Home after Floating

The sky wasn’t as clear as the morning before but it cleared off quickly while out on my run. Instead of detouring towards the cabins or golf course, I ran the road out to the main park entrance. Again I spotted several deer along my run. I noticed that most of the park deer allow humans much closer than what one might normally expect. I ran about two miles out before turning around. The road was full of ups and downs matching the hilly terrain. On the run back in I happened upon a mother deer and her fawn. The fawn resembled Bambi, and was full of the telling spots. She was very cute. Back at the lodge our room was once again completely dark with the curtains drawn closed. I quietly went about rebrushing my teeth and grabbed my water bottle. I asked Jacob if he wanted to join me on a walk about the grounds. He didn’t. Instead, he chose to snuggle in bed with Mindy. I left camera on yet another adventure.

Out past the outdoor pool I found a large bonfire pit, tennis & volleyball courts, and another hiking trail heading off into the woods. I decided to take it. I didn’t go too far at all. However, I found a beautiful off shoot that ended on a huge protruding rock. There I sat over looking the lake all the while sunshine dappled the trees and under growth. It was a spectacular view. I chose to meditate form that spot and did for about ten solid minutes. I couldn’t believe how peaceful it was. I felt blessed to have such a view this morning. I made my way back to the room there after.

Finally, everyone was up by the time that I returned. I took a shower while everyone else readied. We left for breakfast around 8:45am. There was no breakfast buffet today. We each ordered entrees from the menu. To our dismay, the kids weren’t on their best behavior during our meal. They had to be corrected a couple of times. After our breakfast, which wasn’t nearly as good as the previous day’s, we set out on another hike despite Bella’s insistence against it. We took Big Buck trail, which is the same trail I ventured earlier in that morning. We all sat on the big rock hanging over the hill peering onto the lake through the heavy tree growth. It was totally cool. Bella seemed to enjoy today’s hike more than the prior day’s. Today she pointed out several spider webs seemingly without any fear. We hiked for just about 30 minutes. We had a bit of a time crunch. We needed to be checked out of our room by noon. It was about 11am upon our return to the room. We organized our gear still unsure of the day’s activities beyond checking out of the room. Mindy, Jacob, and I preferred boating all afternoon but Bella wanted to spend time at the outdoor pool. Mindy had promised her as much and wasn’t inclined to deny her request, although she did try reasoning with her, but to no avail.

In the end, we chose middle ground. After loading the Trooper, Mindy would take Bella to the pool while Jacob and I handled the checkout process and headed to the boat dock to ready the boat and fish. Actually, Jacob fished while I prepped the boat. Mindy and Bella swam for the twenty minutes it took to ready the boat for a day on the lake. Mindy called my cell about the same time that Jacob bored with fishing the unproductive waters. We drove to the lodge entrance where the two of them were just exiting – perfect timing!

We loaded into the boat and set out for what we hoped would be another happy day on the lake. Bella, once again, tubed out of the no-wake zone. Mindy skied right off the bat and until she took a pretty good tumble. She got in a couple good runs. Jacob opted against trying again. Instead, we decided to head to the north lake swim area. We hung there for about two hours all the while the kids played and we sunned. Around 2:30pm we pulled anchor and headed back to the dock to call it a trip. We got the boat out without nay trouble and had her road ready by 3:30pm. I was a smidge discouraged to find that the boat slipped back about 2 inches on the trailer as we pulled out, but that happens frequently, especially on steep docks. I fastened the trailer straps loosely in hopes of making a quick stop on a down hill. I tried unsuccessfully a few times as we exited the park. I stopped and tightened the trailer straps before exiting the park. The boat still sat about an inch from the desired rest. I figured that it wouldn’t be too huge a deal. Homeward!

We didn’t get too far before I realized that the boat was bouncing on the trailer making the Trooper bounce as well. It was concerning enough that after about twenty miles on the freeway I decided to exit and try tying it down more snuggly to the trailer. I found that even though my efforts to stop abruptly and bring the boat forward weren’t completely successful, it had moved forward enough to produce slack in the winch strap. I tightened that about a quarter crank and that held the boat tighter. Still, not wanting to risk having a major issue, I got some rope out of the boat and tied it through the winch hook and the trailer. Homeward … again.

That made a huge difference. I could no relax as we drove the final 80 miles home. It was a fast drive and an easy one. We didn’t hit any major traffic tie ups. However, 30 miles east of Columbus the traffic heading east began backing up and came to almost a complete stand still 5 miles outside of I-270. Yikes!!!! We arrived home between 530 & 6pm. We quickly unloaded our gear eager to get beyond the pain of unpacking. By 8pm we had everything unpacked, laundry started, and the watering done. Mindy and I sat on the deck sipping our favorite drinks leading up to Red, White, & Boom. Mindy went to bed just as it started. I stayed up ‘til 11pm.

A Big Hiking Stick

A chilly yet sunny boating day...

Monday morning was difficult to perceive from behind the thick curtains of 2nd floor room. But a quick peek out the sliding glass door revealed nothing but glorious sunshine. I quietly snuck off to the bathroom to change into my running clothes, brush my teeth, and choke down a vitamin. By 7:30am I was out the door leaving Mindy and the kids behind in the still darkened room.

I took off out the front of the lodge towards the golf course and cabins. There was a light fog setting on the lake yet the water was still visible. I could se several deer milling about while sunshine dappled the grounds about me. It was breathtakingly beautiful! And for the first time in a long, long while, I could see my breath. It was chilly but crystal clear. My initial run was up the steep hill to the golf course clubhouse to scope out the facility and the surrounding landscape. It was awesome! I left the golf course and ran towards the cabins and the lodge docks where our boat was moored. I saw a large buzzard resting in a tree watching me run by. It was an easy run down the hill but not so easy on the return up. The lake had small patches of fog scattered about and the water was as calm as a sheet of glass – certainly a site to behold. My run concluded at the lodge entrance where I returned, at least temporarily, to our assigned room, #261.

It was still very dark in the room and everyone was still sleeping. I found my water bottled and grabbed my book and sat on the balcony for a few minutes reading in the chilly but lovely summer air. Jacob eventually woke and joined me on the balcony. We decided to visit the game room on the lower level. I didn’t take money. I thought everything was free. We thought we’d play ping-pong but there were no balls to be found. I guessed that you’ve got to get them from the desk. Jacob insisted on playing some of the video games, but again we had no tokens or cash. We went back to the room where I grabbed my wallet then quickly returned. Jacob blew through a couple of bucks in a hurry. He tired of the games quicker than I thought he might. Again, we returned to the room.

Mindy and Bella were finally awake. Mindy had some coffee brewing. I shared the views I saw during my run and the hiking trail I found just beyond the lodge. We agreed to eat breakfast then take a family hike. It was a bit chilly for early boating.

