Homemade Pizza & Snow for the Weekend

I was up on time and eager to get after my day.  I felt great after almost 7.5 hours of excellent sleep. I didn’t prep coffee the night before so I had to deal with that first thing. Didn’t take long, however, and once that was underway, I moved on to sit-ups.

I settled down in front of my PC with coffee near 550am. It was 25 degrees and cloudy. Expecting a bit of snow later in the day, perhaps even an inch of accumulation during the overnight. And that's not all. There was another small snow storm predicted to hit late Friday afternoon/evening. In total, MRM was expecting up to 5” inches of natural stuff to go along with whatever they make. That should make Saturday a banner ski day. That served as a mood elevator. Looking ahead, like I often do, the ten day forecast has us rocketing up near 50 again next week with overnight lows remaining just above freezing. We’ve spent no more than two or three days in a row in the freezer this winter. It’s not uncommon to go two three weeks without every coming out.

I briefly checked Timberline’s website. They were still in the middle of that huge snow storm that’s expected to dump more than 100” of new snow by Friday. As of Wednesday evening, they had already received 50+” in the past 72 hours. Nice!

Darwin sent an email sharing that he bought his Oregon airline ticket. Not sure what he paid. I am assuming he matched our flight itinerary, though.

At 605am I headed to the family room for meditation. That went well, but I didn’t allow the amount of time I would’ve preferred - only ten. 20 minutes is ideal. At 615am I had to break away to wake Mindy. She asked that I crank up the heat after I delivered her coffee, but I had already done so before heading up.

Downstairs to stretch around 620am. That went really well again too. My shoulders, neck, and back have been sterling so far this year. And once again, by scheduling push-ups every other day as opposed to daily has made the biggest difference. Wish I would’ve done that a long time ago. I was slow to dress for my run. I didn’t get out the door until 637a. I was dressed in the usual winter uniform, including ear and hand covers.  As a result, I was comfy, cozy and warm.

I ran the full 4.1 miles and felt good doing it. During my run I contemplated the presentation I’d be giving to a customer at 9am. I was a little stressed about it, but not overtly so. It is what it is. I was also thinking about Lindsey’s car and what we’ll ultimately do about that. Honestly, it’s like a ticking time bomb. But on a more positive note, Mindy and I have noticed a huge improvement in Lindsey’s behavior patterns both as a daughter and as a parent. She’s made great strides.  I am genuinely proud of what she’s accomplished for herself in a relatively short amount of time.

I was back at the house around 720am. I walked in to fetch the leash and Mindy’s keys. And while I did that, Mindy hollered for Bella to bring the pug.  She was waiting by the door by the time I had the Pilot started and was back at the doorway. To mix things up a bit, we walked across the street, and probably our least traveled path. Ykraps and I would take that route after work most evenings. And speaking of Ykraps, the 14^th marked the two year anniversary of his passing.

Our walk was brief but fruitful. We were back at the house just in time to bid Mindy farewell. My eggs were waiting in the microwave. Bella asked me to warm her peanut butter toast. Apparently she left it sit too long before digging in. I warmed it twice, or about 17 seconds in total. Bella said that it was a little too hot. I was off to the shower by 738am.

I dressed nicely wearing older dress slacks and an old but nice black, sheep’s wool sweater. It’s the kind one must wear a t-shirt under or be forever itchy.  I was downstairs somewhat late – 803a. I quickly threw together a lunch consisting of a salad of spring mix, tomatoes, baby carrots, and cauliflower as well as a fruit medley, banana, and chunks of cheese. I was ready to go about the same time that the kids were.

We headed to the bus stop at 810am like usual. Chrissy was out with the Makayla for the first time in a couple weeks. Said Lillian was staying home ill. Said she warned her that staying home from school would likely mean no skiing come the weekend.  Somehow I doubted that would stick.

The bus arrived near 815am like clock work. Soon Eiknarf and I were headed back home. I took care of a few last minute items, including enjoying a 2^nd cup of coffee, before taking off to work. I didn’t need to be downtown until 9am. It’s only a 15 minute drive. I stuck around the house until 835am.

It was an easy drive downtown taking 670. Traffic was a little heavy on

Neil Ave

by Nationwide arena but otherwise fine.  I arrived at the customer’s location with 5 minutes to spare. Arrived in tandem with a peer. We walked in together and were quickly in the scheduled conference room setting up.

The presentation went well. The one person I was told would ask lots of tough questions was in attendance for the first time in three meetings. I was a tad nervous but well prepared. We did fine. The meeting lasted about an hour. I was on my way out of the parking garage by 1015am and headed to the main office.

Arrived around 1030am. Had a lot on my plate, including two important calls/meetings and then several reporting related tasks to complete. I felt a little overwhelmed a couple of times, but instead of dwelling on it, I focused more energy on the doing  part. That always helps. When I left the house I thought that I might head to the Tuttle Mall Macy’s with my special shopping pass, but never did. Instead, I plowed straight through my day trying to get on top of my workload.

It started snowing some time earlier in the afternoon and looked to be sticking by late afternoon, although there really wasn’t that much on the ground come 530pm. I called Mindy on my drive home. The roads were starting to get slick, especially the roads less traveled.  Mindy was busy making homemade pizzas. Said Bella, Makayla, and Landon were helping. Jacob & Rocky were outside having an airsoft battle. The original plan called for Mindy to take Lindsey shopping for shoes at Kohl’s after dinner, but that was before the inclement weather hit. Mindy wasn’t so sure she wanted to be heading out in the weather. She wanted my opinion of the roads once I arrived home.

Our street was by far the most treacherous of all that I traveled. And my car slid back about 3 or 4 feet when I pulled in the drive. Once it came to a stop, I rocked it hard to make sure it would stay put. It did. Someone, Jacob or Mindy, I assumed, had shoveled the drive recently. But there really wasn’t that much accumulation. The first layer, however, was very icy.

I headed inside where Mindy and the wee ones were still busy preparing and baking the pizzas. Rocky & Jacob were just coming inside about the time I did. Jacob sent Rocky back out to the tree house area to get his jar of ammo. About ten minutes later dinner was served. There were three different pizza types. The biggest was a pepperoni, and then there were two smaller, one with pepperoni, tomatoes, and hot pepper rings, and the other with pesto, mushrooms, and chicken. Yuck! Not me. That one was for Jacob and Mindy. By the way, Lindsey wasn’t present. What I didn’t realize is that she was at a school conference regarding Landon.

Rocky & Landon both complained about the taste. Didn’t like the homemade pizza. Mindy commented that Landon filled up on pepperoni while they were in the make line. J I enjoyed some of the first two pies. They were both very good – different. Mindy made a fresh garden salad too. That really hit the spot. Mindy shared that she was making chocolate chip cookies after dinner in part to motivate the kids to finish their pizza. Rocky only ate about half of one slice. He’s a very finicky eater. Said he was full. Then you’re too full for chocolate chip cookies? He quickly recanted citing his dislike for the pizza. Insisted on having something else like cereal. We eventually settled on a banana. 

He wore us down with negotiations for more than one chocolate chip cookie. He can be relentless. Lindsey showed up while the cookies were in the oven, and just as I was wrapping up the clean-up. Said she didn’t want any pizza. She was eager to head to Kohl’s with Mindy. They left around 7pm best guess. Bella went with too – an all girls thing.

The boys stayed back with me but were no trouble whatsoever. They all three played in Jacob’s room, I assumed playing Xbox. They did so without any fussing. While they played Xbox, I updated my blog and went through my mail. I’m guessing it was near 745pm when Jacob & Rocky came back downstairs, Rocky asking for another chocolate chip cookie. I let him have one more. Jacob shared that Landon had fallen asleep on his bed. That’s Landon. He’s frequently out by 730pm. And according to Lindsey, he’s a very early riser.

