Day 245 - I'm A Lumberjack

164.5 on the scale (cripes!), walked about 9 miles today in two spells, 150/100.

I didn't much wanna get out of bed this morning, so I kinda didn't. :) When I woke up, I read a little bit, and when I finally got stirring, I decided to go for a walk, probably a long one since I didn't exercise yesterday.

Partway through the walk towards Excelsior, I got the idea to call Jo and have her meet me for lunch while the kids were still away. So, I walked all the way to Dunn Bros in Excelsior, grabbed a coffee, and then went to the Lakeside Grille to meet Jo. So, while enjoying the company of my wife, I had me an indulgent buffalo chicken salad with blue cheese dressing. I'm already 164.5, who the hell cares right?

After we finished, I started my walk back. Since I still had some change in my pockets from the coffee, when a lemonade stand appeared alongside the path manned by two eager and hopeful kids, I bought a refreshing cup for 50¢, then continued on my merry way.

Then, I fired up the chain saw again. I had to cut down a nearly-dead tree close to the treehouse that was wobbly like a loose tooth before it fell and clipped the powerlines and/or the treehouse. I cut the branches off, but left the trunks wholly intact for Jo to use at some point for borders on the trail she intends to build through the forest.

I also cut up some morosely dead trees that we'd pulled down this spring, but I never got around to cutting. They were nice and dry so I fired up a good bonfire and started burning some of those along with the remnants of the honey locust tree that fell a few weeks back.

So by late afternoon I was a sweaty, smokey, stinky mess. Yum! I cleaned myself up around 4:30 or so since we'd made plans to meet Lisa and David for supper back in Excelsior at Maynards at 5:30. That was fun, had a few beers and mostly behaved with French Onion soup and Jo and I split a fancy salad.

The boys were dropped off again at the house around 7:30 or so after a good day and a half with Gramma & Grandpa.

Quote of the Day

Jo: "Your cat tries my patience."

Bret: "Everything tries your patience."

Day 244 - So a Taxidermist, a Park Ranger and an Animator Are Sitting Around a Fire...

163.5 on the scale. No exercise, unless I count the 1.5 miles that is mowing our lawn.

Generally quiet day today. Mowed the lawn. Stuck some orange flags in the grass next to clumps of dog poop. You know, that kinda stuff.

Grandma and Grandpa picked up Cory and Cole around 1:00 to go on an undetermined excursion with them and then stay overnight. Boys are always eager to spend some time at Grandma & Grandpa's.

I also repaired a cupboard door that had come loose, and hung a mirror in the bathroom. Oh, and napped.

Despite the nap, I figured I'd done enough husbandly duty for one day, and had enough credit, I think, to go out to a spontaneously-thrown BBQ/campfire party in Shad's backyard.

That's where the title comes in. It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but no!

There were a handful of industry people there, some of whom I knew and some who's names I knew and who I'd exchanged emails with, but hadn't met in person. And a taxidermist, (Rogue Taxidermist at that). And a Park Ranger for the metropolitan Mississippi.

Add some beer, and you had some great conversation.