North High Brewing & CBC

Since I planned to work from home again on Friday, I knew that I could sleep in a bit and not harm my routine. To that end, I didn’t get up until 610am. Even before exercises, I took Mindy some coffee since she needed to maintain her normal routine. Once she was awake I headed downstairs and whipped out sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups. Coffee, work and internet were next.

For the next hour, not only did I play on the internet as usual, but I started working on some reports too. In fact, by the time that Mindy was downstairs and ready to leave for work I was in full-fledged work mode.

Our kids had a four day weekend, and Bella planned to join Mindy at school while Jacob opted to stay home with me. Mindy had to holler for Bella to finish her ready like four times. Humorous! I think they left around 725am with enough time for a stop at Tim Horton’s.

I didn’t stretch and run until 9am or so. By then it had warmed up a little. It was hovering just above freezing under cloudy skies. I wore the usual winter running garb. I ran three miles for the 2nd day in a row. Back at the house I walked the pub before stripping out of my running garb. Back from our walk, I dug back into the day’s work. I worked for about an hour before getting a quick shower then headed off to Aspen Ski & Board to pick-up my skis and then a quick stop at the bank to deposit a couple of checks.

I opted to stop at the bank first. Went through the drive-thru. Not more than a 5-10 minute stop. Arrived at ASBCO around 1125am. As hoped, they did a good job getting all the scratches and nicks out of the bottom surface. The edges felt nice and sharp too. Stopped at the Daily Growler on the drive back home. Closed. They don’t open until 3pm. Took a peek inside. Mindy was right. About as bare bones as one could expect.

I stayed busy all day. Jacob wasn’t awake and downstairs before 11am. And once he was up, I saw very little of him. I’m guessing that it was near 130pm when the Alarm Force guy called. Said he would be there in 10 minutes. I kept working up to the minute he pulled into the drive. Eiknarf barely barked when he knocked and entered. Hmm?

Dan is an older gentleman and seemed eager to correct the problem. He completely disconnected the two-way box and checked the programming. He then proceeded to test the motion sensors ultimately coming to the conclusion that the one in the livingroom was defective. He also determined that the kid here on Monday programmed both sensors incorrectly, and too sensitive for our dog. Her weight teeters right on the edge of the setting he selected.

Dan replaced one of the sensors and adjusted both for a higher weight setting. He also correctly documented where each sensor resides. As it was originally installed, it was confusing at best. Dan could only snicker at the ego the kids displayed on Monday, essentially telling me that he was the expert. I’m thinking that Dan was at the house for about an hour. Only time will tell if he got the problem resolved.

I got back to work and stayed busy through 5pm and even a little after. Mindy and Bella got home from school around 420pm. I’m pretty sure that Jacob was off playing with friends when they got home. While worked, Mindy packed Bella’s clothes for a weekend with Jimaken. She planned to have Jacob pack for himself.

I’m thinking that it was near 530pm when Jimaken arrived to get the kids. Mindy and I briefly discussed evening plans. She wanted to visit North High Brewing for perhaps one beer then head to CBC for dinner. I agreed.


While Mindy readied for dinner out, I took a very brief nap from my office chair. At the same time, the weather outside got a bit wintry with moderately heavy blowing snow. I’m thinking that it was about 620pm when we left the house in the Accord. We took a CBC jug just in case they had some Bodhi on tap. However, I wasn’t holding my breath.

The drive was slow from exiting our subdivision all the way to the North High Brewing Co. There was still quite a bit of rush hour traffic, but I think the weather played the biggest part. The snow was coming down hard for most of the 25 minute drive. We parked along 6th ave, which always leaves me worried that someone might sideswipe our car. I told Mindy that I’ll bet they have an obscure parking lot. We planned to ask.

As we were making our way to the front entrance we noticed one of the owners out front giving a guy in a U-Haul truck an earful. Not exactly sure what happened, but thought I heard him say something about blocking the road. Hmm? First time in on a Friday. Much larger crowd than the two Wednesday visits combined. Had a new girl tending bar too. We got perhaps the last two stools available.

Mindy ordered the porter she likes and I went with their Imperial IPA. Saw they had an appetizer menu now too. Not a whole lot on it, bit what they did have sounded great, and was one of our favorite appetizers from 229 – bacon wrapped, gorgonzola stuffed dates. We ordered a plate of those too.

The dates were really good. The gorgonzola taste more like blue cheese to me. I didn’t notice that same finish at 229. We didn’t stay but for the one beer. We chatted briefly with both owners – Tim and Gavin. As we exited, I suggested we pop in the Kroger liquor store right next door and stock up on our favorite ski-day libations. We picked up some vodka, Bailey’s, rum, and then a half gallon of Jack, though the Jack is more for home. Haven’t taken any of that skiing for a few years. Forgot to buy some more Goldschlager. Still spent $100 via self-checkout.

Headed south on High St the entire way. Even though the snow had stopped, it was very picturesque. I snapped a couple photos while stopped at the many traffic lights.

As is generally the case these days, CBC was packed. Unbeknownst to me, Mindy shared that our friend Tom C. was already there and had sent a text sharing that it was standing room only. Sure enough, we found Tom in the back corner where we joined him. They had Bodhi on tap. They served Mindy & I without even having to ask. Tom commented that he’d been waiting to be served for quite a while. We ordered a pale ale for Tom. Vince & Emily were tending bar.

Soon after getting my beer, Mindy handed Vince our growler to have it filled. They weren’t entirely sure how much Bodhi remained. I think he filled and stowed it for us right then. While Mindy chatted with Tom, I chatted with a young girl standing by herself next to me. I guessed her a nurse and sure enough, I was right. The shirt was a dead giveaway. Her name was Jessica and she was very cute. Waiting for her husband and friend. She was very friendly and fun to chat with. Her husband showed up about 10 minutes later. By then I had introduced her to Mindy and Tom as well.

Her husband showed up while Mindy was off to the restroom. If looks could kill, they would’ve killed me. Didn’t seem pleased that I was talking with his wife. He said next to nothing even though Jessica introduced us. His buddy Matt, on the other hand, was really friendly. We talked for a while. He works at Cardinal Health.

As often happens, Mindy discovered that Jessica was college roommates with a girl that Mindy taught in elementary school. She’s now the hands behind Jack Hannah whenever he’s on TV. Come to think of it, we’ve run into her there at CBC before too.
Of the three of us, Tom, Mindy & I, only Tom ate a real dinner, though Mindy and I shared an order of Risotto balls soon after our arrival. They might’ve been the best batch ever, too. After Tom enjoyed a steak, he ordered another plate of the risotto balls. He likes them too. Earlier, soon after our arrival, Mindy let Tom know that she has an Asian friend at school that she wants to introduce him to. She’s the school psychologist.

Eventually learned that Jessica’s husband, Pat was a Columbus cop. Also learned that he attended elementary school where Mindy teaches. He had her current teaching partner as his 2nd grade teacher. Small world. After that discovery, he opened up a bit more. We parted ways as friends.  Tom graciously picked up the evening’s tab. Thank big, Tom!

Mindy drove home. I’m thinking we were home and in bed before 11pm.

Lupercalia

Up near 550am, I didn't sleep that well. Wanted more sleep. Drug myself from bed anyway. Downstairs, glanced out back then started calisthenics: sit-ups, windmills, curls. Already time to deliver Mindy's coffee. Back downstairs for some internet and coffee. Read about the coming asteroid and weather. It was 31 degrees under cloudy skies with an expected high in the upper 40s. Supposed to get cold again beginning Friday afternoon and remain that way through the weekend, setting us for a decent ski weekend. Hooray!
Didn't rush. Planned to take it easy, run late, head into work some time around 9am. Fooled around online through both Jacob and Mindy's departure. Walked the pug right after Mindy's departure. Saw Bella onto the bus at her usual time. Kenny was there with Makayla. Can't remember the last time that happened. Shared a little bit about their Snow Shoe trip. Told me about Chrissy racking her good knee on a long fast run. Said she did no turning whatsoever. Tried to control her speed with the "pizza". Eventually fell and twisted her knee. Apparently on crutches with a doctor's appointment next Monday.

Bus arrived at 815am. Headed back to the house. Before a run I called Alarm Force to report the false alarm and ask what they intended to do to correct the issue. Spoke to a couple folks but bottom line, Husain said he could most likely get a tech out that day. Asked if I could be home he would call me back with an ETA. Agreed. Figured I would simply work from home.

As soon as I was off the phone with Alarm Force, I called Wasatch Shuttle Utah. Got their VM. They're 2 hours behind us in the mountain time zone. Figured I'd call again later. Left for run around 9am. Dressed warmly. Ran only three miles, a habit whenever I work from home.