The girls arrived home shortly after 8pm while the two boys ( Jacob/Rocky) and I were settling in to watch Idol auditions. However, by then even Rocky was sleeping. Lindsey moaned about having to wake them up. Said they're typically very difficult to get up and moving. Looked like Mindy bought her two pairs of shoes. Lucky for her, the boys woke fairly easily and Lindsey soon had them ready for departure just ahead of 815pm, though she headed out to warm her car first.

I wasn’t real excited about watching Idol again, but the whole family was gathered to watch, so watch I did. Come 845pm I took Bella’s lead and plopped down on the familyroom floor with a chair pillow and fell quickly asleep. I slept downstairs until 10pm when Mindy and the kids were heading up for bed. They had been watching some strange new show on after Idol. I was still half asleep as we made our way to bed. Good night moon!

Celebrating Lindsey

Happy 28th Lindsey

I slept soundly not waking even once, at least from what I can remember, until it was time to get up.  I was soon downstairs to the sounds of the coffee maker going through its brewing cycle. I glanced out back at the frozen tundra then completed calisthenics. Both sit-ups and push-ups were done by 545am.

It seemed that there would be no chance of this Wednesday becoming a rainy one like 90% of them have been since summer. Not only was it currently below freezing, but it was expected to stay that way throughout the entire day. In fact, the day’s high wasn’t expected to top 30 degrees. That suited me just fine.

I played around online until just after 6am when I headed to the familyroom for meditation. That went well. Near 615am I woke Mindy and delivered her morning coffee. Don’t think she said anything about cranking up the heat. Hmm?

Back downstairs for stretching by 620am. That went well, too. I dressed warmly in full winter running attire not getting out the door until 641am. I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. Was actually a pretty easy run. I started Mindy’s Pilot and walked the pug after my return. Wasn’t back in the house until it was time for Mindy to leave for school. She asked the kids to bus to Noah’s after school in light of a meeting she needed to be part of after work. Jacob complained.

Enjoyed my eggs and then was off to the shower by 740am. And since I’d be spending my day at a customer’s site, I dressed up a bit wearing black dress slacks, a black t-shirt, and my new purple cashmere sweater. I looked handsome. Just ask me!

After grooming, I packed a lunch consisting of a salad, fruit, cheese and a banana. The kids and I headed out at 810am. Started the Accord while also managing Eiknarf from her leash. Met Kenny at the bus stop. Said he’d be spending the day at his shop putting down a new tile floor. Bus arrived right on time – 815am. After the bus pulled away, me & Eiknarf walked back home where I spent another 5-10 minutes before heading off to work. Before leaving, I made sure I had my badge, laptop mouse, and power cord. Don’t want to make that mistake ever again.

It was a cold, but mostly sunny, commute across 670 to I-270 north. Made great time arriving after just 22 minutes. No real traffic snarls whatsoever. I wish I could say the same for my work day, but I can’t. It was a tough day from the outset. I was extremely busy from the moment I sat down dealing with numerous customer escalations.

Amongst all that, I had to join three scheduled calls between 10am and 1pm. I was busy!

Come 130pm I needed a break, so I decided to take a lunch and head to both Target and Macy’s. I stopped in Target first, where I picked up a birthday card for Lindsey. I was there for only about ten minutes. My next stop was Macy’s Easton. There, I checked out dress shoes. I could use a pair of black ones and I have a 25% savings pass that starts on the 19^th (Thursday), but figured I could scout the selection early. Turns out, though, they didn’t have any that jumped out at me. While there, I looked at a couple wool jackets too, but not seriously.

It was 215pm when I was in the Accord and headed back to the customer’s campus. Immediately in the door, I went for my packed lunch. I’d just gotten settled when two of their managers approached for updates on an extremely hot issue. That issue consumed my time and energy pretty much for the rest of the day. Even had to get my boss involved, which is rare. I talked with Mindy around 510pm advising that I might be leaving late again. We had plans for dinner at Barley’s celebrating Lindsey’s birthday. Mindy was understanding and suggested that I simply meet them there if it got too late.

Turns out, I wasn’t able to get out of the customer’s office until 545pm. I called Mindy once I was on the road and arranged to meet at Barley’s just as we had outlined a bit earlier. Lindsey and the boys were already at the house waiting. This marked the first time that I took 270 south to 670 for the trip home. Turned out to be good move. I made it to Barley’s in record time. I was there in 20 minutes, which was far sooner than I expected, and a few minutes ahead of Mindy and company.

I ordered a beer from the bar, a Centennial, but not before sampling their latest new offering, Roggen-Cascade – a rye beer brewed with Cascade hops. It was OK, but I opted for a pint of my old stand-by instead.

Mindy and the kids arrived before I could enjoy more than a sip or two. Mindy arranged for all of us to be seated in a booth near the bar. Blonde Sarah was out server. Both Mindy and I got our beers from the bar. Mindy was having the Russian nitro. Unless I’m mistaken, all four kids ordered Dr Pepper. Mindy ordered two baskets of fries as appetizers, one plain, while the other smothered in brisket and cheese for all of us to enjoy while we perused the menu.

I opted to try their special, a chicken gyro. Mindy ordered a Barley burger; Jacob ordered a brisket sandwich; Bella, Rocky, and Landon each ordered the mini cheeseburger. Lastly, Lindsey ordered naked boneless wings. I stuck with just the one beer. The chicken gyro was just OK. Not a whole lot of flavor. Still hungry after I finished, I ate the last of Mindy’s burger.

We skipped dessert since we had a b-day cake for Lindsey waiting at home. I paid the dinner tab with Mindy agreeing to pay our two beer bar tab. She returned sharing that Janet simply transferred it to our table. She tipped her $5 anyway. After the kids got gumballs, we headed for home. Jacob and Rocky opted to ride with me.

We wasted no time setting up Lindsey’s chocolate birthday cake with candles and then singing the happy birthday song. Still hungry, I had a piece of the birthday cake, which for me is rare. Mindy made arrangements to take Lindsey shopping to Kohl’s Thursday evening after work and school to get the new shoes she wants. That would be her birthday present. She and the boys didn’t stay long after cake. I’m guessing they were gone by 750pm.

After Lindsey left I changed into my PJs. Mindy did the same about 15 minutes later. Now 8pm, we tuned into night #1 of American Idol season 11. This being the drawn out audition phase, the program went until 10pm. We watched it all as a family. The auditions were taped in Savannah, Georgia. It was good entertainment, but not sure that I’m willing to invest myself in the entire season. We’ll see.

We pretty much headed to bed as a family as soon as Idol was history. I started getting really tired around 940pm. I was more than ready to get some sleep.

Sun of a ...

I was up right on time. In fact, I even rolled out of bed a few minutes early. Once downstairs, I glanced out back to put an eye towards the weather. It was wet and obviously above freezing. Next, I grabbed my exercise shoes then hit the go button on the coffee maker on my way into the livingroom for sit-ups. Knocked those out in a hurry.

While waiting on the coffee to finish its brew cycle, I organized some recent mail/bills. Headed to the PC with coffee in hand near 545am. There I checked the weather, headlines, and read the Daily OM. It was warm alright – a spring-like 48 degrees. We were currently in between two cycles of rain. I studied the local radar carefully to try and time my run so to avoid the heavy stuff that was coming in the 2nd cycle. I was fortunate. It didn’t look like the heavy stuff would hit until 8am or after, but it looked to be packing lightning and thunder – red on the radar.

They were forecasting a high of 55 degrees with strong winds and heavy rain. Supposed to be below freezing again Wednesday through Friday with a slight chance of snow.  In other words, more back and forth. It is what it is. The adjusted high for Saturday at MRM was now predicted to only reach 33 degrees – definitely cold enough to ski. I sent a note to a few ski peeps sharing the good news.

