The End of Xmas

I woke Saturday near 745am and quickly made a beeline for the kitchen in an effort to start some coffee effectively kicking off my Saturday. I sat at the PC while coffee brewed checking the weather and a few headlines. It was downright cold, only 26 degrees, but completely sunny skies and an expected high near 50 and a warming trend for the next 10 days. 

Over the next hour or two I managed to post blog entries through Wednesday all the while relaxing and enjoying some coffee. I headed out for a run around 930am. If memory serves, Mindy remained asleep as I set out on my run. I bundled warmly in full winter attire. However, despite the cold temp, the sun made it feel so much warmer. In fact, it was already ten degrees warmer than it was when I first checked near 8am. 

Mindy was up when I got back from my run. We were expecting the kids home between 11am and noon. Before then, we spent some time inspecting the hallway paint job looking for thin spots and flaws, and then another half hour getting it put back in order installing the wall plates and rehanging the art and mirror.  I put all the paint supplies away, too.

Near 11am I decided it was time to finally take down the xmas lights from the roof, something I’ve put off for too long during ski season. However, before heading out I made pork and swiss sandwich. Talk about scrumptious!  It was near 40 degrees when I headed out to get started, a bit cooler than I preferred but at least there wasn’t any frost on the roof which would’ve pushed the job out even further. 

I was very careful making my way out to the roof’s edge removing the lights and the gutter/roof clips. It didn’t take but 20-25 minutes to get them removed from the front roof line, but I still had to remove the lights from the separate garage roof line accessed via ladder (too steep). That didn’t take long either, though, ten minutes tops. All that was left was the power feed and the initial strand running up the west gutter downspout. All totaled, I’m guessing I spent an hour taking down the lights.  

The kids were home about the time I was finishing up. Now completely motivated, I took care of a handful of other outdoor chores too, including putting away the kids sleds and then removing and stowing the Thule from atop the Pilot. And while I was in the shed, I decided it as good a time as any to start the John Deere. It started easily. I let it run for a good five minutes. 

Next up was cleaning up our skis. There was a powdery white film on all of our equipment. I’m guessing some chemical treatment they apply to the snow at MRM to help reserve it, though not really sure. Mindy and Bella headed out to Target while I was busy with the skies. Bella wanted to be sure that I would clean up hers too. Yes! I took my new skis to the basement. Not sure if I’ll leave the others in the garage all summer. Hmmm?

I even took care of some yard chores, picking up all the tree debris fallen in the backyard. I noticed lots of trash and shattered plastic out by the tree house. I planned to have Jacob clean that up.  I did a few more miscellaneous chores, too, like repotting a house plant, sweeping the garage floor, and destroying the hard drive from my first real PC – an old 486DXx2 so I could throw it away. I drilled about ¼” ten holes in it. It must’ve been about 230-3pm when I headed inside to shower and relax. 

We made arrangements to have the boys spend the night and were expecting them around 530pm. We offered that Lindsey could bring her laundry when she brought the boys that way we could do it at our leisure through the evening. If nothing else, that would give us more control of our Sunday.  

After my shower and before Mindy and Bella were home, I did some reading from the recliner. I’m guessing I read for about 45 minutes. I took a brief nap in their too, which was heavenly. 

Not sure the time when Mindy got home. She suggested we grill brats and dogs for dinner. That sounded good. We also planned to have baked beans. I made another batch of guacamole this time adding a bell pepper and a bit more salt than before. While prepared the guacamole, Mindy boiled the brats as a precursor to grilling. In addition to water, we used two bottles of two year old Hop Slam.

Lindsey and the boys showed up near 530p as planned. They were quick to want to play outside with Jacob and the others. And why not? It was a gorgeous early spring day. The kids bounced between our house and the O’Connell’s place through the early evening until dinner, which again consisted of brats, dogs, and boneless chicken breasts from the grill, the first such event of the season. Miraculously, we still had propane.  

Dinner was ready around 6-630pm. It was delicious. I finished the White Rajah that I opened the night before then cracked a fresh one while I was grilling. I eventually cracked a second White Rajah, but they weren’t going down that easily and I just didn’t have the urge for more. Instead, I was thirsty for water. Around 8pm we all gathered around the TV and bought and watched a Time Warner PPV movie, Jack & Jill, and Adam Sandler movie.  

It was funny and the kids loved it. Landon fell asleep 30 minutes in and was out for the night. Neighbor Evan was over and stayed for the movie’s entirety. His dad, however, asked him to be home immediately after the movie. The movie was over by just after 930pm. Not only did Evan head home, but Mindy, Jacob and Rocky all headed upstairs to bed. Mindy asked that I carry Landon up when I came. She and Jacob inflated the air mattress in Jacob’s room.  

Bella and I stayed up watching another TV program but unfortunately I can’t recall what. Once I started dosing I was ready for bed. Carrying Landon up the stairs damn near killed me. He weighs 68lbs. Holy crap!