Taking the Elevator to CBC

I was up at 530am after a good night of sleep. I could see that it was going to be a clear morning glancing out the bathroom window. Once downstairs, I whipped through my sit-ups before even considering opening Frankie’s pen door. In fact, I checked the weather from the PC beforehand, too. It was very cool for June – only 52 degrees. I grabbed my fleece before heading out back with the dog. We must’ve been out back for about ten minutes. Frankie was taking her dear old time. Finally back inside, I almost forgot that I hadn’t yet completed my push-ups. Before enjoying any coffee, I stopped and whipped out 55 of them. Frankie and I played in the familyroom while I enjoyed coffee. I tried to calm her so I could do my morning meditation. Then, after a thorough stretch, I took Frankie out for the second time and just ahead of my run. Frankie went to her pen during my run. I ran my four miles in long running attire. I was comfortable. It’s probably worth mentioning that I haven’t had any trouble whatsoever from my right knee for a few weeks now. That’s great news. And aside from an occasional spasm, my neck and shoulders have been pain free too. Again, great news! Before heading inside to start my breakfast, I checked the small patch of grass seed I planted between the sidewalk and curb last week in a spot that I believe was damaged by dog piss. It’s sprouting like crazy. That makes me happy. Inside I moved swiftly through organizing my lunch and preparing my eggs. I freed Frankie from her pen, too. After eating my delicious fried eggs, the two of us headed out back again. I took the pug and coffee to Mindy at 740am. Time for a shower. Mindy rolled out of bed just as I was heading downstairs to make my final preparations for departure. We sat on the deck again, soaking up the morning sunshine while enjoying some coffee. I drove the Trooper thinking I might head to the driving range at lunch. Beyond the present moment, I wasn’t sure what the weather was supposed to do. I left for work at 820am. It was a glorious drive in under clear blue skies and temps in low 60’s – just a perfect day. I disappeared into my work for the entire morning. It was another tough day. Despite a full plate, I managed to sneak away for a lunch and headed to the driving range just as I had planned. It was sunny when I arrived but clouded over while I practiced. I practiced with my irons only and hit them well, at least through the first 50-60 balls. I must admit, however, after that my sharpness and accuracy went south in a hurry. I attribute that to atrophy. I think I’ll stick to a smaller bucket moving forward. It was 210pm by the time I was back at work. By then the temperature was much cooler and the cloud cover thick. Our sunny morning was a thing of the past. From that point forward I lost contact with the external conditions as I completed the rest of my busy work day. I left the office for the day somewhere near 510pm. Mindy wanted to go out for dinner – not Barley’s. I arrived home around 530pm. Mindy was outside with Frankie. During the day she had done more painting and did the grocery shopping. I was happy to see that she bought me more eye drops as well as several other items I had on my wish list. We decided to visit the Elevator Brewing Co. for dinner. I freshened up a little before we headed out. It was cloudy and only in the mid 60s when we left the house. We parked in the lot adjacent to the Elevator. Mindy paid the $5 fee. I had no cash. Our first thought was a table on their patio, but quickly changed our minds and opted for seats at the bar instead. Mindy thought t she’d be too chilly outside. I agreed. Reviewing their beer menu, I chose their Three Frogs IPA, although I already knew it wasn’t that good. Mindy tried two beers but eventually settled on a glass of wine. They could definitely do a better job with their brewing. We ordered food at the same time, a hummus plate and the crab stuffed sea scallops. We’ve had both before. They’re really good! I really enjoyed the food but could drink only one beer. I found myself longing for CBC. To that end, we settled up our tab and made a beeline for CBC at the opposite end of downtown - the Brewery District. CBC was only sparsely populated as expected. Kate was tending bar. She's been a fixture there for at least five years, maybe longer. I ordered an IPA while Mindy went with their Porter. Kate tried tempting us with food but we declined. We joked with our server friend, Jamie, niece Katie's old friend. We didn't stay long, no more than 45 minutes. After one beer we headed for home. It was another cloudy evening and threatening more rain.

Barely 70

I was up on time but still a little groggy. It looked like a nice day in the offing, clear skies and cooler temps. I completed sit-ups and push-ups before freeing Frankie. Actually, I opened her pen right after sit-ups but she remained comfortably in her bed until I coaxed her out after push-ups. She must’ve been worn out from her play date with Woody the evening before. Frankie only pee’d, and that took a while. I knew then that I’d have to get her out again shortly. That’s nothing knew, however. Inside, I briefly enjoyed some coffee before meditation and then a stretch. Frankie and I headed back outside around 620am. She was again slow moving but eventually took care of business. This time I wore my fleece jacket outside. It was about 57 degrees. Since Mindy no longer needs to be up this early, I decided to re-pen Frankie while I set out on my run. And she was tired anyhow. I didn’t leave for my run until 645am. I ran four miles wearing long running pants and a thin, long sleeved wicking shirt. I was comfortable. It was also a trash day. I had our container at the curb Sunday evening. It was emptied by the time I returned from my run. I freed Frankie then started my breakfast. I made a cheese and bacon omelet along with an English muffin. It was really good. Mindy had veggies pre staged in the fridge. All I had to do was grab the last can of tuna and a thing of yogurt and my lunch was made. After breakfast I took Frankie and coffee to Mindy. It was almost 745am. I hurried through a shower and was ready for work by 805am. Mindy and I enjoyed some coffee from the deck along with Frankie. It was a lovely morning. I declared it a BM’er day. I left for work at 820am. Mindy shared that she planned to spend her day painting in Jacob’s new bedroom. The sunny skies clouded over during my drive into work – bummer. It wasn’t supposed to rain. I left the top as I normally do. Work was busy, but when isn’t it? I had a number of conference calls that prevented me from taking a viable lunch. I worked straight through. By day’s end, my butt hurt from too much sitting. I talked with Mindy late in the afternoon. I planned to leave near 5pm, although I didn’t share as much. As planned, I left for home just after 5pm. Mindy was busy preparing dinner – brats. She was also eager to show off her painting skills. Spent the day painting Jacob’s new room. The base color, a light gray, will be accentuated with some striping and sports figure silhouettes. For now, she just had the first coat of the base color down. We enjoyed our dinner from the deck. It was lovely, about 70 and sunny. Far cooler and less humid than it’s been recently. And Tuesday’s high isn’t expected to reach 70. We spent the evening chillin’ out. I suggested we walk the pug, but Mindy wasn’t too enthused with my suggestion, citing being too sore from painting all day. I spent a little time on the PC updating my blog and then took a nap on the sofa. We ended up going to bed even before 10pm.

Sunday Golf Face Off

I slept about as late as I have in the last three weeks, not waking until almost 8am. Somewhere near 7am I heard a strong thunderstorm blow through. It was brief, but a real doosey. By the time I was up and downstairs, there were nothing but blue skies overhead. But unfortunately, they didn’t last. We weren’t expecting anymore rain, but instead partly cloudy skies. The clouds quickly returned and were moving by at a very fast clip. It was sunny for a few minutes then cloudy for just as long. It flip-flopped back and forth all morning long. By the time Mindy was up, which was somewhere near 9am, I had already been out with Frankie twice and had a belly full of coffee. We played out back with the dog before Mindy decided once again to head off for Sherwin Williams. While she was out after her paint, I readied and left for my run. I ran out along Trabue and passed Mindy, who was already heading back home from Arlington/Grandview. We were completely socked in under cloud cover when I set out for my run but under sunny skies by the time I made it back home. Mindy advised that Kenny called about the possibility of golf. Said I needed to call him back. After helping Mindy get set-up to paint Jacob’s new closet, I took Frankie and walked down to talk with Kenny. We made plans to golf at Split Rock around 130pm agreeing to leave the house around 1245pm. I would drive. Mindy & I had no formal plans for the rest of the day. She asked that I call her on my way home from golf. Kenny & I left at 1240pm. The sky continued to trade blue for gray all afternoon, although as the day wore on there was more blue than gray.  Split Rock was having an outing, but it looked like everyone was going off the back nine. We, of course, tee’d off from the front. I picked up both of our green fees since Kenny got mine last Friday. I bogeyed hole #1, a rather simple par 4. With the birdies and pars still largely alluding me, I put together a string of 5s and 6s. If nothing else, I was striking my irons about as good as I have all year. That felt good. No really bad mis-hits on the front. However, I did take an eight on hole #9 after hitting my drive into the woods and then some extremely poor chipping and putting. 49 on the front (Kenny shot a 45). The back nine went a smidge better, but not by much. I shot a 47 (Kenny 43). The one bright spot, I had only one bad mis-hit with my irons, and that didn’t hurt me too bad. For the day, my driving was marginal at best, and I’ll bet I left myself seven or eight 30’ putts from the fringe. Plus, I missed a few 5-6 footer’s too. We finished in record time, held up only once and that was on hole 18 where were finally caught the group that started well in front of us. We finished in just over 3 hours. It was only 435pm. Before heading home we stopped for a look at the new construction going in along the back nine. First two houses are finally being framed. Ashley phoned during our drive home. Shared that she and Olivia had been at the pound looking for Benji. No luck. At the same time, she received a call from a Pickerington resident saying she found a dog that met Benji’s description. She was very excited to get home and see the picture sent via email. Nope, not him. :( She also shared news of her landlord offering to sale her the house via land contract. I didn’t want to discourage her too much, but also don’t want her to do something she’ll regret later. I warned against being too eager, especially given the amount of work the home needs. She seemed to be aware of the home’s trappings as we talked through it. I think it’s fair to say that her biggest fear is that if the landlord sales, she’ll have to move again. My opinion, then so be it. Mindy was surprised when we arrived home around 5pm. Expected me gone far longer. Showed me her handy work then ventured the yard with Frankie. Asked what I wanted to do about dinner. I shared my intentions to plant the last of our flowers, put that phase of summer completely behind us. I headed out to do so. In the meantime, Mindy agreed to head off to Kroger to fetch a couple steaks for grilling. While she was gone, I planted the rest of the petunias and a couple impatiens then transplanted the sun flowers Bella and I started from seed. By then, Mindy was back with the steaks. She bought some giant shrimp too. Before starting the grill, I suggested she check with the neighbors. Mindy checked with Kenny & Chrissy. Made plans to grill together at their place. After a quick clean-up she and I took our steaks, shrimp, and pug down to their place. I took a fresh Jack & Coke that Mindy made for me minutes before. I took a little more in my ski flask. We chatted all the while the steaks grilled. I took the two pugs out back to romp around before we ate. They’d been going at it since we arrived. But that’s what they do. It’s constant. I had a nice little buzz going after my first Jack & Coke. I went home to fetch another Coke just before dinner. The steaks Mindy picked out were extra thick filets, about 2”. Kenny grilled them to perfection. Both Mindy and I agreed perhaps the best ever! Right up there with Mitchell’s. Great job, Kenny! During dinner, Chrissy put in the Alice & Wonderland Blu-Ray DVD. I had been looking forward to seeing that movie for some time. We restarted the movie after dinner. We missed some good parts not paying attention. I enjoyed it. Chrissy sent us home with the regular DVD of the movie. She bought the Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital copy kit. It was almost 10pm when we headed home. I stayed out with Frankie for a while. It was a star filled sky. Yeah!

