Cellar Dweller

After four beers I slept rather poorly. In fact, I woke several times throughout the night tossing & turning. At one point I thought that I might wake awfully sick. But since I was wise enough to take a couple Advil before going to bed, I simply needed to rack up a few more hours of rest. By the time I felt good enough to get up & get moving it was 7am – still plenty early for a weekend day.

I started a pot of coffee and began my exercise regiment. After the sit-ups were completed I was wide awake and motivated. By 7:30am Ykraps and I were taking our morning walk. It was cloudy but very warm. The temperature was 51 degrees. I guess the clouds held all the warmth from Friday afternoon close to the ground. It was forecasted to remain warm through mid next week but today was scheduled to be rainy.

I had the next couple of hours all to myself while Mindy got her beauty sleep. While she slept, I got caught up on my blog. It rained lightly through the early morning hours. Mindy finally joined me somewhere between 9:30 & 10am. After hanging out over coffee, I readied for a run and left around 10:30am. I took the Trabue Rd route. I had a most enjoyable run.

I was back a little after 11am. Mindy had breakfast almost ready. According to Mindy, we were having maple bacon and Mexican eggs. But I couldn’t tell the difference between these and American eggs. My first thought was that the Mexican eggs might be brown, but that wasn’t the case at all. They were white, too. However, they did taste different. They were spicy! Although, that might have been due to the onions, peppers, and salsa, not sure! :)

It was nice to have a quiet house this morning, a stark contrast to those Saturday mornings when we have the children. I didn’t say for certain, but I thought I might finally get started on the basement storage shelves. The lumber’s been setting idle down there for at least three weeks. Meanwhile, Mindy marveled about having a “tabula rasa” – a blank slate. She talked of tanning, shopping, doing the church altar, and possibly stopping at Kroger. While she showered I headed to the cellar to see about getting started on my project. I wasn’t fully committed to spending my entire day down there, however.

The first thing I did was mark lines on the block where the lower supporting 2x4s would be mounted. That went well. I checked the markings with a level. Next, I removed the fiberglass insulation from the upper half of the basement walls where the upper shelf would mount. I rolled it up and carried it to the trash. I decided to move forward and try mounting the 2x4s to the block with 3” concrete sleeve anchors. This was the part I was most concerned about. The entire project rested on this working, andi had never used this type of anchor system before. The trick was holding the 2x4 horizontally while drilling the initial hole with a wood bit. My hope was to make enough of a mark in the concrete block to indicate where to drill with the 3/8” masonry bit. It worked well.
Having never used this anchor system before I wasn’t sure how to proceed but figured it out. As luck would have it, I stripped the first anchor rendering it useless. But without losing my cool I tried another and it worked flawlessly. The anchors, once bolted in, held the 2x4s tightly against the block wall and are specified to hold/support lots of weight. I proceeded to mount the remaining framing with little to no trouble. I was very pleased.

Phase two included hanging the supporting joists via hangers, and then the outer 2x4s making the framing complete. That went surprisingly well, too. The entire framing project took me about 4 hours. I’ll chalk it up to excellent planning.

While I toiled in the cellar, Mindy cleaned the house. And in addition to the routine stuff, she did the tedious tasks like dusting & washing the bedding. She left around 3-3:30 to complete her errands. She spoke of being gone for about 2 hours. I cleaned up my work area in the basement, did some reading, & took a nap. Mindy was home by 5:30pm. We had dinner reservations for 8:30 at Mitchell’s – plenty of time.

The weather surprised us. It cleared up mid-afternoon and the sun shined brightly warming us up well beyond the expected high. At 6:30pm I jumped in the shower to groom for a night out. Mindy showered earlier so all she had to do was change clothes. We enjoyed a beer & a glass of wine before leaving the house. We had plenty of time. We left the house just after 7:30pm.

We parked a couple blocks from Mitchell’s. The evening air was much cooler after the sun faded. Mindy was a tad cool in just a dress and light sweater. And I must say, she looked stunning in her black wedding dress!

We were seated immediately upon arrival – a full 25 minutes early. We were seated in the same area we’ve sat each time we’ve been there. We pretty much knew what we wanted but took our time perusing the menu and wine list. I ordered a Columbus Pale Ale & Mindy ordered a Shiraz – no big surprise! Our waitress returned minutes later asking if one of us was a doctor as a customer had gone unconscious. Mindy retorted, no, but my brother is. He wasn’t there! ??? In the end, I was simply hopeful that it wasn’t from eating their calamari!!!

We ordered the calamari appetizer along with a bowl of lobster bisque, which we planned to share. For our entrees, we both ordered the filet Oscar. I ordered the 12 ounce and Mindy the eight. And for a side, I couldn’t pass on the jalapeño scalloped potatoes.

The arrival of our food and the attentiveness of our server was top notch – just as expected. Mitchell’s rarely disappoints! But truth be told, both of us thought that our filets were slightly over cooked. We didn’t complain. All in all, it was a very good meal. Because we we’re celebrating Mindy’s birthday, she received a dessert of her choice – gratis! Mindy selected chocolate lava cake. An older couple next to us overheard Mindy mention her b-day and wished her well. Of course Mindy saw that as opportunity to open full dialogue. And by the time I returned from the bathroom, they knew everything about one another. They wished us well on our marriage too! They were celebrating their 18th anniversary.

We left for home just before 10pm, but not before having Suzzane box up our delectable leftovers. It was an even chillier walk back to the Trooper. We were home about 8 minutes later – a quick drive. Good thing, too, because I had to pee! We secured the home then headed off to bed with our bellies full of food.

A Delightful Friday

I woke in unison with Mindy's alarm. My ego won't allow me to become its victim. I'm just too proud. I felt great and even had an extra little jump in my step. It was Friday and if the weather prognosticators were correct, it was going to be a lovely spring-like day.

I did my usual round of exercise and chores. And by the time it was coffee time, Mindy was just making the bed. I placed her coffee on her lingerie dresser & gave her a quick hug. She reported feeling much better. Back downstairs.

I read the Daily OM, checked email, and read the headlines.. It was 6:33am - time to get on food prep. Food prep would once again be brief since on Mindy's direction, I wouldn't be packing her anything but fruit and no breakfast. I was done my 6:50am and sat to eat my eggs. The kids were up and in good spirits. I had promised Jacob that I would play basketball Thursday night but we never did. To help make up for it, at 7:05 I told him we could play for about 8 minutes. He was excited about it. So play we did. We played until 7;15am. Mindy called to let us know it was time. We tied 14 -14. ;)

Mindy looked a lot better and was wearing a warm-up suit to work. Her eyes still looked a little sleepy, however. I hurried off to the shower. I was back downstairs all ready to go by 7:37am. Decision time! I grabbed the BM'er keys and went to the garage. If the BM'er started, I was driving it to work even if it was only 29 degrees. It was expected to reach 55 and remain sunny & clear all day. It was beautiful. The BM'er started right up. I let her warm in the garage for a while. In the meantime, I took several pictures off the back deck. I left for work at 7:48am. With the seat warmers and the heater vents aimed at my hands, It was a fun & comfy drive into work.

Work was much better than I envisioned. We maintained the edge over the workload all morning long, something that doesn't always happen, especially on Friday's. Mindy emailed mid-morning to let me know that she was getting sleepy and would be taking a nap in the teachers lounge. The spring-like day continued to unfold. It was 55 and sunny when I left for a run. I scrapped the middle layer for the first time in a long, long while. And while running I realized I really could've scrapped the jacket too. It was warm and sunny! There wasn't the slightest hint of chill in the air for the first time in an awfully long time. When I got back to my office I saw that it had topped 60 degrees. In fact, it was 63. Everyone was abuzz over the weather.

We worked hard to stay on top of things all afternoon. I saw that the Buckeyes beat Michigan in the Big Ten basketball tournament quarter finals this afternoon. Wahoo! Come 4pm my attention turned toward the weekend. I was excited about the prospect of a quiet, relaxing, kidless weekend coupled with decent weather. Incidentally, the forecast calls for spring-like warmth through mid-week next.

