The Subduction Zone

I was up on time and even a few minutes early. However, It’s not that I wasn’t tired. Trust me, I wanted to sleep longer. I woke around 2a and struggled to get any meaningful sleep from that point forward, or until about 430a. Isn’t that how it always seems to work? I headed downstairs and hit the go button on the coffee maker then got into my exercise shoes while glancing out back at the dark, drab sky. I was into my sit-ups just after 530a. Afterwards, I popped up into my computer chair to check headlines, the weather, and read the Daily OM. It was 37 degrees and raining. Looked like it might continue for a while too. Out the corner of my eye I spotted what looked like a pile of dog crap. Yep! Frankie apparently decided to crap inside last night – rare. I wasn’t happy, but quietly cleaned it up without snarling at her. After a few minutes on the PC I headed to the kitchen to do 55 push-ups. I was unusually stiff but managed through them anyhow. Coffee time! I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee. I might’ve relaxed for 5 minutes tops. Time to take Frankie out. We headed out the back door but walked out front. Frankie took care of her business during our brief walk. Once again, she barked at Bucky Dent and his dog running by. It was already 605a. Next, I meditated for about ten minutes and then did a full stretch. Both went well. Felt terrific. Already near 625a, I delivered Mindy’s coffee and dropped off the pug. I was prepared for my run by 635a. It was raining lightly throughout the entire run. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Despite the rain, I enjoyed the run. Forgot to start Mindy’s Honda. I dawned on me as I stripped out of my wet outer layers. I slipped into my casual shoes and headed out to complete the deed. Mindy prepared plain scrambled eggs. There was a scoop or two still in the pan, set aside for Frankie I assumed. I ended up eating all of mine. During breakfast, Bella shared her fears regarding her Wednesday dental appointment. One of her adult molars is erupting through the side of her gums because the baby tooth isn’t ready to come out. Bella’s fear is that she’ll always have a hole in her gums. I assured her otherwise, but she still didn’t stop worrying. I was gonna kid her a little but remembered that she can be so dramatic. I stopped myself. Mindy reminded the kids to bus home as normal then left for school. She said something about it being Bella’s gymnastics night & a Rachel day too. I served Frankie the leftover eggs then headed up for a shower. It was also a shaving day. I was back downstairs in the kitchen by 752a. I got as much of my lunch packed as possible before it was time to head to the bus stop. I had to holler for the kids. They didn’t come down on their own. We headed out for the bus at 758a. Chrissy shared that Kenny’s new grill arrived on Monday. Needs a little assembly before using. Soon the kids were on the bus and off to school. We chatted only briefly before heading our separate ways. I walked Frankie for a few minutes out front but she didn’t go, just a lot of sniffing around. Back at home, I finished packing my lunch and then enjoyed a little more coffee before heading off to work. It was 810a. At work before 830a. Things got a little heated right away. I was proud that I didn’t totally lose my cool after reading two emails that implied I hadn’t followed through on a couple deliverables. I responded to both defending my honor but also maintaining a professional demeanor. I spent the entire morning on a customer conference call and then drafting a root cause analysis. I didn’t go anywhere for lunch but did hole up in my office for a while enjoying some quiet time. That felt good. My afternoon wasn’t as intense as the AM but still quite busy. Got stuck on another customer call at the end of my day. Kept me at the office until just before 6p. Mindy called just as I was closing in on home but missed the call. I was a little surprised to find the Honda gone. It dawned on me in an instant that she was off with Bella at gymnastics. I started all my after work chores and was about done when Mindy got back. We were all on our own for dinner, she said. Mindy started snacking on pita chips and hummus. I had some too, but then made myself a chicken burrito with the leftover rotisserie chicken. Jacob was gonna have a frozen pizza sub until he saw my burrito. He asked me to make him one of those instead. I did. Mindy left to retrieve Bella around 650p. Jacob went with. While they headed out I napped in the familyroom chair. I used my book as a sleeping aid. Worked like a charm. Bet I didn’t read a full page before going out. I didn’t fully wake again until about 8p when I heard Jacob asking to watch TV, the Science Channel. I woke and tuned the TV to the Science Channel where we watched a program about earthquakes, and more specifically about Cascadian subduction zone. Expecting a 9.0 quake and an equally large tsunami. I watched for about an hour, but eventually fell asleep again. Before then, however, Mindy and the kids had already headed off to bed. I woke and headed up around 930p. I was once again very, very sleepy. Good night clouds!

Metal to Metal Bumping

I overslept by 15 minutes. Little wonder, though. I don’t think I fell asleep until after 1230a the night before. Work was beckoning. I had to get moving. I brushed my teeth then hurried downstairs to get my calisthenics underway. Cloudy overhead, but dry. This I confirmed looking out the back door while slipping into my tennies. I rushed through sit-ups, the weather, and push-ups. It was 34 degrees. I enjoyed some coffee but sucked it down fast. It was already 605a and I hadn’t yet taken care of Frankie. We headed out the back door but headed around the front. She took care of business during a one block walk. We saw Mrs Dent’s husband running by with his dog. Haven’t seen him since my last strolls with Ykraps. Frankie barked at him.  It was already 620a. Something had to give. As much as I hated to, I skipped meditation. I completed a full stretch routine still. Felt good. Right shoulder remains a little stiff, not painful. Before dressing for a run I dropped off coffee and the pug to Mindy. She was already mid-shower. It was 641a by the time I was heading out the front door. I don’t like getting such a late start, but it is what it is. I ran the full 4.1 miles with most of my focus work related and unfortunately, more towards the negative side. Hard to shake it. It was dark for the run’s duration although a hint of daybreak was apparent by the end. I started Mindy’s Honda. No frost. I set her seat warmer to low and her defroster to 78 degrees. Inside, my eggs were already waiting. Bella was eating the jelly donut she abandoned on Sunday afternoon. Looked gooey. I knew she wouldn’t finish it again. She appeared to be interested only in licking the jelly out. Mindy advised Bella to bus to Noah’s, this being a Beacon Ambassador night for Jacob. Mindy said she hoped to pick-up the boys saving Dena the trouble. She left for school at 730a, and right behind her, I headed off to the shower. I shaved before heading to Sunday dinner, so I didn’t have that burden to contend with. I was ready quickly. Back downstairs by 749a. I hurried through packing a lunch ahead of the kids coming downstairs and heading out. I handled Frankie. Didn’t plan to warm the Trooper. Chrissy was out with the girls. Shared that Kenny gave away his old gas grill. Wants a bigger one with more bells and whistles. On its way. The kids on the bus, I walked Frankie out front. She didn’t go potty but did a lot of playing around. I gave her only a few minutes before reeling her in. We headed back inside at 808a where I finished work prep, including packing up my laptop. I left the house at 814a. I arrived at my office right at 830a. It took a little while to get my laptop logged on. While it booted up, I stowed my lunch and filled my water pitcher. It felt really good to be off call. Not entirely sure what day I’ll take as a comp day but I’m leaning towards Thursday. Supposed to be sunny and in the mid 60’s. Hope that holds up. Meanwhile, I had plenty to keep me busy all morning long. At lunch time I headed to Home Depot. There, I sought out a new shower door stop and then browsed several other items, too. I couldn’t find what I had in mind for the shower stop but after consulting with a person in the know, I came up with a simpler, less obtrusive solution. I bought a pack of round, clear vinyl bumpers that stick in the track and prevent metal to metal bumping. Much better solution! I looked at replacement deck cushions again too, making sure that I still prefer the ones I picked last week. Yep, still like ‘em. By design, I spent nearly an entire hour there. I headed back to work near 2p. Back in my office I enjoyed my packed lunch. I was really hungry. Ran out of ranch salad dressing. I think others are using my stash. The afternoon was busy. However, unless something unforeseen happened, I planned to leave on time. Friday’s 13 hour day was still fresh in my mind. Mindy mentioned the possibility of inviting my dad for dinner and having rotisserie chicken. I didn’t talk to her all afternoon though, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I arrived home at 550p. Dad’s minivan was parked in front of the house. Inside, I quickly greeted the inhabitants and unloaded and rinsed my used lunch containers. Dinner was already being served. Initially, I wasn’t going to bother prepping Tuesday’s coffee for being in the way but opted to go ahead do it. I can’t stand waiting. Made small talk with Dad. He asked about the garage door repair. Mindy joked about having to help on her b-day. Dinner consisted of rotisserie chicken, Bob Evans mashed potatoes & gravy, fresh green beans, and rolls. Everything was good. Asked dad if he planned to visit UK in sunny southern Florida yet this spring. Said he’s still not sure, but I’m guessing he will. Jacob bolted out the door after dinner and after making the corrections to his homework that Mindy pointed out. That pattern repeated itself about three times. Each time he would supposedly correct the problem and then dash back out the door only to be called in again to make more corrections. Personally, he wouldn’t have been permitted out until I checked it was correct the first time. He wasn’t taking his time at all. More concerned with getting back outside. After all, he is a 10 year old boy. Bella eventually headed out too after practicing all of her spelling words. Mindy got out the brownies and baklava for dessert. After clean-up, I enjoyed two brownies (they were small) and then one small chocolate baklava. Yum-yum. Dad got to telling the story of his senior year in high school, one I’ve heard I’ll bet 25 times past. I quietly excused myself and went to my computer. Not sure if Mindy had heard it before. Dad left around 730p. Just about the time that Mindy figured we ought to call the kids in, they came home on their own. It was almost 8p and just about dark. I tuned into one of the knowledge channels watching a program about the race to the moon. I was getting sleepier by the minute. I think Mindy made both kids take a shower. While they were off showering I dosed off. I was down for the count, too. I woke around 920p and abruptly headed up for bed. Mindy was still awake playing on her laptop. I was sound asleep even before she had a chance to join me.