Olivia Sings to Good Beer!

Remembering that Olivia would be over around 730am, I rolled out of bed just after 630am to get the day underway. Mindy didn’t budge, but I didn’t expect her too either. I started some coffee then exercised before freeing Frankie. We headed out for our first walk in the back yard just after 645am. It was plenty warm and incredibly sticky. Way more clouds than sunshine. Ashley and Olivia showed up around 720am or while Frankie and I were busy playing on the family room floor. Olivia was excited to see Frankie. After Ashley headed off for work, Olivia and I took Frankie out for a second walk. Olivia didn’t care for the wet grass. She’s such a girly girl. We played outside and watched TV for the next couple of hours. Mindy didn’t get up until 10am. At that point Olivia and I were watching a Dora DVD, one of her favorites. After having some coffee, Mindy agreed to keep and eye on Olivia while I did my Saturday morning run. It must’ve been approaching 1030am when I finally headed out. It might’ve sprinkled a bit here and there, but all in all I stayed pretty dry. Sometime after 11am I found my way home. Mindy & Olivia were busy surfing the Kohl’s flier from the sofa. Olivia shared what she wanted to buy for her mom & dad, all of it was $9 in her world. Very cute! Mindy painted Olivia’s toe nails before heading up to take a shower. Ashley showed up to fetch Olivia around 1230pm. We hung out together talking on the deck for maybe 15 minutes before Ashley and Olivia departed. Before heading out to do some yard chores, I met Mindy in the guest bedroom to quickly go through some of the closet’s contents, deciding what was trash and what to save. She’s in the process of moving Jacob into the spare room, and then making his old room the new guest bedroom. I spent about 30 minutes helping out. Before heading out to my yard work, I headed to the garage to drill holes through an old hard drive and some old floppy discs that were in that closet. I destroyed an old laptop too. Finally free, I headed out to address some yard chores with my primary goal to cut down the wild grapevines growing quickly up through the honey suckle and stream-side walnut trees. Left to themselves, they can quickly take over and even kill a tree. I’ve cut them back several times over the years, two years ago being the last time. You can never get rid of them fully, however. Their intricate root system travels along the water’s edge and can re-grow from even the smallest remaining root structure. I disappeared into the honey suckle for about an hour. The vines are sometimes difficult to discern from the trees and bushes. The under growth is so thick that it makes navigation a challenge, too. I think I got most of them. Mindy hollered out back that she had made me a sandwich. After finishing the trimming, I headed in to enjoy half of it. Originally thinking the yard too wet for mowing, I decided that it was dry enough to give it a go, but I would have to use the push mower more than usual. I chose to push mow before trimming & edging for a change. While I mowed the lawn Mindy headed off to Target to get more organizational supplies. I spent the next couple of hours mowing, edging, and blowing. The lawn looked pretty good when I finished. Still with plenty of time on my hands, I decided to trim back some of the honey suckle growing rapidly up and around the shed. And while I had the hedge trimmers out, I contoured the lone bush growing at the base of our large ash tree, too. That thing was growing out of control. Both tasks are on my list every spring/summer. I heard a few rumbles of distant thunder as I trimmed the bushes and carted the carnage off to the compost pile. Not 15 minutes after I finished a big ol’ thunders storm moved in with the heaviest rain I’ve seen all season. It was running off our roof top like a waterfall. Glad I got the yard chores done when I did. I waited to take a shower, not wanting to risk getting injured from lightning. There was even a tornado warning to our northeast. It rained hard for about an hour. After the storm moved past, I headed for a shower. It was now 530pm. The Memorial tournament on the tube, play had just resumed after a lengthy rain delay. I was eager to watch some of it. However, at the same time, Mindy asked if we could make a quick trip to Sherwin Williams to pick-up a gallon of white paint for the closet. Said they close at 6pm. We left the house for the Grandview Sherwin Williams at 540pm arriving ten minutes later. What? A sign on the door said they were closed. Hours of operation only until 5pm on Saturday’s. Definitely not in sync with their own website. Mindy wasn't happy about that. The trip wasn't a total loss, however. With Gentile's just down the road, I suggested we make a pit stop for some good beer before heading back home. I was hoping to pick-up some of Great Lakes newest offering, Monster DIPA or Southern Tier’s newest, 2XIPA. They had neither. Said they can’t get the Monster yet. We picked up four 6-packs: a Southern Tier Hop infused wheat, Avery Stout, Two Brothers Resistance IPA, and Great Lakes Commodore Perry. Yum-yum. We headed for home discussing diner options. I wasn’t in favor of dinner out, and suggested carry-out gyros. Mindy suggested Minelli’s pizza. Sounded good to me. We both opened one of our new beers as soon as we got home. Then, while walked Frankie out back, Mindy ordered a pizza. We drove the ¼ mile to pick-up the pizza 15 minutes later. Frankie went along for the ride. Speaking of Frankie, Saturday was a banner day for her. She finally conquered going up stairs making it up both sets of deck stairs from the yard without any assistance. Still won’t go down ‘em, though. At home we enjoyed pizza and more beer. I tried each of the three that I picked out. I like the Two Brothers Resistance IPA the best. As darkness set in, Mindy & I got in the hot tub for the first time in 8 months. Felt terrific! Afterwards, we watched a PBS special about the Ed Sullivan show complete with clips of famous musical performances, many of which I remember seeing as a young child. Great throw back. Both of us tired, we headed for bed before 11pm.

Blessed Weekend

I was up just ahead of 530am. I could see that it was gonna be another cloudy start to the day. I was able to complete my sit-ups and eye drops before freeing Frankie. That helps me get a jump on the day. She and I headed outside around 545am. I completed my push-ups from the deck’s lower level while waiting on Frankie to finish her business. We headed inside a few minutes later where I enjoyed a cup of coffee before starting meditation and stretching. After completing those two daily rituals, I took Frankie out for a second, more successful, back yard romp. While delivering the pug & coffee, Mindy reminded me that I wouldn’t see the kids after this morning for ten days – leaving for their beach vacation immediately after school. Noted. I walked by their rooms. Both were still soundly sleeping. I headed downstairs to prepare for my run. The sky was foggy and it was really warm, about 70 degrees. The sun was busting through the moist air making it about as humid as it could possibly be at that hour. I ran with a sleeveless shirt but peeled it off a mile or so into the run. It was sticky! I decided to roll my run back to three miles to facilitate a little more family time at home with the kids before school. Back at home, both kids were quiet and slow moving. According to Mindy, a byproduct of not enough sleep. I snapped a couple photos and tried my best to get them pumped for the last day of school. I told Jacob that I charged his iTouch overnight so it would be available for his trip. Next, and at Mindy's prompting, I measured their height. Jacob measured 59.25 inches while Bella measured 46.5 inches. While Mindy put the finishing touches on breakfast, I quickly went to my blog and pulled up their heights measured on the first day of school. While Jacob grew about an inch, Bella doubled that by growing a full two inches during the school year. Mindy left for school around 740am. Shared that she expected to be home by 1 or 2pm. And like any other day, the kids and I headed out for the bus stop at 757am. The year's last bus stop was on time. I gave both kids a big hug and told them to have fun on their beach vacation. See ya in ten days! I took Frankie home and out back for a third opportunity to relieve herself with me at the helm. I left for the office a few minutes later than optimum, about 820am. The morning turned completely sunny during my commute into work. Nice! Expected to reach into the low 80’s. We were busy, but no more than any other Friday. I made arrangements to take a lunch around 1pm. I drove to All Seasons Spas to buy a new filter for our hot tub. The existing filter was 6 or 7 years old and completely spent. Not only that, but it was severely damaged during winter’s freeze. A new filter set me back $80. Yikes! Next, I drove to the nearby Kroger to fetch a bottle of Jack Daniels. I ended up buying a half gallon. Barring a Jack attack, that should last quite a while.  I saw that they had some really fresh roses, but didn’t buy any. I worried that they’d die baking in the Trooper for the day’s duration. Sorry Princess! The afternoon was busy. I worked awfully hard. I couldn’t wait for the day to end and the weekend to finally be upon us. I made arrangements to leave the office at 5pm and actually managed to get out of there by 505pm. I called Mindy on my way home. She shared a few stories, the kids emotional departure for vacation, and one about her retiring principal Jane. I shared a conversation I had earlier with daughter Ashley, asking if we would keep Olivia Saturday morning so she could work OT. I told Mindy that I agreed to do it. Actually, she asked about overnight but I advised her that we had Friday night plans. I arrived home just before 530pm. Mindy was in an extremely good mood this being the actual last day of school. She and I sat on the deck with Frankie soaking up the early evening sun. Mindy made herself a rum drink. I sipped water. Kenny stopped over to invite us down later. Having some friends over. We planned to hit Barley’s but promised to stop over after. Mindy went for a shower while I went for my book and a nap from the deck’s chaise lounger. I fell asleep but not sure for how long. Mindy was all but ready to go as I headed inside. Before leaving, I changed into shorts and a fresh t-shirt. Crowded. We parked in the gravel lot. Mindy and I took stools separated by a couple of familiar faces. Consequently, carrying on separate conversations. To start, I sipped a Centennial while Mindy enjoyed a rum & Coke. Soon after my first beer was gone I ordered food, a Cuban with bacon, or as my friend Dan and I aptly renamed, the triple porker! Mindy ordered KC wings promising to share a few of them with me. Mindy presented one of our favorite servers, Beth with a graduation card that we stuffed with a little cash. She just completed her masters program at OSU. She’s a sweetie! Also serving on Friday was Katie, who I haven’t seen in their on a Friday night for several years. Tom C. showed up after we had been there for a good 90 minutes. We didn’t stay more than another hour. In fact, I believe we left even before 10pm. Mindy picked up the tab. Mindy asked if I wanted to hot tub or join the neighbors. I chose hanging with the neighbors. We headed down to Chrissy & Kenny's. I took a 22oz bottle of Brew Kettle IPA. Kenny and friends were sitting out on the deck. Commented that it was a quiet night in the subdivision. We didn’t stay longer than an hour. Mindy left after about 40 minutes, apparently agitated with the topic of our conversation. I was about 10-15 minutes behind her and left in charge of seeing Frankie home. Was in bed by 1105pm.

