First Soccer Win

I was up on time and then downstairs by 532am. I took a quick gander outback seeing nothing but a cloud covered sky. Bummer! I slipped into my exercise tennies then headed to family room to whip out sit-ups. I did 50 of them. I started to sit down at my PC but thought better of it. Instead, I went ahead and did 50 push-ups, the first after a two week hiatus. No problems. Again, my plan is to do push-ups every other day moving forward.

Instead of pouring some coffee, I went ahead and did my stretch routine next. I’d like that to be the flow of my morning – exercise & stretching done before coffee, internet, and meditation. I may tweak it even further by moving meditation before coffee too. We’ll just have to see.

It was about 550am when I finished stretching and moved onto to coffee and internet. Checked the MNF final. Lions won, beating the Bears 24-13. Read the Daily OM as well as a few more headlines. Headed upstairs to wake Mindy at 615am with coffee in hand. I spent the next 10 minutes in meditation, and then prepped for a run.

It was 59 degrees so I wore the same duds as the day before since it worked out so well. They were brand spanking clean, though, after tossing them in the washer before leaving for work on Monday. I headed out around 632am and ran the full 4.1 mile track. Between the cloud cover and the shrinking daylight, it stayed fairly dark for the run’s entirety. Our trash can was placed at the curb the night before by Jacob. But since Monday was a city recognized holiday (Columbus Day) our pick-up day has now moved to Wednesday. I saw no value in moving it back to its resting place.

Headed inside for breakfast. Mindy was making scrambled eggs. They were still in process. I organized my lunch while she finished breakfast. Mindy reviewed the evenings’ events, which included Jacob’s soccer game at 6pm. We agreed to meet there. She left for work at 730am. Didn’t discuss dinner plans but assumed it leftovers given the tight schedule.

After Monday’s meltdown, Bella was far more deliberate with her morning preparedness – proactive even. I like the way she adjusts and interacts. She aims to please. I was off to the shower after giving Eiknarf the leftover scrambled eggs. She woofed them down.

Was downstairs and ready by 851am. Kenny called just as I was organizing my stuff. Asked if I would see their girls onto the bus. Apparently Jake missed his bus earlier, so Chrissy was taking him to school. Sure thing.

Lindsey showed up near 755am.  We all headed out to the bus stop at 810am. I had already secured the home and didn’t bring Eiknarf. Lindsey and I would leave as soon as the kids were loaded on the bus. The bus showed up late – about 820am.

Traffic around 270 was manageable. No problems. Dropped Lindsey near 840am. Off to work. By the time I parked, headed inside, stowed my lunch, and was at my desk and logged on, it was 905am.

I spent most of my day on proactive stuff, which always bodes well for my disposition. Felt in much more control of my day. Had one meeting scheduled for 3pm. In addition to tackling everything on my daily to-do list, I managed to address a couple personal issues too, like confirming my window tinting appointment for Saturday with Ziebart, and then completing my monthly mileage expense report. The only other personal to-do currently on my list that I didn’t get to on Tuesday was scheduling the irrigation winterization. I didn’t necessarily have Tuesday pegged as the day to schedule it anyhow. Just have it on the weekly list.

Enjoyed lunch from my desk around 130pm. My boss stopped by to chat around 2pm. Talked for 15 minutes maybe. Our 3pm meeting/call went fairly well. My boss was on the call too, so I let him lead. He did a great job. I told him as much afterwards.

The rest of the day flew by. It was after 5pm in a hurry. But since I was meeting Mindy at the soccer field at 6pm, I wasn’t in a hurry to rush out the door. Instead, I took time to get caught up on a few other things.

I left the office at 535pm. It was partly sunny, but noticeably cooler than the past few days. Still pretty nice, though. I arrived at the soccer field by 605pm. The game was just underway. Dad was there with Mindy & Bella. Dad was in his camp chair. Mindy and Bella were sitting on the ground because I still had all of our chairs in the Accord after last Saturday’s game.

Mindy was thoughtful and brought me some nuts and some snicker-doodles she baked after school. The nuts hit the spot. Jacob’s team was playing an all Hispanic coed team. They communicated in their native Latin tongue, which I figured could be an advantage since none of our kids would understand what they were saying. They all had good ball control skills but seemed to lack an aggressive scorer and a solid goalie. Jacob’s team jumped out in front quickly and continued to build on that lead.

I tried one of the snicker-doodles once the nuts were gone. The cookies were very good – nice and chewy, which is just how I like them. However, I quickly detected an absence of vanilla. Mindy shared that, yes, she found it odd not to be in the recipe.

Thicker cloud cover moved in during the soccer game setting up a gorgeous pink/orange sunset. At the same time, a beautiful October moon was rising in the east. Very nice! Jacob’s team won their first soccer game of the season by a score of 6-1. By far the best game they’ve played. He was happy. And  Jacob being happy would mean an easier evening for us.

We said goodbye to dad as he headed off for home. Seemed to be doing exceptionally well, though did share that he had some serious discomfort in his replaced knee over the weekend.

Arrived home where Mindy quickly started heating/prepping leftovers for herself and the kids. Asked if I wanted any. No. I wasn’t ravenously hungry thanks in part to the nuts and cookies. I made sure that Jacob moved his tennis shoes, soccer cleats, and soccer bag from in front of the front door before he sat to eat. What gives?

I heard him grumbling to his mother as I headed upstairs to change into my PJs. I could also hear Mindy supporting my request.

While the kids were showering I went ahead and made a plate of nachos topped with melted cheese with some hot salsa and sour cream. They were scrumptious. After my make shift dinner I went to the sofa eventually listening to music after Mindy insisted I turn the channel away from the Comedy Channel when Bella came down briefly before bed. I stayed up after everyone else headed for bed. Ended up falling asleep on the sofa. Didn't wake for bed until almost 1130pm.

Just Another Monday

I was up a few minutes early after maybe 6 hours of only so-so sleep. Thankfully, I didn’t wake feeling tired, though.

My original plan was to restart my exercise routine of sit-ups and push-ups, but after a day of golf my shoulders felt a tad tight. I thought I’d better wait until Tuesday for push-ups. I went ahead and did 50 sit-ups.  More than likely, I’ll do sit-ups every day but push-up only every other. Again, exercise isn’t about how many or how often, but instead, about getting the most from it. I want to be flexible, agile and strong. We’ll see how that works out.

I went from sit-ups to a little PC time until the coffee was finished brewing. Once that was ready I enjoyed another 10-15 minutes at the PC. It was a little warmer than past mornings, or 59 degrees. The sky was clear and expected to stay that way at least through the day time. Expecting rain again Tuesday through Thursday. It’s been a nice run of pleasant sunny weather.

I did my stretch routine and then delivered coffee to Mindy. After a brief visit with her, I headed back downstairs to meditate and then prep for a run. I wore long running pants and a winter weight wicking shirt – no fleece. I felt comfortable throughout the 4.1 mile run. Though daybreak was obvious, I didn’t see the transitional sky I saw most of last week. Another sure sign that daylight continues to shrink.

I got out early, so I was home well ahead of 710am. I checked on my new grass before heading inside. Mindy had just poured some olive oil in the frying pan when I walked in and shared that I would skip the eggs and have a breakfast burrito instead. A rare change of pace. She was good with that.

Mindy told the kids to bus home as normal. She left for work at 730am. Before heading off to the shower, I reminded Bella that Lindsey would be over soon. I agreed to give her a ride to work every day this entire week.

I was showered and dressed by 750am. Still no Lindsey. The kids, meanwhile, were in the family room watching TV. Bella was also playing a game on her DS. Lindsey showed a couple minutes a later. We chatted while I put the finishing touches on my lunch and loaded everything, including my laptop, into my backpack. At 807am I told the kids it was time to head out. Only problem was, Bella still hadn’t brushed her teeth or put on shoes and socks. Bella!

I hurried her along and expressed my disappointment. I waited by the door while Jacob and Lindsey headed out with Eiknarf. In a very snotty tone, Bella asked that I not speak to her. Oh hell no! I pulled her aside before walking to the bus stop and read her the riot act. I promised her that should she talk to me like that again she would surely not see her DS for at least a month. She was quick to tears. We stood there for a second while she regained her composure. We joined Jacob and Lindsey already at the bus stop.

