Cecilia, You're Breaking My Heart

Old habits are hard to break. Like clock work, I woke cleanly right at 715am, my typical weekend rise time barring any unforeseen circumstances (think too much beer). Mindy, of course, remained in bed as I slipped out of the room and downstairs. I started a pot of coffee then completed my calisthenics. It was sunny & 64 degrees outside – really nice.

After exercise, I poured a cup of coffee then took to my computer. At some point I rescued Eiknarf who was awake and ready to be released from Bella’s room. I took her on a brief walk where she relieved herself. I took my camera along but forgot that I took the battery out for a charging. No juice!

Back at the house and ahead of my run, I did some writing for my blog. Mindy was up a little before 9am. We spent some time together on the deck ahead of my run. I’m thinking that it was after 930am when I finally headed out.

It was an easy run, only 3 miles. Back at the house I asked Mindy if she planned on attending yoga. Yep. She planned on grocery shopping too. I thought I might trim the red maples around the yard, something I’ve been trying to find the time to do for a couple months. Jimaken came by to pick-up the kids around 11am and planned to keep them until about 3pm since he didn’t get a chance to do dinner with ‘em during the week.

Mindy left for yoga around 1145am. I openly celebrated the fact that I’d have 3.5 hours of alone time to putter around the house. I took my iPod and dock out on the deck then retrieved my tree pruning tools from the garage. I listened to Edgar Winter while trimming the trees.

I took my time with the trimming, removing all the branches that sagged below eye level, and then pretty much any branches with a downward trajectory. I had quite a pile by the time I finished. Not only does it open up the yard a bit more, but it allows more sunlight to the lawn and plants below too, not to mention the additional headroom. I must’ve made 6 or 7 trips back to the compost pile with all the cut branches. The cut branches ranged in size from ½” to as large as 3.5” in diameter.

After taking care of the trees I watered all the flowers front and back. Everything was looking thirsty, including the lawn. Next, I sprayed another dose Weed-Be-Gone. You may recall, I sprayed about 5 gallons the Saturday before I left for NYC. That dose did a remarkable job riding the lawn of most of the weeds.  I wanted to hit that pesky morning glory out back with another dose and then the few patches of remaining clover. I used about ¾ gallon this dose, not that much.

I headed inside where I took care of several inside tasks, including putting the sofa & chair covers in the dryer and then later reinstalling them. I still wasn’t done. Just before getting a shower, I vacuumed the entire downstairs. The house was looking good when I finished.

Mindy got home near 3pm just like she predicted. I helped her carry in groceries. She asked if I made arrangements to have Olivia. Funny, I was just about to tell her that I told Olivia she could spend the night.  Wasn’t sure how that would go over, but I couldn’t resist. Mindy was fine with it. We’d simply take her with us to see Bella perform at the St. Cecilia Festival.

We were expecting the kids to get home anytime. In fact, we were expecting Olivia to arrive at about the same time. Everybody was home by 330pm. We planned to leave for the festival near 4pm to allow enough time to pick-up Gloria, who was going along, too.

It was a gorgeous afternoon with sunny skies and a temperature near 80, just like forecasted. Low humidity too. Picked up Gloria around 415-420pm and arrived at St. Cecilia sometime after 430pm. Not only were we early for Bella’s event, but for the entire festival too. Not much of a crowd at all. Right away, it was pretty obvious that they have a more organized, better ran festival than St Margaret’s and certainly St Mary Magdalene.  A lot better mid-way ride selection as well as nice crowd flow.

Bella and Olivia wanted to ride rides immediately. Mindy sprung for $20 in ride tickets, which were crazy expensive for what they were. The kiddie rides were $3 a piece. We really should’ve sprung for the $15 wrist band. They blew through the $20 worth of tickets in a hurry.

Bella needed to be at the performance tent around 5pm. We headed back there as soon as the ride tickets were gone. You might wonder what Jacob did the entire time the girls rode rides. He used his $10 for two balloon/dart games. He won a prize both times. Not really sure who won, though, them of him. J The prizes were cheap 1 dollar stuffed animals.

The kids wanted drinks, and it was kind of warm standing in the bright sunshine. We fetched drinks from the nearby refreshment tent. We got Olivia some cotton candy too. Bella would get some as well, but Mindy wanted her to perform first, so not to get it all over herself.

Ran into an old friend, Joyce Castarano. Haven’t seen her in years. Introduced her to Mindy. As it turned out, they knew each other somewhat, through Jodi & Larry. They lived across the street from one another.  Joyce is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. And her family can cook like there’s no tomorrow. 100% Italian! Mindy and Joyce exchanged numbers so we can reconnect at another time. She was working the refreshment tent.

Bella’s recital started around 530-6pm. But Bella was one of the last performances. Must’ve been ten others ahead of her. And since she only started two weeks ago, we weren’t expecting too much. She did great, though, doing cart wheels, tumbles, and jumps with another girl about her same age/size.

We stuck around after she finished to watch some Irish jig dancers. They were cute. Ran into Makayla and Lillian, who were there with Lillian’s step dad. Bella really wanted to go find them after her performance and ride big girl rides. But the rest of us were eager to get home and grill our dinner – steaks. That was the plan all along. We didn’t make plans to hang at the festival for that long. Gloria decided to catch a ride home with niece Lindey, who came to watch Bella perform as well.

Think we left for home around 615pm, or just when the crowd was starting to build. I’m not too big on these festivals. For one, the beer is crappy. On our drive home I suggested we skip I-270 so I could see the progress at the new casino. I was surprised. The steel structure is already taking shape. I’ll need to get some photos of the entire area. If things go according to plan, one won’t recognize the entire area ten years from now.

Weren’t home too long before Mindy had me start the grill. I poured a pint of Centennial first. Yum-yum! We had four Rib Eye’s to grill along with a batch of asparagus, which Mindy planned to blanch first. I ended up over cooking the outside of two of the four steaks. All were OK inside, though. Mindy tried inviting the neighbors’ down for dinner but learned that they were off to another friend’s house to watch a NASCAR race.

The steak was good. I ate only about half mine. The asparagus was pretty good, too. Mindy bought a frozen key lime pie at the grocery. Haven't had one of those in eons. She and Bella wanted some pie right after dinner. I wasn't so sure that I wanted any, at least right then. What I did want was another beer. In fact, it wasn't long before I polished off the growler. But not to worry, I had a fine selection of IPAs waiting in the mini garage fridge.

Bella asked a little earlier if we could have a fire on the pondside patio. Why not? Haven't had one all summer. It's been too warm to think about a fire. The kids wanted to roast marshmallows, too, but we didn't have any. We all gathered around the fire, which started rather easily with the aid of charcoal starter fluid. The patio shrinks up in a hurry once you get a fire going. Too close really. I'm thinking about expanding the patio by about three feet, but before I'd get serious, I'll have a fire and put the benches/chairs at an optimum distance to make sure I'm expanding it big enough.

Because we didn't have marshmallows, I suggested that the kids roast hot dogs instead. I half expected them to pooh, pooh that notion. However, they didn't. Instead, they cheered gleefully.  Bella and Olivia roasted hot dogs. Actually, Mindy roasted most of Olivia's. Bothe girls woofed them down in a hurry. We didn't stay out too long. Jacob had the honor of dousing the fire with pond water.

