Crusty

Waking up well before I need to is slowly becoming the norm. If I keep this practice up, I'll have loads of free time to use constructively in the mornings. I might even sneak in an early run now and then. Those are the best! You've got to admit, if one can exercise, meditate, & run before 7am they will have accomplished more than many will across an entire day. I was up by 5:15am. The skies were cloudy and still a bit rainy, but the temperature was moderating. It was already in the mid 40's. Exercise, morning walk, and meditation went well, and just like many days since the fallback, I was able to relax, read the Daily OM, and peruse a few WebPages before getting busy with food prep. I had left my running shoes on the heating vent in the dinette area because they were soaked and smelly from running in the rain the day before. I grabbed and sprayed them with Lysol before stuffing them into my gym bag. I did it right then to avoid forgetting about them and later regretting not having my shoes at run time. I packed our lunches and cooked breakfast. I made scrambled eggs topped with Mexican shredded cheese today. They were tasty. The kids rose earlier than usual too. They had sit down breakfast's as well. By 7:10am we were all done eating and cleaning up. Mindy eventually left for the day while I headed up for a shower. Because of my structured approach, I had plenty of guitar playing time before needing to depart for work. I left around 7:40am - about normal. Work went fast for being so busy. I left for my run somewhere close to 1pm. If memory serves me, it was 57 degrees but still a bit drizzly, but I was dressed appropriately. Before I knew it I was back at my desk ready to tear into an awaiting lunch. It was tastier than ever. The afternoon was busier than the morning. And for whatever reason, I got involved in multiple issues after 3:30pm that eventually kept me busy until almost 6pm. Mindy had called me around 4pm asking how I felt about going to dinner at Red Lobster with her and the kids. I warmed to the idea but wasn't too sure I'd get away in time. I checked in periodically to let her know what was up. At 5:40 I called and left her VM telling her to go ahead without me. She called back almost immediately and requested I just meet them there, especially if I were leaving work in the next ten minutes, which I was almost certain by then would happen. I left work at 5:55pm and headed towards Red Lobster. Foolishly, I had passed on fueling the almost empty Trooper on my way into work thinking I'd do it later. Now I had no choice but to stop for gas in route to Red Lobster. Crap! My second biggest fear. Gas prices were up over $.21 during the day. My procrastination cost me an additional $4. I made it to Red Lobster by 6:25pm. Mindy, the kids, and a surprise guest, Keri were already eating appetizers. Mindy informed me that her and Keri ordered the Ultimate Feast (lobster tail, shrimp scampi, crab legs & two sides) That sounded good and plentiful, so I ordered that too. To my surprise, our meals arrived pretty much together. Mine took only an extra minute or so. We ate together. The kids were very well behaved until after they'd eaten and were getting tired and bored. We knew it was time to leave when Bella began fussing. I carried her out stopping briefly at the lobster tank to take a look at all of the lively crustations. I put my hand in and so did Bella. The only difference was that she drank the water off of her hand! Ewh! Bella chose to ride home with me. Little did I know that she'd change her mind but only after we were on I-270. She cried for her mother the rest of the way home. Lovely!!! Once we were home and inside Mindy got the kids a bath while I updated my blog. And just like always, I joined them for the read and tuck. Mindy and I headed to bed ourselves even before 9pm. I fell asleep quickly.

Tommy Boy

Tic-Tac-Toe Interacial relationships amongst gords. Are they OK? After nearly two years, I decided on Sunday to end the insanity and set my bedroom clock to at least the correct hour. Since the “fallback” I have been operating with the clock about 3.33 hours fast. In the middle of the night it takes some doing to calculate the actual time. When I finally made the needed adjustment I thought I set it to be about 18 minutes fast. But when I got up Monday morning and found my way downstairs, I realized that it was about 28 minutes fast. Subsequently, I was up at exercising by 5:15am. At least now a mid-sleep glance will assure me of the nearest hour. I went to bed on Sunday night still not knowing the fate of the Vikings game. Last I knew they were trailing 6-3 with about 9 minutes remaining. I was hopeful that they’d score a late TD to seal the win. After completing my exercises and a walk with Ykraps I sat at the PC with coffee in hand to check on the outcome. They lost 9-3. Slackers! Well, if nothing else, the weather’s looking up. The sky’s clear and the sun’s expected to shine at least a little throughout the day. Plus, we’re expecting a warming trend over the next three or four days into the weekend. I had plenty of time to meditate and read the Daily OM before preparing lunch and breakfast. I took my time with food prep, too. We sat to eat before 7am rolled around. Time-wise, I was sitting pretty! Soon Mindy and the kids were out the door on their way to the sitter’s and school. I was in the shower. I left for work at 7:40am sharp after a little guitar picking. I almost forgot my laptop, which would have dampened an otherwise pleasant morning. I arrived at work just before 8am. Work was pleasant. No one was too quick to blast me for the Vikings blow up in large part because most of their teams lost as well. I stayed busy up until I left for a run. My run went extremely well. The weather was nice and my body loose and limber. When I returned to the office I made quick work of my packed lunch. I was awfully hungry. Mindy had alerted me earlier in the day that she would be going shopping and to dinner with her mother after school. At first I forgot about this being a kidless evening and instead assumed they’d be going along. I wondered why she’d sign up for such punishment. I later learned that Jim had the kids and that Mindy and her mom would be shopping in peace and quiet. Good for her. She deserves the time out. She asked if I wanted to meet then for dinner. I declined. Instead, I told Mindy that I would most likely stop by my dad’s for a visit and to check on Sheila. I headed straight to my dad’s after work. When I pulled up I saw that Tommy was there as was another mystery visitor. Once inside I saw that was Melissa, Charles wife. We all visited for about an hour catching up on all the babies and all the kids. What goes into the strange category is Charles’ new part-time gig. He’s caring for a 99 year old man, who Melissa reports is the richest man in Newark. Apparently Charles dresses him and gets him to appointments. So, I guess you could say that Charles is servicing a 99 year old man. J Melissa said the guy still drives himself about town. That’s scary! I left when Melissa did. I needed to get home and walk Ykraps. I called Mindy to check in. She was just about to leave Minelli’s after eating dinner there. She asked if I wanted her to bring me a pizza home. How could I refuse? I accepted. She also asked if Tommy was coming over. I called his cell, and as it turned out, he was just leaving dad’s. He accepted an invite over for conversation and pizza. Tommy arrived while I was out walking Ykraps. Jim M. showed up with the kids just after 7pm. He didn’t stay long - just long enough to drop the kids and say hello. Mindy arrived minutes later with the pizza in tow. For the most part, Tommy and I shared the pizza. The kids and Mindy had already eaten. Mindy got the kids ready for bed while Tommy and I ate pizza. She called me up for the read and tuck around 7:40pm. The kids fell asleep quickly. We spent the next hour or more talking with Tommy about his pending divorce, the kids, his relationship with Heather, and the soon to arrive baby. One can easily see that Tommy’s stressed. But then again who wouldn’t be given his circumstances. There are very few quick fixes for his dilemma. If he’s not careful he’ll find himself working on his second and third divorce at the same time. Yikes!!! I wish him well and am here for him regardless. Tommy left sometime around 9pm. Mindy and I stayed up only for a short time after his departure. I think we were in bed by 9:30pm.