Teachers Let the Monkies Out

Up at 530am Cloudy, steamy, foggy – 64 degrees Take Frankie out – squish, squish Exercise, coffee, meditation, and stretching Take Frankie/coffee to Mindy at 625am Head out for run at 635am – partly cloudy – sun peaking through clouds – run 4 miles Mindy’s last day of school with students (tomorrow is classroom clean-up day only) Breakfast - Eggs, fruit, English muffin. Mindy leaves at 735am – Me off to the shower Kids, Frankie to bus stop – pugs wrestle/tangled in leash Kids present bus driver with gift card Frankie out one more time before I leave Take along golf attire just in case Worked straight through – let boss know my plans to leave at 430pm for golf – OK Bob I. responds to golf inquiry – not able to getaway. Tom C. working OT. No golf  Mindy called around 3pm excited – Wahoo – last day of school! Hosting after party at our home with teacher pals and their babies too I didn’t really want to head home and hang with a bunch of teachers I drove by the house at 5pm but kept going. Drove to Griggs reservoir – napped at one of the pull-offs until 525pm – warm/sticky w/o AC on. Arrived home at 545pm. Four or five cars still at the house. Talked with Mindy and her teacher friends. Played with Garrett, Karianne’s 6 month old son for a few minutes. Seems to like me. Mindy’s friends disperse pretty quickly. Gone by 630pm. Mindy asked neighbor Kenny if he would grill steaks – agrees – has two of ours from a while back. We head down around 7pm. I take one of the two 22oz beers I bought at the Anderson’s Wednesday. Steak good. Hang with neighbors until almost 9pm. Head home with kids to ready for bed and their last day of school. We’re all in bed by 10pm.

Hoppin to Heaven

Irrigation system kicked on at 430am Predicted to be in the upper 80’s and sunny Up just after 530am normal stuff: Frankie, exercise, coffee, meditation, stretch Run 4 miles Took golf clubs to work thinking I might hit the range at lunch Work was difficult Opted for a trip to the Anderson’s in lieu of the golf range New garden center being constructed – odd time to do it Bought a new umbrella – sorely needed Bought two 22oz bottles of beer – Hoppin’ Frog Hoppin' to Heaven Pale Ale – Brew Kettle IPA Bought an 8” plastic flower pot saucer Gone 1.25 hrs Enjoyed packed veggies drenched in Someone's Hidden Valley ranch dressing - good! Tuna Mindy emailed asking if I cared to join she and the kids for Red Lobster No – work busy and I don’t care for Red Lobster’s fried seafood Encouraged them to go still I left work at 545pm Home just after 6pm – took care of typical chores – made coffee, dirty lunch containers in dishwasher Took Frankie out – pee’d/pooped Lounged on deck reading from chaise – napped Woke to strong wind dark clouds invading Grabbed pug and headed in. Started storming within two minutes - badly Direct lightning and house shaking from thunder Frankie pee’s on sofa pillow - I wasn’t pleased Mindy and kids home at the storm's back half – tornado warning Bell afraid Brings me Target popcorn – yummy – as good as movie theatre style Frankie and I eat it all Bella finally decides to join us. Asks her mom to pop more popcorn Mindy obliges her request Bella eats just a little. I’m watching Reds game – first of the year. They’re getting beat 4-1 Mindy heads to bed. I disable the irrigation system after all the rain then put the pug to bed Head to bed.

June Bugs

Time flies. It was already time to return to work. Despite being a little groggy after 4 days of weekend bliss, I was up a few minutes after 530am. After exercise, a little coffee, and taking Frankie out back, I was well on my way to re-acclimating myself to the workday routine. I was moving a little slow, however. It was after 630am by the time I delivered Frankie and coffee to Mindy. She was already in the shower. I dressed and left for my run at 640am. The weather conditions could best be described as sultry. I was sweating big time, and also a tad stiff. I survived. Mindy wasn’t in the best of spirits when I returned. Not sure what the reason. I guess the kids were grumpy and didn’t want to get up. Mindy soon bolted for school. The kids were instructed to bus home rather than to Noah’s (Dena’s) as they do on most Tuesdays. They’d be dining with their daddy after work. I was soon off to the shower and ready for work by 755am. The kids and I headed out to the bus stop a few minutes later with Frankie in tow on her retractable leash. After the kids were scooped up by the bus, Frankie and I returned home where I gave her one last opportunity to relieve herself. She took full advantage. Work was difficult and busy. I forced myself to leave for lunch to run a Home Depot/Lowes errand. Stopped at Home Depot first, where I picked up some long slender nuts and bolts to try and fix our storm door once and for all. The door control bracket continuously works loose from the jam. In lieu of screws, I plan to try drilling all the way through the jam and installing a nut & bolt. At Lowe's, I looked at deck stain hoping to use the same color we have for the past 14 years, dessert sand, but in a solid instead of semi-transparent. Unfortunately, the paint guy said they don’t mix that color in the solid but could probably come close. The only catch being that I'd have to pick the color from their expansive palette apparently relieving them of any liability if I didn’t like the outcome. Hmm? Needed to think about it more. Back to work. The afternoon moved swiftly. It was 530pm in a hurry. I was out of the office on time. Mindy was grading papers when I got home. But since the report cards were already submitted a week ago, what was the point. I asked. Said she needs to forward some of the their latest work onto the next teacher. Our kids, meanwhile, were already gone with Jimaken, but neighbor Makayla was over hanging with Mindy. I invited her to eat dinner with us too. She accepted. We had leftover hamburgers from Monday’s cookout. Makayla was very chatty, asking one question after another – non stop. I had to laugh. After dinner I headed out to give our flowers a drink. Despite Sunday’s rain, the summer-like heat and direct sunshine dried everything out. Makayla hung with me while I watered the plants out back. It takes about 25- 30 minutes to thoroughly water all the flowers front and back. It’s time consuming but also therapeutic. I always feel so much better afterwards. The kids got home a little bit after 8pm. We let them play out back for awhile before calling them in to ready for bed and another school day. Only three left. Mindy headed to bed well ahead of me. I joined her sometime after 10pm and after putting Frankie to bed in her pen.

Hello Summer!

I was up early, especially given that it was a holiday and another day off work. I was up and downstairs by 6am. The sky was mostly clear with temperatures still in the mid 60s. I exercised, made coffee, and took Frankie out back. And just like I had done both Saturday & Sunday mornings, I headed out to the deck to relax and read. While reading, a stiff wind kicked up from behind (west). Turning to see why and what, I was surprised to find dark storm clouds moving in quite fast from the NW. I picked up Frankie and headed inside. Not five minute later all hell broke loose. A big thunderstorm rumble through complete with wind, lightning, thunder and heavy rain. I snuggled up in the family room chair to continue my reading all the while the storm played itself out. It rained for a good hour or more. Mindy finally got up around 10am. And a little bit later I headed out for a run, but only after the rain stopped. It was incredibly humid and warm. I don’t think that I encountered another soul out and about. After my run I decided it a good time to put down new fertilizer, since the stuff with weed killer is best applied to a wet lawn for better adhesion. I had two kinds, some with weed killer and some without. I planned to apply the Scott’s with weed killer to the large area I reseeded fall of ’08 that has its share of broadleaf weeds and clover scattered in amongst the thick new grass. However, except for a few other small problem areas, the rest of the lawn remains largely weed free. No sense polluting it with weed killer. Because of the heavy rain, there wasn’t any need to water flowers. A day off so to speak. We made plans to have the boys for the afternoon. We said around 1pm. Mindy headed off to run some errands and eventually to the grocery around noon. I planned to fetch the boys after a shower and some food. Because it was the last day of May, I wanted to redeem my $.50 per gallon savings at the Kroger pumps before heading to pick-up the boys. To that end I left the house around 1245pm and headed to the Georgesville Rd Kroger with gas pumps. I filled the Trooper for $1.92 per gallon. I pulled up to fetch the boys around 110pm. As I came barreling down the street, I noticed Courtney’s van (formerly Mindy’s) in Kelly’s driveway. Off to the side were both Kelly and Courtney hanging out in the front yard. That's my first Courtney sighting since she pulled away from our house angry last September/October. Unfortunately, she’s harboring some bitterness, but for exactly what, we’re still not sure. Both she and Kelly scurried away just out of my sight like school girls. Lindsey came out immediately to handoff the boys with a sheepish grin on her face the entire time. She glanced towards the side of the house a couple of times, as if to indicate that both Kelly and Courtney were just around the corner. I laughed off their childish act. But that's Kelly, always setting a poor example for how to handle problems. Hide from them! The boys were quickly loaded and buckled in. We headed towards home. It rained a time or two along our brief drive. The boys were a little wild in the door, and since I was the only one home to try and manage them, it seemed a struggle. They got me a little flustered in a hurry asking for this, needing that, and running somewhat amuck. I had to raise my voice a time or two to reel them in. I felt bad, but it worked. Thankfully, things calmed down fairly quickly. Soon Mindy was home from the grocery, and having her there helped immensely. I helped carry in the groceries. The kids wanted some of the goodies they spotted right away. Mindy made a rule, no goodies until everything was put away. Jimaken dropped Bella and Jacob at home a short while later. Mindy called our neighbors to ask if they were interested in cooking out later at our place. They were. Lucky for us, the weather was showing signs of clearing out, and every time the sun came out it got really warm and sticky in a hurry. Mindy bought more of those Kroger gourmet burgers that were a big hit a couple weeks ago. That’s what we were grillin’. I started the grill around 5pm. Mindy whipped up some baked beans and bought some mustard potato salad as sides. I sipped a honey raspberry ale while grilling. The ale was good and the weather steamy! Enjoyed the food. The kids ate outside on the deck. The boys hardly touched their food. One gets the distinct impression that they eat nothin’ but hand-to-mouth junk food at home. After dinner Jacob pressed Kenny and I to play kick ball. Kenny declined. I eventually agreed to play. We played for almost an hour, enough time to work up a big ol’ sweat. Mindy clarified that I’d be running the boys home. Yes. I loaded the boys into Honda around 730pm. During my drive back home it rained ridiculously hard. Almost pulled over along Hague ave. Thankfully, it didn’t last long. Looking at the weather forecast, it appeared that we were in for much of the same for the next several days. We got the kids ready for bed over the next 30-60 minutes and had them tucked in by 9pm. Mindy & I headed to bed by 10pm.