Back inside, I poured myself a Hop Wallop and tuned in to the preseason NFL football game - Lions vs. Patriots. Granted, it was only a preseason game, but the Lion's were kicking their hind ends. They looked really sharp.

Mindy got the kids tucked into bed. Olivia fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. I headed up to tuck 'em in afterwards. Mindy & I headed for bed around 1030pm. Still catching up on my sleep, I guess.

No Beer Friday

All summer long, I've been sleeping much more soundly than I have in years. Unfortunately, that's lead to more than a few overslept mornings, and certainly more than I'm accustomed to. Friday was a good example. I slept really well, but didn't wake for work until 555am. I think it was Mindy who woke me. I hurried out of bed, brushed my teeth, then headed downstairs to get busy with exercise. I did both sit-ups and push-ups over the course of the next five minutes. I then poured some coffee before taking to the internet to check out what was up with the rest of the world.

Really hard to believe that it was already Friday. The work week flew by. I was happy to see a weekend forecast calling for nothing but sunshine and 80 degrees through Monday. Because I limited the time spent online, I was pretty much able get back on track in a hurry, and that was after spending time meditating and stretching, too. I headed out for a run near 640am.

It was gorgeous outside, 63 degrees under clear skies. And this time no morning storms to contend with. I ran the full 4.1 miles without a problem, though I didn't expect one either. Got back home around 720am to a waiting breakfast of fried eggs. As promised, Mindy fried Bella one, too. She was picking at it, doing her best to avoid the runny yoke. Mindy wasn't home much longer. She was off to work by 725am. I was done with breakfast and off to the shower by 732am. By then, the kids were in the family room watching TV.

I was ready quickly, helped along by skipping a shave. I wore jeans and an untucked pink Polo. It was only 748am. Had more than 20 minutes before bus time. I used the time to order new running shoes from Finish Line. Since I'm pretty much sticking to the same make & model, ordering online was a more than viable option. Better selection online, too. It was a snap. Should arrive in 3 -5 days.

Soon it was time to head out. I leashed up Eiknarf and was right behind the kids. Chrissy was already out with Lillian and Makayla, but once I got to the bus stop I realized none of the girls were anywhere to be seen. According to Jacob, they ran off to the cul-de-sac up the street. Not sure why. It wasn't long before the bus came barreling down the street at least five minutes earlier than we expected.  

Uh, where are the girls? They must've seen the bus, and came running in a hurry. They made it back just as the bus door flew open. Chrissy and I chatted briefly talking about weekend plans. Hope to hook-up sometime this weekend. Headed back home with Eiknarf, she taking a dump along the way.

It was only 821am. I was ready to leave and only had to secure the home. I was off to work a minute or two later.

Arrive to work by 840am. After getting settled I walked to my boss's office to say hello. Hadn't seen him for three weeks. We  talked about my NY trip and a couple of the leaders there in the city. Headed back to my office where I fine tuned the monthly report. Around 10am I walked down to chat with a couple peers. They went on about seeing me on YouTube in NYC. We yucked it up for about 30 minutes.

Walked down to the dock hoping that I might've missed the email letting me know that a package awaited me. I ordered a replacement battery for my laptop almost 5 weeks ago. It wasn't there. Crap! I didn't leave for lunch. Instead, spent the early afternoon further fine tuning my monthly report.

 I drove myself crazy all afternoon looking for an email I knew I sent myself in July with detailed instructions on how to compile a certain report. Without that email I'd have to bother my former again. I hated the thought of that. I searched high and low through all my relative folders, including my sent items. Looks like the email server switch in late July screwed me. Lost all my sent items up to that date. In the back of my mind I figured there was a slight chance I sent it to myself at home. I do that sometimes if it's an email I simply can't live without. Before calling my former, I figured I'd check my home inbox.

Out of the blue, I received an email from the loading dock that a package arrived to my attention. Could it be my laptop battery? I hoped so. And sure enough, it was. I headed down to pick it up around 330pm, or just before our staff meeting. I planned on giving it a try just before leaving for the day.

We had our regular staff meeting at 345pm. It lasted until 430pm. Nothing major or earth shattering. Back in my office I spent the rest of the late afternoon gathering data for another report. Before I knew it was 530pm. My boss stopped by on his way out jokingly telling me not to work until 7pm like I did in NYC.  I packed up and left for home around 540pm.

Home near 6pm, Mindy left it up to me whether or not we did dinner at Barley’s. The other option was simply staying home and ordering pizza. I decided that ordering pizza sounded best. I already had a jug of Centennial in the fridge, and hadn’t had a Minelli’s pizza in quite some time. That sounded awfully good. I had a feeling, though, that Mindy thought I’d choose the former.

Bella was in the dumps, Makayla wasn’t home and Emily was being downright rude to her. Not sure what all that was about. Mindy ordered the pizza around 630pm, just before she and I headed out on a short walk with Eiknarf. We walked about a block or so, before turning for home. I needed to fetch the pizza. They always quote 20 minutes but it’s almost always ready in 12-15 minutes.

We ordered just one extra-large pizza for the four of us. We’ve gotten in the habit of ordering two, but because I wanted only pepperoni like the kids, it seemed a waste to get more than one. It was ready as soon as I got there to pick it up. I thought about scavenging a piece on my drive home but didn’t. I waited.

Soon, we were all enjoying some pizza. I’ll bet I ate 10 pieces, but it was cut into small squares. We did some damage leaving no more than 5 or 6 pieces. I washed my pizza down with an ice cold Coke. Nothing sounded better. In the back of my mind I thought I might pour a beer but never did. In fact, after finishing dinner I got comfy on the sofa watching NFL preseason football – Green Bay & Indianapolis. Wasn’t too long before I was sawing logs. Upped and headed to bed early. Bet I was in bed before 1030pm.

A Matter of Perspective

Not relative to the day, but a photo of my NYC peeps in Time Square.

I was up at 530am with relative ease. After getting up at 430am for the better part of 16 days, this felt like sleeping in. I brushed my teeth then headed downstairs. There was another thunderstorm moving through, an all too common occurrence this summer. Home just two mornings with an equal number of early AM storms rumbling through. Well, for Pete's sake!.

I know I’ve gone on about it before, but most other years I’d be hard pressed to have to deal with more than perhaps 2 early AM thunderstorms. This year/summer has been absolutely crazy. Conservatively, I’ll bet there have been at least ten. Most are brief, which only makes it more comical since they move through in such a tight window of about an hour - roughly 545- 645am.  

I did both sit-ups and push-ups before doing anything else. No doubt carry over from my days in NYC. Once exercise was complete I poured some coffee then spent a little time at the PC. Of significant importance was a weather check. Looked like the brunt of the storm was well to our south but we were still getting some of its red upper edge. Looked like it might be gone by 630am.

I enjoyed coffee then did a meditation and stretch. Both went well. Felt really good to be back in my routine at home. Because the online radar is so limited, I tuned the TV to the more detailed radar channel. Looked to be another five minutes or so before the coast would be clear.

I took Mindy some coffee just before heading out on a run. The storm moved out around 625am, and I took the opportunity to get an early start. After all, I’d gotten used to running at 5am while away.