The Final Cut Has Come

The Final Cut & 4000th photo Canon PS-S2IS I woke by 8:00am after a solid nine hours of sleep. I felt rested but still a little groggy. And for whatever reason, I wasn’t in the best of moods either. I proceeded to complete my exercise routine with kids hanging off my body. Bella whipped out a series of push-ups right along side me. I walked Ykraps under a cloudy sky and milder temperatures. I returned home for some much anticipated coffee and relaxation. Mindy was already started on her report cards, Bella was in our bed watching a movie, and Jacob was on my PC. I was a little miffed to find Jacob on my PC since I planned and was looking forward to spending an hour or so catching up on football scores, stories, and email. What’s worse, he was attempting to download games which I don’t have any desire to have on my PC in the first place. In fact, I don’t like anything to be downloaded on my PC by anyone else. In hindsight I probably should have asked him to find something else to do. Instead, I stewed over it. I wasn’t happy about it at all. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, I chose to ready for my run a bit early. I left for my run around 9:30am. I enjoyed my alone time. I was still a little angry, however, even after I returned. After all, my routine was spoiled. My plan for the day included nothing more than yard work. I hoped to cut the grass for what might be the final cut. We had a moderate cover of leaves too, which I figured would mulch up nicely provided they were dry enough. Mindy chose to go shopping and take Bella. Jacob asked to stay behind with me to work in the yard. Once they were gone I think he was a little sorry that he elected to stay back. He seemed surprised and hurt that I was going to cut the grass. He really wanted to ride his bike without training wheels. I told him he could ride but with training wheels while I cut the lawn. He didn’t care for that. In the end, he chose to go inside and watch TV while I cut the lawn. I chose not to trim or edge since the grass hasn’t grown that much after several recent freezes. However, it’s still very thick and green. I cut the entire lawn in a little more than an hour. Just as I had hoped, the leaves mulched up nicely, although to make that happen I had to make multiple passes in the back. As I finished up, the kids came out hoping to get a tractor ride. I obliged. We linked up the trailer and took a ride down the street and back through the yard. They really seemed to enjoy it. After a long ride we returned to play a little t-ball since Jacob had been asking to do so for a couple of days. Soon, Bella bored with the t-ball and disappeared into the house. Jacob and I played ball for about an hour. He hits off the tee and via the pitch equally well. We used a tennis ball so I let a few pitches rip. He got a hold of a few and sent the ball two yards over. He’s a natural, but he does need to work on his catching and throwing. By the time we went inside it was almost 3pm. I took a small nap all the while the Bengals game played out on the TV. Come 3:30pm I got up to take a shower and ready for Gloria’s. Mindy commented that Gloria had some things she wanted us to do for her today, however she didn’t know what. We left for her house just before 4pm. When we arrived most everyone else was already there. We noticed right away that there was a large pile of tree mulch left where a large maple once stood. I have a hard time understanding why one would chop down a perfectly healthy mature tree. After saying hello to everyone Mindy and I headed outside to place the ground-up tree stump in lawn bags. This marks the first time I have ever used one of these. I have always had the luxury of a compost pile at my homes. Gloria only had four bags and we filled them quickly. Once full, they were very heavy, too. Mindy borrowed one additional from the neighbor but there remained quite a pile even still. I wanted to move some of the mulched debris to the backyard to fill several large holes in the lawn that I feel pose safety hazards for running kids or even adults. In the end we didn’t. Back inside I headed to the basement family room to catch-up on NFL football scores. The Bengals lost and the Vikings and Browns were losing. The call to dinner came soon after. I was ready to eat. We had pot roast with carrots and potatoes – one of my all-time favorites. As sides we had stuffing and cucumber salad. Later, for dessert, we had pecan pie and brownies. I had one of each. We left for home just after 7pm. Mindy was in a hurry to get home in an effort to get the kids a much needed bath. And once we arrived she did just that. I walked Ykraps. After the kids were fast asleep, we tuned into the Colts-Patriots game. I was hopeful that the Colts would kick the Patriots behinds if for no other reason than vengeance. It was 14-14 when I headed to bed. Mindy had headed up about an hour earlier.

Hear the Buckeyes Roar & Joe Pa's leg snap

A Nightmare to be sure! Jacob in "The Scream" Some of Dad's friends. I was up by 8:15am eager to begin my day. Despite drinking only three beers the night before, I felt a tad on the groggy side. I did my usual sit-ups, push-ups, and weights before 8:30am. I headed out into the sun soaked morning air with Ykraps before 8:45am. It was a very enjoyable walk. Before my run I lazed around the house sipping a couple of cups of coffee. I left for my run close to 9:45am. I saw that several roofing jobs were underway in the subdivision – the remnants of the early October hail storm. After I returned from running, Mindy spent the next couple of hours preparing for the wedding shower that she coordinated for her friend Shelly and would be attending this afternoon. And while she did that, I spent an hour or so painting with the kids. We completed about eight water colors. Mindy helped get the kids dressed and ready for an afternoon of fun before she headed out. We’d be on our own for about four hours. We planned to visit Tuttle Mall, have lunch, and who knows what else. We each went our separate ways come 1pm. We could see that the mall was packed as we exited the freeway. We found parking on the west side of the mall a ways out from Macy’s. I forgot to review the game plan with the kids prior to exiting the car, a tactic Mindy employs to help the kids understand what’s expected of them. Truth be told, I was just a little nervous about how our mall adventure might turn out. Bella was pretty good about hanging close and holding my hand. I chose to allow Jacob a little more freedom. They were convinced we were going the wrong way to the play area, but I knew different. Oh-oh. As we approached the play are we discovered that it was under construction. Santa’s elves were busy putting Xmas land together. The kids were not too thrilled. I convinced them to make lemonade, however. We watched some of the construction and even took a few smiling pics against the already standing Xmas trees. Soon we moved on perusing the mall. Our first stop was the Discovery Store. The kids and I both gave that stop a thumbs up. No sooner did we get in the door did Bella need to potty. Of course! We left promptly promising to return and headed directly to the bathroom. We ended up in the men’s room in lieu of the family bathroom. Emergency averted! Before exiting the bathroom, the kids played against the three-way mirror. The thought of three Bella’s sent shivers down my spine! J We returned to the Discovery Store where the kids entertained themselves for almost an hour playing with some cool toys. Bella was most enamored with the musical instruments (no real surprise). Jacob liked the small gadgets. After and hour I convinced them to move on. I wanted to stop in the Bath & Body right next door to see if they had their pine tree candles out yet. Their pine candles smell very christmassey. They had them out. Last year they were in high demand and subsequently ran out early. The kids were not happy to be there and complained. In reality, were there only a minute. They wanted to move on. We continued our stroll through the mall stopping only at the department store rides down by Sears. I let them crawl about the equipment but never put any coins in. After ten minutes and some pictures, we decided to leave the mall and head for Wendy’s. We arrived at Wendy’s by 2:20pm. The kids ordered chicken nugget kids meals. I ordered a double combo. I hadn’t eaten inside a Wendy’s in years. Not much has changed. The kids were well behaved. For that I was pleased. I had to pee and was unsure how to mange such a situation. I chose to leave them unattended for a minute while I addressed the pressing matter. I considered alerting the help, but decided against announcing solo children. Mindy later informed me that she would have taken them in with her. And I suppose I could’ve disrupted their meal and did that, but I never gave it any thought. We left Wendy’s at 2:45pm to head for home. We had 45 minutes until kick-off. The kids, so far, had performed above expectations. Once back home we settled down in front of the television to catch opening kick-off. Jacob went outside to play. The Buckeyes looked strong and methodical in the first half but never truly dominated like many thought they would. Come 4:40pm, Mindy arrived home from the shower just about he beginning of halftime. Nervously I sat and watched the second half of the game. Illinois quietly began shutting down the Buckeyes offense and then snuck in a field goal to keep things somewhat close. As the 3rd quarter came and went, the Buckeyes had failed to add to their lead. The Buckeyes never trailed but did provide an opportunity for Illinois to make it close. The game ended after the Buckeyes covered an onside kick. Mindy offered to make dinner, but I was still pretty full from Wendy’s. The kids and I had a sword fight after the game that lasted up until their bedtime. After putting the kids to bed Mindy and I spent the remaining hours watching more football by a roaring fire. I had a few beers – a honey raspberry ale, a Columbus pale ale, and Mojo IPA. We went to bed just after 10:30pm.

Resurrecting Friday...It's all coming back

Didn't have these even at West High School Donut remenants some appealing kiddie art (Picasso-like) Tis that season... Friday is almost a blur by now, but I do recall “the big rocks”. It was sunny and chilly. I felt good about the weekend ahead, especially after feeling a bit like a sacrificial lamb the weekend before. This weekend would be work-free and house guest free. Before going to work I attended Donuts with Dad with Jacoby (see school pics). I dropped Jacob at Grandma Sharon's on my way to work. Little Rocky, who was already there, was surprisingly happy to see me and gave me a big ol' hug, so did Bella. I made it to work by 9:00am. The work day was moderate. I completed an unusually early run just because I could. I didn’t hear from any family members by phone or by email. I left work just after 5pm and headed directly home. Mindy was still a little under the weather but wanted to go to Barleys. She had made arrangements for Christopher, the 15 yr old son of a close friend, to come over and watch the kids. Our plan was to head out about an hour earlier than usual and return around 9:30pm. That is what we did. We arrived at Barleys just after 7:30pm. Most of the Friday regulars were present. We ordered some food shortly after I began sipping my first beer. I ordered my usual Gates of Hell wings with a side basket of onion straws. Mindy ordered a salad. And because of her cold, she didn’t drink any alcohol save for a few sips of my second beer. We tried encouraging Bob to have a Michigan game clubhouse event, but Bob was still largely non-committal. We’ll just have to see. Mindy reminded me come 9:15pm that she wanted to leave soon. I obliged by finishing off my third beer. Throughout the evening, I had two IPA’s with a St Joan’s Revenge sandwiched between. We left and were home by 9:40pm. Mindy gave Chris a ride home while I surfed the web. She was back by 10:10pm. We talked for a spell but then headed to bed. As I recall, Mindy fell asleep before me.