We left for breakfast around 9am. We visited the lodge restaurant where the menu featured a buffet. We all took part. It was very yummy. They had lots of good eats. Our bill was $24 – not too bad at all. We left the lodge and set out on our hike. Mindy asked if the kids needed tennis shoes. I though not. We found our way to the hiking trail across form the golf course entrance. Soon we were in the woods on a hillside overlooking the pristine lake, which provided some amazing views. The trail was reported to be 2 miles long and ending up at the camp grounds. Bella wasn’t to thrilled with hiking. She whined for several minutes about this and that. At some point, after seeing a large spider web, she cried about the possibility of getting stuck in a web. It was sorta funny save for the incessant bitching. We took several pit stops along the trail taking in the spectacular views of the large rock formations as well as the lake. We took lots of pictures too. At one point we took a detour down to the water where we rested on a washed up log while Jacob snacked on wild raspberries. These kids are ALWAYS hungry! We hiked up and down the trails probably going a little over a mile deep. We decided to turn around realizing how traumatic this was on Bella. Jacob, being his silly self, found a very large log about 4 inches in diameter and about 8 foot long. He joked that it was his big hiking stick, since everybody had one. I quipped that I’d give him $20 bucks if he could carry it all the way back. I was sure that he couldn’t given all the hills and rough terrain we would have to traverse.

He made sure that if he made it back that I would give him the money. I agreed. Long story short, the little shit actually managed to carry the log back to the trails beginning. As hard as it was to part with the $20, I learned something about Jacob’s resolve. He told me along the way that it was killing him but that he was determined to earn the money. Hidden there within was a good lesson, I’m sure. I was proud of his perseverance.

We returned to our room where we quickly readied for a day on the lake. It was already 12:30pm. Finally, the temperature had warmed to a reasonable temp, but still there was an uncharacteristically chilly breeze. We pulled away from the dock with little fanfare and set out to explore the southern end of the lake and to ski.

We first cruised around the damn area where Mindy skied. I was sure that she was cold. After a couple of spills we then circled back through the no-wake zone and then south to the previously unexplored waters. We quickly found the landmarks we earmarked while hiking. Eventually we found our way to the campground beach where the kids & Mindy got out and swam. We anchored there for about an hour before moving on to the main Marina. There we refuel and checked out more of the lake, including the park’s main beach. It was now about 4pm. We pulled away from the marina with Bella in the tube going at idle speed. Once we got to the ski-zone Mindy plopped in the water for some more tubing. Jacob went after it again, too, but complained of pain. He didn’t last too long at all. Eventually we bagged the tube in favor of the skis. Mindy did a nice job once again. She even crossed the wake successfully a time or two before eventually falling.

Jacob insisted on trying to ski even though I knew it would be fruitless. He never got passed getting the skies on and in the ready position. He freaked out once he realized that Mindy would not be able to stay in the water with him. He really needs smaller, lighter skis to learn on. Bella once again tubed all the way back to the dock form the ski zone going only at idle speed. She seemed to enjoy the ride. We had a very pleasant day on the lake. AS we docked and covered the boat we chatted with two different couples who were docking, too. They both shared their opinion of Salt Fork being one of the finest lakes in all of Ohio. Both had been to numerous state parks but found this the nicest, most pleasing for boating. We concurred, mostly for its character.

Back at the lodge we showered up in preparation for dinner in the lodge dining room. We must’ve got there around 7pm but were told there’d be a 20 minute wait for a table by window overlooking the lake. We agreed. To kill the time we moseyed over to the Wildlife lounge where we enjoyed a couple cold beverages. I had a Great Lakes Burning River & Mindy a glass of Shiraz. The kids enjoyed Shirley Temples all the while hitting a few pool balls around. The time passed quickly and before we knew it was time to go eat our dinner.

We were seated in a booth overlooking the lake just as we were promised, and what a breathtaking view it was. Seth, our server, was very sharp and attentive. We was very good at the up-sell. We enjoyed our dinner and dropped almost $80 with tip. Mindy was whipped so we headed back to the room where we all got ready for bed. The move Beetlejuice was just beginning. We all watched intently, this being one of my all time favorites. The kids were enjoying it, but Mindy was concerned that the kids, especially Bella, would have nightmares. She turned it off about half way through as the kids and I began to dose.

Go Cowboys - Go Cubs

Goodbye Mark A., you'll be missed

I got up & out of bed at 6:45am. Once again my throat was dry and sore and my head clogged. It took a few minutes for my sinuses to clear. Mindy asked that I get her up by 8:00am. It was a beautiful clear morning but the temperature a little cool, especially given that today’s the first of July. It was in the upper 50’s.

After exercise, walking Ykraps, and fast cup of coffee I got ready for a run. I wore back-up running clothes since my regulars were already packed. And because it was so chilly, I wore a long sleeved running shirt. It was a lovely run. I stayed within the confines of our lovely subdivision. By the time I returned Mindy had bacon in the oven and was in the shower. She let me know that Ashley called while I was running but that she missed it.

Jimaken dropped the kids sometime around 9am while I was out watering (soaking) the flowers. Ashley called again at which time Mindy informed her that I’d be on my way momentarily to fetch her and Olivia. Ashley couldn’t drive over as her new used car was broken down at a friend’s place. It’s always something! I took the van since the boat was attached to the Trooper. Jacob went along for the ride.

We were back by 9:50am. It looked like our planned departure time of 10am was in jeopardy, but that was never in concrete, just a target. I spent the next 30-40 minutes loading all of our gear. Most of it went into the Trooper save for fishing gear an tools which I placed in the boat. We were ready to leave by 10:45am. We left Ashley some cash, reviewed the watering routine, and exchanged some hugs. I walked around the rig before heading out just to double check that everything looked good to go.

As we waited for the light to turn at the freeway entrance, dad turned in front of us headed north onto Wilson Rd. We waved acknowledging each others presence. At my prompting, Mindy then gave him a call on his cell just to let him know that we would be out of town and to invite him out if he so chose. He thanked us for the invite but also let us know that he’d be busy tending to Uncle Kenny after his knee replacement surgery tomorrow. We were on our way.

Things went smoothly as we cruised east on I-70 across town and beyond. The morning weather couldn’t have been prettier. Somewhere just east of Newark I happened to catch a glimpse of the boat cover flapping like a flag out one of the side view mirrors. A rest area was just ahead so I calmly took the exit yet nervous about what I might find. I worried that the tube and other stored items might have blown out. At the same time, I wondered how such a thing could’ve happened. Mindy and the kids jumped out to take advantage of the rest area restrooms. I went back to check on the boat cover. First, all the gear was still in the boat. Unfortunately, the severe flapping of roughed up the rear edge of the cover quite badly. Still, I was able to make use of the snap fasteners and reattach it to the boat. It occurred to me that I had never fully reattached all the snaps before leaving home after placing a few items in there for the trip. My screw up would cost me yet another repair. I did my best to shrug it off for the remainder of the drive out. It certainly could’ve been much, much worse.

