On-Call Grandpa

I woke first around 430am to the coo of Olivia. I went down and made a bottle just in case she was ready to eat. But by the time I returned ustairs her sobbing had stopped and she was apparently back asleep. I didn’t dare open the door and enter her room. Minutes later sleep befell me once more. I stayed that way until almost 7:45am when Mindy got up to fetch and feed Olivia for real. I laid there awake for about fifteen minutes while the kids & Mindy toiled with Olivia downstairs. Not wanting to sleep too much of the morning away, I leaped to my feet a little after 8am ready to get my day underway.

Mindy was busy feeding Olivia some cereal and fruit, and had the coffee ready for the go. I choked down a vitamin and then began my exercise routine. It wasn’t too long before Ykraps and I were heading out the door for our morning walk. It was a raw, chilly morning – one I would gladly have traded away for something more seasonal. It was in the mid 30’s, gray, and breezy. What’s worse, the forecast called for rain and temperatures struggling to reach 42 degrees. Not what you’d expect for mid-April.

If there was and upside, it was the fact that I was on-call and in turn had few expectations of myself around the house. Instead, I would be working and keeping an eye on the kids while Mindy went shopping with her mother. Yard work would be delayed for yet another week.

After getting involved in a couple work related matters I finally got myself in a position where I could squeeze in my run. I left for my run around 9:45am. When I returned Mindy had Olivia sleeping in her room and had our breakfast about ready. Very efficient! We were having pancakes and bacon.

Mindy was ready to leave for shopping shortly after breakfast. She wanted to meet her mother at Target around 11am. I simply asked that she assist with getting the kitchen in order before leaving since I had so much on my plate (work issues, Olivia, and the kids). She left around 11:15am. Ashley called just before that to see if I wanted her to come fetch Olivia right away. I didn’t. I was looking forward to spending a little time with her.

I went and got Olivia from her bed around 11:45am and fed her lunch. I fed her peas then some fruit. She ate some of both but wasn’t too excited about the peas. The fruit, I could tell, struck a cord with her. She ate and then happily played with Jacob & Bella for an hour or two while I worked. Ashley called around 1:30pm and said she’d be over to pick her up in the next hour. Around 2pm I gave her a bottle. She sucked it down.

Ashley and Brittany showed up about the time Mindy got home from shopping. We unloaded groceries, said goodbye to Olivia, and then Mindy and the kids left for her mom’s. They were gone for about two hours. I worked some more. They returned home around 4:30pm and I went up and took a much needed shower. As Bella would say, I smelt like running.

We decided that Chipotle’s sounded good for dinner. I flew & bought. I was back by 5:45pm. I had a steak fajita burrito. Mindy had a chicken bowl. The kids ate some of the nacho chips and guacamole. After dinner, you guessed it, more work for me. I worked while Mindy bathed the kids. I got a fire going too. It was a raw rainy evening. We even got another dose of hail during the early evening hours. After the kids were in bed I poured a Jack & Coke. It was very satisfying. Mindy had a glass of wine. We hung out by the fire and talked the evening away. Mindy went to bed around 10pm. I stayed up determined to watch Mad TV and Saturday Night Live. I poured another Jack & Coke. I watched Mad TV until 11:30pm when SNL came on. Work called and gave me a heads up on an ongoing issue. I watched SNL until midnight. I must have fallen asleep, though. Next thing I knew it was 1am. I went to bed.

Instead, a nice Chianti & fava beans

I was up by 5:40am after a pretty restful night’s sleep. It was after 5:45am by the time I was into my exercise routine. That woke me up if I wasn’t already. Ykraps and I were back form our Friday AM walk by 6:07am.

I made our coffee and delivered Mindy’s. She was still sleeping. I left in on the night stand. She asked for a hug & kiss before I headed back downstairs. I did my usual thing. I checked email, the weather forecast, and read the Daily OM. The forecast wasn’t bad for the day. It promised sun and low 50’s. Sadly, though, the weekend looks terrible – an inch of snow and temps struggling to top 42 for Saturday, and only slightly better for Sunday. Just two days ago the weekend looked promising. Easy come - easy go. This weather really tests my patience. Come mid April, I feel cheated if we’re not getting spring like weather. In spite of the gloom, I moved on with my morning routine.

After meditation, I proceeded to do food prep. I packed both of our lunches and made us an omelet. I reminded Mindy to get my fishing license laminated again today. She said she had already left it for the “lamination lady”. Cool. She and the kids left around 7:20am. I ventured up to the shower in some what of curt mood unsure of the catalyst.
Mindy assumed my being on-call since it never sits too well with me. I guess it the weather.

I was ready for work by 7:45am but took a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful sunrise. I took a couple of pictures and played some guitar. That always cures what ails me. I also made sure to grab a couple of checks I had lying around for cashing. I promised myself to get away after my run to take care of a couple pressing errands. I left the house at 7:55am.

I listened to the Word – WRFD radio into work. Every now and then I like to listen to the gospel and contemplate it’s impact on my psyche. I arrived to work around 8:15am and walked in with two others. We joked about the weather being so nice today but going in the shitter for the weekend. Joking about it is one way to deal with it, I surmise.

Work was tough like most Friday’s. But this Friday was a smidgeon tougher only because I would be on-call. I always work a little harder protecting my own interests, I suppose. The morning flew by. Runtime was upon me like nothing. I had considered lunching with a buddy but canceled due to work load and my desire to complete my after run errands. My run went extremely well. It was 45 degrees and sunny. I love the home stretch run on a Friday. It feels so good to bring it on home, although technically, the running never ends.

After a quick shower I set out to run my two errands. I visited The Anderson’s to view their patio furniture then hit the bank. I was back 45 minutes later. It didn’t take me long. I didn’t see anything at the Anderson’s that I really liked. My favorite patio set thus far surprisingly resides at Wal-Mart.

The afternoon went quickly. It always does. I was at work until almost 5:20pm. And because I was essentially bringing work home with me, I wasn’t in my usual Friday afternoon cheery mood. But I wasn’t in a bad mood – just even keeled. Mindy made arrangements for Olivia to spend the night with us. I was excited about that. We were not going to Barley’s and instead staying home with the kids having pizza and doing movies.

I talked with Joey earlier in the day too about having Kaileigh. But she was doing some equestrian event with her step-mom, Shellie. Joey promised to have her call me this weekend. That’ll work.

Once home all of us set out on a walk with Ykraps. It was still rather nice, considering. We ran into the Shultz’s in their cul-de-sac playing with Lisa’s new car- a Mustang convertible – Wahoo! We chatted with them for several minutes while gushing over Lisa’s new car. Ykraps, needing to relieve himself, hiked his leg on their daughter Ellena’s jeans. Bad dog! It was funny, though. J

As we left, we made plans for them to stop over later. Cool, we haven’t hung with them in awhile. We finished our walk with our rowdy kids. They were playing with rocks around Lisa’s new car. I was sure they were gonna launch one her way. Luckily, they didn’t. Back home we ordered two Minelli’s pizzas. I drove to get them after about fifteen minutes. They were ready when I got there. I ate a small corner piece on my way home.

