And now . . . a cynical post

My post for yesterday written today was pretty positive. Heck, it was a positive day. But today was more normal. We didn't leave Lansdale. Okay, we ventured one mile into Hatfield Township. Okay, and Sam got to go to a movie at Movie Tavern. And that's in Collegeville. But I didn't leave Lansdale. Except to eat lunch in Hatfield Township.

But it was still a neat day.

Caroline, of course, was excited to have me all to herself for a few hours while Sam went to the theater. Please note the similarities between the picture she drew of us and the picture the waitress took of us on our date to Spatola's Pizza.

I'm a bit embarrassed that Caroline and I polished off more than half an order of breadsticks and one half of whole pizza. It took ridiculous willpower to pry myself off the couch upon our return home and go the pool. However, it would have taken more commendable willpower to actually stop at one slice of sausage pizza, which I didn't. 

Our neighbor's optimistic impression of the value of improvements to her home isn't necessarily paying off. 

Told you I'm in a cynical mood. "Price Reduced." Haven't had a chance to confer with my neighbor about the implications of this on the house I'll probably never sell. 

Told you I was in a bit of a cynical mood. 

The garden is growing nicely. Too bad the damn birds are eating the strawberries. It seems as if there is no year without at least one failed crop. 

My dinner for the kids was lousy. At the last moment I decided to stay at home rather than mooch off my parents. I cooked the kids fried chicken thighs, mashed potatoes (made with margarine . . . we're out of butter), and peas. It's funny: I normally do the cooking, so I can't blame Sherry's absence on this poor meal. But I'm a worse cook when she's not around. Fried chicken thighs? Why didn't I just get a box of Banquet nuggets? 

My other dumb move was running 3 miles today. Not that running in and of itself is a bad idea. But I was on my feet for hours and traversed about 3 miles on foot yesterday. So now my left ankle / lower calf is stiff as anything. Oh well. At least I'm considered a "Green" rather than "Orange" runner on Nike's Nike+ app. 

So, here's the lesson: wait until you're approaching 40 before becoming a runner. Then get motivated to have a new color on your phone's app because you've run 150 miles without any training or conditioning then pull a muscle that hasn't been so challenged in nearly four decades and . . . voila, look like an old man walking down the steps of your home. Geesh. 

I did get to the pool two times today. That was nice. 

On a final note, when I go to bed I'll fall asleep, and somewhere in that 6.5 hours that I'm slumbering will pass the halfway mark of my wife's journey to Australia. As I said to her in our most recent phone call: we're happiest when she's home, though we're doing our best to make it happy while she's gone. We're eager to see her next weekend.