My Big Fat New Bed Pillows

I went to bed aware of the time change (spring forward), but wasn’t exactly sure the time when I woke and rolled out of bed. It was daylight, however, which meant it had to be at least 730a. I brushed my teeth then headed downstairs. It was 745a. I started a pot of coffee then logged into work. Frankie was sleeping soundly in her open pen and didn’t look at all interested in getting up. I didn’t plan on doing sit-ups or push-ups, this being my official day of rest. While enjoying some coffee, I checked in with work. Plenty of issues begging my attention. Mindy was up surprisingly early. She came down to get a cup of coffee but quickly headed back upstairs for a shower. I guessed she might be heading to church to cleanse herself of sin.  It had to be near 930a when she left the house. Another 30 minutes passed before I gave much thought to my run. I went upstairs to check on the kids only to realize that Bella wasn’t even home. Forgot about her sleepover. Jacob was there in his room playing Play Station. I let him know that I was heading out for my run and would be back in about 30 minutes. He was good with it. It wasn’t very pretty outside, about 36 degrees and cloudy. It was dry though. I ran three miles. Back home, I’m guessing it was between 10-1030a. Mindy returned a few minutes later with shopping bags and donuts. However, she wasn’t home long before she headed out again. Said she was going to the Broad St Kohl’s. Apparently didn’t have what she was looking for at the Hilliard store. While she was gone, I kept busy working. I enjoyed one of the chocolate cream filled donuts she brought home. Just like Saturday, work kept me pretty busy all day long. I was smart enough not to plan anything other than work. Mindy was back from Kohl’s about an hour later. Bought new bed pillows, something we’ve needed for some time coming. At some point we talked about what was eating Gilbert Grape. In short, I shared my disappointment in not having a Friday night. Felt they should’ve stayed home and waited for me. Mindy asked about dinner and offered up three options: cook out with the neighbors, go out to dinner, or she go have dinner with her mom. I suggested she have dinner with her mom. I didn’t know what the rest of my day might hold in store work-wise. We left it open ended. Mindy headed out yet again, only this time to pick-up her mom and deliver a baby gift to some church friends. Before leaving, she put my running clothes in the washer. I had them sorted, ready, and waiting. Work dominated my afternoon. I kept at it until the Buckeye basketball game – the Big Ten championship at stake against Penn State. I took a break and headed to the sofa to watch. Meanwhile, Mindy was back from her latest outing. Said we’d be going out to dinner. We agreed on the Big Fat. Planned it for roughly 6p. Bella still wasn’t home from the overnight at the neighbors. However, that soon changed. Mindy called Chrissy and asked that she send Bella home. It had to be near 4p when she finally came home. She fell asleep almost immediately sitting in the familyroom chair with Mindy. I’m guessing that she and the other girls got very little sleep Saturday night. The Buckeyes won the title game. Made it look relatively easy. According to the pundits, the victory all but guaranteed them the overall #1 seed in the larger than life NCAA tournament. The seedings, incidentally, were slated to be announced starting at 6p ET. Mindy had the kids shower between 5-6p. She wanted Bella to go last so she could get a longer nap. Jacob gave Mindy an earful about it but ultimately complied. I caught part of the PGA golf tournament live from Miami Beach, Florida. Weather looked awfully inviting – 80 and sunny. Tiger Woods made a late charge but was so far back to start the day, he didn’t have a realistic shot at winning. Still, for my money, it was good to see him playing well. We left for the Big Fat at 620p. The Big Fat wasn’t busy at all. Looked almost empty. Jacob counted about 20 customers, but that also included folks in for carryout. Katarina was our server. Mindy always asks for her by name. As always, she was very animated and friendly. We ordered drinks and appetizers. I ordered a Jack & Coke. Everybody else just water. We ordered two appetizers: shrimp tossed in a tomato basil sauce and topped with feta, and then the saganaki – Jacob’s choice. Of course, we had some of the warmed pita and yummy green olive sauce, too. The appetizers were good. The kids enjoyed watching the flaming cheese. I don’t think they liked the taste that much, however.  Strong! We soon ordered our entrees. Mindy ordered salmon, Jacob scallops, Bella chicken fingers. I ordered a gyro and rice. Mindy and I agreed to share a Greek salad, too. Our food soon arrived. I ordered a 2nd Jack & Coke but only to help wash down my food.  Jacob kindly allowed me one of his scallops. Yummy! My gyro was good. Bella didn’t care for her chicken tenders. Katarina brought her a bowl of pasta instead. She liked that much better. Mindy gobbled up her salmon. Jacob wanted dessert but Mindy wouldn’t allow. Too many treats/desserts at home, she said. Made sense to me. When the check came I slid it over to Mindy. She didn’t balk. Hell, it was her idea. It was 750p as we wound our way down Riverside Dr. towards home. Still daylight. At home, we watched the Science Channel. Can’t recall the show details, however. My stomach was quite full. Despite starting to dose from the sofa, I couldn’t sleep once we headed to bed. Not sure if it was the food, Jack, or the brownies I ate. Don’t think I fell asleep until 1230a or even after. 530a would come fast.

Aztecs' Demise

I woke numerous times through the night. My neck and shoulders were absolutely killing me. Our sofa’s never been a comfortable place to sleep beyond a brief nap, and I always wake with a stiff neck. Not sure why. I got up at 715a. Before doing anything else, I brushed my teeth using my work kit. I didn’t want to go upstairs and wake Mindy. I then started a pot of coffee then fired up my laptop. While it booted up, I whipped out my sit-ups and push-ups. Frankie eventually wanted/needed to go out. I walked her out back and then out front. She eventually took care of business, but only after I practically begged. Inside, I enjoyed two or three cups of coffee while getting my arms around a few work matters already requiring my intervention. It was after 9a when I finally put work down and dressed for a run. It was close to 40 degrees. And while it was cloudy when I first woke up, blue skies were just to our west. It looked like it might end up a sunny day. I ran only three miles and was back at home around 10a. Can’t recall if Mindy was up by then or not, but they all slept fairly late. Work consumed most of my morning and early afternoon. Mindy planned a trip to the grocery at some point. Not sure the exact time, but before she left I headed out to see how far I could get on the shed electrical repair task. At first, I thought I might redirect the conduit feed up through the shed floor, but in the end I decided against it. Instead, I made the existing entry hole much bigger (1.5”) with my new paddle bit. To avoid any possible reoccurrence of the electrical feed rubbing against the shed wall, I wanted to extend the conduit through the back of the outlet box fully clearing the wood siding. To accomplish that I needed another ¾” PVC fitting. I thought I might have one but couldn’t find it. Crap! I also needed another outlet box after discovering that one of the outlet screw holes was stripped out of the one on the deck. I couldn’t finish until I had those two items. It was getting really nice outside – sunny and warm (upper 50s). Unfortunately, I needed to head back inside and deal with more work matters. Through the early afternoon, I spent most of my time working, but once Mindy returned from the grocery, I made a quick run to Home Depot to pick-up the conduit coupler and outlet box I needed to complete the electrical repair. I wasn’t gone long at all. Back home by 230p. Work under control, I headed back outside to hopefully finish the electrical repair. Took another good hour to finish up the job. It felt good to have power back out to the shed. Mindy came out as I was finishing up and let me know that she was heading over to the neighbors – the pug b-day party. Asked if I might be joining her later. I doubted I would. I was tired, sore , and still a little angry. Wanted some solitude. Back inside and back to work. I dealt with still more work related matters through the late afternoon and early evening. Mindy came back home a couple times to ask if I was coming over. Once again, I declined. I wasn’t feeling it. Instead, I was enjoying the quiet solitude of being home alone. I bounced between the sofa, Science Channel, and work all evening long. Must’ve been about 7p when I cracked open a beer, a 22oz Rogue Yellow Snow IPA. I was watching a program about the Aztec empire when Josh and Ben stopped over. They visited for about 30 minutes before heading back to Kenny & Chrissy’s party. I finished watching the Science Channel program. Fascinating stuff. After that program ended I watched a few episodes of “how this is made”. I finished off the Rogue IPA and poured my last fresh Hop Slam. It was quite good. Mindy and Jacob came home from the neighbors around 930p. Bella was staying the night. Mindy played on her laptop for a while before heading to bed. She asked if I planned on sleeping in bed. I did, but wasn’t ready then. I wanted to finish my beer and enjoy some more TV. I melted into the sofa eventually falling asleep. Mindy came to the balcony and woke me to come to bed around 1am.