Mindy was thoughtful enough to chill a few beers for me while I was gone. I wanted soda with my pizza, though. We ate pizza for the next 30 minutes. Soon Ashley brought Olivia over. Her and Brittany were going to hang out tonight. Mindy and I were both excited about having her spend the night. She was very pleasant and seems to love being around Jacob & Bella. We gave Ash & Brit a bottle of White Zinfandel to take with them since they were going back to Brittany’s for the night.

Pat & Ellena showed up around 8:00pm. Lisa wasn’t feeling well so she stayed home to rest. Pat brought a bottle of Chianti and fava beans. We talked for a couple of hours while also entertaining Olivia. The kids went to bed around 8:30pm – Olivia around 9:15pm. Pat left around 10pm. We stayed up until about 11pm. We talked with brother Tommy at one point – can’t recall what time, exactly.

chicken bones

The heavy storms had passed but thick clouds lingered behind. I managed my way out of bed and down the stairs by 5:45am. I really wished I had woken earlier.
I pushed my way through my rigorous exercises routine then grabbed my winter parka and set out in the less than stellar conditions with my favorite and only dog in tow.

We didn’t make our return until after 6:15pm. Like always, I took Mindy a hot cup of coffee and then returned to the kitchen to begin enjoying my own. I soon took to the PC to read the Daily OM and check the weather forecast, email, and headlines. I finished up my surfing and moved straight to meditation.

Food prep and breakfast was next. We had fried eggs for the first time in a while. Mindy didn’t leave for work until almost 7:25am. She was well behind schedule.

After they departed I got myself ready for work and left by 7:55am. I arrived by 8:15am.

My work day went well. Early on, the window guy called me back and asked if I had gotten his estimate. I did and told him to do the work. He said he’d most likely be out some day next week to complete the repair. Cool! He’s cheaper, seems very knowledgeable, and can get it done sooner rather than later. Work went well. As usual, we were extremely busy but I managed to stay on top of my game all day.

I left for my run around 12:50pm. It wasn’t raining but it was cloudy, cool, and threatening rain. There was a stiff breeze blowing too. Music served as my escape from the less than desirable conditions. All in all, a good run. I returned to my office where I enjoyed my packed lunch. I thought that I might run a couple errands but time didn’t permit. We were very busy. I stayed actively engaged in work related activities right up until 5:30pm when I left for the day.

Mindy called just as I was dialing up her. She reported making wings for dinner and told me that they were all but ready. I made it home by 5:45pm. And after a quick walk of Ykraps, I sat down to enjoy some hot wings. Bella, as she often does, insisted on eating my leftover bones. She loves chewing the gristle of hot wings. Mindy made 30 wings. I think Jacob ate more than anyone. His appetite is growing larger by the day.

The evening was non-eventful. After the kids were neatly tucked into bed, Mindy and I talked while Soundscapes played in the background. She went to bed around 9:00pm. I stayed up and ate popcorn, read, and meditated again. I went to bed around 10:15pm.

Idol - Eyez

I didn’t quite make the 5:30am wake-up call. Instead, 5:45am had to do. I got about 7.25 hours sleep which generally is ideal for my body chemistry. A look out the back door confirmed the cloudiness that I dreaded. We were socked in once again, but at least it was a little warmer. I sped through my exercises, which by the time I was through, I felt wide awake. I leashed up Ykraps and headed out for our morning walk. It was nearly 6am give or take a few minutes, and today was trash day. I looked and listened for the trash truck which like clock work generally shows up just after 6am. I didn’t see or hear him.
We finished our walk and headed back home. Ykraps’ stool was solid like normal. I was happy for both he and I.

I washed my hands then made two cups of coffee. I delivered Mindy’s to our room. She had just popped up & was making the bed in the dark. I gave her a hug and asked if she needed my help. I knew that she didn’t. I went back downstairs to finish my ritual.

I grabbed my own cup of coffee and took to the computer checking email and reading the Daily OM. I checked the weather forecast which promised rain throughout the entire day with temperatures approaching 52 degrees. And looking ahead, I was bummed to see that the weekend forecast had been downgraded significantly. No more 60’s and no more partly sunny skies. Instead, clouds, rain, and possibly even snow with highs in the upper 40’s, a classic case of cold, cloudy, damp, and dreary (CCDD).

After a few minutes on the PC I did my morning meditation. In doing so, I was reminded how important it is for me to be up by 5:30am to be able to meditate longer. I made a mental note to alter my routine to accommodate this. Perhaps I’ll try to rise at 5:15am.

It was 6:40am by the time I began food prep. I made tuna fish, a non-lettuce salad, fruit, and nuts. I made Mindy the same. And once again today, I made a bacon and cheese omelet. I’m such a creature of habit. Both children were moving kind of slow making Mindy’s departure later than usual. She left around 7:25am. The good news was that everyone was in a good mood. I reminded Mindy of my fishing license in her purse which I asked that she laminate.

Like always, I showered and readied for work. I left the house around 7:50am. My morning was smooth & fast. This being Wednesday meant that we had a staff meeting which lasted just the upper side of run time. It was raining pretty good when I grabbed my gym bag and headed down to change. I dressed the best I could for the extremely wet conditions. It was one of those days when I had to psyche myself as I hit the door. I was drenched just a quarter mile into the run. Thankfully, I generated one heck of a lot of body heat to counter any possible chill. After a couple of miles the rain was a non-factor. Just the same, I was soaked through & through, so my afternoon shower felt great!

The second half of my day began with a little food and another meeting. It was 3pm before I made it back to my desk to finish my lunch and complete my day. I was mindful of the clock in part because Mindy requested that I try to get home as early as possible since it was a Mindy Wednesday. As it turned out, I was home by 5:40pm. I did have to stop for gas. Sucking “E” almost the entire trip home, I refused to pay $2.89 at the Hilliard Speedway. I took my chances and drove to the Thornton’s close to home. There gas was only $2.62.

Mindy was taking care of some things around the home when I arrived. I still wasn’t too hungry for eating such a late lunch. While she reheated some frozen spinach lasagna from a month or so ago, I napped in the oversized chair. I didn’t wake until the kids came home and Bella jumped up on my lap. In fact, she startled me. Jacob and I played a game of basketball in the basement until 7:30pm when Mindy beckoned him to bed. I took that as my queue to blog and did so for the next 20 minutes until tuck time. They were in bed by 7:50pm.

I returned downstairs to finish my work on the computer while Mindy watched TV. I joined her just before Idol came on at 9PM. Some time around 8:45pm a wicked thunderstorm rolled through dumping buckets of rain, hail, lightning and heavy winds. It rattled the house & woke the kids. My house must be in the hail belt. Idol for me is like a countdown to summer. Haley, the long-legged 24 year old, got voted off. We’re down to seven. After Idol, Mindy and I headed to bed.

Breaking 50

I was awake and on my feet by 5:30am just like I planned. I was excited to see a clear sky and ultimately the moon hanging at about 6 o’clock in the southern sky. Word has it that we’ve cleared the winter hurdle and can expect a gradual warm-up albeit with a good deal of rain. That suits me fine given that we need the rain to produce thick green grass.

Ykraps and I enjoyed our walk. The birds were going crazy in the trees encircling the pond – a clear indication that better weather’s coming. It’s funny, however, that two weeks ago I would’ve looked at this forecast as bleak all the while temps hovered in the 70’s with sunshine, but now, after a week of frigid cold temps we’ll gladly take the low 50’s.