Chrissy and Makayla met us there a few minutes later. Just a little small talk before the bus pulled up. We walked Eiknarf out front before heading briefly back inside. We left for work at 820am. During our 20 minute drive around 270 to Sawmill, Lindsey shared the results of her weekend’s apartment shopping. Not going well, but she’s determined to keep trying. She’s got a lot of hills to climb before it gets any easier. On one hand, it makes me sad that she has to endure so much rejection but it’s probably the best thing. She seems to be keeping her chin up, which is promising.

Dropped Lindsey at the Farmer’s building at 835am. I was fortunate in catching most of the traffic lights before getting back on 270. Arrived at the office by 850am.

Honestly, I was dreading the day. I was concerned that a couple ugly issues from last week would wreak havoc on my day and possibly even my week. Turns out, it wasn’t bad at all. The issues I was speaking of were well on their way to being addressed. I was happy about that. I spent a lot of time working on monthly reports.

The day went by in a hurry. I didn’t bother leaving for lunch. I ate my packed lunch around 2pm. I glanced out the window a couple of times. Looked cloudy most of the day to me, but the sun was shining by the time I left that evening. In fact, it was sunny and 80 degrees when I headed out for the day.

It was nice to get into my clean car. Called Mindy on my drive home. Asked what leftovers I wanted for dinner. We had a lot, including lasagna, chicken, and steak. Wasn’t sure. Wasn’t hungry at the time. Mindy said she needed some alone time with me. I joked about it not being alone time if it were with me. She wasn’t as amused as I.

Arrived home by 6pm. Kitchen smelt good, sautéing peppers and onions. I knew then that I wanted a steak wrap. I offered to make my own and did. Noticed the leaves are coming down in a hurry from our walnut and ash trees. I guess all the rain helped them hold on a little longer than usual, but then the week of dry weather cut ‘em loose. On the other hand, most of the maples have only started to turn colors.

It was a Rachel day. The house was clean. I asked Mindy if she talked to her, and if they had a pleasant exchange. They did. Good. Mindy clarified our drop-off and pick-up plans. She’d take Bella to gymnastics and I’d pick her up. I went to my PC after kitchen clean-up and before Mindy and Bella departed. There I read a few news stories, what exactly, I can’t recall, but I do remember falling asleep sitting up in my chair. I’ll bet I was out for a good 5-10 minutes.

I was feeling rather lazy, and without a lot of energy. I played on my PC for most of the evening until it was time for me to go after Bella. I did manage to be somewhat productive, scheduling a bulk trash pick-up & then sending an email to blinds.com asking about my order.

Left to get Bella at 818pm. Stayed in my work clothes so I wouldn’t embarrass Bella by showing up in my PJs. Arrived at 825pm. Talked to the woman in the office asking about this coming Saturday’s gymnastics meet agenda. Up to that point, we didn’t know what time we needed to have Bella in Bellefontaine for the meet. Rusty, her coach, handed me a copy and also shared that she needs to be there by 10am and then ready to perform at 1030am. I didn’t read the whole thing until we arrived home. Holy crap! It’s an all day event with Bella performing in three competitions, the last not until 130pm. Oh boy!

We’ll simply have to endure. It’s another very busy Saturday. Jacob has a soccer game in Athens. Obviously, we won’t be able to make that. Ashley’s hosting Olivia’s 5^th birthday party that afternoon too. I want to try and make a showing.

As soon as we were settled back at the house I ran upstairs to change into my PJs. Felt awesome! Headed to the familyroom to watch MNF football. Impressive! Jacob and Mindy already had it on. The game had just started – Chicago at Detroit. The Lions entered the game undefeated.

Once again, Mindy peeled off to bed early – 845pm. Asked me to see the kids off to bed around 915pm. At the time, Bella was in the shower or just getting ready for one. Jacob and I snacked on pita chips while watching MNF. Bella was down only briefly then back up to her room around 915pm. Jacob stayed up until almost 930pm. I headed up to tuck both in around 945pm. By then I was really sleepy. Bella was pouting about her momma not tucking her in. I joked that I would walk out and come back in only as her mom. She wasn’t amused. She went on to ask that I close her blinds and turn on her fan, just like mommy does. Sure! It’s the little things, I guess.

Mindy woke as I slipped into bed. I shared what Bella said about missing her momma tucking her in. Mindy drug herself from bed to do the deed. There. That didn’t take long. There was moonlight shining in through our half moon window. Good night moon!

Golfing with Jacob

It was Sunday, and I was up a little after 730am. I felt good and was happy to be greeted again by clear skies. I started some coffee then took to the Internet where I read about a host of college football scores and then about the Vikings game scheduled for later that afternoon.

It wasn’t too long before I was enjoying some coffee ahead of a run. I’m thinking that Mindy slept until about 9am, the kids even later. Jacob had Evan spend the night. All three were up late. Mindy and I spent a little time on the deck in the cool but comfortable sunshine before the kids got up. She brought Eiknarf out, too. I walked her in the backyard so she could take care of business. Already another boat load of leaf fall after mowing Saturday afternoon.

Mindy started breakfast burritos just before I left on a run. The kids were just rolling out of bed as I readied. Jokingly invited them along. No takers. I ran in long running pants and a thin long sleeved wicking shirt. I ran the usual three mile track. Nice, lovely, gorgeous – you pick.

Back at the house, I enjoyed a breakfast burrito then headed to the basement to see if there was more I could do prior to throwing stuff away. There wasn’t much I could do. I was down there for only a couple minutes.

Jacob and Jake were going golfing with Kenny and I that afternoon, so both headed out back to practice while I showered. We didn’t have a set tee time, but figured to be leaving around 1pm. I talked with Kenny immediately after my shower which had to be about 1145pm, we agreed to ready and depart as soon as we could ready all of our gear.

I made arrangements to swap vehicles with Mindy so I could drive. I’m thinking we left just after 12noon. Mindy & Bella were heading out too, where she wasn’t entirely sure. At one point she had designs on going into school to do some prep stuff, but nixed that notion even before we left. I knew that wouldn’t hurt Bella’s feelings. She didn’t want to go.

It’s a good 25-30 miles to Split Rock, our course of choice. It’s almost always walk-up and golf. Surprised to find the lot about as full as I’ve ever seen it, especially given that it’s October.  They were still able to get us right on, but there was a group or two teeing off in front of us, and then a couple we let go in front of us. We figured with the boys, we’d be holding them up all day.

This  was only the second time Jacob’s ever golfed. The last being 16 months prior, and then only nine holes. They both struggled mightily, but this we figured to be the case. I wasn’t playing that well either, though. Like always, my drives were spot on. The rest of my game … erratic. We still had fun with the boys. Jacob even chipped one in from well off the green. Did it the last time out, too. Don’t know that I’ve had a chip in all season.

We let the boys share a cart after hole #10. That made more sense since their balls were usually fairly close to one another. At on point Jacob drove the cart into the woods. I ran after them pleading that they not move. There was a deep ravine just ahead of them. Yikes!  I righted the cart but then turned it back over to them to navigate.

I could tell that they were losing interest on the back nine. But they hit some of their best shots there too. Because our pace was slow, we never did have to wait. And happily, we didn’t hold up those behind us much either. We finished just after 530pm. I had a few ugly second shots on the course, that nasty banana slice that I thought I’d gotten rid of end of last season.

Talked with Mindy from hole 15 and then again on our drive home. She shared that my dad was joining us for dinner – lasagna. Shared that she and Bella went shopping spending some of Bella's birthday money. I knew that made Bella happy.

Dad was already there by the time we arrived home, which was just after 6pm. We dropped Kenny and Jake at their place first. The house smelt good – the lasagna. Yum. Wasn’t long before we were seated for dinner. Dad seemed in good spirits. I had my fill of lasagna. After my own, I fed on some of what Bella and Jacob didn’t finish. Jacob’s not particularly fond of Italian.