A defensive struggle :)

slick as a whistle! Still standing tall Up yet again at 5:30am, I felt plenty rested and ready to begin my Thursday. Once downstairs I choked down a vitamin, filled my water glass, peeked out the back door, and began my calisthenics. It was a mere 5:45am when I finished up. I was well ahead of schedule. Ykraps and I dawned our jackets (he keeps his on all the time) and headed out the door for our usual morning walk. The air was extremely nippy and the ground crunchy, a clear indication that it was below freezing. My light jacket and t-shirt proved inadequate for the chill in the air. The sky was clear though. Something I always appreciate in the mornings – the ability to stare deep into the heavens. Once we returned I was eager to check the actual temperature. And just as I suspected, this was our coldest morning of the season. It was only 27 degrees. The day’s high was only expected to top out at 43 degrees. I took Mindy her coffee and she once again promptly got up and got moving making certain that the entire household would be once again ahead of schedule. Just as I always do, I began making our two meals – breakfast and lunch. The kids were up extra early and joined me downstairs. Jacob was down very early enjoying pop-tarts. He had 2.5. Bella came down later. She woke earlier crying for her momma, but Mindy was blow drying her hair and didn’t hear her. Recognizing this, I went up to try and tend to her every need. She ran at first sight of me. She squeezed herself between her bed and the wall. I tried for just a second to convince her to allow me to comfort her then gave up and returned downstairs. Jacob and I continued our morning banter while Bella continued crying for her mother. Soon, Mindy heard her cries and went to her side. When she brought her down she asked for pop-tarts too. And just as I often do, I toyed with the children all morning. Today, however, this did nothing but provoke Bella. She’s moody like that. Come 7:10am I headed up for my shower and Mindy and the kids left for school. I left for work at 7:40am and arrived before 8:00am. The work day was moderate - fairly typical of a Thursday. I accomplished much. I managed to leave for my run around 12:45pm. The temperature was only in the mid 30’s but the sun was shining. I knew too that there was a fairly stiff breeze blowing from the NW. with that in mind, I wore a wind shirt over my running shirt and under my jacket. That helped prevent the chill from piercing my armor. The run was good. It was one of those zone runs. Psychologically, I was elsewhere during the run and couldn’t believe it when I was done! The afternoon was busy but certainly not over the top. I did send an email to brother Glenn addressing what I interpreted as a bleeding heart over Rina. I encouraged him to let go and move on, rather than allow the relationship to persist in a lesser from thus extended the heartache. I doubt he’ll heed my warning but at least I stated my piece. I left the office on time tonight. It was seemingly getting colder b the minute. As the sun dipped out of site the chill in the air increased dramatically. Mindy and I planned to have a quiet evening at home with the kids. She dropped some diapers off for Olivia on her way home. She said Ashley asked if we wanted to watch Olivia Friday so she could go out with Brittany. Mindy and I had already decided that we were going to have a quiet weekend with the kids – no over night guests for the first time in a while. Mindy left the Olivia thing open ended for me to decide. I told her that I still planned to honor our earlier agreement despite any desire I had to have Olivia over. When I got home Jacob asked me if I would care to attend “Donuts with Dad” tomorrow in his father’s absence. I told him I would. That seemed to make him very happy. He, in turn, asked if he could walk Ykraps with me. It was a bitter cold walk and it was spitting snow. The sun was completely down and darkness was fast approaching. Not only was it cold but the wind was stiff out of the NW. Once we got back home we quickly built a roaring fire. Mindy made the two of us chili dogs – no buns at my request. I did muster some carbs, though by eating the final piece of pumpkin pie. I told her that I may very well make another this weekend except this time I will do a little more experimentation with the recipe. After dinner I watched a little of the “Prince of Egypt” with the kids while Mindy worked on report cards. It’s odd seeing the grade card process from this end. I always thought of it as more of a systematic, meaningful process. But Mindy allows all of us to fill in some of the blanks sort of willy-nilly. Even Jacob and Bella get in on the fun by grading papers! OK – I’m only kidding! While watching the movie I doubled as a jungle gym for the kids, but I didn’t mind. The evening was going well. After about an hour or so of report cards, Mindy finally chased the kids upstairs for baths. I retreated to the PC to update my blog. Soon I was asked to help Jacob with his shower. I obliged. He’s getting better at it though, so he really only needs help getting the right amount of shampoo in his hair and rinsing thoroughly. He was done in no time flat. After his shower we moved right into reading. He read his early reader book. “This is a door, said the pencil. This is the roof, said the pencil.” Mindy & Jacob wrapped up the reading session with a quick story about a Scarecrow. Bella read her very early reader book, too. After the kids were placed in their beds and fast asleep Mindy and I took refuge in the family room where we tuned into ESPN to catch the West Virginia/Louisville game. This game has national championship implications ( I love saying that). We watched the first half downstairs, and proved to be very exciting with lots of twists and turns. At the half we headed to bed but with the TV on. Mindy fell asleep first despite wanting some lovin’. I fell asleep with about 5 minutes remaining.

Burr...isk

Sometimes you can see right into the soul of a child. The bounty! This guy won't leave! I woke Wednesday even before 5:30am. But somewhat out of character, I laid there still for a few minutes pondering life. I got out of bed and headed downstairs at 5:30am. I looked out the window before I began my exercise routine. The sky was clear to the west but slightly cloudy to the east. The last forecast I had seen promised a return to sunny skies but measurably cooler than Monday and Tuesday. I was OK with that. Hell, summer’s long gone. Ykraps and I returned from our walk wanting some coffee. I made a cup and took it to Mindy's bedside. Instead of sleep in, she rose promptly and began readying herself. I packed our lunches and made our breakfasts. I even shared my tuna fish with Mindy today. Everyone was up and well ahead of schedule. We ate a leisurely breakfast, and then Mindy and the kids prepared to depart. After they left I showered and dressed for work. As I left for work the sky was now sunny to the east but thick clouds were hovering just to our west. I didn’t think that was supposed to happen(?). I left for work at close to 7:45am and arrived just before 8:00am. I had a couple of morning meetings that carried through until after 1pm making for a very speedy first half. I left for my run at 1:05pm. As I dressed for my run I realized that my running shoes were still soaked from the rainy run the day before. Also, one of my socks was still completely soaked. Apparently I failed to get it in the dryer. It was cold and squishy initially, but like anything, it was a non-factor out the door. During my run the drizzle struck. That wasn't supposed to happen. I sucked it up and took it in stride. I returned from my run after 2pm and once I was back in my office I made a couple of personal calls. One was to Lindsey’s rental office to better understand the terms of her new lease. I had to leave a VM. I figured when they saw my caller ID they might not answer thinking it was a sales call. I called again later via my cell and got through. She filled me in on the details and the dangling issues that Lindsey still must address. I also talked to Ashley who filled me in on the latest with Stephen. What a dick! Ashley should close the door on this guy and move on and never look back. If not for herself then for Olivia. I told her she could call Mindy for another opinion. This was a Mindy Wednesday. The kids would be with their daddy until 7pm. But as it turned out, I was in my office talking to a peer until almost 5:30pm. When Mindy called I could tell that she wasn’t too thrilled, but that’s the nature of my job. It used to be worse. I called her back once I was in route to home. We decided we’d still go to dinner, and our choice was Barleys, which is very rare on a school night. But we had ulterior motives. We had to pick-up our football pool winnings. Mindy called Jim and asked that he keep the kids until 7:30pm allowing us enough time to relax and enjoy our dinner out. He kindly obliged. He’s leaving out of town tomorrow and won’t see the kids until Monday. To help us stay on course, Mindy took Ykraps on his walk during my travel home. Once home, I was able to complete most of my quick chores before Mindy & Ykraps returned. After a quick brush of my teeth we were ready to head out to Barleys. We arrived at Barleys by 6:15pm. Mindy collected her winnings ($116). She also ran into a handful of old High School friends who were beering it up prior to a Blue Jackets game. We ordered our meals and water – no alcoholic drinks tonight. I ordered a Cuban and cheesy fries and Mindy pulled pork – no bun, and veggies. It was very good, but not the best ever. We made quick work of our visit. We headed out a little after 7pm. We ran into Rick while we were there. We were home by 7:15pm. Before the kids arrived, I built us a fire so that we could enjoy it later. The kids arrived right at 7:30pm. As they approached the door, I grabbed the T-or-T bowl which was still on the table by the door and acted as if they were T-or-T’ers. They believed for a minute that I was confused. :) They came in as rambunctious as ever. Before getting settled for the night, they wanted to attack their Halloween candy, of course. We allowed it as long as I got my nightly cut. They headed upstairs by 7:45pm to dress for bed. They each read their early reader books, then Mindy read that Big Mouse, Lil' Mouse book again tonight. They went down fast after the tuck in process. Jacob, I think, was asleep in less than one minute after laying his big head on the pillow. I am always amazed how quickly and easily he does that. Downstairs, Mindy and I snuggled by the fire where we chatted for a good 45 minutes prior to falling asleep. Just before laying down I cranked up the heat a notch or two due to the dropping temp. The entire house was chilly. Mindy expressed her need for more intimate time which we haven’t had too much of lately. Instead, we’ve had a heavy dose of extend family visits and their issues. Eventually, it takes its toll. Bottom line, we’ve simply got to make sure we make/take/spend quality time together. We woke around 9:40pm and stumbled up to bed.

