Another 10 inches

What did Mindy want for Valentine's Day? Even while sleeping, I caught myself calculating the number of minutes I could afford to sleep in without putting undue pressure on my morning routine. The net result, I didn’t get up and head downstairs until 555am. But even after a good long night of sleep I was still unusually tired. Not sure why. I rustled up my exercise shoes then got busy with my sit-ups. Then, by the time I finished both sit-ups and push-ups the rust was pretty much shaken off. I was ready to get the day going. The weather forecast still called for lots of snow, but for the time being the sky remained dry. I knew for certain that Mindy and the kids both had the day off for President’s Day. So, to that end, I didn’t bother waking Mindy. It was after 630am by the time I finally got around to meditation and stretching. Both went reasonably well. I knew it was about 20 degrees. I bundled in my usual winter running garb. For the most part, the streets were dry affording me a care free run. However, the same two short streets that got missed by the snow plows two Saturday’s ago were still a little treacherous. It was just after 730am when I got back home to start my breakfast. I enjoyed my breakfast in quiet solitude. Mindy stirred just a bit when I went up for my shower. I did my level best not to wake her. But being on the other end of that a time or two, the noise associated with taking a shower is a lot louder than the one showering probably realizes. Mindy stayed in bed even as I headed downstairs, and the kids were still sleeping too. I went out to start the Trooper then headed back inside while it warmed. I left for work at 818am. Once settled in at work, I went to visit with my team. I ended up spending the day’s first couple of hours in the center. I met informally with my boss and peer. It must’ve started snowing around 10am but ever so lightly. It started coming down much heavier around 11am and quickly became a full-fledged snow storm. At times during the early afternoon it looked like a total white out. The forecast was now calling for upwards of ten inches by Tuesday AM – the third time since Friday, Feb 5th. I talked with Mindy mid-day. She and Bella were hanging out while Jacob went to the movies with his daddy. Judging by the current conditions and the forecast, we both figured school might be closed on Tuesday … again. She was making homemade chicken & noodles for dinner. Back at work, I let a few folks that live far away leave the office early in an effort to beat the traffic and hopefully any major delays. I stayed until 530pm or even a little after. There must’ve been at least 7 or 8 inches on the ground when I left the office. It took a while to get the Trooper cleared. Mindy asked that I phone her before heading home, but when I went to cell her, I found my cell battery dead. Oops! I could see that I-270 was slowed to a crawl. I decided to take the back way, even though I knew it could end up even slower. The roads were bad but manageable as long as one didn’t try to move along too fast or make abrupt maneuvers. I ended up behind a young lady in a VW beetle that was going extra slow. It was a tad annoying but also lent itself to a safe drive home. While waiting at the light at Scioto-Darby & Old Dublin Rd. I phoned Mindy via my Blackberry to let her know I’d be home soon. By the time I got home she had the driveway shoveled saving me lots of work. Thanks dear! Bella was inside playing, but had been out in the snow earlier. Jacob was still out there cruising our backyard hills on his snow board. Mindy said dinner was just about ready. Our house felt a little cluttered with all the snow gear scattered about, both from play and skiing. But short of hanging it in the basement, there aren’t a whole lot of viable options. The only thing of mine still out was my ski gloves resting upright on the hallway heating vent. Mindy called us to dinner after getting our drink orders. Jack & Coke for me! Kidding – I went with milk. I love homemade chicken & noodles, and today’s might’ve been the best ever. Often she’ll use leftover rotisserie chicken, but this time she boiled down a whole chicken. I think that made the difference - feathers and all. The mashed potatoes were delicious, too. It also didn’t hurt that I was incredibly hungry having snacked on nothing but nuts all day at work. I ate two large helpings. During dinner Jimaken phoned and told the kids that Hilliard schools were closing on Tuesday due to weather. During clean-up, Mindy double-checked online. He was right. No school. It’s rare for them to announce the night before. Columbus City schools also announced the same. The kids celebrated. For the time being, Southwestern City Schools hadn’t yet announced. However. that changed not ten minutes later. Mindy was elated – much like a kid in a candy store. The kids have had school only once (last Thursday) since last Monday. They won’t have school again until this coming Wednesday. Shoot, we could have taken another ski trip to NY. Mindy called a couple of her teacher peeps to share the good news. After my duties in the kitchen were complete, I spent some time on my PC updating my blog. That took no more than 45 minutes. At the same time, Bella played Wii in the family room and Jacob hung out in his room. Come 8pm, we all regrouped in the family room to watch the winter Olympics downhill racing – one of my favorite events. They hit some crazy speeds, just like Bella. And speaking of Bella, she actually watched from her room. I must’ve fallen asleep on the sofa around 830pm, or just when the figure skating, long program event was firing up. I woke around 930pm to head up to bed. Mindy asked that I tuck in the kids along the way. She was staying up to watch more of the Olympics. I don’t blame her. It was still snowing, too.

Be Mine, Yours, and Somebody elses

I slept pretty well through the night and got up Sunday morning around 730am. I quietly made my way downstairs and started a pot of coffee before finding my way to my PC. Because it was Sunday, I wouldn’t be doing any push-ups or sit-ups. It still feels awkward skipping a day each week, but the benefit is undeniable. I read the Olympic headlines first. The USA won the women’s mogul competition. Cool! I saw that another snow storm is taking aim on central Ohio and expected to hit sometime Monday lasting into Tuesday. While enjoying coffee, I wrote Thursday’s blog entry and published a couple others in waiting. On most Sunday’s I don’t wake Mindy with coffee, choosing instead to let her sleep uninterrupted, but since it was Valentine’s Day, I thought she might appreciate the gesture. However, she seemed more interested in sleep than she was about the coffee, but it’s the thought - right? At the same time, I gathered my running clothes from the closet and toted them downstairs. I stretched on the familyroom floor before leaving for my run. That felt terrific after yesterday’s ski marathon (9 hours). Because it was Sunday, I kept my run to three miles. It went well. Mindy & the kids were up and in the kitchen when I returned. And judging from their appearance, I’m guessing they’d just gotten up. Mindy was just starting on her grocery list and the kids were having breakfast. Mindy asked if I still wanted to do the grandkids later in the afternoon. Yes. We agreed on 2pm. She’d reach out to Shelly shortly. I’d made loose arrangements with Ashley the night before during our drive home from MRM. Mindy asked about inviting Dad over too. We also discussed dinner and agreed on Wal-Mart’s fried chicken. We like it better than KFC. Late morning and the early afternoon were a blur. I didn’t do much. In fact, I became overwhelmed with a case of the sleepies just before Mindy left for the grocery store. She asked me if I’d unloaded the Honda yet. I hadn’t. In fact, I hadn’t even thought about it. Because I was tired, I was even a little frustrated that she asked. I got up and headed out to take care of it with her help. After getting all the ski gear inside, I got out the square landscape shovel and took aim on some of the matted down ice still remaining on the driveway. The brilliant sunshine was providing an excellent opportunity to get it removed. I waited for Mindy to pull away to get the few patches in and around the Honda. It didn’t take long. There wasn’t that much. I also shoveled back the 2 feet of snow along the driveway’s edge that was making it difficult to maneuver our bodies around opened car doors. I remember thinking that I’ll most likely be back at it on Monday during/after the next storm hits. I returned inside and snuggled up in the big chair. The kids asked for lunch to which I obliged their polite requests. I wanted a nap but never went fully out. Instead, I sat there staring blankly while also watching the Olympics. I thought I overheard Mindy saying that Kaileigh would be coming over around 2pm. I headed up for a shower around 145pm. I asked Bella to keep an eye out. She was very excited for her arrival. Turned out, Mindy got home before Shelly brought Kai over. I helped Mindy carry in the groceries. She asked when I planned to fetch the kids. As tired as I felt, I said after a nap. Shelly arrived with Kaileigh a few minutes later. I sat in the big family room chair trying unsuccessfully to fall asleep. Ashley phoned around 3pm asking when I might be coming. After a nap. She understood, but also wanted me to know that Olivia was already waiting by the door with her coat on. That’s all I needed to hear. I got up and headed her way. I planned on picking the boys up immediately after fetching Olivia, but Ashley shared that they were visiting their dad this afternoon and wouldn’t be home until 5-530pm. She knew this after just talking with her mom. Olivia was ready to go so we left for home after a very brief visit with Ashley. Shelly & Sienna were just leaving when Olivia and I got home. Mindy was surprised to see that I didn’t have the boys. When I shared the situation, she phoned Lindsey and apologized for neither one of us returning her earlier call. Mindy insisted we get them at 5pm when they were due to be home. She asked Lindsey to attempt to make those arrangements with big Rocky. She did. The kids; Olivia, Kaileigh, Jacob and Bella all headed out to play in the snow. It wasn’t five minutes before the snow board ended up in the pond. Jacob ventured out to get it. After another five minutes, Olivia was ushered in after peeing her pants. Oh boy! Dad arrived sometime around 5pm. And not long after Dad sat down, neighbors Jake & Makayla came over too. Our house was rockin’, and Rocky and Landon weren’t even there yet. Yikes! Mindy left to pick-up the boys around 500pm. Dad shared the details surrounding his recent kidney procedure. Sounds like it was a smashing success.  No lingering complications either. It wasn’t too long before Mindy was home with the boys. Rocky was very excited but still saw to it that he greeted me with a hug. The house got incrementally louder. To be sure, Olivia makes more than her share of noise. She’s beyond loud. They were having fun. Dad, Mindy & I glanced at one another a time or two, each of us surprised at the level of craziness. Dinner was served around 6pm: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, and rolls. Everybody ate their fare share. The mood remained lively throughout dinner. Never a dull moment with the grandkids over. I muddled through the clean-up process, which took a while longer than usual, just as you might expect. The kids rushed off to play once again with their volume attaining levels never before reached in our home. While it was tough on us, the kids were having fun with relatively few tears. Mindy served dessert around 7pm – ice cream and cup cakes -and also gave the kids their Valentines. Our kids gave grandpa his, too. Dad passed out homemade cards and goodies too. Go Dad! Dad left around 8pm, or just before. It wasn’t long before Mindy asked for help corralling the kids and getting them road ready. She agreed to run everybody home while I agreed to fold a big load of laundry. Mindy half expected Jacob & Bella to ask to ride along with her, but neither did. They stayed home with me. I watched the men’s mogul competition at the same time I folded laundry. Mindy was home by 9pm and quickly motivated the kids upstairs for showers. That was my queue to head up and get into my own PJ’s. Ahh – what an incredible feeling. For the duration of the evening I was sucking down water. Not sure if I was dehydrated from the fried chicken or from yesterday’s skiing. I’m guessing it the skiing. Mindy & I headed for bed not long after tucking in the kids. It was just after 10pm when my head hit the pillow.