As usual, during and after clean-up, I got really sleepy. A full belly of food does it to me every time. I took to the sofa where I watched football highlights while Mindy and dad enjoyed desert, Mindy’s homemade apple pie. It wasn’t long before I was snoozing. I woke just as dad was heading out the door for home. I remember glancing at  the clock. It was 715pm.

Over the next hour, and before SNF football, I took to my computer where I read about the day’s NFL games. Lo and behold, the Vikings actually won a game. Won big, too, even if it was against the Arizona Cardinals. They won 34-10. They lead 28-0 in the 1^st quarter.

I was happy to spend the rest of my evening relaxing watching SNF football, Green Bay vs. Atlanta. I found myself routing for the Packers. I genuinely like Aaron Rogers. Seems like a ‘stand-up’ guy. Awesome quarterback too. Mindy and the kids were off to bed early on - around 9pm. I stayed up watching the game well into the 3^rd quarter. It was 1045pm before I headed for bed. The Falcons were ahead when I turned the TV off. Think it was 14-9. Moon was out, although more than a few scattered clouds about too.

Sun & Soccer ... What?

I woke with a throbbing headache around 5am. I wisely made my way to the medicine cabinet to throw down some Advil. I think I took three. An hour later my headache was gone. I forced myself out of bed at 750am knowing that we needed to be at Jacob’s soccer game by 10am. Mindy remained sleeping, but did wake long enough to request that I bring her coffee.

My first priority was starting coffee, which I took care of that while trying to be extra quiet since Bella and Makayla were crashed out on the sofa. I had enough alone time to enjoy a little coffee and also deal with an unexpected work related escalation.  I wasn’t on-call but didn’t want to leave my customer hanging, either. 

I never did get around to delivering Mindy’s coffee before she woke on her own. I was still knee deep in work when she came downstairs. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind for a weekend. Mindy wondered if work was going to keep me from Jacob’s soccer game. I hoped not, and thankfully, after about 45 minutes everything was under control. While she headed off to the shower I headed out for my run.

I’m thinking that was just after 9am. It was gorgeous out, about 60 degrees and sunny. I ran the usual abbreviated track – 3 miles. It was a good run, too. Jimaken came by to pick-up Jacob early since players & coaches are expected there 30 minutes prior to kick-off.  Mindy & Bella were just about ready by the time I got back from my run. I had enough time to towel off, grab a cheese stick, some water, and my personal electronics. We opted to drive the Accord. Bella & Jacob would be leaving with Jimaken after the game to go apple picking, something they do together every October.

We arrived at the soccer field at 1005am. Sure enough, the game was already underway. This might’ve been the first nice weather soccer game we’ve been to since last fall season. This past spring and the early part of this fall season has been cloudy, rainy and cool. It felt good to sit in the sunshine, and there wasn’t a cloud anywhere to be seen. I saw Jacob score two goals. They ahead for a while.

Some time during the second half the other team scored three goals in the span of about 4 minutes. I could tell that Jacob and a couple of his team mates were upset. And while I didn’t know the official score, I assumed it 3 to 3. Just before the game ended the opposing team scored another goal. I felt bad. I thought we lost 4-3. I toted all three of our camp chairs to the car while Mindy went to hug Jacob and hand-off Bella. I walked back to the family to learn that it was a tie, 4-4. I guess Jacob scored a goal just before we got there. Given where they’ve been, he was happy simply not to lose.  We were happy for him.

 Jimaken figured to be gone with the kids for a couple hours. Mindy and I headed home. It was 1120am. We planned to clear all the empty boxes from the basement, the second move in our larger plan to rid the basement of all the unnecessary junk.

As we pulled into our subdivision we encountered a city dump truck sideways in the road dumping dirt into two giant holes they made repairing the water main earlier in the week. They were blocking my lane completely and even some of the oncoming lane. They didn’t have any one flagging traffic, either. With the on coming traffic passing through the narrow opening we sat back waiting for our turn to mosey on by. I was careful and deliberate as I poked out from behind the dump truck. A car coming down the road from the opposing direction was giving no deference to me. It basically became a game of chicken. But the thing is, I had to commit sooner or later and poke out there. He had tons of room to slow and give me and the few others behind me space to pass. As we passed vehicles he was giving me the stink eye and espousing some unkind words. Rather than acknowledge I flipped him the bird and kept going. Mindy wasn’t happy, but neither was I. After all, I had little choice once I pulled out from behind the dump truck.  The car turned quickly into a driveway acting as if he was gonna come back after me. At the time I was like bring it on. He must’ve thought better of it and headed on his merry way. And a good bet his wife was giving him an earful.

Once at home, Mindy and I both went for some food. I ate Jacob’s leftover wings and Mindy made and ate some avocado wrap. Out of the blue, Mindy pulled all the burners from the stove and soaked the porcelain tray just below with Fantastik. In 17 years, I’ve never seen our stove so filthy will spillover.

The first thing we carried up and out of the basement was the kids play kitchen and all the accessories. Mindy has a teacher friend with young girls who she plans on giving it to. She wanted it on the deck so she could clean it. While she started cleaning the play stove, I started deep cleaning the real stove. This was a job only I could do right. Not only was there a ridiculous amount of spill over, but the underside of the burner shelf was tarnished from all the spillage. I’ll bet I spent 30 minutes getting it looking like new. The only thing I didn’t do was pull it out away from the wall to clean the sides and underneath.

We headed back to the basement to do the boxes. I started by giving up the boxes for my newest PC, now almost two years old. What the hell. Mindy agreed to tote them up as I sanctioned them keep or pitch. We got rid of a bunch of boxes. Next up was my old running shoe boxes, which I’ll bet there were about 40 of them. There were only about a dozen with old running shoes still in them. We separated those to give to charity. Most look fine on top, but all have worn out soles. We made sure to remove any receipts from the boxes. Back in the day, the left the card# on the receipt.

We loaded all the boxes into the Honda. Both of us were surprised that we got them all in. Mindy planned to drop the boxes at the Grandview/Arlington Kroger recycling center and then do some grocery shopping.

The next step is to donate/throw away the stuff in the basement we no longer want/need.

Next on my agenda was cutting the lawn. I hoped to get all of my lawn chores done on Saturday enabling me to golf on Sunday, something I’ve done comparably little of this season to date. I worked on the lawn for the next couple hours. Sometime in there Mindy left for the grocery. After finishing the lawn I took a few minutes to put new string around my new grass out by the curb to keep dogs and kids off. One of the lengths broke.

All afternoon I half expected the guy I flipped off to drive by to chat about our run in. Sure enough, while I had my back turned to the street I heard a car pull up and stop behind me. I knew without looking it would be him. Sure enough, it was. An older gentleman, probably mid 50s with his wife and another adult in the back He asked if I was the one that flipped him off. At first I played dumb, but then walked to his opened window, leaned in called him out.

No, not really. I acknowledged that it was me and that I was disappointed in myself for doing so. I reached to shake his hand and apologized. I told him it wasn’t the kind of person I want to be. He was more than eager to be friends and quickly introduced his wife, and then we started talking about the poor logistics the city employed to do their work in the first place. I felt a lot better afterwards. I think he did too.

As soon as I was done with the lawn chores I moved on to washing the Accord. Mindy still wasn’t home from the grocery. While she was gone, Bella was inside helping her momma a big bunch. She was busy sweeping and vacuuming the floor, but wanted to help wash the Accord too. Sure. As soon as she finished the floor she came out to assist. What a big helper! We tag teamed the Accord and were done in no time at all. I was relived to finally give it a thorough bath. It was filthy inside and out.

Mindy was soon home from the grocery I’m guessing around 3pm. She and Bella started making an apple pie with some of the apples the kids picked with their daddy.  Kenny, I could see, was getting ready to stain his deck. And given that he’s helped me with so many projects, I wanted to help him. At the same time, the boys, Jake, Jacob, and Evan, wanted me to play football – all time quarterback. I threw a few passes but excused myself to help Kenny. I went inside first, though, to change into my staining clothes – a stained t-shirt and an old pair of Jams I’ve used for staining/painting many times over the years.