I left for home just after 5pm. I was eager to get out in the sunshine and in my BM'er. The drive home temperature was 64 degrees! I took the scenic drive home down Old Dublin Rd - just west of the river. It was nice. The house was quiet and clean when I arrived home - the makings of a good Friday evening. Mindy and I walked Ykraps together. She reported that her and the kids had a ball this afternoon playing in the backyard. However, she pointed out that Bella cut her hand on Ykraps' dog leash. Only Bella!

Mindy wanted to sneak in a nap before heading out for the evening. That was fine with me. I thought that I might do the same but instead, spent the time reading, writing, and guitaring. A young adult dropped by requesting our help with a campaign to get Georgia Pacific, who operates chemical plant on the Southeast side, to update their handling of toxic wastes and take care of nearby residents whose water supplies have been tainted with chemical seeping into the ground. We didn't give money but agreed to write a letter. I wrote the letter while Mindy napped.

At 7pm I woke Mindy for the ready. While Mindy primped, I spent a few minutes reviewing my tax documents. Holy Shit! I might have to hire a professional given all the financial maneuvers I made this past year.

We left for Barley's at 7:25pm. We wanted to get there a little earlier than usual since Mindy was still tired. That way we could enjoy ourselves and be home around 10pm. The place was moderately crowded but not too bad. Mindy got a seat at the bar right off. I stood. I had firkin - ESB. The new 42" flat panels were up as was the new 10' projection screen. They had nothing but basketball whirling. Mindy ordered food right away. I held off for not being that hungry. She had potato & herb encrusted cod served with broccoli.

Bob Imber arrived somewhere close to 8:30pm. Mary Ann was working and his in-laws were in town. He invited them along but they declined. They spent their Friday night party energy at Bob Evans a bit earlier. :) As the evening wore on Rick showed. Mark had been there all along. Courtney & Jeremy were again missing in action, although Mindy knew why. They were in Florida/Georgia for a conference. We met some new folks - Ann & Josh who just moved here from Minneapolis. They seemed to fit in well. Over the course of the evening I had three or four beers. I was feeling no pain come 10pm. I had the firkin ESB and two IPA's. About 30 minutes before leaving I ordered a chicken quesadilla. I needed to eat!

We left for home at roughly 10:20pm. Mindy drove. At home Mindy insisted on a hot tub. Hot tub we did. I felt great. It was an ideal night for such activity. We went to bed at 11:30pm.

Vomitous Night

I was up Thursday morning at what's quickly becoming my new standard rise time - 5:45am. I have been sleeping more soundly than ever but seemingly requiring more sleep too. I have always assumed less sleep with age, but who really knows. What I do know is that I feel very rested.

Mindy, on the other hand, had a bad night. She was up at least three or four times throwing up, and she already declared this a sick day. From the sounds of it, she felt miserable - similar to how I felt last November. As I got out of bed she asked if I would take Jacob to school and Bella to Grandma Sharon's. I agreed to do the deeds. The one bright spot was that I would be able to save lots of prep time since I wouldn't be packing Mindy a lunch or making her breakfast.

I went through my usual paces - exercise, walk with Ykraps, and morning coffee all before 6:20am. I spent a little time on the PC and began making my food at 6:30am, just like always. I was finished eating by 6:45am and headed up for an early shower. I was a little worried about being incredibly late for work after dropping the kids but I was 30 minutes ahead of my usual schedule. I just did the right thing.

I left the house with Jacob and Bella in tow at 7:20am. The first stop was Grandma Sharon's to drop the peanut. Mindy scrawled rough directions for me to follow, but Bella assured me from the back seat that she'd guide us there. Somehow that wasn't comforting. :) First turn out of our subdivision she began exposing directions from her car seat, although leaving out key operatives relative to meaningful directions (right, left, west, east, and street names). instead, Bella guided me with, "turn here, go that way, etc". I found it amusing. Truly, I relied more heavily on Mindy's crude directions. Jacob pointed out the particular house once we were on her street.

It was 7:45am as we pulled out of Holly Hill in route to Monterey Elementary. Strangely, I was living Mindy's life, or so it seemed. The directions had us taking the back way in and I trusted that it was quickest since Mindy has done this for the better part of 12 years. I dropped Jacob at school between 7:55 & 8:00am. Done, now onto work!

I took Stringtown Rd to 71N then to 270W. Mindy called to inform me that we left Bella's clothes at home. She wasn't naked so I saw no harm. She'd simply have to remain in her pajamas all day. I arrived at work by 8:20am. Not too bad given all I had done this AM. I wouldn't sign up for this everyday, though. Geesh!

Work was swell, but nothing out of the ordinary. I left for my run at 12:45pm sharp. It was rather nice once again. I think it was about 40 degrees. The sun's moving ever higher in the sky. I had to really strain to catch a glimpse while running. I ran a bit faster than usual being pushed somewhat by another runner out on the trail.

The afternoon went fast, too. I talked with Mindy who was up around 3pm to got fetch the kids. She reported feeling a lot better but still very, very tired. No more vomiting or diarrhea.
When I got home from work the kids were anxious for my arrival. They let me know that their momma was back in bed all the while they played.

After addressing my chores I visited Mindy but kept my distance to avoid getting the bug. After all, I didn't want to spend my Friday or the coming weekend in a similar fix. She wasn't too pleased with my strategy. Instead, she wanted comfort & love. From my perspective she could have all the comfort & love she wanted but from fifteen feet! :) She had me pick up some chicken broth at Kroger on my way home. She asked me to make her some. I did.

She got up for a short while to eat & then bed the kids. She was back in bed herself just after 8pm. I had the evening to myself. I chose to blog, read, and play. I went to bed around 10pm.

Well Gee Wally!!!

The Vitals:

Born at 12:18pm
March 7th
18.5 inches long
5lbs 15 ounces
Mathew Joseph Wright (a.k.a. Wally)

Wally World

I hate to admit it but once again I was woken by Mindy’s alarm going off. But I was genuinely exhausted after such a long day Tuesday and really needed a full eight hours of sleep, so I wasn’t too hard on myself. I checked my phone, which I left bedside, just in case Tommy, my dad, or work called. Tommy was expecting a baby any minute, my dad at the hospital with Sheila, and work could’ve called to report winning the giant Mega Millions jackpot. Wishful thinking! There were no calls.

I quickly got moving with my morning by knocking out my exercise routine and Ykraps’ walk before 6:20am – 15 minutes behind my desired pace. Still, no reason for alarm. I decided not to check the lottery numbers until I got to work. And just as expected, Mindy was already well into her shower when I delivered her coffee, but she thanked me just the same.

I decided to make tuna salad for our lunches, and scrambled eggs topped with shredded marble cheese for breakfast. And just as I have all week, I headed off to the shower at 7:15am. I forgot to ask Mindy to walk on my back before heading up. Having her do so has dramatically improved the frequent spasms thus reducing the number of anit-inflammatories I’m taking – a classic case of treating the higher cause rather than the effect. I had plenty of time before leaving for work. I chose to play a little guitar.

I left the house at 7:45am and arrived right at 8:00am. It was spitting snow all the way into work. An hour later it was a total white out in Hilliard. We had an inch of snow on the ground when it cleared. But the high sun began breaking through around noon and it quickly melted. There was nothing but a few traces her and there during my run. My back was beginning to tighten something it hasn’t done in a handful of days. I made a mental note to be sure and have Mindy crack it tonight.

Tommy left a voice mail while I was out for my run that he and Heather gave birth to Mathew Joseph Wright (aka Wally) at 12:18pm. He’s 18.5” and weighs in at a paltry 5lbs - 15 ounces. I made plans to visit my step mom & now Tommy in the hospital tonight after work.