Losing My Friday

I woke a few minutes before 530a and quickly decided I’d better get up or risk over sleeping. It was Friday, and for that I was most grateful. However, I couldn’t afford to be too joyful because unfortunately, I was scheduled to be on-call for the weekend. The cold symptoms I was burdened with earlier in the week were all but gone. Hooray! It snowed overnight. Looked like something less than an inch of accumulation. I slipped into my exercise shoes and whipped out sit-ups and eventually push-ups. It was 30 degrees and still snowing lightly. I enjoyed a cup of coffee while at my PC. Spent a little too much time there. It was 6am when I got around to taking Frankie out for a walk. We spent a solid ten minutes out front, more time than I cared to, but at least she took care of business. Already 615a, I decided to skip meditation. Instead, I moved directly to stretching. That felt good. My right shoulder is feeling a lot better but still a tad sore. I’m guessing it’ll be another month before it’s back to normal. The good news is that I haven’t been using any ibuprofen for the past few days. I delivered the pug and coffee upstairs to Mindy just ahead of 630a. I hurried back downstairs to prepare for my run. I managed to head out the door by 635a. Can’t remember if I wore my old or new running shoes. I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. During my run I thought about the looming time change and how I will be cast back into darkness come Monday. I also thought a lot about work. Wish I could retire. Back at home, I started the Honda then scraped all the windows clear of snow. Hopefully there won’t be too much more of that going on this season. I headed inside to enjoy my breakfast. Mindy had eggs ready and waiting. Mindy reminded the kids to bus home as usual then headed off for school. Off to the shower. I wasn’t too long getting ready. I was back downstairs by 750a packing my lunch. The same as usual: fruit, banana, cheese, and salad. The kids and I headed out at 757a. I asked Bella to take Frankie so I could start and scrape the Trooper. She did so willingly. At the bus stop, Chrissy asked if I was ready for the pugs birthday party apparently set for Saturday. She was serious too. I walked Frankie out front again before heading back in the house. She took full advantage. Inside, I packed all my gear, including my iTouch. I like to take it with me on Friday’s. I left the house at 810a. Arrived at work by 825a. Glad that it was Friday but my glee was at least somewhat tempered by the fact that I would be on-call. I hardly had time to breath. It was crazy busy from the second I sat down at my desk. I thought I might leave for lunch, just to get away for an hour, but the opportunity never really presented itself. Too much going on. Not only was I doing my own job, but handling my boss’ escalations too. And there was one particular issue that dominated most of my day. As the afternoon turned into early evening I thought I might get a chance to leave maybe 30 minutes early ahead of my on-call responsibilities. I accepted the fact that my weekend would be consumed by work, but I wasn’t prepared to give up my Friday night, too. Sadly, I ended up at the office until 830p tied up on a conference call. During the call, Mindy phoned, texted, and emailed a few times. I could respond only in brief. She mentioned wanting to take the kids to Barley’s for dinner. At one point I briefly excused myself from the conference bridge and took one of her calls. Frustrated, I told her to go ahead without me then quickly rejoined the bridge. By the time I left the office I was pretty tired and stressed, but also thankful to finally be heading home. Got there somewhere close to 845p. No Mindy & kids. I was ravenously hungry and thirsty for a beer. I snacked on beef sticks and cheese and then cracked open an IPA while sitting in front of my PC. Mindy & the kids arrived home around 920p. Mindy offered up some Barley’s leftovers. No thanks! Right or wrong, doesn’t matter. I felt unappreciated and jealous, perhaps even betrayed. She and the kids weren’t in the house five minutes before they wanted to head down to the neighbors. That didn’t sound at all inviting to me. I still needed to decompress, and honestly, I was thinking more along the lines of heading to Barley’s alone so I could get my Friday night fix. But ultimately, I thought better of it and decided instead to relax at home on the sofa. I ended up falling asleep while watching the Science Channel and ended up sleeping there all night long. I woke when Mindy and the kids got home from the neighbors around 1030p. They pretty much went straight to bed. I opted to stay on the sofa.

4.5" of Rain in Week One

I must’ve woken ten times after 4a. Finally ,come 525a, I decided I’d better not play cat and mouse any longer or else risk oversleeping. I rolled on out of bed and brushed my teeth. I was downstairs before the coffee maker kicked on. It was still raining. Ugh! After staring out the back door at the standing water in our yard, I slipped into my exercise shoes and got busy with my sit-ups and push-ups. Sandwiched somewhere in between, I checked the weather and headlines. Currently 40 degrees with rain expected to continue through most of the day then change over to snow over night. Supposed to get up to 2”. Hmmm? After coffee and PC time, I took Frankie out front for a walk. Much more efficient out there. We were back in less than 10 minutes. Still ahead of 6a I enjoyed a little more of my coffee before starting meditation and stretching. Both of those activities went well, and I was done by 623a. I headed upstairs with the pug and coffee a few minutes later. Mindy was just getting ready for a shower. My visit was brief. I hurried back downstairs to ready for a run. I dressed the same as the day before. It was raining, so once again, I went with an old pair of running shoes. At that rate my new pair were never gonna get broken in. I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. Felt good. Ran hard. Left to whirl freely, my mind kept returning to a few work related matters that have obviously been bothering me. I kept catching myself and tried letting go. It doesn’t always work. It did, however, help make the run go fast. The trash truck hadn’t yet gone by when I returned form my run. I check our can, still in its place of rest. Only one bag. Viewing it as a waste of energy, I decided not to drag it to the curb. Maybe next week. Inside, Mindy was preparing scrambled eggs. They weren’t quite ready. I joked with the kids while I decompressed from my run. Despite my cold symptoms being much more subdued, I felt a bit more tuckered than usual after a run. But after some orange juice, eggs, and fruit, I felt good for the first time all week. Mindy left for work and advised the kids to come home as usual on the bus. After giving Frankie some of the leftover scrambled eggs, I headed off to the shower. The kids headed to their rooms. It was an electric shave day. Shower felt great. Gave me new life. I was downstairs working on packing my lunch by 745a. I packed a salad, fruit, banana, and cheese. I called for the kids at 753a. We headed out to the bus at 757a. I didn’t bother starting the Trooper. No frost and it wasn’t that cold. The pugs wrestled like usual, and then barked at the bus driver. I walked Frankie again out front. She did a lot of sniffing but with no results. We headed back inside where I wrapped up a few last minute things before heading off to work. I left the house at 810a. Drippy drive into work. Wiper blades skipping across the windshield. Must be worn out, and that after only one year of service. Lots of ice and snow this winter, though. Work was super busy from go. Actually, I had been involved on and off with a work issue since 530a. The busy day made the work day go fast. I didn’t get a formal lunch hour, but did manage to eat my packed lunch from my desk. The day flew by, and once again I didn’t get out of the office until 545p. Seems to be a trend. I tried calling Mindy twice as I headed for home. She called me back a few minutes later. Said she was on the phone with Rocky & Landon just checking on their well being. Also said she spoke with big Rocky. Once again, she got good vibes from the boys as well as their dad. Said he’s willing to keep the boys permanently. Mindy didn’t tell me what she made for dinner, but it wasn’t leftovers. Once at home, I guessed correctly, sloppy joe’s. Don't think she's made 'em before. They turned out well, but a tad on the sweet side. A little bit of Gloria in her. I had two, and considered adding a hot dog to mine since they were served on hot dog buns. Bella, coincidentally, was having hot dogs, but the bad kind, Hebrew national. They taste like paste. I decided not. Clean-up wasn't too bad table wise, but the stove top was still quite a chore. After dinner & clean-up we eventually settled in front of the TV for American Idol elimination night. At some point early on, Jacob shared that Bella took her DS on the bus. Apparently Mindy had told her not to the night before. Bella's excuse? She forgot. Uh-oh! We grounded her immediately. That meant no screens, and no Idol. She scurried off to her room a little pissed. I hated to do it, but she did knowingly deceive us. We worry this could become her calling card as more often than not, the trouble she finds herself in is for similar choices. We weren't at all shocked with Idol elimination. "Diana Ross" was sent packing. One of my faves was in the bottom two but obviously survived. It's as much about song choice as anything else. After all, they don't call it pop culture for nothing. Jacob was off to bed after Idol - 9p. We tucked Bella in too. She expressed concern over her own decision making. Not sure why she blurts out lies. I listened. Mindy & I watched Bones after Idol. I enjoyed it for what it is. To bed immediately after. It was already snowing when we headed to bed. No real accumulation though.

Return the Back-Out

I was up about ten minutes early. It was still raining, and fairly hard, too. Lord have mercy, will it ever stop? I completed calisthenics then enjoyed a cup of coffee before even considering taking Frankie out. My hope was that the rain would subside, if not before our walk, then before my run. The radar looked to be in my favor. The brunt of the rain was moving out of the picture. Frankie and I headed out around 6a. I took the umbrella. We walked out front. She was quick to relieve herself. The rain was heavy enough that despite the brief walk, she was wet from head to toe. By the time I’d finished meditation and stretching, the rain had been reduced to a sprinkle. That pleased me much. Still early – only 620a - I took Mindy some coffee and the pug. She was awake but still making the bed in the dark. I helped then headed downstairs to ready for my run. The only modification to my attire was leaving the fleece toboggan at home. I still wore ear muffs and a ball cap. I skipped wearing my new running shoes, not wanting to subject them to the rain so soon. I ran the full track and felt good throughout. I managed to avoid anything beyond a light sprinkle. Living right! Started Mindy’s Honda simply because she had the keys ready and waiting. It was almost 40 degrees, kind of a waste of energy in my world. My wife is spoiled, however. She did, however, have my eggs ready and waiting. We could see a pond forming in the middle of our backyard. The ground is completely saturated, and has been for about a week or more. We didn’t need anymore rain. Soon Mindy departed for work. Reminded the kids that it was a “daddy” night. Being ill, I wasn’t sure if we’d do anything special (go to dinner). I had a few minutes. I packed most of my lunch before heading up to the shower. The kids and I were ready for the bus stop at 755a. We headed out a couple minutes later. Chrissy was out with the girls. Woody didn’t get to come out. I guess he was being punished for pooping on their wood floors. Frankie was devastated. Looked confused when they emerged without him. Frankie and I walked out front with me under the cover of an umbrella. After all that fun, we headed back inside where I penned Frankie and gathered all my work gear. I took a pseudoephedrine just before leaving for work.. I was on the road by 815a. The Jim Tressel story continues to dominate the headlines and radio talk shows. Not looking good. At work before 830a, I no sooner got settled into my office then joined our weekly staff call. The call went fairly well, at least I thought so. A few new team members were on. The morning was a busy one. I took lunch at 1p and headed to Home Depot to return the back-out kit I bough he day prior. I was ready for a debate but got no resistance whatsoever. They were very accommodating. After my return, I spent a good 30 minutes browsing their lawn furniture offerings (we need replacement cushions) as well some spring yard work tools. It is getting to be that time of year. It was 2pm when I got back to the office. The afternoon was busy, and I was there late again. Called Mindy on my drive home. She didn’t answer. Called me back a few minutes later to share that she’d just spoken with Rocky & Landon as well as their stand in step-mom, Ashley (not my daughter Ashley), who has them indefinitely now that Lindsey is seeking the help she so sorely needs. Judging from the initial conversation, Mindy feels the kids are much better off with their dad and step mom. Sounds like they have a plan and some structure, which is something they sadly lacked with Lindsey. The kids seemed calm and happy, too. No chaos. We both agreed that this just might be what’s best long term. And this way we can be the grandparents – not the parents, which has been a shared conviction of ours all along. Mindy emphasized that on the call. At home, I looked over the mail. The house was quiet. The kids already gone with their dad, Mindy made cream of chicken over rice for the two of us. It hit the spot, and was very filling. After dinner we chatted and relaxed from the sofa. The kids arrived home just before 8p. We tuned into American Idol as a family, though Bella eventually disappeared to her room. It was a two hour show. Of the 13, I was impressed with 10. Dianna Ross, Rod Stewart, and the Latino girl were as good as done in my world. The kids got to watch most of the show. Up late. We all headed to bed after the program, or shortly after 10p.