We arrived at Salt Fork around 12:45pm. It was 100 miles exactly to the parks entrance. We made out way to the lodge which sits 6 miles back into the park. As expected, our room wasn’t ready. We asked anyhow figuring there was no harm in asking. We verified that it was still OK to use the lodge marina. Down past the cabins we went where w pulled over to prep the boat for the water. I was just a bit nervous for having never navigated these waters and the topology appeared similar to Lake Cumberland in that it’s a winding lake cut into a valley of hills. And furthermore, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was still a little burnt over the torn boat cover incident.
All that aside, we got the boat in the lake with little if any trouble. By 1:15pm we were pulling away from the dock into the great wide open!

Not knowing the our way we relied on instincts as well as other boats that seemed to know exactly where they were going. We found our way to the NE part of the lake after cruising through a large winding ski zone. We eventually anchored in a no-wake zone so that the kids could play and swim. We hung there for close to two hours before heading back to tube. After last Tuesday, I was certain that Jacob would be undaunted by the strange new waters, but that wasn’t the case. He hadn’t tubed for more than a minute before the tears came. He complained of a sore neck and begged out. Mindy let us drag her around a little before we headed back to the dock and eventually to the lodge. Judging from the lake map we had, we saw about one half the lake. We promised ourselves that we would explore the southern half on Monday along with letting Mindy ski. We docked the boat at the docks exclusively for cabin and lodge guests. We left the boat uncovered knowing that we’d be back down after checking in. We dropped the trailer along side the marina in the grass and headed up to the lodge.

Check-in was a breeze. We were given keys to room #261. The room had two double beds, a fridge, and a balcony that faced the woods and the southern portion of the lake – a very lovely view. Almost instantly the kids were treated to some of the parks wildlife. There were five does hanging out just off of our balcony begging for food. The kids took numerous pictures with their disposable cameras. After getting settled, Jacob and I took a drive back to the dock to fish and cover the boat. In the meantime, the girls went swimming and eventually ordered us a pizza. We fished for about an hour or until Mindy called alerting us to the food’s imminent arrival. We covered the boat and headed back to our room. We didn’t catch any fish.

The girls returned from swimming with a large pepperoni pizza. We each had two large pie shaped pieces. I sat on the veranda enjoying mine along with a cold frosty beverage. While relaxing my cell phone rang. It was my old friend John Vidosh. I hadn’t talked with John in almost a year. Unfortunately, he had some sad news to share. A longtime friend, Mark Adams, passed away over the weekend. The details were unknown. Mark and I were very close for a few years in the late 80’s early 90’s. In fact, he played a large role in my ultimate career change. He’ll be missed.

As the sunset and the evening wound down, we all hit the sack fairly early. We watched a little TV before heading off to sleep.

Anticipating Fun

Right on schedule, I was up at 7:30am ready to begin the first of five consecutive days off of work. I slept rather well but woke with clogged sinuses and a raw, scratchy throat. Both cleared after I got up and moving.
Mindy chose to remain in bed. For her, this was a chance to catch up on sleep since the kids were away and we had no pressing deadlines.

I prepped a pot of coffee, finished my exercises, and leashed up Ykraps for our morning walk. It was lovely outside – blue skies and cool summer temps. It was only 60 degrees. As usual, once we returned I poured myself some coffee, checked the headlines via the internet, and then took to the deck for some guitar. Mindy got up around 9am but wasn’t feeling so good. I got ready for a run by 9:30am.

I ran along Trabue Rd. I was surprised at how crowded the golf course was so early in the day. I ran by my dad’s house. He appeared to be home but not out. Upon my return to the house, Mindy was back upstairs in bed. I was careful not to disturb her. I spent the next couple of hours watering flowers and updating my blog. Mindy finally got up and into action just after noon. She reported feeling better but still not 100%.

We had plenty to do this afternoon. We had to prep for our Salt Fork trip. Our goal was to have everything ready to load into the Trooper before going to bed. That meant we had to grocery shop, pick-up and gas up the boat and Trooper, and pack our clothes and food. We decided to grocery shop together, and planned on hitting Wal-Mart and then Giant Eagle.

At Wal-Mart we picked up a potted sunflower just like we did last July 4th weekend. We then proceeded to gather our groceries for the week and for our trip. At Giant Eagle we picked up some produce, large wild shrimp, wine, beer, and a gift for a friend’s birthday party that’s fast approaching. It was after 3pm by the time we were home from shopping.

I left to pick-up the boat and gas up around 4pm. I wasn’t gone but maybe 25 minutes. When I returned I spent several minutes gathering & organizing important items for our trip. Mindy made sure we had plenty of boat food pre-cut & bagged (fruit, veggies, nuts, and cheese). We agreed to start the grill around 6:30pm. We grilled skewered shrimp and filet mignon.

After eating our dinner and cleaning up the mess, we got our suitcases packed for the go. The only remaining tasks were to ice the coolers and load the Trooper. We went to bed rather early with a busy day lying ahead.

Firkin Friday

I was awake even before 5:30 but chose to stay in bed for a short while longer. It was 5:40am when I finally found myself in the kitchen fiddling with the vitamin bottle. I went about my exercise routine and eventually leashed up Ykraps for our Friday morning stroll. The lawn and flowers were all still drenched with rain water ready for the sun to rise and dry their foliage and invigorate further growth. The pond looked slightly swollen but only a an inch or two above its setting level. The morning air was unusually crisp – a far cry from the heavy humid air that’s been so prevalent of late.

While enjoying the morning’s coffee I sat at the PC reading the Daily OM and catching up on some scores and NBA draft headlines. I wouldn’t normally give tow shits about the NBA except for the fact that three Buckeyes were rumored to have gone in the first round – a Buckeye first. I was curious to see how that all unfolded. Three Buckeyes, as it turns out, went in the first 21 picks, including Greg Oden going overall number one to Portland thus producing another natural connection for the PNW.

I got started packing my lunch and cooking breakfast at 6:40. I finished eating and began watering by 7:00am. I didn’t have too much watering to do since we got the summer rains overnight but I still had to water the baskets and pots, if nothing else, just to top them off. I finished much earlier than usual and returned inside to begin the showering process. Mindy was already up in an anticipation of the grandchildren, whom she agreed to watch yet again today. They arrived while I was showering. Rocky seems so happy when he’s at our home. And baby Landon seems to be a very happy little guy. Mindy said that he was very easy to care for yesterday. He eats, sleeps, and plays. No fussing! I should’ve snapped some pictures but didn’t. I guess I was too focused on the work day ahead. I was definitely looking forward to the coming five day weekend.