I left work ten minutes early to help facilitate the hospital visits. Mindy had already walked Ykraps and Jim picked up the kids as he does every Wednesday. The only change was asking him to keep them about a half hour longer. And as he often does, he willingly agreed. We left for the hospital by 5:30pm and arrived at Mt Caramel West at 5:39pm. I remember because we had to feed the meter enough coin to keep us legit till 6pm. We arrived at Sheila’s room to a closed door. We knocked and were told to com in. Her only visitors were her sisters. To our surprise, Sheila was gayfully chatting with someone on the phone and in much better shape than last night. Mindy and I both were completely dumbfounded! But this is what I intended last night. To see her last night then again this evening anyone would be astonished at the seemingly miraculous change.

Margie and Brenda ducked out while we visited. We had a comforting chat with Sheila who despite being a hundred times better was still drugged heavily. We were reminded of this as she frequently stopped talking mid sentence forgetting what she was talking about or that she was even talking in the first place. At one point she started taking off her clothes and apologized to us for it saying that she’s been doing that a lot for some reason. She laughed it off, and so did we. We were just happy she was coherent and cheerful.

We didn’t stay long. We left at 6:20pm for Mt Caramel East. It was 6:50pm when we parked at Mt Caramel East. What a difference a simple directional inference makes. This place is palatial compared to Mt Caramel West. We made our way to their room rather easily. They do have much tighter security, however. Wally was being held by his momma as we entered. Mindy quickly whisked him away. He was surprisingly alert for a new born, and seemingly looking all around following sounds and such. It was down right eerie. He looks exactly like Heather. There were no discernable ‘Wright’ features that I picked up on. But that often changes in short order. Come to think of it, he did have a miniscule member just like Tommy! :)

We snapped a few pics, gave them a gift, and each took a turn holding him. Heather looked like she needed sleep. We left at 7:15pm. It was 7:21 when we pulled out of the lot. Mindy called Jim to let him know that we were on our way. We gave him the garage code since he was already sitting in the drive. It was the least we could do.

We arrived home at about 7:45pm. It’s a relatively fast drive given the distance, but it is all freeway. After Jim departed Mindy and I quickly readied the kids for bed. We had them tucked in and lights out by 8:15pm. With a quiet house we each went about making ourselves a light snack. I hadn’t eaten again tonight. I was ravenously hungry, which his never good. While updating my blog I ate peanuts. But because I was so hungry I ate too many. While Mindy reviewed my jottings, just as she often does, I popped some popcorn which tasted so good.

We retired to our room a little after 9pm. As Mindy will atest, I was asleep in minutes.

Oh-oh - choose me - choose me

Here Jacoby's sporting his new short
haircut along with a variety of the
foods he had for dinner.



















If Bella comes at you with what
appears to be a fudge like substance
on her finger you'd better be askings
lots of questions and making some
quick observations.

It was a plain vanilla Tuesday – the second day of the work week. I was up before Mindy’s alarm and downstairs contemplating my day before 5:45am. I made quick work of my exercise routine and then leashed up Ykraps for the morning walk. I was surprised at just how cold it was. I didn’t where gloves since it’s been so relatively warm of late. Based purely on feel, I guessed it to be below 20 degrees.

Upon my return to the house I made coffee for both Mindy and I in our brand new coffee mugs. I took Mindy hers. She was just about to get in the shower. After returning downstairs I checked the actual temperature. To my surprise, it was only 13 degrees! No wonder my fingers were numb! I noticed too that the expected high for the day had been lowered since I last checked. Now, the expected high was only 28 degrees! So much for our mid-week warm-up. And now that I think about it, I guess it’s about that time of year when I start bitchin’ about the weather, especially now that I’ve gotten my winter vacation under my belt.

I went about my Tuesday like any other work day prep. I reminded Mindy, and myself for that matter, to stop and buy lottery tickets on the way to or from work, since tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot is over $350 million. I’ll already have a horse or two in race via a combined work pool but nothing like winning it all outright.

Again today, I headed up to the shower just as Mindy was loading the minivan with her stuff and the kids. I was ready to head out the door by 7:45am. I stopped by Thornton’s to buy lottery tickets. I spent $5. Once at work our lottery pool organizer was soliciting contributions for yet another stake. We won $150 back in November that already was carry forward with a list of about 90 contributors, plus, we won a few buck with last Friday’s 450 chances too. That meant we would have three lists of contributors from work each about with about 90 folks. That makes even the largest of winnings small by comparison. But who’s complaining!

Work was busy all morning long. I wasn’t able to escape for my run until almost 1pm. It had managed to warm-up to about 27 degrees by run time. But I figured with the sun shining I’d be just fine. To boot, there wasn’t much of a wind at all. And around these parts, that’s rare! My run went well. I thoroughly enjoyed myself on the trail.

After lunch I received a call from cousin Dodie detailing some not so good news about my step mother, Sheila. It seems she’s taken a turn for the worse. Apparently she’s been hospitalized since Sunday. She implied that I/we need to be getting up there to see her. It wasn’t five minutes and my dad called for similar reasons. Now when my dad calls you know it’s serious. He relayed similar news with slightly more detail. I called Mindy and asked that she secure child care so that we could visit the hospital after work. She ultimately got Ashley to do it, and picked her up on her way home from work.

As requested, I notified Tommy, Glenn, and my ex, Kelly via email. I called Tommy on his cell after sending the email. He had apparently just spoken with dad, too. He planned to be at the hospital this evening, but also warned that Heather might be going into labor. Holy crap!

After leaving work I stopped at Kroger to pick-up some beautiful flowers & a card for Sheila. Mindy walked Ykraps to minimize my to-do’s when I got home. That way we’d be able to leave sooner rather than later. When I arrived child care was already in place, the kids had eaten and the dog had been walked. I handed the flowers and vase to Mindy. She prepped the flowers minus the water. We’d add water once at the hospital. She showed me a card we received from our friends Courtney and Jeremy congratulating us on our marriage. They gifted us a $100 Mitchell’s gift card. Damn! That was awfully sweet!

Just as we were preparing to walk out the door my oldest daughter Courtney called, whom I haven’t talked to since at length for God knows how long. Although I did see her for a brief minute as we were entering the hospital last week to see Lindsey. She was looking for some financial help. I opted out for not wanting to enable her. The story gets weaker and weaker each time. I love her dearly but refuse to be a piggy bank. As nicely as I could I explained what I expected and what I would do. The call ended somewhat gracefully. I was a little surprised at that. Mindy and I left for Mt Caramel.

We arrived around 6:15pm. The meters are free after 6pm so we didn’t need to pay to park. We found her room with little trouble in the Palliative care wing in the tower. I was surprised how many folks were there (my brother Charles and his wife, Tommy, step-brother Shawn and his girlfriend, as well as Sheila’s two sisters – Margie and Brenda). Apparently my dad left for a little rest and dinner with my brother Bobby.

Sheila was happy to see us and everyone else. Although it was apparent that she was in a lot of pain. It was a little difficult to see truth be told. She had moments where she seemed coherent but often seemed completely out of it. We visited for almost two hours before leaving for home. We waited for my dad to return since we hadn’t seen him for quite awhile.

The kids were still up when we got home around 8:15pm. After tucking in the kids and resting for just a few minutes I took Ashley and Olivia home. I was back by 8:45pm, and you better believe that I was exhausted & hungry. Mindy was too. She warmed a couple pieces of leftover pizza & some sauerkraut balls. I ate 1.5 sauerkraut balls and one piece of pizza, but what I really wanted was popcorn, so I made some.

We ate popcorn and chatted. We called Tommy to see how Heather was coming along. They were just on their way to the hospital. We also called my mom to give her an update and learn about her recent EMG. She said she was finally diagnosed with a ruptured disc. Given the choices, that's not nearly as grave as she had envisioned. She's so dramatic! She's got an appointment scheduled with a surgeon on the 19th in Columbus, although she doesn't know for what. Hmmm? Perhaps she should've asked. For a moment I thought I was talking to one of my daughters.

Before retiring for the night, we called a left avoice mail for Glenn so he could be up to speed on everything that's taken place.

March Madness (not basketball)

(till death us do part)

Happy 38th Birthday Mindy!!

Could it be coincidence that Mindy, her older sister, as well as her older brother were all born the first week of March. I think not. Let’s dig into this a bit deeper – shall we?