It was plenty warm - 72 degrees – and also very sticky. I didn’t bother me though. In fact, I enjoyed it. It was a good 4.1 mile run. What I noticed more than anything was that it remained dark through at least the first ten minutes or so. Days are growing shorter! Autumn’s not too far behind.

Got home sometime after 7am. I headed in through the overhead garage door grabbing my new shami along the way. Inside, I soaked it in the sink then headed out for what would be the 3^rd day in a row to wipe down the Accord. I wanted it free of those damn water spots. It took me no more than five minutes to complete the deed. Headed inside to a waiting breakfast, a luxury I haven’t been afforded all summer. Mindy fried me two eggs and also had a salad already prepped for my lunch. That was nice.

The kids were up and enjoying their breakfast, too. Bella commented about wanting a bite of my eggs. Oops, forgot! Woofed them down in a hurry. Mindy offered to make her some on Friday. She nodded in agreement. Mindy soon left for school. My mind raced to make sure I had the routine down. Kids need to be at the bus stop at 815am. OK. I can do that. Off to the shower.

Shaved then showered. Was downstairs ready to go by 753am. Unlike last schol year when the kids spent most of their time before the bus in their own rooms, this time they were stuffed under blankets in the family room watching TV. We had more than 20 minutes before departure time.

Not wanting to waste time, I started on Wednesday's blog entry. Got quite a bit done before it was time to head out. Bella was much quicker with her final prep. I handled Eiknarf.

And while it rained earlier, the sun was out and the skies completely clear. According to the weather forecast, we're in for at least three lovely days with sunshine and temps near 80. I'll take that. Heck yes!

Soon the bus was there and the kids aboard, minus Lillian. Just as the bus pulled up, she announced that she left her lunch in the house. Chrissy quizzed Ms Vanorder about waiting while she ran into get it. She agreed. Soon the kids were off to school, and me and Eiknarf headed back towards home. Along our way, she took a dump in Trena's yard, Chrissy that is. :)

It was 827am by the time was out the door and heading off to work. It felt good to be driving my clean new car again, something I hadn't done much of lately. I arrived at work near 845am. It took me a few minutes to get situated, dropping my lunch in the nearest fridge and then procuring some ice water. I decided to poke my head in the NOC to say hello to my former peeps. We chatted for at least 30 minutes talking about my NYC experience and then everything that went on back here. It was 930am in the blink of an eye. And by the time I was settled back into my office it was 945am.

I spent the middle portion of my day working on monthly reports, something I fretted over the entire time away. Went much smoother than I presumed. It was 1pm in a hurry.  I decided it would be good for my soul to take lunch. Besides, I needed to pay a visit to Home Depot and pick-up some 2-cycle engine oil for both the blower and weed whacker.  Arrived around 120pm. Grabbed some 2-cycle oil and then a small spool of .95mm weed whacker line. The .80mm line I have now breaks off too easily.

Headed back to the counter top department hoping at a minimum to get some advice on repairing our fallen undermount sink. I called Modlich granite earlier in the day asking if they would come out and fix it. They weren't interested in the work if they weren't the ones who installed it originally. Great! The kitchen specialist at Home Depot said the same thing. Their contractors won't touch it. Said to give Angie's list a try, sure there are several folks that will do it. Said I could do it myself but would need to have the sink manufacturer so to be sure and buy the proper clip type. Either way, it would require drilling a 1/4" hole in the granite from underneath then installing a small bolt for each clip that would be held in with epoxy. The risk is that the granite can easily crack/break. Oh boy!

I headed back to the office near 2pm. I felt really good about my productive morning. The afternoon went well, too. In amongst my work, I made an appointment to have the Accord's windows tinted on October 15th. Also, rescheduled the ortho appointment I missed while in NYC. Need to have my removable retainer fit.

The day went incredibly fast. It was after 5pm like right now. Felt good! I packed up and left for the day at 520pm. Called brother Tommy on my drive home catching up on what's been going on. Business is doing just OK. Said he turned down an offer to expand with two more stores - Arlington and Smoky Row. Now's not the time.

Jacob was off to soccer practice, though I didn't realize that until we sat for dinner and he wasn't called to the table. It was just the three of us. Mindy warmed leftovers. I asked for the leftover fried chicken. Tasted as if it had been frozen. I asked where it came from. Mindy said Monday dinner. I then learned that Gloria sent it home. Given that knowledge, very plausible that it was in the freezer prior.

While Mindy warmed leftovers, I cut a piece of 1"x2" trim to use as a prop to help hold up the undermount sink. I cut it long on purpose. It didn't take much time. Had it propped up in no time. By no means perfect, but at least it's not at risk of falling away completely.

Dinner clean-up was a snap. Not a lot of washable dishes. Used paper plates. After tidying up the kitchen, I headed to my PC where I worked on my blog. At the same time Mindy headed out to walk Eiknarf. Invited me along, too. Never did make it. When she got back about ten minutes later she offered that we spend some time together on the deck. Said it was lovely. Sounded good to me.  I poured myself a Centennial and Mindy poured a glass of wine. We headed out to the deck.

We sat outside for about 45 minutes, best guess. Jacob was home from soccer practice, I'm guessing near 730-800pm. Went immediately for his skateboard. Was back in a hurry, though, stating that his new board is junk. Asked me to loosen the wheels more. While looking it over more carefully I noticed that the bushing on one of the trucks looks smashed. The trucks are very, very loose. So much so, that the wheels now rub the board when he makes a turn. Not good. He pissed and moaned about his new skateboard for the rest of the night. Spent his own money on it - $60. Told him that had he asked, I would have advised against the purchase. Of course, then, I would've been evil for not allowing him to buy it. Sadly, this was probably best. This way he might learn a valuable lesson.

Mindy agreed.

Headed inside around 830pm anxious to tune into Thursday night preseason NFL football. Game was already underway. The Baltimore Ravens versus the Washington Redskins. Early on the Redskins were puttin' a hurtin' on the Ravens. Might've watched for about 30 minutes before I was overcome by a strong desire for a pillow and the floor.

Next thing I remember was Mindy leaning over the railing asking me to come tuck in the kids and then to come to bed. It took me a few minutes to motivate but eventually did. I rinsed my pint glass then filled it with water before heading upstairs for the tuck and bed. Good night Olde Frothingslosh.

Element of Surprise

For the first time since August 7th, I woke in my own bed. I didn't need to be up at any specific time, though I was expected to see the kids on the school bus at  823am. I woke sometime during Mindy's prep. Not sure the exact time. I brushed my teeth then headed downstairs to start sit-ups and push-ups. Can't recall if I was downstairs when Mindy left or not. Drawing a blank.

Each new school year brings the same controversy with the transportation arm of the school district. In dispute, is the time the bus picks up our kids. Each year they schedule pick-up around 825a at the outset, which throws both Chrissy and me a curve ball since both of us desire to be at work by 830am. In each of the last couple years, we've been able to get the pick-up moved back to 805am. Ms. Vanorder, the bus driver sides with us, although her motives different from ours. She claims she can't get the bus load of kids to school in time with the delayed pick-up. We'll have to see how things unfold this school year.