I arrived at work by 8:05am under almost full cloud cover with the promise of a lovely day yet to unfold. Work was busy but then again, eerily quiet for a Friday – none of the usual chatter form above. I stayed busy all morning. I left for a run around 12:40pm. The conditions were ideal for a run. It couldn’t have been 75 degrees and the sky was still trying to shed the leftover clouds. I took notice of the sun as it busted through the ever thinning cloud cover at my turn around point. The run went really well. I had plenty of strength left even after I finished. After a quick shower I stopped by Jay’s office for a quick chat. Eventually, I found my way back to my own office ready for an afternoon of fun.

The afternoon was much like the morning. Quiet from above but very busy from a volume standpoint. It got really busy the last hour of the day. That happens often on Friday’s for whatever reason. I left for home later than previously desired but didn’t want to leave my peer in a lurch. I also waited patiently for my insurance agent to call me back as promised. I knew she was going on vacation next week so if I didn’t push her, I might not have closure on my issue for ten more days. I was eager to avoid that. Turns out, she called my cell just as I was walking out the door. She confirmed that the deal was done and that the check was in the mail. Cool!

I arrived home just before 6pm. Mindy had already walked Ykraps, and the kids were gone with Jimaken. Mindy was sipping wine on the deck when I arrive home. The house was peaceful, just like I like it. She reported the day going rather well, despite having four small children running about. We sat together on the deck talking about life. Eventually, I dosed off but only for a few minutes. That was enough to refresh my busy mind. She went in to ready for an evening at Barley’s and I went in and updated Thursday’s blog entry. Around 7:20pm we jumped in the BM’er and headed to our favorite watering hole.

The lot was packed. We had to manufacture a parking spot one over from the last lined slot. I do that often. Inside, the place was bustling with regulars - Bob, Mary Ann, Jeremy, Courtney, Mark, Steve, Scott, Dan, Josh, Rebecca, and eventually Rick & Tim. Jersey and Lee were working the bar – no Janet. I had a Firkin (a Scottish, I think). Mindy had a Shiraz. We visited with our friends and eventually placed an order for food. I ordered Gates of Hell wings and fries. Mindy ordered a Southwestern salad. Everybody’s food came but ours. We watched our friends eat for a few until Mindy finally asked where ours might be. Somehow our order got lost. Being the regulars that we are, they comp’d our meal – very cool!
Everything was tasty as always.

We hung at Barley’s until 1030pm or so. We drove home with the top down under a full moon. When we arrived home we could hear the Shultz’s living it up a bit. We decided to crash their party. They had a nice fire going and lots of family members hanging around having fun. We joined in the fun. Eventually, all the family members departed but we remained talking until about 1230am. As always, we were the last to leave. We shared lots of dirty laundry and joked about all sorts of stuff. We had a very nice time. When Mindy and I got back home we headed straight to bed. We both fell asleep in less than ten minutes.

The Rains Cometh

Happy 25th daughter Courtney
& Happy 20th nephew Joe

I slept well ‘til about 5:50am. I woke with my mouth and throat feeling incredibly dry & scratchy. I quietly worked my way down the stairs where I took my vitamin and got busy with my morning exercises. The prior night's weather forecast called for a strong chance of rain and the radar before going to be looked quite daunting. But best I could tell, we didn’t get a drop. Damn! What’s more, the sky was clear and giving way to more sunshine. In a rare move, I tuned in to the Weather Channel while I exercised hoping to get an updated forecast. Despite the clear morning, the day's forecast still called for strong storms pretty much all day. But if we don’t get the rain today, we most likely won’t get any for another week or so. The forecast looks spectacular through the Fourth.

Today was trash day. They picked up just after 6am. As is often the case, our bin was over flowing. Ykraps and I carried on with our walk. Back at home, I sipped coffee while reading the Daily OM and proofing a couple blog entries. I do that only sometimes. By 6:40am I figured I better get crackin’ on packing my lunch and making my breakfast. I ate my breakfast inside but headed out the door immediately after I finishing to begin watering. Once again, I watered front and back not willing to risk being disappointed by the rain man. I finished up with my watering chores by 7:40am and then headed in for a shower.

I left for work by 8:05am. Work was busy. The sky, as I observed, began clouding up slowly but surely. Still, by the time I left for my run it hadn’t rained a drop and didn’t look all that threatening either. I worked up quite a lather running. It wasn’t so much the heat, but instead the humidity. I was drenched! My after run shower felt incredibly good. I left the office to get an estimate on the hail dmamged Trooper. I went to Dent Magic on Sawmill Rd. They got me in immediately but took a while to draft the formal document. I was shocked at the amount - $4500. Holy Smoke!

I hurried back to work. It was 2:25pm. While finishing out my day I made a couple calls to my insurance company to let them know I had my own estimate. They asked me to fax it in. I did. Sometime between then and when I finally left for home the rains started. Mindy reported it raining rather heavily at home. For that I was pleased. I left work for home shortly after 5:15pm. I stopped at the Tuttle Parkway Wal-Mart to get a new fishing pole for me and some additional tackle for Jacob. The kids were already at Bible school by the time I arrived home. Jimaken took them tonight. Mindy and I skipped a formal dinner and instead simply snacked. I wasn’t all that hungry. I spent some time on the PC before sitting with Mindy to review the hundred or so paint chips she brought home from Sherwin Williams. She’s hell bent on redoing the kitchen/family room, and possibly even the guest bath. We found a couple color combos that we both liked.

We left to pick the kids up from Bible School at 7:15pm. The skies looked as if a big storm was brewing. The radar, just before we left home, looked scary, too. This time it looked like a sure thing. The rains held out until we got to church. We went inside for the last night’s festivities, awards, and popcorn. I enjoyed the movie-style popcorn. It was salty and very buttery. The rains began while we watched the kids get their certificates. We weren’t there but about thirty minutes maximum. I took pictures of the dark clouds hanging over the Westside as we were leaving. I hadn’t seen clouds like that in along while - probably since the hail storm in October. It continued raining as we drove home but still not very heavy. It looked like the strong stuff would go just south of us. But my only concern was that we got our share of the rain, and we did.
It continued raining after we arrived home for another hour or so. Mindy got the kids in bed and tucked in by 9:15pm. I spent a little time reviewing some photos and updating my blog. Mindy insisted on reading it before going to bed. Once again, I was feeling tired and slightly ill. We went to bed before 10pm.

Where's the Rain?

It wasn’t nearly as easy to get up & out of bed as I had hoped. My war torn throat was proving to be a bona fide symptom of something larger. With little choice, I sucked it up and got busy with my daily routine. It was already after 6am. I slept later than I had planned.