Hilltop Swim Club, Graduation & No CBC

I was awake well ahead of anyone else. It was still before 7am. I freed Frankie from her overnight accommodations then started the coffee making process. While coffee brewed, I headed out with the dog. It was another lovely morning with temperatures hovering in the mid 60’s under totally clear skies. Because it was Sunday I didn’t plan to do calisthenics. Instead, just coffee, stretch, and run. Like the day before, I enjoyed my coffee from the deck and on the chaise lounger. So nice! Sometime around 8am I was joined by Bella and Kaileigh, who after a brief greet, took Frankie out in the yard to romp around. Mindy got up around 9am, and after some coffee started prepping a Sunday family-style breakfast consisting of bacon and pancakes. While Mindy started that, I readied for a run. I’ll bet I headed out at 930am. I ran the usual 3 mile Sunday trail out along Trabue and down Hague ave. I noticed the golf course parking lot was full. I ran shirtless again. As one might expect, I was hungry upon my return from the run. I enjoyed a number of pieces of bacon and then a few pancakes. I tooled around in the yard some while the kids played. Mindy made plans to take the kids to the Hilltop pool, its inaugural weekend, around 1230pm. And for the first time since last Memorial Day weekend, I vacuumed out Mindy’s Pilot just before they left. I took care of a number of small but nagging chores while Mindy & the kids were gone. They weren’t gone long at all. They were back before 3pm so that Kaileigh could be picked up by Shelly, her step mom. I was outside with Frankie when they got home. And it wasn’t too much longer before Shelly showed up to pick-up Kaileigh. She had Sienna with her too. She’s very cute. They stayed for about 20 minutes. Not long after they left, Jimaken showed to pick-up the kids again. He was taking them to a Clippers game and keeping them overnight. Mindy & I had plans to attend a graduation party for a former student of hers, but were still undecided about whether we’d be making the trek to Johnstown to yet another graduation party for our friends, Mike & Julie’s son. We headed to the first grad party in Grove City around 530pm. I’d been to this house before, two years ago in fact, when Nicole's older sister graduated. Mindy talked with another educator through most of our relatively brief visit. In their discussion, what I found interesting was their methods for motivating/steering their children the right direction. Strict! It was after 7pm when we left, maybe closer to 730pm. Mindy phoned Chrissy to let her know that we weren’t gonna make the drive up to Johnstown after all. Instead, we decided on a dinner stop at CBC. We arrived after a short drive. Unfortunately, CBC was closed, apparently because it was Sunday, a point that both of us kept forgetting given the holiday weekend. It didn’t take us too long at all, however, to conjure up a back-up plan – Barley’s. Monica was working the bar. Haven’t seen her in a very long time, her or Thad. She served us up our favorite drinks, me a West Coast IPA and Mindy a Great Lakes Stout. We eventually ordered food. I ordered a Texas burger while Mindy went with their brisket nachos. My burger was delicious. I drank two beers. Mindy only one. We headed home just before closing, 9pm. Honestly, we didn’t do a whole lot once there. Both of us were tired. We went to bed early. Old, I guess.

Tomino's

I was up early, shortly before 7am. It was gorgeous, sunny and very warm. I took Frankie out then started some coffee and completed my exercises. And since the morning was so incredibly nice, Frankie and I took up refuge on the deck. I took along coffee, a book, and my guitar. I sat under one of the deckside shade trees on the chaise lounger. Just a perfect day! We sat outside for almost two hours soaking up early dappled sunshine. I carried out a make-shift water bowl and a baggie full of dog food for Frankie. She appreciated both. I decided not to rush to run. Instead, I took in all the morning had to offer. I would run soon after Mindy got up. Mindy didn’t get up until 10am or so. She joined us on the deck. By then, I had the Soundscapes music channel piped outdoors. I checked the hot tub. Still holding at 102 degrees and full. Good news! I readied for a run somewhere near 1030am. I ran in shorts only (no shirt), running the usual four mile trek. Mindy headed up for a shower and to ready for the graduation party she planned to attend. I thought that I’d head back out onto the deck for more R&R, only this time with Mindy’s laptop in tow so I could do some writing for my blog. However, when I unplugged Mindy’s power cord the laptop went dead. I tried it again until I realized that it was plugged in with the wrong adapter, Jacob and Bella’s HP cord. I then tried the proper Dell power cord only to discover that it was totally dead. I had to scrap the idea of using the laptop from the deck. I did more reading until Mindy was out of the shower. I then asked her about the laptop. Said it hadn’t been working for a while but found that the HP cord worked on her Dell. Great! I wasn’t pleased. Later, she confessed that Frankie bit into the Dell power cord rendering it useless. Didn’t want to tell me because she knew I’d be mad. Yep, I was mad alright, but not so much because of the problem but more so because I was kept in the dark. What does that teach the kids? If it hurts don’t tell? I didn’t want to discuss it any further. I was incensed. Mindy soon left and I got busy with lawn chores, whacking, edging, cutting, and blowing. I had the lawn looking pretty good after a couple hours of hard work. After mowing, I thoroughly watered all the flowers front and back. Jimaken brought the kids home around 4pm. Mindy still wasn’t home, but we expected her anytime. I headed in for a shower in preparation for the family birthday party being held at Mindy’s younger brother’s place. Not sure what time it was when Mindy got home, but I was ready to go around 430pm. We readied and left around 515pm. We had plans to pick-up GD Kaileigh after the party or on our way back home. The party was well underway upon our arrival. I think it officially started at 430pm. The gathering was fun, helped along nicely by the gorgeous early summer weather. We enjoyed a variety of eats, subs, potato salad, seven-layer salad, chips, etc. We played a little backyard volleyball, too. Soon after cake and gifts we headed off to pick-up Kaileigh. Must’ve been near 7:30pm. We’ve seen Kaileigh only one other time since Xmas. In fact, her Easter basket is still resting on our dining room table. Just as we were pulling up in front of the house brother Tommy phoned on his way home from Marysville. Planned to stop by for a rare visit. We haven’t seen him since Mindy’s birthday party at Barley’s, and that was almost three months ago. I decided to run the irrigation system zone #1 to further water the front yard flowers and lawn. Tommy pulled up just after I turned it on. He walked right through one of the sprinklers paths. At the same time, Kaileigh and Bella came running out and asked if they could run through the sprinkler. Why not? It was still very warm and sticky. Tommy asked to tour our yard. OK. We eventually congregated on the deck where he and Mindy each had a glass of wine while I sipped a honey raspberry ale. The kids came out announcing their hunger. Mindy cured that by agreeing to order a couple Domino’s pizza. The two Domino’s pizzas showed up 30 minutes later. I wasn’t that hungry but ate a couple slices anyhow. Hey, who can resist pizza? Tommy must’ve stayed for about an hour and a half. After he departed, we got the kids ready for bed. The girls requested that I blow up the air mattress. I obliged. They asked for bedtime stories too, stories about when I first met them. I spent about ten minutes sharing those two events before joining Mindy, who was already in bed.

Hot Tub's Up & Runnin' ... Again

I got up shortly before Mindy. It was something like 610am. I headed downstairs to start some coffee since I failed to prep it the night before. What can I say, it felt like a weekend to me. I opened Frankie’s pen but she chose to linger. No worries. I left her there while I made coffee. She crawled out while I rinsed out the coffee pot and sat watching me. Short on coffee, I headed to the basement for another container. I returned only to find Frankie peeing under the dining room table. I was angry. I took her out immediately, but the damage was already done. I guess my four day weekend would begin with cleaning up puppy pee. I kicked the intensity level down a notch or two heading back inside. I was determined to enjoy my time off. I did my morning calisthenics, meditation, and stretching just like any other morning. I played on the PC while waiting on Mindy and the kids to come down, and then more so after Mindy left for school. I didn’t plan to run until the kids were safely on the school bus. Meanwhile, it looked like another gorgeous day in the offing with forecast calling for sunny skies and temperatures soaring into the mid 80’s. Mindy joked around about me joining her for lunch, but I had an aggressive agenda as it was. After my run, I planned to replace the hot tub heater and possibly even stain the loose deck benches. I needed to book our tee time too. Kenny and I talked about 130pm. The kids were on the bus at their usual time. Promised Kenny we’d hook up later. I headed back home to ready for my run, but took Frankie out one more time first. Good move! She did both # 1 & 2. I ran just three miles wanting to leave some gas in my legs for golf. It was an easy three miles under ideal conditions. I ran comfortably without a shirt. Take that Chris Spielman! Back at home I wasted little time getting organized for replacing the hot tub heater. I left Frankie out on the deck while I did the work. It must’ve taken about an hour to finish the job completely. It’s a rather simple task, but the tight quarters made it a bit more difficult. I was eager to fill it with water and give it a test run. It’s been out of commission since late last fall. While the hot tub filled I gathered up the stain, brush and drop cloth and got the three redwood benches stacked for staining. I had to shew Frankie away from the stain a time or two. The last time tapping her behind so she’d get the NO message. She got it! It took about 20-30 minutes to fill the hot tub. By then I had two of the benches stained. Time to power up the tub. Fingers crossed, I plugged in the external disconnect. Voila! It appeared that we were back in business. The water temp was a cold 72 degrees. It would take a number of hours to get up to the normal operating range – about 102. Another problem is a slow leak. It also has a siphoning problem that can drain it overnight. I really should’ve cleaned out the bottom as there is quite a bit of grit in the very bottom. I’ll do that after it runs good for a solid week. While refilling, I discovered that the filter is damaged too. It’ll need replacing as soon as possible, but again, only after proving it in good working order. A new filter runs about $80. I don’t want to buy a new one if the tub is toast. At that point, all I could do was wait. I finished the staining then put all of my tools and gear away. It was almost noon, and time to get showered up for golf. I forgot to mention that I made a tee time for 150pm at Phoenix. I called Kenny to confirm who’d be driving. He volunteered. Cool. We made plans to hook up just after 1pm. I made a sandwich and got cleaned up. I was ready to go by 1240pm. I took Frankie out for a backyard walk and then tidied up the kitchen. Kenny pulled up right at 1pm, but just as he was walking up the guy interested in buying his motorcycle called to let him know that they were close and on their way. He was supposed to be there around noon. Kenny wasn’t happy. I told Kenny not to worry about it. I called Phoenix to let them know that we’d be late. The buyer showed up around 130pm. And after a quick exchange of cash and title they were off on the bike and we were on our way to golf. Wahoo! We arrived near our tee time, but it was well after 2pm by the time we tee’d off. Kenny picked up my greens fees. Thanks Kenny! There didn’t appear to be anyone on hole number 1. That made us happy. By the time we tee’d off it had to be 85. There wasn’t a serious cloud in the sky either. I was putting from inside 10’ for par, but missed and bogeyed. Hole #2 is a simple looking par 3, but I rarely play the hole well, especially with my chronic iron troubles. This was no exception. I hit one into the heather between the tee and green. Damn! I hit three from the tee box just right of the green, no doubt over compensating. On in four then a two putt six. I closed out the front with a string of 5s and 6s with a par sprinkled in. I shot a 48. Not great, but not terrible either. The back didn’t start well. Somehow I managed a nine on hole #10 after an OK drive. Not sure what went wrong. Bad chipping and putting. Like the front, I strung together a bunch of 5s and 6s. And like I have all season, I struggle mightily with the par 3s averaging 5.5. My total score was 103. We didn’t finish until 630pm. I phoned Mindy along our drive home. She was keeping an eye on the Chrissy’s girls so she could run Jake to church camp. She was watching Woody too. Kenny called Chrissy. We made a pit stop at the Minelli’s drive-thru for beer. I fetched Mindy a bottle of wine too. Once at home, I was quick to head up to the shower. Mindy came in the back door just as I was heading up after confirming plans to do dinner at Barley’s. I was ready to go 15 minutes later. It was nearing 730pm. We walked Frankie out back before heading off in the Honda. We discussed our holiday weekend plans during our short drive to Barley’s. We have a family birthday party late Saturday afternoon. And Mindy plans on attending a graduation party earlier in the day while I do yard chores. Then there’s another graduation party Sunday afternoon. Mindy wants me to attend that one. All totaled, not a whole lot going on. We made plans to have GD Kaileigh over Saturday night. Bella was really excited about that. Barley’s wasn’t too crowded. It’s getting to be that time of year when the weekend crowds thin with everything else going on. Finally posted their IPA-looza 2010 date, Thursday June 24th. Wahoo! It always seems to fall on the Thursday before we leave for vacation. I ordered a Centennial and sat at the bar while Mindy ran off to talk with friend Calvin and one of his work peeps. Steve Wonn was there as was Scott & Linda. We talked some. We eventually hooked up with neighbors Dave and Becky who frequent Barley’s often too. We ordered food mid-way through our visit, me some KC wings, and Mindy a salad. My second and third beers were West Coast IPAs. I picked up the tab leaving behind a more than generous tip. We headed home around 10pm. We talked about hot tubbing but ended up visiting with the neighbors instead. Mike O. was over too. We got a kick out of Chrissy’s soon-to-be 12 year old son, Jake’s most recent antics. Chrissy apparently entrusted him with her cell phone while at a church bible study, although with strict guidelines on its use. No texting. He sent only 167 while there. Needless to say, Chrissy was furious. Mindy started to dose from the neighbors’ sofa. She asked that we head home. Mid beer, I agreed and we walked home. We headed straight to bed.