Back at the house, I poured another cup of coffee then checked my phone to see if Alarm Force called back. Nope. Tried reaching Wasatch shuttle service again. Still getting VM. Tried again just before 11am (9am there). Still no answer. Kept busy with work, too.

Around 1130am I got a call from a 801 area code. It was Wasatch Shuttle calling me back after seeing my number three times on their caller ID. Too funny. The guy, Andy, was very cordial and took our shuttle reservation over the phone. I threw in the Mindy return early wrinkle at the end. Said he'd love to have that business too, but offered that it would be far cheaper for her to take a shared cab. Said that would be $37 versus $96 for the private shuttle ride. Appreciated the tip. Sent me a confirmation email. He called back five minutes later after forgetting to get my VISA number. I called him back 10 minutes to reaffirm the # of passengers 4 not 3. No problem. Was relieved to have that taken care of, the final piece of our reservation.

Kept busy with work for the rest of the day. Never did hear back from Alarm Force. Shortly after Jacob got home from school which seemed only a blink of the eye after he left. I gave them an earful. At first, Husain tried denying he promised to call back. But I called him to the mat. He confessed but tried pinning the blame on his tech for not calling him back. Then said our appointment was for Friday. Said he would still try and get a hold of the tech and have him come out Thursday evening. Sure, but I also made him give us the Friday appointment from 1-4pm and insisted they call 30 minutes ahead.

Mindy and Bella walked in together, almost as if they schooled together. After a quick Valentine's greeting, Mindy asked how the security thing went. I gave her the whole story. She knew I was pissed. We exchanged Valentine's gifts. Nothing big - greeting card and chocolates. I like it that way. Too many big days in such a short amount of time (Xmas, Valentines. Anniversary, Mindy's b-day).

Discussed evening plans. Mindy had manicotti already prepped and ready to stick in the oven. Made it the night before. Come 5pm, she put it in the oven. She planned it so we could eat when she got back from dropping Bella at gymnastics. She and Bella left a bit earlier than usual to allow enough time for stops both at her Mom's and then Jodi & Larry's. She was dropping off Valentine's Day cards and candy for maw-maw, and taking our baby monitor to Jodi & Larry. I guess they adopted a baby. :)

While Mindy was away, I worked on my neglected blog. I thought I had most day's written. Somehow I lost last Tuesday's. I think I failed to save it, either at home or work. Eithe way, had to write it from memory, which was borderline ridiculous. When the manicotti timer went off, I added an additional 8 minutes, but with the foil top peeled back to crisp it up a little. Mindy was home around 630pm. Jacob was back just ahead of Mindy. I believe he was off playing basketball with neighborhood friends. The manicotti was exceptional. However, had I made it, there would've been sausage integrated with the beef. I had two helpings. No wonder I weigh 180lbs these days! Mindy confirmed that I would be going after the peanut. Yes.

I continued work on my blog before leaving at 715pm. Made good time arriving at 727pm. Kelly was just wrapping up practice. Got to see Bella working on her stationary back hand spring. Nice! She hasn't been to too many practices since Xmas. Bella was in good spirits and also hungry. Couldn't wait to get home and dig into some manicotti. ON our drive home I asked what new nickname she'd like to give herself. Geesh! The simple question traumatized the child. Said she only wants to be called peanut - nothing else. :) She asked what I called my girls. Courtney: Barney, Lindsey: Linzy Lou, Ashley: Pidgeon or pidge. She reiterated her desire to stick with peanut. :)

At home Bella went immediately for dinner. As soon as she finished eating she and Mindy tuned into American Idol. I avoided it like the plague. I sued the time to catch up my blog. Don't miss Idol at all. Mindy tried the guilt trip thing. About halfway through she cited missed family time. You're right, dear. Come in here with me. :)

Around 9pm I quietly and purposefully slipped off to bed where I tuned into the History Channel and The Universe, watching a program about asteroid and comets. I dosed on and off until Mindy joined me around 10pm. But once she turned the TV off I found myself lying there eyes wide open and my mind racing. After 20 minutes of that I decided to get up and head downstairs. My exiting woke Mindy. She doesn't like me to slip out of bed.

Downstairs I checked work email then headed to the familyroom where I rejoined the History Channel for more asteroid and comet programming. After about 45 minutes I started to dose off, so I headed back up to bed. But once again, once I laid my head down on my pillow my mind began racing and I couldn't sleep. Laid there for about 30 minutes before getting up a second time and heading downstairs. This time Mindy was oblivious to my departure.
I was stealthier.

Rejoined even more asteroid and comet programming, some of it a repeat. I was OK with that. I had two bowl of Cookie Crisp too. Yum! Headed back to bed around 130am. I planned to work from home again Friday, so I didn't need to get up at 530am. This time I fell asleep a bit easier.

Twist of Irony

It was Wednesday and I was awake and out of bed just after 535am. By the time I finished brushing my teeth and made my way to the kitchen it was 542am. I slipped into my exercise shoes then slowly but surely made my way to the livingroom to whip out sit-ups. The first 25 were tough, but like most days, the second 25 were much easier. Onto windmills and push-ups next. All exercises were done by 552am. Went immediately for coffee and my PC. I crave that time like crack. Thee I spent the next 15 minutes or so reading headlines. headed up to wake Mindy around 610am.

Once she was awake I went back to my PC, but only for a couple minutes before moving on to meditation and stretching, but not before putting my power cord and mouse in my backpack while I was thinking about it.Took my dear old time with meditation and stretching. And by the time I was dressed for my run it was after 655am. I headed upstairs to wish Mindy well before my run. I knew she'd be gone by the time I got back home. It was 30 degrees, not too cold but not exactly warm either. I wore long johns, hand and ear covers.

I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. My mind was very busy throughout. It was one of those runs when I had three miles in seemingly in the blink of an eye. I passed the older couple that walks most mornings twice. The pug was still in bed when I got back to the house. However, she must've heard me jingling the leash and was quickly on her way down the stairs eager for her morning walk.

We walked across the street with her taking care of business in relatively short order. Back at the house there were fried eggs waiting in the microwave. I zapped them for 12 seconds to get 'em real hot. Perfect! Bella had just finished her breakfast when I sat down. She was quickly off to her room with the iPhone. I enjoyed some fresh fruit - pineapple and strawberries with my eggs. Good stuff! A check of the clock, it was already 755am, hardly enough time to shower before bus time. Instead, I used the time to pack a lunch of fruit, cheese, nuts, and carrots.

Went to my PC again before heading out to the bus. Pulled up the link to the shuttle from SLC to the canyon. Time to head out with Bella. Headed to the bus stop with Bella and the pug. Asked Bella to add an extra layer. She was wearing only a winter fleece. She added a light sweatshirt hoodie underneath. The bus arrived near 815am. Hustled back to the house where I picked up where I left off on the shuttle booking. Got it about booked until it wanted paid via Pay Pal. What? No thanks. You can call and make a reservation too. Figured I would take care of that later that evening or possibly even on Thursday.

It was Wednesday, which meant I'd be working in New Albany. I left the house at 830am, but quickly realized I'd need to stop for gas. Darn it! I needed to join a call at 9am with a few work peers. A stop for gas all but insured that I'd be in transit at the call's outset. Gas was pricey - $3.75 per gallon. The Accord drank 14.5 gallons after 287 miles, or an average of 19.8 mpg.

Tried connecting my BB to my Handsfree Link before pulling out. Wasn't successful. Dang it! The clock struck 9am just as I was entering 270 north from 670. Dang it. I decided to dial into the call using my person l cell through the handsfree. had to tap in the password my hand though. Tough. I parked at 905am but sat in my car on the call until it wrapped up near 915am.

Inside, I got settled fairly quickly. Started our weekly call at 10am but there were only two of us, me and the manager who sites right next to me. We opted to end the call and talk face to face. Much better. :) We met again in his boss' office for the monthly service review meeting/call. My boss and a peer joined remotely. Went really well.

I worked diligently until 105pm when I left for lunch. I planned two stops, one at the nearby Kroger for Valentine's roses and then another at Macy's to look for another pair of tan Dockers or jeans. Kroger had a wealth of nice roses and in many colors. I opted for traditional red. I checked the stems for freshness. The price was good, though a bit higher than usual, but that was to be expected. I picked up some of Mindy's favorite chocolates too.

Onto Macy's, which is the opposite direction from the customer's campus. I parked just outside the Men's department. Real convenient. I found a pair of casual Dockers in light tan. I tried them on and liked the fit. They were on sale for $36.99. I decided to pull up the Macy's website on my smart phone and was able to access a15% shopping pass good for Wednesday only. Cool. That saved me another $5. Gone just under an hour total, I headed back to the office.