After exercise, walking Ykraps, and having coffee, I got cracking on food prep. I made tuna casserole, a lettuceless salad, fruit, and nuts for lunch. I made two fried eggs for breakfast. I ate those on the deck after a little meditation. After I finished my breakfast I got busy watering the flowers front & back. I completed my watering fun by 7:35am and headed on up to the shower. I took Mindy some coffee and sat it next to the bed. She was still half asleep as I got started with my shower.

I preparation for work, I remembered to pack my clubs and shorts for Wednesday evening golf league. I arrived at work just after 810am. I had a number of voice messages and emails to review after my one day absence. It was a challenge to get caught up and still maintain a grip on the unfolding day. We had a staff meeting mid morning that carried on right up until lunch. I left for my run a tad late. It was close to 1pm when I left my office. It was very warm by the time I hit the trail – probably 90 degrees. It was quite humid too. Lucky for me, there was a nice breeze which took the edge of the otherwise stifling heat.

I had a most interesting meeting/encounter that I can’t go into here. I walked away feeling good about myself. I left the office for home around 5:30pm. I drove straight home but took the back way due to heavier than normal traffic on I-270. I must’ve arrived home close to 545pm. I decided not to water since the forecast called for a strong chance of showers both this evening, later tonight, and tomorrow. Mindy took the kids to church camp soon after I arrived home. She heated leftovers when she returned. We had pork chops and green bean casserole. It wasn’t long before Mindy left to pick-up the kids. I used the time to write blog entries. I was still writing when they returned and continued on while the kids readied for bed. I felt a little light headed and hoped to be in bed before 10pm. I took another dose of Delsym to silent my cough through the night.

Alum Creek ( like an old friend)

I was up before 7am after an imperfect night’s sleep. I woke a few times through the night feeling like my throat was full of pollen. But having a rare day off in the middle of the week, I was not about to waste a minute of it. I eagerly sprang from the bed and hurried down the stairs to begin my daily routine. I started the coffee maker and then began my daily exercises. By 7:10 I was walking Ykraps in what appeared to have all the makings of an awesome day. It was clear, blue, and steamy. As soon as our walk was in the bag I headed back out to start up the sprinkler pump and the watering process. This morning’s focus would be the west front yard slope towards the water – an area that dries out before any other. I went in to enjoy some coffee before setting out on a run.

I changed into running attire at 7:45am and hit the trail after waking Mindy. It was a nice early morning run, especially if you like it steamy. I was back by 8:20am. Mindy and Bella were relaxing with coffee on the deck. I toweled off while we briefly discussed our immediate plans. Mindy made eggs while I brought the cooler in from the garage to prep for our trip. The cooler in question still held water from a party several weeks ago. I opened the deck door to dump it onto my hibiscus flowers when all of the sudden Ykraps weaseled his way out. He bolted to the back of the yard and into the brush. I calmly finished what I was doing before setting out after him with leash in hand. I swore I wouldn’t chase him, however.

By the time I made it down to the compost pile he had left the immediate area, but I was certain that he was nearby perhaps finding his way back into the woods where, on the rare occasions that he gets out, we always find him. But Bella and I went back to the house empty handed after a walk along the edge of woods past Mike & Teri’s. I could hear other dogs barking that are in fenced yards along the woods. I was sure that they were barking at Ykraps. Jacob was now up when we returned home, and after learning of Ykraps escape he began crying profusely. I set out once again only this time alone. I put on a t-shirt and bug spray to protect me from the ivy, bugs, and under brush. I went to the house where I heard the dogs barking and knocked on the door asking permission to cut through to the woods to find my dog. The neighbor allowed me access to the woods via her yard, which provides broad access to the surrounding woods and thick brush.

I wasn’t back there but two minutes until I stumbled upon Ykraps nosing around in the shoulder high grass along the edge of the woods. He looked my way but still didn’t come towards my call. I had to slowly make my way towards him. Now, within about 6 feet, he continued his curious quest about the area. I remember thinking how much of a shame it would be if I didn’t get a hold of him now. He was just so close. Finally, just seconds later, he stopped and allowed me to leash him. I think he was confused. We pretty much followed the same path out that I used to get in. Eventually we found our way back through the kind neighbor’s yard and onto our street. Everyone, especially Jacob, was thrilled to see me walk back in the door with Ykraps in tow. With the potential crisis avoided, I turned my attention to my itchy skin by taking a quick alcohol and cotton ball bath to remove any poison ivy oil. After that I took a shower. Next, we got on with the business of breakfast and prepping for our boating trip.

I continued watering right up until 9:45am. We loaded the Trooper with the day’s provisions and hit the road to Alum Creek at 10:06am.

We arrived at Alum Creek 32 minutes later. It’s a pretty fast drive around I-270 and up RT 23. And just as I had hoped & envisioned, the marina boat launch was barren and the lake calm and peaceful. We prepped the boat for launch without anyone else around. Folks – that never happens on a weekend! It wasn’t long before we had the boat in the water and we were pulling away from the dock. We had only one minor incident at the dock. Mindy reminded me how curt I can be with my dock side manners. She’s still in deck mate school. J

Soon we were underway. Jacob was eager to get tubing right away. After making our initial loop around the south lake we settled in by the camp beach where we prepped for tubing - Jacob first. But despite the calm waters, Jacob insisted on stopping after one very short ride. We had barely gone anywhere, but still he insisted that we stop. He said that I was going to fast. Oh boy! After a pep talk he tried again, but with the exact same results only this time he was crying to get out. Mindy was next. Bella decided that she wanted to tube also. She got in with her momma but lasted only a minute before crying to stop. Mindy decided to go it alone. She even let me throw her about a little. Bella didn’t like seeing her momma back there bouncing around.

After Mindy was out of the water we decided to high tail it up north to the boat swim cove – my personal favorite. What made it even better was that there were just a handful boats on the entire lake. Ten minutes later we were there. I hoped that we wouldn’t be sharing the cove with too many others. There was only one other boat anchored in the cove, and they were close to the entrance. My spot, much further back, was all clear. We no sooner threw in anchor and the kids were in the water playing. It was still before noon. We hung out in the cove for nearly three hours floating, swimming, and relaxing.

Around 3:30pm we exited the cove for the main lake pulling Jacob on the tube at idle speed and with a shortened rope. He decided to tube for real once we were on the open lake. This time he hung in there and battled his fear. He made it all the way to the camp ground dock where he begged out. Mindy chose to give it another go, only this time the kids were insistent on taking their momma over big waves where as before they were terrified for her safety. They got a big kick out of her ultimate demise on the choppy wake. After tubing Mindy asked if she could try skiing. We made the necessary changes in tow ropes and tossed the skis her way. Meanwhile, I stowed the tube in the bow area. After two failed attempts, Mindy finally got up and skied around the larger share of the north lake until her arms and legs gave out. She gave the cut signal close by the camp dock.