Back at the house I was a few minutes ahead of schedule. I took Mindy her coffee as usual then returned downstairs to enjoy my own cup of coffee, some surfing, and some quiet meditation. At 6:36am I got busy with food prep. Mindy made the lunch phase easy by packing the two of us salads while cooking dinner the evening before. The salads included meat meaning that all I needed to pack was fruit and nuts. That saved me oodles of time.

I made a cheese and bacon bit omelet for breakfast. I only used two eggs instead of the usual three. Mindy typically doesn’t want that much to eat for breakfast. She left at her usual departure time – perhaps a few minutes late. In the meantime, I got cracking on a shower. By then, we were blanketed in sunshine making the bitter gray days from last week nothing but a distant memory.

I left for week feeling blessed to be alive. It was a pleasure filled drive. I arrived at the same time as my boss – 8:15am. The morning went surprisingly well, much like Monday. During a morning break, I made arrangement for a window service company to come out and repair our leaky double insulated window. The only trouble was they wouldn’t be out until may 8th, and then that was just to measure and plan the repair. I called the company that originally installed the windows after finally remembering who it was. It was APCO. Turns out, they no longer handle Alcoa windows and consequently aren’t allowed to service them. However, they were kind enough to refer me to a gentleman that does. He used to work for them when they installed and serviced Alcoa windows. According to them, he was the best in town. I called and left him a VM. I left for my run at 12:50am excited about running in both the sunshine and the much warmer temperatures. It was 50 degrees. I was able to comfortably run with one layer and a jacket. The run ended enjoyably. I was very happy running in the sun.

The afternoon was just as smooth as the earlier half of the day, just a little shorter. The window guy called me back around 3pm. He was very familiar with my subdivision nadn the window issue. He said he would stop out this evening or possibly tomorrow to make sure of the size and could do the work in about ten days. Cool. However, in doing so, I decided not to cancel the other appointment since it’s so far out and until I’m sure this other guy can get it done.

I must have left the office around 5:10pm and stopped at Home Depot along my way home. I wanted to once again look at their patio furniture along with pricing Dryloc basement water proofer. I also looked at chain saws. I was there for a bout thirty minutes. Time went awfully fast. I arrived home just before 6pm. Mindy had a roast cooking the Crock Pot. She also warmed some of the leftover potatoes for me. Together, all of us walked Ykraps. It was a most enjoyable walk. Man folks were once again out and about taking in the first spring-like evening in about 5 days.

Back at the house we settled down for dinner. That roast was one of the best ever. I seemingly couldn’t get enough. We ate the entire roast, although it was rather small. Clean up went reasonably quick. Mindy asked if I would clean up while she bathed the kids - a good trade from my perspective.

The kids were in bed perhaps a bit too early. I’ll bet it was before 7:30pm. They were both restless and uncharacteristically had trouble falling asleep. Jacob had the hiccups and called for his mother’s help numerous times. Nothing worked. I updated my blog and added pictures for the past four or five days. At 8pm I went in and tuned to American Idol. Mindy read my blog. I saw the first three performers before she joined me. None of the eight were all that impressive. A few were good – Blake, Jordan, and Sanjaya. J-Lo was the special guest that aided the contestants this week She looked great and seemed to give them good advice.

After Idol, Mindy and I watched House. It proved to be a gripping episode. Come 10pm both of us were tired. We went to bed before 10:30pm.

Watery Bowels - type #7

By the time I brushed my teeth and made my way down stairs it was 5:40am. Because Ashley and Olivia were asleep on the couch, I knew I couldn’t do my sit-ups in my usual spot. So, after choking down a vitamin I headed to the livingroom where I tucked my feet under the lip of the Queen Anne recliner and began my workout. At sit-up number forty, I felt a painful twinge in my neck and problematic left shoulder that stopped me in my tracks. I was certain I was set-up for a painful stiff neck. I tried stretching it out and then went on to complete the last fifteen or so sit-ups. The pain crept back, however just as I finished. The last thing I wanted was a more back pain. Through my sit-ups and eventual curls I didn’t feel any additional pain, but I could tell that is was sensitive in that area. I was careful about any sudden movement. I reminded myself to have Mindy walk on my back before she leaves for work.

Ykraps and I headed out for our walk. I wore my winter parka. To my delight, it didn’t feel as cold as I assumed it to be. Clearly, it was above freezing – comparably warmer than the last handful of mornings. Poor Ykraps, he had diarrhea the night before, so I kept him in his pen all night. I was hopeful that he’d be solid this AM but that wasn’t the case. Still more! As much as I hate to leave him penned up all day, I resigned myself to doing so. Otherwise, I figured, we’ll be dealing with puddles of pooh on the nice white carpeting. We gave him a few small pieces of steak Saturday night and some eggs Sunday morning. I suspect it was the steak. He just can’t seem to properly digest anything greasy.

I made coffee and delivered Mindy’s bedside. This was her first day back at the grind in quite a while. I retuned downstairs where I checked my email and enjoyed my coffee. I could hear Olivia cooing in the family room as she often does. She’s such a happy baby. Ashley was up feeding her. Before beginning food prep I spent a few minutes with Olivia. I began food prep after meditation. I made a full lunch for both Mindy and I, and then proceeded to make an omelet for breakfast. Soon, Mindy was downstairs to share a few short minutes with me before shoving off to work. Jacob doesn’t have school until Tuesday and Bella’s on spring break. They were staying home with Ashley, hence why she spent the night. We were expecting Lindsey to drop Lil’ Rocky by soon, too. Mindy left around 7:25am, but not before I had her walk on my back. It cracked in all the right places.

Just as Mindy was pulling out, Lindsey pulled up. Rocky was full of energy and happy to be around Jacob & Bella – he always is. He went right for his Easter basket. They played while I showered and dressed for work. I left for work at 7:50am. At least it was sunny which made the morning drive much more tolerable.

The first half of the work day went surprisingly well. We were in fantastic shape after the holiday weekend. I had a number of things to deal with in support of my team. I stayed busy until run time. I left for the gym at 12:50pm. The temperature when I left the office was a balmy 40 degrees. It’s sad that that now sounds warm when only a week ago it was 80 degrees. I wore my winter gear so I was very comfortable. Add to that the lack of a significant breeze and I had all the makings of an easy run.

I was back in my office a little after 2pm. The afternoon went fast. I couldn’t believe how quickly 5:00pm came around. I stuck around until about 5:15pm. When I left I could see a major traffic snarl on I-270 south. I decided then that I’d take Old Dublin Rd instead. Wise choice. I was home by 5:45pm. I didn’t quite know what to expect pulling in at home. I assumed the kids were already gone with their daddy, but I wasn’t sure if Ashley and Olivia were still there. I assumed that the house would be less than orderly given the way the day unfolded. To my surprise, Mindy was the only one home and the house was sparkling clean. She had obviously worked her tail off getting it in order. We chatted only briefly before I took Ykraps on his walk. He was still penned up, poor guy. Happily, the diarrhea seemed to be gone.