Mad River Mt. Revisited

I was up by 745am – a tad later than I had hoped. If we planned on skiing, my preference would’ve been to leave the house around 10am. However, having said that, I wasn’t in the mood to rush around either. So, I took my dear old time exercising, and then enjoying some quiet coffee time in front of my PC. Among other readings, I read an article abut the Olympic torch lighting ceremony that I missed, and how part of it malfunctioned. You’ll have that. Mindy & the kids remained sleeping until almost 9am. Mindy joined me downstairs for some coffee. She asked about about skiing, confirming our plans. She also called Mary Ann to see if they were heading up. They were. I left for a run around 9:40am. I ran just three miles since we’d be getting oodles of exercise on the mountain later. That model has worked out well so far this year. Like most other ski days, I loaded our skis into the Honda before even thinking of a shower. I blew off using the Thule too, since we can get the skis and gear in the back with the third row seating folded down. Mindy had a breakfast sandwich ready and waiting for me inside. It was delicious. She had our lunch all set to go too. I did an inventory of my ski gear before heading up for a shower. It was already there. We were all ready to leave the house around 1130am. After Wednesday’s trouble on the mountain, Mindy made it known that the day’s goal was to have a good time. Off to the side, she shared that she had a discussion with both kids about the behavior she expected. The roads were a lot clearer than they were Wednesday. Snow wasn’t an issue. We arrived around 1215pm. The lot was as crowded as I’ve ever seen it. We had to park in the last row in a really tight spot. Mindy picked up the lift tickets. It was 1240pm by the time we were geared up and at the lift. We still have to help the kids with their boots and gear to ensure optimum comfort. The lift lines were long but far more organized than Wednesday. Having a line coordinator helps a lot. After a run or two or three, we finally phoned Bob Imber, who we eventually met up with at the bottom of the Four Star Express lift. Mary Ann was there too, as were Scott & Zach. We skied together for the next hour or two mixing up the combination of lift companions. We must’ve taken a break around 3pm. Finding a table in the lodge was tough, but Mindy charmed a couple young guys into sharing theirs. I went to the Honda to fetch our packed lunch. Bob fetched a pitcher of Sam Adams. Mindy shared our snacks with everyone. We probably took a 45 minute break. I ran the cooler back to the Honda afterwards. After lunch we skied hard. It was a lot of fun. During the later afternoon session there was a homemade sled competition on the hill that was groomed specifically for the event and much like one of their tubing runs. Several of the homemade sleds were very creative. I liked the bed complete with a TV, then the Flintstones car, and the Tiger Woods. Almost all of them disintegrated on the third hump. While everyone watched the sledding intently, Mindy & I snuck off and skied a few runs together. On our initial run down through the terrain park I bit it for the first time all season after taking an ill advised detour over the side of a tall manmade terrain feature. Rather than a gradual descent, it was almost an eight foot vertical drop. It could have ended much worse. There was a steel pole with a snow making head just a couple feet to my immediate right. Yikes! It made me think twice about skiing so carelessly. We caught up with the rest of our group over that the sledding competition and skied together for another hour or as the park's lights came on. I love skiing at night. Scott & Zach, who always arrive earlier than anyone else, left for home around 730-8pm. The rest of us headed into the lodge for break #2. I bought a pitcher of beer after confirming that Mindy would drive us home. Bob & I made quick work of the beer. Meanwhile, the kids shared a pepperoni pizza. After our break, we all headed out and skied balls to the wall, the kids included. Bella demonstrated her newly acquired skill – quick cutting. Impressive! Jacob & I skied with Bob. We lost track of him for a few minutes only to learn later that he took an unexpected spill and ended up getting tangled in a snow fence. Cutting it too close I guess. I think that everybody bit it at least once accept for Mary Ann. We skied as late as we ever have. It was 920pm when we made our way to the Honda. Since Mindy was driving, I was able to relax. The kids fell asleep quickly. I fell asleep once we were east of Marysville and didn’t wake until we were a mile or so west of I-270. Everyone was tired after a long day of skiing. We all agreed to leave our gear in the car until morning. I carried in my coat and camera. The kids headed directly to bed, and Mindy went directly for her PJ’s. I nuked a leftover hamburger after eating comparatively little throughout the day. I watched about 20 minutes of the Olympics women’s mogul competition, but headed to bed before it got really good.

Opening Ceremonies

Come 530am I crawled out of bed after nearly 10 hours of sleep. I felt fine save for that lethargic feeling I sometimes get from sleeping for too long. However, those feelings quickly abated after I slogged through my morning calisthenics. I spent several minutes at my PC sipping coffee while reading headlines, email, and The Daily OM. I failed to wake Mindy for work, and then gave her the dickens for startling me in the middle of my stretch routine around 620am. I asked what she was doing up. I mistakenly assumed she was off school just like the kids. But when she corrected me I remembered that only the kids had the day off. Oops! After pouring herself some coffee she headed back upstairs to ready for school. I left for my run around 640am running the full four miles. Mindy & the kids were readying for departure by the time I returned home. The kids were going to Grandma Sharon’s for only the first or second time this school year. Bella was especially excited about it, but Jacob was OK with it too. It seemed odd having the house all to myself. I ended up leaving for work at 810am. Work was calm, especially for a Friday. Me, my boss, and a peer went to lunch together around 12noon. We chose P.F. Chang’s. All three of us ordered one of their lunch bowl combos – a really good deal. My boss picked up the check.. Thanks Ryan! The early afternoon remained calm. Around 2pm I left to run a Valentine’s Day errand. I headed towards Kroger to get Mindy some roses. I didn’t want to wait until after work when I’d most likely find myself competing with other husbands for the leftovers. I bought two dozen - a dozen pink and a dozen red. The pink were especially nice. I also bought a heart shaped box of Dove truffles – chocolate hazelnut - and a card. I was back at the office by 230pm. The end of the work day moved slowly. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That simply meant that it was calmer than usual. I talked with Mindy sometime late in the work day. She shared her plans to make pork nachos and tacos for dinner and then asked about inviting the neighbors over. Sounded good to me. We also briefly discussed our plans to ski on Saturday. I arrived home around 6pm. I presented Mindy with her Valentine’s gifts as soon as I was in the door. She seemed to enjoy receiving the roses, and really liked the pink ones. I thought she would. Meanwhile, the leftover pork roast was already simmering on the stove with taco seasoning mixed in. She shared that the neighbors would be down around 630-7pm. And since I’d already sprung my Valentine’s gifts on Mindy, she decided to do the same. Mindy corralled the kids and then presented us with our V.D. gifts. The kids made us both a special card with some very kind, very loving thoughts. Jacob did this all on his own accord. Very nice! Mindy gifted me a horseshoe shaped neck pillow, which she said is for flying, but I foresee using it when lying on the floor. She also gifted me my very first iTunes gift card. Cool! The kids gifted me some V.D. themed M & M’s. We gave the kids each a small box of V.D. chocolates. It wasn’t long before dinner was ready and the neighbors arrived. It was just after 7pm. Mindy laid the loaded nachos out on the table for anyone interested. I ate just a few opting instead to make my own burrito. We were anxious to watch the opening ceremonies of the 21st Winter Olympics live from Vancouver, B.C. They were slated to begin at 730pm. At Chrissy’s prompting, we tuned the TV to Home Makeover’s anniversary show. It was a cool show. I think we watched that until 8pm. The actual opening ceremonies were already underway, but the parade of countries was just about to get started when we rejoined NBC. We stayed tuned to the Olympics for the duration of the evening. Kenny & Chrissy headed home around 10pm after Chrissy’s back started bothering her. Having dealt with severe back pain a time or two, I know how difficult it can be to enjoy one’s self under such circumstances. Kenny left the kids stay at our place a while longer while he walked Chrissy home. He returned fifteen minutes later to get them. That had to be around 1030pm. Mindy & I tucked the kids in soon after Kenny and the kids departed. Mindy and I stayed up watching the Olympic festivities leading up to the lighting of the torch. We headed to bed to catch the torch lighting ceremony. It should come as no surprise that I fell asleep before it unfolded.