Rolling the calendar back 38 weeks from the first week of March takes one to the second week of June. Perhaps their parents celebrated the spawning of summer with some spawning of their own. But on closer observation we discover that Gloria’s birthday is June 11th. Bingo! It seems the ol’ birthday sex beared fruit three different times.

Monday morning always comes round too quickly. And in what just might be a first, I was woken by Mindy’s alarm clock at 5:45am. I find it personally offensive to rely on some lame disco jockey’s morning shtick to wake me. I won’t allow that to happen again.

I rolled over and gave Mindy a hug & wished her happy birthday just before leaping out of bed with a fuzzy head. I had a fuzzy head after a rather restless night’s sleep.

Downstairs I quickly went about choking down a vitamin and prepping for my morning exercises. I didn’t leave the house with Ykraps until 6:10am. Out the door, I took notice of the ever brightening early morning sky. Although, this same sky won’t be revealed until about 7:00am next Monday (enter daylight savings time). Our walk proceeded without incident. We were back by 6:20am.

I made Mindy her coffee and delivered it to her still in bed. She was apparently still as tired as I and warmly tucked amongst the bedcovers. For a brief minute I jumped back in bed and gave her a kiss. I couldn’t stay long though as I needed to press on with my morning routine.

I read the Daily OM and quickly reviewed email. It was already 6:30am, so I had to get crackin’ on making lunches and our hot breakfast. I almost forgot that Mindy made the two of us Monday lunch salads while preparing our Sunday dinner salads. That shaved several minutes off of food prep. Before I knew it I was making our scrambled eggs.

After enjoying the eggs and fruit Mindy loaded the minivan. It was 7:15am. Rather than wait until she was out the door, I said my goodbye’s right then and headed up to the shower. This, I figured, would be a good way to ensure a more timely arrival at work. This was a good plan. I was downstairs and all ready to go by 7:35am. After fooling around the house for a spell, I left at 7:50am which netted an 8:05am arrival time. Not bad!

Work was moderately paced with lots of the usual trappings & happenings of a Monday. I kept my nose to the grind stone until 1pm when I left for my run. The temperature was hovering just below 40 degrees and the sun was shining. The strong wind out of the west was the only small drawback. But with the help of music in my ears the affects of the wind were minimal. And once again, I couldn’t help but notice the obvious warmth the sun provided as it shined down upon me – a sure sign that springs a comin’.

After completing my run and shower I returned to my office for some afternoon fun. I was careful to leave right at five given that today’s Mindy’s birthday. I stopped at Kroger to pick up a dozen red roses along the way. I left a card from me and another from the kids on the island before leaving for work. I called her as I pulled out of Kroger to get a feel for our evening. The kids had already left with Jimaken and Mindy was about to walk Ykraps. She foretold of a handful of wedding gifts and cards that arrived at our home today.

When I arrived home Mindy was just finishing off her walk with Ykraps. I gave her the roses just as we entered the house. She had already opened her b-day card from me but left the one from the kids for later. Together we opened a card from Barley’s via Tom Shepherd that contained a $50 Barley’s gift certificate. Thanks Tom! Also, arriving today was another card form Tom S containing a check for his share of the Govy Camp ski weekend condo. Again, thanks Tom. We also received a card from Mindy’s old friend in NY, Laura, and a gift from Mindy’s mother. Thanks All! Of course from Mindy’s perspective, I am the greatest gift of all. Yeah, just ask me!

After Mindy prepped and vased her roses we left for dinner. And yes, we went to Barley’s – her call. It’s hard to beat their menu and we only had a little over an hour before the kids would be home. Besides, I’m taking her to Mitchell’s this Saturday evening. We arrived to a more than full Barley’s – this being wing night. We said a few hellos and found our way to a barside table. We both ordered a beer. Mindy ordered a Stout and me an IPA. And in honor of wing night, Mindy ordered a dozen honey chipotle and I ordered a dozen Gates of Hell! And if that wasn’t enough, we ordered a full order of sauerkraut balls, too.

We said hello to a few more friends before our food arrived ten minutes later. It was delicious. We were rather quiet while we sucked down our smoked delights. We finished and left by 7:05pm. Mindy had already called jimaken asking that he bring the kids home a little later due to our late start. He kindly agreed.

Once back home we got settled in rather quickly. It wasn’t too long before the children returned. Mindy and I shared a piece of the chocolate pie, too. It was much better today. It was completely chilled, firm, and much less gritty. Lesson learned!
Because of the hour, Mindy readied the kids for bed the minute Jimaken left. I helped with the tuck in process. After that was complete I returned to the PC where I updated my blog and even added the actual script of our wedding ceremony to last Fridays entry. While I blogged Mindy played with her new MP3 player. After that we switched places. She read my blog while I read a little of my book. It was almost 9:30pm. We decided an early bedtime was in order. We could both use the sleep.

Sunday Dinner

Happy Birthday ???? I woke around 8:30am feeling much better than I did the day before. I glanced over at Mindy who was leering at me with reservation. I could hardly blame her given my mood the day before. I forgave her and told her that I felt a lot better. :) By the time I had pee’d, brushed my teeth, and found my way downstairs, it was 8:55am. Like always, I made a pot of coffee, took a vitamin and then got busy with my exercises. Once again, the kids were already up and playing, but hadn’t made nearly the mess they did the morning prior. Already I knew this would be a better a day. I was certain. Jacob decided to walk Ykraps with me. It was quite chilly. By the time I was back and making my first cup of coffee it was pushing 9:30am. Sometime between then and 10am Mindy got up. I was at the PC still editing the hundreds of pictures from our trip. Mindy and I spent a few minutes chatting about Saturday and more specifically my dismal mood. I explained the source of my frustration. As always, she was a good listener. Just before I readied and left for my run Lindsey called and talked with Mindy. She was coming over with Landon in an hour or so. It was just after 10am. Once again, I took the Trabue Rd trail. My run was a good one. I worked up a good sweat and listened to some good tunes along the way. Back home I set my goals relatively low for the day. I chose to make relaxation a priority. Lindsey showed up not long after I returned from my run. We hung out with her, Landon, and Lil’ Rocky for the next half hour. Bella & Lil’ Rocky were going at each other pretty much the entire time. Kinda funny. I had to give Lindsey some parental advice as I watched her allow Lil’ Rocky to defy her orders a couple of times – something he does with regularity. They left just before Jimaken came to pick-up the kids. They left around 1pm to spend some time with his family. In the meantime, Mindy was going shopping at Target. I would have the house to myself for a little while once again! Soon after I returned from my run I took a homemade pie crust out of the freezer. My plan was to make Mindy a chocolate pie for her birthday. I would make it while she shopped. Just before she left for Target, she put a roast in our new Crock Pot. I had never made a chocolate pie before, but thanks to the internet, recipes were aplenty. The recipes I found looked fairly simple. A little sugar, cocoa, egg yokes, and milk - wahla! I baked the unfilled pie crust first. That went well. I mixed the ingredient then cooked it as directed. I poured the filling into the baked shell, covered, and then chilled. I was hopeful that it would turn out half as good as Gloria’s. I spent the rest of the time that Mindy was away selecting pictures to add/upload to my blog. My goal was to get those pictures uploaded yet tonight. Mindy returned around 3pm and not too much later the kids did too. Based on the status of the roast in the Crock Pot, we figured we’d be eating diner around 6pm. I spent the next hour reading in my chair and taking a little nap. Around 5pm I got up and took Ykraps on his evening walk. Jacob went along with me once again. He seems to enjoy our time alone, and so do I. After we returned Mindy declared that diner would be ready a bit sooner than initially expected. We’d be eating at more like 5:30pm. I was very hungry so that was a good thing. Mindy made salad, green beans, and instant mashed potatoes to go along with the roast beef. Everything was a go by 5:30pm as she predicted. And the meal turned out pretty darn good. Even the instant potatoes were tasty in their own right. I couldn’t wait to try the chocolate pie. After we cleaned up the dinner mess we got the pie out of the fridge. We placed eleven candles about the pie, three representing ten years each while the remaining eight represented single years. After singing Happy Birthday we dug in to the pie. Mindy got the first piece. It was her birthday. A quick bite of my piece told the tale quickly. While the pie was tolerable, it certainly wasn’t anything close to Gloria’s. It was a tad warm, runny, and gritty. Still, it was chocolatety and sweet. And my homemade crust was very good, too. I think that I’ll ask Gloria for her recipe, and maybe watch her make it once – that is if she’ll allow me. After dessert I got busy adding pictures to my blog. That took the next hour or so. After I finished uploading pictures I printed a couple for framing at Mindy’s request. After finishing the pictures I opened Mindy’s MP3 player and downloaded a butt load of songs for her. We ended the evening by spending a good twenty minutes soaking in the hot tub. It was gloriously clear & cold, star-filled night. The hot tub was just what the doctor ordered. It was just after 9pm when we headed up to bed. We didn’t go immediately asleep, however. Instead, we tuned in to Family Guy. After watching Family Guy I couldn’t fall asleep. I figured too much sugar. I left the bed and went down stairs to read a little more. I read for about 30 minutes or until I fell asleep. I was back in bed by 11pm.