After her successful skiing, Jacob wanted to tube again. He asked that we take him over choppy waters. We obliged but with common sense. We asked that he lay across the tube for greater comfort in lieu of crouching in it. He responded well to the change and before we knew it, he was tubing like a young expert. We decided then that it was time to give him a taste of real tubing. We got him going over the wake side to side. But instead of fear he looked eager for more. He seemed to love skipping across the open water. However, the real test was when he was launched off the tub after hitting heavy wake. He passed! He was smiling big when he cleared. He gave us the OK signal and waved. We knew then that he was good with it. He asked to go again, so we went again. He was digging the tubing. We tubed until we needed to depart for home. We headed for the marina dock somewhere close to 4:30pm. Once again, there was no one waiting at the dock making it very easy to get out, which is often more difficult than putting in. It was scorching hot when we pulled out. It was sunny and 92 degrees. As we always do, we towel dried the boat to restore its luster, and then packed away all of the gear for next time. We dropped the boat at storage at 515pm and we were home by 525pm.

Mindy hustled to get the kids something to eat and dressed for Bible school. I set out to prime the sprinkler pump. I continued watering the strip of grass between the walk and street. Mindy wanted to go out for dinner while the kids were in school. I took a shower while she was gone and was ready by the time she returned. We went to El Vaquero. There was the usual packed lot and 5-10 minute wait. This place always packs ‘em in! Our food was really good. Mindy had a margarita. I had only water. We left the Vaq at about 7:40pm and headed directly for Crossroads to pick-up the kids. They were just finishing up when we arrived. As we pulled away for home we decided to detour by Kelly’s to see if Ash & Olivia were out. They were, but with Kelly too. We chatted with Kelly, Ash, and Lindsey only briefly. We hugged the grand kids a few times and then headed for home.

I had the sprinkler running the entire time we were gone. I moved it yet again before bagging it for the night. I talked with neighbor Carl for a few minutes all the while I watered. It was late. I tucked in the kids and readied for bed myself. My throat was still bothering me and I felt as though I might be getting a cold. It’s going around. I took some Delsym before going to bed.

One Day Work Week

Happy 49th B-Day brother Glenn - let your 50th year begin!

It was Monday and time to return to work. All in all my weekend was good and my on-call didn’t overwhelm me due in large part to my self-inflicted work day, Saturday. Even with that, I accomplished plenty of yard related chores/tasks and had a nice visit with G.D., Kaileigh. Things went according to plan.

I went through my usual morning paces leading up to my departure for the office. I left home convinced that I would ask for tomorrow (Tuesday) off as my replacement day for working Saturday. The Tuesday forecast was stellar calling for sunny skies and temps approaching 90 degrees. It would be a perfect boating day.

Work went well, although it was very busy. I left for my run around 12:45pm. It was only expected to reach 82 but just before I left my office the temperature was already near 90. I guess it heated up much faster than expected. The run went well even in spite of the heat and humidity.

As soon as I got back to my office I asked my boss about Tuesday. He OK’d my plan. Cool. We were set then. I would pick-up the boat on the way home from work to help make our departure for the lake that much simpler. I left work for home just after 5:10pm. Traffic was backed up big time on I-270, but since I was picking up the boat I was already planning to take the back way home. I arrived home with the boat around 5:45pm. It didn’t take long to get it hooked up and out of there.

Once at home I collapsed in the big reading chair while Mindy drove the kids off to Bible school. I didn’t have dosed for too long, though. As soon as I was vertical I went out and got my sprinkler pump primed and running. Once again, I watered the east side yard rather heavily since it still looked a little stressed. In between moving the sprinkler I had an unexpected visitor, Lindsey Hupp. She’s an old friend of daughter Courtney. I hadn’t seen her in about 4 years. We talked a while after I encouraged her to stay and meet Mindy. She’s very sweet and very lively. I showed her several pictures of the grand kids and the girls. It wasn’t long before Mindy was home with the kids.

Mindy and Lindsey hit it off pretty well. We convinced Lindsey to stick around for dinner. We were having grilled salmon filet, asparagus, and salad. The salmon turned out really well. After dinner Lindsey left. She gave us her contact info so that we could hook-up again sometime soon. I continued moving the sprinkler through the early evening hours making sure to get all the tough little patches of grass nice and wet. I also made a mental list of everything we’d need to take to the lake tomorrow.

After the kids were in bed I drank a couple of beers. I was happy & thankful that I didn’t have to work tomorrow. I was exhausted and had a slight twinge in my throat. We headed to bed by 1030pm.

Badger 5

Like many past night’s, Bella woke us in the middle of the night with her incessant moanings & whinings. I could tell that Mindy was irritated. Add to that, yet another sleep walking incident with Jacoby. This time he was fumbling with the security gate at the top of the stairs, which is what woke me. I called for him to come in our room. He was mumbling something undetectable. His mother took over form there. Our house is becoming much like a mental hospital in the middle of the night.

I woke around 530am thinking I had to go to work. What a good feeling it was once I realized that was not the case. I woke again around 630am and contemplated getting up. Instead, I fell back asleep waking for good at 8:00am. I was surprised at how long I slept, but figured that I must’ve needed it. Still, I feel cheated when I sleep that late on my day off.

I made some coffee, completed my exercises, and walked Ykraps. The streets were still wet from overnight rain. It didn’t appear that it rained all that much, however. But as dry as we’ve been, any rain is a welcome site. I logged into work upon my return. I had a couple issues needing my attention. I sipped all the while I toiled with work. It wasn’t long before the whole house was awake and bustling.

Mindy began prepping breakfast around 9am. About the same time I readied for a run. She asked if I were planning to go to church. I was not. This was Pastor Steve’s last day at Crossroads. He’s moving on. I left for my run while breakfast cooked. I ran along Trabue and Hague. I found an errant golf ball along hole number one. That happens often.

My run went very well. The weather was ideal for running. When I retuned I found Mindy in a very unlikely position under the sink. That can’t be good, I thought. Eventually she explained why. It seems water was leaking out from under the sink and onto the floor. And in this water were food particles, which implied garbage disposal issues. How they were getting out of the continued system was yet to be determined. Upon closer inspection, I found an actual hole in the side of the disposal, almost like something punctured it. I healed it temporarily with duct tape (fix number one million and one). I searched Home Depot’s webpage for disposals finding my very model still being made 13+ years later. And even more interesting were the customer feedback comments. I found one customer who bought the new Badger 5 – ½ HP model, like mine. He went on about how his original developed a hole in the side, almost like it deteriorated. The cost of the new version was $79. I figured I’d get one later in the day and try to fix it. The original lasted 13+ years. That’s not too bad. Interestingly enough, they have garbage disposals for as much as $299! Of course once you cross about the $139 barrier they’re no longer called garbage disposals. Nope! They’re called ‘food waste disposer’s’. That’s funny right there. I don’t care who you are!

