, Glenn, Shawn and Brooklyn left to do just that. We had six on our boat, our four and then Ash and Olivia. There must’ve been another 10-12 on Bob’s pontoon. I used my boat to shuttle folks from shore to Bob’s boat which was floating about 20 feet out. All along I assumed the idea was to boat/ski/tube while using the picnic ground as base, but that didn’t seem the case. After swimming in the cove for a while, Bob pulled anchor and headed back to towards his campsite. Dad followed in his boat. We took off for the open water to do some boating/tubing/skiing. Thought the others would soon join us on the open lake. Ashley and Bella tubed while Mindy skied. No one tried the wake board. Jacob withdrew his name from wanting to do any of the above. After an hour or so, I decided to head towards the campgrounds to see what everyone else was doing. And after a call to Bob’s cell we learned everyone was eating again and with apparent plans to boat. What? Hmmm? I had to question why then all the trouble. Why didn’t we have a yard party instead? Some were preparing to leave when we arrived. Bob was shuttling via his pontoon back to the picnic area where their cars waited. Nephews Michael and Shawn still wanted to tube and shared their disappointment after I told them I was tired. They headed to the beach to swim instead. I felt bad – sorta. A minute or two later, Mindy whispered in my ear that we had an opportunity to be their hero. Funny, I was already thinking as much. I had a change of heart and walked to the beach to tell them both that I would take them out tubing after all. They were ecstatic. Mindy and Brooklyn went along too. Bella & Jacob stayed back with the others. Both Michael and Shawn tubed. They had a great time doing it, and we had fun watching them. They had a “let it rip” attitude. Cool! Not used to that these days. The water was choppy all afternoon – too many boats and jet skis. That’s the problem with boating at Alum Creek on a weekend day. They still had fun, however. Mindy decided to ski again, albeit only briefly. The chop was still too rough for her liking. Shawn tried wake boarding, but since none of us had done it, we could give only very sketchy tips. He almost got up, but gave up after three tries. Brooklyn passed on an opportunity to do either. We headed back to see if any of the others wanted one last opportunity. No one did. It was already 720pm and it really made sense to get back to the marina to pull out. It was 8pm by the time we made it back. I expected the dock to be sparsely populated, but it wasn’t. In fact, there might’ve been a longer line than when we put in earlier. Making it worse, some guy was trying to pull his boat out with a mid-sized car. Needless to say, it wasn’t cutting it. He had to be rescued by another fella in a big ol’ pick-up truck. That caused about a ten minute delay. Thanks for the entertainment dude!  We got the boat out with no problem. I was annoyed with some jet skiers stirring up the chop just outside the marina boat launch making navigation around the dock treacherous. It’s almost as if they were doing so on purpose. By the time we got the boat organized, cleaned, and ready for the trip home it was near 9pm. We didn’t get home until just after 930pm. Ashley & Olivia headed home immediately. We talked about hanging with the neighbors but everyone was tired. Mindy and the kids took Frankie out. She’d been in her pen all day (1030am – 930pm). Poor girl! No accidents either.