And since Kenny’s deck is all deck and benches – no rail or pergola, I knew it would go fast with two people. I guessed in a 3-5 hour job alone. Two people even faster. I think it took us about two hours. That’s it. I was envious given that it took me 12 hours or two full days.

We had plans to cookout at our house with the neighbors before the Buckeye game.  I think we finished staining around 600pm. Mindy pretty much did all the cooking, though each of the neighbors were bringing something.  At the time I wanted/needed a shower and then a cold beer. As always, after a run, a long day of chores, a shower felt terrific. Felt like a new man.

Mindy grilled the steaks while I took my first break of the day. I poured myself a Galaxy 500 IPA. Oh boy was it ever delicious! The Buckeye game was slated to kick-off at 8pm. The idea was to have dinner done and out of the way by then. Mindy had the food ready by roughly 7pm, and all the neighbors, kids included, were down about then too. The mom’s made sure all the kids were taken care of first. I ended up only taking half a steak. I wasn’t really that hungry.

I did the clean-up immediately after dinner so we could watch the game. It kicked off a little after 8pm from Lincoln, Nebraska. Things started well for the Buckeyes and they steadily built a 20-6 lead going into halftime. Nice work. As a side, Jacob and I had a bet. He gave me the Buckeyes and 16 points. I teased him throughout the game, adding 16 points to the Buckeyes existing lead.

After the half, the Buckeyes came out firing again and built their lead to 27-6. We even stopped Nebraska’s next possession forcing them to punt. It looked like we were gonna keep pushing the gas peddle, too. We were driving again when all of the sudden our quarterback was stripped of the ball as he rushed for about 8 yards. Folks, that’s where the game ended. Nebraska ran off 28 unanswered points over the next quarter and a half. The won 34-27. Ouch. That one hurt.

The house cleared of guests soon after the game ended.  Everyone in our house headed off to bed. I stayed up a while longer cleaning up what little mess remained. I’m thinking that I was in bed around midnight. Good night moon!

Finally a BM'er Day

I was up on time feeling well rested and ready to get on with another Friday. Taking advantage of no calisthenics, I did a stretch routine before anything else.

Coffee was ready just about the time I finished stretching. I enjoyed coffee in front of my PC for about the next 20 minutes. I could only laugh when I check the temperature and saw that’s it was again 54 degrees. More importantly, it was clear and expected to remain that way while it climbed to near 80 by afternoon. I was bound and determined to drive the BM’er to work.

Around 6am I did a meditation ahead of delivering Mindy’s coffee. All I had left to do was dress for a run. I wore a short sleeved wicking shirt and a pull over fleece. I got out the door around 632am.

I ran the usual 4.1 miles track. I enjoyed another blue/orange sky just before the sun pierced the horizon. Before heading back inside, I surveyed the front lawn. Perhaps a few more sprouts of grass. I headed inside where Mindy had breakfast ready and waiting.

Nothing out of the ordinary logistically. Mindy left at 730am and a few minutes later I was off to the shower. It was Friday so I wore jeans and a t-shirt. The kids and I headed to the bus stop at 810am. Had to be about 60 degrees by then. Felt terrific.

As planned, I drove the BM’er to work. I parked up front since there were several unused spots. Again, the lot is a less full every Friday. It was 845am by the time I was situated and digging into the day’s work. It started out fairly quiet as compared to the rest of the work week. I spent the first couple hours of my day organizing my many pending to-do’s.

I didn’t have any errands planned so I ended up staying at the office all day. I wasn’t that hungry either, though I did eat a banana, cheese and tuna. I didn’t bother eating the salad I packed. The afternoon got a little bumpy. I had a couple hot issues that kept me occupied until it was time to depart.

I didn’t call Mindy on my drive home since I was in the BM’er. It’s just not feasible without putting myself and others in harms way.

Arrived home by 540pm. Felt great being home with a weekend of lovely weather ahead. And unlike the week before, we didn’t have a crazy agenda either. In fact, the only thing I knew about was Jacob’s Saturday morning soccer game. At home, the kids were playing outside while Mindy was busy decorating the house for autumn and Halloween. We loosely discussed our evening plans and what we’d do for dinner. I know it’s a shock, but we decided on dinner at Barley’s near 7pm.

While Mindy decorated the house I updated my blog. I planned to call and check on my mom at Adena but somehow the thought escaped me. An hour went by quickly. Soon we were ready for dinner at Barley’s. Jacob invited neighbor Jake along. And  with all the neighbor girls off elsewhere. That would’ve left Evan home by himself. Mindy invited him, too. All of the sudden, we were a group of 6!

The lot might’ve been as full as we’ve ever seen it with 20+ cars spilled over into the adjacent lot to the north. We were greeted by the same peeps that always hang on the patio. However, our old friend and former bartender, Lee was there with them. Haven’t seen Lee since Janet’s April wedding. Chatted with him for a while. Said he’s got a job offer in Hawaii.

I headed inside while Mindy kept talking. Mindy and the kids eventually grabbed a barside booth. I sat at the bar talking with Steve Wonn. Surprisingly, the bar wasn’t that crowded at all. Learned most of the crowd was at a reception of sorts in the back and the rest on the patio. Perfect!

I tried one of the Barley’s new Galaxy 500 IPAs. They had it on the firkin and tower. I chose to have mine off the tower. Good! I had a jug in tow. Thought I might have it filled with some before leaving. Bella joined me up at the bar a couple of times, but by and large, the kids hung at the booth. They all ordered food, what I wasn’t exactly sure. However, Mindy later brought me half of her turkey reuben. It wasn’t that good.  I wouldn’t order it.

We didn’t stay too long since we had the kids. I think I had two beers at the bar and then had April fill my growler with the Galaxy 500. Mindy took care of the food bill, which covered her and the kids. I took care of the bar tab.  I saw that Jacob was content to leave about 10 Gates of Hell wings behind uneaten. I grabbed a carry out box and loaded them up for home. Heck, they’d make a great lunch or late night snack. We arrived home at 9pm.

The kids quickly ran off to play. Mindy and I headed down to Kenny & Chrissy’s a few minutes later. I took my growler of IPA. The kids were already there. Not long after we showed up, Josh & Rachel did as well. We hung with them and the neighbors for a while. Mindy headed home first. The kids, Frankie and I stayed maybe another 45 minutes.

Not really sure the time when the kids and I headed home and to bed, but Makayla came with us and was staying the night. I headed to bed while the girls slumbered on the sofa watching TV.

I was just starting to dose in bed when Rachel and Kenny came in our room giggling. Rachel jumped in bed with us and started spooning with Mindy. I found it funny. Mindy only grumbled. They didn’t stay long, maybe a minute.

Sunshine abounds

I was up a couple minutes late, but nothing that would impact my routine. After a glance out the deck door at the clear skies, I headed to my PC to play until coffee was ready. I checked the weather forecast. It was 50 degrees under crystal clear skies. Expecting a high approaching 80.

After making a cup of coffee I spent another ten minutes or more at the PC. I walked away to stretch just after 6am. After a good stretch, I delivered Mindy’s coffee before heading back downstairs to meditate and then run.

I dressed in a long sleeved wicking shirt and pullover fleece. I don’t think I wore hand covers, and know I didn’t use ear covers. It was a lovely morning and an easy run – 4.1 miles. Like the day before, I could almost see the sky turn from deep blue to orange right before my eyes. Very cool! 

Back at the house, I looked over my newly planted grass. Looked about the same as the day before, maybe a few more sprouts. I headed inside without dampening it with more water. Mindy was making scrambled eggs. That was a welcome change of pace. Soon they were ready. She made clear that there were some left in the pan for Eiknarf. Eiknarf did her best to hide from Jacob after he finished breakfast knowing that a walk was up next.

She likes going out but wants eggs worse. Bella and I helped get her leashed up. They weren’t out long. Soon she was back inside and hungry for some scrambled eggs. I finished all of mine but fetched her those left in the pan. There were plenty. She was very excited.