Mindy and the kids left for church while I ate my French toast, did some work, and contemplated my day. After they left I tidied up the kitchen and readied for lawn chores. I was so looking forward to working in the yard. My plan was not only to cut & trim the lawn but also to trim the shrubbery and deadhead some of our summer flowers. I worked in the yard for the next 3 hours. After hauling all my clippings to the compost pile I gave the kids (Jacob, Bella, and Kaileigh) a tractor ride. They loved it! Kaileigh’s step-mom picked her up after we finished. After a quick shower I went to Home Depot. I was there for a long time not only picking up a disposal but also looking at lots of things for home future home projects. Sometimes I just want to casually walk all the isles uncovering things I never knew they carried before. Today I found 3 in 1 oil. I haven’t seen that in years. Reminds me of my dad. I got lots of ideas. I looked for just the right perennial to go in Mindy’s Lola pot. I couldn’t find anything cool at Home Depot. I decided to detour to Lowe’s before heading home. There I found the perfect plant. I bought her a brilliant orange Asiatic Lilly that would surely fill the bill.

Mindy alerted me to the fact that she would not be home upon my arrival. She was dropping the kids off at Bible School located at Crossroad Methodist Church. She asked that I start the grill. As soon as I got home I followed my orders, and in addition, I made some fresh Minute Maid orange juice and cracked open a bottle of Cooke’s Spumante’ in order to make mimosas. By the time that Mindy returned I was placing the big fat pork chops on the grill. She confiscated my mimosa, so I made myself another. We both like them quite a bit. They became standard fare in Mexico of all places.

The pork chops grilled up real nice after I placed some wet hickory wood chunks in
Foil serrated with holes. They were thick, juicy, and had that awesome hickory flavor. After dinner Mindy set out to pick-up the kids. It was closing in on 8pm. I got started on the garbage disposal project. To my surprise, I was able to complete the project before Mindy returned. What made it easy was the fact that it was the same model and therefore had the same mounting bracket. It worked like a charm and also allowed us to clean and organize our under the sink storage as well as replace the shelf liner that had been there since day one (13+ years).

Mindy put the kids to bed after I finished the project. After the kids were tucked into bed, Mindy and I got in the hot tub. While soaking we had a visit from a hummingbird. He hung around the hanging petunias for almost fifteen minutes. We were surprised that he hung out for so long and in the dark. After hot tubbing we headed up to bed. Bella began her nightly whining before we got settled into bed even in spite of warnings against such actions from Mindy earlier.

A Benign Saturday

Even though I planned on working today, I thought that I might sleep much later than I do on a normal work day. However, instead, I got up & out of bed at 5:45am to begin preparations for a Saturday in the office. I treated the morning just like any other work day. I exercised, walked Ykraps, enjoyed some coffee, and prepped the day’s food.

I watered the backyard flowers before departing. I dressed casually wearing jean shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. I drove the BM’er since it was a relatively nice morning. There were just a handful of cars in the lot (fewer than 10). The guys were a little surprised that I was there to work. In hindsight, I probably should’ve given them a heads-up so they didn’t worry.

The morning wasn’t too busy, but there was a lot for me to do just to keep things running smoothly, hence the reason I came into the office in the first place. It was nice working when most others were not. Not very many distractions. We accomplished a lot.

I left for a run around 12:30pm. The gym was barren. The sky was overcast and the temperature only about 74 degrees. It was a nice day for a run. This is the first time in almost ten years that I can recall running my work trail on a Saturday. After my run and eventual shower I took a quick drive up to The Anderson’s to check out their playsets, and more specifically the one Mindy liked. It took about 15 minutes to get there form the office. Their playsets were on display in their parking lot. I was major disappointed when I saw them. I would liken them to battered boats – hunks of junk! The price on the set Mindy liked was about $1250, yet there wasn’t but $200 or $300 dollars worth of wood there, and that was of poor quality. There was no way I would put junk like that in my back yard – NO WAY!

I drove back to the office arriving just before 2pm. I returned to my office where I enjoyed my packed lunch while continuing with my work. I talked with Mindy who picked up grand daughter, Kaileigh for a sleepover. We talked about going to Comfest but later decided that we might just stay home. I left for home around 4:50pm. I made a stop at Home Depot to check out a few tings on my project list. I wasn’t there too long, keeping in mind that dinner was about ready and that Kaileigh was over.

I arrived home at just about 5:30pm. There I greeted Kaileigh, Mindy & the kids. Soon Ykraps and I set out on foot for our evening walk. Mindy made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner along with salad and garlic toast. I hadn’t eaten spaghetti in a long while. It was very good! After dinner and while the kids played at the neighbors, Mindy got the birthday festivities underway for Kaileigh. She invited the four kids from neighboring homes to join in the fun. Soon we had a full blown birthday celebration going on. Our plans for Comfest were scrapped in favor of the kid .party. And while Mindy & I would’ve preferred Comfest, the kids seemed to be having a ball.

The party continued for the next hour or more, with the kids playing in one of the three yards. Along about 8:30pm Mindy called the kids in for a bath and ultimately to settle into bed. The plan was for all the kids to sleep on the highly desired blow-up mattress, but as is often the case, they disperse to their original beds after the novelty wears off. Kaileigh complained to Mindy that she couldn’t sleep without TV. Eventually, she moved to the guest room, where she fell asleep to the watchful eye of CATV.

Mindy and I hung out down stairs until about 1030pm. It was raining ever so gently just as we were heading up to bed. A check of the radar revealed even heavier rain coming our way. For that I was grateful. Feeling more than tired we retreated to our room where we both fell asleep in short order.

FRIDAY

I could hardly believe it, but it was Friday already! The week went incredibly fast. However, this particular Friday would be somewhat anti-climatic since I’d be the on-call dog this weekend. I found myself downstairs going about my routine by 5:45am. At 6:05am Ykraps and I walked out the door for him to relieve himself and me to take in the morning’s beauty.

The morning was another nice one. We’ve had very few this spring and early summer that haven’t been. Upon our return inside I got busy with food prep, making myself tuna fish & salad for lunch, and fried eggs and fruit for breakfast. I ate on the deck trying hard to ignore the large smattering of bird shit that was dropped just beyond my chair. It looked as if whatever bird did this was sick, or at the very least had the bird equivalent of diarrhea. It was everywhere!