Dutch Gorge Yellow Choctaw Barleys

We planned to leave the house for the Der Dutchman at 9am. To comfortably make that happen I was up by 645am. I quickly made coffee, exercised, and took Frankie outdoors. I left for a run by 740am, or just after waking Mindy with the pug and coffee. By the looks of it, it rained hard overnight. In fact, it was still raining lightly and plenty more still on the way, the heaviest it appeared was just south of I-70. I ran just three miles after taking into account all the hiking we’d be doing later. I was back home by 810am and in the shower a few minutes later. While I showered Mindy woke the kids. I was downstairs preparing our gear by 845am. Dad arrived a couple minutes later, although alone. He planned to drive out to Der Dutchman for breakfast but didn’t plan to hike. Said Glenn didn’t make it home overnight. A tad worried, I phoned Glenn’s cell. Turned out, he was on his way back from mom’s after getting back to her place late last night. He arrived at 915am and we left for the Der Dutchman minutes later. Glenn and Jacob rode with dad. It was a rainy drive westward on I-70W to route 142. But just as the radar indicated, the further north we trekked from I-70 the drier it got. We arrived at the Der Dutchman near 10am. Unless I’m mistaken, this was only my second visit ever. Mindy & the kids, on the other hand, have visited numerous times with Dad and Glenn. Everybody ordered the buffet. It was good but probably not worth the extra drive if we weren’t headed that way already anyhow. Dad sprung for the check citing it his turn for once. Thanks Dad! We did a little site seeing around the place before heading off to Clifton’s Gorge in Springfield. Dad headed back towards home. It rained heavily on and off along our way. At times the sky looked very scary. Any hopes of the weather clearing before our hike was quickly dashed. It was raining steadily and with no end in sight when we arrived at the park. We waited for a few minutes before agreeing to hike in the rain. No one was thrilled, but the three of us, me, Glenn and Mindy were determined to make the best of it. The kids weren’t too happy about it. Happily, the rain diminished to sprinkles almost immediately. And as a result, it was very warm and muggy. Not to be detoured, we hiked along the lower gorge trail. Clifton’s Gorge was everything we hoped it would be. And after the rain subsided the kids were in much better spirits. Jacob was fascinated with all the crayfish in the shallows of the Little Miami. As we hiked further westward the sky brightened a bit but still no sunshine. We were all very sweaty. Clifton’s Gorge is a state sanctioned nature preserve that abuts to John Bryan State Park. We continued on the upper trail through the park. By the time we met the trails end we had hiked a good two or three miles best guess. By then the kids were done, both wanted to stop. Problem was, the car was back another three miles. We did our best to lift their spirits even while they both complained of being hungry and having sore legs. About halfway back the sky cleared even more and we even got a little sunshine. Finally! Mindy, Glenn and I enjoyed the hike immensely. We learned a little bit and saw a part of Ohio none of us had seen before. We were quite pleased. Back at the Honda we all enjoyed a bottled water and removed our muddy shoes. Leaving the Gorge we had designs on seeing Yellow Springs, a little 'hippie' town said to be nearby. Leaving the map reading to Mindy, she had us heading south on route 72. That took us into Cedarville, Ohio, the home of Cedarville University, not Yellow Springs. We drove through the town and then by the campus. Nice! I asked to review the map. I saw where we went wrong. We headed the wrong way out of the Gorge park. Should have taken 343 west from the lot. The kids were bellyaching like crazy and really wanted to head home. Unfortunately for them, that was in stark contrast to what we wanted to do. We still wanted to visit Yellow Springs. Along our way back up 72N we drove through a tiny historic village called Cedar Mill. There we saw an old blacksmith shop built in 1802 along with some other old store fronts and homes. Too cool! After a quick drive back out route 343 we finally arrived in Yellow Springs, the small town I’ve wanted to visit for a handful of years now. Immediately one could sense something fresh and different about it. Lots of quaint shops sporting vivid colors and a unique design. The people were laid back too. Before parking we took a quick drive through the Antioch college grounds. We eventually found parking along the bustling street and strolled the main street taking in the culture. We immediately happened upon two young teenage boys playing a ukulele and singing for tips. I believe one was 14 and the other a bit younger. They were good. Bella gave them a couple of bucks. After perusing a few store fronts we made our way to Ye Olde Trail Tavern in hopes of getting some food and drink. We weren’t disappointed. First, the building itself was rich in history – built in 1827 parts of it had the feel of an old log home. We sat on the north patio where we ordered microbrews, pizza, and deep fried green beans. The kids had sodas. The food was good. I’m quite sure that everyone liked it. Because I was driving, I kept to one beer – a 22oz Brew Kettle IPA. It was good too. After dinner we visited several shops in and around the tavern. Among them was an art studio, a jewelry shop, and a tie-dye shop. Mindy bought her and I matching tie-dye tee shirts and some more silly bands for the kids. A quick rain shower blew through just as we prepared to depart. But looking west it looked the like the sky was clearing up, and maybe even for good. Bella wanted ice cream and had Mindy walking up and down the strip of shops looking for the ice cream shop. Never found it. I’m guessing that it was near 530pm. We slowly made our way to the car and back towards the freeway where we had one more stop planned – Lake Choctaw. Lake Choctaw is located in London, Ohio – east of Columbus by 10-15 miles. Mindy’s friend Tara just closed on a house there but hasn’t yet moved in. We stopped to take a peek at the property – a sprawling ranch. Nice. Before leaving, we drove over to the nearby private lake to get an idea what all the hype is about. Smallish lake but certainly doable. Saw a couple boats out water skiing. Time to head home. The kids were tired, and believe it or not, Bella was hungry again. We arrived home near 710pm. Glenn quickly headed off to dad’s after agreeing to be ready for Barley’s by 8pm. Meanwhile, Mindy headed for a shower after taking the pug out. Over the course of the next 40 minutes all four of us took showers and changed clothes. I had a missed call from Bob I. around 715pm. I called him back after my shower. Let him know we were leaving for Barley’s within the next 10 minutes. We left to fetch Glenn at 8pm and arrived at Barley’s by 815pm. Barley’s was fun. We sat at a bar side table. Bob I. was already there talking with Scott and Lynda P. Several other regulars were there too. Mindy ordered food. I did not. I was still full from our late Yellow Springs lunch. The kids ended up finding our now former neighbors, David and Becky dining in the back. They hung out with them for quite a while. We hung at Barley’s until 1015pm or so. We talked earlier about hanging with the neighbors once at home, but Mindy opted out once there. She did, however, agree that Bella and I could head down for 30 minutes. I took one beer and headed down. Turned out, Kenny wasn’t home. It was Chrissy and Wendy along with all their collective kids (6). Some very sad news… Wendy’s mother-in-law passed away suddenly the night before. She was only 50 years old. Died from sudden heart failure. Found 95% blockage. Thought she had indigestion. Not wanting to aggravate the wife, Bella and I headed home 25 minutes later. Everyone to bed.

