What To Do When "Released" From Work 2 Hours Early

Some people might go home and get caught up on the mounds of laundry that are awaiting them.  To fold, to wash, to iron.

Some people might think that they've got all weekend to do that - so they would go get a pedicure.  And then talk their spouse into having a salad at Twigs.

Then some people would remember that they have a massage at 6p and they would go to that.  And they would REALLY enjoy it.

Some people were dismissed 2 hours early on Wednesday and then again today... it's kind of like "dead week" in college - not many people around, offices closed... so someone is hoping that we have an early dismissal tomorrow too!  After all, someone finished all of her program changes today AFTER going to the doctor, the pharmacy and readying the papers Wack needed for his doctors appointment that show he has his measles immunizations for his admission to the University of Washington.

An additional 2 hours tomorrow would allow someone to get the house in order a bit for bunco next Wednesday... because on Tuesday, someone is going to see "Magic Mike" with half of the women on the south hill.  

It's days like today that someone really appreciates.  So do her toes, he neck and her stomach.

Someone is now going to cut this short because someone has gotten engrossed in "Tremors".  Yep... someone just said that.

4th of Sacre. I mean... July.

We don't have traditional 4th of July plans.  We used to light off a few fireworks and do sparklers at The Dads parents home on Napa many moons ago.  After that we would find a spot to perch and watch the Riverfront Park fireworks... a few times we actually went to the park to view them.

Somewhere along the way - with boys growing older, driving, friends to hang out with - the family 4th of July fell by the wayside.  I don't know that I've ever been upset about that... until now.  Now I know.  Not upset - as in angry or frustrated... more sad, mostly.  If the Vancouver family still lived here, I believe it would have become a traditional family affair.  But alas and alack, that's not the case.  

So The Dad and I sit here at 9:46 p.m.  He played racquetball in the morning, I worked out and then we came home and I mowed the back yard.  He mowed the front and I watered the flowers and sorted the laundry.  We had several offers to go "play" tonight - but have to work on Thursday.  

How stupid is it that when the 4th of July falls on a Wednesday, that the government doesn't find a way to "move" it somehow, to either Tuesday or Wednesday to allow for an actual holiday celebration.  At least that way, you could take the day following or prior to as part of a 4 day weekend.  But working 2 days, having a day off and knowing I've got to be up at 5 on Thursday for a normal workout and day of work completely puts a damper on doing anything tonight.


So we did what all good husbands want to do.  Yard work.  Housework.  A trip to Mai Nails to see if they were open for pedicures... and then out to the mall for the wifes shave cream at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  Oh yes... fun times.  A stop at friends for a martini and then to a short dinner at Bonzai before heading home and now... to bed.  Long before the fireworks go off.


But I got my fireworks tonight...

I see Red.  I see White.  I see Blue.  Who needs fireworks??

Learning the Fundamentals of Rebounding

As I was sitting watching one of Blue Eyes games on Saturday, my good friend and former colleague sent me the photo below.  His words were "Found it!"

The "Fiorillo Family Court".  A sponsorship/backboard that the students and staff at Sacajawea Middle School purchased through donations by all to make this happen.  I haven't worked at Hoopfest for 10 years now - but when I was the Marketing Manager there - a court sponsorship was $600.  It may well have gone up in these past 10 years, which would stand to reason... so that makes it quite an accomplishment for that kind of money to be raised.

That's a swell gift for a guy that loved hoops.  Coaching, watching, participating. 

It was one of the first things I looked for when the court map came out online.  But Greg found it first at the event and took this photo and sent it to a group of us.  

Now in my phone I have this photo of the court.  A photo of the plaque that is hanging outside of his old office at Sac, a picture of his signature on the floor of Sacajawea... and I still have Pat as a contact in my phone.  Just like The Dad still has his mom as a contact and Sarah's parents and sister have her as a contact in their phones.