Sofa Surfing

Bleary eyed & tired, I greeted the first site of morning with a lowly sigh, but quickly got beyond it. After brushing my teeth, I gathered my things and headed downstairs to begin my Thursday. It was about 535am and time to get my sit-ups underway. I was ache free after yesterday's skiing, another good indication of the shape I've kept myself in. The exercise and running help build stamina, but I attribute the lack of aches and pains to stretching. I should've been doing it all along. Readers take note. I spent the usual amount of time on my PC before waking Mindy with a hot cup of coffee. I told Mindy that I was still sleepy. Little wonder, after all, I was up until almost 130am with a Mt. Dew buzz. At a crossroad, I opted for the path of least resistance. I plopped down on the sofa for another attempt at restful sleep. I might've woke a time or two but slept rather soundly. I didn't get up until Mindy was about to depart for school - somewhere near 730am. I felt much more rested. As expected, the extra sleep threw off my routine, but I quickly created an alternative schedule. I would dress for a run then stretch before taking the kids to the bus stop. That, of course, meant that I would be late for work by roughly an hour. I accepted my fate. The kids and I headed out for the bus at our usual time. It felt colder than the temperature (23 degrees) indicated, perhaps because I was standing still in my running attire - something I rarely do. As soon as the bus pulled away, I followed behind doing my run. Some of the streets were rough to navigate with what I'll call a dry slush. It's very difficult to get any momentum under such conditions, and very taxing on one's legs. I managed through a four mile run, and once I was back at home I did some additional snow removal where Mindy's Honda typically rests. That didn't take too long. Mindy placed my fried eggs in the microwave before she left. I nuked them for about 20 seconds then quickly woofed them down. I was showered and ready to depart for work by 9:05am, but had temporarily overlooked warming the Trooper. Rats! The windows were caked in ice and snow having not driven it since leaving work Tuesday evening. I must've let it warm for a solid ten minutes. My boss IM'd around 930am asking if I were working from home. No, I replied, just a few minutes from the office on 270. I probably should've called or emailed but didn't. Once at work I stopped by to see my boss. He was more than gracious when I apologized for being an hour late. I simply shared that I fell back asleep after finding myself short slept. He acknowledged the fact that I'm always on time and rarely ever miss, had absolutely no issue with it. That's what I like about my boss. He always acknowledges my strengths. I spent the greater portion of my day meeting individually with my team members reviewing their 2009 performance complete with financial implications. All were received positively. The work day buzzed by. I didn't leave until almost 545pm. The kids were with Jimaken, a change from the usual Tuesday due to the snow. I shared with Mindy my desire to chill at home in lieu of a dinner out. She agreed. She agreed, and was gone when I got home. She was out running errands, which included a stop at Target. Not sure where else. Mindy arrived home around 630pm. I ate nothing more than some cheese chunks and nuts before ultimately making a cheese and pepperoni burrito doused in Tabasco green sauce. It was quite tasty. Not sure what Mindy had. I eventually made my way to the sofa where I took advantage of the peace and quiet by taking a nap. It was only 730pm. I ended up sleeping for the entire night, waking just long enough to tuck in the kids around 9pm then heading directly to bed.

Big Mt. Dew

Streakin' past 13 & into 14 I got up sometime near 715am after a very restful night’s sleep, no doubt my best in several night’s. We received a couple more inches of snow over night adding yet another layer onto our already deep snow pack. Mindy received the call she hoped sometime around 6am - no school again today. She got, I presumed to check on Hilliard schools. I started some coffee then my sit-ups. Before push-ups, I played on the internet. I took my time with the rest of my exercises and then enjoyed some coffee. I wasn’t in a rush. We planned to go skiing later. I was still intent on it. I did my stretching then left for a run. I ran just three miles knowing I’d be skiing later. It was a rather easy run with a soft cushion of fresh snow to begin year number 14. I shoveled the drive before heading back inside. By then, Mindy was in the shower, I assumed readying for a day on the slopes. It must’ve been somewhere near 930am when Mindy joined me downstairs. For some reason, Bella wasn’t too keen on skiing, but Jacob was. I decided to load our skis into the Thule anyhow before getting a shower. While I took care of that, Mindy started packing our lunch. At some point, Mindy let me know that everybody was going, Bella included. While loading the skies, Jacob was apparently dispatched to the garage to grab some waters and Gatorade for the cooler. I spotted him there swinging the Wii remote around like a lasso. I gave him the dickens! He quickly bolted back inside. It was 10am by the time I had the skis loaded up and was headed up for a shower. By the time everyone was ready to go it was 11am. Just before leaving, I checked the MRM webpage to make sure they were open. They were. They were also advertising 8” inches of fresh powdery snow. Cool! We left Bob Imber a VM as we headed north on I-270 letting him know that we’d be on the slopes through early evening if he cared to join us after work. We did the same for Renee. The drive went fast. We played the number guessing game on the drive up (pick a number between 1 and 100 and I can guess it after seven yes or no questions). At one point along Rt 33 northwest of Dublin, I attempted to pass a semi. I about crapped myself when I saw the road was blown over with snow just ahead. I had to haul ass to make the pass and avoid the snow drift. I was nervous. We arrived at MRM somewhere close to noon. It was a tad more crowded than I expected, although nothing like a weekend. I gave Mindy my card to fetch everyone’s lift tickets. They gave us a deal – all four for $79. We parked in the second row directly outside the main ski lodge for easy access to our packed lunch. It always takes a while to get everyone geared up. Mindy & Bella had to pee. Jacob and I headed up Four Star express for a quick warm-up run. Jacob commented how flat the hills starting to look. It was snowing but only lightly and with a mild breeze. But that changed in a hurry once atop the mountain. Under almost white-out conditions the wind was whipping/gusting near 40mph. Almost like a completely different day. We chose to take the main hill skipping the usual easy blue warm-up run. There was about 3-4 inches of powder making the skiing really slow – about half speed. My edges got caught once or twice during that first run, but I recovered nicely. Mindy & Bella were just walking up to the lift as we skied back to the line. We skied several runs together. The snow was soft and powdery, but again awfully slow. I was a little disappointed feeling the need for speed. We must’ve skied 6-8 runs before deciding to take a break for lunch. Just before our break, I ran into our new friend David, the ski patrol. We chatted only briefly. As the day wore on the snow seemed to compact, improving my ability to get at least a little speed going, but still on the slow side. The lift lines varied. At times one could ski up and get right on while at other times, the line resembled that of a weekend – quite strange. We took another break around 430pm only this time in the lower lodge area (no alcohol area). I had a large Mountain Dew (more about that later). A few tables away sat our friend David. Mindy walked over to say hello since she missed seeing him earlier. She asked if his Seven Springs condo/house was available this coming holiday weekend. A few minutes later he walked over while chatting on the cell phone. Said it was his ownership partner, and offered Mindy the phone to possibly arrange our staying there this weekend and skiing. He explained that she would be staying there with a few others including kids, but that there was an extra room available. Hmmm? We opted out last second not being totally committed to a trip so last minute and all. Sounds nice though. Not wanting to sound rude, we thanked David profusely for trying to help us out. That was awesome. We’d really like to try Seven Springs. It’s only half as far as Holiday Valley and they’ve gotten oodles of snow this winter – 2ft this week alone. We returned to the slopes around 5pm. We skied a number of runs before the lights kicked on. I love it when the lights come on! The next two trips up the Four Star Express lift were not pretty. As always, we discussed our exit strategy - a right turn this time, and even reminded Jacob to turn sharp & tight being on the far right side of the lift. But exiting the lift he turned left knocking Mindy and Bella to the ground. A mistake/accident to be sure. Mindy was angry because Jacob skied off with out any regard for their well being after knocking them to the ground. I only gave him a tiny bit of grief. It happens. We all skied down and headed up again. On the lift ride up I once again reviewed the exit strategy – exit hard right - this right, Jacob! But Jacob acted as if he wasn’t going to listen and purposefully looked away even as we joked and emphasized which direction was to right. You guessed it. As we exited right, Jacob once again turned left into Mindy knocking her into Bella and both once again fell to the ground. I was pissed this time. And once again he skied off like nothing had happened. I apparently said, "God Dammit, Jacob, what were you thinking?" Then, when Mindy went for him he bolted off down the hill to avoid her wrath. She was pissed and Bella was in tears after having her mother fall on her two times in a row. I took Bella over to the terrain park run where she and I skied together. She was fine. We skied down uneventfully and met Mindy at the bottom, who said she and Jacob were done. They’d meet us in the Honda if Bella and I wanted to get in a few more runs. I left it up to Bella. Yep, she was game! Bella and I skied two more runs, and two more lift mishaps. An older gentlemen in line behind us stepped out too far and ended up on our lift chair even as Bella and I waited for the chair to scoop us up. He hollered last minute but it was too late. I ended up on his lap and eventually fell onto Bella. The young lift operator never once thought to stop the lift. What a goober! We had to organize ourselves midflight. We managed to right the wrong, and even joked about it with the older dude. He felt horrible. Skiing down the mountain, I was impressed with Bella’s free style skiing, zig-zagging quickly back and forth down the mountain using her hips. Later, at the bottom, she told us she learned that from watching Bob. Please! Too funny. OK, so, we decide to take one more run, but this time up the Sugarbush lift. It had just opened. We were the only two skiers on it. As soon as we got on our chair, both of Bella’s skis were knocked off after hitting a bump of snow just underneath. The lift operator quickly stopped the lift and handed me her skis. We didn’t bother trying to put the skis on during the ride up. Too risky. Instead, I picked Bella up as we exited the lift and carried her to a clear area. We skied down fast! That was it. It was 6pm. We removed our skis and walked to the waiting Honda. Mindy was still in the process of removing and packing away their ski gear. We decided to put the skis in the back in lieu of using the Thule. We were on the road five minutes later. Somehow or another, the lift mishap came up. Apparently to justify or shift the blame, Jacob went on an on about how I hollered at him for knocking them over. He also reminded me that I swore at him (see earlier G.D. comment). Probably true. He also brought up being yelled at for swinging the Wii remote, and went on to state that all I ever do is yell at him. How he feels is important to me, but on both accounts I felt the response the correct one, although I am not proud that I swore at him. I told him that I loved him despite his errors but that I would always give him an earful when and if he makes repeated blunders. Honestly, I was more frustrated that he was deflecting the blame for his mistakes onto me – blame shifting. No one wants to be hollered at or disciplined, but if you screw up … Somehow we got over it. Once we were home, everyone did their part to carry our gear into the house. Mindy quickly moved into dinner prep mode. She had a pork roast cooking in the crock-pot all day long. During dinner Jacob said he felt a lot better and was pretty much back to his usual antagonistic ways of aggravating Bella. Life back to normal. Mindy sent both kids to the shower after dinner. While they were away, I asked Mindy if we were on the same page with the way the day’s incidents were handled. It was important to me that we were, and if not, why not. She said we were. In fact, she shared how mad she was during the chase down the mountain, which Bella and I didn’t witness. We tucked in the kids sometime after 8pm. Mindy and I turned the TV to the Discovery Channel watching Meteorite Man, a somewhat interesting show about their ongoing search for meteorites. This particular search was in and around Lake Meade on Federal property. I started to dose near the show's end while sipping a Jack & Coke. Mindy suggested we head to bed. I followed. I worried that I might not be able to fall asleep after drinking that gargantuous Mt Dew earlier. Like a prophet, I laid in bed with my mind racing for almost 45 minutes. I finally decided to get back up and go to my PC. I ended up adding music to my hard drive and stayed up until 130am. Not good. I knew that I’d pay come morning.