I headed to the family room for meditation at 6am, or slightly after. That went exceptionally well. Near 615a when I finished, I hustled upstairs to wake Mindy with a cup of coffee in hand. Back downstairs to stretch and ready for a run. Stretching went well, too. Because it was so warm, but also sprinkling, I was a little torn while choosing my layers. In the end, I opted for a thin, long-sleeved wicking shirt, my pullover fleece, and a toboggan but without the benefit of ear covers underneath. I didn’t wear hand covers, either.

I headed out the door a minute or two before 630am and ran the full 4.1 miles. It was trash day, though I didn’t see or hear any sign of the truck until near the run's end. I stayed fairly comfortable with my selected attire. I did well. Before heading inside, I drug our empty trash can back to its resting place.

Inside, I waited for the pug. And while I managed to avoid the heavy rain, I was still fairly wet, both from rain and sweat. I walked Eiknarf heading towards the O’Connell’s house. She took care of business fairly quickly.

Back at home, Mindy was eating some yogurt and offered me a bite. She had my eggs ready, too. She left for work after reminding the kids to bus home with Noah.  I was off to the shower shortly after finishing my eggs.

I wore a pair of well-seasoned black Dockers and a button-up dress shirt. I looked and felt terrific. I was downstairs throwing together a lunch by 757am. I packed some cheese, banana, yogurt, and a salad that I threw together quickly. The kids joined me downstairs at 805am. They asked how they might dress for the weather. I suggested hoodies. The sky was your typical winter gray directly overhead, but to the northwest the sky was darn near black. Looked scary, much like a summer time thunderstorm rolling in.

Kenny was at the bus stop with the girls and both pugs. We talked about the crazy up and down weather forecast. The bus arrived a couple minutes early. I headed back to the house for another cup of coffee. I didn’t bother thawing the Accord given that it was so warm.

I left the house for work around 825am. It had just started to rain fairly hard as I walked out to the car. I thought about turning around and grabbing my umbrella but didn't. Screw it! Gas prices, I noticed, were back down to the $3.25 range after spiking last Thursday & Friday to about $3.60. I was getting low and figured to be filling up before Wednesday’s New Albany drive, but didn’t want to do it right then. I still had about a 1/3 tank.

It rained hard during my drive in, but slowed a little by the time I arrived. That’s good because I had to park in the far lot. All the up-close spots were taken, I ‘m sure, by those trying to avoid getting drenched. Smelt like spring rain.

The morning was fairly busy. I got involved in a couple escalations I needed to stay involved in through resolution. My plan was to spend my day studying the monthly report I’d be presenting on Thursday AM ,but that never happened. In addition to managing a couple escalations, I helped a peer with a problem. That ended up consuming more time than I imagined it might.

As the afternoon waned, it was looking like I might get out of the office on time and perhaps even a few minutes early. However, just before 5pm, we experienced a major issue requiring my attention and intervention. I ended up at the office until things calmed, and unfortunately, that wasn’t until after 630pm. Things like this seem to have a knack for occurring on date night. I talked with Mindy just after 5pm warning that I might be late. Even though it was date night, we decided not to do dinner out. Instead, we planned to stay home and relax. Part of the reason, we planned dinner out on Wednesday with Lindsey and the boys in celebration of her 28^th b-day.  I called Mindy again just before I left the office.

Arrived home near 7pm. Everything Mindy had to move for the carpet cleaners on Monday was put back in its place. She also had dinner on the stove. It looked like Smoked sausage, and smelt terrific. It was just she and I. Again, this was date night. The kids were with their dad. Didn’t expect them home until 8pm. Mindy was proud of her creative sausage concoction, and it was incredibly delicious. A fairly simple dish, too - smoked sausage, can of Ro-Tel tomatoes, and fresh spinach sautéed on the stove.  She served it with chicken rice. We both had two helpings. Yum-yum!

Meanwhile, the evening was flying by, helped along, no doubt, by my late arrival home. Didn’t finish clean-up until 740pm. Before the kids got home, I spent a little time editing and updating recent blog entries. The kids were home near 8pm as planned. While the kids readied for bed, I returned to my PC for more blog work. I poured a pint of Bohdi to enjoy at the same time. And boy was it good! Got caught up through Monday, including the addition of a few more pics. It was after 9pm when I finished my play.

By then it was time to tuck in the kids. Jacob was hosting Eiknarf for the night. Mindy headed to bed soon after the kids. And like I generally do, I headed back downstairs to catch a little TV. I tuned to one of the knowledge channels watching The Universe, and an episode all about our sun. Most I already knew but had forgotten. Still, fascinating stuff!

93 million miles from Earth

1 million miles closer or further, we’d either bake or freeze

5,000 miles thick plasma

The sun rotates, but different sections at different speeds thus creating thousands upon thousands of magnetic poles.

At its center, takes 35 days to rotate one full revolution. Closer to the poles, 25 days. Probably would be more accurate to use the term 'Earth days', but they didn't.

Return to Rain

I woke a few times during the night trying to find that elusive sweet spot. And then, sometime around 2am, I actually got up and headed in to check on Jacob. I called his name a couple of times to which he only moaned and groaned and rolled over. At the time, I viewed that as evidence enough that he was OK. I headed back to bed feeling a bit more at ease. I later learned that Mindy did the same thing around midnight. I checked him again when I got up for good at 545am. I felt justified in sleeping late due to the kids and Mindy having the day off. I wouldn’t need to see the kids onto to the bus.

I was downstairs engaged in calisthenics a few minutes later, and by 555am I had both sit-ups and push-ups behind me.  I poured some coffee then retreated to my PC where I read some headlines and checked the weather. It was still pretty chilly, only 23 degrees. However, the forecast was calling for a high of 42 with along with a chance of rain by mid day. Unfortunately, the 3.5 day cold snap wasn’t built to last. The 10 day forecast shows a lot of up and down, but more importantly in the mid 40’s for the weekend which would pretty much put a damper on more skiing.

Read a few sports related headlines then headed off to meditate near 610am. Completely unconcerned for the time, I had a very good meditation. I wasn’t finished until 630am. Stretching, of course, was next, and that went well also, but I could definitely feel the effects of two full days of skiing.

It was darn near 7am by the time I was heading out the door for my run. And given the freezing temps, I was dressed in full winter running attire. I ran the full 4.1 miles and witnessed a beautiful firey orange sunrise.

Back at home the house remained quiet. Everybody else remained asleep in bed. And since I wasn’t sure how late they’d sleep, I headed up to get Eiknarf so I could take her on a walk. As soon as we were back, I made my own breakfast frying the last two eggs in the fridge. Mindy planned on going to grocery store sometime during the day. It occurred to me that I hadn’t eaten fried eggs in quite a while. It was darn near 8am when I finally headed up for a shower.

Sometime during my ready Mindy got up and headed downstairs. She was at her computer when I reemerged showered and dressed. We compared notes on Jacob’s status, her sharing that she got up and checked on him around midnight. While we were talking, Jacob woke up and came downstairs. Said he was feeling a whole lot better, and asked his mom if she would take him to MRM after he got back from hanging out with his dad. We suggested that if he wanted to board/ski with the others that he simply call his dad and tell him. Either that, or see if he could pick them up after skiing. I thought he might change his mind after a good night’s sleep. And honestly, that’s what I was hoping he’d do. I want him to get lots of reps on his new board.

Mindy reminded me about the carpets being cleaned. Expecting them to arrive around noon. She planned to move as many things (chairs, plants, etc) as she could before their arrival. We chatted another five minutes or so while the Accord thawed. I left for work around 830am.