We were granted early release from work today at 3 and I came home, made lunch for the two boys that were here and then made some peanut butter cookies.  As they settled into their daily routines (Blue Eyes took a nap and #7 watched one of his shows on Netflix downstairs) I sat to call some arbor companies to come and trim the walnut tree in the front yard.  As I was waiting for a return call I was scrolling through my contact list and it hit me - for the umpteenth time - that this is not a dream, as I came across his name, then Robins'.  They are my only "F's" in my contact list.  Pat is gone.   Sarah is gone.  David is gone.  A friend.  A relative.  A childhood neighbor.  All at young ages.  With that comes that nagging feeling and questioning returns.  Is this what getting older is going to be like?    Or is it an ongoing opportunity staring us in the eyes to fix something, work toward something?  Is it the reminder that life is short, sometimes too short and we need to hold those who are near and dear to us close, forgive, forget, help, visit, take part in each others lives, play games, go on road trips, give them all I can because they need it more than me and that's what we do as parents, help a friend in need, say "yes" when you really just want to say "no" and hunker down at home, write a note just because, cry because you're sad, cry because you're happy, hug, laugh, love, roll the dice, take a chance, be a parent - not a friend, be a friend - not a nagging spouse, hug hard, give more than we take.  Be present.  

It's getting older AND opportunity to see that we should live IN the moment.  Not for the next trip, the next game, the next holiday, the project to be done, the phone to ring... 

I can say this - all the while, as I type this very line, I'm wanting "my people" back.  I want this to be my own personal "J.R. Ewing/Dallas" dream.  

But this is just how the ball bounces.  It's not always in our favor.  Sometimes the other team wins possession of our "ball" and we have to learn to roll with it.  

Muscle Relaxers Anyone?

I woke up and my neck was stiff and sore.  I made my way to work, arriving about 30 minutes late.  It's Monday... I don't love Mondays.  Most people don't love Mondays.  So I was moving slowly and 3 tylenol only  mildly helped the pain.  Then a stop at my favorite Starbucks yielded a drink made wrong, but not realized by me - OCD who checks her drink as she's about to pull away from the drive up window... Until I get to the light down the block.  Part of me wrestled with just going on to work and letting it be.  Then I said to myself:  "Self, it's Monday.  Remember?  There's no way you're going to work on a Monday with the wrong caffeinated beverage!"  So I turned the corner, pulled into the next lot, drove through it, pulled back onto 57th, turned back into the Starbucks lot and went in.  Usually I am met with an "Oh sorry about that!"  (It happens more often than it should - at least once, maybe twice a month) but this time I didn't have to say what was wrong with the drink... so it's like they KNEW they made it wrong.  Oh goody, it's Monday.

Got to work.  Worked on stuff.  Had a hard time concentrating on work because my neck hurt.  If I turned my head with purpose - I could do it without it hurting.  But the random people coming by my area or the frequent trips to the copier, fax, etc... didn't help. I didn't lunch long and when I returned I intended to just put my nose down and go go go.  But I couldn't and it kept getting worse.  Oh goody, it's Monday.

I took 3 more tylenol and then an aleve.  And then I came home.  And I slept.

With a 90 pound yellow lab on top of me.  

Then Wack and I watched the second "The Newsroom" and they mentioned little ole' Spokane, Washington in it.  So that was cool.  And then I slept some more.

Then I finished watching "The Italian Job" while The Dad cooked dinner.  Then we, the parents, had a discussion with Blue Eyes about his actions after his loss at Hoopfest and that went about as well as I would have expected.  Yes yes... oh goody, it's Monday.

So to go along with my sore neck/shoulder/head - I have gained a piss poor attitude, a loss of 2 hours of my life watching "Eat, Pray, Love" after "The Italian Job" and a new wrinkle due to how The Dad/Blue Eyes/MOTY exchange ended up... with The Dad changing his tune from The Dad Stance, to agreeing with Blue Eyes, getting on The Moms' bad side because he's the parent.  Oh boy howdy, am I glad Monday is over.

Going to bed now.  Would love to wake up and have had today just have been a dream.  Then again... don't really want to do a Monday over again.  I think muscle relaxers are the answer to my problem.  Because I'm pretty sure The Dad wouldn't be sleeping on the couch tonight if I weren't so out of sorts because I can't turn to look at anything.  Sometimes it must really suck to be The Dad.

Until then, I am taking muscle relaxer donations.  


And I just did a preview of this and can't figure out why its highlited white for part of it and not for the rest.  But it's the end of what's been a shitass Monday and I've tried thrice to correct it to no avail, so I'm tossing my laptop off the deck, kicking The Dad, because kicking the dogs would be cruel and escaping to the bedroom.  Muscle relaxers just may not be strong enough at this point.


(*&&^%$$#&_)()(&^ Mondays.

Win Some, Lose Some

I played in my first every Hoopfest.  I only shot the ball twice, I had a killer back door pass, I set a few screens - my team won one and lost two.  We were out on the first day.  Most people don't want to be out on the first day...  and I'm a pretty competitive person.  But I was A O.K. being out on Saturday.  