The afternoon went about as smoothly as it could possibly go. I really needed an afternoon like that, too, after the past week and a half.

Mindy sent me a text with an attached picture around 130pm. Looked like the hallway display that covers the entire stretch of wall outside her classroom was destroyed, ripped down, apparently by an angry 6 year old. Said she was pissed! Yikes!

Got caught up on several to-do's through the afternoon. Finally felt like I was in control again. Left for home around 430pm in hopes of getting home a little early. Mindy and I planned a dinner date. After all, it was a Jimaken night. I figured it would serve as our Valentine's Day date too. Called Mindy once I was safely on 270. We talked for a while, her sharing the details of the hallway art that was destroyed. Yep, and angry 6 year old destroyed it. Mindy shared her anger with the process.

As foolish as it sounds, they're not allowed to restrain a kid out of control. Instead, as long as they're not harming another person or themselves they have to let them go wild. Crazy! Not only did Mindy and her students have countless hours invested, but Mindy bought all the materials with her own money. At a minimum, I would have put the kid in a basket hold. 6 year olds need immediate repercussions to their transgressions. Mindy agreed but said teachers can lose their jobs if they even touch the kid nowadays. Cited examples of those that have. Oh boy!

We talked until I was a 1/2 mile from home. By then Jimaken was there to pick-up the kids. But they were already gone by the time I pulled up. Mindy was still seething over the school day incident. Couldn't let it go even as we readied for our evening out. We decided to visit the Pint Room, a new place on 161 just east of Riverside Dr.

Mindy's principal called her cell on our drive up. The call did some good, at least relative to Mindy's anger. They talked about the situation for the entire drive. She was calmer and laughing by the time we parked. I suggested each teacher keep a roll of duct tape. She and her principal seemed to like that idea. :) The Pint Room is new as of Xmas time 2012. They have 101 beers on tap and supposedly a top notch pub menu. We've been meaning to pay a visit for the last month.

We found two stools at a detached bar, but quickly transferred to a 4 seat able that had recently cleared. Our server's name was Kaylan. We struck up an interesting conversation with her over beers and dinner. As advertised, they had 101 beers on tap. I wanted to try two IPAs that I haven't had before. I opted for the Four Strings White IPA, first. Mindy went with the Epic stout. I asked about Bodhi. Recently ran out. Figures!

We talked and studied the menu, the school display thing still dominating Mindy's world. I all but polished off my first beer before ordering any food. By the way, I wasn't real excited about their 'pint glasses'. They're small and I'm betting they hold no more than 12oz. We got to know Kaylan better. She's a Junir at Otterbein studying graphic arts but also with a minor in business. I applauded the combination. Of course, Mindy has both of her degrees from there so they hit it off immediately.

We eventually ordered another round of beers and food. Mindy opted for the Irish, which is essentially their reuben along with another Epic. I went with the classic cheese burger, for which they use a blend of prime and Kobe beef and opted for a side salad in lieu of fries. Mindy went with sweet potato fries. For my second IPA, I went with one from Utah - Hop Notch. I liked it better than the Four Strings, more flavor.

My salad was delicious and my burger was decent. I tried a bite of Mindy's Reuben. It was tasty too. Her sweet potato fries were cold. Yuck! Like a lot of new food, beer joints, they use iPads and touches for orders and checks, essentially using a app and wi-fi for the entire transaction. Something happened and the system broke down during our dinner. :) About the same time, I got a call on my Galaxy III from Alarm Force sharing that they received an alarm from our home and wanted to know if we wanted them to dispatch the police. Duh! I explained that they were just out on Monday to re-do our motion sensors and that it was likely our dog, but that they should dispatch. Otherwise, why have a security system? I wasn't too happy with them.

Pint Room? In a twist of irony, they serve their beer offerings in smallish glasses that problably hold no more than 12 ounces.

We went ahead and finished out dinner then paid our tab. Because we were so close. we called Jimaken and offered to come pick-up the kids, thus saving him a drive to our house. Aren't we nice? We picked up the kids near 8pm. I joked with Mindy that Jacob's first words would be something to do with our leftovers. I nailed it. Immediately in the car he asked if we had leftovers. Too funny!

We had a friendly bet as to whether or not there would be cops at our house when we finally got home. Well, there weren't any cop cars, but there was a notice tapped to our door. It was a false alarm warning. Great! They appeared to have more information than us. They knew the alarm was from the livingroom motion sensor. Had we known that much detail and that there was no other alarm, we might very well of called the dispatch off too. What assholes! Alarm Force, that is.

My plan was to deal with Alarm Force come morning. I spent the next hour enjoying some popcorn while playing on the PC. Mindy and Bella were watching American Idol. Again, I have no desire to get sucked in this season. Just after 9pm I snuck off to bed. I watched TV but fell asleep pretty quickly. Good night moon!

S of the U

I was up at 535am and downstairs a few minutes later. I felt good and seemed to have my energy back. I did my calisthenics then enjoyed coffee and internet for about 15 minutes before heading upstairs to wake Mindy. At 615am I returned to the internet just long enough to get a better feel for the current weather conditions. I then spent the next 20 minutes meditating and stretching.

I left for a run around 645am, well ahead of Jacob heading out for the bus and also early enough that I'd almost certainly be back in time to see Mindy before she left for school. I ran 4.1 miles without incident. Felt good. It was about 34 degrees and cloudy, so the weather wasn't of any concern.

As expected, Mindy hadn't left for school yet. I walked the pug, gone for approximately 10 minutes. Mindy left for school shortly after we got back from our walk. There were cheesy scrambled eggs waiting on the stove. I dished up some for me then rationed off a portion for the eagerly waiting pug. As is usually the case when Mindy makes scrambled eggs, there were more in the pan. I eventually dished those into a small container and placed them in the fridge.

For the first time in a while, I showered before seeing Bella onto the school bus. Was back downstairs by 8am. Threw together a work snack though my boss and I had tentative plans to lunch together before or after a customer meeting.

With Makayla and family still at Snow Shoe, it was only us at the bus stop. She showed up around 815am as expected. I fooled around at home not leaving for the office until about 845am. Arrived at the office at 9am sharp.

I had a busy morning that included two important conference calls. My boss and I left for our onsite meeting just ahead of noon. We agreed earlier to skip stopping for lunch. I was happy eating some of the snacks I packed. Arrived about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled meeting start time. We met up with a couple other team members before it began.

The meeting started at 1pm and lasted about 35 minutes. Went well. We didn't hang out too long. Headed straight back to the office arriving somewhere close to 215pm. I spent the rest of my afternoon putting the finishing touches on a monthly presentation in preparation for Wednesday. I finished up and left the office for a couple errands and home around 415pm. My first stop was Aspen Ski & Board, where I dropped off my Mantras to have then tuned (edges and wax). Looked around a little bit, but bought nothing else.

I left there taking Tremont south to Lane Avenue. Last second decided to stop in at the Kingsdale Saturday's for a much needed haircut. My last cut didn't work out so well. Not only was it cut a tad too long, I have to trim it up myself, too. Not a big deal. It grows back quickly enough only to be cut again. There I met Emily, a young Arlingtonite who works their part time. She was noticeably pregnant - 7 months so. She was fun to chat with and did a decent job cutting my hair. Was out of there near 5pm.

Mindy called just as I was getting back on the road for home. She was just leaving school after a couple planned parent/teacher conferences. She reminded me of the evening's agenda which included her running Bella to gymnastics and then making salmon patties for dinner. She knows I don't care for them, the expectation being that I would eat leftovers. I planned to have the rest of my Dragon Palace War Su Gai.

Got home before 530pm. Wasn't there even ten minutes though before Mindy left with the kids to drop Bella at gymnastics. While she was away, I played on the computer some while also snacking on chips and salsa. Read about the State of the Union address happening later that evening. I planned to watch.
Mindy & Jacob weren't gone that long. Back by 610pm. Mindy quickly got started on the salmon patties while I curled up in the family room chair for a nap. I slept good for an undetermined amount of time. She woke me when my leftovers were ready, which she reheated in a stone pan. They were good, though perhaps a little dry. But better dry than runny!

I was still tired. Mindy picked up on that and offered to go after Bella as long as I agreed to take over kitchen clean-up Deal! That's a deal I'd take almost every time. Cleaning up the kitchen is something I enjoy doing. I suspect the almost instantaneous results as the primary reason why. I like seeing results quick.