Hot Sun, Rain, and the Big Fat

I was up at 7am. The house was quiet – no overnight guests. For that I was grateful. The day started out plenty hot and sticky, just like every other morning this week. I exercised, enjoyed coffee, and completed my run before 915am. Mindy wasn’t up until almost 10am. As expected, the kids slept even later. Mindy had a hair appointment at 11am. I stayed home with the kids. Originally, I hoped to golf during the day but hadn’t yet received a response from Tom Clark, whom I called sometime Wednesday. He sent me a text around 12noon sharing that he was working OT and couldn't golf. Kenny was out of town and Bob was working. There wouldn’t be any afternoon golf. However, I did get an email from Bob I. around 1pm sharing his desire to get out for nine holes after work. I responded that I was in. Said he and Bob B were planning to leave work at 4pm. It would be hot and steamy – somewhere near 94. When Mindy got home I left for Dick’s and Gander Mt. hoping to get a new boat anchor and possibly a new life vest for the kids. I stopped at Gander Mt first. I was surprised at the price of anchors – about $30. I didn’t buy it. Instead, I left for Dick’s. They were slightly cheaper there - $24. I bought one. While there, I looked at life vests, water toys (wake boards), and golf clubs. I bought just the anchor. It was just before 3pm when I got back home. Mindy & the kids were gone, left to take Frankie to her third veterinarian appointment. They got home just as I was preparing to depart for golf. The kids were leaving with their daddy for dinner. Wasn't sure what Mindy was going to do. Enjoy some alone time, I guess. I arrived at Split Rock at 440pm after hitting a major traffic back-up on I-71 just south of Stringtown Rd. Called Bob I to let him know about the back-up and to get off at Stringtown Rd if possible. I arrived first. By the time I paid and got a cart, Bob B was there. We carted together. Bob I showed up minutes later. We played the front to avoid the 5pm league just starting off the back nine. I’m happy to report that my driving was almost back to form after losing it while in Florida. I missed two birdie putts and had one blow-up hole after hitting two shots out of bounds. I shot a 47. Mindy phoned on fairway number #5 or #6. Asked if I cared to meet her for dinner at the Big Fat after golf. Yes. I called her back when we finished to request that she bring me a fresh black t-shirt. Before heading towards the BFG, I shared our Friday plans with the Bob’s, which included hiking Clifton Gorge during the day and then Barley’s later that evening with brother Glenn. Invited them to join us at Barley’s. I phoned Glenn on my drive north to verify our hiking plans for Friday morning. He was in Gallipolis down along the Ohio River apparently sight seeing with my mom. Said he still planned on being back in town later that night. Somehow, I doubted it, but no worries! I made good time heading north, arriving at the BFG by 740pm – a full 15 minutes ahead of my earlier prediction. Mindy had just arrived and was waiting inside. She had my fresh black t-shirt in her purse. The sky started to cloud over just as we finished our round of golf, and by the time I got to the BFG it looked like a possible storm on the horizon. We needed the rain. Mindy and I ordered our favorites: scallops for me and salmon for her. I washed my scallops down with two big glasses of orange pop. I was thirsty and craving soda after golfing in the hot sun! Mindy picked up the check. Before leaving the BFG, Mindy called Jimaken who was just leaving his place with the kids. Agreed to drop them at the BFG saving him unnecessary driving distance. Shortly before we walked out, a storm hit dropping all kinds of rain. We waited only a minute or two for the kids. Jacob rode home with me. Bella rode with Mindy. Meanwhile, we saw an awesome sunset through the lone hole in the heavy clouds. Looked like more storms were on the way. It rained hard through the evening hours. Although predicted to stay around through tomorrow, I was hopeful that all the rain would blow over through the night leaving clearing skies for our hiking trip on Friday. Before bed, I enjoyed a Jack and Coke while watching the Reds. They won.