Big Snow II

I was up a couple minutes after 530am and saw that it was snowing at a pretty good clip. However, at least for the time being, we had no more than an inch of new accumulation. After exercises, I checked the forecast. They’re still calling for upwards of 10” by the time it ends on Wednesday. The current temperature was much more tolerable than Monday. It was a whopping 23 degrees. Before heading up with Mindy’s coffee I decided to check for school closings, although I doubted there'd be any. Imagine then how surprised I was to see that all of them; Dublin, Hilliard, and Southwestern were canceled. I headed upstairs to give Mindy the good news. But she already knew, having recently received the ‘chain’ phone call from one of her peeps. As I was heading back downstairs, Mindy wished me a happy 13th year running anniversary. A milestone I’d temporarily forgotten until she mentioned it. Actually, after today’s run, it would be 13 years. Mindy’s good fortune made my morning simpler, save for making my own breakfast. Since I was tired, I tried lying down on the sofa but ultimately talked myself out of it. Instead, I got up and did my meditation and stretch then dressed for my 13 year capper. How fitting, completing my 13th year running in a snow storm. I dressed in my typical winter garb and headed out into the snow. I passed Pat Shultz sitting in his pick-up with daughter Alena waiting on the school bus. It didn’t dawn on me until I turned the corner that there was no school. Obviously, they missed the memo! But because that’s on my warm-up lap, I’d pass them again in a minute or two. I tapped on his window as I passed again. He’d just gotten word via radio. We laughed it off. Must’ve wondered where all the other kids were.  I ran on enjoying the wintry conditions. I ran four miles with no trouble at all. Upon my return home I immediately fetched my snow shovel and got busy. It didn’t take long. I scattered some salt before heading back inside. No one was up, so I quietly went about prepping my breakfast – two eggs, juice, and an English muffin. Mindy & the kids were up by the time I had my breakfast and a shower. They were debating the merits of snow skiing or staying home and having a play date with Deena and kids. Bella and Mindy wanted to ski. Jacob wanted to stay home. I encouraged them to ski. Mindy talked about phoning Mary Ann since Tuesday’s often her day off. Mindy knew I planned to take Wednesday off as a comp day and head to the slopes. She joked that they’d get another snow day Wednesday and join me. AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I left for work around 8:20am. The drive in was slow but there were no major delays. The day started out much calmer than Monday. I was happy for that. I stayed busy all day long. I took several brief breaks to glance out the window at the wintry landscape. The snow was starting to pile up again today, just like last Friday. Mindy called mid-day to let me know that she and kids opted to remain at home and host a play date with Deena and her kids. Probably best given the horrendous conditions folks are talking about out towards MRM. I talked with Mindy again around 400pm. By then, the house was cleared of visitors and she was busy getting the house in order. Probably due to the wintry weather, this wouldn’t be a Jimaken night. That made sense to me. I didn’t even ask about dinner when Mindy & I last spoke. Lindsey phoned to let me know that hungry attorneys were already calling her house to encourage her to push for injury settlements for the boys after the mirror clipping incident. Good grief! I left work at or near 530pm. It took me a while to clear the snow from the Trooper. It was still snowing but far lighter than it had been for most of the day. Mindy had burgers on the stove when I arrived home. It felt good knowing that I had Wednesday scheduled off work. As it was, I was determined to make it a ski day. Meanwhile, Mindy & the kids remained hopeful that school would be canceled for a second day in a row. The forecast called for up to 4 more inches of snow with winds gusting upwards of 40mph. Jacob and I went back and forth all through dinner about whether or not they’d have school. He wanted to wager cash - $35. Yikes! Dinner clean-up was simple, thanks mostly to the usage of paper plates. Mindy and the kids had a fire going in the fireplace. I laid down in front of it and took brief nap while also watching the Science Channel. Tonight’s program featured the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is a particle collider straddling France and Switzerland. I eat that stuff up. Particle theory blows m away. That program was followed by another that dove deep into the details of gravity, featuring indepth looks into the science presented by Isaac Newton and Einstein. Nothing short of fascinating! Mindy and I headed to bed at practically the same time. I was really looking forward to a long night of sleep.

"Me & Zero request you in the Mercedes..."

From past experience, I had a feeling that I might not sleep as well as I wanted. To that end, I found myself tossing and turning so much that I got up from bed and headed back downstairs and worked well past midnight. Then, once I did go back to bed, 530am came fast. I didn’t want to get out of bed, but work was beckoning, so I toughed it out, headed downstairs, and began my calisthenics. After sit-ups, I checked the weather via Yahoo local. It was zero! Wow - a lot colder than I imagined it would be. I eventually did my push-ups before enjoying coffee in front of my PC. I read a few super bowl related stories while lamenting over Sunday afternoon’s minor car accident. I couldn’t shake it. It’s just how I’m wired. And I’ll likely obsess over it for days to come. Poor Mindy! I delivered Mindy’s coffee right on queue – 610am. Mindy said she didn't slept well. I didn’t return to the PC. Instead, I moved on to mediation and stretching. I needed meditation badly – a break from the constant mind chatter. Both mediation and stretching went well. It was now time to run. And given that it was 0 degrees, I decided to dress even warmer than usual. I still used the traditional three upper layers; my usual two wicking shirts, and my warm ski shell in lieu of a pull over fleece. The only other difference was the addition of a neck gaiter. Out into the cold, I was surprised at how comfortable I was for the duration. I ran four miles. The slight modifications to my attire were just what the doctor ordered. Mindy had my eggs waiting upon my return. Jacob was still downstairs for a change. We joked around a little before Mindy left for school and I headed up for a shower. The kids and I were at the bus stop at our usual time. We dressed for the brutal cold. I started and warmed the Trooper while we waited for the bus. I was slightly worried that it might not star that easily given the cold and the fact that it hadn’t run at all over the weekend. It started right away, but it did take a while to get all the ice and snow removed. It wasn’t long before I was off to work. The work day was a busy one, a continuation of my on-call weekend. The east coast took a beating over the weekend, far worse than us. The DC/Baltimore area received upwards of 30” of new snow with blizzard-like conditions. I shared my car accident story with my peer Ken, He’s always a good sounding board for such matters. In fact, he’s the one that insisted that there was a mistake when I was hit in the round-about last fall and encouraged me to pursue justice. He was right and I was eventually vindicated by Hilliard’s finest. This time, however, he advised me to simply pay the ticket and move on. Not worth the time away from work. I listened. Mindy called after school let out. She shared her plans to make spaghetti and meatballs and to invite my dad for dinner. We haven’t seen him for a couple of weeks now. Come 5pm, my boss pinged me and told me to leave for the day. He also asked me to pick a day this week to take off after my treacherous on-call. That made me feel good. I tentatively picked Wednesday, and figured I might go skiing. Meanwhile, the weather forecast was calling for another 8-10” snow storm beginning Monday night and lasting through Wednesday. Along my drive home I called brother Glenn, having not talked with him since Xmas time, although we’ve emailed some. We talked about our fast approaching ski trip, and both of us marveled at how quickly it’s coming. He hasn’t been out skiing even once back home this winter. Hard to imagine having that kind of playground in one’s backyard and not taking full advantage. He promised to send me a link to his new blog, which I haven’t been able to read since the turn of the year. Dad was already at the house when I arrived home. Before dinner was served, we chatted about a number of things, including his pending ultrasound procedure for a couple large kidney stones. That’s to take place Friday. We also discussed our coming Oregon trip. We even invited dad to join us, although I think he’d get bored sitting in the ski lodge all day for 4.5 days. We plan to do a lot of skiing. Dinner was ready before 6pm – garden salad, spaghetti & meatballs. Everybody got their fill. After clean-up, Mindy got out what was left of her mom’s fudge from two weekend’s ago. It was still good. My dad loved it. We got to talking about Google Earth. Dad had seen it for the first time over the weekend and was amazed at the technology. We did some poking around via Jacob & Bella’s new PC. I hadn’t used GE much in the last two years. Many features have improved and/or changed. Dad hung out until almost 730pm. After he departed Mindy had the kids get ready for bed. She wanted them down at a reasonable hour given Sunday’s late super bowl festivities. Meanwhile, I still didn’t feel right. My stomach was borderline queasy and my head a little light. I spent a little time on my PC uploading more of my music collection – CD book number two. The kids were hoping to have school canceled for the coming snow storm. I advised against getting their hopes too high. After all, we were only expecting an inch or so over night. The big stuff wasn’t due until Tuesday mid-day. Mindy & I headed to bed near 10pm.