To that end, I walked the kids and Eiknarf out to the bus stop at 815am. I was warmly greeted there by Lillian and Makayla as well as Chrissy. Eiknarf, I can tell, has owned his walker for the past couple weeks, barking incessantly at every passerby without repercussion. Big surprise with me taking lead, I gave her a big ol jerk as she darted off into the street barking at another dog and owner on the other side. I pulled so abruptly that she tumbled head over heels back towards me. It was completely instinctual. I didn't intend to be so forceful.

The bus pulled up at her scheduled time. Soon the kids were on the bus. New this year, there are other children aboard. We're no longer the first pick-up. Gave Chrissy a hug before heading back home. Hadn't seen her in almost three weeks.

With the house quiet and all to myself, I poured another cup of coffee then spent the next hour or so playing on the internet and writing/updating my blog. It was just after 930am when I got around to running. I was looking forward to a run in the friendly confines of our subdivision, the first such run in 17 days. I wore fresh running clothes: shorts, shirt, and socks. Just as I was slipping on my old sunglasses, I discovered that one the arms broke, no doubt during travel in my carry-on backpack. I wore my expensive Oakley’s instead.

I ran the full 4.1 mile track without any trouble. It’s felt as if I never left home. It was a beautiful morning, sunshine and somewhere in the mid 70’s. Expecting a high in the low 90’s. Much like it was before I left town.

I planned to do a little yard work, including trimming the English Ivy and  the shrubs. They all look out of control all of the sudden. I’d hate to think what the yard would look like if I were gone for a month or more. Yikes!  Before heading out, I made a turkey and cheese sandwich and washed it down with a glass of milk. Both were really good. I’m thinking it was 11am when I headed out for yard work.

The first thing I did was trim the English ivy away from the master bedroom windows/screens. I must have removed 4 or 5 empty bird nests from the ivy.  I then trimmed the rest of the loose Ivy dangling from the front of the house using my aluminum extension ladder. I’ll bet I spent a good hour trimming ivy.

Next, I gave the shrubs out front a haircut with my new electric hedge trimmers. I had a tarp full of debris by the time I finished. By then the sun was hot, and I was sweating like the dickens and feeling worn out, too. Before stopping, however, I hauled everything around back and trimmed the over grown honeysuckle bush engulfing one of the ash trees mid back yard. I hadn’t touched it since mid spring. It’s grown three feet since then.

Because the ground around that bush is anything but level, it’s always a challenge getting it trimmed. In addition, my 6’ step ladder has a tendency to shift side to side (not a lot of lateral support). In kind, it fell over twice, each time me having to bail with the hedge trimmers in hand. I was only up about 3 or 4 feet but could’ve broken an ankle if I landed wrong. Lucky for me, that wasn’t the case.

After I drug all the trimmings to the compost pile I put my tools away then headed inside. I needed a cold drink, perhaps some ice water. I sucked down a Fresca first. It went down like water. I then poured some real ice water. It was somewhere near 230pm. I spent some more time writing and working on my blog. After cooling off I headed out again to rinse and shami the Accord. The overnight storm left large water spots head to toe. And I worked too hard on Tuesday afternoon getting it all shiny to consider driving it covered in water spots. The bane of black cars. 

It was time for a shower. And believe me, it felt great. Still with time on my hands, I folded and put away the two loads of laundry I did on Tuesday. I even took the time to hand wash one of my black sweaters that’s been sitting on my t-shirt/underwear caddy since winter. I let it soak in the kitchen sink for at least an hour.

The kids got home around 4pm. Mindy called near that same time to let me know that she wouldn’t be home before 4pm like she originally thought. Said she was making a stop at the Grove City Kroger. Bella started on her math homework and Jacob headed out to play on his new skateboard.

From my computer I heard Bella let out a shrill from the kitchen. She was concerned with what was in the sink - my soaking sweater. Wasn’t sure what it was. That’s Bella, a drama queen. I’d forgotten all about it. I went to rinse it out and then hang it out on the deck. Just as I slipped my hands into the cool water to grab hold of my sweater, I heard a dull ‘thunk’ sound. Uh-oh! The damn undermount sink came unglued from the granite countertop on one side leaving a gap of almost an inch. Still attached on the otherside. Not good!

I dealt with the sweater then turned my attention to the sink looking it over top and bottom. Apparently, the epoxy the installer used didn’t hold. In such instances, Google is my friend. I went to Google looking for help, options, suggestions, or alternatives. I found several articles/chat boards where a similar event happened.  Many pointed out that gluing with epoxy and not using clips was a certain recipe for disaster. In other words, not if, but when.  The more reading I did the more I became convinced that this wouldn’t be a Jimmy repair, especially if it entails drilling into the granite from underneath to install clips.  And either way, the entire sink, faucet, garbage disposal, and drains will need to come off. I don’t have to tell you that I wasn’t happy.

Mindy got home around 430pm. She asked about my day, Not bad other than the sink being broke. I showed her our dilemma.  I returned to my PC for more research.  One of the most common causes, I learned, was plunging the sink. I asked Mindy if she’d plunged recently. Nope. Hmm?

She asked what I wanted for dinner. Those that know me, know that I can’t think like that under such circumstances. I don’t have the ability to cast a problem like that aside too easily. The last thing on my mind was dinner. Suddenly, I was in a crusty mood. Mindy gave me an earful about it too. One guy said he had to have his entire granite counter top removed to do the repair. Oh hell no! That would ruin our tile backsplash too. Good grief!

I decided to Google Rocktop Granite, the company that installed out counter tops, thinking I might call and complain to them about the half assed install. The news wasn’t good. Seems they’ve since gone bankrupt, and were being sued in federal court for fraud. Apparently kept collecting money up front for new installs despite knowing they were going under and weren’t ever planning to do the work. Must’ve been about 50 cases like that. Just a few years ago, they were touted as the fastest growing company in that sector, with franchises popping up all over the Midwest.

Mindy opted to grill chicken kabobs. Our other option was Tilapia. Not me. Chicken it was. I decided to let go of the problem after resigning myself to the fact that we’ll need to contact a pro. I’ll ask some friends and then make some calls later in the week.

Dinner was ready around 530pm. Mindy made a fresh garden salad to complement the chicken kabobs. She bought some bakery fresh garlic and cheese bread too. Everything was good. Bella had gymnastics practice. I’m thinking at 7pm. Mindy planned to run her there.  I did dinner clean-up being extra careful with the sink. Afterwards I gave some thought to how I might make a temporary post to help hold up that end of the sink from underneath, so at least we can use it. I’d need to do something soon before it falls away at the other end.

While Mindy took Bella to gymnastics, I watered all the flowers out back. Despite the overnight storm, everything was pretty dry. I soaked them all. Jacob and Evan were out front skate boarding. When Mindy got back home, she started some laundry. After finishing up the watering I did some more writing in my blog.

I’m thinking that Mindy left to fetch Bella around 830pm. Jacob asked to go along. While they were out I got comfy on the sofa and tuned into Through the Worm Hole, and later The Wonders of the Universe. I made some popcorn to enjoy while I watched TV. Mindy and Bella had some soon after they got home. They weren't up long, however. Mindy and the kids headed up to bed by 930pm. Meanwhile, both programs had me from hello. The former was an in depth look into whether or not we humans have a 6th sense. The evidence is convincing that we do. The latter program, titled Children of the Stars, was a dive into the 92 known elements in the universe and where they come from. They're all born in stars - nowhere else. And all come about only during a super nova, or the death of a star. And again, nowhere else. Totally fascinating stuff.  Good Night Betelgeuse!