Clouds started moving in even during my run, and by the time I arrived at work there was a distinct diagonal line of separation between the clear and the clouds. Looked like the northern burbs were still drenched in sun while the south and west were socked in by cloud cover. 

It was a relatively slow day, with plenty of time to take care of the many lingering tasks I wanted/needed to accomplish. Didn’t hear from Mindy all morning long. I’m thinking that I called her around 130pm. By then the carpet guy had already been there and gone. The kids, she confirmed, both went to MRM with the neighbors. She was headed to the grocery. Kenny said they’d be home sooner rather than later if it started to rain, which it started to do around 3-330pm.

My day went pretty fast. I left the office for home around 515pm. I called Mindy again on my drive home. She was home from the grocery and busy cutting up fruit. I let her go and then called my mom. Hadn’t talked with her for a week or so. Mom said she was in bed watching TV, not feeling too well. Shared that her knee replacement surgeon suggested that her ongoing pain and swelling may be attributed to her legs being 1mm off in length. No kidding, said he wants her to come in so he can STRETCH it out. Where did this bozo get his medical license, Wal-Mart?  Despite her not feeling well, seemed to be in pretty good spirits. Went on to say she plans to live to 97. I think she just threw that number out there. Wasn’t tied to any specific event that I’m aware of.  Bid her farewell when I pulled in the drive at home.

Mindy was still busy in the kitchen cutting up fruit. Said the Downey carpet cleaning guy emphasized that the carpet will stand taller, firmer if we stay off it until it’s completely dry. Suggested 6 hours, but I know all too well that it’s more like 24 hours. Mindy said she was impressed with his work. Kind of hard to tell, though, without any bright ,natural lighting.

Once she was finished cutting up fruit, we reheated some of last week’s chicken & noodles. Still good. Kenny texted that they were leaving MRM just after 6pm. Trying to avoid trampling the damp carpets, I vowed an evening away from my PC. At one point I resorted to playing on Bella’s Kindle Fire but found it too difficult to browse and gave up. Mindy was using her laptop from the kitchen table like she always does. The kids laptop was available for use had I really needed/wanted online. I opted not.

I did head upstairs to change into more comfy lounging attire. Before Bella got home, we decided to keep her home from gymnastics. Didn’t seem like a good idea – ski all day then got to gymnastics till 830pm. The kids were home by 7pm. We guided them through the garage to stow their ski gear then Mindy had them toss their ski attire and bags to her in the basement where she took a quick inventory to make sure they didn’t lose any crucial gear. They didn’t. Kids said they had a blast despite the all day drizzle.

Mindy had them ready for bed over the next half hour or so and then Jacob did 90 minutes of reading. While Jacob read, Bella played on the computer, although she was researching an author that wrote the book she’s been reading. I tuned the TV to a basketball game but watched only passively until Mindy suggested we watch this MLK DVD she brought home from school. Apparently she and the kids watched part of it earlier. It was in cartoon form and was fairly well done, wrapping a story about kids from the current going back in time and bringing MLK forward.  I fell asleep through part but still caught the gist of it. After the movie, the kids had a snack and then headed to bed. And just like most other work nights, Mindy headed up to read shortly after the kids were tucked into bed. I stayed up watching a Morgan Freeman, Through the Worm Hole rerun. I fell asleep on the sofa waking near 1030 pm and then heading for bed. 

Bluebird Ski Day

I slept really well and didn’t get up until just before 8am. We planned on skiing again so I was very deliberate with my time.  I started some coffee then played around online. It was really cold, 8 degrees according to Yahoo, under crystal clear skies. Looked like a bluebird ski day in the offing. The forecast was calling for a high approaching 30 degrees later in the day. I decided to check the snowfall on Hood since they were expecting a dumping over the weekend. Through Saturday night, they’d received about 9 inches in the last 24 hours. But looking ahead through Wednesday I was almost shocked to see how much more snow they were forecasting. They’re calling for anywhere from 55” to 95”. Holy smoke! That’ll change things in a hurry. Of course, I’ve been out there during and immediately after a dumping a time or two. It’s almost impossible to ski in it while it’s coming down, but the following days can be heavenly. I haven’t seen a 3-day snow forecast like that in a long, long time. I excitedly sent it off to a small distro of peeps that would appreciate it.

I checked Holiday Valley’s website too. Seems everybody was getting snow over the  weekend. They were bragging about 12+ inches in the last 24 hours with more on the way. Promising to have the Eagle lift open by mid-week. I felt a sense of calm & joy reading about all the snow.

The house was still quiet when I headed out for a run. I’m thinking it was near 845am. Even though it was much colder than the morning before, I didn’t add an additional layer figuring the bright sunshine would provide additional warmth. I did, however, opt for sun glasses.

I was quite comfortable through the three mile run’s entirety. Don’t recall happening on any other Sunday runners. I suppose a handful decided to bag it for the cold. What they may not realize is just how fun extremely cold run’s can be.

As I neared home I was surprised to see Jacob just ahead out walking the pug. It looked like without the benefit of a hat or gloves. Thinking back, though, he very well may have been wearing a toboggan.  Before meeting up with Jacob, I happened upon Mike O. out with his two Jack Russell’s. He was wearing just a t-shirt & jeans. We chatted about our Saturday at MRM. Shared that Emily & Evan did really well. Mike was on-duty Saturday so he missed the fun. They rode up with Kenny.  Jacob and I headed back home together. He said everybody was up. Hmm? They must’ve gotten up right after I headed out the door.

Mindy was busy making bacon and pancakes. Confirmed that we were all going skiing again. Yep! Mindy reminded me that Lindsey was coming over at 11am to do laundry while we skied. I asked if the washer was free so I could get my running clothes washed. I headed up for a shower first, however.

After my shower I pranced around in my base layer so not to over heat. I threw my running clothes in the washer soon after my shower and then enjoyed a couple of those pancakes and a single slice of bacon.  Very good! Mindy already had all of our soft ski gear organized and ready for loading in the living room. While she readied herself, I prepped and organized more provisions for a day at MRM. It was a little easier/quicker this time since all I had to do was add to what was already prepared and leftover from Saturday’s trip.

We were all pretty much ready to go by 1040am. Mindy called Kenny to check their plans. Chrissy wasn’t going again, still battling cold symptoms. Kenny figured to get there near noon. Mindy called back and asked Chrissy if she’d mind keeping Eiknarf for the day. She willingly agreed. Jacob walked her down along with Jake’s Columbia fleece and our extra wrist guard.

We backed out the drive just ahead of 11am. I decided to stop in at Thornton’s for a fill-up. We had about a half tank of gas, which was plenty enough for a trip to MRM and back, but I figured Mindy would appreciate having a plenty of gas in the tank heading into the new work week. We were on the road a few minutes later. The day prior, I noted the time it took to get from the 38 miles to Bellefontaine sign to MRM, about 30 minutes. As we passed it Sunday I shared that we would be there in 31 minutes. The kids noted the Pilot’s time – 1117am (set 5 minutes fast). It was a fast and sunny drive, and we turned in the lot right at 1147am. Not bad!

I told Mindy on the way up that it would be more crowded than it was on Saturday. I was right. But it was even more crowded than I guessed it would be. Even still, we gave the front row by the lodge a once over. No joy. We turned down aisle two next where we spotted Scott & Zach gearing up. They got a good spot. Not quite ready to give up on a up close spot, we headed to the adjacent section between the lodge and gift shop. Much to our liking, an SUV was just backing out of a front row spot. Cool beans! We were in the front row, and perhaps the best parking spot of all. Close to the window and close to the lodge.

Sunday marked the first time that both kids were able to gear up properly on their own. We only had to quiz them about it. They’ve learned the hard way about tucking and overlapping to avoid snow in the boots and down the pants. We got our lift tickets in the gift shop again. Must not be very well known. The lines at the ticket windows were quite long. No wait at all at the gift shop, which sits within easy access to the Four Star lift, too.