Tussle 4 Tressel

I slept really good, and half expected to wake Tuesday feeling extra groggy after taking the Nyquil just before bed. But actually, I felt pretty good. Still had a cold, though. It was a few minutes ahead of 530a. As soon as I made my way downstairs my Droid alarm sounded. Once and for all, I disabled the alarm function. I glanced out back. Skies were clear. I slipped into my exercise tennies and headed to the livingroom where I completed 55 sit-ups. I checked the weather and played on the PC next. It was 30 degrees. Expecting a high of 52 later in the day. After push-ups I enjoyed some coffee. Frankie was back to her usual self. Didn’t seem interested in getting up that early. Remained in her pen while I started meditation. But just as she often does, she came running once I sat down on the floor. I gave her some brief lovin’ but then encouraged her to go find her toys. Works everytime. I didn’t take Frankie outside until I had completed both meditation and stretching. I took her out front. That proved far more fruitful, although Mindy warms that there’s some goose poop out there now too. She was much quicker about taking care of business while out front. Back inside, It was 625a. I took Mindy some coffee and allowed Frankie to follow. I was looking forward to running in my new shoes. I was surprised to see the date marked on my last new pair – August 2. That means I ran in them for slightly more than 7 months. I typically go about 5-51/2 months. Hmm? Since I switched from Nike to Asics my feet don’t start barking at me after 41/2 months. Very telling. I really like the Asics. Thanks should be given to the fine folks at Front Runner, who convinced me to give them a try. As I always try to do, I tied my new shoes a little looser on my feet than normal to allow my feet some extra room. Doing this for so many years now, I know what works. I ran the full 4.1 miles in total comfort. Didn’t think too much about my shoes throughout the entire run. I think that’s telling enough. Back home, I started Mindy’s Honda. She in turn had my eggs ready and waiting. I asked if there was any pseudoephedrine in the medicine chest. She didn’t think so. I planned to get some later. Can’t stand having a runny nose/wet head. We loosely discussed the evening plans, this being Bella’s gymnastics night. Leftovers again. No worries. I headed to the shower soon after Mindy departed for school. I was back downstairs ready by 745a. I used the time to pack my lunch. I packed fruit, cheese, and banana. Forgot to pack a salad. Dang it! The kids and I headed out at 757a. Pretty morning. The pugs barked incessantly at the kids’ bus driver. I think the bus door scares them. As the bus pulled away, Frankie and I headed towards home. She relived herself in the yard before going inside. It was still only 805a. I rushed through a few small tasks then headed out the door. On the radio, OSU football coach, Jim Tressel was making national headlines for reportedly with-holding pertinent information regarding his players’ involvement in the memorabilia for six months prior to it coming to light. Big news! I almost headed for my old office but caught myself shortly after exiting the elevator. Wrong way! Busy day, and I was feeling even worse than the day before. Many folks told me to go home, my boss included. But here’s the thing. I’d rather be sick at work than at home, unless of course, I’m dizzy and absolutely have to lie down. At lunch time I headed out again. That’s three days in a row counting last Friday. This time I headed to Home Depot and then Target. At Home Depot I bought a back-out kit, super glue, and a drill bit. At Target I refilled my Dexilant prescription and bought some pseudoephedrine and a bag of rubber bands. Between the two stops, I was gone for an hour. Back at my office around 2p, the first thing I did was eat my lunch. And because I forgot to pack a salad, I ate a can of tuna fish. I was really hungry. A couple folks stopped by to comment about the smell of tuna coming from my office. It did smell fairly strong. I left for home late. Didn’t get out of the office once again until almost 550p. Talked with Mindy. She was on her way to drop Bella at gymnastics. Said she left Jacob home, but outside playing with friends. But she was already home by the time I got there. I had leftover chili while she had leftover salmon patties. Jacob had salmon patties too. What’s wrong with those two? I took a pseudoephedrine earlier in the afternoon. It was working just OK. I still felt like crap. Mindy soon left to fetch Bella. I took advantage of being home alone and thought I’d try using the back-out kit to remove the stripped set screw from our kitchen faucet. That’s why I bought it. The kit came with four different size back-outs. I tried one but it was way too small. The next one I tried seemed perfect. I followed the directions to a T. Tapped it in the stripped hollow of the allen head then placed wrench on the free end and turned counter clock-wise. It bit right away. Cool, right? No! An eighth of a turn further and the tip of the back-out snapped off in the damn allen screw. Double Great! Yes, I was pissed! How could one simple dripping faucet give me so much grief? My ego bruised, I went to the garage for my drill. I tried drilling out the screw, but couldn’t get a bit to bite into the jagged edge of the back-out tool tip. Seems all I was doing was destroying the inside of the single lever handle. I gave up in disgust. I repackaged the cheap back-out tool, a Black & Decker no less determined to take it back on Wednesday. I got all of my tools just before Mindy, Bella, and Jacob got back. After a brief chat with the family, I took to my book from the recliner. I napped for about 45 minutes. Felt terrific. I woke around 830p and headed to family room where I tuned the TV to a very cool program on Natgeo that showed how all the world’s most famous mountain ranges were formed. Mindy and the kids headed to bed by 9p. I stayed up watching TV and dosing interchangeably. I headed up to bed for good at 11p.

New Running Shoes & Cat Food

I woke Monday just before 530a. I felt a little better than expected, but was still dealing with the onslaught of a cold. I headed downstairs where I completed sit-ups & push-ups in a hurry. Frankie seemed overly anxious to head outside. That’s highly unusual. Obviously, she needed to relieve herself. I took her our even before coffee. It was cold, about 25 degrees under cloudy skies. She went pretty quickly. For the first time in a while, chasing down goose poop wasn’t her priority. As efficient as we were, time was moving fast. It was already 6am. I enjoyed a cup of coffee then turned my attention to meditation and stretching. Both went well. I delivered the pug along with a cup of coffee at 630a. Mindy was already in the shower. I headed back downstairs where I dressed for a run. I ran the full 4.1 mile track. No issues. Felt good even with the cold symptoms. Upon my return, Mindy and the kids were in the kitchen. Breakfast was ready a short time later. Enjoyed fried eggs and fresh fruit. Mindy asked how I was feeling. At the time I felt fine and even discounted my symptoms as allergies. Bella seemed to be sporting symptoms similar to mine. Mindy left for school at her usual time, and I was soon off to the shower. Just before she left, Mindy reminded Jacob that he had Beacon ambassadors after school. Wasn’t sure who would pick he and Noah up, her or Tony. Ready by 750a. I quickly prepared a light lunch before heading out for the bus. Bella took her Nintendo DS to the bus stop. I questioned whether she should have it on the bus. She said yes, but agreed to hand it off to me for safe keeping just before boarding. I shoved it into my pocket and forgot about it. I spent a few minutes at home before heading off to work. I arrived on time – about 825a. Things were very busy right out of the shoot, but I still planned to move into my new/old office. My new office will be in my center giving me direct access to my team. It’s a bigger office too, and has a window looking south. It was my office for the first 7 years. I took my time packing my stuff and moving. I purged lots of unnecessary stuff, which is always a good thing. I was quite happy to see that the person whom vacated my new office cleaned it well last week. I still hit it hard with my personal stash of Fantastik and Windex. That’s the time to do it. It took me until 1p to get moved. I left to run an errand at soon after. I drove to the Tuttle Mall Finish Line where I picked up the new running shoes I ordered online and via in-store pick-up. As always, I parked outside of Macy’s and cut through. There was some confusion when I explained why I was there. At first they said they didn’t have them until I produced the receipt and shared that they called and told me they were in. After much ado, they finally found them. Back to the office. By the way, the sun was shining brightly all afternoon and the temperature, while only 37, seemed much warmer. I spent some of the afternoon further organizing my new office. My boss came down a few times. He’s just two doors down now. Yikes! We joked around quite bit about the close proximity. The late afternoon got busy. I didn’t leave the office until almost 545p. I called Mindy as I made my way to the Trooper. Said she was making salmon patties for dinner, but I could have leftover chili. She knows I’m not too fond of salmon patties. I was OK with that. I arrived home around 6p. All the kids were out playing in front of the house. Just the smell of salmon patties made me feel queasy. And by the way, my cold symptoms were back with vengeance. I felt slightly feverish and my sinuses swollen. Ugh! The leftover chili was good. Still had a quite an appetite. But after eating I felt incredibly tired. As soon as dinner was cleaned up, I retired to the livingroom with my book and snuggly. It couldn’t have been later than 730p. I was out after reading a page and a half. I woke briefly when Chrissy brought Frankie home after a play date. Mindy and the kids were watching a DVD, and audio seemed ridiculously loud. Not wanting to spoil their fun, I quietly snuck off to bed. I took some of the Nyquil Mindy left out for me first. Good night cold!