After clean-up I changed into my PJs then tuned the TV to the Science Channel where I watched How It's Made until 9m when the State of Union began. I DVR'd two episodes of Strip This City that opposed the S of the U. I was amused with the pageantry of the S of U, all the dignitaries marching in in a predictable order, and a who's who of our government. It's a bit over the top. Form before Function.

Mindy and the kids wanted no part of the President's address. In fact, Mindy was off to bed before its start. In total, I watched probably the first 30 minutes, but only 10 minutes of that was Obama's actual address. Again, the first 20 minutes was the formal pageantry. I fell asleep by 930pm not waking again until it was over. It was sometime after 10pm when I secured the home and headed up to bed.

Fixin Sensors

I didn’t get to bed until 230am the night before. On top of that, I didn’t sleep that soundly either. As a result, I wasn’t out of bed until 630am or so, well after Mindy was already up and in the shower. I heard her set a cup of coffee on the dresser in the masterbath. I knew then that she made the coffee, something I failed to address the evening before.

After brushing my teeth, I staggered downstairs debating whether or not I should do my full callisthenic routine. Yes. No being lazy isn’t an option. I drudged through sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups. Took my wind away temporarily. With exercises behind me, I happily sucked down a couple cups of coffee.

I decided the night before that I was making Monday a work from home day. I needed to be there in the afternoon to meet the Alarm Force guy anyway. This was I wouldn’t have to leave work and head home in the middle of the day. While enjoying coffee, I checked for any fail out from the nights work. There was nothing negative. Instead, only praise. That was nice.

I made a list of issues in need of vetting with my peers. I planned to bring them up later on our team call. It seems our entire household was turned upside down. Jacob was ill and wasn’t going to school. Mindy had a doctor’s appointment first thing, so she didn’t plan on going into school until 11am-ish. Bella was the only leading a normal Monday. But even that got boogered up. I was so involved in work and on the phone that I completely lost all track of time. I didn’t see Bella onto the bus. I didn’t think about until Mindy had already left for her doctor’s appointment around 830am. I worried that I might find her sleeping in her bed. Nope! I could only guess that Mindy took her out, although I didn’t see or hear any discussion of that.


Headed out for my run around 930am. Ran the full 4.1 miles. Even though I had to squeeze between the Pilot and Accord, it didn’t immediately register that Mindy was home until I went back inside. Oh yeah! The first thing I asked was about seeing Bella on the bus. Yep, Said I was too involved on a call to notice. Hmmm? She gave me some of the details from her appointment – woman stuff.

She headed to school around 11am. I was on another call when she left. Despite working from home I was very, very busy. Not only did I have several calls and meeting, but a lot of to-dos to complete as well.

The Alarm Force guy called me around 1230pm to let me know that he was about 15 minutes out. Cool. I set up the ladder by the sensor they were scheduled to replace. They were a bit longer than 15 minutes but I didn’t mind. Had a new guy with him too. Counting our install, this makes their third trip out. Each guy has/had a different opinion about the best type and location the motion sensors. All I knew was that during last Thursday’s test I wasn’t happy with the sensitivity.

This guy was more than convinced that the type and sensitivity were set correctly. In his opinion, the location was too high on the wall, and also not in the best corners. It took him a while ot convince me to let him move them. After all, I just painted the livingroom and now there would be exposed holes in up in the corner. Not a huge deal, I have the spackling and paint. But still. Beyond that, I wasn’t initially convinced he was on target. He suggested we move them where he wanted then test again. Deal!

Bottom line, his locations where ideal, I couldn’t move without the sensors detecting me, which was what I was hoping for. He mounted them more permanently, had me sig, then left. They weren’t there more than 25 minutes. Before putting the step ladder away, I put some of the pink spackling in the old screw holes in both the living room and family room.

By then I was starving. To satisfy my hunger, I reheated Jacob’s leftover gyro and fries on the pizza stone. Boy was it good. Busy as ever through the afternoon. Next thing I knew Bella was home from school. Had to be near 4pm. Mindy wasn’t much later. That marked the first time I’d seen hide nor hair of Jacob all day. He looked like death warmed over.

Mindy finally heard back from her examining doctor, who received and emergency call to surgery during her visit. Truthfully, I think he had a tee time.  Said she needs more tests. Imagine that, a teacher needing more tests.

Mindy put a pork roast in the crock-pot before leaving earlier. That was dinner along with mashed potatoes and peas. It was all ready just after 5pm, but I was still heavily engaged in work and asked if we could hold off until 530pm. She kindly agreed. Come 535pm she called me to dinner. I still hadn’t showered, by the way. Felt gross.

The pork roast was delicious. Jacob insisted on returning to school on Tuesday. Said he doesn’t like staying home. That’s good news! I managed dinner clean-up. Spent the after dinner hours relaxing and reading. I was still really tired from being short slept the night before. I read, napped, and read. I finished my book, Super Brain. Need to get it in gear and order a couple more before we leave for Utah. Got to have a good book to read.

We headed to bed just before 10pm. Mindy said she wanted to fall asleep on my chest.

Dragon Ass

 

 

Was out of bed and downstairs at 715am, which until recently was what I considered my natural time of wake. I felt surprisingly good, even had a little bounce in my step. Downstairs I started coffee the n checked in with work to see if there were any further developments overnight. Some, but not much.

The sun was out on a day that was forecasted to be cloudy, fairly and with a chance of rain late in the afternoon. At the time it was right around freezing. Enjoyed coffee and internet for about 45 minutes. It was nice knowing that we didn’t have anything specific planned and nobody coming over. The only downer was I was already committed to managing a work issue. I planned to call my boss later than morning to discuss the details.

I stretched, dressed and left for a run around 815am. And like most Sunday’s, I ran three miles on a lovely mid-winter morning. Back at the house, I texted Mike O. who texted me the night before asking if he could borrow our Thule for their ski trip. Told him to being his Pilot down. He showed up at 920am.

It didn’t take long to transfer the Thule from our Pilot to theirs. We chatted for a while, though too. Right after Mike left, I backed the Pilot up the drive and unloaded our ski gear from Saturday. My ski pants and jacket had quite a bit of mud of them from the parking lot. I planned to launder them before our Utah trip anyway.

Mindy and the kids were up by the time I was back inside. Mindy was busy working on a grocery list. The kids were going to a Blue Jacket’s game with their dad later that afternoon/evening. Mindy suggested that she and I go out for dinner. We didn’t discuss a venue.

I spent the next half hour carrying all the ski bags and boots to the basement, freeing them of mud before stowing them. Actually took a few minutes to adjust the buckle on Mindy’s left boot per her request. Found the tool that came with the boots and stowed it in my ski pack for our Utah trip.

Just before Mindy headed up for a shower I called my boss to discuss the game plan for the day/night’s work. Sounded simple enough but I knew all too well that it would take some doing to get the support we’d need for other teams. Still, I took it in stride and immediately began preparing and coordinating the activities.

Pretty much spent the entire afternoon and evening working, though with a handful of meaningful breaks sprinkled in for good measure. Bella claimed being bored out of her mind soon after Mindy left for the grocery. I offered all kinds of things she could do but she bit on none of them.

At some point midafternoon I offered that the two of us head out and throw the Frisbee. She jumped at that. Having thrown it with her only one other time I wasn’t sure what to expect. She was just OK at it the first time, but far better than Jacob and Mindy. We used the 160 gram purple Frisbee.

Wow! Bella was amazing. Not only could she toss it like a seasoned veteran, but she could catch it single handed too. I even showed her how to catch it on her finger tip, which she also quickly mastered. We tossed the Frisbee for quite a while and with a good distance between us. I was amazed with her natural ability and told her as much. She was proud of herself.

I hadn’t yet taken the time to get a shower, so once back inside I took one. Felt great. Spent more time with work too. Mindy was home from the grocery between 3-4pm. In between work tasks, I tuned the TV to the women’s Super G downhill ski race from Austria. Several wipeouts in the span of about 20 minutes. Course looked treacherous, the same course where Lindsey Vonn tore her ACL last week.

It took some doing, but by early evening, I had all the parties lined up for the night’s work that was scheduled to begin at midnight. The kids left for the hockey game with their dad around 5pm. Mindy suggested that she and I dine at the Original Ding Ho, though it’s no longer called that. Now it’s the Dragon Palace. As we understand it, there was a divorce and the family split the business. The name went with one party while the original restaurant with the other. We tried the new Ding Ho and weren’t at all impressed. We don’t expect we’ll be returning. Dragon palace seemed worth trying.

I’m thinking that it was just after 6pm when we left for dinner. I took my Blackberry, expecting I might get work related calls. I also took my personal cell and camera. I was disappointed when I went to snap a photo of the new signage and realized I left my battery at home on charge. Not to worry, my Galaxy III camera takes fairly decent photos. I used it instead. Took a couple of the restaurant signage as well as the neighboring Motel 40, both westside landmarks.