Mindy was off to work at 730am. I was off to the shower. Being my offsite work day, I dressed extra nice wearing my new black summer wool slacks along with my new black button up. I looked a bit like a waiter, I guess, but really like the dressy black on black look. If it were a typical work day, I would’ve planned to drive the BM’er, but because I thought I might be going to visit my mom at the hospital down in Chillicothe I thought better of it.

Headed out with the kids at 810am and as soon as they were on the bus I scurried back home to head off to work. I backed out the drive by 820am. I needed to be settled and on a staff call by 9am. I met next to no traffic jams driving around I-270, arriving near 948am. Still, by the time I was at my desk and logging into my machine it was already 9am. I joined the staff call via Blackberry and my Bluetooth headset.

Our call was brief. For that I was happy. Best of all, no new to-do’s. That’s good because I already had a lot on my plate, including 3 more meetings. I stayed really busy in my office away from the office. Lots going on.

At 115pm I drove over to another building on the customer’s campus where I met my peer, the account manager. She and I reviewed some strategic stuff for the coming months but then headed into a meeting with one of our customer’s newest directors. I heard he was tough, and he was, but also very reasonable.  We met for about 30-40 minutes. I walked away with a couple more to-do’s but nothing too difficult.

Before heading back to the other building and office, I walked around with the sole purpose of talking face to face with folks I do a lot of emailing back and forth with, and many are former employees where I work. I was there for another 30 minutes bonding, building relationships.

By the time I was back it was after 3pm. It was an awfully nice afternoon, one of the first nice days at my customer’s office since I started this routine. The last part of the day was no walk in the park. As it’s intended, their staff engaged me on a couple big concerns looking for my immediate help and direction. I did my level best to get things righted.

It wasn’t until almost 4pm that I remembered I hadn’t eaten my lunch. By then I decided to skip it. And while I planned to visit my mom, and even texted her friend Denise for the room number, I remembered my cold. Crap!  I couldn’t visit my mom with a cold. Bad idea! I called Mindy around 515pm or just before I left for home to tell her that I wasn’t going to Adena after all. By then she and Bella were already on their way to dinner at the Rusty Bucket where Joe works. Asked if I wanted to meet them or if I wanted her to bring me something home. No to both.

I was happy just to be leaving work in the sunshine. I called my mom from the Accord while on the freeway. She sounded pretty good. I apologized for not comin’ down, explaining that I had a cold. She could already tell, since my voice was kaput. Shared that she had arrangements to go to a rehab center in Wellston.  Still unclear when she’ll be getting out of the hospital though. We talked for about 20 minutes. Told her I’d call again on Friday. Apparently my dad and Charles were both there the day of the surgery. Others had visited, too, including uncle Chuck.

Arrived home just before 6pm. Had the house all to myself for a good hour or more. Jacob was off at soccer practice. After getting settled, I headed outside where I watered all the new grass seedlings as well as the flower pots. Felt it a shame to let them wither in this new dry spell now after keeping them thriving since the end of May. Took about 20 minutes.

Inside, I put some fried chicken in the oven on the pizza stone. I set the oven to 300 for 30 minutes. While it baked, I worked on updating my blog. Mindy & Bella were home about the time my chicken was reheated. They brought home Rusty Bucket food for Jacob. Nothing for me, but that was my doing. I told her not to. I was fine, and the chicken was tasty. I ate five pieces.

Jacob got home about 10-15 minutes after those two. Said he was starving. Woofed down whatever it was Mindy brought him home. Soon the kids were tasked with getting showers. At the same time I headed to familyroom to catch some TV. Thursday night college football wasn't due to start until 9pm given that it was two west coast teams, Cal vs. Oregon. In the interim, I watched some Science Channel program about draining the world’s oceans. Actually, I’ve seen it before. Pretty cool. Explained the geography of the sea floor and all the cool discoveries there over the last decade. 

Come 920pm I tuned into the football game already in progress. It was close for a while, and Oregon trailed 15-14 at the half, which is when I headed for bed.

I wasn’t in bed for 10 minutes when I realized I wasn’t going to fall asleep. Rather than toss and turn, I got up and headed down to watch more of the game. In that short amount of time Oregon turned the tables and was ahead 36-14. Wow! I think it was 1110pm when I felt sleepy enough to head back to bed. Good night moon! Feels so good to say that.

Off with her knee!

It was Wednesday and I was up right on time. A quick glance skyward confirmed what was forecasted. Nothin' but clear skies, so the stars were out in full force. Very nice. Thank you universe!

Like I did the day before, I did my stretch routine before anything else. Felt good.

Good timing. Right after I finished my stretch, the coffee had finished its brewing process. I poured my first cup of coffee then headed to my PC to check the weather and headlines. Like a lot of days in the past couple weeks, it was 54 degrees. Expected a high in the mid 70’s with nothing but sunshine. Expecting the same for the next four or five days, too.

I must’ve spent about 20 minutes online, before walking away to first deliver Mindy’s coffee and then meditate. Finished both those tasks by 625am. Time to run, I wore a short sleeved wicking shirt along with a pullover fleece. I hit the street near 630am.

I ran the usual 4.1 mile track without a problem. It was nice to see the sky turn from indigo blue to a burnt orange. Back at home, I inspected the newly seeded areas of my front lawn. Finally, we have germination at the 10 day mark. Because it’s a mix of fescue and blue grass the germination schedule is wide - 10-21 days. I took a minute to give those areas a squirt of water to combat the all-day sunshine before heading in to breakfast.

Inside, everyone was in good spirits. Funny what nice weather will do for one’s attitude. Both kids were having Fruit Loops again. I had fried eggs. They were good. The available fruit, however, left a bit to be desired. The pineapple looked bad and the strawberries on their last leg.  I ate a few select strawberries, raspberries, and watermelon.

I’m pretty sure that Mindy told the kids to bus home with Noah for having another after school meeting. She left near 730am. I headed off to the shower a couple minutes later. I dressed somewhat casual since we were having our team symposium.

Checked the blinds.com website for any new shipping information for my recent purchase. Nothing. The kids and I headed to the bus stop at 810am. The bus was along after a few short minutes. Walked Eiknarf out front before heading inside. Left for work at 818am. I was in a hurry, needing enough time once at work to set-up my out-of-office.

Turns out, I had plenty of time. I was one of the first at the conference room. I introduced myself to all the folks I hadn’t met before (those that came in fro Cincy, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Louisville. We didn’t get started until about 930am.

I’ve never been one to enjoy round the room introductions. And if I have to do it, I much prefer to go first. I was close to last on this occasion, though I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I might be. Don’t ask me why I get nervous. Always have.

We went until 1130am when lunch arrived: pizza, salad, and pop. My boss was quick to share that I was gonna eat poorly with the rest of them this day. I was happy to partake. You see, eating extra healthy 95% of time affords me opportunities such as this to eat crap completely guilt free.

It was a working lunch. We continued marching through our tight agenda. At some point my peers and I headed off to another conference room to talk issues pertaining more specific to only us. We had some good dialogue.

We reconvened near 230pm to forge through our last hour together. We stuck to the agenda closely and called it complete at 330pm. I took a peer from Cincy downstairs to meet some of the engineers he’s worked with but had never previously met. I returned to my office to catch up on everything that built up through the day. I ended up working until almost 6pm. I had a lot to do.

And since I was working off site on Thursday, I had to remember to pack up all the essentials. I called Mindy on my drive home. Never asked what was for dinner. Got a text late afternoon from mom’s friend Denise sharing that her knee replacement surgery went well. Thanks Denise! If all went as planned, I hoped to head down to Adena Thursday after work.

Again, it was nice to drive home smothered in sunshine. Mindy and Bella had already eaten. They left some for me on the stove – tortellini and red sauce. It was good. It was Wednesday and a gymnastics night for Bella. Mindy said she'd deliver. Wanted me to pick-up. Still dealing with nagging cold symptoms, I really wanted to take a brief nap on the livingroom floor. However, Jacob was after me to toss the football. It's something we haven’t done in ages.