Trick-Or-Treat: guising

Peter Pan! G.D. Kaileigh in costume - pink pixie! Our pumpkin in costume Our pumpkin after too much coffee Just as I am supposed to, I leaped from my bed at 5:30am a sharp. Again, it’s so easy to get up during the early “fallback” phase. I completed my usual host of morning activities. Nothing out of the ordinary. The day began remarkably cooler than it was on Monday, and those lovely sunny skies wouldn’t be repeated either. Instead, it was expected to be a crappy rainy day. And as Trick-or-Treat befalls, the temps are supposed to drop into the upper 30’s. I wore my blonde wig, shorts, an old OSU sweatshirt, and water shoes to work for Halloween. Many asked who I was supposed to be, but I was no one in particular. As it turned out, I was the only one in the building dressed up. Hmmm? As the work day progressed the weather did nothing but worsen. By run time it was raining and raining pretty good. By the time I finished I was soaked to the bone. I left work on time and hell bent on being home to play Trick-or-Treat. Before the events began, I took Ykraps on his nightly walk. I was still in costume. Mindy’s ex, Jim M. showed up just before 6pm to take the kids out begging. It seemed a little strange for him to be at our house making himself at home and such but I was happy to accommodate and know it’s what’s best for the kids. Jim and the kids headed out the door shortly after 6pm. It was raw and rainy. I was almost certain that our numbers would be down due to the weather. But as it turned out, we had plenty of visitors. Jim and the kids returned a little after 7pm with their bounty. Jim stayed while they sorted their haul on the family room floor. We all took our cut. J He left for home about 15 minutes later. Mindy coaxed the kids upstairs to ready them for bed. I blogged. And just like always, I joined them upstairs for the tuck in process. We skipped reading since it was late. Mindy and I retreated to the family room. Mindy laid down in the middle of the room and fell asleep within minutes. I leaned against the big reading chair and did the same. I woke about an hour later, secured the home, filled my water glass and took an anti-inflammatory. When I returned to wake Mindy, she was already awake and heading upstairs. We were asleep before 10pm.

Carving pumpkins and the Vikings defense

Jacob and I did the one on the left, and Mindy n' Bella the one on the right. The autumn sunshine. A fella could get real used to this “fall back” thing. I woke Monday morning with extreme ease. Of course Mindy and I went to bed a little after 8:30pm ET, too. That equates to almost 9 hours of sleep. I was cheery and ready for a Monday. It didn’t hurt either that the weather was expected to be superb – sunny, warm, and almost 70 degrees. I was determined to drive the BM’er. And if that wasn’t enough to energize my Monday, knowing too that the Vikings were playing on MNF was icing on the cake. I went through my usual routine well before 6am. That’s the first time I can say that in a long while. In turn, I had lunch packed and breakfast prepared even before 6:45am. It was nice too that it was daylight by 6:30am again. And the sunrise was spectacular. And just as you might expect, I was ready to depart for work even before 7:30am for the first time in a long while. After the weekend I had I was 10 times better off than I expected. Work was a bit chaotic but controlled, if that makes any sense. I responded to a few emails from family related to step-mother Sheila’s illness. I talked to my dad who was with her in the hospital today, and the days’ news was far better than earlier. Number one, the cancer is now thought not to be pancreatic, but instead of the lung. Neither is good but given a choice, lung cancer is far more survivable. She’s slated for some radiation today and chemo tomorrow. If that wasn’t enough to weigh on my mind, I had to deal with Lindsey too. She was being very difficult even as Mindy and I are trying to help her through her problems. God knows I can handle all of this, however. My run was timely and good. It was nice to run in shorts in the sunshine all the while sorting through life’s challenges. The afternoon brought some plenty more activity at work. The good news is that the day just blew by. I was carefully watching the clock and sky since I had what I would deem a “daylight only” task ahead at home, and the sunlight was already waning by 5pm. I had to stack my firewood. I left for home at 5:05pm. I had originally thought about stopping at Kroger for some back-up Halloween (Trick-or-Treat candy) since what Mindy bought would likely earn an egging in my subdivision. J When I arrived home Lindsey was there. I was a little surprised given her attitude in email all day. She’s upset with something Mindy said to her. Some times the truth hurts! Anyway, I couldn’t help but notice a nasty scrape along the entire back half of her Honda’s passenger side. This didn’t please me at all. Once inside I greeted everyone then promptly asked for some explanation. And in typical Lindsey fashion, she got very defensive as well as rude & obnoxious. She claims she hit a parked car at the Doodle Bug concert and phoned her mother who told her to drive away since she didn’t have any paper & pen to leave her contact info. Brilliant! Of course she claimed no ownership. Before we knew it, she was swearing like a truck driver and gathering her things to leave. Honestly, I was OK with her departing. Probably best, but I didn’t like her ripping Lil’ Rocky away from the fun we had planned. We were going to carve pumpkins and he was so looking forward to it. Not to mention the increased chance of her getting in an accident being so irritated and in a huff. In the end, there was little Mindy or I could do to convince her to leave Rocky with us. She and he left in whirlwind. After she left, I got the tractor out and pulled the wood trailer to the foot of the driveway making for easy loading into the John Deere trailer for transport to the woodpile. We made it into a family event. Mindy got out her portable spot light and I used the tractor head lights to provide – well, light! The kids helped load and stack and were paid with tractor rides back to the mother load pile in between. It was fun and we did the job quickly. We wasted little time. Back inside we got right to carving our pumpkins. I remember thinking, as busy as we seem to be, it's just a warm up act for the fast approaching holiday season. Two more weekends at home, which are already jam packed, and then off to Oregon for TG. After that, back home for Xmas. The kids tested my patience. Mindy was fine. Bella loves playing in the pumpkin muck. We survived it. We ended up with two pretty cool jack-o-laterns. After wrapping up the carving Mindy did the bath thing while I cleaned up the mess. I was more tha nready for the MNF game. I was stoked that the Vikings were playing on MNF and playing the New England Patriots. The game went the patriots way fro mthe outset. We never were really in the game. They kicked our ass! I was a bit ashamed. I watched the whole thing even still. I stumbled to bed just after 11:30pm.

Fall Back

1) Olivia at rest 2) The early morning sunshining brightly 3) Jacob loving Bella 4) Lemon poppyseed muffins with the drizzle! Because we were given the gift of "falling back”, we got up earlier than unusual. It was 7:15am ET when we rose. To, we were greeted by a beautiful sunny morning. Both of us had gotten up through the night to feed and change Olivia. I got up at 2:30am EDT (1:30am ET). But Mindy got up too to help me get her settled back into her outfit and chair. Mindy got up by herself for the next event sometime near 4 or 5am. Neither time did Olivia cry. We instinctively responded to her stirring before it lead to an emotional cry. As we greeted the new day we were both more than pleased at how well she slept. We left Olivia sleep while we began our morning. Mindy began taking care of Jacob and Bella’s early morning demands, and I began exercising. Soon I was outdoors with Ykraps. On our walk we ran into a strange new dog who befriended us. We could tell he was a “kept” dog. He had all the tell tale signs. He had a license and a bandana. After some sniffing and liking, we parted ways. I was more than anxious to suck down some coffee, so once I returned home I did just that. It was more than good! I had a plan for the day but not nearly as aggressive as Saturday’s plan. Today I hoped to run, stack new firewood, visit Sheila in the hospital, have Kaileigh over for a visit, and dinner at Gloria’s. I left for my run by 8:30am – doing all I could to remain on task. It was nice to run in the sunshine. I was home before 9:20 – just in time to enjoy some maple bacon and lemon poppyseed muffins covered in a tasty lemon glaze. They were delicious! After breakfast I helped ready Jacob and Bella for church. That was no small task and netted Bella a timeout for being unruly. But after some coaching from Mindy, I got Bella to be a cooperator! Just before they left for church, Ashley showed up to get Olivia. I was hoping that she’d forget about her. Darn! After they left I began cleaning up around the house. That took a while. As soon as I finished I took a shower and did a load of running clothes. As I stated earlier, it was beautiful and sunny, but the temperature was still very cool. Despite the chill, I grabbed the BM’er keys and left for Giant Eagle. My plan was to pick-up some flowers and a card for Sheila, as well as flowers for Mindy. Once in the BM’er I realized that I needed gas in it too. I filled up for $2.16 per gallon - most likely the last tank of gas in the BM’er till next spring. I found some lovely live mums for Sheila that I knew she’d love. I found some white roses for Mindy – her favorite! I headed home. On my way home I was once again pulled into a big problem at work. I spent the next hour back at home helping to coordinate that. Some time close to 1:00pm Mindy arrived home from church. She had dropped the kids at hr mothers so that we could visit Sheila in the hospital. We arrived at Mt Caramel West around 1:30pm. Margie and Brenda (Sheila’s sisters) were there at her side. They left the room while we visited. Sheila looked surprisingly well for being so sick. I was happy. She even had on make-up and pretty purple pajamas. We visited for about an hour. I was most impressed with her positive take charge attitude. There are two ways you can go. You can take the high energy approach and demonstrate a determination to fight, or you can take a more low energy, woe is me approach. We talked about her faith and beliefs and the possibility of a misdiagnosis. She also shared her treatment plan, which included volunteering for any experimental drugs or procedures. I was so proud of her. We told her that we loved her, gave her hug, and then we left. While we were in her room, Kaileigh called to confirm our plans to pick her up. We told her we would be there around 3pm. Judging by the clock, we were right on schedule. It was 2:40pm when we got into the Trooper. We arrived at Kaileigh's right about 3pm, just as planned. She seemed excited to spend time with us, and I know I was excited to see her. We went directly to Mindy's mother's from there even though we had earlier discussed going back home and stacking wood. But how much fun would that have been for Kaileigh especially given that Jacob and Bella were at Mindy's mom's. We arrived at Gloria's just after 3pm - an hour earlier than usual. We took advantage of the alone time with just the kids and her mom. We watched a little of the Bengals game while the kids played. Not long after, others began arriving. Todd and Larry were both on duty today, but their wives showed with their kids just the same. Craig and Jeff came too. If I didn't mention, Todd was in a horrible fire Friday that took four lives. He and his peers were lucky to escape the inferno themselves. In fact, two of the firemen went to the hospital with severe burns. We had ham, macaroni salad, and tater tots. The ham was a Kroger ham juiced up via Gloria's own special recipe of fruit juice, cloves, and brown sugar. It was as good as any Honey Baked ham. Dinner was delicious, and just as usual I ate too much. Dessert was spice cake with topped with cinnamon flavored Cool Whip. Again, delicious! We hung out until just after 7pm, but don't forget, it was really 8pm EDT. The kids were cranky and tired. Gloria, bless her heart, gave each of the kids a Halloween goodie bag. Kaileigh fits in well with everyone is such a pleasant little girl. We dropped Kaileigh off first. I'll miss her. Homeward. We arrived home and just like always, I walked Ykraps while Mindy began the bathing/jammie process. When I returned I headed up and did the read and tuck thing. After all of that we chilled by the television and watched a smidgeon of the SNF game. Not too much downstairs. Mindy convinced me to go to bed just after 8:30pm. We were both tired so we headed to bed where we could watch football and snore.