Mindy discovered another puddle of diarrhea at the rear of Ykraps’ pen which migrated onto the floor. I took care of that. We had to throw away two of his favorite stuffed animals. By 6:10pm we were settled and our world in order. With a hour or so to ourselves, Mindy made our dinner. We had bunless onion burgers and leftover jalapeño scalloped potatoes. They were tasty. Just as we finished cleaning up our dishes the kids returned from Monday with dad. It was about 7:10pm. After they got settled in I showed them the Easter family pics we took. I had the piece of leftover lemon cheese cake that Gloria sent home. It was delicious! This was a quick pajama night for the kids – no reading and no bath. Instead, right to bed.

After the kids were tucked into bed I collapsed into the over stuffed chair in the family room where I almost dosed off. I took Ykraps on yet another walk to make sure he had ample opportunity to clear his bowels. Mindy joined me in the family room after spending some time on the PC. We spent a few minutes talking and then headed to bed very early. It must have been just after 9pm.

Pascha

I was disciplined enough to know that I should be up before 7:30am if I were going to run, eat, & shower before leaving for church. I woke around 6:30am dreading my commitment to go along. But after sneaking another thirty minutes of sleep, I was OK with it. I had to get moving.

While I exercised and walked Ykraps, Mindy had to keep the kids at bay. They were ready to make a full assault on the Easter baskets. Ykraps and I were speedy with our business. As we reentered the house, Mindy had our coffee poured and ready as the kids waited patiently on the steps.

Once I was settled back in Mindy allowed the children to have at it. They attacked their baskets like, well, kids on Easter. They had just a little trouble discerning whose was whose. Jacob knowingly dawned the Egg hunter hat that looked like safari hat. Apparently he wears this every year for the family egg hunt. Just before bed, Mindy and I hid 30 eggs around the family room and kitchen.

The hunt was on. The kids ran around grabbing the obvious ones first. The pace slowed only a little while they got to the other more difficult eggs. Within three of four minutes they had them all but one. A quick audit revealed that Bella had found 16 to Jacob’s 13. No surprise. In Guatemala one has to ‘hunt’ their breakfast. The last egg proved difficult. Mindy had to aid the two along by doing the old ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ thing. Eventually, Jacob found the final egg. Fittingly, it was black egg wedged between the black iron counter stools and the island.

Next they sprawled out their bounty and dumped the contents. They were all filled with candy. I snapped a number of pics. After the hunt I wasted little time readying for a run. I left out the door before 9:00am. It was yet another cold, gray, damp & dreary day. Oh how I miss my warm and sunny! I heightened the mood a little with music. It was a good run.
Mindy had breakfast just about ready when I returned. Again, we were having maple bacon and scrambled eggs. I squeezed my shower in before eating to save even more time. Mindy was already showered and done up. However, she was still in her robe.

We ate fast. It was nearly 10am. Mindy’s stated goal was to be out the door by 10:10am. That looked to be in jeopardy due in part to the kids moving slowly. We didn’t leave until 10:20am. Mindy was anxious and worried about being late. She wanted me to drive faster than the posted speed limit. I didn’t. Cooler heads prevailed. We arrived just before mass began. It was very crowded – more crowded than at Xmas. They hosted the worship in the sanctuary. We had to take seating along the side wall.

They baptized Ivy today at the service’s outset. During the service they were doing a communion. I haven’t participated in too many, but knew the gig. Mindy was busy with Bella in the bathroom. I took Jacob along. I wondered why Donna, the pastor Steve’s wife held such a firm grip on the wine goblet as I went to sip. Watching others, they were only dunking their pita bread. Others must have been mortified at my indulgence. I didn’t care and laughed the whole thing off.

Pastor Steve did a very nice job as he often does of tying a real life event to the message of his sermon. Today’s message was on living/being the change that God plans for us. The service must have ended before 11:45am. We headed straight to Gloria’s where we loaded up lots of goodies – candy and food – intended for Craig & Jeff’s. We all headed back to our house for an hour or so where we had lunch and played. I put the now cold jalapeño scalloped potatoes in the oven to get them bubbly hot before heading north.

We left for C & J’s at 2:25pm. Although they live about 25 miles north, it’s a fast drive. We were there before 3:00pm. The majority of the family was already there when we arrived.
One of the first people we saw was Craig’s long time friend Mel, who I hadn’t seen in several months and maybe an entire year. Soon the entire family was there and after everyone got settled, dinner was served buffet style. The main course was a Honey Baked ham with lots of homemade sides. There were baked beans, corn pudding, green beans, and of course, my jalapeño scalloped potatoes. There were a few desserts too. Boston cream pie, lemon cheese cake, & fizzy grape Jello. Everything was delicious. I was just shy of full, having a enough sense not to gorge myself.

After dinner the family sat around C & J’s comfy family room chatting as is often the case. The conversation varied wildly with lots of good natured humor sprinkled in. During the conversation Mindy realized that she lost a wager we had made earlier in the day over the proper pronunciation of the word, omniscience. Another Barley tab on her!

We left C & J’s before 7pm. Mindy wanted to get the kids settled and into bed early since tomorrow is her first day back to school after a week off. She’s been off work a great deal lately with the kids being sick, then Sheila’s passing, and lastly spring break. She has only eight weeks of school left before summer break.

We arrived home at 7:20pm. Ashley was already there with Olivia. We haven’t seen the two of them in about a week. While Mindy readied the kids for bed, I played with Olivia. I had her belly laughing for the first time in a long while. I was a pleasure to hear her laugh so sweetly. After kids went to bed, we watched The Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel.
Mindy went to bed around 9:30pm. I stayed up about thirty minutes longer joining her around 10pm.

Nursery therapy

I forced myself to get up Saturday morning around 8:30am. Mindy really wanted me to stay in bed, but like the tug of the moon on the tides, I was driven to get up and get going with my day.

It took a few to shake the cob webs, but after my calisthenics I felt fine. As promised, it was cold and blustery. Where in the hell has our beautiful spring weather gone? Ykraps and I made quick work of our walk. I was eager for coffee. The coffee went down nice and easy. I spent about an hour teaching myself about the various moon phases on the internet. I found a really cool link that had three simulations that helped me visualize what’s actually occurring. As always, I learned some thing new. The gravitational pull the moon exerts on our oceans is also tugging away at dry ground but with less obvious effect. Still, it has a ‘slowing’ effect on the earth’s rotation. Cool!

Just before 10am I got ready and left for my run. I left without waking Mindy. I hoped to be back before she found her way out of bed. I stayed within the confines of the subdivision, not feeling like worrying about dodging traffic. I was back by 10:35am. Mindy was already up and working on our breakfast. She reported a moment of confusion when waking to find me missing only later to realize that I was running.

We enjoyed a quiet breakfast of scrambled eggs and maple bacon – favorites of ours. We talked about our day and how it might unfold. I shared my desire to visit DeMonye’s Greenhouse and to shop for new patio furniture. Mindy wanted to grocery shop & put together Easter baskets. I convinced her that we shouldn’t waste our coveted daylight hours making the baskets when after all we could do that after the kids go to bed later that night.