Extra Crab for me Please

Happy 49th Jodie! The kids must have begged our attention four maybe five times between 7 & 9am. Both Mindy and I resisted their advance and asked them to go play quietly. I figured we’d sleep late after feeling under slept all week long after our return from vacation. I woke feeling not so jovial. OK - more like crabby. Meanwhile, the kids in an attempt to address their own need for food managed to make a messy house messier. And while it’s not fair to blame them, I wasn’t too thrilled. Too, the girls that sat last night spilled a can of soda on the family room carpet. The stain was more than evident in the bright morning light. I exercised and walked Ykraps just as the morning’s coffee finished brewing. A look around the house made me even crabbier. It seemed no matter where my attention turned, there was something amiss. But what got at me most was the unnecessary clutter that I could see in every room. I strive to keep uncluttered spaces, which in turn lend themselves to peace of mind. What our home needs is a top to bottom re-org & cleaning. I returned from walking Ykraps and made myself some coffee. I was still in a crabby mood. I just needed to be alone. After a couple cups of coffee I l readied for my run. Mindy asked that I help ready the kids for church pictures upon my return. I agreed. I ran the Trabue Rd route having not done so for what seemed like a very long time. I hoped the run would ease my pissy mood but for whatever reason, it didn’t. Upon my return I loaded the boxes of clothes destined for the “free store” into Mindy’s van. In doing so, I couldn’t help but notice just how filthy her van was. Holy cow! There was food & stuff strewn everywhere – something I just can’t understand and never ever will. It looked to me that the kids rule that roost. I made brief mention of the mess. Mindy understandably didn’t care so much for the 'constructive criticism', but I couldn’t resist. She was on a tight schedule and needed to head out. After Mindy left I decided to get cracking on the downstairs in lieu of beginning my basement shelf project. My objective was to have the first floor in ship shape by the time Mindy returned which I budgeted for two plus hours. Sometimes when I am in that kind of mood it’s hard for me to start. Everything needed attention. First, I hand washed all of the dishes on the counter. There weren’t that many. Next, I vacuumed the family room and then the ceramic tile. Man was it filthy! Next, I vacuumed the living room dining room combo. All along, my objective was not only to clean but to remove some of the unnecessary clutter that has built up over time. Life has a way of doing that if you’re not determined about it. After removing some clutter my stress began to subside. After starting a load of wash I got busy scrubbing the entire tile flooring. I scrubbed the floor with Pine-Sol, an old dish towel, and a scrubby pad. I got the tile looking sweet! I did the kitchen, hallway, half bath and laundry room. Just as I was finishing up, Mindy and the kids returned. To my dismay, the kids weren’t that concerned with my clean floor. Not five minutes passed before Bella launched her first attack on my squeaky clean floor. I complained about crumbs, shoes, and everything else. They weren’t home long before Mindy turned around and left for the grocery store. She took Bella along, too. Jacob stayed home with me. Our plan was to head out & get hair cuts. We went to Great Clips in Grandview. They were having a $4.99 special. Can’t beat that! I was worried there’d be a long line at Great Clips. Nope. We got right in. And if that‘s not enough, we got parking right outside the door at a meter. Jacob went with one stylist and I with another. I asked for similar cuts. Ten minutes later we were both done. Jacob got whacked pretty good. Looks like they got a bit carried away with his bangs, but they’ll grow back. Mine looked descent. We were back home in less than thirty minutes after first leaving the house. Jacob asked if I’d play some basketball. I obliged. We went to the basement and played for about 40 minutes, or until Mindy returned with groceries. We had fun. When Mindy returned with the groceries both of us went up to help carry in the haul. It wasn’t long after we finished carrying everything in that I realized the book I took along to Great Clips was no where to be found. A quick call to Great Clips revealed that I left it there. Crap! Back to Great Clips. After returning with my book I snuggled up in the reading chair. I dosed and read until the Buckeye basketball game came on at 4pm. This was the final game of the season for the #1 OSU Buckeyes, who just happened to be playing Michigan. As stressed as I was today, I shouldn’t have watched this game. The Buckeyes genuinely played like shit. It was very stressful watching the inept play. I was hard to believe that they're the #1 team in the country. We were down by 6 with just a couple minutes left. I had enough, and soon left to walk Ykraps. It felt good getting out of the house in the fresh cool air. We returned about 8-10 minutes later. I was certain the game was over and the Buckeyes had lost. But to my surprise, they hadn’t. Somehow they pulled out the game in the final minute and won by 4 points. Strange! Mindy and the kids opted for pizza from Minelli’s for dinner. I wasn’t hungry. I spent my entire evening reading, something I don’t do enough of. Mindy readied the kids for bed early then took to our bedroom to watch a movie. I had the downstairs largely to myself, which given my crabby mood was probably a very good thing. I continued to read throughout the entire evening. I stopped once to tuck the kids into bed. Mindy went to bed very early even for her. I think she was in bed by 9pm. I kept reading. Finally, about 10pm I made myself a Jack and Coke and tuned into South Park. It was awfully entertaining. To my delight, there were like four episodes in row. After my Jack & Coke I made a Captain Morgan’s and Fresca. That did me in. I kept falling asleep as I watched a couple more episodes of South Park. At 11:30pm I caved and headed up to bed. I was more than ready for some bed sleep.

Weekend Upon Us

Happy 44th Craig!

Probably one of the coolest things about returning to work on Wednesday was that Friday came fast.

I was up by 5:45am eager to get moving with my day. I did all the stuff I usually do on a work day morning. Nothing too out of the ordinary took place.

I found myself at work by 8:00am ready for my Friday. Thankfully, we didn’t get bowled over. The day’s work came in at a nice steady pace. Come 12:45pm I left for my run. The weather, while a little on the chilly side, was very pleasant. The sun was shining even though the forecasters predicted clouds and even some rain. I was impressed how high the sun stood in the sky, now having to raise my head at an uncomfortable angle just to see the sun. Spring is right around the corner, indeed– just 19 days away!

Unlike years past, March snuck up on me. It just doesn’t seem possible. My theory is the relatively late arrival of winter weather helped cause that. February seemed more like a typical January. Hopefully the feeling will continue and spring will be here before we know it.

The afternoon went quick. It always does. Before I knew it was time to go. Before leaving work I called Ashley to see if she was still planning to watch the kids for a couple hours tonight. She begged out of it due in part to her car not running. I informed Mindy in case she wanted to make alternative arrangements.

Mindy reminded me that she and the kids were going to dinner at Red Lobster this evening with her friend Keri. I left work just after 5pm. And after a quick stop at Target I headed directly home.

I walked Ykraps, and then got busy with some chores. The first thing I did was get the hot tub in working order. It needed some water, so I grabbed the hose out of the shed. I raised the kitchen window and ran the hose from the kitchen sink to the hot tub. I used my handy-dandy kitchen spigot adapter to attach the garden hose and let her rip.