The lift lines were long, but moving efficiently. I noted the time as we made out first run up Four Star. It was 12:04pm.  The sun was super bright and the sky indigo blue. It was still cold though – only about 21 degrees. We took Mary Ann’s backside first, but I cut through the trees for the first time this season. Gorgeous! The snow was noticeably better than it was on Saturday - way more carveable. 

It was a few more runs before we spotted some of our peeps. Once Jacob confirmed that Jake was there he headed over to the bunny hill looking for him. Must’ve been around 1pm when we all hooked up atop the mountain. As crowded as the resort was, the face of the hill was all but wide open. Seems all the ‘features’ they left in place were deterring many from taking it. I figured an hour or two more of this sunshine and the snow would be really nice (softer).

As expected, the snow only got better as the afternoon progressed. However, the lift lines at times were ridiculous. At one point we skied over to Sundowner and Momentum so the kids could do the mini terrain park. But those lines were perhaps even longer than Four Star. People wise they might’ve been shorter but they were stopping it way more frequently presumably due to the number of struggling, amateur skiers. I bailed from that area in a hurry, happy to tolerate the longer lines on Four Star.

I’m guessing it was near 330pm when the Four Star line got so long that it forced us to consider taking a break. Mindy said Kenny was already inside with the kids and probably had a table. She, Bob & Tina – Bob and I headed in. The others said they were gonna do a few more runs. Sure enough, Kenny had managed to corral a table up by the stage. Sweet. The lodge was as packed as we’ve seen it thus far this season. Bob said he’d get us a pitcher of beer, but he was off to his car to get his cooler first. Took too long. I went ahead and got a pitcher of Sam Adams Boston lager. We’d already had a few swigs of lemon nip and Goldschlager too.  As usual, Mindy made a new friend at the table. I think her name is Amy. She’s a volunteer for the MRM racing team. She was cute and friendly. She had a couple beers with us, though she insisted on turning her jacket inside out presumably worried about giving patrons the wrong impression about their ski hosts. J

Bob’s two boys, Trevor & Cameron, brought in their video camera. They were eager to share a couple video clips of their jumps at Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly. The two clips I saw featured Cameron  nailing the lofty jump but flying out of his skis both times on his landing and launching face first. Said he wasn’t hurt at all. Oh to be 12!

We had a table full of snacks, both those brought from home and some that the kids purchased. Bob, Mindy & I sat there for probably 90 minutes watching the end of the Ravens/Texas game, drinking beer, & having some snacks. Mindy texted the others a few times. They never came inside. I knew Bob I wasn’t./couldn’t stay long. I know him well. Figured he wanted to get in as many runs as possible before heading home. Heading into the lodge always turns into a much longer visit than one initially anticipates, especially when there’s plenty of beer and snacks made available. Bob & Tina Bob went up and got us a 2^nd pitcher. Oh boy!

We had a good time yucking it up. By the time we were done, the kids were all long gone and back out skiing on their own. I’m thinking it was just after 5pm when we headed back out. By then, Bob I was already gone. His goal all along was to be home before Mary Ann got home from work. He’s no dummie! Knows where his bread gets buttered … or toasted. J

We skied with the others for a few more runs until they needed to bag it. As darkness took hold, Mindy and I skied a few more runs, just she and I. We had a great time in the Glades and then on the face. On one run we slipped over to the deck that overlooks the Glades so I could get the perfect photo op of the ice & snow encrusted trees against the dark indigo blue sky. It was gorgeous to the eye. I was certain the photo would be too given the right white balance and ISO setting. Got it! I wished I could’ve gotten the shot without the lighted ski runs in the back ground but that proved impossible. Still, it looked like a fantastic shot.

It had to be about 700pm when Kenny texted that he and the girls were in the lodge taking a break. Where then was Bella? Hmmm? Jake and Jacob weren’t accounted for either. We split up looking for the kids. I figured Bella might be skiing somewhere by herself. Later, that was confirmed when she finally showed up in the lodge and Kenny texted that he had her. She said she was skiing in the singles line. That’s our Bella!

Jacob came plodding along a few minutes later from the direction of Momentum, which is where we figured he was all along. He said he’d meet us at the Pilot. At the time we had no idea that he’d taken a hard spill on his head. With neighbor Jake now accounted for, we had all the kids. I went and unlocked the Pilot and loaded my gear along with Jacob. Jacob, I noticed, was being very lazy and lethargic. I asked that he go help his mom carry the cooler and bag from the lodge. He was killing time as if to stall. I gave up and went up to help her myself. I carried the cooler to the Pilot while Mindy went with Bella to retrieve her skis. Made arrangements to meet at Kenny & Chrissy’s for steak dinner once home. Chrissy called earlier from Sam’s Club and asked Mindy if we wanted her to pick us up some steaks for grilling later. Sure, why not? I haven’t had a steak in quite a while.

We were on the road for home by 730pm. I drove. During our drive home, Jacob shared that he’d hit the back of his head pretty hard on the mini terrain park. Said he saw a flash of green light and now had a headache.  As it was, Jacob & Bella were tentatively heading back to MRM on Monday with Kenny, Chrissy, Mike O. and the kids while Mindy saw that our carpets were cleaned as well as finishing up some work on her report cards. Jacob, however, sounded like he might be having a change of heart after falling and hitting his head.

We listened to NFL playoff game updates on XM radio on the way home. Giants were beating the Packers just as I had predicted they would. The lead only got wider as we neared the house. We made good time, arriving just before 815pm. Everybody knows the drill, we carry in everything and stow it before we rest.  Jacob was out front of the Pilot saying he was going to throw up while we were busy carrying everything inside. He ended up helping but then made a beeline for the sofa.

At Mindy’ request, I gave him two Ibuprofen. Heck, I took three myself. I was tired too, and if we hadn’t committed to grilling out with the neighbors earlier, I gladly would’ve stayed home. After all, I was the only one that had to get up for work in the morning. But once I changed out of my ski gear into comfy lounging pants and a t-shirt I got a bit of a second wind.

I’m thinking it was near 845pm when we headed to the neighbors. Kenny had a whole tray of good looking steaks sitting out, a few ribeyes and a few filets. In the last 6 months, all of our girls have become steak lovers. Used to be, the adults would have steaks and all the kids would have chicken and/or hot dogs. Not anymore. Bella, Makayla, and Lillian all have a taste for steaks.

Having my fill of beer, lemon nip, and Goldschlager earlier, I stuck with only Diet Coke. I didn’t have any sides with my steak either – just a steak. And boy was it good. It really hit the spot. I wasn’t even that hungry but ate an entire steak myself. Often times I’ll only eat half. I felt like a new man after dinner. Jacob was feeling a bit better, but was still complaining about his head hurting from his earlier spill. We weren’t sure what to make of it. Said he was tired and just wanted to go home and to bed. It was 950pm when we thanked the neighbors for grilling the steaks and headed for home.

We all pretty much went right to bed, but Jacob, as you might expect, was in his first. Mindy shared that we should check on him a couple times during  the night by waking him up. She asked me to do it at 530am or when I normally get up for work. I agreed, but also figured I’d do it before that too. 

After a whirlwind weekend of skiing it was lights out by 1015pm.

The Gold Chair

I woke a few times around 530am happy to realize that it wasn’t a work day. I slept a couple more hours then woke for good around 745am. I brushed my teeth, gathered up my running clothes, then headed downstairs.

At first glance, it didn’t appear as though there was much of an increase in snow accumulation during the over night. Just an inch or two in total. Started a pot of coffee then headed to my PC. There I checked the current temp and forecast. It was a chilly 16 degrees, and even colder with the wind chill. It was snowing on and off and expected to do so throughout most of the day though clearing much later that night.