After cleaning up our breakfast dishes and showering we left for a day on the town. Our first stop was DeMonye’s. I was particularly interested to check out their selection of Wave petunia’s. However, I was interested in checking out their entire offering as well. Fittingly, it was snowing heavily as we entered their greenhouse. Inside it was like a warm wet summer day. Aside from several Latin nursery workers, I think that we were the only customers walking about the various greenhouses. The visit elevated both our moods.
We got lots of ideas for landscaping projects too.

We left DeMonye’s for Target, but instead of heading back towards familiar turf, we decided to visit Easton. We drove up Sunbury Rd – a scenic drive past my “nourishing mother” – ODU and the back way into Easton. It didn’t take too long at all. Target is under construction. I think that they’re making it the first Super Target in our area. Before looking at their patio furniture we stopped by the pharmacy to visit Mary Ann. She was working but just about to go to lunch. We said a quick hello then carried on with the task at hand.

We slowly made our way towards the patio furniture stopping in home furnishings. Before I knew what hit me, Mindy had an expensive sofa cover in my hands. Boy is she good! Her tactic was asking me which color I liked. Damn! I walked to the outdoor furniture area with a $100 sofa cover under one arm. We didn’t care at all for their patio furniture collection. We left after paying for the sofa cover and went next door to Lowe’s.

Lowes selection left a lot to desire too. We left Lowe’s and headed towards what we thought was the Easton Home Depot. We never found it. We ended up driving back to Grandview and towards the Chambers Rd Kroger. We were both hungry and badly wanted lunch. We ended up at Aladdin’s Eatery in Grandview. Mindy had never been there before. I was sure she would like it. We each had a bowl of their chicken chili and then split a beef kafta. That was plenty. Leaving full, we proceeded to Kroger.

We spent a good hour at Kroger getting a week’s worth of groceries, the fixins for CMR’s jalapeño scalloped potatoes, and a few things for our special Saturday evening dinner. Mindy spent $226. Ouch! We headed towards home. It was darn near 5pm. The kids would be home around 6pm. We unloaded the groceries quickly, and just after the kids got home I took Ykraps on his evening walk. We hung out with the kids through the evening. While Mindy bathed the children, I began prepping the scalloped potatoes. I got the recipe off of CMR’s webpage. I took my time because like any good recipe, it didn’t have the step by step instructions just general ingredients and such.

http://www.camerons-steakhouse.com/recipes.cfm

Once I had the taters under control, I began working on tonight’s steak and sea scallops. We bought some giant sea scallops at Kroger. They looked delicious! Meanwhile, the potatoes were coming along even better than I had hoped. They looked mouthwatering good. The plan was to take them to Craig & Jeff’s Easter dinner party. I was eager to share my latest concoction even if it was borrowed from Cameron.
After the potatoes were completed I placed the min the fridge.

While I toiled in the kitchen, Mindy put together the five main Easter Baskets. She did a masterful job.

I had the scallops and steak ready to go. I cooked the tow T-bone steaks first. After cooking just to perfection I placed the giant scallops in a broil dish after bathing them in a garlic butter concoction. Mindy made the green beans. 15 minutes later we had a delightful dinner for two. The only thing to make it even better was a bottle of champagne, which we bought at Kroger. We splurged. We bought a bottle of Cooke’s Spumante’ for $5.99. For my money it’s perfect!

As the photos will attest, our dinner was fabulous. The steak and scallops were cooked to perfection and I wasn’t over stuffed. We finished out meal late – probably around 9:30pm. After cleaning up the kitchen & polishing off the bottle of champagne we decided to hot tub. It felt wonderful. We went to bed just before 11pm.

Coloring eggs without me

I slept like a log and didn’t want to get up even though it was well past my rise time. At 6am I finally talked myself into getting up moving forward with my morning. After all, it was Friday, my favorite day of the week.

The time I lost stealing extra sleep would be quickly regained due to having less Mindy to-do’s given her ongoing spring-break. After exercise, walking Ykraps, meditation, and some surfing, it was 6:40am and time to get cracking on food prep. While making my food Bella joined me. I made her a bowl of cereal.

I left for work around 7:45am. It was a cold, gray day. In fact, if it hadn’t been a Friday it would’ve been a depressing morning. I arrived at work expecting the worst. We were busy but not nearly as bad as it could’ve been.

I stayed focused all morning hell bent on staying out front of the work curve so to speak. I left for my run around my usual 12:45pm. And it was yet another cold and blustery run. The music whirling in my ears helped to drowned out the cold. A mile into the run the weather was no longer a factor.

I kicked off my afternoon by enjoying some tuna fish & veggies. After finishing my lunch I got back to business. I worked at a good clip all afternoon. By 5:15pm I had had all the fun I could stand. I was ready for the weekend. Along my way home I detoured to Best Buy where I bought some CD-R’s, jewel cases, new ear buds, and a 2 gig USB jump drive. I spent about $84.

It was 5:40pm by the time I was headed towards the freeway. I called Mindy to chat along the way. I hadn’t talked with her all day long. She shared the stories of her egg coloring date with the kids and friends Shellie & Bill. The kids had already left for the night with their daddy. He’d be bringing them home Saturday evening (Easter Holiday). We discussed our intention for the evening. We agreed to visit Barley’s.

I arrived home around 6pm. Mindy didn’t walk Ykraps with me. It was too cold for her, I guess. I know it wasn’t too pleasant for me either. We spent the lion’s share of the early evening chatting about our lives. We readied and left for Barley’s at 7:25pm.

The parking lot at Barley’s was packed. Lucky for us, my self-made parking spot became free just as we entered the lot. I took what was rightfully mine. Several regulars were in attendance; Bob, Mary Ann, Steve, (new guy) Tim, Rebecca, Josh, and others. Janet & Lee were working the bar. I was pleased to see the Reds game playing on the flat panels and big screen. Mindy and I both had a firkin – Russian Imperial Stout. We ordered food just as beer number one vanished. Mindy ordered pulled pork, I think. I ordered a Cuban with fries and Gates of Hell sauce for dipping (screw the catsup). The sandwich was perhaps the best ever – no kidding! I enjoyed a Double Dare IPA with my meal.

We got a little rowdy through the evening but nothing too ridiculous. I cheered every time the Reds did something good. In fact, at one point Lee pulled me aside and asked that I not whistle any longer since it was giving “someone” a headache. I respectfully obliged him, but just the same didn’t really care for what I deemed a bullshit request. I mean, they, by choice, have converted this into somewhat of a “sports bar’ by installing the flat panels and giant screen and then promote the idea of coming in a routing for your team. If one can’t cheer for their team then what the hell. Not worth bitching about, however. Mindy later told me that she overheard the request too and felt the same as I. Again, I enjoy this place too much to make a big deal of it, and it’s not worth worrying about, but it is worthy of mentioning.

We hung out until about 10:15pm. It seemed later probably because we arrived 30-45 minutes earlier than usual. Mindy drove home. She had only one beer. I had had three. At home we pretty much went straight to bed despite thinking otherwise. :) I’ll bet we were asleep by 11pm.