Tight Schedule

Ring-ring. Ring-ring. My Blackberry was ringing at my bedside. A quick glance at the clock revealed that it was just after 4am. By the time I answered, the caller had hung up. I checked for a VM and they had left one. It was work. After acknowledging the message I went back to sleep for what I planned to be another couple hours. That didn’t happen. Not 30 minutes later my Blackberry rang once again. Suddenly I was up and working before 5am. That’s earlier than any normal day. I worked for a couple of hours before going back to sleep for another couple of hours. It now seemed clear that my weekend was going to be a doosey! I woke again around 8am and leaped to my feet. I didn’t feel that good but had to get up and get moving nonetheless. The house was already rockin’ with little ones – Jacob, Bella, and Lil’ Rocky. I found some space to do my exercises and logged back into my work PC too. We were dealing with a big issue at work that required some of my undivided attention. In addition, I had a very aggressive personal agenda that included the following: running, retrieving my dad’s trailer, going after a half cord of firewood, picking up the boat and taking it to be winterized, going to Lindsey’s apartment to clean, and then coming home to spend time with baby Olivia. All of that had me just a little stressed since successfully executing the agenda required close attention to the clock. I stayed on tasks even after waking an hour after I desired and adding in the work stuff. I left for my run by 9am and was back before 10am. I left to get the trailer and wood by 10:20am. I was back with the wood by 11:20 – a full 40 minutes earlier than I had budgeted. I was on track. I failed to mention that Lindsey left our house this morning sometime after my run in a huff after we tried advising her about certain meds and the way she’s been interacting with Lil’ Rocky. She never has accepted criticism well. We said what needed to be said for everyone’s well-being. I was very pleased and a little surprised to be on track. I contacted my team at work to check on our progress with the issue at hand. They were doing as good as expected. I tried to get Jacob to go along with me to address the boat winterization. He normally likes going to the storage unit and what not. Today he didn’t want to go. I picked up the boat and headed north to Paul’s Marine. I had a 1:20pm appt but arrived at 1pm sharp. Almost on queue, it began to spit snow just as I pulled up. I couldn’t help but find humor in that! J They gladly took my boat right in and began the process. Meanwhile, I went into the lounge area to try and catch some college football on their big screen, but sadly, I couldn’t get it working. After looking at a couple new boats, they called my name either to alert me that my boat was ready or to tell me there was a problem. Good day! My boat was finished. I paid my fees and headed back towards home. I dropped the boat at storage, stopped for gas, and was back home by 2:30pm. I was 30 minutes ahead of plan. We took our time preparing to leave for Lindsey’s. We gathered the kids and our tubs of cleaning supplies and tools and left the house just after 3pm – still on schedule. Once at Lindsey’s Mindy headed into the kitchen and I headed upstairs to deal with the hallway and bedroom. They were both really dirty. The most difficult piece was dealing with Jacob and Bella who were a bit high maintenance. They were constantly hungry and playing a little rough. Somehow though we muddled through. By 6pm we finished the major cleaning. All it needs now are some finishing touches and lots of ongoing TLC. Lindsey should be proud of it. We took several pictures to show off our work. I wish we had taken some before hand, but didn’t. As we departed, Ashley contacted Mindy to change our plans slightly. She requested that we pick Olivia up instead of her bringing her over. We were more than happy to oblige. The sky was very pretty as we headed east. I asked Mindy to snap some pictures. We arrived at Kelly’s around 6:30pm and retrieved our little bundle of joy. Jacob was surprisingly good at helping feed Olivia on our trip home. As usual, once we were home I ordered pizzas from Minelli’s and then walked Ykraps while Mindy and the kids dotted over Olivia. While at Minelli’s picking up our pizzas, I ran into my old friend, John Raugh, my best man. He and I go back to my wild days hanging at the Al Rosa Villa, Agora (Newport, and Sugar Shack). John was my roommate and played in several big hair rock n’ roll bands. He’s changed a lot. We discussed hooking up and sometime soon. What a throw back. I took the pizzas home and ate dinner with the family. Olivia slept while we ate. Afterwards, Mindy gave Bella a bath and I helped Jacob with a shower. Olivia hung out in her chair. Around 8:30pm we put the kids to bed. They went right to sleep. I poured myself a beer and Mindy a glass of wine. Olivia had other ideas. Despite eating around 7pm, she cried and cried. We decided to try feeding her again. And surprisingly, she ate like she was starving! Come 9:30 she began fussing again, which was just a half hour after eating. This time we knew she wasn’t hungry. Mindy gave her some gas medicine and put some quality lotion on her sore looking bottom. That seemed to help but not fully. Whatever we did, she didn’t seem to want to sleep. Both of us were completely exhausted from our long day. I could see the worry in Mindy’s and her in mine. We hoped beyond hope that she would finally fall asleep. As she started to dose we put her in the guest room in her bed (pack-n’-play). We turned the baby monitor on and wound the mobile. It worked for only about 15 minutes. Incidentally, those baby monitors are unbelievable. It sounded like she was in our room! That being said, we decided to put her in her more than comfy carrier chair and bring her in our room. Almost miraculously she stopped crying and fell asleep, and so did we.

Rain and lots of it

I got up and going by 5:45am Friday morning. I had the benefit of not needing to prepare a packed lunch for Mindy or myself. Mindy often has a friend bring her lunch on Friday’s and we were having a pizza day to celebrate our 6 new hires. It wasn’t raining when I got up but it was cloudy, but the weather forecast & radar validated that the rain was coming. Aside from a handful of banner days, October’s been a very rainy month. To put it in perspective, September & October are often two of our driest months. We have had almost 8.5 inches of rain the last 60 days. In comparison, Portland, Oregon has only had a smidge more than 2 inches over the same time period and they’re often thought of as a very wet city. While poking around at the official weather stats I couldn’t help but notice that Portland averages almost 6.5 inches of rain in November. I found that surprising given that I’ve visited the past five Novembers and can’t ever recall an overtly rainy visit. Instead, what I remember most are some beautiful blue skies. Because we were having a pizza lunch today at the office I left for my run early – 11am. I planned to finish my run by noon and then cruise to the Hilliard Pizza Pan by 1230pm to pick-up our nine pies. I carried out my plan like clock work. But by the time my run closed and I left for the pizza it was raining pretty good. In fact, it ended up being a very raw and rainy day. The temperatures struggled to rise above 45 degrees. I decided to check on Ashley on my drive to pick-up the pizzas. She confirmed her intentions to have Mindy and I watch Olivia Saturday night, and she gave me a happy update on Olivia’s vitals after her first visit to the pediatrician. When I arrived at the pizza shop the pies weren’t quite ready. To kill time I decided to call my dad to see if I could borrow his 4X8’ trailer Saturday morning to pick-up some firewood. I had been putting off contacting him for confirmation all week long for no good reason. When I reached him, I wasn’t at all prepared for what he was about to tell me. And in usual dad fashion, I couldn’t get a word in before he began telling me about my step-mother Sheila and her current medical condition. He went on for about five solid minutes describing some very sobering bad news. I was floored. I couldn’t breathe very well at all. She is seriously ill. Before hanging up I remembered why I had called and went ahead and confirmed that it was OK for me to use his trailer. I stood outside pondering the news for another five minutes before the pizzas were finally ready. My thoughts naturally turned to my own children and how they would handle similar news about their parents. I decided to call Ashley back and share what I had just learned. She was very somber and sad, too. Back at work I put my personal life aside for a spell and enjoyed some pizza with my team. Later, I sent brother Glenn and email asking when a good time to call might be so that I could share some news. He said 1:15PDT (1:15 EDT). The rest of the afternoon was like most Friday’s. We were very busy. My focus was a bit keener since I would be the on-call manager over the weekend. It’s never easy getting excited about the weekend when I am on-call. Instead, I generally dread what knowingly lies ahead. At 4:15pm on the dot, I gave Glenn the news. I left the office just after 5pm. On my way home I called Mindy then brother Tommy to share the somber news. It’s not like I wanted to gossip, but the news needs shared and shared in a timely fashion. I arrived home before 5:30pm and went about my usual Friday chores. The house needed a little picking up since Mindy had to leave in a hurry with the kids in costume to her school Halloween party. I spent about 15-20 minutes doing that after walking Ykraps and then settled down and relaxed best I could. Lindsey arrived just after 7pm just as planned. She had to work some overtime which she was more than happy to get. If I didn’t mention it, Mindy had Lil’ Rocky with her at the Halloween party. Once Lindsey was settled, I shared the news with her. Sometime around 7:30pm Mindy and the three kids arrived home. After the initial excitement, we began getting the kids ready for bed. Our plan called for getting them in bed before leaving for the Barley’s Halloween party. We got them in bed and to sleep by 8:15pm. They were exhausted after a long action packed day. Lil’ Rocky and Lindsey planted themselves on the couch while Mindy and I prepared to depart. We chose not to get into costume after the day we both had, but instead we went simply to enjoy a relaxing evening out. We arrived close to 8:30pm. I ordered a beer off the firkin – Jack Frost. It was hard to drink. It had zero carbonation and a bourbon-like finish. I couldn’t wait to finish and get my usual IPA. Mindy bought us three OSU football pool squares. We ordered food. I had Gates of Hell wings and sauerkraut balls. Mindy had salmon. We hung out with Jeremy and Courtney most of the evening. Bob and Mary Ann were absent. And yes, it will be noted on their report cards! We left Barleys sometime after 11pm. We arrived home very tired so we went right to bed.