Boating we will Go

With plans to head up to Alum Creek at 1030am, I made sure that I was up plenty early to do everything I normally do prior. I was out of bed and busy making coffee and exercising by 7am. It looked to be an ideal boating day with lots of sunshine and a steamy start. It was already in the mid 70's. Frankie and I played outside for ten minutes or so before heading back inside for a little internet time. The kids were awake, apparent by the racket coming from Bella's room. To that point, at least, they weren't aware of my presence. It didn't take long, however. They soon put an end to the early morning silence I so cherish. They were busy going up down the stairs a number of times and had a million questions. I asked Rocky to lower his voice and encouraged Landon to walk softer. Neither suggestion took hold. I took them in to Mindy just before leaving for my run. Bella, Rocky, and Landon were all snuggled into bed with Mindy when I left. I ran four miles, by far the easiest run of the week. My legs were finally getting back to normal. I became aggravated during my run after considering how ill prepared we were for a day on the lake. Right or wrong, I blamed Mindy for most of it. From my perspective, we didn't have much in the way of food or drink for the kids. I was also worried that we wouldn't have enough life jackets for the four kids. By the time I returned from my run, Mindy was up getting things ready. She had already whipped up sandwiches and had the beach towels ready. I took Frankie out again after learning that she hadn't yet been out for a second romp. To my knowledge, she hadn't taken a crap yet. Our goal of leaving at 1030am came and went, but I don't think either of us were working that hard to make it happen. I was more concerned about having everything we'd need. I already planned to stop for ice, snacks, and possibly a couple new life jackets on our way up. We left the house around 11am. This marked the first time we used the Honda Pilot to tow the boat. That alone was enough to cause worry - the unknown. But that went pretty well. And somewhat surprisingly, the Pilot seemed to tow the boat better than the Trooper, certainly a much smoother ride. I checked the life jacket inventory before pulling out of the boat storage lot. Seemed we had enough kiddie vests after all. We stopped at Thornton's for ice and juice boxes. We stopped at Tim Horton's for donuts after Jacob complained of being hungry. Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled about that stop given that everybody had a chance to eat at home., and the fact that Jacob was being a pill. By 1115am we were on the road toward Alum Creek. We phoned my dad to let him know our intentions and asked if he wanted to join us. He didn't commit but I got a sense he would. The drive up went smooth. The boat towed smoothly and the kids were much nicer after having some donuts. The Marina put-in was next to empty. I always appreciate that. No additional and/or unnecessary stress. We took our time getting the boat and kids water ready. By noon we were on the lake and on our way with little trouble. We cruised the south end of the lake for 20 minutes before deciding to cross under the Cheshire Rd bridge to the north lake. I asked Mindy to check her phone first. Sure enough. We missed a call from Dad. He was waiting back at the marina. We headed back to pick him up. With dad now aboard, we made our way towards the boat swim area. The lake was just as we prefer it, sparsely populated. Subsequently, the boat swim area had no more than three or four other boats spread out across its expanse. We anchored about halfway back with our lone anchor (I lost one to the bottom of lake last season). That meant we'd be pivoting in the light breeze. No biggie. Unlike Jacob and Bella, Landon and Rocky were reluctant to jump in the lake. But then again, Rocky's boated with us only once before back when he was three years old. I doubt he evens remembers it. Landon, never. We slowly coaxed both into the water, and after about 10 minutes, both were having a really good time. Dad brought a colorful umbrella to protect himself from the sun. He under its shade in the bow of the boat. We must've stayed in the swim area for a good 2 hours swimming and having lunch. A repeat of the past two boating seasons, both Jacob & Bella opted out of tubing. I expected it, but was still a little disappointed after both said they'd be tubing this year. Mindy agreed to tube out of the cove and out onto the open lake. We pulled her around for a while. She took a spill shortly after asking for a little back and forth across the wake. We gave all the kids a couple more opportunities to tube, each met with a resounding no! I decided to head back under the Cheshire Rd bridge to the south lake. I thought we might enjoy some time at the beach, but the kids weren't interested in that either. But honestly, once I saw how many boats were anchored at the beach I wasn't too disappointed. I was, however, disappointed with the kids lack of adventure. It was 4pm and it seemed everyone was done. We headed back for the dock. Dad agreed to take over the helm while I went for the Honda and trailer. Given it the popular time to leave, the wait was about 20 minutes. Of course it took another 30 minutes before we had the boat road ready. I like to have it clean and ready for the next time. We were home by 5pm or so. Almost immediately, I headed out back to water our thirsty flowers while the kids took the dog out. I think Mindy went for a shower. She didn't seem in the most festive of moods, although good enough to invite my dad back for dinner, burgers on the grill. Landon helped me water the flowers. One of his favorite or most used lines these days is, "I wanna do it myself". In this case, he was referring to manning the hose. Dad was back about 30 minutes later. He brought a box fan to help create a breeze on the steamy hot deck. Mindy did the grilling while I entertained the boys. Mindy growled at me a couple of times, but for what I can't readily recall. Just grouchy I guess. :) The gourmet burgers were delicious. Hit the spot. Dad soon departed for home and I took the boys home.