I sipped coffee and played around on the internet before eventually getting ready for a run. I took Mindy some coffee around 835am, or about the same time that I heard her up and milling around. I asked that she get in the shower while I was off on my run so not to waste any time. Said she didn’t plan on taking one. OK.

I headed out the door around 850am doing my usual 3 mile run. It was cold but I was bundled for it so consequently stayed fairly cozy.  Was back at home around 930am where both Mindy and I worked on prepping our ski stuff. I could sense a little tension, me obviously wanting to get out no later than 10am, but Mindy more set on 11am. My whole thing is that the best snow is always early before all the teenagers get there. And then there’s the parking thing. I expected it to be a huge weekend for MRM, their first truly wintry weekend of the season. Their website proclaimed having 100% of their trails opened for the first time all season.

Mindy was already doing laundry. I asked that she hold off on washing another load while I showered. AFter my shower, I packed food, a cooler, and our gear while Mindy  readied Bella. We needed to pick-up Jacob at his friend’s place on our way. Yet another delay in my mind. We ended up with two coolers, one with food, pop, and water, the other with a growler of Bohdi.   

Mindy texted Kenny to see when they were leaving. Chrissy, it turned out, wasn’t going. Wasn’t feeling well. Kenny was bringing all the kids by himself.  We left the house just after 11am. Our first stop was somewhere off

Walcutt Rd

between Trabue & Roberts to pick-up Jacob. Bella and I joked that Mindy would be inside forever. I’m thinking it was something like ten minutes. Seemed longer. While Mindy was inside, Bella shared that her Kindle Fire wasn't working. Screen dark and blank even with the battery fully charged. Said she and her mother had it charging all-day at home. I wondered if she might’ve dropped it. Mindy had Jacob’s base layer ski attire in a Kroger bag for him to change into while we drove. He did so reluctantly.

We hit a few snow squalls but otherwise it was smooth sailing. Arrived at MRM just after 12 noon. Quite a crowd but probably not as many as I thought there might be. Still, cars out to the extreme edges of the available parking. But just as we do every other time, we checked for an upfront spot first. It’s not uncommon for us to get a recently vacated spot up close. We ended up finding a spot in the 4^th row right in line with the lodge. Ideal, really.

And by the time we were geared up and in the first lift line it was closing in on 1230pm. Right away, I think first run up, we got the gold 50^th anniversary chair. That was big for the kids. We spotted Bob and Scott on our way up. They were skiing the line between Four Star & Sugarbush. We eventually all connected and skied in various combinations throughout the afternoon. Kids included, there were about 20 of us in total. Jacob was really excited to learn that big Jake and Evan were there. He headed over to meet them on the bunny hill where he planned to help them out. That kept him busy all day. Emily was there too, but opted not to ski with Bella, Makayla, Lillian, and Cassie who were all skiing black runs. They left Emily behind. Mindy & I saw that and skied with her for a while to help boost her confidence and skills and a little. Bob I. helped her some too. By evening time, she was able to ski off with the others which was really nice to see.  That’s when it’s fun.

Almost everybody planned to come up again on Sunday. In fact, some even on Monday, the MLK holiday.  About half the group headed out around 6pm. We stayed until 8-830pm, and so did Darwin and Kenny. Ran into three different work peeps during the day, too.

Did my heart good to see Bella and her friends having fun skiing by themselves. She later shared that the lift operator nick named them the ‘speedy five’. However, that said, earlier in the evening, I happened to see Bella and Makayla riding a lift together and monkeying  around on the ride up. They were sliding back and forth from the middle to the ends, and then sitting sideways with their skis up and touching. I wasn’t pleased and waited for them at the bottom. When they finally skied up I told them both they’d be skiing forever with and adult if I ever saw anything like that again. They acknowledged their mistake and promised to be more smart, safe, and responsible.

Jacob, meanwhile, spent most of the evening over on the Momentum mini-terrain park with Jake and Evan. Said he had both of them boarding much better. Mindy, Darwin, Kenny and I got really comfortable in the lodge around 630-7pm. Didn’t think we’d go back out. But that’s just not me, leaving on a break. Never! I decided to head back out for a few more runs with Darwin. Because it was so cold, the snow was hard and icy, so one had to be very careful, and that doesn’t even take into account all the hidden bumps and jumps not usually there. They made so much snow over the previous 36 hours that they hadn’t groomed the main runs like normal. That made it fun, but also required one to ski with a more careful eye. After my last run, which was about 820pm, I waited around the bottom of the lift until I spotted the girls so I could tell them that they were done. They weren’t thrilled about it but then again, I wasn’t asking. J We headed home around 840pm.

Jacob could barely keep his eyes opened and headed directly for bed after we carried in all of our soft ski gear. We opted to leave skis and boards in the Pilot since we’d be heading right back up the following day. Bella, on the other hand, offered to walk Eiknarf and then offered to go help Kenny unload his vehicle since, as she put it, the kids stranded him as soon as they were home.

It was nearing 10pm when Bella asked if she could have a sleepover hosting Makayla, Lillian, and possibly Emily. Mindy was already heading to bed so she referred her to me. I agreed knowing full well they’d be holed up in her room. And that’s exactly what they did. They weren’t a bother at all. Just before Mindy headed to bed, she brought me Bella’s Kindle Fire to look at. Sure enough, no matter what I did, it wouldn’t power on and stay on. The screen was totally dark. And there’s only one small, tiny on/off button. That’s it.

Once again, I suggested that maybe she dropped it, and told Mindy we needed to alert Jimaken so he could send it back for warranty work. But before giving up completely, I figured I’d Google the issue and see what came up. I typed in Kindle Fire screen reset and was returned several options. The first one I selected was direct from Amazon and suggested holding in the power button for 20 seconds and then trying to power it up again. Said if that doesn’t work call support. Instinctively, I tried that earlier on my own but held it for no more than 5-8 seconds. I tried as the Amazon suggested and …Voila. The screen reset and started working. I showed off my crafty work to Mindy.

After Mindy headed to bed, and while the girls giggled upstairs, I watched the rest of the Broncos/ Patriots game while enjoying a pint of Bohdi. Jacob and I bet $10 on the game, me giving him the Broncos and 6 points – his idea. Thank you, Jacob! Patriots crushed them something like 45-17.  I headed to bed shortly after the game.

Where are Jacob's Shoes?

Not too concerned with being up right at 530am, I slept a few extra minutes completely guilt free. I was still up and downstairs by 540am. Downstairs, I was very eager to get a glimpse of the weather, this being our first real extended dose of winter weather this season. Snow coated the ground and the wind was whipping around out there too, but it didn’t appear there was a noticeable increase in snow accumulation. Still not even an inch.

After sit-ups and push-ups, I checked the current temp and forecast. It was cold, 16 degrees (0 with the wind chill) with very light snow falling.  The forecast was calling for snow through the day with the possibility of another inch or so. Supposed to remain cold through the weekend but warm up above freezing again by Monday. But as it was, we were most concerned with the weekend’s weather since we hoped/planned to ski MRM both Saturday and Sunday.

I had just finished meditation and was preparing to make Mindy’s coffee when my cell phone rang. It was Lindsey. She was practically in tears sharing that her car doors were frozen shut and she didn’t know what to do. Was worried about being late for work and then ultimately losing her job. Wanted me to come over and fix the problem. I took a deep breath, glanced at the clock, and agreed to head over and see what I could do. 

I quickly delivered Mindy’s coffee first and shared that I was heading out to rescue Lindsey. I gathered a few tools, a long screw driver, WD-40, an extension cord and our blow dryer, then headed out in the Pilot. The extension cord and blow dryer were last second additions to my kit just in case I needed to try and defrost the latch.