Not so Super Sunday

I got up Sunday morning near 800am. I felt much better but still not close to 100%. Still some queasiness in my tummy. I started coffee then took a few minutes to admire the sunny and snowy landscape. Gorgeous! I snapped a few pictures. I checked in with work. My involvement was again absolutely necessary. I took it in stride and dug in deep along with my team. The same snow storm that hit us in Columbus, was now reeking havoc on the east coast. I juggled work and personal tasks while sitting at my PC. Mindy got up around 930am. Like me, she marveled at the sunshine against the snowy landscape. It was truly a site to behold. It wasn’t too long before I forced in a break to accomplish my daily run. The streets were totally dry save for just a couple along my running trail. Those that weren’t were a bit challenging to navigate due to the bumpy, icy terrain. As is typical of a Sunday run, I kept it to three miles. I finished strong, and afterwards, before heading back inside, I shoveled the sidewalk leading to our front door from the driveway. I didn’t get to it on Saturday after feeling so poorly. After my run, I returned to my working ways. But for the time being, things were slowly but surely falling into place. Work slowed down enough that Mindy and I decided to run out for a couple of hours. We planned a stop at Aspen Ski & Boards in Polaris, and then a stop at Target and maybe even lunch. We left the house around 1230pm. I took my iTouch and hooked it up through the car stereo. Nice! We visited ASBCO first. I found Matt already working with a customer, sizing him for new ski boots. All other sales persons were occupied too. Business was bustling! Matt acknowledged my presence and offered to help when through. That was unnecessary. Rob eventually freed to assist. I shared with Rob the problem my ski boots were causing, rubbing my left, inside anklebone, giving me a painful raspberry. Rob shared how they could ‘blow-out’ my boot liners and the boot shell to relieve the pressure, but that I’d have to leave them there for a day. Matt quickly chimed in that he could do the liners right then. Cool! He offered that they would try that first, then, if that didn’t do it, we’ll do the shells next. I was game. While I was dealing with my boots, Mindy was browsing (spending money).  She picked up a pair of new ski socks for herself and a new ski jacket for Bella. Bella really needs one, though. Rob also sold me on some new ski boot insoles that are designed to improve comfort. Mindy got some for her boots when they were brand new. Loves ‘em. Rob returned with my ski boot liners custom modified for my ankle bone. I slipped them on and pushed my weight around as best I could. Seemed to do the trick, but I knew the real test would only come on the slopes. We agreed that I would give ‘em a try this week, and bring them back if the rubbing continued. We left ASBCO hungry, both agreeing on lunch at El Vaquero. Mindy had also talked about a stop at Target but rescinded in favor of lunch. We arrived at the Riverside Dr El Vaq around 2pm. They were quick to seat and serve us. Always are. Lucky for us, we missed the usual after-church rush. They were gone. We were served chips and salsa right away. I was craving those. Mindy ordered her El Vaq fave – a Mexicanized shrimp/scallop combo. I ordered the Speedy Gonzalez – a beef taco, enchilada, and Mexican rice. All weekend long I was craving soda, so I ordered a full-strength Coke to help wash it all down. I picked up the tab. We headed home. I asked Mindy if we could simply head directly to Kelly’s to fetch the boys but she wanted dropped at home first. OK. It was 2:40pm. I dropped Mindy at home then drove straight to Kelly’s. Along the way I phoned Mom. She shared in detail the issue with the slipping pin in her back and the subsequent surgical procedure to correct it. She also detailed a car accident she was in last Friday during the snow storm. Promised to let me know the surgery date. Expects it will be during the time window that Mindy & I are in Oregon skiing. I arrived at Kelly’s around 250pm. At the time, I wasn’t sure if Lindsey was planning to come with us or not. Nope, just the boys. They seemed excited to be coming over. Like many recent visits, Rocky gave me a big hug upon arrival. I like that. We took Briggs to Hague then headed north. As I passed Rosedale and approached Vandenburg an oncoming minivan and I slapped our drivers sideview mirrors as we both squeezed between parked cars on our respective sides of the road. The road's typically just wide enough to permit two vehicles without incident provided both are over as far as necessary. I know she wasn’t. We both stopped. She pulled over. I turned around and pulled up facing south directly in front of her. Just as I was gonna ask if she was OK, she immediately and curtly demanded I accept blame. I retorted with the same question to her. Obviously at impasse, I decided to call the cops. They agreed to dispatch if we couldn’t simply exchange information. Apparently not. It wasn’t long before this woman’s husband pulled up and started taking photos with his cell phone and eventually made his way to my door to talk. He was abrupt, rude, and condescending. Telling me it was my fault and advising that I should’ve simply agreed to pay the piper. I countered that while that was his opinion, I felt better having the cops decide. It took a few minutes. His photo antics continued. I got annoyed and remembered having my own camera in my jacket pocket. I decided to photo him taking pictures of me. He wasn’t too pleased when I asked him to smile. I decided to get out and photo their vehicle damage as well, just in case I was held liable. Finally, the officer arrived. He took very brief statements from the two of us then returned to his cruiser. It took him a long time. During that time the husband (actually, he never really introduced himself as such until I asked later) started into me again. I once again advised that, good or bad, I wanted the cops to decide blame if there would be any. He was borderline hostile. The cop finally was done. He talked with me first, and told me he was going to cite me for a assured clear distance ahead violation (ACDA) since he felt I had a better/easier opportunity to pullover and allow her to pass freely. I was surprised. He asked if I had questions due to the apparent puzzled look on my face. Why do you say that, I asked. He said because there were fewer parked cars on my side, so I could’ve pulled behind one to allow her to pass. He wasn’t going to change his mind. I knew that. I graciously accepted the ticket knowing that my recourse if I so chose was to fight it in traffic court. Trust me, I am a perfectionist. I didn’t want the blemish on my driving record, let alone the blow to my ego. I was beyond frustrated. But even while being frustrated, I was also thankful that no one was injured and that it was a very minor accident with equally minor damages to Mindy’s car. In fact, I was able to pop the mirror right back on the post, although the mirror housing has two cracks in it. It’ll need replaced. I drove home. I arrived home with boys, who were both happy to be at our place. How could I not focus my attention on them instead of that stupid accident. Their smiles helped brighten my mood. Bella and Jacob were home from a weekend with Jimaken and were outside playing in the snow. The boys expressed that they wanted to go out and play in the snow too. But, as you might expect, they weren’t dressed in anything resembling winter attire, let alone anything for knee deep snow. But Mindy, being the resourceful one she is, rounded up snow gear for both in an instant. She reminds me of Grandma Wright in that sense. Soon, both kids were out in the snow with the other children sledding and snow boarding on our modest hill. I checked in with work, and just like the entire weekend, I had to get involved in a couple ugly issues. In fact, one I learned about while standing in the street waiting on the cops at the accident scene earlier. Ugh! The kids were in and out a couple of times tattling on one another, but no more than we should’ve expected. They lasted about 30 minutes out there – fairly long, especially for Landon. Mindy called them to ready for Kenny & Chrissy’s super bowl party near 530pm. I stayed busy with work right up until the instant we headed next door. And by the way, no beer for me, no way! Kenny had a houseful for the game, and a decent spread of food as well– the usual party fare: meatballs, chili, chips, cheese ball, etc. Last minute, we put together a super bowl pool. I went home to get $10 cash so we could play. I figured that would make the game more interesting for me given that my Vikings weren’t playing in it. And since neighbor Mike was down, I grabbed a check to sponsor his wife’s attempt to run a half marathon. All proceeds go to the Leukemia Society. The game kicked off around 630pm. I watched, but without much emotion, which some would argue was a good thing.  Work continued to require my involvement, but at least I was able to address most of the concerns remotely via blackberry. Mindy left after half time to run the boys home. I had no desire to drive down Hague Ave after my incident earlier. She figured to return in 30 minutes or so. The Colts were leading for the first 2.5 quarters and despite their inability to get the big touchdown, it still looked like their game to win. Somehow, though, the Saints hung close and eventually took the lead by a touchdown in the 4th quarter. But almost everyone felt the Colts, lead by Peyton Manning, would drive down for a tying score. And they almost did, but as everyone knows, ‘almost’ doesn’t count. Instead, deep in Saints territory he threw a pick-6 giving the Saints a commanding 14 point lead with just over two minutes left. Still, no one was counting Manning and company out. He drove them down the field in a hurry to the 3 yard line, but eventually stalled on a 4th and goal attempt. Game over. Saints win! I was surprised. We left for home just before 10pm, and Mindy quickly got the kids bed ready. They didn’t need showers after having one earlier at their dad’s. We tucked them in around 1010pm. Mindy soon headed to bed. I couldn’t, not only was my mind reeling thinking about that stupid accident, but work needed my attention again, too. I ended up working well past midnight. My brain was tired but my mind racing, which is always a bad combination.

Please Make it Stop

I wasn’t feeling too well at all, perhaps repercussions from too many hi-octane beers, the lack of a filling dinner, or a combination of the two. Either way, come morning, I felt like crap. I got up at 10am and made my way downstairs. I felt the need for more sleep and wanted to lie down but couldn’t. I needed to get involved with a couple work related issues. I moved slowly and methodically. The incredibly ill feeling waxed and waned. After getting work related matters temporarily addressed, I plopped down on the familyroom sofa for some additional shut eye. Unfortunately, as much as I needed it, sleep was not easy to come by. I just couldn’t go out. That only made it worse. Mindy slept until noon. She hovered over me on the sofa making light of my Friday night antics. Knowing that I needed to get back on top of work and then also squeeze in a run, I forced myself to my feet. To help curb my upset tummy I ate some cinnamon bread and drank some OJ. However, nothing I did helped that much. Sometime between noon and 1pm I headed out for a run. At the time I was feeling a little better. Plus, I knew the cold air wouldn’t do anything but help. It was fairly cold – about 18 degrees. One benefit of running so late was the plowed streets. Surprisingly, 99% of our subdivision’s streets were already plowed to bare pavement. This, after almost a foot of fresh snow. I ran just three miles, giving myself a free pass for feeling so poorly. I felt good for the run’s duration, but also knew it likely wouldn’t last much beyond its finish. Back home I woofed down some peanut butter toast Mindy had setting on the island. She later berated me for taking it. I figured she didn’t want the rest. It didn’t take too long for my hangover to kick back in. Ugh, I felt terrible! I needed rest but again couldn’t afford it. Work continued to need my intervention, and there was no way I was going to neglect my responsibility. I simply had to struggle through it. I felt so poorly that between work related tasks I would drop to the living room floor just a few feet away from my desk to steal a brief nap only to rise after 10-15 minutes to pick up the pieces again. That went on all afternoon long. Mindy, I noticed, remained in her PJ’s all afternoon. I was surprised that she wasn’t more motivated to shop, or do anything else, although she had been under the weather herself for most of the week. And it’s not like she wasn’t doing anything. She was doing laundry. Earlier, she mentioned doing dinner out, but come about 3 or 4 pm I had to tell her that there wasn’t any way I could do it. I felt too bad, and work was eating me alive. She took it in stride and said she already figured as much. We’d simply plan for a quiet evening at home. The neighbors invited us down to hang out that evening, too, but that was out of the question for me. I needed rest, water, and calm. Having my work laptop set-up at my desk along side my PC made juggling work and managing my music collection a natural. I spent most of my day in my office chair doing one or the other. I got through my first book of CD’s and was already starting on the second as evening approached. I felt hungry but there wasn’t any way I could eat anything of substance. Instead, I snacked on a handful of Triscuits. Not planning to go anywhere, and not having the kids, Mindy and I finally decided to watch Inglorious Basterds starting around 7pm. Sure, we paused it a few times so I could address work related matters, and so she could deal with a few loads of laundry, but we dedicated the next 2.5 hours to the movie. I loved it! Intensely suspenseful and dramatic. Mindy was on the fence. She doesn’t like violent movies, especially ones so graphically violent, which this certainly was. But, just like me, she couldn’t help but be moved by the creative, yet twisting story line. Mindy headed to bed after the movie. I stayed up dealing with work while also moving more of my music collection to PC. I tried going to bed around 11pm but still couldn’t sleep. I felt jittery. To Mindy’s dismay, I got up and headed back downstairs, only this time to the sofa where I watched all of Saturday Night Live. And what might surprise Mindy, I didn’t miss a minute of it.