Obigatory update

Pictured above are Mindy and her sibling's as well as her brother-in-law, whom I graduated HS with.

Below: my little angel's feet.

I got up ... blah, blah, blah. I tell you what - I'm not going to bore you with a step-by-step review of my day. Instead I'll leap up on my soapbox and spout off about what was different about today. The weather? no - still shitty. Different work out? no - same routine. Did I have a different breakfast or lunch? nope. All of it was the same. Work - was it any different? again, no. What was different about today?

Glenn confirmed his intentions to come home for Xmas Lindsey stopped by proactively to pay her child care fees Mindy, the kids, and I had an unusual quiet evening at home We played Topple on the family room floor We went to bed at 9:05pm

I'd tell you that we had wings for dinner, but that falls into the usual category, as does the ESPN Thursday Night College Football game we watched.

Possum Come A-Knockin'

I seem to be testing my ability to move a little quicker in the morning by waking several minutes late. I didn’t find my way downstairs until 5:50am this morning. I I allowed this to create a heightened sense of urgency. Even before starting my exercises I threw on my jacket and took the garbage to the curb. They’re most often there just a couple minutes after 6am. I didn’t want to risk missing them while I exercised. After completing my exercises I grabbed a jacket and leashed up Ykraps for our usual walk. The 6:00am sky was magnificent. It was completely star filled and clear. Needless to say, it was a bit nippy, too. Just like most other mornings, I made tow cups of coffee. One with hazelnut creamer, whipped cream, and cinnamon for Mindy, and mine with vanilla caramel creamer, whipped cream, caramel topping, and cinnamon. I took Mindy hers in bed. Minutes later I could hear her getting in the shower. Meanwhile, back downstairs, I went about the painstaking process of making breakfast and lunch. I finished up and had our morning meal ready for consumption and on the island counter by 7:10am. Soon, we went our separate directions. Mindy left for work and to drop the kids, I went to the shower. I dressed in business casual – dress lacks and a button down shirt. That used to be everyday, but anymore that’s the exception rather than the rule. I made time to strum my guitar for a few minutes prior to leaving. I am always in a better frame of mind after that. Everyone who encounters my presence during the day will benefit. Work was busy – very busy. I was immersed in something all day long. And once again, I wasn’t able to escape for a run until just after 1pm. But when I did I enjoyed myself fully. How could I not? It was sunny and mild by this month’s measures. It was 52 degrees. Today my legs felt fresher than they have in a couple of weeks. I go through times like these. My afternoon went fast, too. But I made a concerted effort to leave on time and to be home by 5:30pm. Tonight was a Mindy Wednesday and we only had until 6:45pm because of Mindy’s choir practice. I left the dinner question up t Mindy. We could’ve gone out or stayed home. She chose staying home. We walked Ykraps together, and while we walked we strategized further about the best way to help Lindsey. We’re fast approaching some deadlines. Back home we decided on a simple dinner. Chili dogs – no buns. They were delicious and quick. It wasn’t long before it was time for Mindy to leave for choir. I was feeling so full form the chili dogs that I felt like I needed a nap. I laid on the family room floor for a spell. I got up minutes after Mindy left knowing that the kids would be home soon. I went to spend the last few quiet minutes updating my blog but found that my entry wasn’t in my email inbox for some reason. Hmmm? Jim arrived with the kids just after 7pm. Mindy had left pretty clear instructions on how our evening should be spent and informed me that she discussed this with them. I just didn’t want a reoccurrence of last week. After Jim departed I began implementing the Mindy plan. The plan called for Jacob to create his “About Me” book. He had to list his favorite foods, colors, moment, birthday, and address. He also had to draw a picture of his family. He did surprisingly well for a kindergartener. I know that I couldn’t write or reason things out as he does at such a young age. While Jacob worked away with my help, Bella colored nearby. You don’t just give Bella a crayon and turn her loose unless you want your home redecorated. J By 7:30pm Jacob finished his project and we raced upstairs to get our jammies on. They were both very cooperative. Only Bella was a bit slippery but ultimately cooperated. After brushing our teeth we read. First Jacob read his required book. Then, I read two books. One that Mindy gave me to read (can’t remember the title), and then “Possum Come a- Knockin’”. Jacob insisted. They’ve selected that same book the past few nights. It’s very cute. They went to bed surprisingly well. Bella asked only once if her momma was really coming home. She trusted my answer and went to sleep. By the time I got my own jammies on, brushed my teeth, and headed down the stairs, Mindy was home from choir practice. I could tell that she was relieved to return to a quiet home. We printed off some pictures I took of the kids tonight to add to his “About Me” book. Mindy and I talked for the next hour – right up until 9:30pm. We headed up to bed shortly after that.

An Olivia Day

I was up and downstairs by 5:40am. To my amazement, the sky was somewhat clear. I could actually see stars! Wahoo! That hasn’t been the case at least for 75% of the month. That alone helped elevate my mood. I carried that with me for the rest of the day. I arrived to work a little late but as the day would unfold, that would become insignificant. Once again, I worked hard and was unusually busy. For several reasons, I wasn’t able to escape for a run until after 1pm. But when I did it was refreshing. I was a little chilly but a bit warmer than the day before. With my gear I was comfortable. Our weather has been much more November like all month. Upon my return to the office I encountered even more “stuff” to get involved with. And as it turned out, I wouldn’t see the parking lot until after 7pm. That used to be almost every night but not so much over the past two years. The most discouraging thing was that we had plans with Ashley and Olivia. They were coming over for dinner. I was looking forward to the visit. Instead, Mindy happily entertained them and even went ahead and ate without me, which I was happy they did. When I arrived home I was exhausted. After dropping my gear I held Olivia which helped foster a calmer, gentler Jimmy. In the meantime, Mindy warmed my dinner. I had a cheese burger, salad, and green beans (we eat a lot of green beans). After eating I held Olivia some more. I ended up feeding her an entire bottle. It’s hard to believe that she’s a week old already! Ashley looked like she could fall asleep. I encouraged her to do so. She didn’t. She left somewhere near 9:00-9:30pm. I was happy they visited and hope to see more of my new angel. Mindy and I laid by a roaring fire for another 45 minutes or so before heading to bed at 10pm sharp. Before rolling over and going to sleep we checked our blood pressure just as we do every night. Hers was something like 132/83 73 bpm. Mine was 127/66 47 bpm. Good night moon!