Me and my Aarrow

Not feeling at all lazy, I was up at the crack of dawn (before actually). It was 5:30 and I was ready to take on the day. Despite the cold gloomy forecast, I could see the waning moon in the southern sky and a few stars as I glanced out the back door. That only elevated my already good mood. I approached my exercise routine aggressively and finished up on a high note ready for cold walk with Ykraps. Forgetting how chilly it was, I wore just a fleece. That was a mistake. My fingers were especially cold. I alternated a hand in a pocket to battle the chill. Not only was it in the mid 20’s but there was sharp wind blowing out of the west, too. I returned for some much needed coffee and PC time. After some surfing I spent about ten minutes meditating. I wish I had more time. I made a fresh batch for tuna salad for my lunch and made fried eggs for breakfast. I took Mindy a hot cup of coffee at 7:05am granting her wish for a 7:00am wake-up call. I had to hurry back up stairs though because I gave her my coffee by mistake. Mine’s much better! :) Mindy asked that I keep the shower running after exiting. She was going to the doctor late in the day and taking me to work first thing. I didn’t know for sure, but hoped that the Trooper would be ready for pick-up later in the day. We left for work around 7:45am. Everyone piled in the min-van – a first for me so early in the morning. Mindy dropped me at work around 8:05 at the rear door. After a quick hug and kiss they were off to play and I was off to work. Work was busy, but when isn’t it. Some time mid morning, Mindy phoned to let me know that Ashley hadn’t returned her call and had to struggle for a back-up child care plan while she doctored. She ended up making plans with a friend and fellow teacher pal to come over and watch the kids while she went for her appointment. I left for my run around 12:45pm. It was another cold blustery run. It was 29 degrees with a bitter wind out of the west. I used music to sooth my ears and soon I had forgotten the cold almost entirely. Before I knew it the run was over and I worked up one heck of a sweat. I half expected to see a VM waiting from Aarrow about the Trooper upon my return but there wasn’t. I resigned myself to calling them at 3pm if I didn’t hear from them first. The afternoon blew by. Soon it was 3pm. I called Aarrow. They were working on it and said they’d call me back in minutes. Minutes later they returned my call and said they had fixed it and would split most of the expense with me even after learning that the trouble wasn’t workmanship but an inherent problem with Trooper’s. I was very pleased with the deal. I also had them replace my serpentine belt while it was in. Remember back in January Sears wanted $120 just for it. Aarrow did all that work and only charged me $200 for everything. I let my boss know that I was leaving a little early to pick-up my car. An old friend gave me a ride to the shop. I was on the rode with the Trooper by 4:40pm. I took the back way home and arrived home just after 5pm. Everyone was in a good mood. Mindy was happy with her doctor’s appointment after learning that her pain was nothing to be concerned with. I knew it was nothing but didn’t want to minimize her feelings of concern. Jacob was excited because he was going to the hockey game with his daddy at 6:30pm. Bella was just in a good mood. After walking Ykraps Mindy served up smoked sausage and sauerkraut. The sausage was outstanding, but the kraut was a little bland by no fault of hers. Rather, it was the brand. I gave her a tip for the next time. Buy Snow Floss in a can. Jacob left with his daddy after Jim changed out of his work attire at our home (funny). Mindy was going out with a bunch of teachers who were still on spring break to raise a little hell. I was staying home with Bella. She didn’t leave until Bella was in bed – sometime after 7:45pm. I used the time to catch up on my blog and organize some photos. Around 8:45pm the door bell rang. It was Jacob come a knockin’, already. I was surprised that he was home already. Mindy told me to expect him home around 10pm. He asked for his momma right away even though he knew ahead of time that she wouldn’t be home. He showed signs of a meltdown but kept it in check as he prepared for bed. I was patient with him. That worked well. I let him watch the end of the hockey game from bed and watched about five minutes of it with him. He complained of a tummy ache. I gave him a Tums. As luck would have it, while he tried dozing off, Bella woke crying that her leg hurt. She also wanted her momma. Oh boy! I know the cream trick all too well. I offered it up and she bit. After rubbing some cream on her leg she fell back asleep. For the next hour I played on the computer while eating a bowl of popcorn. I enjoyed my evening at home. Come 10:15pm I went to bed.

Jimmy V's/Snow

I was up at 5:35am to much different weather than what we’d become accustom to. We slept with the ceiling fan on and the window slightly cracked. This allowed lots of chilly air to infiltrate the master bedroom. I grabbed my long pajama pants after brushing my teeth and before heading down stairs.

I whipped out my calisthenics then turned with a jerk and leashed up Ykraps for a long winter’s walk. It was cold, windy, and raw outdoors. Our summery weather was officially history! When we returned I double checked my gym bag to make sure it contained all of the necessary winter running gear.

I whizzed through my morning routine and woke Mindy by her self imposed 7:00am wake-up time. By then I had already packed my lunch (tuna fish) and ate my bacon and cheese omelet. Mindy was in the shower while I prepped for one. I was ready to depart for work by 7:45am. I took my dear old time because I was dropping the Trooper at Aarrow this morning and my ride wouldn’t be there until 8:30am.

Hayden Run Rd was closed east of Cosgray making access to Aarrow less convenient. The only way to get around it was to take Sciot0-Darby Creek Rd west to Elliot Rd the north to Hayden Run, and then east to AArrow. I made it there by 8:10am. I waited in the car listening to ESPN talk radio until 8:20am. I called Eric to make certain that he was on his way. He was. Eric showed up at 8:30am and we back tracked to work.

The first half of my work day went quickly. We had a team meeting at 9am and a staff meeting at 11am. Before I knew it, it was afternoon. I left for my run by 12:45pm. Truthfully, I wasn’t looking too forward to a chilly run. But because I was so well prepared, it was no big deal. It was, however, kinda funny to think that yesterday I ran in shorts and a shirt, yet today I had to run in full winter gear. It even spit snow during my run.

Upon my return to the office I more than half expected to have a VM waiting form Aarrow quoting me a repair estimate. I had forgotten to give them the computer analysis print out that showed similar errors to those they found two years ago when they replaced the intake manifold gasket. In the end, I knew that Dave would treat me fair and review their own record showing the same.

They hadn’t yet called. I talked with Mindy a couple of times while she visited her friend Teri in Westerville. She wanted to know if she needed to pick me up. I still didn’t have that answer. I called Aarrow just after 3:00pm to see where we stood. Dave let me know that it did appear to be the same issue again and that he ordered new intake gaskets. Too, he let me know that he’d need to keep the car over night. I figured as much. I called Mindy to let her know that I’d need a ride home. We also decided since it was a Mindy Wednesday that we’d go to Jimmy V’s in Grandview for dinner.

Mindy showed up at about 5:15pm. That was perfect timing. We drove straight to Grandview taking Davidson Rd to Old Dublin and then onto Riverside Dr. It began to snow as we arrived at Jimmy V’s. Before heading in, we stopped in the UOS store to get an estimate on shipping a 4’X5’ painting from Portland, Oregon to CMH. They emphasized that it was an estimate but said it would be about $122. Of course boxing it up would be another $20 or $30. We now had a rough idea what to expect. I told Mindy as we exited that we should now get a framing estimate so we can determine if it makes more sense to have it shipped via a tube and reframed in CMH. Besides, even though we love the art, neither of us care a great deal for the current frame.