Beginnings of another Cold?

Celebrating Mindy's 42nd - day 3 It was 7am when I rolled out of bed feeling well rested and ready to go. I quietly headed downstairs without disturbing Mindy’s sleep. I started coffee then took to the computer. Because it was Sunday, I didn’t plan any calisthenics. I spent the next hour sipping coffee and playing with my new camera. I’m really excited about it. The photo quality is everything it was advertised to be, and it more than adequately fills the void between my bulky Canon SX20 IS and Olympus Stylus Tough. Writing this a few days behind, I can’t recall if Mindy was up before or after my run. But I know for certain that I was out the door by 915a and that it was quite a bit cooler. In fact, there was about an inch of fresh snow on the ground, too. I ran three miles just like I do most Sunday’s. That was easy. I wondered if Mindy would wake wanting to ski on this the last day of operation for MRM. I was a little torn, but leaning more towards having another day to relax and take it easy. Back at home, Mindy never mentioned going skiing and neither did I. We did, however, toy with the idea of taking another ski trip over her spring break. I had spent about 45 minutes earlier looking at our options – venue, lodging, and flights. Utah looks most tempting for a number of reasons: easy flight with ground transportation to and from many ski resorts, good ski weather, and onsite lodging. My biggest hurdle would be getting the week approved, especially given that one of my peers already has the week scheduled off for vacation. I planned to ask my peer how serious he was about taking that week on Monday. At some point I started fooling around with the faucet repair. Our still newish Delta single handle pullout kitchen faucet drips intermittently. Need to replace seat and springs or simply tighten the seat ring – both simple, inexpensive repairs. Problem was, getting access. Right away, it became apparent that the set screw holding the handle in place was not going to come loose. In fact, I ended up stripping out the allen head. Great! I wasn’t happy. Unable to remove the stupid little allen screw would make repair impossible. Mindy left for the grocery sometime near noon. Meanwhile, my sinuses were feeling a tad drippy. I worried that I might be coming down with another cold (think week after Xmas). While Mindy was out I did comparatively little, and nothing one would consider productive. But that’s OK. Sometimes a little down time is exactly what I need. I did eventually head to the basement where I prepared all of my bills from 1982 – 2002 for shredding – 20 years worth. That’s something I’ve wanted to do for years now. I sued shoe boxes through the 80’s and early 90’s but eventually converted over to plastic tubs. I also noticed how organized I kept the bills early on. That all seemed to change around ’99. While in the basement, I couldn’t overlook how much crap we have that simply needs thrown away. I need a dumpster so I can take care of it in one day. The dust in the basement only made my sinuses run more. Started sneezing even. After shower I felt considerably better. Mindy was home from the grocery around 230p. It was nice to have use of our garage door again. Mindy started making chili for dinner soon after putting the groceries away. I took to my computer and did a little writing until the kids got home from their weekend with Jimaken. They weren’t inside long, however. Outside to play five minutes later. Feeling tired and warm, I went to the big chair with a book and a blanket in hand. I tuned the TV to the Buckeye basketball game, but left the volume muted. The game was against Wisconsin and our last regular season game. For the next hour or so my attention bounced between reading and basketball. Dinner was served relatively early – 520p. Bella even asked about why so early. Mindy was tired too. Wanted to get things done and out of the way so she could relax. The chili was really good, and so was the cornbread I asked her to make. We had garden salads too. After dinner, we celebrated Mindy’s b-day by placing candles in the cherry pie she bought and sang happy birthday to her. I had a very small piece. Better than I expected. I managed dinner clean-up. Quite the mess, chili and all. Oh, the Buckeyes blew Wisconsin out of the water. Revenge for December’s loss. After dinner I was feeling like crap, the tell-tale signs of a cold. Yuck! I went to the livingroom to read and nap. We all headed to bed relatively early.

Mitchell's (a.k.a. Capt'n Ds)

Happy 42nd Mindy I was up relatively early, about 735a. Mindy was still sound asleep, but no real surprise there. It’s common for her to sleep well past 9am on the weekend. It was still raining and our backyard was saturated more so that I’ve ever seen it before. We literally had two separate streams running across and into the pond; one on the upper tier, and then another mid-yard by the two ash trees and Mindy’s stone patio. I started a pot of coffee then completed calisthenics. Expected to rain most of the day. Yuck! Flood warning all around us. I was in no hurry to rush out for my run. Instead, I chose to enjoy another relaxing Saturday morning in front of my PC sipping coffee. I took the time to familiarize myself with my new camera and get it fully operational. I took a few test shots too. Nice! I took Frankie out for a walk in the sloppy wet yard around 9a. Still no sign of life from upstairs. I opted to let Mindy sleep as long as she wanted. I left for a run around 10a. Thankfully, the rain was reduced to light sprinkle during my run. I thought for sure that Mindy would be up by the time I got back but she wasn’t. Already wet, I decided to head out back and clear the yard drain I installed a couple years ago. We had several inches of standing water in that very area. I knew the drain was clogged. Sure enough, the drain grate was clogged with leaves. It drained in a hurry afterwards. Now 11am, I headed out to the garage to start work on the opener. Mindy was up a short while later. She came out to the garage to greet me. I wasn’t in the best frame of mind, already having a few issues installing the new opener part. I eventually figured it out and was ready to hang the opener back up on the garage ceiling. Mindy offered her help and I accepted. She handed me materials while I stood on the ladder and also served as the holder of the flashlight. It took about an hour or so to complete the install. The moment of truth was open us. Crap, something was amiss. The opener worked but it was clearly out of synch. I had to fool with the up/down travel adjustments along with the up/down reversal adjustments. I had to tighten the chain a little more too. Finally, sometime just after 12noon, we had it working smoothly again. After getting cleaned up, I gave Mindy her card and b-day present. She seemed to like the custom Pandora charms a lot. She shared that she planned to go have her hair highlights done by niece Lindy. Needed to leave in short order. I headed back out to the garage to take care of some additional outdoor tasks. For starters, I finally took down the Xmas wreath, and then replaced the green and red florescent bulbs in all of our front fixtures with the standard white variety. I also cut the extension cord loose that was running up the gutter to power the roof top Christmas lights. I stopped short of getting up on the roof to remove the lights, however. Too wet. Mindy left to get her hair done while I was monkeying around with the extension cords. Still with more I wanted to get done, I started the BM’er and let it run for about 20 minutes. Started right up. I also topped off the oil in the Trooper. I’ve known for two years now that it burns oil. It took about a quart and a half. Still not finished, I headed out to the shed to take a closer look at the fired electrical run. I wanted to see it from the inside. Not a big deal to redo it. Still plan to wait for better weather. Probably about an hours work max. Inside, I made myself a sandwich. I was crazy hungry. Mindy was back from getting her hair done around 3pm best guess. I spent the after leisurely playing on the computer and reading the online manual for my new camera. In reviews, many complain about the online version, but frankly, I like it much better - less clutter that way. At my suggestion, Mindy and I readied for dinner at Mitchell’s early. Figured we enjoy an hour or so at the bar ahead of our table reservation. To that end, we left the house at 530p. I wore jeans, a sweater, and a sport coat. It was still raining. We opted for valet parking – only $5, why not? We bellied up the bar without stopping at the reservation desk. Didn’t want early seating. Mindy asked about their wines and went with the bartender’s recommendation. I knew that was gonna cost me!  I ordered a Jack & Coke. We both had two drinks before at the bar, my second far stronger than the first. Mindy checked on our table around 645p. It was ready when we were. I asked for our bar tab. Yikes - $56! Mindy let out too loud of a “what?” Her wine was $19 per glass. We were seated at a nice table for two. Our main server was Nicole, but as is customary at Mitchell’s you encounter several initially, one for water, another for bread. In lieu of calamari, which we frequently order as an appetizer, we went with their shrimp cocktail instead. Glad we did. Delicious and gigantic! The fresh oven baked bread was delicious too. We soon ordered our entrées. Mindy ordered filet Oscar, and I ordered the surf and turf (filet and lobster tail). We ordered a bowl of lobster bisque and jalapeño scalloped potatoes to share. The bisque was as good as one can get anywhere. Slurp slurp! The service was quick and attentive. No problems whatsoever. However, one our entrees arrived, I had an issue that I just couldn’t overlook. First, my steak and lobster were very nice, but I couldn’t believe that the “melted butter” intended for my lobster was nothing more than vegetable oil. I practically threw up after dipping and drenching a big hunk in it. I quietly called Nicole over to share my concern. She promptly removed it promising to bring more, but said it would likely be the same. What? Really? Come on. I’m dropping a couple hundo and you can’t melt me some firkin butter? She returned a couple minutes later with more, and it looked exactly the same. This time, however, it had a slight hint of butter, but the vegetable oil flavor was over bearing. Not wanting to cast a negative shadow on our evening, I simply lathered my lobster in the real butter that came with our bread. Nicole must’ve seen me doing so and stopped by again asking if I wanted her to take it away and heat it up in the oven. No! Aside from the plate of scalloped potatoes, we both cleaned our plates. We were eventually visited by an older gentleman who asked of our meal. We didn’t complain. He asked if the evening was a special occasion. Mindy replied, yes, her birthday. He said her dessert would on the house. Mindy eventually ordered dessert. Can’t recall what it was. Anyway, later, when Nicole brought our check, she said she decided to comp us the dessert since there was a problem with the lobster butter. Please! Obviously a disconnect with her manager. Despite their faux pas, we tipped them reasonably well. I was anxious to get home. It was nearing 9p. Mindy called the neighbors to measure their interest in company. Invited us over. Well, I guess we really invited ourselves.  We walked down with Frankie in tow. Still raining. Took an umbrella along with some Jack Daniels in my ski flask. Josh & Rachel were over too. Just finishing their Kenny grilled steaks. We eventually headed to the basement where we played several games of pool, a game I haven’t played for at least 6 or 7 years. Used to be good, but couldn’t tell it then. I was baddddddddd. Mindy & I headed for home at 11p.