I put the nap on the back burner and headed out with Jacob, who wanted to use our regulation size football. We haven’t used it since we bought two or three smaller balls. I had to laugh while we tossed the ball thinking back to the first time he and I threw the football when he was 5 or 6. He’d frequently run in crying to Mindy after falling or taking the ball in chest, head, or groin. Not anymore. He’s gotten pretty good. Can throw the ball really well. It took a while for my arm to loosen. I’ll bet we tossed the football for 30 minutes. A good work out.

Inside, I took brief rest before going after Bella. Arrived a few minutes early. They quickly released Bella, but I asked if I could see her routine. Absolutely. Her coach called her to attention and had her run through the entire thing. She did a tumbling thing, then a mini-trampoline routine followed by one on the larger trampoline. She did great! I applauded her effort. I could tell she was proud of herself. As we walked to the car she told me that was the best she’s ever done. Wanted to confirm that I’d be at her first formal performance on the 15^th, too. Said she can’t wait. It did my heart good to see/hear here enjoying it that much. She’s definitely built like a gymnast.

At home both the kids readied for bed and had a snack. I dosed from the sofa for about 20-30 minutes. Mindy and the kids headed to bed shortly after 9pm. I woke and felt wide awake. I ended up popping some popcorn. I enjoyed it by my lonesome while watching Dark Matters. Good night moon!

aND sO iT bEGINS

SNOWING ON MT HOOD!!

I woke Tuesday eager to see clear skies. I was disappointed to find thick fog. Not only that, but I woke about 15 minutes late. I wasn't at all worried though. Because I was planning to skip calisthenics, I was really behind schedule. Before doing anything else I glanced out at the fog. After a minute of that I decided to do my stretch routine even before having coffee. Felt good to stretch first thing, but if one day is any indication, I am much looser, more flexible after sit-ups and push-ups and coffee.  Note to self.

After a stretch I headed to the PC. It was 605am. I checked the forecast almost dreading a change. There wasn’t. Was supposed to be sunny after the fog burnt off. Sunny and 70 degrees at that. Checked the MNF final. Colts lost. They’re 0-4 just like my Vikings. Still, little consolation. I enjoyed coffee and internet for the next 10 minutes. Delivered Mindy’s coffee around 615am and just before meditation.

Meditation went well. Headed off on my run at 632am. It was foggy and 50 degrees. I skipped the ear covers, but still wore gloves. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Sadly, missed the trash truck. Jacob didn’t do his duty the night before. Had it been more of a concern, I guess I could’ve drug our can across the street. There trash isn’t picked up until last (ours is first). I chose to let it go. Only half full anyway.

Mindy had my eggs ready and waiting. I calmly coached Bella just as her mother did the night before. “Be sure to read all the answers before making your final selection. She went on to explain how her reading teacher taught her the same technique. Good. I was happy she was so receptive. Bella’s strength isn’t really her patience and focus. J

Mindy was soon off to work and me off to the shower. Nothing new.  I was downstairs and ready to go by 750am. I spent a few minutes tracking the solar shades I bought on Sunday via the supplied UPS tracker tool. Not a lot of details. Just a shipping number and weight.  The kids and I headed out to the bus stop at 810am. Still foggy but I could tell it wouldn’t be long before the sun was shining. In fact, soon as I hit the freeway towards work, the sky started to clear. It was nice to see the sunshine. I hope to drive the BM’er at least once this week.

Work was very busy. I split my time between reactive and proactive stuff. My boss stopped by a couple of times to give me some props. I was feeling a little overwhelmed and I think her sensed it. Let me know I’d be getting another big customer. I am a little worried for my sanity and ability to deliver top notch service to both. But we’ll see.

I didn’t leave for lunch again. Had no where I needed/wanted to go. I ate my lunch from my desk and did a little writing over the span of an hour. I left for home around 540pm. And I’m happy to report that it was sunny and warm. That was so nice to see! Was about 72 degrees. Perfect!  Talked with Mindy late afternoon. She was making enchiladas.

Arrived home around 6pm. Jacob was already off to soccer practice. Bella came running to give me a hug. Asked her about the OAA tests. Thinks she did good. We sat for dinner a couple minutes later – chicken enchiladas. They weren’t as good as the last batch but still tasty. Bella didn’t like them at all. Opted for cereal instead. After dinner clean-up, I spent a lot of time dealing with a work issue via blackberry. I also played on the computer.

Jimaken dropped Jacob off around 730pm. By then it was almost dark.  Sometime during the day I started feeling like I might be coming down with a cold. I didn’t take anything and was hopeful it wouldn’t get any worse. As it was, I had a slightly stuffy nose and felt a tad feverish. I felt tired too. I ended up snuggling up on the sofa and falling asleep. It must’ve been about 830pm. I slept for about half an hour. Woke long enough to tuck in the kids and then spend a little more time on the PC but then headed for bed. I was hoping that after a good night’s sleep I would leave the cold symptoms in the dust. Good night moon!

What if I say Please?

It was Monday and the beginning of another work week. I could see a few stars behind a thin veil of cloud cover. I hoped the clearing would prevail. I was up slightly ahead of 530am and ready to go about the business of exercise. It took me a few seconds to remember that I wasn’t planning to do any for another full week. That simplified things. I played on the PC waiting for the coffee to finish.

It was chilly, and according to Yahoo, only 39 degrees.  Burr! Expecting a high near 60 with the promise of sunshine after Monday and for the next several days.  I don’t think we’ve had more than two partly sunny days in a row since late August.  I was hopeful this forecast would stick.

I enjoyed coffee then stretching early, before taking Mindy her coffee. My plan was to leave meditation for last, or just ahead of my run. That’s what I did. After meditation I headed out for my run bundled warmly with hand and ear covers for the second day in a row. I felt good and did the 4.1 miles in about 38 minutes.

Mindy had my fried eggs ready and waiting. Mindy joked with Bella that her b-day was over. Also told her she wasn’t planning to take her to gymnastics that evening since she had OAA testing on Tuesday. Wants her to get plenty of rest ahead of the test. Bella didn’t seem to mind.

Both kids enjoyed some of Bella’s fruit loops for breakfast. Mindy left for work at 730am while I scooted off to the shower. Mindy placed a roast in the crock pot just before departing. Asked me to remove the bottom packaging once melted and then season. Of course, dear.

At the bus stop at 810am. By then it was mostly cloudy. UGH! Both Chrissy and I commiserated over the less than stellar weather. Soon the kids were on the bus and I was off to work. I was extremely busy with proactively pulling the previous months statistics for my customer. I didn’t bother taking a formal lunch break. Worked hard. The day just flew by.

Called Mindy just before heading home. Said my dad was over for dinner.  I ended up working a few minutes late, but nothing out of control. Think I left at 545pm. By then the sky was clearing and it was warm even. If the forecast was correct, we’d see sunshine for the next 6 or 7 days. Wahoo!

Sure enough, dad was at the house when I got home. Looked as good as he has in years. In fact, I even complimented him on his haircut. Did it himself. Always has. Said he was feeling good too. Asked if I or any of the brothers planned on attending mom’s surgery Wednesday. Couldn’t be on a worse day for my schedule. I will be in an all day symposium that day.  Dad was noncommittal about his presence, though didn’t really expect him to be there. I quipped that maybe Bobby would go.

Dad also shared that aunt Linda’s stone was installed and looked really nice, even had grass growing over the area now. Good news! We enjoyed roast beef and mashed potatoes – one of my favorites. Mindy heated canned corn too. It tasted surprisingly fresh.  After dinner Mindy offered up some of Bella’s leftover b-day cake as desert. It was yummy – fresh – moist.  Makayla was over by then and had some too.

I’m thinking it was near 715pm when dad headed for home. Once the kitchen was sparkling clean I headed to the livingroom where I took a nap from the floor with my legs propped up on a chair. Crazy comfortable! I woke just before 830pm when I heard Mindy and Jacob going back and forth over what channel they could find the MNF game. They were all over the place. Not sure if they ever figured it out. Can’t remember. At any rate, it’s 1301 – ESPN.