Inside, the set up remains the same only cleaner and with updated furniture and décor. Nice! We were the only customers in the entire place. That seemed a little weird. We could hear someone in the back hacking up a lung, presumably with no idea that a customer was there. It was gross sounding.

The female server was kind and efficient. We ordered what we typically order. Mindy went with General Taos’s chicken while I ordered War Sue Gai. We each order some won-ton soup and an egg roll, too. Everything was really good, plentiful, too. The entrée was definitely better than China Dynasty, which is considered one of the city’s best. Hmm?

A guy we run into from time to time both at Barley’s and then at CBC, who is a little bit crazy (also scary) came in and placed a carryout order. Mindy and I did our best to not be noticed. We finished something less than half of our orders then asked for to-go boxes for the rest. The bill was more than reasonable. We drank only water. That makes a big difference.

I said hello to the guy referenced above as we exited. We headed for home, now about 7pm. Once settled at home, I got into my comfy clothes and found my book. Took it and my Blackberry to the family room to so some reading all the while Mindy worked on that dang jig-saw puzzle. As expected, I received at least two calls regarding the night’s scheduled work from involved parties needing information. I could only laugh because I predicted as much.

I read as much as I could between what I’ll call interruptions. Even before the kids got home at 9pm I gave up on any more reading and planted myself in front of my laptop and PC to get the work stuff prepped and ready. Except for going after water, I didn’t get up for the next 5 hours. After several calls, conferences, calls, emails and effort, we finally wrapped up the work around 140am. By then Mindy and the kids were sound asleep in bed. Of course, I was all cranked up having focused like a laser beam on the task at hand.

The work having been a success, I celebrated privately by enjoying what was left of the Victory’s Ranch double IPA (just short of a full pint), and then a Southern Tier double IPA. Both tasted really good and left me quite the buzz.

Streaker turns 16 ... old enough for a Driver's License

Was up and downstairs around 740am. I started coffee then stared out the window for a few. The sun was just making its way above the horizon making for a beautiful sunny morning. We planned to ski at Snow Trails with our peeps, but we didn’t set a specific time. There was talk about 11am, but Mindy didn’t commit to it.

I left her sleep while I enjoyed coffee and played on the internet. I headed out for a run around 9am. It was sunny and cold –about 23 degrees. Expecting a high approaching but not passing freezing. Sunday’s forecast was a different story. Expecting it to reach into the upper 40s.

I ran three miles getting back home somewhere close to 930am. Mindy was up and presented me with a greeting card commemorating my 16 year running streak. That's 5840 consecutive days covering roughly 22,000 miles.

Soon so was Jacob. Bella was still sleeping. We started our ski day prep. Mindy predictably opted to skip a shower. Not me. I needed one after running. Mindy was in the kitchen making everybody eggs. I requested mine as a sandwich with cheese and mustard.

Mindy packed a cooler and snacks too. I checked for ice and tossed in a few cans of beer. Jacob wasn’t going skiing with us. He had a soccer game later that afternoon, and Jimaken was coming by to pick him up. Scott T. sent a text checking on our whereabouts around 1045am. Mindy responded that we were close to leaving the house. I think he and Zach were already there.

Talked to Kenny while I was loading the Pilot. Kenny shared that they were leaving for Snow Shoe the following morning with the O’Connell’s. Offered the use of my Thule should they decide they needed it. Once again, he offered to help with framing my basement. Cool!

We left the house near 11am. We had just over a ½ tank of gas. Not wanting to worry about fuel, I decided to top off the tank at Thornton’s. It was a lovely drive up I-71N, though it took longer than I anticipated. It’s about 66 miles door to door. Took about 70 minutes.

Hadn’t been to Snow Trails since January ’09. The parking lot is much smaller than Mad River, and the hills smaller too. Didn’t realize that. We had to park in a muddy lot. Even though it was hovering below freezing, the brilliant sunshine turned the frozen parking lot into a muddy mess. No big deal.

After gearing up we met Scott & Zach at the base of the face – Mt. Mansfield. Scott gave us our lift tickets. Said he talked with Bob I. and he had just left home. We did a few warm-up runs, Scott giving a quick tour of the slopes/runs. The snow was really nice on the face. More hard pack on the others.

They had most, if not all, of their lifts open. No lines to speak of. That was nice. No quads, two triples and two doubles. Probably skied for 90 minutes or so before Bob I. showed. Once he joined the mix we skied for another hour before Mindy, Bella and I took a break. Bella was hungry, so were Mindy & I.

I noticed a guy that looked familiar atop the hill, told Mindy that I was certain he was a former Barley’s bartender. In passing, I told him that he looked familiar. Mindy eventually went up and asked. Yep, sure enough. Worked at Barley’s for a few years bartending. His name is Steve. We met his wife and kids too. Reminisced a little before heading in for our break. He remembered our faces, including Bob I.

The Snow Trail lodge had a lot more character than Mad River’s. I’ll give them that. Probably a better beer selection too. We sat near the round, floor to ceiling fire place. I fetched a few beers and water while Mindy and Bella fetched a tray of food (wings, cheese burger, fries). We took about an hour break. The others stayed out.

We easily found them watching the big air competition. Saw like three riders in a row taken off the hill on stretchers. I wondered if the hill wasn’t formed precisely. I’ve learned that if it’s not at the right pitch and angle there will be more crashes.

Scott was noticeably tipsy, having enjoyed most of his berry nip and some of Mindy’s sumpin’ sumpin’. According to Bob, he wiped out pretty good a bit earlier. Scott and Zach headed in for some much needed food. Bob stayed out skiing with us. It’s fair to say that all of us were sporting a good ski buzz, a combination of beer and nip. Mindy wanted to race everybody.

We skied until about 630pm, or shortly after Scott & Zach left. We were going to take another short break so Bella could warm up and then do a few more runs, but once inside Bella had a mini meltdown. Cried that she wanted to go home. We already had plenty of fun, and it probably made sense to get home a decent hour so we changed our plans. Bob was iffy on sticking around anyway. Found him outside and told him we were changing our plans and heading for home. He did likewise.

Didn’t take too long ot get out of our gear on the road for home. Somehow or another we missed the 71S entrance ramp. One second we were following the signs and the next we were in the country. Still not sure how it happened. Anyway, we ended up driving 30 miles before we were able to pick-up 71S again. I think we entered in Fredericktown, still 42 miles north of CMH. It’s not like we went too far out of our way, though. For most of the drive was headed S or SE but on old two lane, hilly country roads.

Made it home shortly after 8pm. Bella and Mindy were both extremely tired. Bella and Mindy went right for bed. I stayed up a little while longer getting my arms around that same work issue I brought home the night before. Looked like I’d be working most of Sunday and well into the wee hours of Monday morning. I sent my boss an email about it.

I enjoyed a couple pints of that Victory’s Ranch double IPA. Good stuff! I started to dose off around 10pm and headed up to bed a short time later.

Long Work Day - Victory Ranch DIPA - Daily Growler

 

Anniversary of the MCL tear

For the first time in a while. I woke at 530am feeling well rested and full of energy. I was quickly downstairs engaged in exercise: sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups. It was raining and at times hard enough that I could easily hear it pounding against the roof. I wasn't looking forward to any of that. It was warm, though - 47 degrees. However, the temperature was forecasted to keep dropping throughout the day, dripping below by the work day's end.

I did my usual routine though I planned to work from home until about 10am. I logged on my laptop just after 6am to check on some changes we implemented during the overnight. Everything was a success. Load of my mind! I played around online, eventually opting to run much later in the morning. Figured I deserved a late start.

Jacob was soon off to school and Mindy & Bella up preparing for school. I got started on many of my work to-do's. Saw Bella onto the bus at 810am. Makayla came running out to catch the bus last minute. Back home I did more work then casually stretched for a run.

I was just about to head out the door for my run when Joe showed up to clean much earlier than I expected. Startled me. He said he told Mindy that he was coming early. Hmmm? Mindy neglected to tell me that. Not a big deal, but would have saved me from being startled. We talked for a few, me showing off our new living room paint color. I also shared that I planned to head into the office after a run and a shower. I took care of a few work related tasks then headed out the door. Told Joe that I’d be out about 35 minutes.

Did only a 3 mile run. It was already much cooler than it was earlier that morning. Felt like it was near freezing. Let Joe know that I was back home. I’m thinking that it was close to 930am. Checked in with work then bolted upstairs for a quick shower and ready.