Having the Seahawks number

Autumn amongst us. I woke later than desired but certainly not late enough to drastically alter my routine. I was up and at my exercise ritual by 6:00am sharp. I was admittedly sluggish but found the strength to muster through it. Finally, after ten minutes of excruciating exercises I was ready to hit the great outdoors with Ykraps. We reentered the home at 6:23am – almost a full 20 minutes later than usual. I readied a mug of coffee for myself and another for Mindy. I took hers upstairs. She was still asleep. I woke her and headed back down to begin the rest of my daily routine. Truth be told, I did a poor job of meditating this morning due in part to the perceived time crunch and an overly busy mind. Regardless, I was feeling good basking in the glory of a Viking victory yesterday over the slipping Seahawks. We gave them an old-fashioned butt whoppin’ – 31 -13. I did the usual lunch and breakfast prep thing with one exception. I didn’t make Mindy anything since she didn’t have to be at work today. She scheduled a ‘sick day’ to take Bella to an eye exam. Still, she was down stairs readying the kids since the appointment was set for 8:50am. I took my shower and readied for work by 7:50am. Traffic was backed up headed south on Wilson, I noticed. Thankfully, I don’t go that way. I was at work by 8:15am. The work day began as many others save for a meeting with my boss. It went pretty well. I managed, as usual, to leave for my run at close to 12:50pm. It was only in the upper thirties with a stiff breeze out of the NW. But I was prepared. I had my light winter gear and used it all. The run went well. An emergency squad followed me into the lot on my return with blaring siren and lights a flashin’. They went to the front entrance while I ran around to the back as normal. I wondered what was up. I went about my business and returned to my office after a wonderful hot shower. I intercepted my boss and a few others in the hallway. It seems that one of our new guys had succumbed to some sort of seizure and an ambulance had to be called to administer some medical attention. We scrambled to get them the information they needed before taking him to the hospital. It wasn’t pretty I’m told. The afternoon was busy beyond busy. I struggled to get out of the office even by 5:30pm. When I finally departed I made a beeline for home. Mindy and I had thought about doing dinner out, but because of the late hour we opted for leftovers. We had just about an hour to ourselves before the kids returned. After their return we got them ready for bed in a jiffy then completed the usual read and tuck. Back downstairs we tuned into MNF to watch the Dallas Cowboys face off against the NY Giants. It was good hard hitting game. We watched downstairs until halftime then went upstairs to bed to catch a little more.

Calabaza!

Mindy marveling at my p.pie prowess. Now that’s more like it! I was able to get out of bed and begin my day at a much more reasonable hour. I was out of bed and down the stairs by 7:45am. Sadly, the beautiful weather from Saturday was no where to be found. Instead we were once again stricken with CCGD. I did my best to ignore the less than desirable weather and pushed forward with my routine. By the time I had brewed coffee, exercised, and walked Ykraps, it was 8:15am. Not knowing what time Mindy wanted up, I didn’t bother making her a bed side cup of coffee. I did verify that she was planning to attend church. I tinkered in the kitchen until about 9:00 whipping up some homemade pie crust. I placed the baseball sized doe ball in the fridge for the prescribed 4 hours and then headed upstairs to ready for a run. I wasted little time and headed out the door minutes later. I took the outer loop east on Trabue and south on Hague ave. Traffic was thankfully very light compared to recent runs. When I finally found my way back home I could smell the maple bacon baking in the oven. Too, it looked like Mindy was making French toast form scratch. While she cooked I played. I decided to run Windows security scan and to upgrade to I.E. 7.0. Breakfast was ready minutes later. I knew the PC would take a couple of hours to run the full scan. I was comfortable with that. I went and joined Mindy in the kitchen for breakfast. The French toast and bacon was very good – top notch! It has been a while since we’ve had a big Sunday breakfast. I asked Mindy when she was leaving for church. She apparently decided not to go. They’re not going to be all that pleased with her, I am sure. After breakfast Mindy disappeared upstairs for what I assumed was a nap. Come 12:30pm (fours after placing the doe ball in the fridge) I removed the doe ball to began rolling it into a useable pie crust. Problem… I couldn’t locate the rolling pin. Mindy, it seemed, had opened a drawer to verify we had it earlier in the day. I searched high and low. I had no choice but to interrupt her nap. She insisted it was in that very drawer, but I had looked at least three times and it’s not like that drawer is crammed full. It is not. As she came down the steps I looked a gain only this time I could see it at the very back. I had mistaken the wooden rolling pin for the back of the wood drawer. Emergency averted. I carefully and slowly rolled out my crust admittedly nervous having not done this but one other time with marginal results. This time, however, it seemed to go much better. Soon I had what I felt was a good crust at the right thickness. Mindy inspected it too, and agreed. I carefully placed it in the glass pie pan and formed the usual edge. I set it aside to begin mixing the pumpkin filling. I had a handful of recipes available but ultimately decided on a very basic concoction – the one on the can. I took my time preparing the mixture wanting my pie to be a success. By 1:30pm I completed the mixture and poured it into the ready and waiting pie pan. I baked it at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then another 45 minutes at 350 degrees. I removed the pie around 2:30pm. I could only hope that it tastes as good as it looks. While the pie cooled, I watched football. Sometime close to 3:30pm Jim brought the kids back home after their weekend away. At about the same time, I got in the shower. Come 4pm we left for Gloria’s house. We took our pie along for dessert. We arrived at Gloria’s a little earlier than normal and learned once there that we would be the only dinner guests. We had thought that Joe and Lindy would be joining but that wasn’t the case. We watched the finish of the Bengals game. They won. I had hoped the Viking Seahawk game would be up next even though FOX 28’s webpage said otherwise. Nope, they ended up showing the Indy vs. Washington game instead. Just as well, I figured. I didn’t want to be ranting and raving at the TV in front of Gloria. We sat down to a nice quiet dinner around 5pm. We had fried cube steak, a’ gratin potatoes, and baked beans. For dessert Gloria made a Boston cream pie & I made the aforementioned pumpkin pie. Everything was good as expected, including my pumpkin pie. However, if I had it to do over I would bake the pie five minutes longer (note to self). We stayed at Gloria’s until almost 7:05pm when we loaded up the kids and the gear and headed home. Once we were home I took Ykraps on his evening walk right away. Mindy began bathing the kids. After a bath we did reading night and a quick tuck in. They were in bed just before 8pm. We retreated to the family room to watch the World Series. Come 9:30pm we went to bed.

My tummy is queasy and I'm sleepy

Are you kidding me? Holy Smoke! It was 9am and I still wasn’t ready to get up. I felt terrible, but I didn’t have a headache (thanks to taking the 3 Advil before bed). I was very tired and my stomach felt a little queasy. I took a Tagament and two more Advil and jumped back in bed until 10am. At 10am I still didn’t feel right but knew that the only cure would be a bout of exercise and good long run. The thought of that about killed me but it had to be done. I was already bummed that I had wasted my favorite part of the day. I bolted out of bed and found my way to the kitchen where I first engineered a pot of coffee and then choked down a vitamin. Soon, I was crunching out my sit-ups and push-ups. I felt a little better after I got my juices flowing. Still, I had that undeniable hangover feeling that would only be cured by another night’s sleep. Somehow I’d just have to endure the day’s activities. Lindsey called around 10:30am asking if I would fill her gas tank if she stopped by. I obliged. Mindy offered to cook a big breakfast but I didn’t feel up to the heavy meal. I snacked only on fruit prior to my run. I was just about to leave for a run when Lindsey finally pulled up. It was after 11am already. I went ahead and took her car to Thornton’s real quick and filled her tank. After returning her car’s tank on full, I left for my run. I stayed in the subdivision in part because of the late hour. I knew that traffic would be on the heavy side along Trabue and didn’t feel up to dodging all the crazy’s. By the time I returned from my run, Lindsey and Lil’ Rocky were gone. I tuned into the Buckeye game while Mindy showered. It was another slow start for the Buckeyes. After listening to the first two drives, I got in the shower. After showers, Mindy and I gathered everything we’d need to spend a day at Lindsey’s apartment cleaning. We also made a list of things we’d need from Lowes. Our plan called for heading directly to her apartment and then I would leave for Lowes while Mindy got started. On the way there, I agreed to return with lunch. By now I was starving. I needed some junk food & was craving high octane soda. This was the first time that I had ever seen the upstairs of Lindsey’s apartment. And just as Mindy had inferred, it was really dirty and disorganized. The bathroom was about as bad as anything I have ever seen. The good news was that all the fixtures were in good working order and simply needed a deep cleaning. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen so much soap scum, hair, and trash in a bathroom. In the livingroom, there was chocolate spilled on her stereo, and there was a sticky film on almost everything else in the room. The good news was that after a little TLC and elbow grease this place would be looking very respectable and even cute. At Lowes I bought some screws and anchors, curtain rods, and some large storage tubs. One of Lindsey’s problem is that she had nowhere to store Lil’ Rocky’s toys and other miscellaneous items. Ultimately this stuff becomes clutter quickly. I stopped at Wendy’s on my way back and got us lunch. I ate fries on the way back. They were tasty. The Buckeyes were up 28-3 by then. Mindy worked on the kitchen while I started scrubbing the living room walls after pulling out the entertainment center. After the walls I moved upstairs to hang curtains and begin on the bathroom. I disappeared for about two hours in the bathroom. Even though I was using Clorox cleaner with bleach, I had to go over the shower stall three times to cut through the hardened soap scum and grit. That was after pitching all the unnecessary trash and hair. Speaking of which, there was enough hair in the tub and on the sink to make a wig. By the time I was done the bathroom was sparkling. Equally, Mindy had the living room and kitchen sparkling too. After hanging some decorative pieces the place actually looked cute enough to live in. Even I’d stay there. It’s amazing what a little elbow grease will do. We invested about 4.5 solid hours cleaning today. And that’s coupled with the two or three Mindy spent last Saturday. Sadly, it still needs another four or five to finish the hallway and Lindsey’s room. We both agreed, we’ll only do this once. From here it will be Lindsey’s job to keep it clean and organized. And we’re expecting it. We called Ashley as we left (5:45pm) to let her know that we were finally on our way. Earlier, we made arrangements to pick her and Olivia up on our way home. They were coming over for dinner and a visit. Both of us were excited to have Olivia and Ashley over where we could give them our undivided attention. We arrived at Kelly’s where Ashley greeted us at the door already prepared to depart. Kelly doesn’t seem open to having us in. In fact, she never does. I suspect, at least in part, that she’s embarrassed of her house. We never press. We happily loaded up baby Olivia and Ashley and were on our way. We were surprised to learn that Lindsey wasn’t home working on her laundry as she had implied. We moved on. It was good to finally be home. I walked Ykraps while Mindy got everyone settled. Olivia seemed comfortable and probably had no idea where she was. However, I’m sure she could feel the love that oozes from our home. I shared in the joy of holding my newest granddaughter Olivia while Mindy wrestled us up some dinner. She had put some roast beef and noodles in the crock pot before we left the house earlier, and took the time now to whip up some real nice garden salads. I was once again starving. Mindy was perfectly happy holding Olivia while Ashley and I ate. I felt a bit selfish thus took a few breaks to feed Mindy while she used her hands to hold and feed Olivia. After dinner, Olivia and I had our first bonding experience. Mindy took Ashley to Target and Kroger for some baby things while Olivia and I stayed back, snuggled, and watched football. It was a pleasurable experience. They were gone only about an hour. Olivia rested contently the entire time. Somehow, however, even though she was sleeping, that time builds an unbreakable bond as evidenced by the relationship I share with Kaileigh after several similar experiences. Not long after they returned home Ashley requested I take her home. Mindy asked to come along. I was glad that she did. We dropped Ashley off just before 10pm and were home by 1015pm. By 11pm Mindy insisted on going to bed. I planned to join her provided she didn’t mind me watching the Buckeye replay on ONN. She agreed. Unfortunately, when I tuned the bedroom TV to ONN a message was posted directing us to channel 100 on the digital service. That meant the only way I was going to see the replay was to go back downstairs. I did. I tuned the digital set-top to channel 100 and kicked back on the sofa. Five minutes or so into the game I was sound asleep. So much for catching the replay.