Hot Heater Smokehouse

I was up just before 530am feeling well rested and ready to take on what would be the last workday of the week. That felt good to say. Work's been insane lately. Having four days off in-a-row was just what the doctor ordered. I took Frankie outside to relive herself after another clean night in her pen. It was again warm and clear. Very summery. Inside I completed 55 sit-ups and push-ups. I read a few news stories while enjoying some coffee then moved to meditation. That went OK. After 5 minutes of meditation, I started stretching. That felt great, too and was just what I needed. I was a few minutes ahead of schedule. I took Frankie out for a second go around. Next, I poured coffee and took it and Frankie upstairs to Mindy. Frankie is always happy to see Mindy. I headed back downstairs to get ready to run. I was out the door by 635am, and after a quick stretch from the stoop I was off on my four mile trek. The sun has moved much since daylight overtook darkness at the same hour. Now, the sun rests roughly 15-20 degrees above the horizon and slightly north of our street. I can feel it's warmth even at 635am. The run went well. As soon as I was back I ran the front sprinkler zone (zone #1) while we ate breakfast after noticing some stress in the front lawn. It's definitely time to set it to autopilot. Mindy was gone at 730am and the kids and I headed off to our usual tasks, me to the shower, Bella to tidy her room, and Jacob to contemplate the universe(?). Off to the bus stop at 755am. We took Frankie along on her leash. Kenny left Woody inside. I shared that this was my Friday and we discussed further the possibility of Friday golf. In fact, at that point, I still thought Thursday evening golf might be in the cards. The kids now on the bus, I headed back home to let Frankie out back for another try. She went with purpose, as if she knew this was it until much later. I left for the office at 815am. It was a gorgeous morning, one I appreciated fully as I slowly made my way into the office. I knew there was a good chance that I wouldn't see the light of day until 530pm or so. The work day was busy, just as I expected. But even in spite of the tough work day, I managed to get away for a lunch. Planning ahead, I had the blown out hot tub heater in the BM'er resting in an old Kroger bag. I drove to All Season's Spas, which isn't more than a mile and a half from the office. I walked around the store checking out new spas before inquiring about a new heater. I found the latest model of ours, a Sundance Cameo, on sale for a measly $9500! Holy cow! I found my way to the checkout counter where Jason, I think that was his name, spotted the old heater protruding from my Kroger bag and took it upon himself to ask if I was there to get a new one. Yep! He went to retrieve one from the back. Returned a minute later. It was $262 plus tax. I asked a few questions, namely about the owner, Pat F. Guess he's now living in California. I then asked about the warranty. I was surprised at his answer, which was no warranty with self installed parts. Ouch. I took a double take. He said if I had questions I could talk with Kelly, the business manager. I took him upon the offer. Kelly seemed nice enough and after some back and forth kindly offered to provide a 2-day warranty, basically providing me the security that if it were dead for some reason after install I could bring it back. Sounded fair to me. I felt a tad better. I headed back to work arriving around 145pm. It was steamy, about 86 degrees. It would eventually reach 88 under sunny skies. The afternoon moved along at a decent clip. I stayed focused on the task at hand. Mindy called sometime between 330-400pm to inquire about golf, more specifically, whether or not I was going after work. I shared that I wasn't. Bob I. emailed early morning that he was too busy and thought he'd be working late. He also shared that he and M.A. were heading out of town for the weekend, so he wouldn't be available for weekend golf either. I was OK with not golfing after work. I already had plans to golf Friday with Kenny. And since it was a kidless Thursday, Mindy & I made tentative plans to visit Barley's instead. My boss cut out early. I ended up staying until 530pm catching up on lots of dangling tasks. Believe me, it felt so good to pack up and head out come 530pm. I was off to celebrate summer for 4-days. I drove straight home after briefly toying with a stop at Kroger for a bottle of Jack. I decided not. At home Mindy was doing some laundry in an otherwise quiet home. The kids had already left with Jimaken. We headed out after I took a minute to freshen up. I was still in work mode but the feeling quickly abated. I didn't dare take my Blackberry. Not too crowded for Thursday. We took our pick of the many barside stools. I ordered a Centennial while Mindy ordered a stout. And just as we often do during the week, we ordered food quickly knowing we had limited time. I ordered a brisket quesadilla while Mindy went for a Lonestar, a brisket based sandwich with cheese, onions, and horseradish. I drank just one beer while Mindy had two. I planned to drive. Mindy picked up the tab. We weren't home long before I headed out to water flowers. I was feeling kind of lazy but the flowers needed a good soaking, especially after the day's mid-summer type heat. The kids got home around 8pm. At that point, we were still out back with the neighbors. After finishing the watering, I enjoyed another cold beer, this time a Great Lakes Pale Ale. Like any other school night, Mindy got the kids ready for bed and we tucked them in near 9pm. I stayed up after Mindy headed to bed. I was the only one off on Friday. I could afford to stay up a while longer.