Went I launched into watering I made washing/spraying away the dun a priority. I watered the back beds only, not needing to hit the front for last evening’s front lawn watering. And because of this, I was able to get back inside and get a shower early than usual. I delivered coffee to Mindy’s bedside not knowing for certain if she wanted to partake. I knew she was tired, however, since Bella & Jacob woke her up multiple times through the night. Jacob woke us both sleep walking, something he’s been doing a lot lately. Mindy’s brother, Craig, assured her that it’s perfectly normal for children his age to go through this. It’s part of their brain development. Still, it’s a bit alarming when you encounter him in such a state because he often mumbles and points to things that don’t exist all the while his eyes are wide open. I’ll try to get a picture next time.

I left for work at 7:50am and arrived shortly after 8am. I jumped right into the existing fray and didn’t come up for air until run time. In a strange twist of events, especially since this was the first full day of summer, the weather seemed more like spring. The skies clouded over early on and it was raining ever so gently all the while the temperature struggled to pass 63 degrees. For the first time in an awfully long while, I worried about being chilly on my run. However, the rain stopped & the skies cleared up around noon. It was almost a perfect 70 degrees when I set out for my run. I wore my sleeveless wicking shirt, and that was just about perfect. It was a very pleasant run.

I was completely immersed in work all afternoon. If nothing else, it made the afternoon go by in a flash. I left for home satisfied that I had accomplished all I could by 5:15pm. The temperature at the time of departure was a lovely 80 degrees. I stopped at Kroger in Hilliard to buy Mindy a cad and some flowers. I bought two bouquets – one of white tea roses and the other a mixture of large red roses and some other miscellaneous summer blooms. Together they’d make a nice arrangement.

I arrived home just before 6pm. The kids, especially Bella, seemed disappointed that I didn’t show up with pizza. Mindy never asked me to, although she did ask if pizza sounded good. Given that we weren’t doing Barley’s, I concurred. While I got the sprinkler running, Mindy ordered two pizzas. And while I drove after them, Mindy and Jacob walked Ykraps (family team work).

The pizzas were still a few minutes from being done when I arrived – just how I like it. I want them piping hot when I pick 'em up. Back home we attacked the first, a half cheese, half pepperoni pie. We ended up digging into the second pizza by a couple slices. Mindy didn’t allow the kids too much latitude when it came to after dinner play time. While I napped on the deck chaise, Mindy drove the kids to the new ice cream shop next to Sporrano’s pizza shop. I declined the invite wishing instead to sleep. I didn’t sleep long, however. While they were gone I moved the sprinkler and updated Thursday’s blog entry. They returned home sometime near 8pm. Mindy urged them up the stairs for a bath. In the meantime, I played guitar on the deck. I tucked the kids into bed when I was called upon.

Mindy and I spent the rest of our Friday evening relaxing on our deck. I had two bottled beers – a Columbus Pale Ale and a Hop Devil. We shut down the sprinkler and headed to bed at 1030pm. And by the way, we skipped Barley’s because I planned to work in the office all day tomorrow.

Summer Teeth

A monument located in Mexico marking the exact location

of the Tropic of Cancer (notice the graffiti)

I struggled getting out of bed at the proper time, but once I was up & vertical I felt just dandy. It was 6:05am by the time I completed my exercises and leashed up Ykraps for our usual morning walk. I contemplated getting the sprinkler going but couldn’t muster the energy to peel myself away from the routine. I decided instead to wait and water when I get home from work.

I was slow getting my lunch and breakfast together. Although, I suppose the time I spent updating and correcting the prior day’s blog entry didn’t help either. I didn’t get to watering until 7:00am. I watered front and back. By the time I made my way around to the front there was an older woman who I see walking frequently early mornings admiring my yard from across the street. When she saw me she told that I should take some pictures of my beautiful landscape. This year, more than ever, I have received countless compliments on the front beds. It’s the Wave petunia’s that do it. They are truly spectacular. There big, bushy, and beautiful!

I showered and prepped for work all by 7:50am. I arrived at work by 8:05am. It was another gorgeous morning. The forecasted high was 87 degrees with a very slight chance of afternoon storms. Work went well. Mindy left a VM sometime before lunch letting me know that the insurance adjuster was out to investigate the hail damage claim. He told her that we needed a new roof, gutters, and a few other repairs. Should receive a check within 7-10 days. I left for my run at the usual, 12:45pm. It was very sunny & warm, most fitting for this, the first day of summer, which officially strikes at 2:06pm EDT. It was probably 1:30pm when I gazed skyward to observe the sun’s position relative to my own on along the running trail. For a few seconds I celebrated the solstice. Even with the sun at its highest peak, shadows in these parts still fall slightly northward reminding me of our position relative to the tropic of cancer. My afternoon mood was elevated just a bit simply by the knowledge that we’re now resting in summer’s warm grasp.

The afternoon went quickly. I was eager to head for home at 5:15pm. It was 90 degrees at drive time home, obviously warmer by a few degrees than originally predicted. I tried reaching Mindy but got no answer. I figured she was busy. I arrived home to a quiet and empty house. I unloaded my daily haul and quietly leashed up Ykraps for our usual evening walk. Still no sign of Mindy. I guessed that she might be visiting a neighbor or out to dinner with Jimaken and kids. As soon as Ykraps and I returned I got the sprinkler pump going, this time watering the front lawn. Just as I was fine tuning my watering pattern Jimaken pulled up with the kids. It couldn’t have been later than 6:05pm. I still wasn’t sure if Mindy was home. The kids went in and ultimately found her sleeping in our bed. That had occurred to me, and I wondered if that might’ve been the case but never checked. It’s highly unusual for her to nap.

I was tired too, and once I went back inside I snuggled up quickly into my reading chair. Mindy and the kids took off outdoors to play & visit with neighbors. I rested only briefly and eventually got up to make something to eat. I decided to eat the rest of my Chipotle burrito leftover from Tuesday evening. There was about 1/3 of it remaining. It was still tasty as ever! I moved the sprinkler to the strip of grass between the walk and street. I returned inside and did some reading. I read until the kids and Mindy came in. It must have been around 8:20pm. Mindy shared news of neighbor Kenny’s father dying. Just this past Saturday our dear friend Bob I. lost his father. And two weeks prior, another friend, Steve, lost his. They say they come in threes. The kids had been playing on Mike & Teri’s new playset. I won’t go into the playset thing.

Mindy readied the kids for bed while I worked on my blog. After tucking the kids into bed Mindy was excited to show me the Sherwin Williams webpage where you can experiment with various paint colors & change the furniture colors, too. We played with that page for about an hour. I popped some corn and enjoyed that while she toiled further. We went to bed around 1030pm. I gave serious consideration to leaving the sprinkler run all night but got up at 11:20pm to turn it off. Allowing it to run for 7 hours in one zone would have been a terrible waste, even if the water is free.