We entered Jimmy V’s. It was pretty empty and we told to seat ourselves. We’ve heard good things about the food. We ordered pan seared calamari in clam sauce as an appetizer and Mindy order a gyro platter. I ordered a gyro sandwich. Everything was OK, but nothing to rave about. Some of the calamari was too rubbery for my liking – anyone’s for that matter. Our waitress was nice. Her name was Zelia. She had a foreign accent of some sort. She knows Mindy’s friend.

We left for home around 6:40pm and arrived by 6:50pm. Both of us were in a hurry to change out of our clothes and into our PJs. We laid on the bed for a short stint before the kids returned with Jimaken. They were home by 7:15pm. After Jim departed Mindy wasted little time readying the children for bed. I prepped the morning’s coffee and washed the few dishes in the sink by hand (mostly my lunch dishes). Next, I took to the sofa & TV to catch the Reds game on Fox Sports. Bronson Arroyo was pitching, which is always a treat. Not being so used to watching the TV, it made me very sleepy. I must have dosed off after inning number four or five.

I woke just as the game ended and headed up to bed. That must have been close to 10pm.

Ohio Men Attacked by Gator - Again

I was up by 5:40am and well rested after a good 7 hours of sleep. I was anxious yet weary to learn the final score of the Buckeye basketball game. My gut told me that we lost. Either way, it was a great season for the basketball Buckeyes.

As always, I did my exercises and took Ykraps on his morning walk. On what was expected to be the last warm day for quite awhile. The moon was once again out in full force obstructed by nothing. It was so gorgeous that it was hard to imagine it being below freezing tomorrow morning, but that’s what is predicted. Upon my return from our walk, I poured a cup of coffee and headed to the PC to check the basketball score. Buckeyes lost by nine.

Mindy asked to be up by 7:30am, but that would happen regardless given my 7:15am shower time. I left for work around 7:45am and limped along to work once again in my poorly running Trooper. Wednesday can’t come soon enough

Work was incredibly busy. There was little if any talk of the Buckeyes losing. The temperature soared into the 70’s quickly. It was 74 degrees by the time I left for my run. Mindy and the kids were going to the zoo. They had superb weather for such a trip.

I left for my run around 1pm. It was plenty beautiful and warm. A slight haze began to seep into our other wise blue skies during my run. Again, it was hard to imagine the bottom falling out as predicted.

The afternoon was as grueling as the morning. I was actively involved in many issues. Still, I managed to eave for home around 5:10pm. Not long after arriving home Mindy left to attend the wake of a longtime church friend. She was back around 6:30pm.

When she returned I was ready for a nap. Jacob and I played a long game of basement basketball before hand. While she made dinner I slept on the couch. I woke just after 7pm to eat some tasty chicken breast and green beans.

The remainder of the evening was spent fooling around on the PC and then watching Idol and House. We went to be promptly at 10pm.

Deja Vu

I was up at 5:30am after a very good night’s sleep. Moonlight was shining in through our half-moon window. That did nothing but energize me.

I quietly went about my morning routine being careful not to wake the kids or Mindy, this being their first day of spring break. Mindy did, however, request a 7:30am wake up call since she’ll still be taking Bella to preschool.

After my exercises Ykraps and I headed out for our morning walk. The sky was spectacular. There must have been a million stars visible to the naked eye and the moon brighter than bright. I marveled at the view.

Back home I prepped my first cup of coffee then took some time for quiet meditation while it was still dark. I found it very calming and peaceful. I needed that!

I moved on with food prep, packing myself some sliced turkey & cheese, fruit, and a non-lettuce salad. I made a bacon and cheese omelet for breakfast. I was ready to hit the shower by 7:10am. I took Mindy her coffee and placed it on the night stand but still avoided waking her. I was almost certain she’d wake once I started my noisy grooming process.

I was ready to go by 7:32am. Mindy and the kids joined me downstairs. Having said goodbye last night, I didn’t bother waking Glenn. From our conversation, it doesn’t sound like we’ll be seeing him again before October, but I guess that’s subject to change. I left for work around 7:45am.

It was a spectacular sunrise. Word has it that this is the second to last day of our freakishly warm spring weather. According to the experts, the bottom’s expected to drop out on Wednesday with snow, high temps in the 30’s, and low’s approaching 20 degrees – not pretty! And looking out several days, the warmest temp on the horizon will be next Monday, and then it will barely reach 50 degrees- yikes! But hey, maybe they’ll be wrong!

Once settled in I immersed myself in work and forgot about everything else for a spell. However, during a self-imposed coffee break I contacted Aarrow Radiator to make an appointment for my Trooper. They asked that I bring her in on Wednesday. I’ll limp her along until then. I worked hard up until run time. I left for my run at 12:45pm. It was an absolutely gorgeous afternoon and it was a most enjoyable run. I returned to my office after a shower for more of the same hard work. I worked until 5:10pm when I abruptly departed for home. I had forgotten that it was a Jamaken Monday and looked for the kids once I was home. We were alone until 6:30pm. We walked Ykraps together then hung out for a little while. It seemed like just minutes later that the kids were back.

Mindy got the kids ready for bed and told Jacob that he cold watch the National Championship game from bed. It didn't tip off until 9:19pm. I think he fell asleep before the tip. I spent the time leading up to tip-off updating several days of blog material. I was way behind. I finished by 9pm and then readied for the game. Mindy, despite being on spring break, had already thrown in the towel and went to bed around 8:30pm. I was on my own watching the game. I watched the first half from the couch fighting off sleep the entire time. The Buckeyes played rather well but still fell behind similarly to the Tennessee game. We were behind by 11 at the half. It was about 10:15pm. Instead of staying up and enduring the second half, I went to bed. Mindy didn't budge as I crawled under the covers. I fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

Carp-e Diem

I was up at a little after 8am, but unlike many of the days prior it wasn't very pretty. The streets were wet and the skies a dark gray. Mindy said she'd be right behind but she wasn't. I went ahead and whipped out my exercises before hitching up Ykraps for our Sunday morning walk.

While on our walk I gained new hope for a potential clearing. The skies to the immediate west looked quite promising. When I returned home I checked the radar which confirmed that the overnight rain was gone with no appreciable moisture to our west. Perhaps the forecast was wrong and the sun would come out after all.

After some starbucks coffee and some internet fun, Mindy joined me downstairs. Mindy promised to make breakfast burritos today. She'd make them while I ran. I dressed and left for a run just before 10am. The sun already began popping out form behind what was left form the overnight clouds. It looked like a good day in the making after all. I found two golf balls along my run and kept one in each hand. I added them to my collection when I arrived back home.

I can't be certain, but believe that Glenn was already up when I returned. It was darn near 10:45am. I quickly changed out of my running clothes and back into my pajamas. It wasn't too long before the burritos were ready. Instead of potatoes, Mindy made them with rice. I liked them much better that way. After two of those, I was full. As the weather improved I took to the back yard hell bent on completing my abandoned chores. Jacob asked if he could fish while I worked. Somehow, though, I knew that my yard work would at best interrupted and at worst completely stifled.