A firkin COTA Day

I was up early and ready to complete the five day business cycle commonly referred to as a work week. The morning would flow a bit easier given that Mindy didn’t need to be up since today was a COTA day – not exactly sure what it is but assume it has something to do with taking the bus. :) I went about my routine with a high amount of energy. I was more than eager for this to run its course. Early on, the day did not resemble anything close to a picture perfect autumn day. Instead it remained CCGD – cloudy, cool, gray, and dreary. This might end up being one of the crappiest October’s on record. We spent the majority of our days under clouds in the fifties with lots of rain. We’ve had two different severe storms that included tornado warnings, and even had an afternoon with snow. We’ve had everything but a couple nice boating days sprinkled in. Last year I was easily able to boat deep into October. This year’s been the complete opposite. My last day on the lake was September the 9th. And while we’ve had one or two nice days since, they were either on work days or conflicting with other more pressing events. In either case, I’ll be winterizing the boat come next Saturday and won’t see my boat until May of 2007. L I left for work amongst the gloom but arrived feeling ready for whatever the day had to offer. As it tuned out, the day was very busy for me but no busy for my team. I had an inordinate number of issues fall on my desk. That aside, I still enjoyed my Friday. I left for my run a smidgeon early (about 12:30pm) and had to endure a little bit of a chill. I wasn’t phased. After my run I planned a quick run to the Tuttle Best Buy to look at new MP3 players since my current RIO went on the fritz. The options were many, but I left empty handed. I left empty handed in part because I don’t really need all the bells and whistles available on these players and was a bit overwhelmed. I’d rather make an informed decision after some extensive research. I was equally surprised to see that regardless of the player I buy, I’ll need to spend another $30 on a sports rig for runners. Back at work the afternoon was fast and furious. I ended up staying on the job until 5:30pm. But once I left I did my best to put work on the back shelf. Not only did Mindy have the afternoon off, Jim came and got the kids at 330pm for the weekend. He’s taking them to the new Frontier indoor water park. In the meantime, we’ll have a weekend alone. Because Mindy was off, she went by Lindsey’s rental office and attempted to make arrangements to have her apartment rekeyed. Turns out, they wouldn’t act for anyone but Lindsey directly. Problem! Lindsey’s job doesn’t permit her to miss and the office hours are a paltry 1-5pm M-F. Seems like a conflict to me. Also, Lindsey asked if she could come over for a short visit tonight too. Mindy and I talked and agreed that while she could certainly visit, we weren’t going to allow her to stay the night so that we could have a night alone. We had agreed to spend our Saturday at her apartment cleaning again. Lindsey and Lil’ Rocky were already there when I got home. For some reason, Lil’ Rocky didn’t seem to keen on interacting with me. He was exhibiting old habits. He tried to avoid me at all costs. We took the opportunity to have a discussion with Lindsey about her situation and pushed a few significant issues that we both agreed need addressed if we’re to continue helping. First, I requested that she complete a monthly budget to show us where her money goes. And number two we once again requested that she get some counseling and meds if necessary. She was reluctant to do the budget thing but decided to rough a simple budget on paper while there. Shockingly, she has more disposable income than me (free cash after necessary expenses). Something isn’t adding up. What could it be, we wondered. Could she be squandering money as even she implies, or is there a bigger underlying problem? One thing’s for certain, I will not continue to help someone who’s not helping themselves. Lindsey didn’t stay much longer. Her and Rocky left by 7pm after we played cars together. Mindy and I readied for an evening at Barleys. We were excited to have an evening out. On our way to Barleys, Mindy’s friend, Kari called to let us know that she and her boyfriend were going to join us. Moreover, Tommy called letting us know that he was going to join us too. It wasn’t crowded at all tonight, and from our perspective that was good. Kari and Kevin arrived about an hour after us, and Tommy showed a half hour after them. Bob & Mary Ann were there as were Jeremy and Courtney. We hung out all night. I committed the ultimate mistake. I didn’t eat anything to go along with the five beers I drank from 745pm to 12:30am. That I’d pay for later. Everyone else ate a hearty Barley’s meal. At the time I simply didn’t want to feel full from eating. More often than not, we’re home from Barleys before 11pm. But tonight for some reason we stayed extra late. Time just flew by. We managed to talk Bob into staying late after taking Mary Ann home. We haven’t got to hang out and raise hell in quite a while. Before we knew it, Lee was cleaning up the bar while we stayed around talking. He booted us out when he was ready to go. I gave Mindy the keys since she hadn’t been drinking since 8:30 or 9pm. I had a pretty good buzz. Of course by the time that we got home I was starving. I ate several handfuls of junk but nothing of any substance. I was wise enough to choke down three Advil prior to bed.

Riveting

This time I was up at exactly 5:30am which afforded me an opportunity to bask in the luxury of a slowly evolving morning. I took my time in all phases of my morning prep. Once again the work day was all but a blur given the abundance of activity. I hardly had a chance to catch my breath. I did manage to check with Ashley around noon to see if she made it home form the hospital. Turns out she had just walked in the door. Home without incident. My run was completed around the normal time. It was drizzly-rainy for the entirety. I wasn’t phased by the weather, however. The afternoon flew by and soon I was on my merry way home. Tonight I would be arriving to an empty home. Mindy had parent teacher conferences that were expected to carry on until almost 9pm, and the kids were with their daddy. In reality, I only a little under 90 minutes of free time, though. I was expecting Jim to return the kids at 7pm. I made the most of it in any case. I begrudgingly folded the laundry on Mindy’s wish list, completed my usual after work chores, and then worked on my MP3 player that just went on the fritz today. The kids arrived home while I was playing guitar – at about 7:05pm. Things went swell for the first thirty minutes. I let them play and relax before readying them for bed. Jacob played computer games while Bella snuggled on my lap. From there it went downhill fast. After a wash cloth bath, getting them into their jammies was a bit of a challenge, but ultimately happened. Somewhere while I struggled with Bella to get her dressed for bed, Jacob snuck downstairs and called his momma on my cell phone. When I called for him to come upstairs to bed he refused. I went down and got him. He was in the midst of a full blown crying tantrum and proceeded to manifest one in Bella. Soon I had two small children hysterical for their momma. Jacob was only getting worse. I left his side to work on Bella. She wanted my attention. I was able to calm her rather easily (thankfully). Soon she was playing by the rules and all but asleep. Meanwhile, Jacob began ranting about wanting his mommy and daddy and refused to cooperate in any way shape or form. I tried using a calm, understanding approach but that and nothing else worked. I had no choice but to close his bedroom door due to the screaming. I was admittedly rattled! Mindy called around 8:45pm to let me know that she was on her way home. I let her know how rattled I was. We talked about it more when she got home. We went to bed around 10pm with game 7 of the NLCS tied at 1 to 1.