Blood, Snakes, Utah

Looks like it’s going to be one of those Digest versions of the week. I did have some incidents that could warrant a seperate entry all to itself, but I ran out of time.

Monday: Terry Day got switched from Tuesday to Monday, so I ended up running 4.4 miles at Lakeshore under some beautiful conditions. After I ran, I made my way over to Panera Bread so that I could use some Wifi while I did some Stock homework for my up coming trip. I had planned on just getting a drink since Panera is the House of Gluten and I can’t really eat anything there. So, I am standing in line and an atheletic couple with their kid is ordering and the guys says he’ll have a salad. The dim lightbulb above my head brightened by 10 watts. Salad? He’s having a Salad! Can I have a Salad? I can have a salad! So, as I was on the computer I was eating a SALAD! And it was a good one too… only think “bad” about it was the casein in the cheese… but no biggie.

While I am at Panera. A mom’s group comes and sits down in the same “area” in Panera. This basically means that you are part of the conversation even if you didn’t want to be, it’s you just can’t chime in. This is why blogging when things happen is so much easier than one of these re”crap” posts. The mom’s group was pretty funny… to get away from their lives for a little sisterhood bonding over coffee in Panera, they sure did talk about their kids alot… oh and pregnancy… and epidurals… and childbirth… and their kids… and their friends kids… and the therapies their kids are taking.

So after I left Panera, I headed to errand run at Target. I did the “Perimeter Run” in Target to see if there were any good deals on the Clearance, but no such luck. I found some running shorts that I could use, but decided to just use what I have for right now. So I am in the check out… waiting… it’s almost close so there’s only one cashier open on the electronic’s side of Super Target.

I would have sworn the couple ahead of me was a Hooker and a Trick, based on the way she was dressed. Then I noticed how much they resembled each other… and so then it was just a father/daughter outing. But While I was paying, this woman is storming out of the store… walking fast with bags. Then you here “Hey, I am talking to you. Hello?”

“I’m talking to you,” he calls again as she is just out the store. She does say something to which you hear him reply, “Liar!” Oh, THAT’S going to end well tonight. Too bad there was a kid following the dad. I guess the woman could have been his daughter, given the fact that I had mistaken the hooker daughter earlier.

Tuesday: I gave blood: 1) I could give again, 2) I don’t have a race until the end of the month and 3) They called me personally to ask to give because they were short in the blood supply. I am in demand. Of course, now I am “untouchable” for 16 weeks. And I forgot to bring in my Super Donor card for my extra t-shirt.

Wednesday: Nothing Really to Report

Thursday: In our neighborhood, we have a neighborhood watch program which requires (loosely) to patrol the neighborhood once a year. This is a deterrent for criminal activity, but doesn’t deter houses getting Rolled (with TP). Thursday was our day… and out of ALL the days in the week, Thursday is the worst day. 1) I have the kids in the evening and 2) My Lovely and Talented Wife has her unit meeting that night.

So instead of the normal: Tub Time, PJs, Books and Lights Out, it was Get Your PJs On And Head To The Van!

Now, the last time we went into the van in PJs, it was BOOMSday here in Knoxville so The Elder asks, “Are we going to see fireworks?”

“Not this time.”

We drove around the neighborhood once and then parked near the entrance so that I could inspect the cars that were going in and out of the neighborhood and Make My Presence Known! The kids were watching a video and I even popped some popcorn for them while in the van with the hopes that they would fall asleep and I wouldn’t have to do anything but lay them in their bed.

After a while I felt the urge to go. I would taken care of it right there in the van, but I am still trying for that Parent of the Year Award and although it would have been resourceful, using the 20oz Diet Coke bottle as a portable receptacle was not really prudent with the kids. So, we went home, briefly.

We snaked around the neighborhood again looking at basically nothing. It had been raining all afternoon and there was not a soul outside. Not even some punk kids having fun in the rain. I did stop and unclog a storm drain that had been partially clogged from the Eucalypus leaves and pollen. There was a small dam formed and the water was backing up making a 6 inch deep area, that was about 3 feet from one of the “High Voltage” boxes in the neighborhood.

On our way back to the stakeout point, I saw something in the road. It looked like a curvy stick, but what’s better than a curvy stick? A SNAKE!

And that’s what I said, “A Snake!”

“Where?” questioned The Elder.

“In the Road, right here,” as I pulled upside it so that I could take a picture. I had Stella with me in case I needed photographic evidence of something. I took 1 picture and the batteries died. *sigh*

“You want to see the snake?”

“Yeah,” The Elder replies trying to get out of his seat, “I want to see the snake.”

“Me Too,” chimes The Younger.

“OKay, Hold On.” I back the van so that I can approach the snake from a safe angle. But I pulled The Elder out of the van and showed him the snake. This was one of those non-domesticated snakes. It started to pull it’s head up as if to say “My Dad was a Cobra and My Mom a Rattler… so Back off!” But seeing that the snake was almost accross the road, I put The Elder back in the Van and popped out The Younger.

By the time we got to the snake, it was almost in the woods. But he did get to see it move. Had I not been holding The Younger, I would have grabbed the snake out for a better view… but I didn’t, although I did touch the snakes tail.

So we went back to our stakeout place and we hung out here for a while. It was now dark and rainy and I couldn’t really see much of anything. By the time I got home The Elder had fallen asleep, YES! But The Younger was still (wide) awake, DARN! So, it sorta worked out.

Friday: After 3 days of not working out, I finally decided to run. My intention was to do 5 miles, but once I got started, I bargained with myself to do 4 miles. But the 1st mile was REALLY hard. I could not figure out why it was so tough. At the end of the 1st mile, that I would only do 2 miles with a long walk break in between. As I was walking, I realized that I did give blood this week and this was the first workout since then. So, I wasn’t so upset that 2 miles was about to kill me.

Next Week: I will be in Utah for most of next week at Trading Education Seminar. Although I will be very busy, I will have computer access, so maybe I can catch up on some people’s blog and actually leave meaningful comments. Maybe even work on a little Gravity while I am there!

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