While filling the tub I began updating my blog, which hadn’t been updated since last Thursday’s departure. I had eight days worth of material. The tub took about 20 minutes to bring to full from the sink.

It was just after 6pm and Mindy still wasn’t home. I continued with my efforts to catch up my blog. Mindy and the kids arrived home sometime around 6:45pm. I enjoyed and appreciated the alone time.

Along with the kids, Mindy brought home two teenage girls she’s known for years to watch the kids while we go out to Barleys. As I understood it, these two have watched the kids before. The kids seemed very comfortable around them, too.

The kids insisted on readying for bed and being tucked in before we left. That would make the girls’ jobs easy. I kidded them about watching some of our scarier DVD’s. However, they talked about watching The 40 Year Old Virgin. We left for Barleys after the kids were tucked in – about 8:05pm. We didn’t plan to stay out too late. We figured to be home before 11pm.

Mindy wore her wedding tiara to Barley’s. Because of that, I kept a measured distance between us. :) It wasn’t too crowded at all. The 'marriage keepers', Bob & Mary Ann, were already there, as were Mark & Scott. Mark was celebrating his 50th birthday, which is Saturday, March 3rd. I ordered one of the new Highland Hammer’s, it’s considered “a peated bitter”, whatever the hell that is. Mindy had wine.

Bob printed some 8X10’s of some of the more picturesque Mt Hood shots he had taken. Many at Barley’s were in awe of the vistas. Mary Ann gifted Lindsey on the arrival of her new baby. That was awfully sweet. Bill Gray showed up into the evening as did Aaron and Steve, and Rick. We had a really nice time. Bob and I tossed around the idea of going back to Oregon for the Bend ski trip. More than anything, it was probably the beer talking. Both Mindy and Mary Ann gave their approval.

We left Barleys at 10:45pm. The sitters parents called on our way home to let Mindy know that they were on their way to pick-up the girls – perfect timing. After the girls left Mindy & I stayed up for just a short time longer.

Stuffed Mangos???

I rolled out of bed at 5:40am feeling slightly under slept. But even though I was a little tired I didn’t let it drag me down. Before I knew it, I had my toes tucked neatly under the lip of the sofa and was whipping out my sit-ups. After a brief rest I continued on with push-ups and curls.

Ykraps and I headed out the door for our morning walk well within the usual time window. The cool air in my face helped to further wake me up. We were back inside by 6:03am. All’s right with the world when I’m back before 6:05am.

As usual, I made coffee for Mindy and I then sat at the PC and read the Daily OM and the morning’s Yahoo headlines. At 6:35am I got busy making lunches and cooking breakfast. Today I made tuna salad. For breakfast I made scrambled eggs topped off with Monterey Jack cheese.

Mindy and the kids (Lil’ Rocky included) left the house just after 7:20am. I got in the shower and readied myself rather quickly. I left the house and was at work by 8:10am. Again today work was calm enough to afford me the opportunity to catch up on a number of things. I was most thankful for that little blessing. I left for my run around 12:45pm. It was warm - 45 degrees but it was also raining. I was surprised how chilly it felt with the drizzle and the breeze. It felt much cooler than the day before even though the air temp was in effect the same. Plus, there were lots of deep puddles that I could not dodge and ended up getting pretty wet after slogging my way through them.

I was back in my office and enjoying my lunch by 2pm. The afternoon went quickly. Mindy called to let me know that Lindsey was getting discharged from the hospital this afternoon and needed one of us to pick her up since we had the car seat. I agreed to do the deed directly after work.

Once 5pm rolled around I readied myself to leave. I left the building at 5:12pm destined for OSU hospital. It took a while for me to get there. I didn’t pull into the garage until 5:55pm. Lindsey was arguing with her mother on the phone when I walked in – something about not having any baby blankets. I wondered about that. Geesh! Poor planning – no two ways around that. Truth be told, my nerves were on full alert as they often are when I am around Lindsey. It takes all the restraint I have to contend with Lindsey’s negative energy – real or imagined.

By the time Lindsey and Landon were loaded into the Trooper it was after 6:30pm. It was raining pretty darn hard, too. We had to stop by my house to pick-up Lil’ Rocky. I asked Mindy to wrestle up some baby blankets since Lindsey had none. I dropped Lindsey & Landon at her apartment then headed home for good. I was tired.

It was after 7pm when I finally settled in at home. Thankfully, Mindy already walked Ykraps saving me a little time and frustration. The house smelt terrific. I guessed stuffed peppers (mangos), and I was right! We both muddled our way through a number of chores all before settling down for dinner. Also, Mindy put the kids to bed so that we could enjoy a quiet dinner together, something we hadn’t done in a while. They went right to sleep. They seemed exhausted. Downstairs we sat quietly and enjoyed our dinner. We each ate two stuffed peppers.

After teaming up on the supper dishes Mindy tuned into American Idol. I got busy updating my blog which hadn’t been updated since we left for Oregon last Thursday. I added text through up Tuesday but ran out of time to add the related photos. I’ll have to do that later. I played guitar just before we headed up to bed. Once we were in bed I couldn’t sleep. It’s that Pacific timezone thing, I am sure. I got up and went back downstairs to catch up on some reading. That did the trick. After about ten pages I was drifting off to sleep. I picked myself up and headed back to bed. It was 11:15pm. Tomorrow’s already Friday. Whaoo!

Not So Routine Return

Welcome to our world Landon James 2/28/2007 6lbs 0ounces - 3:01pm

Hard to believe, but it’s already the last day of February. The month moved by so quickly. I suppose that’s because of everything that went on. We had the big snow storms and artic blast, Gloria’s illness, the Super Bowl, Ashley’s B-day, Valentine’s Day, our ski trip, and now the pending birth of my fourth grandchild.

I woke at 5:40am to begin my day. I felt surprisingly good for getting only a little more than 4 hours sleep and for all the skiing over the last four days. I should attribute that in part to a healthy lifestyle.

I went through my usual paces but was noticeably slower at it than usual. But then again, it’s always that way after an extended break. Things aren’t as intuitive as they are when done day after day. By the time I had exercised, walked Ykraps, and made the morning’s first cups of coffee it was after 6:15am. Mindy was already showering when I dropped hers in the master bath.

I read the Daily OM and caught up on the Yahoo headlines before jumping into food prep. And just like everything else, it took twice as long to prep our lunch and get breakfast on the table. I was glad that I remembered to throw my running clothes in the dryer, otherwise I would have introduced yet another delay into my morning.

After Mindy and the kids left for the day I showered and readied for work. About the time I left for work the lack of sleep caught up with me. My eyes were getting heavy. And by the time I arrived at work I felt even sleepier. There was nothing I could do about being tired other than try to snap out of it, and that’s exactly what I did. A couple of my peers commented about how tired I appeared. And did I ever!

Thankfully, I was able to lay a little low throughout the day as compared to most others. This allowed me to catch up on lots of email and other miscellaneous work related tasks. I left for my run around 12:45pm. It felt pretty good getting back on the horse. The weather was nice. It was about 45 degrees and mostly sunny. Subsequently, the run was almost effortless. Back in my office I ate my lunch and then hurried off to a mid-afternoon meeting that lasted until after 3pm. Just before leaving work Mindy called to let me know that Lindsey had her child at 3:01pm. His name is Landon James. The only thing we knew was that he weighed 6lbs even. That’s little these days. Mindy and I planned to visit the hospital this evening after work. We’d be taking all the kids too. Oh boy!

Suddenly, I wasn’t looking too forward to going home with so much to do. Immediately after arriving home I walked Ykraps, unloaded my gear, and did a little unpacking. After freshening up a little we left for the hospital. I hadn’t ever been to OSU hospital before. That would be a new experience. We arrived sometime after 6:30pm. Lil’ Rocky was excited about seeing his new baby brother. He was wrapped tightly in hospital baby blankets unlike anything I had ever seen before. Mindy held him first then allowed Lil’ Rocky to crawl up in bed with his momma to hold him. Being three, he held him like a football. He had to be watched carefully. That whole thing freaked me out.