I joined just before kick-off - Colts vs. Tampa Bay. It was a close game, and enjoyable to watch. Mindy and the kids were in bed by 9pm, but Bella was busy until about 915pm. Rarely goes right to sleep. I stayed up until halftime. I believe the Colts lead at that point. Good night moon! That’s right, it was back!

Crystal Eyita Lopez Reyes

Happy 9th Birthday Bella!

I heard Mindy get up a time or two and talk to the girls. Not sure the time. I got up for good at 745am. I was excited to see nothing but blue out the half moon window in our master bedroom. Mindy wanted to snuggle but I wanted to start coffee and see some sunshine.

I headed downstairs where I started some coffee then headed to the PC. I checked the final of the Wisconsin game. They ran away with it. We don’t have a prayer against either. I could already tell that my decision to skip sit-ups and push-ups for a while was paying off. My shoulders, neck and upper back were feeling as loose as they have in weeks. In the back of my mind, however, I worried about going soft. But given the choice between soft and in constant pain I guess I’ll choose soft. With few exceptions, I’ve been cranking out 55 sit-ups and push-ups everyday for the last 15 years. About 300,000 push-ups/sit-ups. That’s a lot of push-ups! I guess it’s OK to take a little siesta.

All the girls were up and downstairs a little while later. Mindy thankfully got up too. I took Eiknarf out for a walk. It was cold, only about 40 degrees. I left for a run while Mindy started waffles for all the girls. I wore running gloves and ear covers for the first time this season. That’s probably earlier than ever before. The important thing was being comfortable. It was sunny, so sunglasses were in order too.

The run came easy. Felt terrific. And believe me, it was nice to be in the sunshine without a cloud anywhere to be seen. The girls were done eating their breakfast by the time I returned. Hungry, I opted for three plain waffles as opposed to those with embedded chocolate chips.  I’m quite sure Mindy told most parents that the pick-up time should be around 11am. Still only about 1015am, I readied to cut the lawn. I didn’t want to waste a minute of the gorgeous, yet chilly, fall weather.

I cut the front and eastside yard first, and raised the blade for the most of the front. The lawn was tall, thick, green and damp. I thought I might go over it twice but decided against it. Looked good and clump free. As I headed around back I lowered the blade an inch. I had to rake away all the fallen walnuts before I could do the west side. Saturday’s rain, wind and cold brought ‘em all down. I did the tractor part next. That’s always refreshing. While I was busy whacking, edging and blowing the last of the parents came by to fetch their daughters. Mindy was about to leave for the grocery just as I was finishing up in the yard. She had the house pretty much ready for Bella’s family party before she left.

She wasn’t gone but a few minutes when Bella came in pouting that she had no one to play with and then ran off to her room. I left her alone for about ten minutes but then went looking for her. We had a nice little chat. I felt bad for her since it was her 9^th birthday and she was sad with no one home to play with. All of her friends had to run here of there with their parents.

I offered to do whatever she desired, and gave her a list of options since she couldn’t think of anything. Everything was a no, until I suggested Frisbee. Said she didn’t know how but would try. She and I headed out back into the sunshine with the purple 160 gram Frisbee. Despite a stiff breeze, Bella did terrific. And certainly better than both Mindy & Jacob. I was impressed. Not only could she throw it, but she could catch it too. We threw Frisbee for a good 30 minutes.

She was laughing and smiling by the time we finished. We only stopped when a mallard duck came up to us from the pond. It was by its lonesome and seemed eager for some human time. By then neighbor Lillian was back home and joined Bella by the fearless duck. In all my years by the water, I’ve never had one so willing to approach and take food right from a hand. They typically get close but back away until you drop what you’re feeding them. Not this one.

I went inside to get some bread from the trash, bread I saw the girls waste and throw out earlier. Sure enough, the girls were afraid and back away at first, but I assured them that if they sat down and held out their hand the duck would eat from it. It did. It ate from their hands, my hands, and even their laps. I got a couple cool photos too. Then, out of nowhere, it must’ve heard one of its friends. I noticed it tip its head and then turn and run. I went to see where it went in such a hurry. Sure enough, another duck was waiting in the water. Hmmm?

The plan all along was for us to head to Minelli’s north at 415pm to meet the family for dinner. Jimaken brought Jacob home after an airsoft birthday party that he attended earlier around 4pm. After Jacob changed clothes, we all rode to Minelli’s as a family, Jimaken included.

Minelli’s being just around the corner, we were there in a jiffy. Mindy had alerted Kathy of our large party before  hand. We figured on 20. As usual, we were seated by the window.  Mindy and I took the center table. Gloria wasn’t present. Mindy gave her a call to see what gave. It seems she was waiting for someone to call to arrange her pick-up. Didn’t want to be driving in the dark later. Niece Julie gleefully rose to the occasion and went after her. Jimaken’s parents were there too. First that Candy has been out of the house for several weeks after a series of medical mishaps. She’s always pleasant as is Jim’s father, Tom.

I think niece Lindy was the last to arrive for a total of 20. Mindy told Kathy to give us the check. Bella’s b-day, the dinner was on us. Everybody ordered their Minelli’s favorites. Mindy & I split an extra-large 4 topping pizza. Dinner was yummy. After about 90 minutes of Minelli’s fun we all headed back to our place for cake and presents. That, of course, was after getting nephew Joe’s car started. Seemed to be an issue with his solenoid/starter.

Mindy got the cake and gift thing underway while I walked Eiknarf. She quickly did both. I walked back inside with b-in-law Larry, who was still monkeying around with Joe’s car.  The parenting never ends. Never!

Bella spent about 20 minutes opening her presents. She seemed to enjoy them all. She got a good balance of clothes, which almost every girl appreciates, and fun stuff. If a smile and laughter is any indication, she really liked her airsoft gun and couldn’t wait to head out side and shoot it with the boys. And from an outfit standpoint, I think it’s fair to say that she liked the purple jeans and blingy shirt that Katie and Julie got her most. I liked them them most too.

It was comical listening to Julie’s trepidation over the airsoft guns all the kids were slinging around on the back deck. Judging by her reaction I’ll assume her pro gun control. Like with anything, good parenting and good values is the more critical element.

After presents it was time for singing the b-day song and cake. Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Bella, happy birthday to you! B-in-law Larry volunteered to work OT at the firehouse. He planned to go in right after leaving our place. He asked if he could borrow a shaving razor so he could ‘neaten up’ before heading in. Not owning a true electric razor ( I use a beard trimmer) I hooked him up with my manual razor, the one I only use, I don’t know, 5 or 6 times  a year. I tried putting in a new blade not remembering how old the one in it was. However, the blades I tried wouldn’t fit. I later learned for good reason. They were the blades from my old, old razor. I found the right ones in the under cabinet after everyone left. He used the old quarto blade and it apparently worked fine. I got a chuckle out of the whole thing.

Soon everyone departed for home. I’m guessing it was near 730pm. We let the kids play outside until completely dark. The house was comparable easy to get back together after doing the dinner thing out. Note to self, especially when you’ve got to work the following day.

Spent a little time online reviewing the headlines about the Vikings loss to the hapless Chiefs. They're now 0-4. Maybe next year. L At some point we tuned into SNF featuring the Baltimore and the NY Jets. The Ravens were manhandling the Jets when I headed for bed. Can’t recall the time but think it was near 10pm. The clear skies from earlier were gone. We were completely socked in under clouds once more.  Really?

Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day

I slept well and didn’t get up until almost 8am.  I felt fine, and after brushing my teeth I headed downstairs where I started coffee then played on the internet. Mindy, by the way, didn’t budge. I guessed she wouldn’t be joining me anytime soon. However, she couldn’t sleep too late, because we needed to be in Marysville for Jacob’s soccer game by 10am. Oh boy!

It was beyond crappy outside, blustery even. It was rainy, windy and only 40 degrees. Heading out for a run was gonna be a real treat, but even worse would be sitting/standing on the sidelines of a soccer game.

Mindy was up just ahead of me heading out for a run. She planned to shower while I was away. Said she had a bit of a hangover. No, really? Without many options, Around 845am, I headed out for my run in the sloppy autumn weather around. Believe me, I wasn’t looking forward to it.