Sure enough, the doors were frozen shut. I could hear the doors locks working, but the doors just wouldn't open. I hit the door in three or four spots and gave it a good tug. Opened right up. Cool! I had to ask Lindsey a couple of times to tone it down. She was still in a panic and being loud. I started her car and let it thaw and warm. As I readied to pull away she came rushing to my door again sharing that now the door wouldn’t close/latch. Good grief!

Sure enough, the drive’s door latch was frozen open. I tried getting it to free up using a screw driver but no go. I decided to go with the blow dryer option. I stretched the 100’ cord from her apartment down the steps to her car right out front. I’ll bet I didn’t hold the blow dryer against the latch for more than 20 seconds when I heard a ‘click’. That did it. I checked it 4 or 5 times then blasted it with WD-40.

I said goodbye to the grandkids then headed for home. I’d just put my tools away when Lindsey called my cell once again, What now, I wondered? Once again, she was in panic only this time stating that now the driver’s door would only close from inside. What? Also shared that only one wiper would operate. I confirmed that she could at least close the door and have it latch then convinced her that almost everybody’s doors would be frozen given the rain, snow, and extremely cold temps.

Finally, I could get on with my routine. It was almost 7am.  I skipped a stretch, dressed for my run, and headed out the door. And for the second time that week, I trimmed my run to just three miles in an effort to get back home before Mindy needed to depart for work.

Mindy was just leaving upon my return to the house. Can’t recall who walked the pug, but it wasn’t me. I ate my breakfast then headed off to the shower around 745am. Was still running about 10 minutes behind.

It was Friday, so I dressed casually wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and black cotton sweater. I was dressed for comfort. We didn’t have a lot of time before we needed to head out for the bus. Bella suggested we leave Eiknarf inside due to the cold, but I thought not. She needs to get out more. We headed out into the cold with me starting Accord before meeting the kids at the bus stop.

Kenny was out with the girls and affirmed his intentions to head to MRM with a friend later that morning. The bus arrived at 815am and Eiknarf and I hurried back home. Before leaving the house I enjoyed another cup of coffee then grabbed my fully-charged iTouch. Left the house right at 830am.

The snow machine was off for most of my short commute into work, but it picked up again throughout the morning by witness of a few trips to the windows overlooking 270. Looked brutally cold too, especially with the wind. Mid morning I sent an email to Darwin, Tommy, and Bob asking if they might be skiing MRM on Saturday. Later in the day I received a text from Bob indicating that they were blowing snow like the dickens at MRM. I wondered if he might be there skiing. He didn’t really say. According to the MRM website, they received 2 inches of natural snow during the over night and made another 10” themselves. Their web cam confirmed the white-out conditions.

I spent the lion’s share of my day working on a monthly report and then a challenging escalation. As the day wound down, I completed the last three online courses I needed to get done by month’s end. That, I figured, was a good way to end the day and the work week. I was very happy that it was Friday and that I wasn’t on-call. I was very much looking forward to a snowy, snow skiing weekend. I left for home around 515pm. There might’ve been a fresh ½” of snow on my car, but thanks to the extreme cold, it was the light and fluffy stuff that blew off once I got going.

Mindy shared earlier that she’d be taking Jacob’s to his friends place to spend the night around 530pm, or right after Jimaken left with Bella. Those two were going to a Blue Jackets game, a first for Bella. According to Mindy, she was very excited. Mindy was just backing out of the drive as I neared the house. I stopped in front of the house to give her room to back completely out and pull away. There was a coating of snow on the driveway but not enough to be concerned about.

I had roughly 15 minutes of alone time before Mindy got back. During that time I unloaded my work gear and started publishing the prior day’s blog entry. And once Mindy was back, we started prepping immediately for an evening at CBC. Reason being, we needed to be home by 9pm to intercept Bella.

We left the house before 615pm in the Accord. We took two empty growlers, my thinking being we’d have them filled with CBC beer and then take them to MRM on Saturday for all of our friends to enjoy. The roads near home looked like they might have a glazing of snow/ice, but the freeway was completely dry. The weather wasn’t an issue. Mindy shared a work related story for most of the drive. We arrived at CBC near 630pm. The lot was full. We took a spot up against the back hill/fence.

The bar was full, but two stools opened up a minute or two after our arrival. Perfect. Kevin was tending bar, which is rare these days. He’s one of the first CBC bartenders we befriended a few years back. Mindy ordered a Bohdi and I ordered the Imperial stout. You’d think we might’ve had our orders crossed. J

Mindy ordered some bread as an appetizer. The young woman sitting next to us at the corner of the bar looked very familiar. After an hour or so I asked if she worked at CBC at one time. She acknowledged as much and shared that she’s now a manager at 229. Her name is Stacey. She was there with her husband, who is a cook for CBC. His name is Andrew. We chatted with the two of them for the rest of the evening. Andrew graduated from CCAD but grew up in Long Island, New York. I think Stacey grew up in Columbus.

Mindy eventually ordered dinner, the Mahi-mahi dinner special. I ordered only their soup of the day, chili with no beans. Mindy’s entrée looked really good. The chili was just OK. The beef was chopped much too fine for my liking. I could’ve eaten it through a straw.

I had a second beer, this time switching back to my native IPA – the Bohdi. And Mindy had a second one too after confirming that I would drive home. I didn’t drink anything but water for the last 45 minutes that we were there.

The bar at CBC is much like a fishbowl on the three sides, leaving a spectacular view of the outdoors and cityscape. We watched it snow during the entire 2 hour visit, and at times really hard. It was very pretty. As we prepared to leave, we opted to have  just one jug filled with Bohdi. Mindy picked up the check.

Burrr! It was a cold walk to the car. The Accord was covered in about 1.5” of fluffy snow. The snow fall had slowed, though, by the time we were on the road for home. Mindy had been in touch with the neighbors for the last 30 minutes or so. They were out to dinner, too, but at the Fish Market. They went with several others. Mindy suggested we visit once home. Jimaken and Bella were already at the house and watching the rest of the hockey game when we pulled up. They left after the 2^nd period as planned, though Bella said she was having a great time and really wanted to stay. After Jimaken left Mindy asked Bella if she wanted to head down to the neighbors. In hindsight that was probably a mistake because they weren’t yet home from their dinner out, and it didn’t take long for both Mindy & I to get tired and declare it a night.

I told Mindy that I was happy to stay home and get a good night’s rest ahead of our ski day Saturday. That must’ve struck a chord with Mindy too. She soon followed suit and got into her PJs just like me. Bella didn’t seem too disappointed about not heading to the neighbors. They were supposed to call once they were home. Mindy headed to bed near 1030pm. By then, I was horizontal on the sofa passively watching TV. I remember hearing Mindy’s cell ringing around 11pm. I didn’t check it but expected it was the neighbors letting us know that they were home. I think that’s what woke me. Shortly after that I headed up to bed.

Turn on the Snow Machine!

Without any guilt, I allowed myself to sleep in for an extra 10 minutes or so. And once I was up & out of bed, I was quick to brush my teeth and head downstairs with my running clothes in hand.

The coffee was all but finished brewing by then. I glanced out back at the windy weather then slipped into my exercise shoes and headed to the livingroom for sit-ups.  Now 555am, I zipped through 50 sit-ups then headed to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. At the PC I checked the weather. It was 42 degrees and damp. Expecting rain throughout the day which was supposed to change over to snow by late afternoon or evening leading us into a wintry weekend.