Dancing with Myself

I slept well, not waking even once until 545am. I popped up and out of bed in a hurry. I glanced out the masterbath window expecting to see inclement weather given last night’s winter storm warning, but there was nothing to see but dry streets. Hmm? So much for school being canceled. Jacob would be so disappointed. I slowly stretched out on the livingroom floor for my sit-ups. They went quick. Soon I was up and on the computer checking the weather forecast. Still calling for oodles of snow through tomorrow – upwards of 13 inches. Funny thing is, I just wrote about the lack of a big snow storm this winter just a couple days ago. I did my push-ups then poured some coffee. It was already 603am. I spent just a couple more minutes on the PC before waking Mindy with coffee in hand. She was groggy but said she slept good. She also thanked me for taking care of the kids. I joked that I let them stay up ‘til 11pm. I headed back downstairs to meditate, stretch, and prep for a run. I was ready for my run by 635am. It was 34 degrees so layering was kept to a minimum. I was very comfortable and the run in turn went extremely well. During my run, I found myself pondering the what-if’s relative to the Super Bowl weekend now upon us. The game was ours for the taking. I still haven’t let it go, and may never fully. Having a wandering mind helped make the run go by in a snap. I was back home for breakfast quick. Still no snow. I let Mindy know there was no need to warm the Honda. Not only was there no snow, but it was fairly warm too. She said she felt a whole lot better after 11 hours of sleep. My fried eggs, English muffin, and juice were setting at my favorite spot. Breakfast was delicious. Mindy left a few minutes after 730am, and shortly after brushing/fixing Bella’s hair. I was off to the shower before Mindy had even backed out of the driveway. Twenty minutes later I was downstairs with both children preparing for departure. With a few small, scant piles of Tuesday’s snow still lying around, I quietly made a snowball with Jacob in mind as my target. And as luck would have it, he came charging right at me playing right into my plan. Woosh! Damn – just missed him. Everybody got a laugh out of it – even Jacob. Kenny was at the bus stop with the girls. We chatted briefly. He was staying home today with the expected snow just to our immediate west. I walked back home to make final work preparations and then enjoy another cup of coffee. I checked the weather radar. Looked like the rain/snow/sleet was just to our west and south. And just south of I-270 it looked to be mostly rain/sleet. I left for work at 819am. The center was all abuzz about the coming snow, although for the time being, it was still dry as a bone. We joked about the hype & hysteria. It was a doozy of a work day. And because I'd be on-call over the weekend, I was even more plugged in than usual. The snow started around 10am and began to accumulate right away. Checking the radar, it looked like rain to our south, but it was all snow in Hilliard. It continued snowing all day. I had my ski boots in the Trooper but there was little chance of me heading all the way up to Polaris in the wintry conditions. I suddenly regretted not finding/making time Thursday, although the odds of skiing over the weekend were small given that I'd be on-call. Work would have to be crazy calm to permit such a move. I toughed it out at the office until just after 5pm. The drive home was incredibly slow on I-270 south, but I didn't mind. My goal was to arrive in one piece. The kids were already gone when I arrived home. And even though we were in the middle of the season's biggest snow storm, Mindy was off to the grocery. Even though Mindy & Kenny had shoveled our driveway, I couldn't get traction and slid back into the street multiple times when I tried to park. After the third try I decided to shovel more. It was a slick, wet snow, thus the sliding. I shoveled and salted before pulling the Trooper back up. Meanwhile, the snow was coming down so hard that I needed to shovel again before going in the house. Before Mindy arrived home with groceries, I loaded another batch of CD's onto my hard drive. Mindy was home from the grocery around 630pm. We carried in the haul as a team. She carried from the outside to the garage, and I carried from the garage into the kitchen to prevent our freshly mopped floor from getting snowy, dirty. Thanks Rachel! Mindy got dressed for Barley's soon after putting the groceries away, and must've spent about ten minutes doing so. As soon as she finished, I freshened up, too. We left the house at approximately 710pm. During our short drive, I went on and on about issues at work. I could tell that Mindy was more concerned about the hazardous weather conditions than she ever was about my work story, but I could've shared it with a wall and would've been satisfied. I just needed to vent. We arrived at Barley's around 725pm. We stood for the first 15-30 minutes until a couple bar stools opened up. As good as it felt to stand for spell, it felt equally good to relax on a bar stool. Most of our regular peeps were noticeably missing and now on our naughty list. Not there: The Imber's, Tom C., Doug & Jamie, Steve W., Christa, Lil' Bob & Carol. Dan the money man was there, and so was Calvin. However, he left a few minutes after we arrived. I started with a Centennial while Mindy sipped a Southern Tier Raspberry Porter. Mindy ordered food - a kids menu grilled cheese and fries. I made the mistake of not eating anything. I'd regret that come Saturday. I saw on the guest draft menu, The Brew Kettle's double IPA. I was excited to have one. It came served in a sniffer. It went down easy, too easy, in fact. Mindy intimated that we might leave after my second beer and head to the neighbors for a while. But at about the same time Rick came in all charged up and sharing news of his first grandchild's birth. Sharing in his good news, we agreed to a toast, his treat. I ordered another TBK IIPA. Not sure what Mindy had. Well, that second IIPA turned into a third. Soon I was rocked. While sitting at the bar we befriended a 52 year old blonde, who's name now escapes me. She was forward and funny. She and Mindy hit it off nicely. Claimed to be a regular. Surprised we hadn't met her prior. We left for home around 10-1030pm. Mindy phoned the neighbors on our drive home. They invited us over. Mindy changed into more comfy clothes then we walked over. Already buzzed, I took two beers along from my home collection - a CBC IPA and a Hop Slam. Uh-oh! As we walked two houses over, Kapil pulled up along side us. We invited he and Peobina over too. We knew Kenny & Chrissy wouldn't mind. We weren't there long before I got to dancing. Mindy & Chrissy danced some, too, but Jake and I danced the most. I'll admit, sometimes, once you get going, I am hard to stop. At some point Chrissy disappeared into her room never to be seen again. Mindy soon left but said I could stay and play. At the same time, Kapil and Peobina arrived. From that point forward I lost track of time. I know this, however. We kept dancing for a time to come. Next thing I knew I was walking (stumbling) for home. I was eager to get into bed and get some shut eye.

Snow Coming

Happy 50th Kelly - can I have my name back? I began my day just a few minutes ahead of 530am. By the time I had my sit-ups underway the coffee maker kicked on initiating its ever popular brewing cycle. Even though I was up a tad early, I felt more tired than usual. I pushed through my exercises anyway. But given my druthers, I would’ve slipped back to bed for a couple more hours of sleep. I didn’t dare follow through. I sipped coffee in front of the PC until it was time to wake Mindy. She sounded even worse than yesterday, her voice nearly gone. I asked if she was going to work. Yes. I headed back downstairs to finish my pre-run routine - meditation and stretching. Both went rather well. It was only 19 degrees so I bundled warmly for my run – back to my three upper layers. It was cold but also dry. The run went really well. Mindy’s Honda was covered in thick frost. She left her keys lying on the stand by the front door for ease of access. I started the Honda then headed back inside for breakfast. Mindy was very hoarse, in fact, so much so, I half expected her to whinny!  She woofed down her own breakfast then headed off to school. Bella asked me to pour more fruit loops in her bowl. Bella watched me prep the dishwasher for a wash cycle asking lots of questions. I was off to the shower at 737am. Bella stuck around long enough to watch me shave. I guess that’s a fascinating experience to a 7 year olds eye. The kids and I regrouped downstairs near 755am. Time to head out. Chrissy & I chatted briefly about kid related matters after the kids boarded the bus. Because the Trooper needed time to defrost, I headed back inside for another cup of coffee and more internet. I started the dishwasher then left the house at 821am. Gas, I noticed, was back up to $2.58 after dropping into the $2.30+ range for the last week or so. I arrived at the office around 835am. I spent an inordinate amount of time in meetings. In fact, meetings practically consumed the entire day. It’s the nature of my job sometimes, but it’s still very draining nonetheless. Reflecting back, the day whizzed by. It was hard to believe it was early evening already. Mindy called once she was home. She sounded bad, and shared that she felt the same way – very tired. We’d be having leftovers for dinner. I was good with that. We had a bunch of them – rotisserie chicken, ham, beef & noodles, etc. I left the office around 540pm making it home near 6pm. I was very happy to be home feeling somewhat exhausted myself. Mindy was busy preparing leftovers for herself and the kids. Because I was non-committal on my preference, she made me nothing. I eventually opted for rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Bella asked me to heat her some ‘skin’ while warming my plate. OK! We practiced spelling words during dinner. Bella also shared that she and Lillian sorted out their differences on the school bus agreeing to bury the hatchet. It dawned on me how nicely the two of them worked out their problem. That’s something boys don’t typically do. Mindy excused herself right after dinner clean-up and headed up to get into her PJs. I knew she was tired. I granted her permission to head directly to bed. I’d make sure the kids were taken care of. Jacob played video games in his room while Bella played on the computer. I spent my time ripping my CD collection onto my hard drive. I must’ve completed about 30 or 40 – far more than I originally intended. I asked the kids to get into their PJ’s and brush their teeth at 830pm. They followed my direction with minimal resistance. I allowed both to watch TV from their beds until 9pm, eventually extending Jacob’s viewing time by 15 minutes. Bella questioned my thinking, but didn’t push back. I think she was tired. It was 9pm and I had the house all to myself. I briefly considered making a stiff drink, but how much fun could being a stiff drink be?  I settled for ice water and Southpark instead. I hadn’t seen a Southpark episode in a year or more. I laughed. I stayed tuned into Comedy Central for two other half hour shows, the last being Sarah Silverman. She’s cute and funny. Next thing I knew it was 11pm. I secured the house and headed for bed.