Moving Butterflies

I was up within minutes of 530am then soon outside with the dog. At that point, I still had sleep in my eyes and a foggy head. It took a few minutes to truly wake up. By the time I was back inside it was already 550am. Geesh! I whipped out my sit-ups and push-ups, 55 of each fairly fast. I spent no more than five minutes online before moving on to meditation and stretching. I did my meditation from the deck. It was awesome. A rising sun, birds singing, and all the greenery. Frankie hung nearby but left me alone. I moved back inside to stretch. There she chewed on my running ballcap the entire time. Before taking her up to see Mindy, I took her out a second time. She hasn’t gone overnight in her pen all week. We’re making progress on that front. By the time I dressed for my run and stretched again outside it had to be 635am or slightly after. It was gorgeous – about 65 and sunny. I ran four miles with no trouble. Eggs were waiting my return. The kids were excited about school. Today was field day, a day when the entire school has outdoor activities and treats for the kids. As Bella explained, hers was in the AM and Jacob’s in the afternoon. Hmmm? Mindy left for school around 735am. Before leaving she left a check for Rachel, house cleaning day, and reminded the kids to get off the bus at home. I headed up for my shower just a few minutes later. I left Frankie play in our room while I showered, trusting her not to pee. She waited just outside the shower for me to reappear. Bella came in after her once she was done with her daily bedroom chores. Bella’s very good about making her bed and tidying up her room before leaving for school. Jacob tries but his effort doesn’t come close to Bella’s. We headed out with the pug on Sparky’s old retractable leash. Control-wise, it works a whole lot better than the old fashioned kind. Woody was out on his leash, too. The two of them got themselves tangled beyond belief while going at it. We must’ve untangled them a half dozen times before the bus arrived. Kenny and I discussed tentative plans to golf Friday afternoon. I’m off work Friday. Wahoo! After the kids boarded their bus Frankie and I headed back home. I took her out back once more where she took care of business again too. I left for work at 815am driving the BM’er. It was another lovely drive in. I spotted sister Jodi exiting at Fishinger Rd just like me. I suppose she uses that route getting to work. That being the case, I find it odd that I haven’t seen her before. I honked and waved. Work wasn’t too bad. One of my peers was visiting from our Manila NOC. We spent quite a bit of time with him leading up to lunch, which I had forgotten about and didn't mention to Mindy. She made me a lunch. We headed out to Bravo near noon. We asked for an outdoor table on their sun soaked patio. I ended up under an umbrella. My boss, not so much! I ordered their chicken BLT and a bowl of tomato bisque. Everything was delicious, including the lemonade I washed everything down with. I got a to-go box for my leftovers. Back at the office I ended up giving my leftovers to one of my team members, after she shared how hungry she was. I was full. Sadly, about 30 minutes later my peer visiting from Manila bought the entire team pizza. After declining to partake early on, I eventually caved and had two pieces. The afternoon was as busy as ever. I didn’t get out of the office until 540pm. Just before leaving work, I shared with Mindy that I wasn’t hungry. No need to worry about dinner. Meanwhile, that was music to her ears. She was busy working on year-end report cards and appreciated not having to stop to make a formal meal. Once at home, I quickly readied the next day’s coffee then changed into my ‘planting’ attire. I headed out back. I offered Jacob the opportunity to join me planting vegetables but he ended up running off to play with the neighbors instead. The first thing I did was transplant the butterfly bush to the Sparky bed from its former location against the south foundation. It came up easy. In fact, almost too easy, which was very telling as to why it hasn’t done too well in that location. There were next to no roots on one whole side of the bush. I trimmed the existing roots back a little after digging a new hole over Sparky’s grave. Bella, Makayla, and Emily gathered around. Makayla asked if she could see Sparky since she didn’t get to see him before I buried him. Too cute! I knew he was another foot below my current dig, but played along. At one point I encountered old weeping willow tree roots and proclaimed I’d encountered his bones. She pushed the others aside to get a look. I quickly shared that I was only joking. The kids weren’t so sure, however. Next, I planted the new yellow knockout rose bush in the same area. That went quick. Looks nice. The kids lost interest and moved on to other things. Jacob brought me my shed keys so I could get the tomato cages and support poles there in storage. I moved to the eastern facing flower beds where I like to plant both peppers and tomatoes. Before planting the tomatoes, I fetched my cordless drill and an 18” bit to drill pilot holes for the stakes. That worked well. I planted six tomato plants; three Roma and three Pink Girl. Next, I planted some bell & habanera pepper plants nearby. Last second, and running out of room, I decided to plant the jalapeño peppers out in the Sparky bed next to the butter fly bush. The planting left me itchy and sweaty. It was still very warm and humid. I spent the next 30 minutes watering in the newly planted vegetables and then all of the annuals both front and back. Watering is very, very relaxing. Tedious, but relaxing. Even though I just cut the grass on Sunday, it already needs it again. I have some spots starting to show signs of stress too, though. Mostly around trees where the competition for water is fierce. I thought I might activate the irrigation system later. I’ve had it off since that dry spell ended in late April. It was after 830pm when I finished my yard work. I have lots of spring tasks still on my list. Keeping the yard looking good takes a lot of work. I headed in for a shower. I heard the kids and Mindy come inside just as I was preparing to enter the shower. At Mindy’s request, I left it run for Jacob. By the time I was clean and in my PJ's I was again hungry. I snacked on some barbequed Frito’s. They're so good, and subsequently difficult to put down. While the kids showered and readied for bed, I updated my blog through Monday. Before heading to the family room to frolic with Frankie, I played guitar for about five minutes. As soon as I hit the sofa in the familyroom I started to dose. That’s what happens when I finally relax. Next thing I knew, Mindy was asking me to tuck in the children. I had the Science Channel whirling but was only half interested in the program, How It’s Made. Sorry, nothing on the Universe tonight.  After tucking in the kids I returned to the sofa now much more awake. It was only 925pm. Mindy said she was whipped and was heading to bed. Measured my interest. I offered that I would be up shortly preferring to nest there with Frankie for another 30 minutes or so. I love to have time to unwind and relax. I didn’t mention it, but sandwiched in between the yard work and my shower, I got involved with a couple nagging work matters remotely. That never helps elevate my mood. I headed to bed just after 1010pm.

BM'er Range

I was up at 530am and downstairs a short time later. After eye drops I headed out with Frankie for about 5-10 minutes. She took care of business right away but wanted to frolic around in the lovely predawn weather. It was clear and had to be in the mid 60s. Very, very nice - summery! Inside, I completed sit-ups and push-ups sandwiched around enough PC time to check the weather and a few simple headlines. These days, I need to be very deliberate with my time lest I fall quickly behind schedule. Over the next 25 minutes I enjoyed coffee, completed meditation and stretching, then took Frankie out for a second romp. It was almost 630am by the time I had Mindy’s coffee delivered. I didn’t get out the door for my run until 640am, a few minutes later than what’s become the norm. I ran scantly clothed in shorts and a tank. I was perfectly comfortable. I ran the four miles without any trouble whatsoever. My knee hasn’t barked in almost a month. For that I am very grateful. Everyone was up and in fairly decent spirits, although Mindy seemed a little hurried. She apologized for my eggs being slightly over cooked. I didn’t complain. I did, however, register a complaint about the strawberries. Tasted vinegary to me. Mindy left a few minutes late. I headed up for a shower. Frankie hung out with me in the master bathroom during my shower. We were ready ahead of 755am allowing me time to straighten up the kitchen even before heading out to the bus stop. Jacob made sure Frankie was on her leash. I felt safer with him having control of the puppy rather than Bella. She means well but is too young to understand. After the bus picked up the kids I took Frankie home for another romp in the back yard before penning. That effort again bared fruit. I made sure to transfer my golf clubs to the BM’er hoping to hit the driving range at lunch time. Off to work on another gorgeous BM’er day! Work was busy but at least somewhat manageable. I made it a point to escape for lunch just after 1pm and head to the driving range. I headed for the grass tee’s. It was warm and sunny, and about the smallest crowd there all season. I left my driver and 3-wood in the car. I planned to work on my irons exclusively. Again, I caved and bought a jumbo bucket. Being realistic, out of the 120 balls I hit, 85-90% of my shots were fine, and only two or three with the same results I frequently produce on the course. I did alter my grip about halfway through and that seemed to produce a ball flight similar to what I was accustomed to prior to this nagging problem. After altering my grip, I was literally nuttin’ my mid irons up through the 4. The altered grip allows my hand rotation to be more fluid. I ended up hitting the entire jumbo bucket of balls. And afterwards, I wandered over to the chipping green to practice a couple dozen chips shots. I did extraordinarily well there, too. I'd been gone now about an hour. I casually made my way to the car and headed on back to the office. The afternoon went by in a hurry, and I made it a point to leave the office on time. It was just after 530pm when I headed for home. I remembered Mindy saying we'd be having tacos the night before. I was still hoping that the case. I was surprised to find my dad's van in front of the house. She hadn't mentioned anything about him being there earlier. Noticeably sunburned, I asked where it came from. Dad shared that he'd been up to the river on his boat all afternoon. Said it was unusually crowded, and had perhaps the longest wait ever when pulling out. I chimed in that it was the first really nice boating day of the season, 85 and sunny. Not too surprised. He shared news about Shawn, and how his life is spiraling downward. At this point, my only comment was he better not come around my place. I/we've written him off. I recommended dad do as much too. Not to be callous, but instead for his safety. We enjoyed the tacos. I believe Jacob has his usual two big burritos. I had two tacos. After clean-up, I prepared to head out for some planting. Bella and I planted some of her sunflower seeds in an empty egg carton and then planted the rest directly into flower beds, some along the backside of the house and still others out by the tree swing. Dad left for home after we finished planting the sunflower seeds. Me & Bella took a flat of begonias out front to plant in the bed between the house and the sweet gum tree. We worked as a team. Bella declared this a father-daughter bonding experience. Too cute! Makayla hollered as they drove by. She joined us a minute or two later and helped finish the planting. Both girls were into it. That made me happy. After we finished planting the girls ran off to play. I went ahead and watered in the fresh plantings along with all the other existing flowers. It's a good habit to get into, and like I've shared before, a very relaxing experience. After the watering was completed I headed in for a shower. We tucked the kids into bed near 9pm. Mindy and I headed to bed early, near 930pm. I was exhausted.