I ran the typical weekend trail – only 3 miles. It was chilly and raw but I warmed quickly with my own body heat. It was near 930am by the time I was back home and Mindy was downstairs ready. She shared that Jacob called and reported not having his soccer shorts. Needed us to bring them. Not good. I had already decided not to shower. Why? I’d just get all wet again, and besides, I planned to wear my wicking running clothes anyway. I did change out of my sweaty/wet shirt and pullover fleece. I woofed down a cheese stick or two as well ,but was still hungry.

Mindy was struggling to get directions to the soccer field in Marysville. Said we’d have to use GPS. I only asked that she get it ready before we walked out. She was stressing about us being late while fumbling with her Droid. Never did get it working. I said I’d use mine after I finished my cheese stick. I also shared that we wouldn’t be stressing about getting there. If we were late, we’d simply be late. Nothing we could do about it.

I programmed my Droid to get us to the Millcreek soccer park in Marysville. Found it, no problem. Said it was a 30 minutes trip. We left the house at 945am. I had just over a ¼ tank of gas, so I planned on stopping. Mindy stressed over needing to stop for gas a little too. I asked what our options were. She agreed. We stopped and filled up. No worries! Once we were on the road I asked that she try phoning Jimaken to at least let him know our ETA, which would be about 1015am. He didn’t answer. She left a VM.

We made good time. The directions were spot on. We arrived by 1010am, or five minutes earlier than GPS predicted. We talked about watching from the parked Accord, but that proved to be impossible given the proximity of the parking lot to the field itself. The parking lot was across the street from the soccer field which was down a hill in a little holler. The field was fine, but nowhere near the accommodations of Hilliard or Gahanna. And the weather had only worsened if that’s even possible. It was 42 degrees with

sideways blowing rain. Bella was standing at her daddy’s side with just a light zip fleece on. Once she spotted the two of us she came running over.

We brought her a camp chair, which we ended up not using. Instead, she sat on Mindy’s lap bundled up in the blanket we brought along. But even that was little comfort in the almost wintry conditions. While we suffered with the other parents on the sideline, the kids played their soccer game. It wasn’t long before Jacob’s team was behind 3-0. At the half, we could take it no more and walked back to the car to warm up. Not dressed for the inclement weather, Bella was freezing. Mindy and I were wet and cold too. We sat in the car for a while getting warm. Finally overcome with guilt, Mindy headed back out to watch the rest of the 2^nd half. I sacrificed my desire to see more soccer and volunteered to stay back in the warm car with Bella.

Figuring the game about over, we backed out of our parking spot after about 10-15 more minutes and pulled up alongside the soccer field. The game was over, but Mindy was down yacking with another soccer family. She, Jimaken and Jacob were the last folks off the field. And since Bella came with her daddy, she left with he & Jacob for home. Jimaken was bringing both kids back to our house around 3pm so we could go to Bella’s b-day skating party. Mindy and I headed towards home.

As we neared home we decided that lunch at El Vaquero sounded awfully good. We both agreed the Riverside Dr  location would suit us best. Not entirely sure of the time, but I’m guessing it was near 1145am when we pulled in. Much to our amazement, the place was a wreck, at least on the outside. Going through an external renovation. However, despite looking as if it were recently bombed, they were open for business. We headed in the through the temporary entrance where we were quickly ushered to a table.

The Vaq, more often than not, is crowded and often requires a wait. Not today. We were one of only a handful of patrons. Service was fast and efficient – always is. I woofed down a basket of the complimentary nachos in no time. Mindy ordered enchiladas. I ordered a burrito/enchilada combo. Food was good. Hit the spot. We ate pretty fast and were out of there and on our way home in a jiffy.

A rainy, dreary day, and a belly full of food, I plopped down on the sofa to watch some college football. Mindy, meanwhile, begged off for a formal nap in our bed. She slept for nearly two hours. I slept a little too, but only for about 15 minutes here and there. I got off my rear around 230pm and began to straighten up around the house. Looked like a tornado had been through. We’d be having a houseful of Bella’s friends over before and after the skating party. I wanted our house to look presentable.

Mindy was up a short time later. I asked her to jump in and help. She wasn’t too thrilled with me barking orders being fresh out of bed, but she still jumped in to assist. It took us about half an hour to get the house back in order. I headed for a shower around 315pm. The kids were home around then too. Jim planned to meet us at the skating party a little later.

Mindy left to fill-up the Pilot just before 4pm. Somehow she always seems to disappear at the time when guests are supposed to start showing up, leaving me to do the meet and greet. She knows I hate it. Sure enough, the first kid and parent arrived right after Mindy left. I did my best to struggle through the details. Thankfully, Mindy was back home before any others showed up.

Instead of having parents drop their kids at the skating party, Mindy agreed to be the shuttle service to and fro. We were worried about travel accommodations for as many as ten kids were expected. Chrissy agreed to bring her three. That helped big! We traveled with 8, including Mindy & I.

I knew right where we were going having worked out there in my Time Warner days. However, I’d never been in United Skates of America before. I figured it had to be similar to the old Skateland and it was. Missing was the organ, but added was hip music, a DJ, and a bit more pizzazz and color. Aside from that, pretty much the same thing as it was some 40 years ago.

Mindy and I outfitted ourselves with skates too. I headed out as soon as the kids were all skated up. I negligently wore half sock which caused some rubbing action around the ankle area. Hadn’t been on roller skates since my girls were small when we used to visit the Grove City roller rink once a month with Magdalene.

I bored of the skating quickly. Plus, it got ridiculously crowded in a hurry. I was somewhat entertained by the ‘skate heads’. You know, the guys that obviously do this almost every day. They would dance, bob, and weave in and out of the mostly beginner type skaters showing off their roller prowess. I could see them looking for watchers out the corners of their eyes.

I kept a loose eye on the Buckeye game too. But that was looking hopeless. We were at risk of being shut out for the first time at home since 1982. We got lucky and scored a TD with only seconds left. And because we only allowed 10 points, we still had a chance, albeit a slim one, for an onsides kick recovery and a miracle play or two for the win.

The onside kick should’ve been recovered by the Buckeyes, but like everything else all game long, the break didn’t come our way. We lost 10-7. USofA did a nice job organizing the skate party. They had drinks, pizza, game tokens, decorations, and a hostess to help. We sang happy birthday and then watched Bella open a few gifts. We were welcome to stay until 8pm, but we organized everybody for the trip home at 715pm. By then Jimaken was there. He was helping shuttle kids back to our house since Chrissy had to leave to make dinner out with her hubby.

Jimaken took Jacob, Evan, Jake, and Emily. We took the rest. It was starting to get dark as we arrived home. They sky was partially clearing too. Wahoo! I wasn’t going to hold my breath, but they were promising sunshine on Sunday – chilly but sunny.

Lillian was in charge of Bella’s birthday balloons as we got in and out of the Pilot. Sure enough, as soon as the door was opened at home they went airbourne. Needless to say, Bella wasn’t pleased – cried even. Big Jake went in hot pursuit but to no avail. Don’t think they ever came down.

Jimaken and Jacob soon departed for his place. Jacob was in heaven having his daddy all to himself. Mindy had crafts ready and organized for all the girls as well as Jake and Evan. While they did crafts, I poured myself a CBC IPA and tuned the TV to Saturday night college football. Neighbor Teri came down to drink a beer. Enjoyed her brief company. Didn’t stay long. Girls headed upstairs for a movie and make-up around 830-9pm. They weren’t loud at all. That I appreciated. Shelly came to pick-up GD Kaileigh around 9pm. She couldn't spend the night for having a cheer leading competition the following morning.

After one CBC IPA I cracked open the rocket of Two Brothers Hop Juice double IPA that I bought from Barley’s the night before. It was their last one. It was good, but not as good as I remembered it being. I like my new White Rajah way more.

The football game featured Nebraska at Wisconsin. Back and forth early, but Wisconsin started pulling away even before the half. I headed for bed around 11pm. Mindy was already there. All seven girls, meanwhile, were sleeping in just two beds – their choice. Good night and goodbye rain!