Crusty Cabbie - Comin' Home

First Day of School

Jacob - 63 1/4" (grew 1/4" over the summer)
Bella - 49" (grew 1" over the summer)

I planned to get up at 630am leaving myself 2.5 hours to exercise, run, pack and shower before leaving the hotel by 9am. In reality, I didn't get up and out of bed until 645am. That proved to be plenty of time to do everything I wanted, though I did skip a stretch. Out my window it was hard to tell whether it was cloudy or sunny, but glancing straight up I could just see sunshine shimmering off the top of a nearby skyscraper. Perfect! I quickly slipped into my running shorts and tennies then headed off to the lobby and ultimately the streets for my last run in NYC.  

I followed the same path I took Sunday up Madison Avenue cutting over to 5th avenue at 58th St then into Central Park. With time being of the essence, I took a shorter run through the park, though I am sure I still did a good 4 miles.

Before a shower, I decided to pack, that I way I could avoid working up a sweat in my departing attire. Packing probably took about 20 minutes. I worried that my suitcase might be slightly over the weight limit, though I had a duffle bag in my suitcase if I needed to move some stuff and claim a second checked bag.

Hit the shower at 8am and was ready to go by 825am. I wore shorts, a black t-shirt, and slip on shoes. I was comfy for the flight home. In the lobby, I fetched a cup of coffee then did a little people watching. The lobby was bustling with activity, a site I typically miss being at work by that hour most other week days.

Dave and I agreed to meet in the lobby at 9am. I wasn't expecting him for another 10-15 minutes. However, like me, he showed early, too. Without hesitation, we headed out the door to grab a cab. The bellman graciously did the dirty work for us. Grabbed a NYC taxi - a Ford Explorer. The driver was of Middle Eastern descent, and I could tell he was sizing us up for our travel savvy as we climbed aboard. Told him we were headed to LaGuardia. Said the fare was $35. Great! Soon we were off. We cruised by the U.N. building and then over the east river via the Queensboro bridge. Took a while with heavy traffic most of the way in.

Dropped us somewhere near 940am. To simplify things, I offered to cover the fare if Dave would pay the tip. But when I went to slide my Amex card through the credit card machine the driver promptly said it was out of order. Told him that would be a problem because I was low on cash and was required to use my business card for such expenses. He got rude and heated in a hurry. I pulled a $20 from my wallet and Dave his last $12. Told him this is all we had, and that he should've made it clear that he was cash- only at the outset. Said he told the bellman as much. I heard their dialogue. Method of payment was not discussed. He got angrier by the second. In fact, so much so that he even refused to take our cash. Started calling us names. Kept telling me to open my wallet. I, of course, refused.

I insisted he take the $32 we offered him. He did, albeit reluctantly. I left my cab door open until I got my bag from the back. He was swearing at us the entire time, and let out a big ol' F.U. as we walked away. I guess I wasn't getting out of NYC on a high note. :)

We were fairly quick obtaining our boarding passes and checking our bags. In line we happened upon Paul, a work peep also headed home - Cary, N.C.. He & I were headed to the same concourse  - C. Dave, on the other hand, was headed to D. He and I exchanged well wishes and then headed our separate ways. Paul and I hung for about 45 minutes sitting at my gate since my flight was boarding about 30 minutes in front of his. We talked about kid issues, discovering we had similar issues, although his far easier to repair than mine - no grandchildren involved yet. I encouraged him.

 And just like that, it was time to board - 1035am. Paul headed off to his gate and I boarded my plane. Couldn't have been more than 12 passengers on the flight to CMH. Katherine, the nice looking young flight attendant told us we could sit where ever we desired once we were all accounted for.

I remained in my window seat - 3C since I had no one next to me. Had to pee almost immediately. We hadn't yet started to taxi away from the gate. Katherine said I had time to pee, but not to flush. Had to wait for 5 or 6 planes to take off in front of us but that went fast. Soon we were off the ground. Turns out, I was on the wrong side of the aircraft to see most of Manhattan as we took off towards the east and then circle around to north then west. I did catch a glimpse of Yankee Stadium, Central Park and the skyline, albeit brief. I wanted some photos. Maybe next time.

I did some reading and napping, and took a second potty break too. Before I knew it, we were crossing over the Ohio River. I could see Pittsburgh off to my right, and then a little bit later Salt Fork, Zanesville then Newark. We veered a bit south and passed over Buckeye Lake then into CMH. That was a fast flight. And just like that we were touching down in CMH. Felt good to be home.

I walked to baggage claim where the wait was brief. Once I had my checked bag, I phoned dad, who was waiting in the nearby McDonald's parking lot. Walked out passenger pick-up and called Mindy. We chatted briefly while I awaited dad's taxi service.  I could only hope he'd be more pleasant than the fella  in NYC.  He was. :)

Dad shared the details surrounding his upcoming knee replacement preparatory steps, including the potassium infusion. Surgery scheduled for September 6th. We were home in a snap. Dad helped me carry in my bags. Talked for a while. It was nice to see a cut lawn. But right away I could tell it was cut by someone without much of an interest in the end product. In addition, I could see that someone, probably WOW, had been digging in our yard in the area I resodded last fall. That area has been through so much trauma that it's not even funny. Dad didn't stay long, ten minutes max.

I started unpacking right away. Took about 15 minutes to empty my suitcase and then started on my back pack. I prepped my work backpack with my laptop and everything I'd need to start my work day Thursday.  I then started a load of wash, my running clothes first.

Around 230pm I headed out to wash cars, both the Accord and the BM'er. The Accord was filthy. I was anxious to use my new wash mit and shami. It occurred to me that I haven't driven a car for 16 days, definitely the longest I've gone since I was 18.

Spent about 90 minutes washing the cars. Mindy called just before she arrived home. Knowing it was near time for her to arrive, I was ready to wash her car too. Told her as much when she called. I made room just before she arrived home. Mindy gave me a hug, dropped her things inside then came out to give me a quick hand with the Pilot. It wasn't long before the kids' bus pulled up. Bella was very excited, more so than I expected. She threw down her pack and ran and leaped into my waiting arms. Said she didn't want to let go. Now let me tell you, it doesn't get any better than that.

Mindy had open house scheduled at school with this year's parents. Needed to leave the house around 515pm. Jacob had soccer practice, but Jimaken was picking him up and taking him. he's the coach. Bella and I made plans to go to dinner at Barley's, just she and I - a daddy/daughter date.

Mindy soon left for school, and Jimaken soon arrived to fetch Jacob. Had to be 540pm when Jimaken and Jacob departed for practice. Asked Bella to give me a few minutes before we'd be heading off. I freshened up then grabbed an empty Barley's jug. Planned on bringing home some Centennial. I missed my IPA while in NYC.