Lazy Tuesday

I was up early for a vacation day - about 615am. I could no longer sleep soundly from bed but did manage a few more winks from the comfort of the sofa before starting sit-ups, push-ups and coffee. It was 7am before I knew it. I took care of Frankie and did some blog writing before leaving on a run somewhere near 830am. It was already steamy, sunny and hot. Not complaining, mind you. Instead, just capturing the conditions as they were. Mindy slept a bit later than she had the day before. She was up around 10am. We talked about picking up the boys, going to the pool, doing dinner, and then boating on Wednesday, but the day didn't unfold quite as busily. We lounged around the house most of the day in the AC. I did a lot of reading while Mindy worked her Sudoku puzzles. I took a nap or two as well. Rocky called around 1pm to see when we were coming to get him. Mindy agreed to pick them up after a solo shopping spree that was as much for some alone time as it was to pick-up some necessary goods. I stayed home with Jacob & Bella. Mindy came home with her goods before leaving to fetch the boys. She bought both boys a couple summer outfits to keep at our place, including swim wear which they'd need Wednesday at the lake. Mindy went to fetch the boys around 3pm. The kids played somewhat wildly for the first hour or so that they were at our home. I've come to expect it, but I still find it hard to tolerate being a creature in love with peace and tranquility. We made plans to dine at Barley's - a favorite of everyone. Kayla was over playing with Bella. We invited her along too, what the heck. That left Chrissy some alone time to study. We left for Barley's around 6pm. Diedra seated us in the first big booth just an ear shot from the bar. There was plenty of room for the seven of us. I started with a Two Brothers Hop Juice, one of the many leftovers from the recent Hop IPA Looza. Honestly, it wasn't that good, a tad flat. I'm guessing it was stashed in holding for a few months. After ordering drinks we surrendered our food orders. We all ordered our usual Barley fare. Jacob had Gates of Hell wings. Bella and Makayla shared K.C. wings. Landon ordered chicken fingers. Rocky, a cheeseburger. Mindy went with a brisket salad. And I ordered a Cuban with bacon. Yum-yum! Mid-way through my dinner I ordered a second beer, a Southern Tier XX-IPA. It was especially hoppy, fresh, and good - perhaps my new fave. I picked up the hefty check and tip. Back home, we gathered in the backyard for some cornhole. I had to chase down Frankie and Woody who both ran towards the road. I wasn't pleased. It seemed everyone else was more interested in playing than they were in the welfare of the dogs. Minutes later, Kapil, Pabina, and Isha walked by. We invited 'em back. Kapil played cornhole with Jacob. Kapil claimed he hadn't ever played. Yet despite his stated ignorance, he was crazy good. He must've sunk all four bags twice, and then what seemed like half his other throws. Chrissy joined us just before dusk, her studying now complete. We hung outside until 920pm or so. The house got crazy once back inside. First of all, Frankie or Woody took a nasty wet crap on the carpet. Mindy cleaned that up. Shortly after, Landon threw up his dinner in almost the same spot. I felt a bit overwhelmed as things seemed completely out of control. Mindy & Chrissy took to the livingroom to chat privately while the kids watched Bedtime Stories, an Adam Sandler movie. I carried Landon up to bed around 1030pm. He's quite a load! A bowling ball comes to mind. Chrissy headed home a bit later. Mindy once again took to her Sudoku game. After the kids were in bed I headed up to our room.

Down on the Farm - Hilltop Swim Club

I was up at 700am. It was sunny, hot and steamy. I did push-ups and sit-ups together for the first time in several days. The sit-ups were especially difficult, a byproduct of the extended time off. I freed Frankie but she remained in her pen, obviously tired from all the romping around Sunday. I had the house to myself while the others slept. That was nice. I prepared and left for a run before 830am. Already, the sunshine was incredibly hot making for a sweaty run. My legs remained stiff from running on the sandy beach everyday while on vacation, a common occurrence that takes a few days to quiet. I ran four miles, and every bit of it a struggle. Mindy was awake shortly after my return. It must've been near 915-930am. We sat on the deck with Frankie for a while. MY phone rang around 1040am. It was Glenn asking of Mindy & I were interested in breakfast with he and dad at Bob Evans. Yes. We agreed to meet there at 1110am. Mindy and I promptly showered and readied for breakfast. We didn't get out the door until 1109am. Given the late hour, I was more in favor of El Vaquero, which is right next door, but couldn't sell the idea to Glenn. Said it would give him the all-day bloat. Bob's was fine. I don't know that I've ever had a meal other than breakfast from Bob Evan's. Today that changed. I ordered lunch, a brisket sandwich with fries. In fact, everyone ordered a lunch entree, save for Glenn who ordered a breakfast smothered in gravy. My sandwich was OK but it could've used bacon and cheese. Glenn picked up the tab. Thanks Glenn! At my prompting, Mindy sprung for a jar of Bob Evan's Colonial dressing as we exited. Glenn had plans to head to mom's place for a few days. Before going our separate ways, we briefly discussed plans for Friday and the coming weekend. We plan to hike somewhere in Yellow Springs on Friday, and it sounds like a stop at Der Dutchman is in the offing too. We also discussed the boating/cookout brother Bobby is coordinating. Sounds like it'll be at Griggs on Saturday. Honestly, I wasn't too excited about Griggs as the venue but would go along for the sake of others. Dad said to expect an email from Bobby. We headed home where we received a call from brother Bobby just as we entered the house. Mindy chatted for a few before handing the phone to me. After a brief discussion, we agreed to move Saturday's family gathering to Alum Creek in lieu of Griggs Reservoir. That should prove much more entertaining. Five minutes later Bob called again, only this time to share that he had reserved a campsite for Friday and Saturday nights at Alum Creek - G28. Cool. Offered that there were others available, too, should we choose to camp. The kids returned home around 2pm from an overnight with Jimaken. We already had designs on going to the pool. We left 15 minutes later. Jacob bellyached through the entire drive. Didn't really want to be there. It wasn't nearly as crowded as I expected given perfect pool weather and it being the official 4th of July holiday. We sat with Cheryl Thiel on benches facing west. The kids got in immediately. I got in at the 3 o'clock rest period. Water felt good. Lots of 'hiltoppers' to watch. That's always fun. We stayed until 4pm. I didn't bother wearing any sunscreen figuring my skin seasoned nicely from a week in Florida. I got some color but no burn. At home, I took a nap on the sofa. I woke around 5pm to find an empty house. I accurately assumed Mindy had walked down to the neighbors. I walked down to find them talking. I took the pugs out back. Meanwhile, Mindy made plans to grill with the neighbors, their treat. I hadn't given it much thought, but both Kenny & Chrissy had to return to work on Tuesday. Just the thought of work turned my stomach, a good indicator that I am burnt out. While Kenny grilled burgers, I helped Chrissy get her wireless printer working after having it disconnected over vacation. The burgers were good. We hung out until 10pm, or when the mosquitoes got to ravaging my exposed skin. To home and to bed.