Celebrating the Wife 42 times @ Barley's

I was up a few minutes early. Seems my shoulder wasn't ready to avoid Advil completely. Woke with dull pain a few times through the night. To help curb the pain, I took a few sometime before heading out on my run. Downstairs, I completed exercises then played around on the PC. It was partly cloudy and 41 degrees. Frankie once again had no desire to get up, let alone head outside. I carried on with coffee and meditation before forcing the issue and taking her outback. And then, after lots of fooling around she only peed. Back inside I did a stretch routine. Felt really good. I took Mindy a cup of coffee and the pug around 625a. I headed out for a run at 635a. The sky clouded over completely during my 4.1 mile run. Went fast. Can't remember what was foremost on my mind. Back at home I started the Honda. Mindy was making scrambled eggs. They weren't quite ready. Ahead of breakfast, I did a few miscellaneous tasks in preparation for work. Bella still wasn't too happy about spending the weekend with her daddy. Mindy did her best to cheer her up. The cheesy scrambled eggs were good. I topped them with green Tabasco. Knowing that there were plenty left in the skillet, I finished the entire plateful. Frankie, meanwhile, was whining for some. How sad is that? She begs for eggs now every morning. I served her what was left in the pan just before heading up for a shower. Mindy left for school near 730a. The hot shower felt terrific. I wore my new Oregon t-shirt to work, that and the same pair of jeans I've worn for the past week or so. I was downstairs by 745a. When the kids came down, I had them sign their momma's b-day card. We then placed it on the island along with a gift, a pair of aquamarine (her birthstone) stud earrings. Without being asked, both wrote a brief note in the card. I thought that was cute. I planned to pick-up the b-day gift from me during lunch. Said it would be ready by 1p Friday. The kids and I headed out at our usual time. Chrissy was out with the girls. In turn, the girls shared that they would be joining us for Mindy's b-day celebration at Barley's later that evening. Chrissy told me that on Thursday. I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure how well that would go over with Bella. She didn't freak out like I thought she might, but she did toss out a brief negative comment. Frankie and I walked out front before heading back inside. She took a crap out front by our mailbox. Inside, I packed my iTouch along with my lunch then headed out the door for work. It was 815a. I arrived at work just ahead of 830a. Our weekly staff call was canceled. That didn’t hurt my feelings in the least. The morning was extremely busy. I took lunch at 1p and drove to Jarred jewelers at Tuttle mall to pick-up Mindy’s custom made Pandora charms. They didn’t call so I presumed they’d be ready with no issues. That was the deal. It had been raining steadily since about 9a. It was still raining pretty hard during my lunch. As agreed, the Pandora charms were ready for pick-up. The sales clerk and artisan jeweler marveled at the handy work. They gift wrapped the charms, too, saving me the trouble later. Cool. I thought about killing time in the mall but opted to head back to work instead. I stayed busy all afternoon. Lucky for me, I wasn’t heading into the weekend as the on-call as the calendar originally suggested. Recent changes pushed my week out one week. I knew that would make Mindy happy. Had I known sooner, I would almost certainly have pushed to make this a ski weekend at HV. Oh well. I left the office for home around 515p. It was still raining. I stopped at Kroger to pick-up a birthday bouquet for Mindy and a bottle of Jack Daniels for me. Mindy was out front walking Frankie in the rain when I pulled up at home. She noticed the flowers right away. I decided to leave her b-day gift and card in my back pack until Saturday, her real b-day. She shared how excited the kids were to give her their card and present after school – the aquamarine earrings. The kids, by the way, were already gone for the weekend with their daddy. Mindy shared that my anniversary present arrived via FedEx earlier in the day. I was excited to open it – my new camera. With not a lot of time, I simply unpacked it and started charging the battery. Mindy planned her own birthday gathering at Barley’s. We planned to leave the house at 7p. We had an hour to kill, so I used it to write in my blog. The time went fast. Mindy and I both took a few minutes to freshen up. Still raining. I dropped Mindy at the door then went to park the Honda. The bar was crowded and quite a few regulars on hand. None of them Mindy’s school peeps, however. Mindy and I both enjoyed a beer, me a Lagunitas IPA and Mindy a Russian stout. I thought I overheard Deidra telling Mindy that Bob & Mary Ann were in earlier but had to hurry out to pack. Soon a handful of Mindy’s school peeps arrived, as did her sister Jodi, b-in-law, Larry, and nephew Joe. After one beer I switched to water since I’d be the DD. Several others arrived too, including Kenny, Chrissy, & kids, Darwin, and Rick. Through the evening I had a total of three beers but no IIPA’s and lots of water. Mindy had a handful of beers but wisely refused a handful of b-day shots. She was feeling no pain. At some point she learned via text that Bob & M.A were heading to HV. She was bummed. I chuckled because I offered to take her to HV but she decided against it. At some point, Dan the manager fixed Mindy up with a pint of St Joan’s despite it not yet being available for the general public. I think we stayed until 1030p. Just before they left, Chrissy shared that they covered our tab and tip. Sweet! I still tipped Deidra and Tina another $20 just because. Home around 11p, I woofed down a few slices of leftover pizza before heading up to bed. Mindy, meanwhile, was already up in bed. Said she needed a little nap. 

Idol Chit-Chat

Up on time but I felt a little under slept. Thankfully though, the feeling faded fast. I gazed out the back while slipping into my exercise shoes. It was another clear morning with the new moon noticeably missing from the eastern sky. I guess it’s rising later everyday. I moved to the living room where I whipped out 55 sit-ups and then spent a few minutes at my PC. It was chilly, only 22 degrees. Much colder than it’s been for the last several days. But that’s March. Lots of back and forth. Frankie in no way seemed eager to leave her pen. She continued lounging while I did push-ups and later while I enjoyed my first cup of coffee. But just as I guessed she might, she came a calling just as I sat down to meditate. In between meditation and stretching, I took Frankie out back. And because I’m now on to her antics, I didn’t allow her to sniff out any goose poop. Left to her instincts, she’ll seek it out and eat it like Cheetos. She only pooped, no pee. Back inside it was 620a. I gave her a quick treat then did my stretch routine. That felt really good. Afterwards, I prepared and delivered Mindy’s coffee. Mindy was just getting out of the shower. Time was moving fast. It was already 640a as I dressed for my run. Dang it! I hurried out the door still getting into my gloves. I ran the full track – 4.1 miles without fail. Felt really good. During my run, I remembered once again that it’s time to replace my running shoes. I know I’m running on borrowed time having been in my current pair for almost 6 months now. That’s too long, and too many miles. It was trash day, too. I checked the can upon my return home. Still not empty. Running behind I guessed. Mindy’s Honda was already started and warming. I reminded her of the garbage can’s whereabouts once inside. Didn’t want to her to hit it again. Bella wasn’t happy. Assumed her over tired, but according to her, she was upset that she wouldn’t get to see her momma on her actual birthday (Saturday) since this was a daddy weekend. She melted to tears. Mindy tried cheering her up but nothing worked. After Mindy left I let her cry on my shoulder for a while. Off to the shower around 730a. I was ready & downstairs by 745a. I finished piecing to together my lunch then called for the kids. They were prompt. We headed out for the bus at 757a. I started the Trooper as I passed holding Frankie somewhat at bay. Chrissy was out with her girls. We chatted only briefly. She asked if Mindy was still PO’d after Sunday’s union discussion. Don’t think so. After the kids were on the bus, I walked Frankie out front until she took a crap. We then headed back inside where I quickly wrapped up a few last minute to-do’s, including starting the dishwasher, then I left for work. The work day was extremely busy. I am definitely feeling the pressure from the additional work responsibility. I still try to do my best, however, without driving myself crazy. That’s the key. It looked like a nice day in the offing - sunny and mild (in the 40’s). Sadly, I wasn’t able to get outside to appreciate any of it. The weekend, on the other hand, promises heavy rain. And unless I’m mistaken, this is the last week for MRM. They’re having their spring jam on Saturday and it’s supposed to be 51 with heavy rain. Don’t think we’ll be doing that. Come Sunday, it’s supposed to be in the low 30’s and snow, this the final day of the season. We’ll see. I sent Mindy a text earlier in the day sharing that she left her wedding rings at home. She replied via text. We didn’t talk again until I was on my way home and just before 530p. We chatted about SB5 – Ohio’s attempt to circumvent collective bargaining with public employees (teachers, fire fighters, and police). It will most likely pass the senate and house but then end up on the November ballot as a referendum. However, to make that happen, the opposition will need about 250,000 signatures within 90 days of Kasich signing it into law. At home, the kids were already off to dinner with Jimaken. Mindy and I chatted only briefly before leaving for dinner at Barley’s. The sunshine from the past few days was fading before my eyes. Clouds were thickening, the beginning of two straight days of rain. Barley’s lot was scantly populated – rare indeed. We parked in the regular lot with many options. Near us, was one of the new 2011 Ford Explorers. The first one I’ve seen live. I was disappointed. Told Mindy I didn’t like it. She just laughed. At this rate I’ll never get a new car. What can I saw, this is how I roll! I look. I study. I critique my thinking and then change my mind. Much to our chagrin, the lot might’ve been empty but there were no available stools at the actual bar, our preferred seating choice. We grabbed a barside table instead. We went to the bar and ordered beers, me a Lagunitas IPA & Mindy a Russian. It wasn’t long before two barstools opened up. We quickly moved in. Ten minutes later we placed a food order. Both of us ordered the special, the smoked reuben sandwich. Mindy had veggies as side. I had fries. What the hell. I eventually ordered a second beer, but not before trying the cask conditioned Centennial. It was terrible. I ordered an Avery Dugana IIPA instead. I’m worried about the quality of their beer now that Scott the brewmaster left. Others have expressed similar concern. Can you say CBC? We’ve been told, however, that Scott is now the brewmaster at the downtown Barley’s Ale House. Different owner but they share certain aspects of the overall business. Not entirely sure where the lines are drawn. Meanwhile, Mindy raved over the reuben, her first one ever. No surprise to me. I’ve had many. They’re delicious. Dan, the bar manager, bestowed an early birthday gift on Mindy, a pint of St Joan’s Revenge – her favorite. It’s not even on the tower yet. It was a special pint just for Mindy. Mindy eventually struck up a conversation with the young lady sitting next to us at the corner of the bar, who was wearing a scarf similar to hers. Said her mom makes and sales them. Ends up, she’s an attorney. Their conversation continued as Mindy shared a little about her ex, Jimaken, who is also and attorney. I had to laugh when the woman shared her spin on attorney’s. Said she’d willingly with one but never marry one. Mindy settled the tab and we left for home. It was about 745p. I drove. Mindy driving after two beers is never a good idea. We figured to be home with time to spare, but Jimaken and the kids were sitting out front in the car waiting our return. Kids said they had just pulled up. Inside, Mindy & I quickly got settled and changed into our PJs then we tuned into American Idol. Mindy had Bella take a shower. Jacob passed the sniff test. He got a rare bye.  Idol went on for two hours, cutting the 24 finalists down to only 10. Said goodbye to some talented singers. Towards the show’s end, the judges allowed 6 of the castaways to sing one more time for a chance to be saved. But sadly, I fell asleep somewhere during that final phase and missed who they kept. Mindy woke me for bed just after 10p. She shared who they kept as I rolled into our bed. Night Clouds!