Jacob and Bella took a turn holding him too. They tend to be a little more careful, especially Jacob. He’s very good with babies. After they all took their turns, I held him for a spell. He was pretty much motionless. Mindy removed his cap to reveal his cone shaped head and flowing locks of hair. I wouldn’t say he’s an ugly baby but I also wouldn’t say he’s beautiful either. Something about boy’s as compared to girl babies. We didn’t stay long and quickly realized we left the car seat and an outfit in our car. We’d have to get that to Lindsey another day, but she said she wasn’t slated to go home until Friday, anyhow.

We kissed Lindsey and Landon goodbye as we departed. We thought that Lil’ Rocky might pitch one not being able to remain there with his mommy, but he didn’t. Mindy prepared him well. We left without incident. After we arrived home Mindy got the kids ready for bed. I spent the time unpacking all of my suitcases and put everything away. Aside from my running attire and ski clothes, I wore very little of my packed items. Note to self.

I spent the rest of the evening down loading pictures and backing up the picture CD’s Glenn made for us. All told, we had over 500 pictures and that doesn’t include those that Bob took. Speaking of Bob, he phoned sometime after 8pm to check in and see how things were going. Lat he left things were a little chaotic. I gave him a full report. He, in turn, gave us a report on his first day home. He opted out of work and instead spent the day on the slopes of Mad River Mt skiing – Dog!

It wasn’t until 11pm that Mindy and I finally went to bed. As tired as I was this morning, I didn’t feel nearly as exhausted now that it was bed time. I suppose my body was still on Pacific time.

The Time Has Come - The Time is Now...

Most of us were up before 7:30am doing what we do each morning. I, of course, was all about doing my exercises and prepping for a run. But before either I made the day’s first pot of coffee with Seattle’s Best.

After sucking down one cup of coffee I dressed in my smelly running clothes for one last run along the Vancouver waterfront. Over the years I’ve logged probably 40 runs along that route. This day I went without my MP3 player or ear covers.

It was spitting rain as I left and at times it rained even harder. For no real good reason, I shortened the run by about a half mile, keeping it closer to my usual weekday five miles. I returned dripping wet and quickly changed back into my PJs and placed my wet running clothes in the dryer. Before taking my shower Mary Ann and I made five sandwiches for the trip home. Last minute we made one for Glenn too, so that he had a packed lunch for work. In our stead, Glenn would find himself left with a fridge full of food, some beer, and a bottle of wine. What we’d take would be the noise and positive energy we brought with us from Ohio.

We all were showered and ready with a good half hour to spare. Glenn was up and busy burning photo CDs for each of us. One CD contained wedding photos and the other the ski trip. Just before we left his house the rain came down hard and began mixing with large snow flakes just as predicted by the local weather forecasters.

At 9:45am we loaded the minivan, hugged and said our goodbyes, and then headed for PDX. The next planned family visit is said to be October. We’ll just have to see.

I realized pulling away that we’d need to stop for gas to fulfill our rental agreement which requires the van be returned on “full”. We gambled thinking surely there’d be many fueling opportunities in and around the airport/rental agencies. It was raining so I was very focused on my driving. As we approached the airport I wasn’t entirely sure how to get to the Thrifty Rental facility. We gambled and turned right on International Way. We were wrong. That made me nervous. While trying to find Thifty I remembered the need to fuel. And as luck would have it, there were no fueling stations to be found. Of “frikin’ course! We finally located the Thrifty lot but couldn’t find fuel. We opted to drive around a little feeling certain that there’d be a gas station nearby. We never found one. Eventually we gave up and decided to eat the high refueling charges we were sure to encounter at Thrifty, although we’d used only a quarter tank.

We pulled up to the rental return and quickly exited the minivan. The young lady asked that I keep it running while she inspected the van and recorded the mileage and such. She noticed the gas not being full and told me she’d have to charge me for fuel. I conceded. However, she returned with my receipt and decided to forego charging us any extra for fuel usage. That was awfully nice!

We loaded our luggage into the airport shuttle and were on our way. He dropped us at the Northwest door all in a matter of five minutes. We opted out of the outdoor check –in kiosk where they charge $2 per bag and instead proceeded inside to the normal counter. Inside we encountered a tremendously long line – probably about 30 folks deep. Suddenly we felt pressed for time. Mindy went back out to confirm if we could fully check ourselves in at the outdoor kiosk. She returned with good news. We could!
We decided that the $2 per bag charge was well worth the no wait line. Together we had seven bags to check. Five minutes later we had all of our luggage checked and all of our boarding passes for home. We tipped the gentleman well and proceeded to security and eventually to our gate – D6.

Boarding began almost the moment we walked up – perfect timing! All of us were seated in the rear of the plane. Mindy and I were right by an engine which ended up being very noisy seats. No biggie! Not long into our flight out of Portland we dug into our packed sandwiches. They were yummy.

Mindy and I read & napped through most of the flight to Minny. Because of the strong tail wind, the flight time was 40 minutes shorter than the flight out (2:40 versus 3:20). Once in Minny we found our gate then found some dinner. We dined at the Rock Bottom Brew Pub. They were very slow but the food was good. We headed for our departing gate thirty minutes prior to departure. Turns out the gate changed last minute, but the walk was minimal. We boarded for home.

The flight to CMH was a short one hour and nineteen minutes. We landed I CMH at 10pm on the nose. Without any trouble we got our luggage and got to Bob’s minivan in the Blue Lot. As we headed down International Dr. Mindy’s phone rang. It was Lindsey requesting our ETA and she sounded somewhat panicked. But then again, when doesn’t she. She said she was in labor and needed to get to the hospital and that she needed Ashley to take her. We told her that we’d be home in short order. Where’s her mother, I wondered.

Bob & Mary Ann dropped us at home just after 11pm. We said our goodbyes and quickly switched back into Stressville mode. Mindy woke the kids while Lindsey prepared to leave for the hospital. The plan all along was for us to keep Lil’ Rocky during her hospital stay. He didn’t like the idea and pleaded with his momma to take him along. Mindy and I just rolled our eyes as once again he was manipulating her. We stressed that there would be no place for him in Labor & Delivery and that he would stop crying seconds after she departed. Surprisingly, she listened and left him with us. And just as expected, he stopped crying instantly. In fact, he was happy to be sharing Bella’s room. Can life get any more frantic?

While walking Ykraps I noticed steam billowing from my deck. What? Upon my return I checked the hot tub to find that it was in the Over Heat mode and running the air jets to attempt cool itself down. Ashley had it cranked to max temp. I wondered how long that had been going on. The water level was down about six inches. Great! What ever happened to coming home from vacation to a peaceful, clean home?

After restoring some order to the home Mindy and I eventually went to bed. Both of us had to work the following morning. It was after 1230am when we fell asleep in our own bed.

Saving the Best for Last

Mindy found her way out of bed and down the stairs even before me. I can’t recall the reason, whether of her own volition or perhaps a call to her cell. Either way, I laid in bed just a short while longer before joining her in the kitchen. Quietly, she went about making some coffee and placing the second strada in the oven all the while I began my exercise regiment. Despite more heavy snow in the forecast, the early morning hours were sunny, so the nearby mountain tops were dappled in brilliant sunlight.

Before even 7:30am I was out the door for a run. I was determined to be on the slopes as close to their opening as possible. The village was noticeably barren as compared to Saturday & Sunday. Along my run I kept glancing northward hoping to catch a glimpse of the mountain top which had remained shrouded in cloud cover for our entire trip thus far. No such luck.

I completed my run around 8:00am. Upon my return to the condo almost everyone was up & eating. Everyone was eager to get to the mountain. We also needed to check out of our room before 11am or we risked a $250 penalty. Several of us chose to forego a shower in favor of more slope time. We left for the day lodge just after 9am. The mountain was noticeably less populated & the parking lot almost empty, but that boded well for us. But, unfortunately, that translated into less staffing, too. It took about an hour or so to go through the ski rental/lift ticket process. I was chomping at the bit to get going. And by the time everyone was outfitted in their gear (Tommy sat out) the sun went back behind the clouds and more snow began to fall. In fact, the day on slopes started out foggier and snowier than the other two days. Still, to our surprise, the magic mile ski run was open.