Nothin' Like Sleepin' in my own Bed

I was up and at 'em by 645am. It was Sunday so I didn't bother doing any push-ups or sit-ups. It's been 8 consecutive days without sit-ups, a nice break. I started coffee then remembered to release Frankie. Frankie was awake but in no hurry to exit her comfy pen. I figured as much. I enjoyed a quiet morning and early steamy sunshine by myself. Mindy and the kids remained sleeping until well after my run, which I completed around 830am. We didn't have anything definitive planned for the day. That was a good feeling, and because I had yet another week of vacation ahead, I didn't feel under the gun to accomplish anything either, although cutting the grass was most likely in the cards. Mindy and the kids were up sometime before 10am. We hung out on the deck together until the heat seemed bothersome. We talked about the day's plan too. Seeing Kenny up & after his lawn by 10am was motivation for me to get busy too. Near 1030am I got started on my own lawn. I remembered Kenny saying Ivan was coming over around noon to help him move all their furnishings back into the house after having hardwood put down while we were in Florida. I insisted on helping. It was hot, already well into the 80's, sunny and humid. I was a sweaty mess in no time. I reverted to my old routine of whack, edge, cut, ride, and blow. Curiously, the back didn't grow that much at all in our absence, but the front was thick and tall. It's really dried out over the past week. with few exceptions, most lawns without irrigation systems are looking brown or fast approaching. I finished the lawn work by 1230pm. I toyed with the idea of washing Mindy's Honda but didn't. She was leaving for a party for a former student who is being deployed to Afghanistan in the coming weeks. I headed over to Kenny's to see how I might help with the furniture. Ivan and Kenny had plenty of the stuff already moved back inside, but I still helped with several large pieces, including the leather sectional, washer, dryer, and curio cabinet. While there, I had to run across the street to rescue Jacob after Makayla came running home saying that he was stuck in the pond while fishing. False alarm. Just didn't want to walk on Carl's flowers. I headed back home around 115pm where Mindy was about to leave for the party. Before she left, we firmed plans to have the grand kids and brother Glenn over for a steak dinner. She'd be stopping at the grocery after the party for steaks and then to Lindsey's to fetch the boys and possibly Lindsey. I stayed home with the kids. I took a shower around 2pm then Jacob and I played cornhole for an hour in the hot sun. Glenn arrived around 330pm. Glenn soon joined Jacob for cornhole while I watered the backyard flowers. Not long after Glenn's arrival, Mindy and the boys returned. I asked Glenn if he would help Mindy carry in groceries while I finished watering. Rocky was sporting a new haircut, a mohawk. Still unclear who gave it to him. Looks like a cancer patient. It was blazzin' hot. Yet despite the heat, we fired up the grill sometime after 5pm. By then Ashley and Olivia had joined us too. We invited Courtney, too, but she was a no show. The neighbors planned to join us as well. We grilled three huge porterhouse, two filets, four gourmet burgers, and several hot dogs. Mindy butterflied one of the filets for Chrissy. The steaks were delicious. I ate only half of mine. While grilling, I spotted Landon trying to lift Olivia into the baby tree swing. I asked Ashley to go assist. Somehow or another, he/they were able to pull it off. Cute, but also dangerous. Ashley headed out to supervise. Ashley and Olivia headed for home around 730pm. They took Lindsey and Landon home too. Rocky chose to stay with us. The rest of us gathered in the kitchen. The topic of Rocky's haircut came up. He agreed to let us cut it for cash. The bounty began at $1, but quickly rose to $13. He was game! I fetched my electric clippers and Mindy did the honors from the deck. She left a wedge of hair on the front, but aside from that, his head was completely shaved. I counted out 13 one dollar bills, while Mindy gave him a baggie full of cookies to take home. He was stoked! Mindy & I left to take Rocky home around 800-830pm. Glenn stayed back with Jacob & Bella. Lindsey grinned when she saw Rocky's haircut. She didn't care for the hair we left at his forehead. She called it a "penis" haircut. Back at home, Mindy, Glenn and I sat on the deck sipping beers until 11pm. It was a sweltering evening. However, the box fan Dad sent with brother Glenn helped considerably by maintaining a steady breeze and the mosquitoes at least somewhat at bay. Mindy headed in to bed first. Glenn left for dad's around 1130pm. I took Frankie out back to relive herself then joined Mindy in bed.