Before leaving for the office I threw together a snack consisting of almond and cheese then loaded up my laptop and left for work. Like a lot of Friday’s, the parking lot was scarcely populated, and so were the hallways. Looked like my boss was working from home.

My day in the office started off easy enough. Thought it might be a real easy Friday. I worked on a monthly report then got caught up on several administrative tasks. I was jamming to my iTouch for most of the afternoon. However, all that changed around 330pm when a crisis struck that required my undivided attention. Shoot, just when I was thinking about heading home and finishing my afternoon of work there. Didn’t happen. In fact, I ended up working from the office until 630pm and then working from home until after 1030pm.

I alerted Mindy to my plight. I even suggested that she and the kids head out for dinner. She and Jacob eventually decided to visit the Big Fat. I suggested she take an empty growler and have it filled at the new Daily Growler essentially next door. From what I’ve been told, they have like 60 taps and will serve any of them in growlers to go. At the same time, Bella ran down to Kayla’s. Mindy asked if I wanted anything food-wise. No. Instead, I snacked on Triscuits topped with cheese, summer sausage, and hot pepper rings.

Mindy called me from the Daily Growler about an hour after they left the house. Said they didn’t have Bodhi but did have Hoof Hearted double IPA. Yes, that sounded good. Been wanting to try it. It’s a local microbrew but all the way up in Ostrander, near Delaware. She ended up coming home with something else – Victory’s Ranch Double IPA. It was fantastic. I had two pints all the while I working from home.

I was up until almost 1130pm. By then Mindy and the kids were off to bed. We had plans to meet our ski friends at Snow Trails on Saturday. We confirmed those plans via texts earlier in the evening.

Bella's Shock Treatment

Woke around 545am feeling pretty darn good. Skies were cloudy, and it was right at freezing. Expected to reach near 50 by afternoon. Did exercises: sit-ups, windmills, and curls. Coffee and PC time next. Enjoyed that for about 20 minutes.

Meditation and stretching were next. Still a dull kink in my neck and back ever since my tumble a couple weeks prior at MRM. Once again, I did a little work from home following up on some important project related activity that took place over night. Largely a success. That was a relief! Didn't leave for a run until almost 7am. Ran the full 4.1 miles.

By the time I arrived home Mindy had already left for work. But this I expected. Bella leashed up the pug and I took her on a walk. Uneventful. Returned home for eggs. Running late. Opted to wait and shower after seeing Bella onto the bus. That was uneventful, too.

Done with my shower and ready by 845am. Threw my new tan Levi's in a Macy's bag along with my receipt. I planned on returning them at lunch. They're defective. The outside seam on the left leg runs across my knee cap when I sit. Feels and looks awkward, and I paid $50 for them. Heck no! I didn't have the tags and didn't bother washing them. I envisioned them giving me a hard way to go.

Did a little more work then left for the office around 9am. If Wednesday was crazy, Thursday was even worse. I was tied up and busy until just after 2pm. Finally had a chance to take lunch and ran to Macy's to return those jeans. If I was expecting a fight, I was disappointed. They were most gracious. The guy even got a chuckle out of the problem. What's worse, when he went after another pair to get the UPC code, they looked more worn than the pair I returned. They didn't have another pair in my size so long story short, I opted for a credit to my VISA. No hassle whatsoever.

There was a lot going on so I headed back to the office. My afternoon wrapped up around 5pm. I had to hurry home. Since Mindy was holding parent/teacher conferences, I needed to see Bella to and from gymnastics. But when I called the home phone on my drive home Bella informed me that she felt to ill still to go to gymnastics. Had a headache too. She even went as far as calling her dad to learn how to doe herself with liquid ibuprofen.

That made my evening a lot easier, though that was the least of my concerns. Jacob was off playing with the neighbors when I got home. Bella was sitting around watching TV. Asked if we could go to Barleys for dinner. I figured we could but only after taking care of a couple min projects first. Bella helped me replace the simmer switch for the three pendant lights hanging over the island. We went back to a regular switch because the dimmer doesn't work with CFLS and it also made a high pitched squeal. Bella was surprisingly interested in the electrical work and actually helped quite a bit. The switch replacement was a breeze.

Next, she and I replaced the plastic ivory wall plates with new nickel wall plates. She did most of that all by herself. Got the pictures to prove it. Jacob got home while we were still in progress. He agreed to walk the dog before we left for dinner. Both kids were well behaved and anxious to head to dinner.

Left for Barley's around 615pm. Cant' recall the last time it was just us three out for dinner. We took a booth in the corner. Saw lots of regulars, including friend Doug H. sitting at the bar with another fellow. I didn't bother talking with any of my peeps. Instead, we hung as a family.

Jacob and Bella both ordered Dr Peppers and chicken tenders. I ordered a Bitter Dan and the Thursday special, a reuben. Our food was good. We ate fast. I'll be we weren't there for more than 45 minutes. Can't recall the girls name who waited out table - cute, lots of ink and body piercings. I took half my Reuben home.

Home around 715pm, Bella watched TV while i fooled around online. Jacob was off to his room. Mindy got home around 830pm after an extra long school day. I suggested that I might work from home on Friday, or possibly even just for a couple of hours early. It was a house cleaning day and I didn't want to be in Joe's way.

Dosed on the sofa while watching a little TV. Woke with Mindy and the kids already in bed. Headed there myself just after 10pm.

North High Brewing (formerly Bru)

Up near 540am. Downstairs, coffee was brewed and waiting. However, I completed exercises first. Sitting at my PC by 555am, I played around for about 20 minutes before heading upstairs to wake Mindy. Back downstairs I spent about 20 minutes doing meditation and stretching. It was 640am when I finally got around to dressing for a run.

It was 26 degrees, so I didn’t both with an extra upper layer. I did, however, stick with wearing long john’s under my running pants. Ran the usual 4.1 miles. Still lots of snow and ice on the walks and streets. I was cautious throughout.

Mindy was already gone by the time I got back home. That’s pretty much the new norm. Made sure Bella was up and functioning. She was. Asked her to feed the pug while I ate my breakfast. It was pushing 8am. I decided to shower after seeing Bella onto the bus. I played on my PC for about ten minutes, or until Bella beckoned.

We waited for the bus, me still in running clothes. Kayla was out a minute or two before the bus. I helped her zip her jacket. Back at home, I was quickly off to the shower. Bus was on time, about 815am. Back at the house, I was quickly off to the shower. Didn’t take me long. Logged off my PC making sure I had my laptop power cable and mouse. Left for New Albany around 845am.

Traffic was a little heavy, but never really slowed down. In fact, in the construction zone through downtown, I passed a cop while I was going about 63 mph. I worried that he might zip out after me given that the speed limit’s reduced in the area to 55 mph. Happily though, he didn’t. Arrived at my customer’s campus at 910am and was at my work cube by 920am. I learned that the new cube I was in last week will be a permanent move. They helped me get my phone programmed later that afternoon. It’s a nice work station but needs some serious cleaning – filthy!!!

I had a very busy day. You name it, it was coming at me. There are days like that. I’m just thankful that it’s not like that every day. I was still able to get away for a lunch break with plans to stop at Lowes and Target, which are next door to one another at Easton.

I stopped in Lowes first, picking up five new nickel wall plates for the hallway and livingroom. The five wall plates set me back almost $50. I headed next door Target next. There, I picked up more almonds, greeting cards, and a small organizing drawer set for PC gadgets. Before checkout, I walked through the pharmacy department where I happened upon Mary Ann. We chatted about their recent HV ski trip. Sounds like they had to navigate near white out much like we did at Xmas. Had lots of snow and cold the entire time. Our conversation was cut short by customers needing assistance.

Gone about 50 minutes, I headed back to the office where I finished out my day. It was a very challenging afternoon. Felt as though there was too much on my plate. Thank God not all days are like that. I left New Albany near 5pm taking 270. Called Mindy. The kids were already off with Jimaken. Mindy and I planned an evening out though we hadn't yet decided where.

Made excellent time barreling around 270 until I hit a traffic snarl in Hilliard. Still got home near 530pm.
Mindy opted for North High Brewing (formerly Bru) for a beer and then Barley's on the way home for food. We left the house near 6pm. Traffic across Grandview/5th avenue was slow. Have window signage now. Had more beers on the menu too, including an Imperial IPA. I went with one of those. Mindy, who hadn't had any alcohol to speak of for about ten days went with their porter, which she loves.