Jacob used the old bread he had just earlier threw out in the backyard brush for bait. (my idea). He asked for my help baiting and casting. We threw in the line and less than 30 seconds later we had a big fat carp on the line. It must have weighed five or six pounds. He was excited and yelled for his momma and Bella to come see. They brought the camera. After throwing the big fish back in the water we rebaited the hook. Less than two minutes later we had yet another big fish on the line only this time it was Jacob who pulled it in. This one was even bigger than the first and had the hook half way down its mouth. We got another picture or two.
Believe it or not we caught another fish minutes later. Now I've lived here 13 years and admittedly have only fished myself a handful of times. But over those same years I've seen countless kids and parents alike fish these waters. Rare is it that the ever catch one of these big elusive carp. I'm not sure if it's the bread, the weather, or season. What I do know is that we caught three of these big suckers in less than twenty minutes time. The kids fished for another half hour but never got another nibble. Word must've gotten out to the family. :)

It wasn't long before Mindy and Glenn were heading off to Target and Jacob and Bella were leaving with their father for some Manken family time. Before Glenn & Mindy left, we carried Mindy's middle van seat from the shed and reinstalled it. It's been in the garage since the big move. I would have a couple of hours to whip out some chores. Meanwhile, the weather was only getting nicer. It was sunny and warm with a gentle spring breeze. Very nice! During the next two hours I managed to trim some more hedges, fertilize the lawn, tune the push mower, and cut the front lawn. I felt very good about what I had accomplished. I could've done more except that it was 2:30pm and we were planning on being at Joe's for dinner at 4pm. I still had to shower and put things away.

The kids arrived home after I got out of the shower and was sitting on the deck strumming my guitar. Minutes late Glenn and Mindy returned. It was almost 3:30pm. We loaded a cooler with soda then left for Joe's in the min-van, Glenn included. He would get the opportunity to participate in the infamous Sunday dinner.

We arrived at Joe's place around 4:10pm. It was very nice and right in the heart of Vic Village. I enjoyed the art of one roommate. And I particularly fell in love with a Picasso like piece she'd done. We ordered three giant pizzas from Adriatico's. I'd never had it before, so I was looking forward to giving it a rub and a whirl. We all chipped in to lighten the burden on any one particular person/s. The kids and I played in the front yard an anticipation of the pizzas arrival. It arrived about 45 minutes later.

The pizza was good. I had three slices - two pepperoni and one cheese. It was good but certainly not as good as Minielli's. After stuffing ourselves with pizza we left for a walk at Goodale Park. It was about a half-mile walk by my estimate. The park was crowded with lots of dog walkers. The park was very beautiful, too. I hadn't been to Goodale Park in quite sometime - at least two years. They've made some dramatic improvements over the years.

After playing on the swings and slides for about twenty minutes most of us walked back. We were encouraged to hurry since Bella had to pee. We made it back in a bout twenty minutes. We had dessert upon our return. Most had Gloria's peanut butter fudge, but I had cheesecake. It was very good. Come 7pm we loaded up the van and drove back to Beverley - Scioto Woods that is. Swimming pools and movie stars. Yeah -right!

I walked Ykraps. He was anxious for a walk. Mindy readied the kids for bed with a bath. Glenn and I took to the deck for some guitar playing and eventually a drink. The sunset was spectacular as was the rising of the moon. I got the picture to prove it. After being out there a while, Mindy finally joined us. We stayed outdoors lighting the torches and enjoying the evening's warmth. It was very nice. At 10pm we said our good byes to Glenn as it was unlikely that we'd see him again until next time. Mindy and I went to bed around 10:15pm. Glenn stayed up entertaining himself as he often does.

Gator Bait

I was the first one up. It was 8:45am. I made coffee and then quick work of my exercises. Bella and Jacob were up and downstairs too. It wasn’t long before Bella and I were walking Ykraps. It was noticeably cooler than the past several days, so Bella ended up underdressed for the occasion.

Upon our return we allowed Mindy to sleep. The kids played somewhat quietly. I coffee’d and surfed around the internet. Mindy got up around 10am. Afte checking my phone I saw that my Dad had called, presumably to go to breakfast with Glenn. I think Glenn forgot about making those loose plans on Thursday evening. Once awake, he eventually got a hold of dad and made arrangements for Dad to pick him up.

After Glenn left with Dad I readied for my run. Mindy made breakfast for her and I along with the kids. I checked the radar, it looked like the rain was well to our east and that it might end up clearing up after all. That made me happy. I ran along Trabue Rd. Raymond Golf course was as crowded as it has been since last fall. It was good to see so many golfers out. I had an enjoyable run under mostly sunny skies.

When I got home our breakfast was all but ready. The house smelt terrific! We all sat and ate our maple bacon and scrambled eggs together. Around 11:30 I insisted that I get busy on the year’s first ‘real’ yard work day. Jacob & Bella volunteered to help. I was happy to have their help. We began by raking all the fallen willow branches from around the shed and under the tree. There were more than plenty. We got out the 9x12 tarp to help drag them away.

About then I asked Mindy for some water and an anti-inflammatory mostly for preventive measures. At the same time I asked for her help. She soon joined us out back. Together we began raking the debris from the rear flower beds and under the deck and shrubs. While Mindy raked, I took the electric hedge trimmers to the ornamental grasses and shrubs surrounding the deck. Thirty minutes later we had two tarps full of yard debris to drag away. Just as were finished the raking the rains returned putting a kibosh on my afternoon plans. I really wanted to trim some more, rake out the front flower beds, and fertilize the lawn. I tried toughing it out for another 15-20 minutes but the rain came down even harder. By the time I went back inside it was pouring.

We were wondering just what in the heck we were going to do for the rest of the afternoon since our outdoor plans were dashed. But that wonderment didn't last. Around 1:30pm Ashley came to the door asking if Lil' Rocky could stay with us while her and Linzy went grocery shopping. We willingly agreed, but asked where the babies were. They were in the car. We asked them in, too. Soon we had all three grandchildren with us. Something about having all three of them around makes me feel whole. The only one missing was Kaileigh, who I miss dearly but was apparently out of town. We told the girls to go to the store without the kids. We'd happily watch all three. Landon slept the entire time and was no trouble at all. Rocky was so hungry he spent the better part of his time eating. Olivia needed a nap but was stil very precious. The girls weren't gone too long. They were back before I expected them to be. They visited for a spell then left for Kelly's. At my prompting, they left Rocky behind. I invited him to go grocery shopping with Bella and I. What in the hell was I thinking? I left for the grocery and Mindy left to pay her sister a visit.

Learning from Mindy, I laid out the rules before going into Wal-Mart. The kids were angels, at least compared to what could've been. We were there for almost an hour. After our shopping I dropped Lil' rocky off at ex-Kelly's along with a few grocery items for Lindsey. Bella and I headed home. We were home for another hour before the Buckeye game came on. During that time we grilled some brats and hot dogs. We had a nice little family dinner. During the Buckeye game I was cool as a cucumber, and don't let anyone tell you different. OK, maybe I got a little ansy from time to time. Bottom line the Buckeyes pulled off the magic. They defeated Georgetown 67-60. The kids went to bed after the game, although we allowed Jacob to watch the Florida vs. UCLA game from bed. He didn't last too long. Glenn arrived just after that second game started. We enjoyed a few beers & a couple of shots while watching the game. We did a shot of Goldschlager and then two buttery nipples. Mindy went to bed around 10:30pm. Glenn and tuned into Mad TV and then Saturday Night Live. And just like most any other night, that put me to sleep.