Somewhere Ykraps is Smiling

It was another gorgeous morning. I was out of bed and downstairs by 535am. I released Frankie then fumbled with eye drops and starting coffee, something I forgot to do the night before. Soon she and I were outside milling around the backyard. It took a while, but she eventually took care of business. It was lovely outside, about 64 and clear. Inside I completed my exercise routine then quickly perused headlines and email. By 605am I was engaged in meditation, and then stretching at 615am. I headed out a second time with Frankie before taking her up to Mindy. I left for my run at 635am wearing shorts and a sleeveless wicking shirt. It felt good to run with summer attire. I ran hard and ran well completing the four miles by 712am. I returned to find my breakfast ready and waiting at my usual spot. I was thirsty, chugging about half a glass of water before hand. I asked about fresh fruit. Yes, in the fridge. I retrieved three containers, one each containing watermelon, strawberries, and pineapple. Breakfast was as good as ever. I was awfully hungry. Mindy helped both kids with their hair then left for work about five minutes late. A little behind myself, I didn’t get up to the shower until 740am. I moved even faster than usual and was downstairs ready to go even before 755am. The kids leashed up Frankie and out the door we went. Kenny was out with the girls. The pugs wrestled in the driveway, their leashes tangling numerous times. They remind me of sumo wrestlers. Soon the kids were off and Frankie and I headed back home. I planned to drive the BM’er with such a gorgeous forecast in the offing. I prepared accordingly. Driving the BM’er changes the exit strategy slightly. Sweet drive into the office. Last second I took a right at Roberts deciding to take the back way into work and up Old Dublin Rd. There were reports of a huge delay on I-270N due to an accident. The back way is much more fun anyway, especially in the BM’er. The delay on Wilson Rd alone was already enough to make me about 10 minutes late. No worries. Work wasn’t too bad - busy, but manageable. If the morning went well, I planned a trip to Lowe’s at lunch. I had our empty propane tank in the BM’er’s trunk. Turned out, I was able to get away just as I had hoped. At Lowe’s I did a propane exchange and also picked up some rat/mouse poison pellets and a new MR11 bulb for Mindy’s fountain. I like to keep a box of the poison pellets in the guts of the hot tub and another in the garage. I need to price out deck stain but didn’t bother. I wasn't planning to buy it then anyhow. I’ve been wondering why we seem to run out of propane much sooner than past. I noticed that the propane exchange tanks are only 15lbs. Used to be 20lbs. I headed back to the office after being gone about 50 minutes. I was back just ahead of 2pm. I spent a good hour or so meeting with my boss after eating my packed veggies and tuna. And just as they often do, I things got busy as the day wound down. I felt the pressure. Luckily, I was able to manage my way out of the building on time. I phoned Mindy on my walk to the BM’er but hung up prior to driving. Don’t like to chat on the phone while driving the BM’er, standard shift and all. I arrived home at 550pm. I noticed gas was down around $2.41 per gallon. That was of little consequence, however, because the market took a huge hit over the last couple of days. For me, I need to see a thriving stock market and low oil prices. Yeah! Mindy was already busy with dinner when I got home. We were having spaghetti. I commented that I guessed tacos. Spaghetti isn’t a meal that comes to mind when it’s 85 degrees. Makayla was dining with us. Seems Kenny & Chrissy drove to the nursery to get more flowers due to rabbit damage. While Mindy put the finishing touches on the spaghetti, I tested the new bulb in her fountain. Even though I hoped not, I had a suspicion that it wasn’t the bulb, but instead the underwater fixture. Much to my liking, it wound up being the bulb. Cool! It was time for dinner. I took Frankie out to pee while everyone else got started on their spaghetti. Bella came to help get Frankie back in the house. The spaghetti & meatballs was tasty. Mindy made fresh garden salads along with a fresh loaf of French bread too. Mindy made Jacob a grilled cheese in lieu of spaghetti. Come ot think of it, I like him a lot better as grilled cheese. :) Honestly, though, I think they’re at an age where they should be eating what’s served. I’m so mean! The kids headed out to play after dinner. I was eager to get some planting done myself, but before any of that the kitchen needed cleaned up. I thought briefly about asking Mindy, but didn’t. She helped a little. It was 645pm by the time clean-up was completed. I headed upstairs and quickly changed into attire more suitable for the warmth and planting. I planted white petunias around the two main rear beds and then some impatiens out front center. Afterwards I watered all the flower beds by hand, front and back. It’s amazing how quickly things dry out after all the rain we received through last Friday night. It was just after 8pm when I had all of my tools put away. I’ll most likely be planting through the Memorial Day weekend with vegetables, a rose bush, and two and a half flats of flowers still to sink. That puts me right on par with most years past. It’s a process. Speaking of MD weekend, I’m looking forward to a long 4-day weekend. Wahoo! Inside, the kids were just finishing up their bed time snacks and readying for tuck in. Mindy insisted on an 830pm bedtime after both struggled getting up earlier that morning. The way I throw my entire body into my work, I really could’ve used another shower, but chose instead to wash rag off. In the end, it probably took as much time as a shower. I tucked in the kids on demand. Bella wanted a story. I made one up that closely mimicked the antics of she and Jacob. She found it funny. Back downstairs I tuned to the Science channel watching three back-to-back episodes of How the Universe Works. Excellent show! Do check it out. Mindy couldn’t hang and headed for an early bedtime – about 920pm. I stayed up until 1030pm enjoying popcorn and TV with Frankie. I learned that Frankie loves popcorn. She went crazy when she got her first whiff. I broke the pieces into smaller, puppy sixed bites. She was in over-drive. Too funny! Somewhere I have to think Ykraps is smiling!

Royal ...pain in my ... American

I headed to bed around 1215am the night before with plans to rise no later than 730am. And that’s exactly when I rolled out of bed. It was sunny and already quite warm. It felt like a summer morning. I started coffee then took Frankie out back to take care of business. Because it was Sunday, I didn’t plan to do any sit-ups or push-ups – just stretch and run. I sipped coffee while sitting in front of my PC. I saw the Reds beat the Indians for the second day in a row. That brought a smile. Checked email, too. Glenn responded to the snow pack article I sent him. Received an email from David W. too. Said he was golfing at Wilson Rd Saturday. Hmm? I took Frankie up to Mindy at 845am. It was time for me to run. I made sure she remembered that I was golfing. She did. After a good stretch, I headed out the door for a Sunday three mile run. I ran along Trabue and down Hague. It was gorgeous. And for the first time all year, long running pants were too hot. I should’ve worn shorts. It’s like somebody flipped on the summer switch this AM. The run went well. No pain – all gain! I ran into neighbor Alex out on the running trail home. We merged our runs with about a ½ mile to go. Kenny was just backing out of his drive as I passed his place. Said he’d be over sometime just after 10am. Perfect. I was back at home before 930am and quickly organized myself for a shower. Meanwhile, Mindy was out on the deck with Frankie soaking up some sunshine while enjoying a cup of coffee. The kids were still soundly asleep. I made myself an egg, sausage, and cheese sandwich on an English muffin. I sliced and fried leftover brat for the sausage. It was good! Mindy asked if I’d be home in time for Jacob’s 330pm soccer game. I doubted it. I felt bad about missing it, but also knew he wouldn’t mind. I got organized for golf making sure I took along plenty of fluids, 2 small gatorades and a water. After printing directions to Royal American, I spotted Kenny sitting on our front porch. We were ready to go. I figured to be home around 500pm. Not only was Mindy going to Jacob’s soccer game, but also to a birthday party for an old church friend. Oh, and there was a trip to Dairy Queen planned for after the soccer game, too. The kids were looking forward to that. Royal American is just under 30 miles from our home. We arrived around 1050am – plenty of time. The course looked like it was in great shape. It’s a nice one, and very tough, too. Lots of water, trees, and tall grasses. There were four of us; me, Kenny, Mike, and Guy. There was a wait at the first tee, about ten minutes. No biggie! It’s a tough par 5 with lots of hazards. I went first and nailed my drive straight down the middle about 250-260. My 2nd shot was decent, a 3-wood which left me about 75 yards out and just off the fairway to the left. Not bad. But just as it has for the past 8 months, my daggone wedge defied me. And it’s not like I shanked just one shot. Nope, I shanked two. Great! On in 5 and three putted for an 8. Bummer. As bad as my iron play was, my driving kept me positive all day. With few exceptions, I was hitting it long and straight, but again, my short irons and chipping were horrendous. The short chipping was difficult for everyone the first cut of rough was about as thick as I've ever seen it. It completely engulfed the golf ball. :) And just when I was beginning to think I had turned a corner with my irons, I was as bad as ever with them both. I haven’t played in 15 days, or visited the range. Still got some work to do. I think I shot a 107, or about 12 shots above my usual round prior to this crazy problem. A little disheartening but not the end of the world. The weather was premo. It was actually hot out there. I could feel my arms and calves getting sunburned. We finished our round at 430pm – about 5 hours later. I phoned Mindy as we exited the course. She was just leaving the soccer game for Dairy Queen. Said Jacob’s team got smoked 8-2. We made good time home arriving just ahead of 5pm. Meanwhile, Mindy figured to be home around 530pm. I played with Frankie then snacked until she and the kids got home. Even though I badly wanted to get busy on yard chores, I didn’t want to re-pen Frankie. I waited. Mindy was home just after 530pm. Just before 6pm, I changed into attire more suitable for mowing then headed out. I whacked, edged, mowed and blowed. Lawn work took me until 730pm. The last thing Mindy & I did was sink the six new solar landscape lights I bought last week. Afterwards, I headed in where I took my second shower of the day. After my shower I treated myself to several pieces of leftover Minelli’s pizza microwaved. It was pretty good. The rest of the evening was spent chilling from the sofa where Bella and I watched TV. But for the life of me, I can’t recall what program we watched. Tucked the kids in late – after 9pm. Back to the sofa where I fell asleep with Frankie tangled between my legs.

Power Washin' Frenzy

I was up just after 7am. I was hoping to discover sunshine, but what we had were lots of lingering clouds. However, the forecast promised clearing skies later with only a weak chance of widely scattered showers beforehand. Frankie and I soon headed out back. The edges of the rear flower beds were still underwater and the rest of the yard swampy. Over the next hour or so the sun peaked out from behind the ever-thinning clouds giving hope that more stable sunshine was on its way. I had a full to-do list, and many of the chores dependent on dry, if not sunny conditions. But clouds or not, it was the weekend and in the end, I was happy to have a couple days to recharge. For the next hour or so I got my blog all caught up. As 10am neared the house remained quiet. I poured Mindy some coffee and then took her the pug. After a good stretch I headed out for my Saturday run. It must’ve been in the low 60’s and the humidity really high. I was soaked head to toe with sweat by run’s end. It felt good though. Mindy was up by the time I was back. She played with Frankie and worked on her grocery list. It sounded like she’d be heading off to yoga and then grocery shopping. With most of my chores dependent of better weather, I decided it a good day to powerwash the front porch and deck. That I could do as long as it wasn't thundering and lightning. After fooling around inside for another hour or so, I headed out to start power washing. Mindy left for yoga just before I headed out. I put Bella on pug patrol. I had one heck of a time getting the power washer started. I got out the manual to make sure I was using all the controls properly. Finally, after about 20 attempts it started. I power washed the front porch first removing the mossy green build up that forms there annually from lack of direct sunshine. And since the opportunity presented itself, I power washed the Trooper too. The front wheels needed it badly. They were caked in brake dust. It must’ve taken about 30-40 minutes out front. After a short break, I toted it around to the deck. I power washed the horizontal surface of the deck first, and then the four stackable deck chairs. That took some doing. I had to stop and refuel once. I made a couple careless errors carving figure 8s directly into the treated wood decking with the high pressure wand. I’ll try and sand it out after it dries. No biggie. The kids were getting bored playing inside, and despite the clouds, it was getting fairly warm out. Must’ve been about 73. Jacob discovered the steps I built down to the pond a couple years ago for easy watering access – the old pond pump days. He called it his new fort. He played down there getting ridiculously muddy. Mindy got home a short time later. She didn’t bother asking for assistance with the groceries. I didn’t know she was home until Bella came out and advised. Soon Bella headed out with Jacob to play along the pond in the mud. What a muddy mess. After finishing the power washing, I fetched Mindy’s deck fountain from the shed and got it cleaned and running. Unfortunately, the light wasn’t working. Wasn’t sure if it was the bulb again. In any case, I got the pump running. Next, I added a dual hose diverter to my rear water supply so I could have a separate hose caddy on the upper level of the deck which will make watering the deck pots and hanging baskets that much more convenient. That took about an hour. It was mid to late afternoon when I finished. The sun came out and pretty much remained out for the rest of the day. Expecting summer-type weather for at least a week (80s and sun). My last significant task was to head up on the roof to clear the gutters. For the last week or so, with each bout of rainfall, we had a waterfall flowing over the gutters. I knew there had to be a back-up of some sort, especially around back. Sure enough. The gutters were filled to the brim. The downspout screens were clogged with cotton wood fairies, which now looked like slimy green goo. I cleared them all, though the back was by far the worst. Come 430pm. I was done, spent, exhausted. I needed/wanted a shower. The neighbors were having a family get-together and invited us to partake. Mindy and the kids headed down around 515pm. I wasn’t too far behind, joining her there around 530pm. I took along a selection of beers from our garage mini-fridge. Lots of food and lots of people. And amongst the crowd of people there were a lot of unfamiliar faces. We hung out with the neighbors until just before midnight having too much fun. Mindy fell asleep with Frankie on a deck bench. I had to wake her to head home. Before heading for home, Kenny and I firmed up our golf plans for Sunday - 1120am tee time at Royal American.