Home Coming

Saturday July 3rd - Time to head home! As designed, I was up at 6am after several time checks start coffee - complete push-ups - head out for my last beach run at 630am Cloudy start once again 81 degrees 97% humidity Stop at the turn around point and meditate for a few minutes staring blankly out to sea Come upon Kenny walking back to the condo from the surf Agree on 8am departure time - he'll take my golf clubs to free up room in our smaller SUV Wake Mindy with coffee at 7am as requested - she showers almost immediately Me next - wake kids for home - everyone excited to head home and see Frankie Last minute packing - leaving lots of food/drink behind - someone will be quite happy with their bounty Pull out at 801am Stop for gas at BP just before gulf-to-bay causeway - about $16 - must return with full tank or pay $7.99 per gallon Thrifty airport check-in - no hassle To terminal through security and then at gate C34 by 915am Decide to have breakfast at Chili's my treat board plane at 1035am - I sit with Makayla and Bella- play 1000 questions while I try to read and nap - comical Quick flight home - CMH weather said to be clear, sunny, and 80 - a welcome return Land 15 minutes early - 1pm Surprised to find dad waiting outside of security - there to help with luggage Head home - tell stories about trip Dad doesn't stay long - Call Glenn who's still at dad's place invite him over for fun-beer - saysa 30 minutes or so We pile in Honda drive to Dena's to fetch Frankie Everyone excited - Frankie happy to see all of us Dena says fun, interesting experience but doesn't want a dog Home for afternoon - Start unpacking process - goes smoothly Glenn arrives shortly after we return with Frankie Drink a few beers plan afternoon/evening Invite Imber's, Shultz's, Gardner's, Dad, Tommy, etc.. Mindy & I go after 4 growlers of Barley beer Beth bartending - drink an IPA while there - 4 growlers: Centennial, Scottish, Pale, and Pint-of-Joe Stop at Circle-K before home for ice, chips, and milk Imber's call - can't make it - M.A early work hours - everyone else is in Party on deck - hot steamy - Order pizza around 7pm from Sparano's - 4 large pies Shultz's, Gardner's, Dad Tommy & Wally hang out until 10pm - mosquitoes biting - ouch/itch! I briefly fall asleep on the sofa Everyone departs Mindy and I to bed around midnight

No Red White & Boom but a Lovely Sunset

615am, it was raining, albeit lightly Golf seemed almost out of the question, although I continued to prep as if we were going. Coffee, push-ups, TV The weather forecast called for on and off rain all day I headed out for my run at 7am - drizzle Same run - north beach and beach Back at the condo, Kenny had called - returned call Still have tee time - 10am - plan to leave at 830am Pop circuit breaker feeding kitchen while attempting to make breakfast Eventually find breaker box out back by laundry room Leave at 830am in light rain Rain steadily for the lion's share of our drive north to Cypress Run Golf Club Stops just a mile or so before our arrival - Stop in the maintenance building chat with Shawn Shawn makes plans to meet us at the turn - working until 12noon Head to the clubhouse - Starter advises we're running late - our tee time actually 950am - oops! No time to warm-up We hurry to tee box and both hit terrible drives - nervous, another group waiting impatiently behind us I take a 7 on opening hole On the long par 5 number two in three after three excellent shots. Kenny struggling mightily I end up with a bogey 6 (3 putt from 20') It must've been hole number 6 where I completely lost it. After shanking two consecutive shots into the woods I blurted out some expletives and declared that I was quitting. I was both frustrated and embarrassed. Frustrated with my play; embarrassed with my response. The rain stayed away save for a couple very brief bouts of extremely light rain. Shawn joins us on hole number 11. Delivers a message from the clubhouse advising us to honor the no cart path rule. Oops! We saw a sign posting 90 degree rule at hole number 10. But under our score card was a pamphlet advising cart path only rule. Because of all the recent rain, the course wasn't in that good of shape. Lots of grass clippings on the fairways. It started to rain just as we finished up. I was happy to be done. I was bummed that my driving went south while in Florida, the one consistent part of my game. All totaled, I might've hit three or four really good drives across two rounds. Before we left, Kenny made plans to dine with Shawn and family later in the day Arrived at the condo around 220pm - cloudy but no rain Mindy shares that it had been raining steadily and hard since we left - just stopped Everyone was by the pool as the sky remained cloudy but had brightened some I was in a pissy mood due to poor golf I dawned my swim suit, made a snack, then headed out with my book Chose to sit by the quiet pool - away from our noisy kids so I could read some of my new book, Spontaneous Evolution Kept to myself - accused of being anti-social Kenny & Chrissy left for dinner with Shawn and family at 5pm - Hailey remained behind with us While waiting on everyone else to get ready for dinner, I began packing my gear for home We showered and left for dinner at Frenchy's Rockaway Cafe (beach front) around 630pm We were seated right away Jacob and I order wings - Bella, a burger - Mindy stuffed grouper, Hailey ordered chicken The clouds began to break on the horizon as the sun began its quick descent - Yippee! Bella suggested we walk to the peer for more bungee jumping - Everyone agrees Friday night at pier 60 always a ton of entertainment Bella Jacob bungee jump - I take photos Walk across the street to Wings - souvenir shop - I am anxious to leave to catch the sunset We arrive back at the beach just in time to catch the first visible sunset all week Awesome - the sky turns all sorts of beautiful colors! The beach teeming with people watching the sunset - mostly families Back to the room where i enjoyed two Harpoon IPA's. honestly, wasn't really in the mood for beer but drank them anyway, not wanting to leave all that beer behind come morning Snuck off to bed around 10pm