Arrived at Barley's around 6pm. We took a barside table for two. April was tending bar and was very attentive. I ordered a Brew Kettle, White Rajah. Zach stopped by to say hello and to chat about his weekend at the family farm in Indiana. Sounds like he worked hard helping mom & dad. Said he shoveled 3 tons of pig shit. :)

Bella ordered from the kid's menu - buffalo chicken tenders. Let me have a few fries.  I eventually ordered some buffalo tenders too, only this time from the regular menu. I ate half the order saving the rest for Jacob. I asked April to fill my jug with Centennial before leaving.

Arrived home by 7pm. Jacob and Mindy weren't too far behind. Right after Jacob and Jimaken left for soccer practice, a UPS box arrived at our doorstep. I figured it Jacob's new skateboard that he'd been anxiously awaiting. It was. He opened it right away and headed out to ride it. I headed out to watch and get a couple photos. Evan was over as well. He and Jacob set up the skateboard ramps out front. Jacob and Mindy bought Evan new skate board wheels, too. I installed the new wheels on his board. I asked Jacob why he felt he needed a new board, his other being just fine. Said this one was far better. Looked the same to my eyes. It was apparent, however, that the 'trucks' were far more maneuverable than the older one.  In fact, Jacob had a hard time adjusting to its quick responsiveness.

Mindy and I headed back in the house after giving the kids an 8pm curfew. I spent time downloading all of the NYC photos to my home PC. Took about 360 pictures - not bad for working 72 hours a week. At Jacob's request, I reheated his chicken tenders on the pizza stone. He was anxious to eat. I enjoyed a fresh Centennial too. Ahhh! It's so good to be home!

Around 9pm I headed to the sofa tuning to the Science Channel. Sadly, there was nothing that caught my interest. Now on my second IPA, I started to dose off. Mindy called me to tuck in the kids around 930pm. But by the time I made it upstairs Jacob was already asleep. Bella, however, seemed wide awake. She was hosting Eiknarf for the night. She gave me a hug and again shared how happy she was that I was finally home.

Off to bed just after 930pm on a non-work night. I must be getting old! Good night crusty cabbie!

Mindy Leaves Manhattan

It would be my last full day in Manhattan, at least for this go round. I woke around 4am, the time Mindy wanted to be up. Can't remember now if I woke her up or if she woke on her own. In any case, she was soon up and in the bathroom preparing for her early departure and first day of school. I'm sure she'd never in her wildest dreams thought she'd be prepping for her first day of school at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. :)

 I might've drifted off to sleep again for a few minutes, but woke for good before Mindy was out of the bathroom. I completed sit-ups while she threw the last of her stuff into her suitcase.Before returning to our room the evening before, we stopped by the front desk to ask the best mode of transport to get to the Newark airport at 430am. Without hesitation, they said to take a cab. 'The bellman will hail one for you. It will run about $60'. Mindy felt at ease with that option. Also while there, I let them know that I'd be checking out on Tuesday morning.

Just like that it was 430am. And after an extended hug and a kiss, Mindy was gone. I don't think either of us was sad. After all, I'd see her again Tuesday.  Without missing a beat, I finished off my pre-run routine by doing push-ups and suckin' down an orange juice. I was off to the fitness center slightly ahead of schedule and on the treadmill by 457am.

I ran 3.22 miles in about 29 minutes all the while ESPN whirled on the built-in TV screen. Still slightly ahead of scheduled, I did some curls with 15lb dumbbells, an exercise that used to be part of my daily routine, but casted aside when I started to experience chronic neck and shoulder pain. And as much as I hate to admit it, I can tell that I've lost some of the sculpted definition in my arms.

Back in my room I check my Droid. Mindy was already at the airport and at her gate. I showered and dressed for my last work day in NYC. Felt good. In the lobby I picked up a large caramel macchiato - nothing else. While waiting on Dave & Natalee, I texted Mindy asking if she was on her plane. She was. Dave & Natalee were down near their usual time of 615-620am. Off to the subway. I was due to buy a new subway pass, this being Monday and a new week. However, because I bought Mindy a $10 pass on Sunday, there were at least two more rides left on her pass. That was ideal. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, that would work out perfectly. Off to work.

It was dry, cool and cloudy, perhaps even a hint of the autumn to come in the air. Gone were the antagonists once so much a part of each morning. It was nice to enter the building in peace. Like most days, we were there early - about 15 minutes. We probably socialized for the first 30 minutes or so, telling of our weekends.  Learned that Paul's wife, Susan, who we went out with Saturday night had her departure flight canceled Sunday evening. Wouldn't be leaving until Monday around noon. Dave & Natalee shared stories from their dinner cruise. Said they had a ball.

Mindy sent another text around 815am letting me know she landed in CMH, and would be calling me once on the road for work. A few minutes later she called from I-270 zipping around to Grove City and her school. Nothing like waking up in the middle of Manhattan and then buzzing around 270 a couple hours later.

The morning flew by. Stayed focused on the task at hand completing all the work assigned. Our catered lunch was especially salty but good - tacos. I had three. Made a large taco salad out of them.

During the afternoon, the realization that our assignment was drawing to close became much more of a reality. I spent a couple of those hours tying up loose ends, including erasing my existence on the PC I used during the 2+ week span.

Dave & Natalee organized a 'last supper' at the Capital City Grill near Wall St. At the time I wasn't sure I'd join them. I was tired and a good night's sleep sounded awfully inviting. However, in the back of my mind I also knew this might be the last time I'd see many of these fine folks. In the end I decided I'd go along.

Also lifting my spirits was my boss back home, who IM'd sharing that I should take Wednesday off to recuperate. That sounded so good. We left the office about ten minutes early. Dave, Natalee & I walked to an Irish pub (lots of them in Manhattan) just a couple blocks away from the office for a quick beer before ultimately making our way to dinner. Chad, Raj, and Meghan , who said they'd join us, were soon there too. We hung there until 745p. Natalee, who made the dinner reservation, said she thought she changed our dinner reservation via the internet to 8pm, but when she got the confirmation email it was for the Capital City Grill in Houston, her hometown. Too funny! We hustled over to the Wall St Capital City Grill now late.

There we joined forces with about 7 more of our work peeps. In total, there were 12 of us. Once again, we were seated in a private dining room where we opted for the restaurant week menu. Not wanting to drink too much and deal with the fallout in the morning, I stuck with only water. Figured I might drink one more beer after dinner. I ordered the NY strip, this time without the lobster tail. Holy smoke! That might've been the best steak I've ever eaten. It was terrific! Dave, Natalee, Meghan, and Vicki all did the wine tour thing - $25 for nine tastes.

Talked with Mindy around 945pm. Shared that we were still at dinner. She asked that I call/text once back at the hotel. But from the sounds of it, she'd almost certainly be sound asleep by then. After dinner a few people in our group hadn't yet seen the NYSE, which was just around the corner. We walked over and took a few photos. I was really ready to call it a night and head back to the hotel. Others, however, wanted to stop at a pub for one last beer. Not caring to ride the subway alone, I went along. What the hell.

We found yet another Irish pub somewhere between the Wall St subway terminal and ground zero. There I ordered a Sam Adams draft. We didn't stay too long. Natalee was pretty much toast - wobbly even. In fact, I thought she might get sick. She was off in the bathroom for quite a while. Maybe she did.