What a Ham!

I was up a few minutes early, and because it was so close to 530am I didn’t dare try going back to sleep. It was 525am by the time I made it downstairs to start my exercise routine. After push-ups I checked the weather. It was 32 degrees, as warm as it’s been at that hour in quite a while. The coffee kicked on while I was at the PC. After 5 or 10 minutes I moved on to push-ups then my first cup of coffee. While enjoying my coffee I read headlines, email, and then the Daily OM. Truth be told, I was kind of bored. That doesn’t happen often. Come 610am I delivered Mindy’s coffee. She didn’t sound very good. She’s been battling a cough and losing her voice all week. I returned downstairs but went straight to meditation and stretching. I completed both just after 6:30am. Again, because it was so warm, I dropped back to just two upper layers – a winter wicking shirt and pullover fleece. I also skipped the fleece headband I typically wear against my gripper ear covers. I was plenty comfortable & cozy. The run went well. I had Mindy fetch me her car keys as I reentered the house so I could start/warm her car. My breakfast was ready and waiting. Soon Mindy was gone and Bella and I headed upstairs. The three of us reconvened at 756am downstairs. Jacob was uncharacteristically running behind. We were out at the bus stop a couple minutes later than usual, but still a few minutes ahead of the pick-up. The Trooper was started and warming the entire time we waited at the bus stop. I headed back inside and hung out for a few before heading off to work. The work day was busy, but more related to meetings than anything else. I called Aspen Ski & Board around noon asking if they could/would try adjusting my ski boots if I brought them in. I remembered them telling us that they come with lifetime adjustments. I love my boots but the left one is rubbing the inside knob of my ankle enough to cause a raspberry. It hurts – feels like a bone bruise. I know they can heat and mold the plastic structure. They replied as I expected they might. “Sure, bring ‘em in. We have excellent boot fitters at both stores.” Great! I thought I might do that on Thursday. I stayed at the office all day eating my packed lunch at my desk. I ended up working until 545pm after talking with Mindy sometime around 4-430pm. We were having ham for dinner. It cooked on low in the crock-pot all day long. I would’ve set it on warm if it weren’t frozen initially. Mindy said it looked good. I arrived home pretty much at the top of the hour. Mindy was already dishing out dinner. Bella was pouting and Jacob was tormenting, although the latter not the cause of the prior. Instead, sounded like Bella had a falling out with Lilly, Kenny’s daughter. She was distraught, but when prompted for details, she couldn’t/wouldn’t elaborate. Jacob’s badgering only exacerbated the problem. Mindy had to ask him more than once to back-off. In an attempt to divert their focus to something more positive, I asked Bella about her school day, and then her weekly spelling list. That worked. She fetched her list and we started practicing the ten words. Included this week were the words: moth, mother, other, thief, and too. I often ask her to say it, and then use it in a sentence before spelling it. She’s a much better speller than I expected she might be. Very coachable. Jacob practiced some of his words, too. It was suggested that we watch a movie after dinner clean-up. I was OK with that as long as the movie was something tolerable, although I felt the need to return to my reading ways. I’ve really let it slip over the last year. Before any of that, Mindy made the kids take showers. As usual, Jacob tried getting out of it. But after a simple sniff test, his pleading words fell on deaf ears.  While the kids showered, I updated my blog. I didn’t spend too much time on the PC, however. I eventually joined the kids and Mindy for the Home Alone 4 movie, already about halfway in. For some reason, every stinking DVD we watch starts skipping about an hour into the movie. Mindy & I both suspect it’s getting too hot resting above our almost always on stereo receiver. Tonight was no exception. I can not stand to watch a skipping DVD. I removed it and rinsed it off after seeing smudges on it. Mindy advised that she washed it ahead of time using soap and water. Soap and water? Are you kidding? Not good! I cleaned it with water only and the skipping stopped. I restarted the DVD from a point in front of the skipping. We got through it this go-round without a single skip. Problem, is that happens with almost every DVD. Maybe it the player? We tucked the kids in after the movie, which ended around 840pm. Immediately after, I checked the Science, History, and Discovery Channels for something fun and educational. Nothing. Not one good program. Even those networks have sold out to a lot of foolish programming, sad to say. We ended up watching American Idol from start to finish for the first time this season. It was good for a laugh, but neither Mindy or I were that into it. Next week is Hollywood week. We headed to bed a couple minutes after Idol, or just as the news was coming on. We caught a glimpse of the weather teaser, forecasting a “big winter storm” coming our way. Who knew? I checked the Yahoo forecast on my way up to bed. 1-3” inches possible on Friday.

Bill Murray

I was awake and downstairs a few minutes ahead of 530am. My body clock is as attuned to my schedule as it’s ever been. I breezed through my sit-ups then logged on my PC to check the weather and review a few of the morning's headlines. It was warmer than it’s been in over a week. It was 29 degrees. I completed my push-ups at 547am and then poured my first cup of coffee before returning for more PC time. This time I read the Daily OM and a few more headlines. I also checked the snow pack on Mt Hood – just getting myself mentally ready. It's beginning to mount! Come 610am I delivered Mindy’s coffee. Like most morning’s she requested I kick up the heat. Back downstairs, I moved directly to meditation and stretching. The meditation was about as good as it’s been in weeks. The stretching felt good too. I’ve added yet another brief but effective neck stretch which seems to help further curb the chronic spasms. When I dressed for my run I felt about as good as one could feel. Givne the warmth, I backed down to just two upper layers for the run. That was perfect. Outside, there was an unexpected ½” of new snow, and some stray flurries still coming down. The new snow provided an ideal cushion for my run. I can’t imagine that we’ve had more than 10-12’ inches of snow so far this winter. And if you back out the 4” or 5” dump we got the first week of January, we’ve really had very little accumulation. However, unless I’m mistaken, our biggest snow falls are most often in late winter once the weather patterns begin to shift and we get cold arctic air coupled with gulf stream moisture. We’ll see what happens as we move deeper into February. My run went well. I moved from running mode to shoveling mode in an instant. It didn’t take long. While shoveling, Mindy came out and started the Honda. I was inside for breakfast by 725am. Mindy had my eggs waiting in the microwave. My muffins and juice were already waiting at the table. Mindy left a couple minutes later. Bella and I chatted through the remainder of our breakfasts. Meanwhile, Jacob was already off to his room. Bella was in and out of the master bath while I showered and dressed. That seems to be her new thing. We were all three downstairs preparing to head out for the bus by 7:53am. Kenny walked Makayla out. He said he was staying home to meet with the IRS dude. Also shared that Jake was grounded for a school related transgression. I wished him luck with the IRS dude and headed back home to do some final preparations. Work was about on par with Monday, a far cry calmer than last week. For that I was grateful. However, I still managed to keep myself busy all day long. By choice, I worked straight through without a formal lunch break. However, I still took the time to eat my packed veggies along with a can of tuna. I missed a call from Mindy mid-afternoon. I called her back just before 5pm. Jimaken had just arrived to pick-up the kids. We, in turn, planned to dine at Barley’s after she nixed my El Vaquero request. With everything caught up, I left work at 515pm. Hitting every light just right, I was home by 530pm. Mindy was busy on her laptop. I put away my work things and headed upstairs to brush my teeth. I was ready to go in less than five minutes. Mindy said the kids would be home at 8pm. During our short drive to Barley’s I shared the gist of an article I read earlier about small dog – large dog discipline, and how most owners fail to properly discipline/train small dogs. I found the article insightful and helpful should we decide to get another dog later. As you might expect, the kids, especially Jacob, have been pushing for one right away. Barley’s was about as crowded as I expected it to be. The bar stools were something less than half occupied. Calvin was sitting there at the end. We cozied up next to him. I ordered a Centennial. Mindy ordered tea with honey after sampling a Southern Tier Raspberry Porter. I already knew I’d be having a second, and that would be a Double Trouble IIPA. We chatted with Calvin for the duration. Actually, Mindy did most of the interacting. We eventually ordered food. Mindy ordered a ‘bunless’ sandwich, while I ordered Gates of Hell wings well done. Once my wings arrived, I found myself not that hungry. I ate just five. They just weren’t hitting the spot. I didn’t want to force them down. The beer, on the other hand, went down easy. As suggested earlier, I followed up my IPA with the Double Trouble. It was excellent. I asked for a box to take the five remaining wings home for Jacob. I knew he’d appreciate it. I picked up the check. We left for home. Mindy drove. We arrived at or near 730pm – well ahead of the kids return. Mindy dashed upstairs to get changed. I went to my PC to check email and dare I say, add a little more album art to my music collection. My next task will be to add my entire CD collection into iTunes. That’ll almost certainly push my entire collection well above 32gig. I’ll then have to rethink my strategy for adding music on to my iTouch. While working on the PC, I stripped myself of my slacks and sat there in my mock turtle neck and boxers. The kids arrived home just before 8pm. Jacob’s first question was what the heck I was doing in just my boxers. I had no good answer – just getting’ comfy. Mindy wasted no time asking the kids to get ready for bed. She wanted them both in bed at a reasonable time. Bella asked that I pop popcorn, but that defied my Mindy’s orders for PJ’s and bed. Bella sulked. I asked Mindy for a bye, given that we hadn’t shared pop corn for many days. She agreed. Bella joined me for a bag. Unfortunately, it cooked a about five seconds too long. Bella complained. While sharing the popcorn, she and I watched a History Channel program about the ‘ring of fire’ in the Pacific Ocean. Very cool show. Mindy urged Bella to bed around 840pm. I fell asleep about the same time. Mindy asked me to tuck in both kids at 845pm. After waking from my mini-nap, I did as I was asked. I knew heading up that I wouldn’t be coming back down. Slipping off to bed sounded all so good. After tucking in the kids I did just that. Good night moon!