Mindy, Mary Ann, & Tom S chose to take another blue run over to Stormin’ Norman while Glenn, Bob, and I darted over to take on the Magic Mile even as it appeared completely shrouded in clouds and snow. We figured this might be our only chance to take the run. As we approached the top of the lift it was even more soupy than at the bottom. We could barely see the chair in front of us.

As we exited the lift we poked our way to the right of the lift. Glenn advised that we should stick together and try to follow the lift down keeping the reflective stakes just to our immediate left. That was our plan. As we set out our pace was extremely tentative and slow. The snow was unpacked and completely covered our skis. It was scary. After about a hundred yards a young woman going up the lift advised us to move to the opposite side of the reflective stakes where we’d find a more groomed trail. Thankfully, she was right. While our view was still limited, at least we could see those orange stakes and the trail was groomed smoothly. We kept the stakes in sight all the way down the mountain, still advancing at a snails pace. I enjoyed it. Glenn reported getting a little dizzy not being able to see ground from sky, and Bob was snow blind for not having tinted goggles. I was the only one game for doing it again.

We continued down to Stormin’ Norman in hopes of catching up with the others, which we did rather readily. We skied down that run several times as a large group. Then the entire group of us skied Magic Mile, the run that ate Mindy’s face last February. Mindy managed to master that trail, too. We skied until 1230pm when we agreed to meet at the lodge for lunch. Today, however, we packed sandwiches, which we made just before leaving the condo. A couple of us had a pint of brew, but that was it.

By now it was 1:30pm. Mindy wasn’t up to skiing any more. She said she didn’t want to risk hurting herself. Tommy & Mindy headed to the hot tub & pool. Tom S, Bob, Mary Ann, Glenn, and I headed back to the Magic Mile after a fast run down Molly’s Express – a black diamond run. The Mile was awesome going in and out of cloud cover, however, never revealing her peak.

We did the run about three more times taking a different trail each time. As the afternoon began to wind down we took Otto Lang – the eastern most run - which turned out to be my favorite. Just after 3pm we chose to take it one more time. After taking our time heading down the first section of the mountain we turned around to see the peak finally revealing itself to all. And it was a site to behold, a fitting one at that. Our guests, Bob and Mary Ann finally got to see Mt Hood in all of her glory. It literally took our breath away. Everyone was stoked over seeing the peak and skiing the final run drenched in blue skies and sunshine.

We found Tommy and Mindy in day lodge by the rental returns. We turned in all of our gear, visited the gift shop, and then loaded into the CRVs destined for Portland. We descended the mountain with no regrets and a belly full of skiing and fun.

We arrived back at Glenn’s after a brief stop at the good doctor's sometime between 6 & 7pm. After organizing our gear for the trip home tomorrow we decided a trip back into NW Portland for dinner drinks was in order. We chose to patronize the Blue Moon – a favorite of ours. I drove.

At the Blue Moon I hoped to find fireside seating. More specifically, I hoped to sit at the table with a fire pit at its center. Unfortunately, that table was full. We settled for a large table off in a corner. Just like most of our dinners, we ordered pitchers, appetizers, and entrees’. We hung out in the Blue Moon until about 10pm when we decided to head back to Glenn’s place. Mindy drove having had only one small beer earlier in the evening.

Mindy went to bed while the rest of us stayed up for another beer. I went to bed sometime before 11pm.

Mindy Masters the Moguls

I woke around 7:30am in a wonderfully comfortable, finely appointed, pillow top mattressed bed. I quietly headed down the stairs in my jammies, started a pot of coffee, and whipped out my sit-ups and push-ups. I worried a little last week about where I might run while here on the mountain. But those fears were put aside when we walked to the brewery last night. I was certain that I could run the Government Camp ski village despite the icy-snowy roads.

Mary Ann was the next one up, just as I anticipated. Soon others followed. After a couple cups of fluffy coffee & and a bakery style cookie I took off for my run. I ran first towards the east and then to the west. I could tell that it had snowed all night long. The village appeared to have their own well-equipped snow removal team, which did a fabulous job managing the ever mounting snow pack. Still, the road was very slick. I had to be mindful of my footing throughout my run.

At the villages western edge – the MT Hood Brewery – my turn around point, I was fortunate enough to end up behind a ‘salt truck”, who was actually dropping what appeared to be pulverized rock. That made for excellent traction even on the iciest of spots. I was back at the condo 30 minutes after leaving. I worked up a pretty good sweat despite it being somewhat of an abbreviated run. I worked up the sweat because the last mile was all uphill.

By the time I was back in the condo the breakfast strada was ready to eat. Everyone was up and milling about the kitchen and condo. We were all excited about the prospects of another day on the slopes. By the time everyone was fed, showered, and dressed, it was after 10am. And by the time we were at the ski lodge with our lift tickets it was nearly 11am.

We hit the slopes once again starting out with a green run. I stayed with Mindy even as she struggled with that ever present first drop off. However, somehow we got separated on the long, slow descent and I think she paired up with Mary Ann who skied ahead of Glenn and I. Glenn and I assumed they would return to the top at the first lift. But we were apparently wrong. Looked like it would be just Glenn and I skiing together for the next hour or so. We took advantage of the opportunity by taking on a number of the mountains tougher trails. Again, exhilarating! The fresh snow and powder was nothing short of awesome. The only slight draw back was the occasional white out conditions from the driving snow that continued to pummel the resort.

We kept an eye out for our companions for the next hour. We spotted them on the lift where we were certain that Bob gestured to meet on Pucci. We skied over there but never did find them. It wasn't until just before break time did we intercept one another coming down the same slope. Mindy was noticeably excited about her newly acquired skills which she was quick to demonstrate. She reported running into a ski instructor on the slopes that gave her a few quick pointers, which, for her, turned out to be the ‘holy grail’ of ski tips. Almost miraculously, I could see marked improvement. Now she was skiing like everyone else, only a little slower. These newly acquired skills reenergized Mindy. She was very happy! And a happy Mindy is a happy Jimmy! ;)

Around 2:30pm we made our way into the day lodge where Tommy & Mindy already sat enjoying some wine and the Buckeye/Badger basketball game (#1 vs.#2). And just like the day prior, we ordered a couple of pitchers and some hearty food. As we ate and drank, we watched the remainder of the Buckeye basketball game. They managed to squeak out a one point victory, clinching themselves another outright big ten title.

After lunch we all headed back to slopes. Mindy was more than eager to show off her newly found skills, and I was more than eager to see them. And what a difference. She finally conquered that first descent as we skied down the mountain and eventually made our way to the Stormin’ Norman lift. Mindy skied that trail – a blue – without failing once. I, along with everyone else, was very impressed! It’s funny how one little tip can make such a difference. She was even doing a hockey stop. Watch out winter Olympics; here comes Mindy Thompson-Wright!

We skied that run a few times. Everyone in the group could now do it. Around 3:30pm Tommy & Mindy called it a day and retired to the lodge. The good doctor talked about going in but decided to hang. We skied are asses off for the next hour, or until the lifts closed. We were having a ball!

Come 5pm all the trails were closed. We called it day and retreated to the main Timberline Lodge for a self-guided tour and some brews in one of their bars. We stayed on the mountain until just before 7pm. By the time we headed for the parking lot there were just a few cars smattered about. And yes, the snow continued piling up.

Back at the condo, we relaxed for just a short while before making our way to the Mt Hood Brewing Company for dinner. We arrived just after 8pm. We ordered a couple pitchers of beer and some entrees. I ordered their house burger, Mary Ann, their Salmon, Mindy, a steak & calamari, Glenn calamari, not sure about the others. It was all good! We headed back to the condo by 9:30pm. Once again, Mindy headed directly to bed. I stayed up only another half hour or so. I was in bed shortly after 10:30pm.