Said goodbye to Chad as he headed the opposite way of us towards his ground zero hotel. Agreed to stay in touch. Dave, Natalee and I headed to the Wall St subway terminal. Waited about five-ten minutes for a train, our longest wait yet. Finally, a train arrived. Nearing midnight, the group of passengers might've been the roughest looking yet. Figures though, given the late hour. They certainly weren't commuters.

Said goodbye to Dave and Natalee in the hotel lobby, though Dave and I learn that our departures were pretty much the same time. We agree to share a cab to the airport (LGA) come morning. Back in my room I texted Mindy that I was home safely. I slipped into my PJs then cracked open one of three remaining Brooklyn IPA's stowed in my mini fridge. Couldn't bear the thought of letting it go to waste. Good night Manhattan. Thanks for the ride!

Coveted Day in Central Park

           

I might’ve woke two or three times briefly but didn’t get up and out of bed until 10am. I wasn’t too surprised given the fact that we stayed up so late. Sleeping late was helped along by the darkened room, thanks to the drawn window shade.

I quickly slipped into my running clothes all the while Mindy remained asleep. I very was anxious to do my first outdoor run in Manhattan. I snatched up Mindy’s door card then started out of the room. Mindy shared that she’d appreciate some coffee. I agreed to get her some coffee before heading off on my run.

I picked up two cups of coffee from the lobby café then returned briefly to the room. I knew from being in the lobby that the sun was shining. That only furthered my eagerness for an outdoor run 

I gave Mindy a hug and headed out the door. It just so happens that I encountered Dave & Natalee heading out for their Hudson River lunch cruise. I passed them on

42^nd St.

I turned north on Madison Avenue. It was immediately obvious that there was a street fair going on up Madison Avenue for about the next ten blocks. Foot traffic was moderate, and I was very fortunate at the cross walks. As you might guess, I had to dance through a few mobs of humanity here and there, but that was expected. After all, I was running in Midtown Manhattan.

Finally, Central Park was in my sights. I was psyched. I crossed Central Park Avenue South and into the park. I was immediately impressed with the beauty and the masses of people, runners, bikers, and walkers. I wound my way around the paved foot trails enjoying the up and down terrain. Just gorgeous! I stopped briefly to check out a softball game at one of the many well-groomed ball parks. On ward.

I probably ran about two miles within the park then headed back to the hotel. As I headed south on Madison Avenue I ran down the middle of the street fair making a game out of dodging the throngs of people. All totaled, I was gone for about 55 minutes.

Mindy was just getting out of the shower when I got back. It was 11am. We briefly discussed the day’s plan, which was to tour Central Park. I took a shower next. Was ready to go by 1130am.

We rode down the elevator with a couple from Sidney Australia. We struck up a brief conversation. They flew into L.A. for a few days then flew here (NYC) and have been here for two weeks.

Mindy and I took the same route I did on my run, choosing to walk/shop the street fair. After about 20 minutes we’d made it only four blocks. At that pace I joked that we wouldn’t get there until evening. We sped it up a little. Each block of the fair was similar to the next.

We made one pit stop into Tiffany’s. Lot’s of people touring the store. I wasn’t impressed. Neither of us had eaten anything. We talked about eating at the street carts. Mindy opted for a hot dog, pretzel, and iced tea. I opted for nothing, but did have a few bites of Mindy’s pretzel. I was eager to tour the park while at leisure.

Finally there, we followed the same foot path I started my run on.  We both were surprised with the massive granite boulders protruding from the earth. I guessed them beaten down by the ice age. My hunch was confirmed by a local Pedicab driver and then again today via Google. In fact, when I returned from my run I told Mindy parts of the park reminded me of Old Man’s Cave. She seemed surprised by the comparison but agreed once she, too, saw it.

We were especially moved by the musicians scattered amongst the park. We encountered two sax players, a violinist playing a Bach Concerto. She was nothing short of amazing. We tipped her well.

We were equally impressed with the bronze sculptures of Beethoven, Columbus, and Shakespeare. About midway through the park we came upon a family choir singing beautifully. Mindy gave them $10 in trade for a CD. Amongst them was an 11-12 year-old male soprano. His voice was angelic.

Two other notable sculptures was the Alice in Wonderland and then The Angels of the Waters resting in the center of a pond. Awesome! We toured the Belvedere Castle, too, which over looks Turtle pond and a newer looking amphitheater.

We could’ve gone on even further, but we had already walked for 3.5 hours. With limited time, we decided to exit the park and find the nearest subway entrance and then head down to the WTC area. We walked along

5^th avenue

to

68^th St

then over to

Lexington Avenue

to the

66^th St

terminal. There we caught the #6 train to 58^th St and then jumped on the #4 express to WTC. Mindy was eager to see ground zero.

Just as I was the first day, Mindy was in awe once we stepped out of the

Fulton St

terminal and Freedom Tower (WTC1) came into view. It’ll give you goose bumps. I took her along

Vessey Ave

, which runs right along the ground zero site. We crossed over

West St

and into the Financial Towers along the waterfront. We headed out to the patio and docks where we gazed out at the Statue of Liberty.

Both of us were hungry, so we opted to dine right there at PJ Clarke’s on the patio along the river. At the outset, it was sunny overhead but clouds were moving in fast. Even saw a few lightning bolts. Watched two cruise ships scoot by and out to sea.

After about 20 minutes, Lady Liberty became completely obscured by clouds/rain. We knew it was only a matter of time before we’d get that same rain. Sure enough, it arrived about five minutes later. Wise to the weather, we moved under the restaurant’s extended overhang a couple minutes ahead of the rain’s arrival.

The rain was hard but also brief. By the way, I enjoyed a delicious cheese burger while Mindy enjoyed a crab cake and salad. She ordered coffee and dessert too. I picked up the check.

We started back to the Fulton St terminal set on going back to the hotel for a brief rest,  but then heading back out to visit Macy’s and the Empire State building. What we hadn’t planned for was a 30 minute stop at the 9/11 pre-museum (the formal museum opens on my birthday, in about three weeks.). It was a touching experience.

Mindy was moved by St Paul’s, an 18^th century Episcopal church that borders ground zero just to the east. Very gothic and unscathed during the 9/11 tragedy. Now closing in on 6pm, we headed back to the hotel taking the 4 train north.

Back at the hotel after a brief delay on the subway. We rested for a while and then talked with the kids. Off to Macy’s, or so we thought. As we hit the revolving doors out to

42^nd St.

we saw that it was raining at a good clip. Neither of us wanted to walk in the rain, especially after all the walking we’d already done. Instead, we ditched into Grand Central Terminal where I gave Mindy the quick $.50 tour.

Mindy cited being hungry again. To be honest, I really thought she was kidding, and gave her a look. After all, I was still full from our late lunch. Most of the food offerings in GCT were closed or closing. I offered the lobby café as an option. Mindy stood staring at the food case for about 10 minutes apparently unable to make a decision. I offered to run after some NYC pizza in the rain. She liked the sound of that. I grabbed my umbrella and headed out to Bravo pizza about two blocks down. Mindy opted for a shower.

Having made that walk at least three other times, it went pretty fast. The rain slowed to sprinkle. I picked up two slices of pepperoni, Sicilian style. I was back in ten minutes. Mindy was already out of the shower, prepping her stuff for a very early AM departure for home.

While Mindy ate and packed, I tuned the TV to the Discovery Channel where we watched Curiosity, this week’s episode about sex.