Fish Story

I was up around 615am after a fairly good night of sleep 55 push-ups despite my right wrist aching after just ten Off on my run at 730am - completely cloudy - light drizzle- 81 degrees - 95% humidity Same run - through north beach and back along the gulf K & C family walking beach search for sea shells Kenny advises ugly weather forecast - storms after 12noon - jeopardizing our fishing excursion Rains lightly most of the morning - everyone up by 930am I eat lightly - cheese and fruit along with coffee 11am - Sky clears enough to promote hanging at the pool with my book Everyone else, including all the kids eventually join in At 12noon I head in and prepare for fishing trip, including the installation of the Transderm patch We plan to leave for our fishing trip at 1pm ( trip 2-6pm) Originally slated to be just the boys (me, Kenny, Jake and Jacob) Mindy opts in last minute after discussing with Chrissy. Bella staying back and going shopping with the girls Mindy provides souvenir money for Bella Pack cooler with sandwiches, beer, ice and pop - head to Marina just after 1pm - skies still cloudy but currently not threatening rain Kenny seeks parking pass Head to waiting boat (Snoopy II). Charlie, the deckmate, there and ready. I mistakenly thought Charlie was the captain. Bill is the captain, shows up minutes later. Just before departure and young man shows up asks if we have room for an extra. Mindy asks where he's from - Cincinnati. I agree provided he buys a share of the boat fee, which, again, is $450 for a 4 hour trip for up to six people. Chris made number six. We departed minutes later after he gathered his gear. Out to sea! Mindy strikes up a lengthy conversation with Charlie as we cruise along. Jacob advises he's not feeling so well after just 5-10 minutes of boating in the calm waters. Mindy eventually comes from under the boat's mid-shelter feeling peaked to get fresh air at the 40' boat's rear. Kenny cracks a beer. I sip water. Our destination was ten miles out - took about 55 minutes Charlie started readying the poles for the entire group without any direction All along, the plan called for us to troll versus bottom fishing With a little instruction, Charlie had Jacob and I bouncing a pole at the boats rear While three others were sunk in the boats structure awaiting a bite, which Charlie indicated would be easy to detect by a bouncing rod It didn't take long, soon I had a bite - not three minutes into the process. It got away, and according to Charlie, due to my poor technique. :) Charlie was the prototypical fisherman - crusty 65-70 year old New Yorker. Short tempered but friendly "Fish On!" soon became the phrase of the day - a signal to Bill, the boat's captain, to slow or stop the boat so we could attend the pole in question. First catch was Chris who reeled in what we later learned was a Spanish mackerel. Only one problem. As he was reeling it in from the gulf, a barracuda leaped up and out of the water and snatched it. In just a split second he tore the nice size mackerel in half. We were all blown away! We pulled 5 or 6 similar sized mackerel out over the next 15-20 minutes. Without prompting, Charlie took one of our mackerel from the fish keep and attached it to a homemade fishing lure comprised of about six enormous hooks in a chain. All of sudden, we were fishing for big game fish! It didn't take long before we had a bite. Mindy went first. She battled the fish, presumably a barracuda, for several minutes. Sadly, Mindy lost the big catch. Chris went next. He pulled in the first barracuda, and it was a big one. Awesome! Can't recall if Kenny or I went next. I think it was Kenny. Like the others, he got a bite almost immediately and the fight was on. The difference between his and Chris' was that Kenny's never surface, or jumped out of the water. Charlie found that odd. Thought it might be something different. It was. It was a 5-6ft shark! Charlie espoused, that he wouldn't be bringing it aboard unless Kenny planned to keep it, have it mounted. He cut the line. Awesome! Me next. I got a bite after one embarrassing false alarm. My left forearm, the one holding the pole, grew weary as I fought the fish. It was another barracuda, this one slightly smaller than the other. We caught a few more mackerel before it was time to start heading back. We left the lines in as we slowly turned towards the shore. Suddenly, one of the poles held in place by the boast's mounting started bouncing vigorously. Mindy & Jacob each took turns battling the fish, until Charlie asked that Jacob turn the pole over to me. He said it had to be big fish. It was fighting ferociously. As soon as we'd get it close it would run with another 50-100 feet of line. Charlie gave me one last opportunity to bring it in before we needed to severe the line and head back to the marina. I fought it hard and eventually won. We brought in the biggest yet, a 40 inch king fish. Charlie said good eatin', and rare this time of year. Feeling successful, we all kicked back for the 45 minute ride back to the marina. At the dock, Chrissy met us with the girls. Charlie hung our catch as we took pictures. He filleted it for us too. We had two big bags full of fish, which we planned to grill for dinner. Kenny and Chris gave Charlie a real nice tip - about $80. At the same time, Chris handed me a wad of cash. I didn't look, and even considered giving it back. At the car I counted. $120, certainly more than I expected. Back at the condo we got cleaned up for dinner. Kenny and I grilled brats and about ten pounds of fish. The fish was tasty, although the greater majority went to waste. Collectively, we couldn't have eaten more than about 2 pounds. After Kenny suggested we walk for ice cream, about a quarter mile from our condo While enjoying ice cream another heavy downpour struck holding us at bay for nearly 30 minutes Kenny and four of the kids walked home in the heavy stuff. Me, Mindy, Jake and Halley waited it out. We still got wet but far less, as the rain eventually slowed To bed.