Silly Bands

The forecasters were correct. The lovely weather we enjoyed Thursday was gone as quickly as it arrived. We were right back where we’d been for most of the last 7 or 8 days – gray skies with the expectation of significant rain with temperatures struggling to reach 68. I was up at 530am and quickly had my routine underway. Frankie and I carried on with the morning like most others. After two trips outside, exercise, coffee, stretching and meditation, I took Frankie to Mindy so I could head out for my run. Meanwhile, I was so thankful that it was Friday. I needed a weekend like never before. I ran four miles like usual, finding myself back at home near 715am. Mindy had my eggs already prepared and waiting. Even thought the temperature was in the mid 50’s it felt warmer due to high humidity. The kids were wearing shorts I noticed. Mindy must’ve relaxed her short wearing policy. :) Mindy left for work at 730am. I took Frankie upstairs while I showered. I wore the new purple t-shirt mindy bought me a couple weeks ago. It looked good – soft and snug! I was determined to do everything within my power to help Friday become a good day at the office. To aide in that effort, I packed my iTouch. It was raining come bus time. Jacob and I shared an umbrella. Bella had her own. I took Frankie out back for one last romp before heading off to work. Work was busy, but I was hell bent on not allowing it to overrun me. To that end, I planned a hair cut for lunch time and left the office around 1pm. I decided on Saturday’s. My wait was next to none. She already knew the drill: clippers sides and back. She asked how much length off the top. About an inch, I replied. By the time she was finished, my hair was as short as it’s been in a couple of years. I didn’t say anything. It always grows back. In fact, I still tipped her well. No additional stops. Straight back to work. It rained on and off through the afternoon. Work got a little crazy here and there but once again I did my best to keep it at bay. After a crazy week, I asked my boss about leaving a little early, but only like 30 minutes. He was cool with it. I didn’t bother calling and telling Mindy. I left the office at 505pm. It’s sad that that felt early, but that’s how it’s been lately. Looked like Dena’s minivan parked in front of the house. Yep, she and Noah were over for a visit. Mindy and Dena were sitting in the living room chatting quietly as I entered. After a brief meet & greet I headed on into the kitchen/familyroom. There sat Noah and Jacob but not making any eye contact or conversation. It dawned on me that the two of them were at odds with one another. I casually made my way back into the living room where Dena asked if the boys were talking. No, I shared. Noah, looked sad but willing. On the other hand, Jacob was doing what he often does to me, looking the other way and not speaking. Unable to endure the chilly silence, I asked the boys if they wanted to throw the football. Too wet, Jacob replied. Noah, of course, said yes. Hmm? How about cards? I took a deck cards out of drawer and into the family room and asked if either of them knew how to play 52 pick-up. Nope? Well, let’s play then. They both said yes. The result got a chuckle out of them both. I picked up the cards and said I’d teach them how to play Black Jack/21. Both were willing. Soon we were engaged in cards and having fun. I knew the girls would appreciate me helping to break the ice. What I didn’t know was that that was the sole purpose of the visit. They purposefully left the boys in the room together insisting they work out their differences. After about 30 minutes of Black Jack the boys wanted to stop, and so did I. I stretched out on the familyroom floor flat on my back. I eventually drifted off to sleep. When I woke, Noah and Dena were gone. Hmm? Must’ve slept a little deeper than I thought. Of all things, Mindy and Bella left to go find silly bands, a new fad for kids that are little more that colored plastic rubber bands in various shapes and worn as bracelets. I heard they’re selling packs of 25 for $5! Mindy said earlier that we’d be getting pizza with the neighbors, but I thought she said she’d order them when they got home. I played the guitar for about 30 minutes, something I haven’t done much of at all lately.  Funny how that happens. Frankie seems drawn to my strumming. I found her coiled up next to my feet while I played. Meanwhile, it was raining at a good clip, and probably more so than any other point during the day. Any hopes I had of it clearing out earlier than predicted were dashed. Mindy & Bella returned with silly bands and pizza, I’m guessing it was around 7pm. The neighbors were supposed to join us, but weren’t yet over. I was hungry and quickly dug into the pizza. Kenny & Chrissy showed up with the girls about 20 minutes later. To help lighten the mood for everyone, I put in the first Austin Powers movie. Forgot how funny it is. Still amazes me that Mindy hasn’t seen any of the Austin Powers movies. Around 8pm Kapil and Poebena came over with Isha. While we yucked it up inside, there was one heck of a thunderstorm rumbling away outside. I took the pugs out, both Woody & Frankie, right in the middle of a heavy downpour. Lightning and thunder was flashing and clapping too. Scary! With all the rain we’ve had, this is the first major thunderstorm in quite a while, and only the second all season. Our guests headed home around 10pm. I checked the Reds/Indians score before bed. Reds won. Cool!

Sunny with a Chance of Flowers

As required by my contract, I was up at 530am. I was still extremely tired but knew the feeling would be fleeting. After brushing my teeth and heading downstairs, I was already well on my way to shaking it off. I freed Frankie whose early morning behavior was noticably subdued. She and I headed out back for her first romp. It was crystal clear but also chilly. I later learned that it was only 47 degrees. She took care of business rather quickly. Inside I threw on my running shoes, albeit loosely, then started my exercise routine. After 55 sit-ups and 55 push-ups I quickly checked the temperature and then morning headlines. I poured some coffee. It was 555am. I sipped it quickly then started meditation and stretching. At 620am I took Frankie out for romp number two. She used the time wisely. It was after 625am by the time I delivered her to Mindy’s watch. By then, Mindy was already mid-shower. I put Frankie in the soaking tub. She started whining immediately. She hates being in there. I dressed and left for my run at 635am. It was nice to run under clear skies and a rising sun. Been a while. I ran my regular route of four miles. Felt terrific. Back at home, the kids were downstairs dressed in shorts, the first time permitted to wear them all week. The high was forecasted to approach 77 with sunshine. Unfortunately, Friday now looks like another rainy day in the upper 60s, but after that it looks like the segue to summer. Before Mindy left for school, she asked if I planned to golf after work. The week I’ve had – you’re dang skippy! She expressed hope that I’d come home in a better frame of mind. Probably deserved that. She left just after 730am. The kids and I carried on with our morning routines as normal. I was off to the shower with Frankie. She spent another 5-10 minutes in the soaking tub while I showered. She wasn’t happy. Jacob handled Frankie on her leash at the bus stop. Chrissy had Woody on his leash too. The two of them got tangled up several times while wrestling. Meanwhile, it was so dang beautiful, sunny skies and temps already near 60. Gorgeous! Frankie and I headed back home after the kids were off to school. I took her out for one last romp. I so wanted to stay home but knew I couldn’t. I left for work at 815am. Work was busy from the second I sat down to the minute I left for lunch. It was coming fast and furious but I was determined to get away for a while just to maintain some semblance of a positive attitude. I headed to Strader’s, a sure-fire pick me up destination. There, I picked up two more flats of annuals - a flat of impatiens and begonias, a flat of vegetables – tomato and pepper plants, two more of these trailing flowers for the deck pots, and lastly, a yellow knock-out rose bush especially for Mindy. I had just told her that knockouts didn’t come in yellow. New this year, I guess. I spent about $60 – not too bad. I thought about detouring to Wal-Mart on my way back to the office to look for a simple old-fashioned hose hanger, but opted instead to head straight back. Work was beckoning. The afternoon was just as busy as the morning. I did my best to remain positive and sunny. I sent a quick email to Bob I inquiring about golf, which I sorely needed. He responded quickly that he was out – too busy and working/staying late. I know the feeling. Darn. I could’ve called Tom C., but opted instead to use my time otherwise. I figured I could either plant flowers or go to dinner (Barley’s) with Mindy. Both sounded good. Mindy phoned around 430pm. I let her know that work was busy and that golf was out. I promised to try and leave on time. We made tentative plans to dine at Barley’s. After the week I've had, I needed it. I tried hard to get out of work on time (530pm) but that just wasn’t in the cards. I was there until 615pm or later. I called Mindy just ahead of 6pm and then again along my drive home. We still planned to do Barley’s. We had until 8pm. By the time I arrived home, Mindy was all ready to go. I just needed a minute or two to freshen up. We were out the door by 640pm. I was still I in work mode but at least I was away from the office. Barley’s was packed! We got the last two bar side seats. Apparently some big group around back. Janet was working the bar. She guessed me a Centennial. Yes, please! Mindy had a stout of some sort. Didn't hear her order. As with most Thursdays, we ordered food right away being on a somewhat short leash. I ordered a Texas Burger with a side of their new potato salad. Mindy ordered a brisket quesadilla. Our food came quick and it was scrumptious. I made fairly quick work of mine. I stuck with just the one beer, and Mindy did the same. We stayed long enough to eat and enjoy the one beer. That's it. Mindy picked up the check. We headed home around 740pm. First thing I did was I carry all the flowers purchased earlier around to the deck. We beat the kids home by about 5-10 minutes. They pulled up just as I was situating the trash can by the curb for tomorrow AM's pick-up. After a fast hug, Bella dashed off to see Makayla. On the other hand, Jacob paid me little attention as he sauntered on into the house and eventually out back to see his momma, who was out there playing with Frankie. The family eventually headed down to visit with the neighbors, who were collected in Kapil and Peobena's yard. While they visited, I snuck a quick nap on the sofa. Heavenly I tell you! Not sure the time when they returned but guessing it near 830pm. No showers, just jammies before bed. We tucked the kids in around 9pm. Bella insisted I share the story of the first time I met her. I laid in her bed telling her all about it. She was just a couple weeks shy of three when we first met. The story amused her. Back downstairs I tuned into the Science Channel or one of its peer channels (Learning, Discovery, etc) watching another program about asteroids, this one about the potential for damage should one strike Earth. Afterwards I watched a program about fixing huge machines, the setting Vegas. That was cool, too. Mindy headed to bed around 950pm. I wasn't far behind, joining her in bed directly at 10pm.