We were both lying in bed before 9pm hoping to get a restful night of sleep, Mindy before a morning of travel and then her first official school day, and me my last full day of work in NYC. Mindy hoped to be up at 4am. Me, I planned on getting up at 430am.

Unfortunately, we both struggled to find sleep. Not really sure why.
Earlier, I could barely keep my eyes open and was dosing while watching TV. Perhaps it was due to the room temp being too warm. Not really sure. Good night Mindy!

ALERT: Mindy in Manhattan

It was Saturday, but unfortunately another long work day, too. I woke feeling surprisingly good just ahead of 430am. I brushed my teeth and did my calisthenics then did meditation and a stretch.

I headed for the gym just a couple minutes after 5am. Soon I was on the treadmill and running up a good sweat. Finished in something close to 29 minutes. Back to the room for a shower.

Same routine, a shave and a shower. I wore a black short sleeved button up shirt with jeans. I headed down to the lobby at 610am where I picked up a cup of coffee. I didn’t buy oatmeal since I already had one in my back pack. The night before I thought I might tell the lobby desk that my wife was coming in midday and to let her in my room. However, in my hurry to get to the subway, I forgot. Met Dave and Natalee and we headed off.

Because it was Saturday, the subway terminal and platform was a much less crowded. It was a pleasant morning in the financial district, and a nice walk to the building.

Breakfast was served earlier than most other days – well before 8am. I grabbed only a poppy seed muffin and more coffee. Again, I had oatmeal in my back pack.

Stayed real busy all morning long. Mindy texted early morning letting me know that she intended to try and get on the early afternoon flight via standby. Leaving for the airport around noon. Worked hard. Dave, Chad and I took a break around 11am and walked over to the waterfront park. It was gorgeous. Nothing but blue skies and sunshine.  And of course we were badgered on our way out and then back in.

Mindy texted that she was at the airport. It wasn’t 30 minutes later that we received word that our work assignment would end after Monday. I was thrilled with the news. I let Mindy know the news just ahead of 2pm. She was already at the airport waiting to catch the standby flight to NYC. About a half hour later she said the flight was full – couldn’t get on. Wouldn’t be leaving CMH until 520pm. Said she was gonna go after food and wine. Also said if that one got canceled she wasn’t gonna come.

There was an all-hands meeting called around 3pm to cover the details surrounding our work assignment ending. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes.  I spent a couple hours that afternoon making travel arrangement for home on Tuesday. Also canceled my Labor Day weekend round trip ticket. That felt good.

Mindy texted again around 5pm to let me know that she was finally on a plane bound for Newark. I made plans with a handful of peeps to meet in Grand Central terminal some time after Mindy arrived with plans to hit the town immediately after. On the agenda were stops at Rockefeller Center and Time Square. Mindy sent another text around 7pm to let me know that she landed. I was already out of the office and walking for the

Fulton St

subway terminal by then.

The subway ride home went quickly. Back at the hotel by 720pm. Chilled out on the bed for a while then connected to the internet on my laptop. Mindy called around 8pm to let me know that she was in the lobby. I went down to greet her. And just like that, my wife was more than a voice or a text message. She was a live person standing before my eyes. She looked amazing, too. After a brief hug and kiss we headed back to the room.

We weren’t in the room long before Chad, a work peep, called to let me know that he and several others were in the lobby of Grand Central waiting for us to meet them. Told ‘em we’d be down in a jiffy. Bella called as we made our way down the elevator to the lobby. Now that I had my trip home booked for Tuesday, I shared the news with Bella. She let out a shrill of elation. Mindy did a nice job introducing herself to everyone while I talked with Bella.

After a brief meet and greet we headed out on the town making our way up

fifth avenue

towards Rockefeller Plaza.  I was the acting tour guide. We had a blast making several impromptu stops including one at St Patrick’s Cathedral for a photo op.

Rockefeller Center is a complex of several beautiful buildings and always bustling with activity no matter the hour. We took several photos and checked out all the touristy offerings, including the Today Show studio. And the plaza itself, very cool. Checked out Radio City music Hall, too.

Most of us were hungry and thirsty. Once in Time Square we quickly found a restaurant/bar – the Brasserie. We headed inside where we were lead upstairs to the 2^nd level and two tables. They offered only bottled beer upstairs. I headed back to the first level where I knew they had drafts. There, I bought a Brooklyn Lager for myself and an Australian Shiraz for Mindy.

Looking over the menu, there wasn’t anything that really caught my fancy. I was more eager to drink a couple beers than I was to eat. Did however, order their pita and artichoke platter as an appetizer a bit later. I was hoping it would be similar to CBC’s artichoke dip. It wasn’t. It was more like whole artichokes in a guacamole sauce. I ate it only passively.

We hung there long enough to drink two beers. In total, there were eight of us (Raj, Chad, Steve, Vicki, Paul & Susan, me & Mindy). By the time we left for new digs, we’d gotten to know each other, even if superficially, pretty well. Mindy was telling her ‘Jim’ stories, much to the amazement of the others. Shared ‘where’d you meet’ stories too. Texted Natalee just before we hit the street. She talked with Mindy a little too. Said they were still down in the financial district and most likely wouldn’t be able to meet us.

We headed out looking for the naked cowboy. Never did find him, though. We did happen upon Spiderman. A couple of the girls wanted their photo taken with him.  Like the Saturday prior, Time Square was jam packed with humanity. Somebody spotted the Roxy Deli and suggested that we had to head inside even if just for a drink. We all agreed. Said to have the biggest sandwiches one’s ever seen.

We were lead up two flights of stairs to a smallish room with maybe five tables.  I ordered a Sam Adams from our server who was of Arabic descent. His real name was something like Myogi. I guessed Faruk. He was very, very jovial and funny. Seemed to enjoy our drunken humor. Mindy and the girls nick named him - what else - Jim. That became the running joke.  And he was more than happy to play along.

We ordered two sandwiches to share – corn beef and then the ham & bacon. During our visit, I exchanged numerous texts with Natalee. Said they decided to come to Time Square and meet up with us after all.  Guided them in from the Time Square subway terminal. I walked down to meet them in the restaurant lobby.

Ordered another round of beers, my fourth of the night. The sandwiches arrived. They were huge. The ham and bacon might’ve been stacked 6” high. The bread on both was a little dry, though. The prices were higher than I’ve seen anywhere - $23 for the ham & bacon and $15 for the corned beef.

We finished up there then headed out on Time Square again. Mindy mentioned that she was fading and suggested that we head back to our room. I offered that we get one more beer. After all, Natalee, Dave, and Rircardo had just arrived. Mindy went along with the plan. We decided to visit the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

Once again, the beer selection left a lot to be desired. Think I drank a Sam Adams draft. Didn’t stay there too long. Mindy mentioned that she was fading again. Said it was after 1am. I thought not. Checked my Droid. It was near 130am. Wow! Where had the night gone? The group of six that came up from the financial district earlier left ahead of Mindy & I to catch a taxi for home. Dave, Natalee, and Ricardo remained at the bar when Mindy and I left on foot.

It’s not a long walk from Time Square back to the hotel at all – maybe 4 or 5 blocks. It was good to head to bed with my wife at my side. Good night NYC!