Chatted with Garrett, the bartender. Said they should have food in a week or so. Still haven't held their official opening. We stayed for only one beer. Mindy said her lips were number after only 1/3 of her beer. Had a big buzz, too. We left for Barley's and food around 655pm. Arrived just after 7pm.
I ordered a Bitter Dan even before Mindy sat down. With very little time before Jimaken would be at our home with the kids, we ordered food pretty quick. I ordered wings while Mindy ordered the three sandwich variety thing (chicken, pork, brisket, but can't recall its name). Mindy asked for to-go boxes just seconds after our food arrived. It was already 750pm. Can't recall which of us paid the tab. We tipped Janet generously.

The kids called to check on our whereabouts just before we turned into our subdivision. They opted to wait outside in the car. Often, they'll head on inside.

I shared my wings with Jacob. I could eat just 7. Mindy let him have some of her order too. Mindy was funny, with her beer buzz and all. Insisted on heading to bed super early - before 9pm. Bella was a bit disgruntled with her, was even pouting in her room. I went to try and cheer her up. It didn't help much.

We were asleep by 10pm.

Where did Tuesday Go?

Up at 550am

Exercised: sit-ups, windmills, and curls

coffee and internet

Meditate, stretch

Didn't head out for a run until almost 7am.

Chilly - 27 degrees and cloudy

Ran 4.1 miles

Mindy gone by the time I was back at home

walk the pug, eat breakfast - fried eggs

Saw Bella onto the bus before a shower

Shower and dressed. Wore the new tan jeans I bought the week prior.

Worked from home for about an hour. Left for the office near 915am

Work was almost overwhelming - a lot going on.

Noticed my new tan jeans had a defective seam. The outside seam on the left leg pulled tightly, overlapping my knee cap when sitting. Very uncomfortable. Not pleased.

Stayed busy all day long. Didn't leave the office until after 530pm.

Called Mindy in route to home. Confirmed that Bella still wasn't feeling up to par so she didn't plan on taking to her gymnastics. Made sense to me. We talked only briefly.

Called Tommy next. This time he answered. Chatted about our fast approaching Utah ski trip. Tommy mentioned being just as anxious for spring. His joy left a pit in my stomach. Not ready for the ski season to end. Wish we could ski up until Mother's Day. We talked until I pulled in the drive way.

Showed Mindy the defect in my new jeans. She agreed that I should return them.

Can't recall what we had for dinner. Yikes!

Can't recall our after dinner activities either.

Home with Bella Again

Can’t recall exactly what time I rolled out of bed but know that it was between 540 & 550am. I could’ve slept longer. Found myself longing for more sleep. About another hour would’ve been ideal. Still not sure the root of the issue. Age? Winter? Who knows?

Downstairs, after staring blankly out the back door for several seconds, I headed to the livingroom to begin calisthenics. It was after 6am by the time sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups were behind me. Afterwards, I was much more wide eyed.

Headed to my PC with coffee. The livingroom still in shambles from the paint project. Hoped to get most of the furniture including my desk and PC back in place during the work day. Speaking of which, I was set to work from home again watching over Bella. Woke Mindy with coffee at 610am.

I was already logged onto my laptop. Had been since Friday morning. Checked on a few work matters then played a little more too. Read a few articles related to the Super Bowl. There were plenty to pick from. Almost all of the headlines had something to do with the big event.

Decided that I wouldn’t run until the sun was up and after Mindy was gone. Jacob and Mindy both left for school over the next hour. Bella remained in bed sleeping. I set out for a run around 830am. I went upstairs to alert Bella. Didn’t want her to wake and think I forgot and went left for work. 

The forecast was calling for 1-3” of new snow. But there was hazy sunny when I left for my run. Fairly chilly – 23 degrees. I ran 4.1 miles. Back at the house I immediately walked the pug, who joined me downstairs soon after my return. Bella wasn’t up until 10am or so.

Once work was under control, I slowly but surely started moving the livingroom back into place. I did my computer desk and credenza first. I took the extra time to dust off all the many cords (CATV, phone line, speaker wire, computer cables) and even rearranged some. I pulled my old Dell out of the mix realizing that I’ll never power it on again. I’ll need to destroy the HD and then pitch it.

Gave Bella a Triaminic strip and made sure she had whatever he heart desired food-wise. Started snowing around noon, pretty heavy too. Bella got excited and asked about going to MRM. Yeah, Mindy would love that! I kept busy with work and the livingroom all afternoon. I vacuumed really where all the furniture would once again reside and even soaked and cleaned the register vents. I left the leaning shelves about 2” out from the wall until I had a chance to pick-up some felt pads so it can’t scratch or dent the freshly painted wall. Putting everything back on the shelves would have to wait, too. Oh well!

At times I felt like Bella’s maid. She would make a mess and I would clean it up. Each time I checked on her, there was another mess. That’s Bella. Kept snowing all afternoon, though it lightened significantly after about 2 hours. Looked like about 2” of fresh snow fall to go along with the 1” already on the ground.

Like clock work, Jacob was home around 250pm. Before 4pm and Mindy’s arrival, I asked Jacob to shovel the drive. He did so without any pushback. He’s getting much better about those things. I appreciate that very much.

Mindy looked tired when she got home. Even though she’s back at school, she’s still not close to 100%. Still coughing like crazy, she and Bella. I still had another hour or so of work. I couldn’t interact much. Mindy started dinner, which was boiling the chicken stock she made last night and then adding noodles. Once 5pm hit, I headed upstairs for a much needed shower.

Felt good to be clean and fresh. Dinner was served around 530pm – chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes, baked apples.

Dinner clean-up was snap. After clean-up, I put paint project material away, including tossing out the used roller and then rinsing/cleaning the roller pan. Probably spent another hour or so doing all that. I was already in my PJs, having changed into them after my shower earlier. Mindy worked on the 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle while I watched the Science Channel, read and napped. Watched How The Universe Works. Another program detailing black holes, Saturn’s rings, and several planetary moons. Made for an interesting watch.

Mindy and the kids were off to bed ahead of me by at least an hour. I joined Mindy in bed around 1030pm after more napping, snacking, and TV downstairs.

Super Paint, Super Sunday

I was up at 735am and soon downstairs starting coffee. The livingroom still in disarray for the painting project. I squeezed into my computer chair and played around online for a while both before and after coffee was ready. I really expected to see Mindy up around 9am but that wasn’t the case. She slept later again. This time, however, she was up by about 11am.

I enjoyed coffee until 930am when I dressed, stretched, and left for a run. It was snowing lightly and 22 degrees. Ran the usual three mile weekend track. About an inch or so of soft, dry snow along the curb made for some very nice running.

Back at the house, I shoveled the sidewalk and what parts of the driveway were exposed before heading back inside. Mindy was up around 11am. I walked the pug shortly thereafter. Would’ve been another really nice ski day at MRM, but the paint brush was calling. I told Mindy that I thought I could finish the living room if I stayed after it.

Mindy prepped a grocery list then headed for a shower. While she showered, I removed everything from the leaning shelves and curio cabinet. I needed her help moving the leaning shelves out away from the west wall. Lindsey, the boys and Olivia showed up to do laundry near noon. Of course they wanted to help paint. Not this time.  Mindy helped me scoot the shelves to the center of the room. I moved the curio cabinet by myself. I started painting by 1230pm. Mindy left me alone with Lindsey and the kids, but not before helping outfit all three of them in snow play gear. All that work and Landon and Olivia were only out there for 10 minutes, Rocky about 5 more minutes.

The kids were a little wild, wanting to get into everything, and Rocky begging his mother incessantly. It was grating on my nerves. The parent/child interaction is something to listen to from afar. Oh boy! But perhaps bothering me more was the fact that Lindsey talked on her cell phone pretty much all afternoon all the while interacting with the kids. Reminded me of my mom and her friend Pat Gomez. I did my best to hold my tongue.

At one point, I sent Rocky to a timeout after he spoke to me in an unkind tone. I let sit up there for about 15 minutes. He was much better after – not perfect, but what kid is? While Mindy grocery shopped, I got the 2nd coat on the walls I started Saturday as well as the cut in and first coat on the two remaining walls. Bella called me from her dad’s around 2pm pouting and asking if I would please work from home on Monday because Mindy was making her stay home again. Still had a fever and a horrible cough. I agreed. Planned to send my boss a note later that afternoon/evening.

I took a break and played around online for about an hour while the paint dried. By then Jacob and Bella were home from a weekend with their dad. I asked Jacob and Rocky to help Mindy carry in groceries. Mindy was still under the weather, and I could tell that the kids were getting to her. Later, when the boys asked if they could stay for dinner while Lindsey headed home, I said yes. However, once Mindy found out she quickly nixed any notion of the G-kids hanging around.