It was time to wake Mindy in a jiffy. Where had all my time gone? It was 615am when I headed up with coffee. Predictably, she asked that I turn up the heat. Yes dear. Meditation was short and sweet but effective. Stretching was the same as always. I changed into running attire near 635am. I opted to wear full winter gear despite a temperature just above 40, but it was also threatening rain which always knocks a few degrees off. However, rain it never did.

It was quite windy out the door. I ran the full 4.1 miles. Felt good. Happened upon Jacob out walking the pug on my way back. They were just short of our property line when I caught up to them. We headed back inside together. Mindy’s Pilot was already started and she was getting ready to walk out the door. It was 730am. She told the kids to bus home as normal then left. My eggs were waiting in the microwave.

Both kids were already done with breakfast. I woofed down my eggs then fed Eiknarf and was off to the shower a few minutes later. I decided to wear the purple sateen dress shirt that looks so handsome on me. I also wore socks that had a matching purple stripe.

Looking all dapper, I headed back to the kitchen to throw together lunch. I still had Tuesday’s salad in the fridge at work. I only needed to pack a banana and some cheese. I had fruit at work too.

The kids, the dog and I headed out at 810am. For the first time in a while, I didn’t bother warming the Accord. It was in the low 40s. Kenny was out with the girls. Said he’d be heading to MRM on Friday with a friend from out of town. Would most likely be heading up again Saturday with the wife and kids, too. With the anticipation of wintry weather, we were all giddy about the coming weekend. The bus arrived at its usual time of 815am, and soon Eiknarf and I were headed back home.

Enjoyed a little coffee while paying a couple bills online then headed off to work. It was near 825am when I backed out the driveway. It was a quick drive into the office. Arrived near 840am and I was in my office logging on a few minutes later. Took a while for my laptop to boot up. Seems to take longer and longer with each passing week.

We usually have our weekly staff meeting at 9am on Thursdays, but I was sure that I saw a cancel notice come through email on Wednesday. However, around 915am something told me to double check my calendar. Turned out, it was next week’s meeting that he canceled. Oops! I rushed down to the conference room and joined the meeting already in

progress. I apologized for being late explaining that I misjudged the cancelation message for next week’s meeting. A peer started laughing immediately citing doing the same thing. He later told me that he showed up just a minute or two before me.

The meeting was extremely brief. My boss asked a peer and I to stick around for a few. We both had the feeling he was going to drop a bomb, but he never did. Instead, just some idle chit-chat before heading our separate ways.

My plan included putting together another customer facing monthly report. I also thought I might try and squeeze in another one of those online courses that I am expected to have completed before month’s end. I have three or four more to go.

However, you might say I got thrown a curve ball or two. Instead of working on monthly reports I ended up managing a couple escalations for most of the day. I didn’t really mind. There’s been much less of that lately. Plus, I still have a few days before that monthly report is due anyhow.

I sent brother Glenn an email sometime during the day sharing the possibility that Darwin might be joining us on the ski trip. I also suggested we buy a spiral sliced ham, and then commented about the 20” of snow I saw forecasted for Mt Hood over the MLK weekend. “Turn the snow machine on”!

Since Tuesday, we’d been planning to have dinner at Barley’s that evening so I could have the Thursday special, a corn beef Rueben. Haven't been in on a Thursday since early autumn. I talked with Mindy both late in the day and then again on my drive home. I reminded her to cancel our carpet cleaning appointment for Saturday so we can go skiing guilt free. Asked that she try rescheduling for MLK day when she and the kids are home from school (I have to work). Said she was going to try and work on report cards as soon as she got home and until I arrived. They’re due on Tuesday. And yes, we still planned on having dinner at Barley’s.

I arrived home near 530pm after leaving work a little earlier than usual. It was raining fairly hard and was very windy on my drive home. I spotted a few scant flurries of wet snow in the mix, too, though still 99% rain. The temperature, at least according to the accord, was about 36 degrees. But by the time I was inside the house and chatting with Mindy at her laptop, I noticed the rain had changed to all snow. And big snowflakes, too. Very pretty.

I headed up to freshen up (brush my teeth) before heading to dinner. I popped my head in Bella’s room where she was playing with Makayla, Lillian, and Jacob. I was really surprised to find Jacob there with them.

We left for Barley’s before 6pm. We took the Pilot and I drove. Mindy said she had a couple things to ‘catch me up on’. One, Jacob wanted to spend the night with a friend on Friday so they could work on their school project, building a ping-pong catapult. Mindy suggested we could pick him up Saturday morning on our way to MRM. OK. Can’t recall what the 2^nd thing was. I overheard somewhere in the conversation that Jacob would need to ditch his dad, who planned to take him to a hockey game Friday night. He asked Mindy to tell him. I guess he didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I quickly suggested that this would be an opportunity for Bella to see a hockey game. She jumped at the possibility. Thought it was an outstanding idea. Mindy told her we’d call her dad later to see if that would be doable.

Barley’s was only about half full. By the way, it had stopped raining and snowing for our drive there. Other than the roads being wet, the weather wasn’t an issue. Mindy suggested a table, and our friend Zach, the manager gave us a table in the dining area but still close to the bar. Jeff was our server. I ordered a Centennial and Mindy ordered a Russian Imperial Stout nitro. The kids both ordered Dr Pepper’s. Mindy asked Jeff to bring a basket of fries and a basket of onion strings as appetizers.

Mindy checked to see if they had any Cousin Eddie left. Nope, all out. L I had all but finished my first beer when we ordered more food. There wasn’t any question, I wanted the Thursday special, a corn beef Reuben. Mindy ordered a brisket quesadilla; Jacob ordered chicken fingers; and Bella ordered a corn dog.

Mindy and I agreed to share a second beer, a White Rajah. Made sense to me. She shared that she was already sporting one heck of a buzz from the Imperial Stout. It’s fairly strong stuff - 8.6%. We were finished with dinner and ready to head home before 730pm. I paid the check and also drove home.

Arrived home around 745pm. We weren’t in the door for even one minute before Bella asked if Makayla could come down. Mindy agreed. Makayla was over in less than two minutes. While I was busy updating my blog, Mindy declared it her bed time and it  still wasn’t even 8pm. Said she was crazy tired. She headed to bed asking that I make sure Makayla headed home and the kids ready for bed by 830pm. Yes dear.

At 8pm I headed to the family room and went horizontal on the sofa watching the end of 30 Rock and then Office, which is the first sitcom TV I've seen in some time. I fell asleep right away but woke enough times to become very confused seeing all the different characters seemingly in the wrong sitcom TV show. Near 9pm I was startled to look over my shoulder and see Jacob watching Office with me.

I guess you could say that I was just slightly less tired than Mindy. I’m thinking it was 920pm when I headed to bed. I tucked in Bella first, who was watching TV and also playing on her Kindle Fire while still in the clothes she had on all day. She pouted that she figured that both Mindy & I forgot about her when we didn’t come tuck her in. Reiterated that she doesn’t like it when Mindy goes to bed early. I reminded her that she was busy playing with Makayla when her momma went to bed.

She seemed at ease after I delivered Eiknarf, tucked her in, and turned off her electronics. I laid in bed for about 20 minutes but instead of falling asleep I got a second wind. Knowing I wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon, I got back up and headed downstairs where I surfed the net and then watched some more TV. I could hear that Bella was still awake, and it had to be after 1030pm. She joined me briefly downstairs on the sofa, but that didn’t last. She was back to bed by 11pm.

 I watched a program on the History Channel about Death Valley. I didn’t realize that Death Valley is the lowest point in North America – 300 feet below sea level. Furthermore, it is also the place with the thinnest earth crust – only 16 miles thick. That compared to the thickest parts of the earth's crust that is roughly 43 miles thick. And unless I’m mistaken, that’s near India and China in the Himalayan Mts.

Frankly, I am surprised I remembered all that as I was getting really sleepy again. Good night snow flakes.