Taxing To-Do's

I woke from an extraordinarily deep & dreamy sleep within a minute or two of 530a. Once again, I soon realized that my Droid X alarm was going off downstairs. And while it was getting louder and louder, I did my best to ignore it while I brushed my teeth and gathered my running clothes. I disabled the alarm on my way to the kitchen and ultimately to my exercise shoes. There was a clear sky and numerous visible stars. Quite lovely, but it looked cold, too. I headed to the living room where I completed 55 sit-ups. After sit-ups I checked the weather and read a few headlines. It was 32 degrees. A few minutes later I whipped out 55 push-ups. No shoulder pain. I planned to skip taking any Advil whatsoever to see how my shoulder fared over an entire day. Of course that was subject to change if the aching returned. I enjoyed coffee ahead of meditation. Meanwhile, Frankie was asleep in her pen with the door wide open. She was showing no sign of getting up anytime soon. I proceeded with meditation and stretching. But wouldn’t you know it, she got up a few minutes later. After stretching I leashed her up and took her out back. She spent more time than usual sniffing around the deep backyard. It didn’t dawn on me at first, but she was searching for goose crap. That’s right, the rats with wings have made their annual return with the warming temps, and they're once again using my back yard as their bathroom. But what’s even worse, Frankie considers their pooh a delicacy - kind of like her calamari. I lead her away until she finally relieved herself. We headed back inside at approximately 630a. I quickly gave her a treat and then prepped Mindy’s morning coffee and headed upstairs. Mindy was mid shower. Once she acknowledged my presence I headed back downstairs to ready for my run. I wore winter weight running attire complete with hand and ear covers. Daybreak was already apparent in the eastern sky. Lots or orange and blue. I ran the full 4.1 miles without much thought. It was an easy run. I started the Honda immediately upon my return then headed inside for breakfast. My eggs were ready and waiting. Mindy wanted/needed to head out early to make it in for an early meeting. Not sure if it was with a parent or internal. Mindy reminded me that my dad would be over to manage the kids late start sometime between 8-815a. I was off to the shower at 730a while the kids remained sleeping in their rooms. I was ready earlier than usual. And since I planned on taking my fiberglass extension ladder to work, I headed out to try and load it atop my Trooper by myself. With the garage door opener is broke, that only added more difficulty. I managed, however, and had the ladder secured to the top of the Trooper after about 10 minutes of work. My dad pulled up just as I was finishing up. Inside, I washed up and then prepared my lunch while talking with dad. I then headed up to wake the kids. It was about 810a. Jacob did nothing but grunt. Bella, on the other hand, was already awake and playing her DS from bed. I clearly spelled out the time that they needed to head out for the bus – 955a. Bus would arrive at 1005a. I shared the time with dad, too. I headed out to start the Trooper and let it warm for few. It was completely frosted over. I headed off to work at 815a. Work was busy from jump. I joined a conference call at 9a. We planned to reconvene again at 4p.Oh boy! Sometime near noon I confirmed plans with Bob. We planned to head to his house at 1p to do the trim repair. He’d simply ride with me. We left a few minutes after 1p. It took us about 20 minutes to get to Bob’s place off of Hall & Galloway Rd. Along the way, I reminisced about my early teen years riding my bike down Hall Rd, which at the time was like being out in the country big time – nothing but cornfields. Still a few of them scattered about. We wasted little time getting the ladder off the Trooper and carried to the work area. I handled the ladder and put it securely in place. Bob did the work. I was surprised when from about 8’ up the ladder he shared his fear of heights. He all but froze up. Great! I encouraged him onward and assured him that the ladder was safe. I thought he might chicken out but he didn’t. He climbed to the top and fixed the fallen/broken piece of trim using wood glue and decking screws. I kept my opinion of his Maronda Home’s workmanship to myself. We finished the work and loaded the ladder back on top of the Trooper around 2p and headed back to the office. We were gone 90 minutes total. Not too bad. The afternoon moved by quickly. There was a potluck going on recognizing a couple employees that are moving on. I ate only a salad and a few pretzels. There were lots of goodies but I remained disciplined and didn’t partake. I did my 4p call. Not too painful at all. Mindy texted around 520p asking me to call when I was on my way home so she could put the pasta on. I simply replied that I was leaving in 10 minutes. As planned, I left for home at 530p sharp. Before pulling out of the lot, I made sure the ladder remained secure against the top of the Trooper. Seemed OK to me. The drive home went smoothly. Before heading inside, I untied the ladder. Inside, I greeted everyone but went straight to the garage to stow the ladder. Mindy shared that the garage door opener part arrived along with another Amazon shipment. I assumed it Jacob’s HDMI cable. Dad joked that I could fix the opener right then. Nope, not till the weekend. Dinner was ready in short order, but I did have enough time to rinse my lunch container and prep Thursday’s coffee. As I surmised, we were having spaghetti and meatballs and a fresh garden salad. I asked for half as much as I witnessed her load onto my dad’s plate. The spaghetti was good, but not her best. Pasta was kind of sticky. I enjoyed leftover cornbread with mine. Yummy. Others wanted some too. Every body seemed to enjoy the spaghetti. I started clean-up as soon as I was finished. With a growing list of to-do’s, I was starting to get antsy. I hoped to tackle a couple of them after dinner clean-up. To that end, as soon as clean-up was complete, I headed to my PC where I finalized our 2010 tax returns and filed electronically. Took about 20 minutes. Glad to have that done. Dad left for home about halfway through. After taxes, I spent a little time writing in my blog but then I headed up to get Jacob’s DVD player and HDMI cable hooked up. That was easy and fast. Still not ready to relax, I updated the anti-virus program on both laptops - the kids and Mindy’s. Glad to have that done too. By the time I finished up, American Idol was on. This was lady’s night – 12 of them. Most were good, but I could easily pare it down to the final five. We allowed the kids to watch in its entirety. They really like the show. We tucked them into bed soon after its conclusion. Back downstairs we watched the new comedy, Traffic Light, that’s all the rage. I like it. We headed for bed right afterwards. Good night Taxes!