#7 was also out on day 1.  He and a few of the Ferris boys played in the 6 and over Elite division.  They were competitive - the lost, won, lost.  But their losses were close.  I'm also quite certain - that the "Evil Empire" should NOT have worn their old "Ferris" practice jerseys.  He was not as "OK" with being done on Saturday as I was.... but then, he's a thousand percent MORE competitive than me AND has never been out on Saturday before.  

Lesson learned.  Unless they get a 6'8" big body to play with them next year!  

Blue Eyes made it to the Semi's of the winners side of the bracket and lost their first this afternoon at 1230.  It wasn't their best game.  They turned around at 2 pm and were playing this team real well when the balls quit dropping... for them.  That ended  "The Perkisizers" 2012 run for the coveted Champions t-shirt.  And minus a little bit of not so great sportsmanship after that loss by Mr. Blue Eyes himself (for which MOTY scolded him, live and in person), the boys played tough and they were a lot of fun to watch.  There's always next year Perkisizers... 

Wack was in a tough bracket and made it to Sunday at 9 am.  An opponent that called about 12 fouls... (one of their 4 players called all but 2 of them) and a technical on Wack didn't help them during this game and they were down 5 with not much time to go.  They actually closed in when time expired... the score 18-19.  Overtime.  Back and forth a few times and then a bucket by the good guys made it 19-19, but alas and alack, the Mutha Hens couldn't stop some hot shooting and his run ended this morning.

An annual trip to the Sponsor Garden VIP tent for pizza, snacks, water and fraternizing with old Hoopfest friends, stopping to watch a few games of peoples kids or old friends, a split Bruchi's sandwich, lots of walking, sunscreen, sweat, bathroom lines, gatorade, watching a Hoopfest flashmob, $13 parking, $2 parking (2nd day we scored!), The Grosso's make a surprise visit - twice, perfect weather with a few raindrops, no broken bones, no scratches, a few wounded egos, but all in all - a top 5 Hoopfest fo' sho!!

So lucky to finish off the last of the Sunday hours with my Big Bro, my awesome sister Tam, & the residents on 36th with some birthday cake and ice cream and sibling conversation.  

The weekend is over, Hoopfest 2012 is in the books and I can now proudly say I played in the event at least once.  So there's that...

Merry Christmas!!! (June 29, 2012)

Technically it's not Christmas.  In fact, the real Christmas is just about exactly 6 months away.

But today leads into a family "holiday" weekend. 

Usually, the holidays are spent running every which way, trying to please all of the relatives be it for visits or dinner plans, when to open gifts or play a family game that the general lot can agree on.

But this "holiday" weekend - Hoopfest... the Worlds largest... wait a minute... the WORLDS' largest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament takes place on my very own hometowns city streets.  This is year 23.  But year 1 for me - as a player.  It's also #7's 14th contest.  This year he plays with the "Evil Empire" (Jared, Erick and Beau - all former Saxon basketball players on the 58-0, two time State Champs!), Blue Eyes is on his 12th Hoopfest and he and the rest of the "Perkisizers" hope to bring home a second consecutive coveted Hoopfest Champion shirt!  Wack is playing with the same group as last year, new name "Mutha Hens"...  and they were real close to bringing home the gold last year.

So tonight will be a special dinner - in preparation for the Evil Empires 8 AM start in the elite bracket.  

There are a few gifts to round out our weekend.  The gift of laughter.  The gift of cheering on our own.  The gift of being together at the end of the day and at the start of the next.  We won't all be together most of the time between games - but we will be there to support one another and I know one of my other personalities "Mama BEAR" will be out in full force when the boyz are playing.  I can't frickin wait!

The weather is supposed to be near perfect and technically, once this weekend is over - Summer will be on in full force in The Can.  The last gift of our weekend arrived just in time today.  The new air conditioner was installed.  I'm wearing a jacket, earmuffs and have a blanket over my legs as I type this - so that's a bit uncool... but for the first time, on a sunny, semi-warmish day - my blinds are open to our view here on the mountain.

Letting the sun shine in and on me and my guys for our holiday weekend!  

I'm gonna soak it all in.  

I do though, feel sorry for the sucker who tries to take the ball away from me when I get my first "in game hotflash".  Bummer for you pal...

Oh... and Happy Birthday to my big bro!  Shout out to Big E for $44!