I Finished the painting the living room around 4-430pm. As one might expect, was much more efficient on Sunday. Found my groove. Looks really nice and pretty much the very look I was after. I didn’t plan to remove the masking or move the furniture back into place until Monday at the soonest. I wanted to let it dry and then look for thin spots. I put the two coats on thicker than ever before. I didn’t expect to find too many thin spots. I bought three gallons but to that point, I had only used only 1.5gallons.

Mindy commented that she really liked it. Already warmed up to it. Wasn’t so sure on Saturday. Lindsey and the kids left for home soon after I finished painting. With Bella still ill, the house was once again fairly quiet. Looked like a bomb went off, though.

Earlier, when Mindy asked if I had any dinner ideas, I suggested rotisserie chicken. I knew it was easy and something all of us like. She started prepping dinner around 5pm. It was Super Bowl Sunday but kick-off wasn’t until 630pm. Before putting away any of the painting supplies, I remembered to paint the small piece of drywall I had in the garage the same color as the livingroom. That way we could take it with us when we go shopping for new livingroom chairs. Smart!!!

I took a shower before dinner. Felt good to get cleaned up. Dinner was delicious. Mindy said she waited for a fresh rotisserie chicken, too. I could tell. It was extra juicy. Clean-up was a snap. Mindy boiled down what was left of the chicken carcass to make chicken & noodles on Monday. Yum!

Mindy made lemon pie for desert. Not my cup of tea. I opted for a brownie instead. We still had more than half a tray leftover from Bella’s adoption day. Super Bowl kicked off near 630pm. Just not into all the hype. The pregame started at 1130am. Crazy!

Quickly, the game appeared to be getting out of hand. Baltimore lead 21-6 at halftime. What’s more, they returned the 2nd half kick-off for a touchdown. Just like that it was 28-6. Blow out? Not hardly. After a freakish power outage in the Super Dome, the SF 49ers rallied with 17 unanswered points. Stole all the momentum. All of the sudden it was a real competitive game at 28-23. Bottomline, the game went down to the wire with SF on Baltimore’s 5 yardline with a 1st and goal and a chance to take the lead with under 2 minutes remaining. In the end they couldn’t score. Baltimore won. Mindy and I watched the final minutes and then the aftermath from bed. I found myself pulling for the 49ers, but was especially happy for two ex-Vikings on the Ravens – Matt Birk & Bryant McKinnie. Maybe my team wins next year!!

Painting Away - Skiing Not in the Cards

 

 

 

 

 

Slept until 750am. Ever since Xmas, I’ve been sleeping much later than ever before. Not real sure why. I slipped out of the room and headed downstairs where I started some coffee. Checked the weather. It was cold – only 16 degrees - and still snowing. Expecting an additional inch or two by Sunday.

I thought I might go skiing. But if I did, it would be alone since Mindy was still under the weather. The thought was enticing but the thought of killing the day skiing alone was completing with painting the livingroom. I wasn’t sure what I might do.

I played around online for a couple hours not heading out for a run until 10am, which is about an hour later than usual for a weekend run. It was a fun run in the light snow and cold. Mindy still wasn’t up when I got back home. At some point she ushered the pug out of our room but went straight back to bed. Man! How can she sleep so daggone long?

I walked the pug then continued fooling around online. Come 1215pm I knew I had to make a decision. Like that, I decided to forego skiing and instead start painting. I was at peace with my choice as well as a little excited. I spent the next 30 minutes readying the north & east living room wall by moving the furniture away from the walls. Moving my PC and the plethora of other devices was a chore. I had to careful with the security system two-way voice box, too. Figuring the entire job at least two days, I wanted to keep my PC active and attached to the internet.

Got everything from the north and east walls moved to the center of the room without completely disconnecting power and internet, though I did have to power down briefly to remove the outlet covers and run an extension cord.

Masked the woodwork along both walls, too. Mindy finally got up and came downstairs around 115pm. She slept for more than 14 hours! Said she felt somewhat better. I started painting around 130pm, focusing first on the mind numbing cut in. Takes a while to get warmed up and get in the flow. I opted to not mask the crown molding, so I had to be extra careful. Mindy did some school related work and then left for Target to pick-up a few grocery items we were completely out of. She hadn’t been to the grocery for almost two weeks.

While Mindy was away, I finished the cut in and most of the rolling. I planned to stop after rolling one coat. It was already after 430pm when I called it quits. I cleaned up but left everything in place so I could pick up where I left off Sunday. Around 515pm I headed up for a shower. Mindy and I planned to have dinner at CBC.

We left for CBC around 615pm driving the Pilot since it was already scraped free of snow. Not as crowded as it has been the last couple times in. We were able to find two stools right away. Katy & Emily were tending bar. Haven’t seen Emily since summer time and before all the relationship controversy started. Yikes!

Once again, no Bodhi. To say that I was aggravated is an understatement. That’s happened three out of the last four times in. Obviously an issue. Word has it there’s an issue brewing between the restaurant and brewery. I chose to take the high road and went with the new black IPA – Nightstick instead. It’s good, but not Bodhi.

I heard a few others order Bodhi’s and walk away dejected after learning its fate. Mindy ordered hot tea with lemon and a shot of Captain Morgan. She ordered the dinner special but Katy came back to share that they were all out. Too bad. It sounded terrific. Mindy went with the barrel cut sirloin instead. I ordered only a bowl of soup-of-the-day.

Met a couple from Plain City. Had a nice conversation. We readied for home a little after 9pm. Now hungry, I ordered one of their yummy pizzas for take-out. Mindy had a 2nd tea with Captain Morgan’s. I drive us home.

Couldn’t wait to tear into my pizza. Woofed down half of it once at home. I didn’t bother pouring another beer. I was tired and much looking forward to bed. I think we were both asleep before 1030pm.

Working Home with Bella ill

New I was working from home. Didn’t get up and out of bed until almost 6am.

Supposed to get a small snow storm but hadn’t yet started.

Exercise & coffee. It was a push-up day.

Woke Mindy near 615am for her return to school after 3sick days.

Jacob was up, ready and out the door as normal near 7am. Showing no signs of the dreaded illness

Played on the PC and started working early, well before 730am.

Mindy left for school near 730am but not before leaving cold meds on the island for Bella should she need them.

Headed out for a run once the sun was up. Think it was close to 815am. It was cold – only 8 degrees. Dressed warmly. Ran just three miles.

Back at the house I fetched the pug who was wandering around without her collar. Didn’t want ot wake Bella. Made a noose out of the leash and walked the pug.

Fried three eggs, one for the pug, tow for me.

Stayed busy with work. Bella wasn’t up until sometime after 10am.

I catered to her needs, asking what she wanted/needed. She was largely incoherent, but I could make out that she didn’t know what she wanted/needed. I eventually insisted she take some liquid ibuprofen and a Triaminic cough strip. 30 minutes later she was in a far better place.

She watched TV and played on the iPhone and Kindle while I worked.

In between work tasks, I spackled some imperfections on the living room walls in preparation for repainting. I used the goes on pink but dries white spackling. I like it.

By afternoon, Bella seemed to be feeling much better, though still coughing. She was amused with the pink spackling. 

Jacob was home before we knew it. I asked him to walk the pug, who was scratching at the door. He did so begrudgingly.

Mindy was home around 4pm.

Got a text from Bob & Mary Ann shortly after Mindy got home sharing that they arrived at HV. Happy for them. Wished we were there too.

Kids were going to their dad’s for the weekend. Jimaken was there to get them by 5pm.

Despite still being under the weather, Mindy wanted to go out after being cooped up all week long. I offered that we head to Barleys.

I took a shower and was ready to leave by 630pm. We drove the Accord. Let Mindy off at the door while I went to find parking far out back.
Don’t know that I’ve seen Barleys more crowded – ever. Standing room only, and many waiting for tables in the lobby and out the door.

Mindy drank only water while I ordered a Bitter Dan IPA. That was the plan from the outset. After one, we ordered dinner, agreeing to split the special – a brisket burrito.

Talked with the twins, Kurt & Kent for a while. Kent’s getting ready to finish his basement. We talked about that at length.

Thad & Monica were in, too. Talked with the two of them for a while. Thad & Mindy talked teacher talk for a while. Later conversation tuned to their son’s car getting hit out front of their house. An off duty cop was sitting at the bar and overheard. Offered to help solve the problem. Gave Monica contact info. Cool!

We didn’t stay too later. All totaled, I drank three Bitter Dan’s. Left for home between 915-930pm. Mindy drove.

Mindy quickly off to bed. I stayed up a little while longer pouring a White Rajah and retreating to the sofa for some Science Channel. After a sip or two I could barely keep my eyes opened and put a baggie over the pint glass and stashed it in the fridge then headed to bed.