Spring @ the Mall

I was up at 530a after hearing the alarm on my Droid X buzzing away downstairs from the computer desk. It gets louder and louder with each passing buzz. I really need to disable it. It's been enabled since the last day of vacation when I had to be up by 230a to make sure I didn’t miss the flight home. I stood at the back door while slipping into my exercise tennies. I saw the new moon hanging just above the horizon in the southeastern sky. Just a thin sliver but really pretty. I headed to the livingroom to do my sit-ups. Afterwards I checked the weather forecast and headlines. It was a chilly 27 degrees. I did 55 push-ups then headed out with Frankie. I took only one dose of Advil on Monday (3) and that seemed to do the trick. Apparently no need to continue with the scheduled Ibuprofen - 4 tablets three times a day. Shoulder was a little stiff but overall much, much better. I planned to take three more again just before my run. Frankie and I headed out back where the ground was only semi-frozen. Lots of water in the ground from Monday’s torrential rains. Frankie eventually took care of business, but only after lots of cajoling. It was 605a by the time we headed back inside. I enjoyed a little coffee just ahead of meditation. I broke off to stretch at 615a. That went well. Felt really good. I headed upstairs with the pug and coffee at 625a. Mindy was still in the process of making our bed. I helped her finish before heading back downstairs to ready for my run. I had to fetch the desired running clothes from the dryer. I bundled warmly, although switching back to my loose fitting running slacks, the ones I typically wear throughout spring and fall. I was out the door around 635a. I ran the full 4.1 mile track. No problems at all. Felt good. My mind sifted through a handful of work related matters, none of which enhanced my disposition. In the end, however, I know all to well that I own my response. I’ve got to find my happy place on my own.  With so much on my mind I reentered the house and removed my tennis running shoes without thinking. Mindy quickly asked if I forgot to start her Honda. Yes, I forgot. She said she would do it. No. I slipped into my house shoes and headed out to complete the deed while also sharing that my mind was full of clutter. Mindy asked for my help with the scrambled eggs, too. I stirred them a time or two while she tended to something else. They were all but done. It was 715a when I sat down for breakfast. Both kids were at the breakfast table too. Jacob reiterated that he’s sick of snow. Wants warm weather. He’s got spring fever. However, being just the 1st of March, we’ve got a long way to go before we’re out of the winter woods. But I can relate. Late February and all of March have always been the least favorite time of year. Mindy departed at 730a but not before reviewing evening plans, which included taking Bella to gymnastics for the first time since January (took all of February off). I headed up for a shower at 733a. I was fast, and back downstairs before 750a. With the extra time, I packed a lunch; salad, fruit, and cheese. The kids made their way downstairs at 753a. We headed out the door a few minutes later. And in a rare turn of events, Bella was quick to get out the door. I started the Trooper on my way to the bus stop with Frankie on her leash. That made it more difficult but I managed. Kenny was at the bus stop with the girls. We chatted only briefly before the bus arrived. Frankie and I headed back towards home. She pooped again before heading inside. I spent very little time inside getting my gear together before heading out the door. I was on my way by 812a. I had to scrape away a little frost before heading out, although the defroster did the lion’s share of the work. I arrived at the office by 825a and it didn’t take me long to get settled. The work day was challenging. I was busy from jump. Despite my busy day, I planned to sneak away at lunch time and head to the Finish Line to look at running shoes. I’m long overdue. To that end, I drove over to Tuttle Mall at 1p. As I do most other mall visits, I cut through Macy’s, where they were all decked out for spring. Made me think of golf season. I browsed the running shoe selection at Finish Line. They didn't have the ASIC model I've come to like so much. Figures. However, I already knew I could order them online should I desire. And I just may. I headed back to the office empty handed. It was a lovely afternoon, by the way – sunny and mild and about 45 degrees. The afternoon was as busy as the morning. One of my guys stopped by to talk about some trouble he was having with his house – leaky roof. Discovered that a small piece of fascia trim fell off exposing the attic to wind and rain. A contractor wants $500 to replace the piece of trim. Motivated to do the repair himself, he asked for some time off to rent an extension ladder and make the seemingly simple repair. I offered that he could borrow my extension ladder. I soon realized that he wanted it Wednesday, or before the next rain. I eventually agreed to bring my ladder to work on Wednesday and then head to his place during lunch to assist with the easy repair. Just want to be helpful. I worried though, that we might be biting off more than we could chew. Mindy texted me several times after she was out of school. She wanted to know if I remembered the kids scheduled late start for Wednesday. Nope, but said I would do it if necessary. Suddenly, I was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Late start then the ladder thing. Yikes! She also reminded me that she’d be taking Bella to gymnastics. That most likely meant she wouldn’t be home when I got there. I sent my boss a note about the late start and packed my laptop for home at 530p. Just before I powered down, Mindy sent another text that seemed to indicate that my dad agreed to man the late start. I didn’t bother pinging my boss again. I’d clarify with Mindy later from home. During my drive home I called my mom. I haven’t talked with her since before our Oregon ski trip. She sounded good and shared that the pain in her neck is all but gone, but still in the healing process. We talked for a while, or until I arrived home. I headed inside to a clean, quiet home. It was a Rachel day. I quickly rushed through my chores, including unloading the dishwasher. Ugh! Mindy & Jacob were back before I was done. She offered to make me dinner but I respectfully refused. I planned to eat the leftover Minelli’s. She had leftover pork chops. Frankie wanted walked about the time Bella needed picked up. I offered to do either. Mindy elected to retrieve Bella. Fine, I walked Frankie. We were actually heading back inside as she and Jacob were pulling out. I used the alone time to write in my blog. It wasn’t long before there was a knock at our front door. It was Kapil, Pabina, and Isha. They came bearing gifts for Mindy. Pabina brought the gifts back from Nepal. How sweet! I asked them in and shared that Mindy would be back soon. And it wasn’t but 5 minutes before Mindy & the kids returned. I felt more at ease with Mindy there. Pabina flies back to Boston on Wednesday morning. Sounds like Kapil will be moving to California in August, and consequently will be putting the house on the market very soon. We visited for about 30 minutes. They had a pizza waiting at Sporano’s. After the neighbors departed, it wasn’t long before American Idol time. From my PC, I heard Jacob ask Mindy about it. I missed the first ten minutes or so, but then caught the last 80 minutes, or until 930p. Good show. For some reason, I was really sleepy. I could’ve dosed off from the sofa. We tucked the kids into bed right after idol. I returned downstairs where we started watching the follow-up sitcom, Raising Hope, while Mindy headed for bed. I quickly fell asleep. I headed up to bed at 945p. Mindy was in bed reading or doing a puzzle. The dim night stand light didn’t bother me in the least. I was sleepy!

Goodbye Ground Hog & Hello Crocus

I woke feeling well slept and somewhere north of 530a. All through the night there were severe thunderstorms rolling through, and some rivaling those that we get midsummer. Can’t recall ever seeing/hearing storms like that in February before. In kind, we had both kids on our bed a couple of times, though it didn’t bother me in the least. Again, I slept well. The rain, wind lightning and thunder continued all through my calisthenics and coffee. I checked the weather online. It was a sultry 63 degrees. Happily, the last of the red storm was finally moving past us. I waited until 600a to take Frankie out. By then, the rain had stopped and the lightning was well to our east. However, I could still hear faint rumbles of thunder off in the distance. The back yard was a big puddle. I walked Frankie out front. That proved fruitful. She did both. Back inside I did meditation and a stretch. Both went well. I think my sprained shoulder is all but healed. The four straight days of scheduled Ibuprofen seems to have done the trick. Even still, I decided to take three more ahead of my run just to be safe. I delivered the pug and coffee to Mindy who was just about to enter the shower. I headed out for my run at 635a. There might’ve been a light sprinkle and a stiff breeze but that was nothing compared to the weather earlier. I ran the full 4.1 miles without any issues. I was got really warm during the early part of my run, so much so that about the 2 mile mark I started to remove my pullover fleece. But once it was off I realized that the temperature had dropped significantly. I quickly pulled it back on. Back at home I started Mindy’s Honda. She and the kids were already gathered at the breakfast table. After being asked, I shared how my run went then scooted off to the familyroom to check the temperature again. Just as I suspected, the temperature dropped dramatically. It was already down to 47 degrees. That's a 16 degree drop in just two short hours. According to the forecast, it was expected to keep dropping through the day, too, all the way down to a nighttime low of 25. Mindy left for work at her usual time and I headed off to the shower. I needed a shave. I used both the electric and manual razor and cream. I was ready and downstairs by 750a. Still with a few minutes, I packed my lunch. The kids were downstairs and ready by 755a. We headed out the door a few minutes later. It was still relatively warm but only in the 40's. We had the kids wear their winter coats knowing that the temperature was expected to keep dropping throughout the day. Kenny was at the bus stop with Lillian and Makayla. The bus showed up at 804a. I walked Frankie out front before heading inside. She only peed. I left for work at 810a determined to be in my office before 830a so I could join a conference call that started promptly at 830a. I was in the office with time to spare and joined the scheduled call. The call didn't go well at all. Too much jockeying for position and not enough teamwork. You'll have that, I suppose. The work day went fast. There was a lot going on. I didn’t get out of the office until 545p. Long day. I called Mindy as soon as I had the Trooper pointing the proper direction. Said dinner was just about ready. We were having pork chops, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. Sounded good. I was really hungry. Must have arrived home a little after 6p. Everyone was already at the dinner table eating their salads. I quickly emptied my work back pack, washed my hands and joined the others already at the dinner table. Everything was really good. The cornbread was exceptional, thicker richer than the Jiffy mix Mindy typically makes. The kids liked their dinner too. Clean up took a while. Lots of stove top clean-up (pots, pans, and mess). After dinner I spent time at the PC, but then retreated to the family room with Mindy & Bella where we watched How It’s Made and then a show about the formation of the universe. Seen it before but still found it fascinating. Jacob was a little PO’d at the rest of us. Found the programs boring. He loves to cite his boredom. It was a lazy evening. We all headed to bed before 10p. Good night moon. Good bye February!