White Castle in my Backyard

go here to see the information regarding the program on the History Channel: http://www.history.com/shows.do?episodeId=528690&action=detail I slept OK and was up for work at 530am. I could’ve slept longer but them’s the breaks. I started my calisthenics, whipping out 55 sit-ups and eventually 53 push-ups. Sandwiched in between was about five minutes of PC time. During those few minutes I checked the weather and email. It was still cold – about 17 degrees under clear skies. After pouring coffee I settled back down at the PC for an extended period of time. I read the Daily OM, some Vikings headlines, and even searched for a few missing album art designs in iTunes. I was busy. I stopped at 610am to wake and deliver Mindy’s coffee. I got the distinct impression that she would go right back to sleep after I walked out. I didn’t hear her begin to stir for at least another 10 minutes, maybe longer. It was time to meditate and stretch. I spent about ten minutes on the two collectively. It was 6:40am in a hurry. I left for my run bundled warmly. I was cozy for the run’s duration. I ran the usual four miles. Back at home, I called for Mindy’s Honda keys from the doorway. I started it up and put the defroster on high. Inside, my eggs were already waiting along with a selection of fruit and an English muffin. Mindy headed off to school just passed 730am. Bella and I finished our breakfast then headed upstairs. I made quick work of my shower and was back downstairs ready to head out with the kids by 7:50am – a few minutes earlier than I’ve been in a while. The kids and I headed out for the bus at 755am, and met Chrissy and Makayla there too. I left the Trooper running while I headed back inside. I didn’t leave the house until 8:19am. You guessed it, I spent the extra few minutes adding album art to my music collection. I arrived at work a few minutes past 830am. For the first time in a couple of weeks, things were calm and quiet – a welcome change. However, that didn’t necessarily mean it would stay that way. But lucky for me, it did. I spent a good hour or more reviewing schedule changes with a peer of mine. He headed home at 1pm, the same time I left for lunch. I drove to Aspen Ski & Board curious to see if they had ski & boot bags on the cheap. We have a real nice double-ski bag, but I was concerned that our two pairs together weigh over the 50lb limit on most airlines. The selection was hugely picked over, I’m sure by design. After all, it’s already closing in on the end of the season. Can’t recall the gentleman’s name, but I believe he’s the manager. He was helpful, but insisted we’d be making a big mistake by placing our skis in a cheap ski bag for air travel. Receives countless complaints of damage during handling. He also claimed that our two sets of skis won’t come close to weighing 50lbs combined. I also inquired about boot bags, but the one he recommended was nothing more than a glorified wheeled-suitcase. And we have several of those. I’d be wasting my money buying one or two of those. I left buying nothing and feeling good about it. I planned to weigh our skis to make sure he’s right. I headed back to the office arriving at 150pm. I fetched my packed veggies and fruit from the fridge and settled back into my afternoon routine. The afternoon moved along fairly fast. Mindy called in route to Deena’s to pick-up the kids. She either worked late or had a staff meeting. Can’t recall. She stopped and picked up a couple rotisserie chickens from Kroger that would serve as our dinner. She also let me know that she invited my dad but he had to decline. I figured to be home at my usual time – near 6pm. I didn’t get out of the office until almost 545pm. Time just got away from me. I tried phoning Ashley, then my mom along my drive home. I hadn’t talked to either for a week or more. Neither one of them answered. OK! I arrived home just after 6pm. Mindy was still squaring away dinner. She hollered for the kids to wash up not five minutes after I was in the door. She explained why my dad couldn’t join us. He was waiting on a call back from his doctor after failing to give them his cell phone number. He’s apparently been diagnosed with a couple large kidney stones that will have to be blasted apart with ultrasound technology. I think he’s had them before – maybe ten years ago. Nice! We all enjoyed the chicken dinner: rotisserie chicken, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. I washed mine down with a big glass of milk. The kids discussed the possibility of watching a movie after dinner. Jacob wanted Home Alone 4. That being the case, I was out. I knew there were two, but not three & four. While they started watching a movie, I added more album art to my music collection. They ended up choosing Bed Time Stories, with Adam Sandler. I decided to join them. It was your typical Adam Sandler movie - good, goofy guy gets girl. It was still quite funny but also predictable. It was bedtime for the kids soon after the movie’s end. I carried Bella up to bed for the first time in a while. She’s getting so big. For the past week or so, Jacob’s asked me to spend extra time with him in his room when tucking him in. It’s almost like he likes me. :) I tuned to the History Channel when I headed back downstairs and watched a show featuring a fella in Orient, Ohio that has one of the original White Castle's on his property. I drive by there all the time in route to Split Rock golf course. In fact, he's the uncle of one of my work peers. Still, not too long into it, I dosed off. Mindy was nearby on her laptop playing solitaire. We headed to bed just a few minutes apart.

Mawmaw's Fudge

Measured against my typical weekend wake time, I slept really late. But I wasn’t at all surprised. After a day of skiing and then drinking several beers, I needed a solid nine. It was 9am when I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and headed downstairs. Because it was a Sunday, I didn’t plan to do any sit-ups or push-ups. Instead, after starting the coffee I did some surfing. I felt great. While enjoying coffee, I got back to the business of editing music files. I also downloaded Saturday’s MRM pictures along with those taken on Bella’s adoption Day. Bella joined me at the computer. We laughed at some of the pictures. Bella disappeared for a few but soon returned coaxing me to make and deliver her momma’s coffee. It was now after 10am. Jacob was in bed snuggling with his momma. The night before, Mindy said that she was going to church, but given the hour, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. She confirmed what I already assumed. Mindy and the kids soon joined me downstairs. It was too long afterwards that I dressed for my run. It was only 16 degrees but the day’s high was expected to approach 30. It was very sunny out, too. I ran three miles and took the Trabue/Hague Ave. route. I found two golf balls along the golf course, which I found somewhat surprising. That meant some folks have been out there playing over the past couple of days, despite the cold temps. Traffic was very light the entire way. The run down Hague was quite lovely – always is. I was back at home before I knew it. I told Mindy that I planned to unload the ski gear from the Honda but figured I’d wait until it warmed up a little. Meanwhile, she had our breakfast burritos all ready to go. They were different this time, made with chorizo. Much wetter and more flavorful than usual. We all liked them better than her original recipe. In fact, so much so, Jacob ate three! After breakfast, Bella wanted to do some bird watching. To aid in her endeavor, I filled the bird feeder hanging from the deck, but cautioned that it might take a couple of hours for the birds to return. She got comfy at the dining room window with her little green chair, her bird book, and a pair of old binoculars. She was into it. While she sought out the birds, I got back to work on my music collection. She kept me abreast of the various birds she spotted. According to Bella, she spotted a bunting and a Chickadee. I didn’t argue otherwise, but assumed they were really sparrows, which look admittedly similar. Jacob left the house around noon to go to the OSU basketball game with Kenny and Jake. I worked on my music all afternoon, or until 3pm when Mindy and I headed out to unload our ski gear from the Honda. That didn’t take too long at all. The afternoon moved by at a good clip. At Mindy’s prompting, I headed for a shower around 330pm. Out of the 2300 titles in my online music collection, there were only about 200 more to edit. I was making progress at a much faster pace than I assumed I might. Mindy suggested we load the three giant bags of recyclables into the back of the Honda and drop them off at Westgate Park on our way to her mother’s. I was happy to oblige given the room they were taking up in the garage. We left for Gloria’s at 430pm. Dropping the recyclables went well. I helped an older gentleman get his stuff into one of the three large dumpsters while there. All three were nearly full. With the exception of one, we were the last to arrive at Gloria's. That’s rare. As we rolled through Holy Hill we recalled the last time we visited – Xmas day. That was true, but it seemed more recent. Was it possible that Xmas was almost 6 weeks (5.5) in our rear view mirror already? Yep, time flies! There were 18 of us at dinner. Hard to believe, but true. We had sloppy joe’s and fried potatoes – a Gloria classic. The food was good and the interaction fun. We retired to the livingroom after dinner for social hour, or until dessert time. The highlight might’ve been Bella sneaking off to hide. At one point about five of us went looking for her. I know Bella, she excels at being stealthy. She wasn’t found until about fifteen minutes had passed. Gloria called us for dessert around 7pm. It was fudge – two kinds – bad and good. The good being a traditional chocolate, and the bad being chocolate-peanut butter, a Thompson family favorite. Larry & I were the only ones eating the traditional chocolate fudge. Shameleesly, I ate four pieces. It was goooood. We couldn’t stay long after dessert. It was already after 730pm, and we still needed to stop by and see Lindsey and the boys. Kelly invited us over for coffee and crumpets – Not! We said our goodbyes and prepared to depart. Gloria offered up take home fudge. We threw our name in for some of both. We stopped by Lindsey’s on our way home. Lindsey and the kids came out to greet us. We were there to pick up some forms Lindsey asked Mindy to fill out relative to Rocky’s behavior patterns. We didn’t stay long. Both kids gave us hugs. Rare for Rocky to be so loving. We both took notice. At home, we quickly got ourselves ready for the following work day. We tuned the TV to the pro bowl, but I watched very little. I just couldn't see the point. However, Jacob & Bella watched intently. In fact, while I was on the PC editing music, Bella came running in to let me know she saw a Viking (Adrian Peterson). She was excited. Very cute! The kids headed to bed before 9pm. And after tucking them in, Mindy joined me in the livingroom and began filling out the Rocky form. I loosely participated all the while keeping at the music edits via iTunes. I finished my first pass through my entire music collection before 10pm. And to think, I thought it would take weeks to complete. I plan to do more fine tuning and then add missing album art another time, but for the time being, the project was completed. I wrapped up downstairs and followed Mindy to bed.