It was a relaxing kind of weekend. Hannah and Emma both had friends over Friday night, which would have been a pain in the ass a few years ago but was actually easy to manage now that the girls are almost-eleven and nine, respectively. Hannah and her friend took their Barbies and disappeared into the basement. Emma and her friend took a different set of toys up to the girls’ room and stayed up there. Sally ordered a pizza; I wound up not even having to do dishes.
I got up early Saturday morning to swim. I laid out the workout in a post that morning, so if you want to see what I did, you can find it by scrolling down a couple of entries. As with my run on Thursday last week, I felt okay at the start of my workout, but between vacation and my stay in the hospital, I’ve lost a few steps. Rebuilding my fitness is gonna be a major project.
I’d considered running after I swam, but though I had time, I decided not to push it. The doctor was pretty clear about the need for me to continue taking it easy, and indeed, I’d planned to run again on Sunday but wound up taking that day off completely, too. So I’m not making great strides in my effort to come back, but so far I haven’t had any set-backs, either. There’s a balance there somewhere, I’m sure. Anyway, after swimming I met with my friend Alisha, and we talked about the YMCA’s new 5K training program. I don’t particularly need that program, but my first race in about a year is a 5K in October with a team from my company, so the program makes some sense. Plus, I want to support Alisha. We’ll see how it goes.
I took Hannah to ice skating practice after leaving the YMCA, and once practice was over, she and her friend hit the ice for another forty-five minutes for free-skate. Hannah looked a little stiff out there if you ask me, but it could have been worse. I don’t think she’s been skating since last spring, so a little rust wasn’t entirely unexpected.
I got home around noon, and that was when Army kicked off. I don’t always get to sit down and pay attention to Army games, but I made a point to sit down for this one, and it was well worth the time and effort. Army won handily, though a late fumble and a lost onside kick made the send half of the 4th quarter a lot more interesting than I’d expected it was going to be. Army took a 21-3 lead into halftime and was up 30 points late in the 3rd quarter. It all turned out alright, though, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I stood at attention in my living room for the Alma Mater and shouted “Beat Navy!” right along with Coach Monken and the Corps of Cadets. My only regret is that I didn’t have anyone over for the game, but all my friends were tied up, and anyway, I think I’m literally the only Old Grad in the entirety of Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the 1990s. Ever since my buddy Baq got a job in Minnesota last year, it’s been pretty much just me and the kids watching Army Football in our living room by ourselves.
I love Coastal Connecticut, I really do, but the only veterans I know nearby are my buddy Chris from my triathlon club—and he was in the Navy!—and my buddy Collin, who was in the Army, but his was the Canadian Army.
*sigh*
After the game both kids went for sleepovers. Sally and I had the whole house to ourselves for something like 36 hours! We met our friends Collin and Elizabeth out at Two Roads Brewery at Stratford, and with the glow of Army’s victory still fresh in my mind, it was a glorious night. I woke up with something of a hangover late Sunday morning, but Saturday was easily the best day we’ve had since we got back from Maine.
Sunday was more of a traditional weekend day. The kids were gone, but we still had our stuff to do, and we spent the day doing it. I went to the grocery store, hung a bulletin board for Sally’s art class, cleaned up the kitchen after lunch, and cut the grass. I kept my phone in my pocket while I worked, listening to the Titans game via SiriusXM radio, but I didn’t actually try to watch the game, nor did I have time to sit down and focus on football. The Titans won handily—a miracle!—and I managed to get the bulletin board up straight, so I’ll call the day an unqualified success.
The kids got home early that evening, and I grilled cod loins using cedar planks and a variety of sauces for dinner. I also did long-cut squash and zucchini with salt and pepper and olive oil. All of this came out well, and though that wasn’t nearly as surprising as Army and Tennessee both winning handily on the same weekend, I’ll take it.
Happy Monday! Have a great week.
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